What if oversharing isn’t something to fix, but something to use?

This week on The Connection Code, we’re joined by Leslie John. She's a behavioral scientist, Harvard Business School professor, and author of Revealing: The Underrated Power of Oversharing

Together, we unpack one of the biggest myths about connection: that saying “too much” is a social mistake. Leslie explains why what we call oversharing is often just … sharing and why it’s one of the most powerful tools we have to build trust, deepen relationships, and move from acquaintance to real friendship.

We talk about:

• The science behind self-disclosure and why it literally activates the brain’s pleasure centers
• The “overshare hangover” (and why it’s usually misleading)
• How to go from small talk to meaningful connection without making it weird
• What crying at work actually communicates (and how to handle it)
• The difference between TMI (too much information) and TLI (too little information)
• Why the biggest regrets in life often come from what we didn’t say

Plus, we share our own stories of oversharing gone right (and wrong), and what it really looks like to build connection in real time.

If you’ve ever walked away from a conversation thinking “did I say too much?” this episode might change how you see it forever.

Mentioned in this episode:

• Leslie John's Website: https://www.proflesliejohn.com
• Arthur Aron’s “36 Questions That Lead to Love”
• Leslie's book, Revealing: The Underrated Power of Oversharing

What happens when you take 16 strangers, sit them down at one table, and design every moment for connection?

This week on The Connection Code, we sit down with Shreena Amin and Chef Nicolai Mlodinow, the founders of Class Act Dining—a Chicago-based, 16-seat communal dining experience built to bring people together through food, storytelling, and intentional design.

What started as a scrappy, post-pandemic dinner party in an apartment has evolved into a full sensory experience. Today, Class act engineers connection with cocktail hour, a shared table, and a nightcap.

In this conversation, we explore:

• Why connection doesn’t just happen, it’s created
• What a dinner table can teach us about belonging
• The surprising ways strangers become friends (even skeptics and introverts)
• How storytelling, space, and even menu design shape human interaction
• And the deeply personal “why” behind building a business centered on connection

From childhood memories of gathering around food to the vulnerability of not always feeling like you belong, this episode goes far beyond dining—it’s about what we’re all craving: to feel seen, included, and part of something.

Because sometimes, the shortest path to connection… is a seat at the table.

Friendship expert Danielle Bayard Jackson joins us for one of our favorite conversations yet, breaking down the real work behind meaningful friendships.

From why adult friendships feel harder than they used to, to the role of conflict, effort, and emotional support, Danielle shares the research-backed truths most of us were never taught.

We talk about:

• Why friendship isn’t as “natural” as we think and what that means
• How healthy conflict can actually make friendships stronger
• The difference between connection and friendship (and why you need both)
• What to do if you’re always the one initiating plans
• Why women’s friendships are both complicated and essential for our health
• How to actually be a better friend (hint: you can ask)

Plus, we get into texting habits, aggressive friendship, and the reality that relationships evolve—and that’s not a failure.

If you’ve ever wondered why friendship can feel confusing, one-sided, or harder than it “should” be, this episode will change how you think about connection.

What if social media actually made us better friends… instead of just better at watching each other live?

Social media connects us, keeps us in the loop, and sometimes… makes us feel like we’re missing out on everything.

In this episode of The Connection Code, Jeana Anderson Cohen and Rachel Gillman Rischall dive into the complicated role social media plays in our friendships, from the early days of Friendster and Facebook to today’s world of curated feeds and constant comparison.

They explore:

• How social media can deepen connection (and sometimes replace it)
• Why FOMO hits differently at different stages of life
• The unspoken rules of posting (and overthinking what others think)
• LinkedIn’s “humblebrag” culture—and how to navigate it authentically
• The surprising power of oversharing in building real relationships

Plus, they share thoughtful (and slightly radical) ideas for how social media could actually become a better tool for connection—from removing public likes to creating “friendship prompts” that nudge us offline.

And in this week’s show & tell: a powerful story of how one vulnerable post turned into real-life community—and a reminder that sometimes, the internet gets it right.

If you’ve ever questioned your relationship with social media… this one’s for you.

Resources:

• Resource: National Domestic Violence Hotline (U.S.)
• Book: Revealing: The Underrated Power of Oversharing
• Expert: Danielle Bayard Jackson

What if finding your purpose wasn’t about reinvention, but about alignment?

This week on The Connection Code, we’re joined by Suzy Welch, NYU Stern professor, researcher, and New York Times bestselling author of Becoming You.

