Episode 135

full
Published on:

19th Mar 2025

What You Learn About Connection Setting Out to Make 10K Friends - Rob Lawless, Keynote Speaker

Summary:

Do you think it's possible to meet 10,000 people for a 1 hour conversation? Before you answer that question, as yourself another on - what could you learn about connection if you did take on such a monumental journey? I'm going to answer both questions for you with my guest today, Rob Lawless.

Rob was disillusioned in corporate American back in 2015 when he set out on a quest. He wanted to meet 10,000 people for 1-1 conversations for an hour. Almost 9 yrs later, he's got nearly 2,000 to go! He's since been featured on The Kelly Clarkson show, The Today Show, and ABC News top share what he's learned and now this podcast!

Rob shares his experiences, insights, and the lessons learned from his unique project, emphasizing the importance of building relationships without transactional motives. He highlights the value of being seen and heard, the unexpected outcomes of connection, and the universal insecurities that bind us all together. He introduces the 'Friend Framework' for deeper conversations and emphasizes the significance of understanding one's identity through personal stories. If you've ever struggled with the concept for being a friend while also selling, this is an episode for you!

Key Moments:

00:00 The Journey of Connection

10:01 Building Bridges, Not Transactions

20:11 The Power of Human Connection

29:59 Unexpected Outcomes and Life Lessons

26:32 The Friend Framework for Deeper Conversations

29:56 Understanding Identity Through Pie Charts

33:51 Authenticity in Building Relationships

38:17 Beyond Career: Valuing Life Connections

41:43 Calculated Risks and Consistency in Life

Connect with Rob


Connect with Us!

Show artwork for Sell By Being Human

About the Podcast

Sell By Being Human
On the Sell By Being Human podcast, award-winning sales professional Alex Smith provides the proven way to harness your innate human skills like empathy, curiosity, and kindness to learn how to sell and navigate the sales journey.
This is where human connection and sales meet. You may be someone whose success depends on influence, negotiation, and your ability to create change, but you may reject aggressive sales tactics. Maybe you feel stuck in corporate "autopilot," knowing your best asset is your genuine personality, but you struggle to use it to get what you want. Then this channel is for you.

It will teach you how to close the gap between wanting to be ethical and feeling pressured to sell aggressively. You’ll also learn actionable strategies for translating emotional intelligence into high-trust results. Join Alex and top guests, including NY Times bestsellers, keynote speakers, and global founders, as they prove that being truly human is the ultimate sales advantage.

About your host

Profile picture for Alex Smith

Alex Smith

Alex Smith is a seasoned sales professional and podcast host who champions a human-first approach to selling. With nearly two decades of experience, he explores how empathy, curiosity, and genuine connection drive influence in everyday life. Through his podcast, he highlights stories from people across all professions, showing that anyone can persuade and create impact simply by being human.