Talks
I speak at a few events each year about connection, community, entrepreneurship, social entrepreneurship, productivity, and achieving goals. Below are a few of the talks I have given and/or am working on.
The Science of Belonging, Connection and Community
This is a talk I began developing in late 2019, and spent 6 months researching. It is an engaging and fascinating look at the science of belonging, particularly the evolution and neuroscience around human connection.
The talk takes listeners to the beginnings of humanity, to the plains of Africa and villages of Fiji and Sardinia, into the human brain, and to the present day, to help us understand why we are such a social species, why and how we are wired to connect, and what we can do with this information as individuals, leaders, and citizens.
It is also based on my years of experience in creating community, both in Toronto and internationally via my events with Wayfinders (much of this research guides the design of my events, and I experiment with various connection techniques that are informed by recent science).
Some of the topics covered in this talk:
What Villa Grande, Sardinia has to teach us about the relationship between longevity and belonging
The !Kung San people, and how and why we evolved for connection
The fascinating neuroscience of connection and belonging
The crushing health effects of chronic loneliness
An epidemic of loneliness
The ingredients of healthy communities and the components of belonging
What we can do, as individuals, leaders, managers, and policy makers*
*The final section of the talk is tailored to the audience (e.g. a talk for entrepreneurs contains tips and techniques for how company owners can create a sense of deep belonging among their staff, customers and communities).
TALK LENGTH: 35m, plus 20 minutes for two deeply engaging exercises (optional)
aligned entrepreneurship
I speak regularly on what I call ‘Aligned Entrepreneurship’:
An Aligned Company:
Self-managing (how to create systems and processes that allow your company to thrive without you)
Profitable, with healthy cash flow and a strong balance sheet
Provides a sense of deep meaning and fulfilment for its owners and employees
An Aligned Life:
In line with one’s values, ideals and dreams
Full with fulfilling relationships
Authentic, with no need to wear ‘masks’
My talks on alignment draw on my 23+ years of experience as an entrepreneur, with many stories from the deepest trenches and highest peaks.
Talks range from the very practical and hands-on/how-to (How do you create systems that help your business run without you?) to the more philosophical (What roles does ego play in running a company? How can our companies provide us with a deeper sense of meaning?).