Today marks my 40th revolution around the sun. To celebrate this milestone, I’m launching something new. But first, a story.
In 2016, I lived in Harlem and ran a small media company. I had been at it for a while and the daily grind of publishing other people’s writing for a living was losing its appeal—to say nothing of selling sponsorships against that writing to keep the lights on. I was bored and desperately needed a new challenge.
Around the same time, I learned that WeWork was opening an office in the neighborhood. It was long before the company’s spectacular implosion, and the news of their arrival had the streets buzzing: one of the hottest and fastest-growing startups was descending upon Harlem, replete with all the uncomfortable racial and economic optics one would expect.
I met with the team leading the charge and they were armed with well-rehearsed talking points about looking to build with Harlem. To soften the landing, they were clearly looking for some socially connected locals to partner on a few events with. At the time, WeWork was producing tens of thousands events around the world, and had it down to a science.
I pitched my idea, and we executed my vision in fifteen days. It was a flat-out sprint. Boredom: vanquished.
I wanted to showcase Harlem’s rich history and dynamic residents, so I decided to moderate a panel. I assumed that many of the people I asked to sit on the panel would be out of town, uninterested, or unavailable, so I made eight simultaneous requests. They all came back in the affirmative, so after weeping silently as my inbox produced a rapid stream of excited yeses, I prayed to Oprah and strapped in for the grand social experiment that I had inflicted upon myself.
Two weeks of pure adrenaline ensued, culminating in an oversubscribed event with nearly 300 RSVPs. We had to turn off reservations because the venue couldn’t accommodate more people. New and used friends came from as far away as California for the evening, and I still vividly remember the energy in the room. It was electric.
The upshot is that we took the Harlem WeWork office from 50% to 75% sold with that one event. The stress was astronomical, and I remember lying on the floor and vibrating with overstimulation that night when I got home. In retrospect, I was merely dehydrated, but I reported back to my advisor in a dramatic fashion the following week that I was getting out of the events business. I shared that I didn’t enjoy the experience and wanted to stick to publishing.
He looked at the event photos and the scale of my accomplishment and dismissed my complaint. “The event wasn’t for you. And what you did was hard.”
“No kidding,” I said to myself in French. But he was right. And I was hooked.
Over the years, I’ve produced and hosted events that reached thousands of people across four countries, from informal meetups in Argentina and intimate dinners in Paris to sponsored rooftop mixers in Oakland and networking events on Wall Street.
“To achieve great things, two things are needed: a plan and not quite enough time.” —Leonard Bernstein
After leaving my job last year, I had some big decisions to make—not just about what I wanted to do for a living but also how I wanted to spend my time. But instead of seeking out something new and novel, I noticed my instincts in the immediate aftermath.
I started writing, making introductions, and planning events to host. Absent the familiar routine of a job to create imaginary obstacles, I found myself putting pen to paper and laying the groundwork for…an events company?
Introducing Power Circle Events
Power Circles create the conditions for people to connect more deeply than they typically do. Magic happens when a group of people give generously of their time and attention, looking for ways to advance a conversation, someone’s journey towards a goal, or simply being more present to what someone has to say.
And a memorable experience can reliably take shape with careful planning and facilitation. Based on 15 years of bringing people together, here are three essential elements of a Power Circle:
- Connection: we’re social primates hardwired for connection—meeting the right person at the right moment can shift the arc of our lives
- Community: finding our place and voice in the world—even and especially among people we may disagree with—can clarify what we stand for and what’s worth doing
- Courage: the stakes may feel higher than ever, but showing up despite this inspires others to do the same
If this sounds like your kind of party, drop me a note and subscribe.