On this 99th episode of No More Bad Events, the one before the big one, Scott Bloom sits down with Rob Lawless, the man behind one of the most unusual and revealing human connection projects you’re likely to hear about. What began as a simple idea — meeting one person a day, making one friend, one hour at a time — turned into a long-running experiment in empathy, curiosity, and the hidden power of real conversation. Along the way, Rob has met thousands of people from around the world, built a speaking career, and gathered a perspective on relationships that challenges how most of us move through work, events, and everyday life. The conversation goes far beyond the novelty of the project. Scott and Rob dig into what happens when you slow down long enough to actually know someone, why genuine connection is often more valuable than efficiency, and how event professionals can create environments where people do more than network — they remember each other, trust each other, and sometimes even change each other. Rob makes the case that connection is not a transaction, and that the most meaningful outcomes often come from conversations with no agenda attached. For planners, speakers, and anyone responsible for creating audience experience, the implications are hard to ignore. The episode raises uncomfortable but useful questions: Are most events designed to create connection, or just movement? Do we give people enough time and space to build relationships, or do we confuse packed schedules with value? And what would happen if more meetings were designed around serendipity, reflection, and authentic interaction instead of just content delivery? What makes this conversation especially compelling is that it feels both practical and philosophical. Rob offers specific ideas for building connection into conferences and sales kickoffs, but the larger message cuts deeper: people are hungry to be seen, heard, and remembered. In a business world that often rewards speed, Rob’s story suggests that the long cut may actually be the shortcut. If you care about events, leadership, relationships, or simply understanding what makes people tick, this episode delivers a fresh and thought-provoking take on how we connect — and what we lose when we don’t.
GUEST BIO:
Rob Lawless is on a mission to spend one hour, one on one, with 10,000 different people. Over 10 years, he's met over 7,600 people across 90+ countries, sharing their stories on Instagram. Featured on the Kelly Clarkson Show and TODAY Show, Rob inspires audiences to treat human connection as an experience rather than a transaction.
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ABOUT NO MORE BAD EVENTS:
Brought to you by eSpeakers and hosted by professional emcee, host, and keynote speaker Scott Bloom, No More Bad Events is where you’ll hear from some of the top names in the event and speaking industry about what goes on behind the scenes at the world’s most perfectly executed conferences, meetings, and more. Get ready to learn the secrets and strategies to help anyone in the event industry reach their goal of putting on nothing less than world-class events.
Learn more at nomorebadevents.com.
ABOUT THE HOST:
A veteran comedian and television personality who has built a reputation as the go-to choice for business humor, Scott has hosted hundreds of events over two decades for big and small organizations alike. Scott has also hosted his own weekly VH1 series and recently co-hosted a national simulcast of the Grammy Awards from the Palace Theater.
As the son of a successful salesman, he was exposed to the principles of building a business at an early age. As a comedian, Scott cut his teeth at renowned improv and comedy clubs. As a self-taught student of psychology, he’s explored what makes people tick and has written a book (albeit a farce) on how to get through life. He’s uniquely positioned to deliver significant notes on connecting people and making business seriously funny. And who doesn’t like to laugh?
Learn more about Scott: scottbloomconnects.com
PRODUCED BY eSpeakers:
When the perfect speaker is in front of the right audience, a kind of magic happens where organizations and individuals improve in substantial, long-term ways. eSpeakers exists to make this happen more often.
eSpeakers is where the speaking industry does business on the web. Speakers, speaker managers, associations, and bureaus use our tools to organize, promote, and grow successful businesses. Event organizers think of eSpeakers first when they want to hire speakers for their meetings or events.
The eSpeakers Marketplace technology lets us and our partner directories help meeting professionals worldwide connect directly with speakers for great engagements.
Thousands of successful speakers, trainers, and coaches use eSpeakers to build their businesses and manage their calendars. Thousands of event organizers use our directories every day to find and hire speakers. Our tools are built for speakers, by speakers, to do things that only purpose-built systems can.
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SHOW CREDITS:
Scott Bloom: Host | scottbloomconnects.com
Joe Heaps: eSpeakers | jheaps@eSpeakers.com