Creating a more connected, empathetic, and successful workplace through the exponential power of human connection
Creating a more connected, empathetic, and successful workplace through the exponential power of human connection
For IN-PERSON EVENTS, the exact fee falls within the fee range on this page, unless this is a “Call for Fee.”
For VIRTUAL EVENTS, the fees can vary depending on how the presenter is used (example: virtual keynote, workshop sessions, multiple video messages, etc).
To learn the exact fee, complete the “Check Availability” form or call us (at 973-313-9800), email us at [email protected], or chat with one of our team members on LiveChat.
We look forward to helping you.
Rob Lawless is a 33-year-old originally from Norristown, PA, with a genuine passion for getting to know new people. Graduating with highest honors in May 2013 from Penn State University, he earned a Finance degree with minors in Accounting and Entrepreneurship. Rob then joined Deloitte Consulting as a Business Analyst in Strategy & Operations, fulfilling his dream job. However, after a year and a half, he made a typical Millennial move, accepting a significant pay cut to join RJMetrics, a $24 million venture-funded startup.
At RJMetrics, Rob worked as a sales representative, engaging in daily cold emailing and requesting 30-minute phone calls to discuss the company’s product offerings. Yet in his post grad life, he missed the authentic connection he’d experienced in college. As a result, he set off on a journey in November 2015, aiming to meet 10,000 people for an hour each for no specific reason. The responses were overwhelmingly positive, and he began meeting people from incredibly diverse backgrounds.
Following RJMetrics’ acquisition on June 20, 2016, Rob, not having a position with the new company, committed full-time to his endeavor and has been making new friends ever since. To date, he’s connected with over 6,000 individuals from more than 90 countries worldwide. His travels have taken him across the nation six times, and he has been featured in prominent media outlets, such as “On Air with Ryan Seacrest” and the “TODAY Show with Hoda and Jenna.” He even appeared on the Kelly Clarkson Show, alongside Jane Lynch and Jo Koy, in front of an entire audience of friends from the project!
Rob Lawless remains deeply passionate about the value and adventure of connection, is excited to meet the next 4,000 of his friends and is eager to continue sharing what he’s learned from his journey – that every human interaction holds the potential to change your life!
In 2015, keynote speaker Rob Lawless began a journey to make 10,000 new friends.
Today, Rob shares insights on the transformative impact of intentional connections in creating positive, inclusive, and empowering organizational cultures.
The power of meaningful and intentional connection.
As companies strive to stay competitive in a fast-paced and ever-changing market, there is an increased need to attract, engage and retain top talent.
According to BetterUp Labs, employees who feel excluded from the workplace experience a 25% reduction in productivity, as well as a 50% greater risk of employee turnover.
Through his keynote Rob empowers leaders to unlock the value of meaningful connections to foster belonging, innovation, and opportunities within their organization.
Rob’s interactive and captivating keynote will take you through his incredible experience of connecting with thousands of people and how meaningful connections can drive growth and innovation.
Audiences will walk away from Rob’s keynote with the ability to:
Foster a sense of belonging & community, By leveraging the potential of deliberate and significant connections, companies can nurture a heightened sense of unity and belonging within their workforce.
Broaden their collective vision. By embracing diverse perspectives through intentional interactions, organizations can expand their shared outlook and drive innovation.
Unlock unprecedented opportunities. Meaningful connections pave the way for discovering untapped possibilities, enabling corporations to excel in their respective fields.
During his keynote, Rob also shares his interactive FRIEND framework which makes creating lasting and meaningful connections easy (even for introverts!) and intentional.
Rob has used this to create meaningful connections with over 6,000 people from 90+ countries.
With the FRIEND framework, audiences walk away with the tools they need to:
Facilitate conversations. By knowing what questions to ask, individuals will have the ability to dig deeper in their conversations to connect on a deeper level and create strong relationships.
Practice Active Listening. Active listening will ensure that conversations are meaningful and productive allowing for greater understanding and connection between people.
Set Intentions For Connection. Becoming more intentional about connection will help audience members tap into the compounding value of connection over time.
Through his experience in connecting with over 6,000 people from 90+ countries, Rob demonstrates how investing in human connection can lead not only to better business outcomes, but also create more inclusive environments where everyone feels welcomed and valued.
Ready to put the power of intentional connection to work for your organization?
Your audience will leave inspired and ready to create meaningful connections with their teams and customers.
“We hired Rob for our 2024 HR Retreat because we wanted an uplifting message that reminded us of the importance of human connection. He spoke to 30+ of our members across business, legal, labor relations, security and our creative services teams. He made our attendees feel empowered and reinvigorated to make real connections with our colleagues, he left us with a framework to build those connections and he set the tone for how our teams can create a better culture. We absolutely loved Rob’s session and found his theme of connection and communication to be a common thread throughout our retreat!”
“After seeing Rob at an event in late 2023, I couldn’t wait to bring him in as a keynote speaker for our 2024 full team annual meeting. We were looking for a keynote speaker that would be of value to our team members professionally, but also a message that would be of value for personal growth as well. Building true connections is difficult when working in a remote environment. Rob engaged our team and helped us bring our 70 member team closer together. The presentation was customized to align with our company core values. We received very positive feedback and thanks from the team for investing in them, with the gift of Rob Lawless sharing his story and the relationship tools he provides.”
“We had Rob come to speak to the Washington State Chapter of the American Public Works Association in April as his project aligned well with my theme for the year. He was a hit! We had just under 500 participants in attendance and Rob did a great job of engaging them all! No one was looking at their phones and everyone participated in mini 1:1 sessions that Rob facilitated. So not only did we have his message on the value of Intentional Connection, but through these mini-session he was able to demonstrate the value. And of course it was fun! Highly recommended as your next keynote speaker!”
“We hired Rob for our NACUFS Spring Conference – Buffalo where he spoke to 225+ of our collegiate dining professionals and industry members. Many of our members have experienced challenges with burnout and student staffing and retention since Covid so we wanted to focus on connection and inspiring growth. Rob’s talk gave our members a tangible framework for building relationships in their own trainings, it reignited their curiosity in the people around them and even helped introverts feel comfortable asking questions and having conversations with new people. Rob was amazing to work with behind the scenes and he’d make a fantastic speaker for any organization!”
“We partnered with Rob to speak at our 2024 Sales Summit because building strong connections with our clients and employees is how we live out our company Purpose everyday. Rob spoke to 240+ of our salespeople and helped our team get to know each other more deeply through his breakouts, which I enjoyed more than I anticipated. He made our team feel connected, he left us with the framework to conduct meaningful conversation, and motivated our team to not just build relationships for business but in their personal lives as well. Rob was a pleasure to work with and would be a great fit for any team’s sales event!”
“Rob recently spoke at our event and shared his message, the power of intentional connection. After many years of holding events and working with keynote speakers, it is challenging to find a new speaker who shares a unique message and also provides value for our clients, Independent Business Owners from all across North America. Rob spent a lot of time listening to our needs and was very open to customize his message for our clients. In addition to sharing his own story, Rob provided a clear path our clients could follow to implement what they learned in their own businesses and personal lives. He was very well received by everyone in attendance and would be a great addition to any audience who would benefit from learning more about the power of intentional connection.”
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