Best DEI session in the past 2 years!
Rob Lawless is a 32-year-old from Norristown, PA, who loves getting to know new people. He graduated with highest honors from Penn State University in May 2013, earning a Finance degree along with minors in Accounting and Entrepreneurship. He started his professional journey as a Business Analyst in Strategy & Operations at Deloitte Consulting, but left after about a year and a half to join RJMetrics, a $24 million venture-funded company, as a sales representative.
He started his project of meeting 10,000 different people for an hour each on November 11, 2015, and has been pursuing it full-time since June 20, 2016, when RJMetrics was acquired by a larger company that didn’t require his position. He has connected with over 5,400 individuals from more than 90 countries worldwide and has traveled across the nation six times. He has been featured in various prominent media outlets, including Ryan Seacrest’s nationally syndicated radio show “On Air with Ryan Seacrest,” the Canadian national morning show “Your Morning,” and the TODAY Show with Hoda and Jenna. He even made an appearance on the Kelly Clarkson Show alongside Jane Lynch and Jo Koy, with an audience comprising about 100 friends from the project.
He is passionate about adventure and potential and finds that his project embodies both aspects. He is extremely satisfied with its progress so far and eagerly looks forward to giving it his all to see where the future takes him.
In 2015, keynote speaker Rob Lawless began a journey to make 10,000 new friends.
Today, Rob shares insights on the transformative impact of intentional connections in creating positive, inclusive, and empowering organizational cultures.
The power of meaningful and intentional connection.
As companies strive to stay competitive in a fast-paced and ever-changing market, there is an increased need to attract, engage and retain top talent.
According to BetterUp Labs, employees who feel excluded from the workplace experience a 25% reduction in productivity, as well as a 50% greater risk of employee turnover.
Through his keynote Rob empowers leaders to unlock the value of meaningful connections to foster belonging, innovation, and opportunities within their organization.
Rob's interactive and captivating keynote will take you through his incredible experience of connecting with thousands of people and how meaningful connections can drive growth and innovation.
Audiences will walk away from Rob’s keynote with the ability to:
● Foster a sense of belonging & community
● Broaden their collective vision
● Unlock unprecedented opportunities
By leveraging the potential of deliberate and significant connections, companies can nurture a heightened sense of unity and belonging within their workforce.
By embracing diverse perspectives through intentional interactions, organizations can expand their shared outlook and drive innovation.
Meaningful connections pave the way for discovering untapped possibilities, enabling corporations to excel in their respective fields.
During his keynote, Rob also shares his interactive FRIEND framework which makes creating lasting and meaningful connections easy (even for introverts!) and intentional.
Rob has used this to create meaningful connections with over 5,600 people from 90+ countries.
With the FRIEND framework, audiences walk away with the tools they need to:
● Facilitate conversations
● Practice Active Listening
● Set Intentions for Connection
By knowing what questions to ask, individuals will have the ability to dig deeper in their conversations to connect on a deeper level and create strong relationships.
Active listening will ensure that conversations are meaningful and productive allowing for greater understanding and connection between people.
Becoming more intentional about connection will help audience members tap into the compounding value of connection over time.
Through his experience in connecting with over 5,600 people from 90+ countries, Rob demonstrates how investing in human connection can lead not only to better business outcomes, but also create more inclusive environments where everyone feels welcomed and valued.
Ready to put the power of intentional connection to work for your organization? Your audience will leave inspired and ready to create meaningful connections with their teams and customers.