Suzy has built a powerful, data-driven framework to help people uncover their purpose by looking at three key inputs:
→ your values
→ your aptitudes
→ and what the world will pay you for

In this conversation, we explore:

• Why most people don’t actually know their values and how to find them
• How values shape your decisions (often subconsciously)
• Why Suzy believes networking is broken—and what to do instead
• The surprising power of assuming the best in people (even when it backfires)
• How purpose becomes clearer—not through one big epiphany—but through honest self-audit

We also get personal. We spend time talking about grief, faith, teaching, and the moments that shape how we connect with others.

If you’ve ever wondered whether you’re on the right path (or how to feel more aligned in your life and work) this episode will give you both language and tools to think about it differently.

Media in this episode:

• The New York Times article about making friends as an adult
• Suzy Welch - visit her website
• Suzy Welch - Take the Values Bridge Assessment

What if confidence isn’t something you have, but something you can borrow?

This week on The Connection Code, we’re joined by executive coach and managing partner of Verde Associates, Laura Sanchez-Greenberg. She's the kind of coach whose name gets passed quietly from founder to founder, with a simple message: “If you can get time with her, do it.”

Laura has worked with some of the most respected leaders and high-growth brands, helping them navigate everything from team dynamics to personal confidence. But at the core of her work is something deeper: connection.

In this episode, we talk about:

• Why so many high-achieving people secretly don’t feel like they’re enough
• How great leaders “lend” confidence before someone can access their own
• The difference between confidence and arrogance (and why vulnerability is power)
• How to navigate conflict—and what real “repair” actually looks like
• Why most people hate networking (and how to make it feel natural)
• The loneliness of leadership—and how to build your personal “board of directors”
• What we’ve lost since COVID when it comes to connection—and why it matters

Laura also shares the simple but life-changing advice she gives her clients again and again: state your intent—and name what you’re afraid of.

This conversation is thoughtful, grounding, and packed with insights you’ll carry into your work, your relationships, and how you show up in the world.

In this episode:

• Website: Verde Associates
• Email: Laura@verdeassociates.com
• The Hidden Life of Trees by Peter Wohlleben
• Positivity by Barbara Fredrickson
• Tuckman Model (Forming, Storming, Norming, Performing)
• Karpman Drama Triangle (Hero / Victim / Villain)
• Forest Bathing / Shinrin-yoku

Behavioral scientist and bestselling author Jon Levy joins us to explore the science behind trust, connection, and influence.

Jon is known for hosting the now-famous Influencers Dinner, a secret dining experience where strangers cook a meal together before discovering they’re sitting with Olympians, astronauts, Nobel laureates, and cultural leaders. The twist? No one is allowed to share their last name or what they do for work.

In this conversation, Jon shares what hundreds of dinners and thousands of guests have taught him about human behavior, including:

• Why shared effort creates stronger relationships than small talk
• The surprising psychology behind asking people for help
• What makes a team truly intelligent (hint: it’s not IQ)
• Why people should introduce their connections more often, not less
• How vulnerability actually builds trust faster

We also dive into Jon’s new book Team Intelligence, discuss the contagious nature of human behavior, and unpack why connection thrives when people collaborate instead of compete.

If you’ve ever wondered how to create deeper relationships at work, in friendship, or even at a dinner party, this episode is full of surprising insights.

Links to explore:

• Jon Levy's website
• The Influencers Dinner
• Jon Levy's new book: Team Intelligence
• Jon Levy's TED Talk "What Makes us Influential"

In this capsule conversation, Rachel Gillman Rischall and Jeana Anderson Cohen explore one of the most tender and rarely discussed relationship topics: friendship breakups and estrangement.

Inspired by Hillary Duff and her recent reflections on estrangement in an interview with Anthony Mason, Rachel and Jeana unpack what it means to lose someone close to you — and not know how, or whether, to repair the relationship.

Together, they discuss:

• How to tell the difference between a friendship worth repairing and one that’s okay to let go
• Why friendship breakups can hurt differently — and sometimes more deeply — than romantic ones
• Whether there’s a way to have a “final conversation,” and what to do when closure doesn’t come
• How to hold boundaries without abandoning compassion

Drawing from personal experience, research, and insights from Platonic and For You When I Am Gone, the episode closes with a reminder that friendship isn’t “just friends,” it’s a profound form of love. And when it ends, the grief deserves to be honored.

In Show & Tell, Rachel shares the connective power of live storytelling and shared vulnerability, while Jeana highlights a striking insight about emotional connection and fear of loss — adding one final layer to how deeply we’re wired for friendship.

In this episode:

• Hillary Duff and Anthony Mason interview, referencing estrangement
• Platonic by Marisa G. Franco
• For You When I Am Gone by Rabbi Steve Leder
• Jay Shetty — referenced via The New York Times