EPISODE DESCRIPTION:

Relationships are the most important asset we have in life, and in this episode of Travis Makes Friends, Travis sits down in‑studio with behavioral scientist and author Jon Levy to unpack the science of how to build them intentionally. Jon went from overweight, broke, and hitting snooze every morning to hosting underground dinners and invite‑only events for Olympians, Nobel laureates, Grammy winners, NBA legends, and Fortune 500 executives—and he breaks down the exact psychology behind how he did it. If you’ve ever felt stuck on the outside looking in, this conversation will completely reframe how you think about friends, status, and access.

IN THIS EPISODE, WE TALK ABOUT:

– How your friends’ habits are literally contagious—and why obesity, happiness, divorce, voting, and even income spread through your social network.

​

– Why most people land jobs and big breaks through “loose” or dormant ties, not their closest friends.

​

– The five social pressures high‑status people live under (time, money, access, expertise, clout) and why that makes them so protected.

​

– The four characteristics John uses to actually make friends with influential people: novelty, curated experiences, extreme generosity, and awe.

​

– The origin story of his secret dinners where 12 strangers cook a terrible meal together—before discovering they’ve been chopping onions next to Emmy winners, astronauts, and NBA All‑Stars.

​

– How Travis rebuilt his entire network after leaving a high‑control religious environment and starting from zero.

​

KEY TAKEAWAYS:

– Behavior is contagious: your life will start to look like the people you spend the most time with, for better or worse.

​

– Influential people are overwhelmed with asks; the way in is to remove pressure, add value, and create environments they actually want to be in.

​

– Networking feels gross; making friends feels natural—so design experiences that create common ground, shared effort, and repeated exposure.

​

– Novel, emotionally intense moments (including awe) are what cement you in someone’s memory long after the event is over.

If you like this, click subscribe, like and share with a friend.

Follow Travis on:

Instagram: @travischappell

TikTok: @traviscchappell

Facebook: /traviscchappell

Twitter: @traviscchappell