🗓️ Your intro to planning intentional gatherings

Happy New Year!

New Year, new newsletter series: today we're exploring a vital yet difficult skill—the art and science of bringing people together, also known as "intentional gathering."

Whether it’s a formal professional event or an informal get-together with people in your neighborhood, intentional gathering is a key component of building relationships that can drive your mission forward.

📣 I’m also excited to share some big news about a new partnership with two Activators whom I deeply respect and admire. Stay tuned for details at the end of this newsletter!

If you’re curious about how to make endless new connections, transition or accelerate your career, and unlock the true potential of your relationships, keep reading! 👇🏽

Why We Gather

In our Activation work, we help executives build the relationships needed to move their big initiatives forward.

At the heart of this work is leveraging the power of community to generate momentum for their mission. But to build these kinds of relationships, our clients need to offer something uniquely valuable—something that draws the right people to them.

Intentional gatherings often serve as both the unique value and the mechanism for building community for our clients. These carefully designed events create meaningful connections among influential leaders by providing a delightfully different experience—one that exists wholly to serve the attendees, not to spotlight you as the organizer.

As Priya Parker, one of my all-time favorite experts on gathering, explains beautifully:

These principles come to life in the Activation work we do.

Below are a few examples of how we’ve built intentional gatherings with our clients, why we chose those formats, and other important tips to getting it right. 👇

Example 1

The CEO of a successful consulting agency that has worked with many notable companies over the past 15 years recognizes that after a contract is over, there is never any ongoing engagement. As a result, the CEO acknowledges several unrealized opportunities: a lack of relationships built with other successful CEOs, a failure to stay relevant and top of mind, and a failure to cultivate reciprocity. This ultimately adds up to a lack of referrals to new business, the CEO’s primary goal.

🧠 Solution: We create a private, monthly CEO mastermind group and invite his past clients.

💡 Why it works: The mastermind group creates a valuable platform for CEOs to connect, share ideas, and learn from one another, addressing their shared needs for community and collaboration. By bringing high-level clients together, it showcases the CEO’s network, expertise, and ability to engage with top leaders. This positions him as a trusted advisor and connector, reinforcing his credibility and providing social proof through the trust and participation of other respected executives.

☝️ Tip: First, make sure you that you thoughtfully re-engage with the people you are trying to serve to determine their needs and interests! If these high-powered CEOs are not interested in meeting other CEOs, learning from them, or exchanging ideas with them, then the mastermind group wouldn’t have been the right format.

Example 2

A successful real estate developer wants to tackle the challenges and opportunities of suburban expansion. They’ve noticed that there’s a growing need to address whether existing infrastructure—like sewer systems, water supply, and electrical grids—can keep up with future growth. They also see an opportunity to establish themself as a thought leader in sustainable and practical suburban evolution.

🧠 Solution: We create a quarterly "Suburban Evolution Roundtable," a curated gathering of key stakeholders, including local government officials, utility leaders, urban planners, and other developers. The roundtable focuses on a data-driven, no-nonsense review of infrastructure capacity and sustainability challenges, fostering collaboration and creating actionable insights.

💡 Why it works: The roundtable positions the developer as a leader in tackling critical infrastructure challenges, attracting the attention of key stakeholders who value practical, data-driven insights. By creating a space for collaboration and actionable solutions, the developer builds strong relationships and trust with influential partners, staying top of mind when governments award new projects or investors seek real estate opportunities. This approach also enhances their company’s reputation as a forward-thinking, results-oriented organization.

☝️ Tip: Focus on building value for the people you bring together. For example, framing the roundtable around solving shared problems (like infrastructure limits) makes it more likely the right stakeholders will attend and engage. Keep the conversation practical and data-focused to ensure relevance and meaningful outcomes.

Example 3

The founder of a private equity firm recognizes the importance of building authentic, lasting relationships with high-net-worth individuals (HNWI) and decision-makers at organizations that might invest in their firm. While they plan to start raising funds again in 6 to 9 months, they understand that relationship-building takes time and want to create meaningful, high-value engagements now to connect with the right people.

🧠 Solution: We created a private, invite-only dinner series called the "Legacy Builders’ Club." This exclusive gathering brings together a curated group of investors and decision-makers to discuss legacy creation through investments. The dinner is not about selling the firm’s services but about providing value to attendees—helping them think differently, learn new perspectives, and meet people who can advance their own goals. A professional facilitator guides the conversation, extracts insights, and encourages meaningful connections, all while stressing privacy and confidentiality.

💡 Why it works: By placing the focus on the attendees and their value, not the private equity firm, the series fosters deep engagement and builds trust. The founder naturally becomes a trusted connection, making attendees more inclined to seek out 1:1 time afterward. This approach appeals to both the emotional and strategic goals of the participants, positioning the founder as a leader who provides immense value without asking for anything in return.

☝️ Tip: This is not a quick win. The founder must clearly state the purpose of the group, keep the focus on providing value for attendees, and commit to this as a relationship-building strategy over time. Done correctly, this creates a ripple effect of goodwill and opportunities, setting the stage for successful fundraising in the near future.

The Magic of Curated Connections

After almost every event I’ve hosted, someone always comes up to me and says something like, “I could never do this! I don’t know how you [curated such an amazing guest list, managed us all so well, created this seamless experience, got us to think about and say…]”

While it’s a great compliment, I truly believe anyone can host a successful, high-impact intentional gathering. You don’t need a background in conflict management or the personality of an extrovert. You don't need a fancy house or the right chairs. Above all, you need a set of skills that help intentionally and thoughtfully identify why you’re coming together, and be able to set clear expectations and create relevant moments of connection.

The truth is: it doesn’t have to be a big production at all. In fact, 99% of the time I prefer small gatherings for Activation because they permit the time, attention, and space required for relationship-building.

My goal over the next few newsletters is to break down how to plan, host, and follow up after an intentional gathering, specifically, an event for executives.

Now, about that exciting news I mentioned at the top…

I am thrilled to share that I’ll be teaming up with Keith Ferrazzi, author of The New York Times #1 Bestseller "Never Eat Alone," and Ronen Olshansky, his partner at Ferrazzi Greenlight, to co-facilitate Beyond Connections, a live, action-oriented training experience for professionals who don’t yet have the world-class network they need to win.

I am a Beyond Connections alumna who can’t rave enough about the program. As someone who is a deep believer in the power of relationships, I signed up because I wanted to take my networking from good to great. For me, the best part was the engaged community, the connections I made, and the support we gave each other along the way. I highly recommend this program for anyone who wants to learn how to build authentic and effective relationship-building strategies — and I can’t wait to contribute to the next cohort as a co-facilitator!

Want to learn more? Want to join in? Hit the button below — and note that applications for the next co-hort close later this month!

Before I sign off for this week, I’ll leave you with another expert tip from Priya Parker to about bringing people together:

Till next time,
Nicole

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