The Art of Connection

“When you understand that being connected to others is one of life’s greatest joys, you realize that life’s best comes when you initiate and invest in solid relationships.”

John C. Maxwell

Connection is everything.
Connection is the foundation for mental health, wellness, art, love, and joy. Our connections are the foundation for happiness. For A Day Well Lived. And A Life Well Lived. (See Harvard Study). Even the simplest connection–a smile at the right time–can profoundly impact a day, or a life.

Connection comes in many shapes & sizes, forms & functions.
Brands look for new ways to connect to their audiences. Students connect with their futures for college essays. Humans seek deeper connections with their greater purpose. We connect with ideas. We connect with art. Creativity.

Together, we forge these connections.
Our work together strips away the facades and defaults that hide the raw materials of our humanity. This where we find the good stuff–vulnerability, authenticity, emotional intelligence, trust, and, yes, the healthy dose of risk–that creates The Art of Connection.

It doesn’t matter what you call it.
Call this whatever you want or need. Call this work consulting, coaching, guiding, advising, counseling, producing–the labels do not matter. The work does.

This is Life’s Work.
Throughout my career, I’ve partnered with companies and individuals in search of deeper connections. This work has resulted in national TV and experiential campaigns for Fortune 500s and American Icons, successful college essays, youth mentoring, career support & networking, countless messaging and content assignments, and more. I’ve worked with solopreneurs, start-ups, and multi-national organizations. Non-profits and so-many profits. Athletes. Influencers. We all want the same thing. To feel connected.

Ourselves, each other & our surroundings.
We identify message & voice, create activations that resonate, and build a sustainable flow for lasting connections–to ourselves, each other, and our surroundings (communities, nature, Universe).

Identify.

We always start with a deep dive into the archives. We peel back the layers of history. We review experiences. We talk about values, dreams, goals, processes. We get raw. Only then can we reveal the voice and message that defines how we begin the journey.

“Todd’s gift is understanding brands (like some kind of whisperer) and then causally developing activations & messaging that create connection magic. I can’t explain how it works. It just does. Todd is a charismatic, smart, funny human who truly loves what he does, and the people/brands he works with.” — Mollie Hansen, Airstream CMO

Resonate.

Once we understand who we are, we explore who it is we want to talk to. And why? Who is the audience and why do they care? We need to understand our audiences why as well as our own. Knowing that allows us to determine the best ways to share our stories and/or ourselves.

“Todd helped us develop messaging and strategy around several sales communications challenges. His ability to effectively translate the diverse needs of multiple teams to craft a variety of outputs helped us define our industry leadership position.” — Rod Johnson, Frmr. SVP – North America ERP, EPM & SCM Enterprise Business, Oracle

Flow.

The deep, lasting connections are where the magic happens. This is why we’re here. This is where brand loyalty is built. And where life takes on deeper meaning. These connections are the measure of a both a job well done, and a life well lived. This is where we experience the Art.

“It’s all about ripples that start by someone with kindness and courage throwing a pebble in the water. You did that and the ripples reached him. You do what many want to do or wish they could do. You are making a difference for the better in people’s lives. Thank you, Todd.” — Dad of Teenager/Mentoring