In advance of Rob Lawless’ Smart Monday keynote, “The Untapped Value of Human Connection,” sponsored by Visit Anaheim, the day before IMEX America kicks off, we reached out to learn more about this immensely important piece of the event puzzle and what attendees should expect.
What do you hope attendees will take away from your Smart Monday keynote, “The Untapped Value of Human Connection?”
I hope attendees leave with an understanding that every human interaction holds the potential to change their lives, if they’re just willing to open the door. I hope they leave feeling inspired by the stories I’ve collected along my journey. And I hope they feel empowered with tangible tools to help them form deeper connections both during and beyond the conference! Whether we are creating new relationships or strengthening the ones we already have, connection is undoubtedly worth our time.
What do you think are the most impactful challenges affecting the development of genuine human connection in 2025?
I think the most impactful challenges are the growing prevalence of technology, our mindsets towards connection and the inertia of the pandemic.
In terms of technology, we have so many people viewing the world through the lens of social media or artificial intelligence (AI) now. And while they can both be very helpful tools, we need to remember that algorithms create echo chambers and unrealistic perceptions of reality. Social media and traditional media highlight the sensational anomalies of life, not the wholesome middle ground. AI creates incredible efficiencies, but we need to ensure that these are a means to an end of greater connection.
Too many people think, “I don’t have time for this” when it comes to connection, they think they need to have predefined outcomes for it, or they feel like they can’t measure the ROI of investing in it. This leaves companies and individuals hesitant to invest in what could be one of the most impactful uses of their time. Harnessing the value of connection requires tending to it consistently over time and letting the outcomes naturally unfold.
Lastly, the pandemic created a world where people became comfortable staying in and not interacting with each other. I believe many people are still stuck in that place and the only way to fix it is to put ourselves in motion again. Without that motion, we will have people continuing to struggle with loneliness and everything that comes with it.
How can event professionals help attendees overcome those challenges?
Event professionals can help people overcome these challenges by being positive examples of connection. They can show up with authenticity and vulnerability when sharing their own stories, breaking the mold of the perfect lives social media portrays. They can also ask thoughtful, intentional questions of attendees (beyond their work roles and responsibilities) to help them feel the value of being seen and heard.
“Harnessing the value of connection requires tending to it consistently over time and letting the outcomes naturally unfold.”
Event professionals can overcome the negative mindset towards connection by creating unstructured times and spaces for individuals to connect. They can learn more about their attendees beforehand and potentially have them opt into one-on-one experiences of connecting with other attendees with similar backgrounds or interests. They can also create programs inviting attendees to form routine connections with each other throughout the year, maintaining the growth and knowledge transfer they experience at their events.
Lastly, event professionals can document and highlight the wonderful interactions that are formed through their events and what they lead to (through a Slack channel, newsletter, Substack, etc.). These personal and professional wins are occurring at every event but aren’t always talked about. The more attendees believe their event connections will lead to incredible value, the more inspired they’ll be to create them.
Can you share an anecdote from your conversations and explorations with people across myriad cultures that was an “ah ha!” moment for you regarding human connectivity?
When I hopped on my Zoom call with Anaan Al-Qadi, we seemingly had nothing in common. Wearing her hijab, she called in from Alexandria, Egypt, while I called in from Philadelphia just blocks from the Catholic high schools my grandparents attended. She didn’t grow up speaking English and with a decade between us age-wise, you might think we’d struggle to connect, but almost immediately we found our common ground.
Anaan and I are both one of three siblings, each with a sister and a brother. As she told me tales of her and her older brother wrestling playfully near their garden, leading to accidental broken jaws and noses, I shared my experiences of chipped teeth and nearly lost eyes in my battles with my older brother.
Suddenly, we weren’t two people from totally different cultures. We were just two kids reliving fond, very relatable memories with our siblings. Anaan and I enjoyed a very fun, easy-going hour together, reminding me of where connection truly comes from. Rather than the borders of our countries or the languages we speak, it’s in the experiences we share and the lessons we can learn from each other.
What are you most looking forward to over the next year?
I am most looking forward to growing as human connection speaker and thought leader. For many years, I didn’t have a way to support myself on this journey, and through keynote speaking I found my place of impact.
Being able to hear how my story has inspired others to go on their own journeys of connection—whether it’s simply saying, “Hi,” to people on the street or trying to meet more of their co-workers—has been incredibly fulfilling. I feel like I’ve discovered this small secret to happiness so now I want to share it with as many people as possible because I believe I can infuse more empathy into the world.
On a more specific note, though, I’m excited to travel to Iceland for the total solar eclipse in August 2026. My brother, my sister-in-law and I watched it in Arkansas last year, and we figured why not make a fun trip out of it next year. Also, as a bonus, I’ve met a handful of people from Iceland throughout my journey, so I’ll get to reconnect with some of them in person while we’re there!
