The Original
Human Connection Blog

This was a mistake. I'm standing backstage scanning the audience with the intensity of a serial killer. Ordinarily I'd be over-the-moon at the opportunity to speak in front of such an energetic and welcoming audience. But this is different.

It doesn't take much to brighten someone's day. And when you extend the give of human connection to another, they will extend that gift forward, and the ripple spreads quickly. Today, she is an advisor at a great school making a huge positive impact on students lives. And the critical inflection point was a single kind remark from a visiting comedy magician. It was a powerful reminder that sometimes we don't have to do any outrageous to make a dent in the universe. We just have to be present, understanding, and kind.

Why do so many entrepreneurs and business owners fail to connect with customers? You've got a brilliant idea and a unique solution that doesn't exist in the marketplace. You're better, faster, or cheaper than the competition. Yet, your ideal customers or clients just don't get it. And because they don't get it, they don't want it, and won't buy it. What's going on here? That's what Tijana Buric asked me on her podcast Career Alchemist, where I was recently honored to be a guest.

This weekend I spent two days with 1500 college students representing nearly 300 schools across America. It was NACA Live - the National Association for Campus Activities' annual national conference. I had the incredible honor of being selected to showcase on stage for 15 minutes, and spend the day interacting with students.

How a seemingly fun office culture led to unexpected team issues, highlighting the importance of understanding your team beyond just numbers. A lesson in human connection and management.

When you’re a magician the most important part of your job is not tricking people. It's connecting with people. Because fooling people is easy, but making people enjoy being fooled? That’s the real magic. And the only way to do that is to create a shared experience in which everyone feels heard, understood, and valued. Being a professional magician for 10 years taught me to make instant connections with perfect strangers, and that skills has led to every opportunity in my life, personally and professionally. I recently had the great pleasure of sitting down with Gabe Marusca on his podcast The Nomad Solopreneur Show.

This blog explores the concept of 'unlikely mentors' from Chris Roberts' TEDx talk. We discuss a three-step process: Identify, Adopt, Engage, illustrating how to find and learn from mentors outside traditional networks, based on real-life experiences and professional development insights.

Sometimes lessons come from unexpected sources. This year, my toddler taught me the true meaning of the holidays.

This is my final blog of 2023. I'm about to do something radical... I'll be taking the final 2 weeks of the year off. Having been self-employed since I was just 16 years old I find it very difficult to take vacations. In fact, in the first 3 years that my wife and I dated, I never took a single vacation. Our honeymoon was the first time Lindsey saw me take a proper break. But this year is different.