07/24/2026
"I had no idea I was lonely before today."
That's what a woman told friendship researcher Shasta Nelson (🌸 s h a s t a 🌸) after a session at Business Events Summit. Not because Nelson made her feel worse — because Nelson finally named something she'd been carrying without words for it.
Here's the stat that should live in your head rent-free: loneliness does more damage to the body than obesity. More than smoking 15 ci******es a day.
And here's the twist — it's not the isolated, awkward people you're picturing. It's the ones with the best people skills. The ones taking care of everyone else. Sound like anyone in event planning you know?
Nelson's whole framework comes down to three words: positivity, consistency, vulnerability. We've built an entire industry optimized for the first meeting — more badges, more business cards, more connections. The data says that's the wrong lever. What actually builds belonging is seeing the same people, more than once, long enough to feel known.
If you plan events for a living: you are one of the last professions on earth whose actual job is bringing people together on purpose. That's not small. That's the whole point.
🎙️ Full conversation on the Convene Podcast — available wherever you listen to podcasts!
