The most important part of your invitation, though, is what it signals to your guests about your gathering and what it asks of them. And one way to send your guests a signal is to give your gathering a specific name.

virtually every panel I have ever seen is dull.

Groups of 30: Thirty starts to feel like a party, whether or not your gathering is one.

In front of a stranger, we are free to choose what we want to show, hide, or even invent.

Good exclusion activates diversity

When you’re asking people to go deeper, to share what they don’t usually share, you must manage the risk-taking you are encouraging. Sometimes that means prodding people to take more risk; other times, it means soothing people afraid of taking risk.

Decide Why You’re Really Gathering

The kinds of gatherings I specialize in creating could be terrifying to people who share this sensibility. That doesn’t mean there is no place for such gatherings, or that people with this inclination need to just take or leave it, or that they should not be invited. It means that some of your guests will share her aversion, and if you are going to

I strive to help people experience a sense of belonging.