Hola, hola! Welcome to Casa Cinco, a weekly newsletter curating connection.

Are you building or investing in human connection, social health, or community in general? See the bottom of this email and connect with Casa Cinco.

This week I’m telling you about Zoom calls that don’t suck, highlighting community as a pillar for longevity, and sharing the state of belonging in America. Happy reading!

Here’s to connecting,

Andy

ZOOM CALLS THAT DON’T SUCK

Last week I attended my first ‘connection masterclass’ by Covve’s Connection Crew. I’ve written before about technology as a tool for connection, but I had never witnessed such a skillful use of it. Special thanks to Hansen and Devin for having me!

I admit I was skeptical as I logged in to the event, thinking it would be yet another disengaged Zoom call where people check their email instead.

My doubts subsided quickly, however, as dozens of eager faces logged in. Most notably, this group of people was intentional, hospitable, and kind. Intentionally kind. Hospitably kind. The kind of kind that makes you kinder.

What made this Zoom call different from all the previous I’ve attended? How was I able to experience human connection while looking at a screen and sitting alone at home?

Below are my biggest takeaways, which I hope you can implement in your own life online. If not for connection, these will at least set the foundation for Zoom calls that don’t suck. Note: I use the term ‘event’ below interchangeably with anything you may wish to host online, whether a meeting, a call, a conference, a workshop, or other.

1. 🙏Set an intention: Instead of typing “Catch up with Andy” and risking small talk, how about setting an intention? Title your event “In Need of Advice” instead, for instance, and mention you’re explicitly looking to share something you’re struggling with and could get advice on

   Remember: You can make events private if you don’t want others snooping around!

2. 🛤️Set guardrails: Connection requires vulnerability, which requires guardrails. Be explicit about what is acceptable and not during your meeting. Some obvious ones, depending on the intention of the meeting: confidentiality, respect, humility, agenda, etc.

   Remember: If you don’t make the rules, someone else will

3. 💌Include (and exclude) the right people: Not everyone needs an invite, especially for an online event (ironically the type of event where more people could get an invite). Make sure that you are as intentional about the purpose of your meeting as you are about the people you invite (and not)

   Remember: It’s about the quality, not quantity, of connections made

4. 👯Work in (small) teams: Think of Daisy in F. Scott Fitzgerald’s The Great Gatsby, who famously preferred the intimacy of large parties over small ones. In large parties, we tend to engage with fewer people. It’s rude to speak only to the person next to you if you’re sitting in a table of six, but not if you’re in a concert of thousands. Depending on the size of your event, consider setting up breakout rooms or duos for specific activities

   Remember: It’s about the quality, not quantity, of connections made (yes, again!)

5. 📖Come prepared: If you want to set the stage for meaningful connections, make sure you come prepared. Unlike IRL interactions, where accidentally dropping a pen can lead to an impromptu conversation, Zoom doesn’t traditionally lend itself to serendipity. Try your best to orchestrate it, starting with all of the above

   Remember: Being intentional in approaching relationships is not the same as being transactional. Embrace the cringe and take control of your (online) stage

6. ✉️Follow-up: Send attendees an email with insights, materials, anecdotes, or (consensual) snapshots of your event the day after. It will provide a form of closure to the event and may nudge people down the line to use technology as a tool for connection.

   Remember: Simplicity is key. Make it easy for people to keep the flame alive

Any other tips? Reply to this email and let me know!

The inspiration for you is: Casa Cinco encourages connection IRL, but I must concede a large part of our lives happens online. By being intentional in our use of technology as a tool for (human) connection, we can all live fuller lives both online and offline.

Ask yourself:

• Am I using technology as a tool, or as a replacement for human connection?

• What does ‘technology as a tool for human connection’ mean to me and my everyday?

• How can I make my online interactions more meaningful than they currently are?

If you need any inspiration, make sure to check out Connection Crew’s masterclasses linked above. For future events, go here.

WEEKLY CURATION

PEOPLE

• 🙃The need for belonging is deeply rooted in our brains. Yet, not everyone is wired for it 

• 🌳The team at Manna Tree Partners just released its 2024 white paper on health and wellness: Live Better, Longer 

• 👯The story of America is one of declining connections and a loss of a sense of belonging. Is there hope?

• 👩‍⚕️What NY State’s Loneliness Ambassador taught us about human connection

PRODUCTS & SERVICES

• 🪑Seat Unique: The UK-based premium experiences platform that just raised £14.5m as part of it’s extended Series A

PLACES

• 🙌The shopping malls shifting the retail conversation from transactions to emotions 

• 🏈The State of Belonging in America: multifaceted, vital, socioeconomical, and complex

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