“The American dream is all about individual achievement that can’t exist without a community to support it. It’s time we give the community the importance it deserves.” 

In our latest episode, I talked to the incredible Teju Ravilochan, CEO of GatherFor, former Founder of The Unreasonable Institute and recognized as a Forbes 30 under 30 for social impact. 

Teju is on a mission to reconnect neighbors and redefine the narrative of the American Dream. Join us in exploring how we can build a more supportive and inclusive culture together. 

Follow Teju here:
https://gatherfor.org/

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🌟 What is the role of spirituality in the loneliness epidemic?

In this episode of the 'Loneliness Busters' podcast, I am joined by Casper ter Kuile. Caspar is the author of The Power of Ritual, the co-founder of The Nearness, Sacred Design Lab, and a researcher from Harvard Divinity School.

This is one of my favorite episodes from this season - Caspar helped reshape my understanding of loneliness and the human spirit. Listen in as we discuss the evolving role of spirituality, religion, community, and navigating the world of AI and spirituality.

Follow Casper here: 

https://www.caspertk.com/
https://www.nearness.coop/
https://www.linkedin.com/in/caspertk/

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Hot take: Are we relying too much on businesses (such as social media) to give us a sense of belonging?  Is it time to shift gears to family and local communities? 

💡So thinks, David Spinks, a leading authority in the world of community building. 
David is the author of the bestselling book - ‘Business of Belonging.’ He is the co-founder of CMX, a leading organization dedicated to helping 20K+ community professionals. Until recently, David Spinks was the VP of Community at Bevy, an enterprise events platform. 

🎙️Tune into this episode for David's insights on:

• Business vs. Belonging: tensions and synergies 
• Community-Centric vs. Community-Peripheral Companies
• Community's Role in business growth (SPACES model)
• Dilution of the term "Community" by digital companies 
• Rethinking communities for a better world 

David Spinks dropped truth bombs on this week’s Loneliness Busters Podcast - I loved our conversation and I hope you all enjoy it too #lonelinessbusters #communitybuilding 

Follow David here: 

https://davidspinks.com/

https://www.linkedin.com/in/davidspinks/

https://twitter.com/DavidSpinks

https://davidspinks.substack.com/

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https://open.spotify.com/show/1oHwRMJjVW8dnEeu4D23SU

https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/loneliness-busters/id1714565118

https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly9mZWVkcy5idXp6c3Byb3V0LmNvbS8yMjY5NzA3LnJzcw==

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🌟 Ever wished your childhood toy could talk?

🎙️ Join us on the latest episode of Loneliness Busters as we explore Beanie, an AI-powered cuddly toy for kids! 

Co-founders Peter Fitzpatrick and Robyn Campbell of Fawn AI Toys share insights into the potential and unknowns of AI companions.

Will AI companions help with the loneliness problem, or make it worse? 

The jury is still out, but the human future will be full of AI companions. It’s on us to build in a way that creates a healthier, happier world.

Join our conversation as we explore this new tech frontier and ask the tough questions.

#LonelinessBusters #AICompanions"

Follow Fawn Friends founders here: 

https://www.fawnfriends.com/

https://www.linkedin.com/company/fawn-ai/

https://www.linkedin.com/in/peterjfitzpatrick/

https://www.linkedin.com/in/robyn-campbell123/

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Ever wondered if happiness can be learned? 🚀

🎥 Join us in our latest episode as we explore the fascinating world of happiness and human flourishing with Stanford expert, Dr. Xuan Zhao, CEO and Co-founder of Flourish Science.

🔍 What You'll Discover:

🔹 The science behind happiness and positive psychology

🔹 Exploring the PERMA model for human flourishing

🔹 The impact of technology on social connections

🔹 Dr. Xuan Zhao's personal journey towards happiness

🔹 How Flourish Science bridges the gap between research and daily wellbeing practices

Follow Xuan and Flourish Science here:
 
https://www.linkedin.com/in/drxuanzhao/

https://www.flouriship.com/

Follow Saumya:
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Can social technology can be wired for kindness and helpfulness, instead addiction and negativity? 

