Rob Lawless
Create more connected, empathetic, and successful relationships in the workplace and with your clients through the exponential power of human connection.
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!
DISCOVER THE UNTAPPED VALUE OF HUMAN CONNECTION
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.
Rob was the only external speaker at our annual sales event because we felt his theme of connection was something our attendees needed to hear! He spoke to 60+ of our employees, made them feel comfortable breaking out of their silos and building real connections with each other outside of the usual work chatter. I’ve already run into colleagues who are using Rob’s tips in the workplace and think he’d be a great addition to any speaker lineup!
Jody Brandes - Gilead
Rob was the 2024 closing keynote at the Inclusive Leadership Conference co-hosted by Temple University and Campus Philly. He spoke to 300+ students from across the region, helped them feel significant and seen, and left them with tangible strategies to build authentic relationships with people in their network now and throughout their lifetime. Rob’s message was spot on for our goal of having students think more deeply about each other’s stories to foster diversity, inclusion, and a sense of belonging. He would make a great speaker for anyone looking to encourage more inclusivity and connection across their organization.
Jen Johnson Kebea - Campus Philly
Rob was a guest speaker at a quarterly program for the Strategic Marketing & Patient Engagement team at Penn Medicine. His talk was not only inspiring but also highly interactive, fostering engagement and participation. His incredible cooperation and ease of collaboration behind the scenes contributed to the seamless execution of the event. He instilled a sense of empowerment among our group of 90+ employees, creating stronger connections within our team. I'm confident that every individual in the audience left the room motivated to cultivate deeper connections in their life. Based on his exceptional delivery and the positive response from our team, I know Rob would be a fantastic speaker for other organizations!
Associate Director, Marketing, Penn Medicine
Rob was EXCELLENT. Everyone loved him. He is such an engaging and energetic speaker with such a warm personality. I really think he enjoyed getting to know everyone during the welcome reception. The survey results were all positive!
Events & Marketing Manager, North Carolina Dental
Rob was our closing keynote at our annual CoreNet Global India conference, which had 450+ attendees. His talk was about human relationships and the unexpected ways they can transcend boundaries. Our audience was truly inspired by Rob and the insights he gave on the power of human connection, leaving our attendees equipped to foster a workplace environment that has a genuine feeling of belonging. Rob was a joy to work with and we would definitely recommend him for other organisations.
Katleen Beeckman (VP of Member & Component Relations at CoreNet Global)
I loved the active participation. I really enjoyed meeting colleagues that I otherwise would never have interacted with in my normal job duties.
Meeting planner, Shell
Best DEI session in the past 2 years!
DEI Team, Amazon
One of the most impactful presentations I've seen this year. A clear call for improving communication, but more importantly making the effort to connect more deeply.
Credit Union National Association