Ep 122 | Since 2015, Rob Lawless has sat down one-on-one with more than 7,700 people in over 90 countries, an hour at a time, all in the name of human connection. Jen Heller is number 7,719.

This one's for anyone who feels lonely despite a full phone and a busy calendar, and for anyone sitting in a job that looks great on paper and still isn't the thing. Jen and Rob swap stories about leaving a corporate job and why so many of us stay parked in what feels safe. They also get into how comparison culture on social media can wear down our mental health, plus the simple questions Rob uses to get to know anyone, anywhere.

🕒 In this episode:
04:10 – Leaving a "safe" corporate job when your gut says it's time
06:50 – Feeling lonely after college, and the idea to meet 10,000 people
15:35 – Person #1, and why people say yes when you have nothing to sell
22:05 – Comparison culture and taking back control of your social feed
24:40 – Why we stay stuck in what feels safe, and learning to like uncertainty
39:50 – The simple questions Rob uses to get to know anyone
49:05 – A lesson from Jen's time at Hippocrates about living without regret
53:15 – What comes after 10,000, and where human connection is headed

Rob's goal might be 10,000 people, but his first step is the same one open to all of us: saying hi to the person next to you.

Meet Rob Lawless:
Rob Lawless studied finance at Penn State, then worked at Deloitte Consulting and in sales for a tech startup before setting out to spend one hour, one-on-one, with 10,000 different people. Since November 2015, he's met more than 7,700 people from over 90 countries. After a layoff in June 2016, he took the project full time. Today he's a keynote speaker on the untapped value of human connection, inspiring people to make more room for it in their own lives.

🌿 Resources:
Rob's Website: https://www.roblawless.com
Rob's 10K Friends: https://www.robs10kfriends.com
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/robs10kfriends/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rob-lawless-robs10kfriends/

🌐 Episode Website: https://jenhellerlifestyle.com/2026/10/13/human-connection-and-the-mission-to-meet-10000-people/

💛 If this episode struck a chord, send it to someone who needs to hear it. And if you're feeling generous, tap ⭐️ and leave a review—it helps others find the healing too.

Create Space is an intimate two-day Homes That Heal™ retreat designed to help you look at your home, your well-being and yourself through a new lens.

You’ll learn from thoughtful experts, experience practices that invite you to slow down, connect with women who are asking some of the same questions, and leave with a clearer understanding of what supports you and what you want to create more space for.

Connect with Me: Website - www.jenhellerlifestyle.com

Where Else to Find Jen:
📱 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jenhellerlifestyle/
💻 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61560317546116
📺 YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@JenHellerLifestyle
📌 Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/jenhellerlifestyle
🔗 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jen-heller-30b8a0126/