This week I talk to Boaz Gaon, the Founder and CEO of Wisdo Health. Wisdo is a healthtech company providing social health solutions to those who need it the most. Wisdo provides 50+ Peer Support Communities where people can engage in secure, confidential, and anonymous conversations to foster emotional support. Since launching in 2018, Wisdo has connected over 1M Americans with people who’ve been in their shoes and provided clinical referrals when it matters most. 

Prior to founding Wisdo, Boaz was an award winning novelist, playwright and journalist. He is a graduate of the London School of Economics. He is the author of seven produced plays, two novels and three non-fiction books. He received a Fullbright award in recognition of his work in theatre.

Follow Boaz Gaon and Wisdo here: 
https://www.linkedin.com/in/boaz-gaon
https://wisdo.com/

Join the loneliness busters squad! 

Subscribe and listen to the Loneliness Busters podcast now on your favorite podcast app.

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In this episode I talk to Laís de Oliveira on the art and science of community building. 

Lais is the author of the bestselling book “Hacking Communities." In her book, Lais builds foundational principles for community building, drawing from her deep professional experience, academic research and her own personal struggle with loneliness. 

Lais is an entrepreneur with over fifteen years of experience in scaling diverse communities - from startup ecosystems such as Startup Grind  to non-profit organizations. She sold her first business to Flyspaces.com, Southeast Asia's largest marketplace for workspace. Originally from a small town in Brazil, Lais has lived in 7 countries. She is a passionate community leader and a wonderful human. I am so grateful to have her here.

Follow Lais and her work: 
https://hackingcommunities.com/
https://www.linkedin.com/in/laisdeoliveira/

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In this episode I talk to Mikkel Krenchel on the state of belongingness and meaning making in the age of AI, and how companies can help create a more connected world. 

Mikkel is a partner at ReD associates, advising executives for over a decade on the practice of human science in the business world. He is an advisor to world’s largest social media companies, telecom providers, and electronics manufacturers, financial institutions, energy companies and more. Mikkel built ReD’s emerging practice of integrating human science and data science, and is deeply interested in all the ways data, AI, and human meaning-making collide. He focuses on how ideas around disruptive technologies shape our lives, for better or worse. In this capacity,

His work has been published in Wired, Foreign Affairs, and VentureBeat. Mikkel was born and raised in Denmark, holds a degree in Sociology and International Studies from Yale University and is a former Danish national team rower.

Follow Mikkel and his work here:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/mikkel-krenchel/
https://www.redassociates.com/belonging

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I'm excited to talk to Sam Pressler in this episode on the role of policy, government and civil society in this crisis. Sam is a researcher at Harvard’s Human Flourishing Program. He was the founder of the Armed Services Arts Partnership (ASAP), the nation's largest arts organization serving veterans and their families. Sam is an Echoing Green Global Fellow, Forbes 30 Under 30. He received West Point’s “Knight’s Out” Leadership Award, and was featured on Preet Bharara’s “CAFE 100” list of change-makers addressing the most pressing problems in America and globally. His work has been featured in POLITICO, Vox, The Washington Post, CNN, and NPR, among others.

Sam's newsletter, "Connective Tissue," is one of my favorite places to learn more about social connection. His LinkedIn says that he wants to “make his grandmas proud" - and I am sure this grandson has already made them super proud.

Follow Sam Pressler here: 
https://www.linkedin.com/in/sampressler/
https://connectivetissue.substack.com/

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https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/loneliness-busters/id1714565118
https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly9mZWVkcy5idXp6c3Byb3V0LmNvbS8yMjY5NzA3LnJzcw==

Are you curious about the ideal number of social relationships for a healthier life? 🌞
 Or, the daily 'social connection' goals that can boost your well-being! 💪

 In this week’s episode, join me for an eye-opening conversation with Dr. Julianne Holt-Lunstad, the lead scientific editor of the US Surgeon General's advisory on loneliness, and a distinguished professor of psychology and neuroscience at Brigham Young University. 

We discuss her deep research in the field, the possibility of national health guidelines for social connection, effectiveness of online vs in person connection and much more. 

Join the loneliness busters squad!

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https://open.spotify.com/show/1oHwRMJjVW8dnEeu4D23SU
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https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly9mZWVkcy5idXp6c3Byb3V0LmNvbS8yMjY5NzA3LnJzcw==