#485 Chris Schembra - The Loneliness Epidemic Can Be Fixed But It Requires Friction

Chris Schembra is a Wall Street Journal bestselling author, gratitude strategist, and founder of the 747 Club — a dinner party experience that has brought together tens of thousands of people across the globe. In this episode, Chris takes us back to July 15, 2015, the night he invited 15 strangers to his 300-square-foot Manhattan apartment, made a simple pasta sauce, and asked one question that changed everything: "Who have you never thought to thank?" What emerged wasn't just a dinner — it was a movement. Chris breaks down the concept of "designed friction" and why our obsession with frictionless connection has made us lonelier than ever. You'll walk away with three actionable pillars — presence, intimacy, and coherence — to start building more meaningful relationships starting today.Find Chris Online:Website: ⁠http://www.chrisschembra.com/⁠Linkedin: ⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/schembra/⁠Chapters:0:00 — Welcome & Chris Challenges Brian to Do the Opposite1:39 — July 15th, 2015: Brian Sets Up the Origin Story2:44 — Chris Begins: Life Before the Dinner Party4:41 — The Moment in Rome That Changed Everything6:01 — From Murphy Bed to Pasta Sauce7:37 — The First Dinner and the 7:47 Gratitude Question9:04 — How Chris Got 15 Strangers to Show Up10:41 — How the Gratitude Question Was Born14:36 — How to Reconnect When Most People Won't Even Send a Text20:48 — The League of Gentlemen: How a Breakfast Became a Brotherhood28:12 — Virtual vs. Real: Hybrid Is How We Connect29:40 — Frictionless Design Has Left Us Empty in the Soul35:14 — The Cult of Trauma and the Victim Mindset43:00 — Three Pillars to Design Friction in Your Life48:52 — The 747 Club Invitation: Book the Flight, I Dare You👋It’s your host, Brian! Come say hi!Website: https://brianondrako.comLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/brianondrako/ Or, if you’re struggling with sales, join the Sales Skills For Founders newsletter and learn how to lead better sales conversations, spot weak deals early, and build a pipeline you can actually trust.📨 https://salesskillsforfounders.com