Everything We’ve Learned About Making Friends
During a New York City chapter event, our founder Tina Roth Eisenberg asked attendees to stand up if they’d ever made a friend at CreativeMornings. Out of 470 people, 450 showed us they’d made a friend over breakfast.
With over one in five people worldwide reporting they often feel lonely, it fills our hearts to see proof that CreativeMornings is a friendship-engine.
“That was the moment I realized I built the heart-centered, creative community I wished had existed when I moved from Switzerland to NYC in 1999,” said Tina.
450 out of 470 attendees stood when asked if they’d ever made a friend at CreativeMornings. Watch the moment.
We wanted to know whether these friendships were being cultivated across our other chapters around the world. So in a recent global survey, we asked the question again: Have you ever made a friend at CreativeMornings?
The response was a resounding yes. Not only have people made new friends, but lives have been shaped by such meetings.
As Richmond attendee Jolinda Smithson Anderson told us, “The friends I have met at CreativeMornings have become the fabric of my life.”
People told us again and again that it’s a place to find their people.
“Almost everyone I know now is someone I’ve met through CreativeMornings.”
“I feel like this community is the most intentional I’ve ever had in my life!”
“I have so many special relationships with people because of CreativeMornings.”
Reading countless stories of the friendships forged during chapter events, Virtual FieldTrips, and CreativeMornings Clubs, we found great advice on how to create and deepen connections at our gatherings and beyond.
25 ideas to create and deepen connections
1. Have your friendship light on
When our friendship light is on, we go into the world with a sense of openness and curiosity and soon find potential friends everywhere.
In this state of mind, deep friendships can form quickly. As Leah Rich from our Denver chapter told us, “I met my new best friend last summer at a CreativeMornings. We connected quickly and have been hanging out ever since.”
A new friend might be waiting in line for coffee, or could even be found via our furry friends.
One responder described how it generally works for them: “There was a dog involved, as usual when I’m making friends.”
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Laughing together in San Francisco.
2. Bolster existing friendships
Meeting new people can be a great way to expand new friendships, but it’s also important to consider how you can strengthen existing ties.
Bringing a friend along to something you love is a great, low-stakes way to deepen the connection. As Brett McCall from Asheville said, “Most of the connections I’ve made have been deepening the connections that were previously merely loose casual.”
Meghan Arnold told us that’s the real “secret sauce” of our events. “I have a dear friend who I knew casually from a social scene and then we started attending events together. It’s been years but our friendship grew such a solid base from going to the talks.”
It can also help nurture family ties, as Meghan found more recently when she started taking their adult niece along, too. “She’s obsessed and now I’m the cool aunt.”
3. Connect deeper with coworkers
Having an accessible and inclusive space to frequent outside of work can be a great way to bond with colleagues.
Claudia Rojas from New York told us of her experience: “I planned to go to the event by myself, but a coworker heard me talk about it and we decided to go together. Now she is one of my best friends.”
It can even be a regular professional development activity. “CreativeMornings has been a monthly outing for my former teams,‘ Winnipeg organizer Candance Rea told us. 'It’s an opportunity to stay connected and be creative together.”
Eugenia Dunn from Baltimore described how attending has helped to foster better connections with younger coworkers. “We stayed after the event for about twenty minutes discussing how we could use it in our everyday lives and our work. I am 60-plus and they are in their 20s and 30s.”
Acting with intention in Cluj.
4. Strengthen weak ties
Studies have shown that having more weak ties—casual connections and loose acquaintances—can have a positive impact on your opportunities, ideas, and knowledge.
With the regularity of our events, many have found CreativeMornings to be just the place to strengthen such ties, even describing it as a “secret handshake” when you see the same people at other events.
“Attending has allowed me to recognize faces at other industry events and expand what I know about the creative scene in Brisbane,” Zoe Atterbury said.
Many told us it’s a place where a familiar face becomes a friend. Abbey Spindelman from the Buffalo chapter told us that “Sometimes it takes an event like this to have a meaningful conversation with someone you’ve seen around town, but don’t yet really know.”
5. Build the muscle of connection
Feeling comfortable and confident in a room with other people can take persistence and practice—it’s a lot like building a muscle.
Haider Ali from Islamabad described one such experience: “I am a shy and introverted person, and making connections has always been hard for me. Attending CreativeMornings has helped me build my confidence to talk to others, as it’s a supportive space where no one judges and everyone tries to help.”
At the heart of connection is curiosity about the people around us. We can ask: Who is this person next to me? How are they doing right now? How can I help?
Connecting over coffee in Paris.
6. Volunteer to enrich connections
For so many organisations, the emphasis is on return-on-investment for stakeholders—but for CreativeMornings, the real value is found in the return-of-friendship.
This is especially so for the volunteers who help bring our events to life across the globe. “I started volunteering with my local chapter because there are so many amazing people with different skills and backgrounds to forge relationships with,” Kelly Tendulkar from our Raleigh chapter told us.
Volunteering can take many forms, and sometimes it’s as simple as taking a moment to help another person.
Anne Sophia Gustafson from the Omaha chapter shared one such moment: “I made a friend at CreativeMornings. I told her I had recently moved to Omaha because my mom died and I was packing up her house. She asked what the address was and brought a six pack of beer and helped.”
7. Create a ritual of connection
A tried-and-true way to find connection is to be at the same place at the same time.
Whether it’s the same café you go to each day or a dance class you go to every week, making something a ritual helps to build familiarity and rapport.
For many, this is the beauty of attending the monthly CreativeMornings chapter events. An attendee in Seattle shared their story: “I really started to feel like I was at home when people at the events were recognizing me and making an effort to say hello. It really made me feel like part of a community.”
8. Start a friendship snowball effect
By inviting someone to join you in doing something you love, you encourage others to do the same, creating a friendship snowball effect.
“This is how friendship expands,” said Mustafa Gül from Istanbul. “I invited two of my closest friends last year and now they also invite other people. For this month’s event, we will probably attend as a group of five.”
Building these interconnections between friends can be the very thing that strengthens the net of friendship.
Chuck Beard from Nashville said, “I just love when new friends connect more and continue to grow the network of friends naturally.”
Surrounded by potential friends in Montreal.
9. Turn small talk into deep talk
There’s a certain authenticity to having a simple chit-chat with the person next to you, free from the pressure of typical networking events.
This is why the coffee line at our chapter events is famous for starting friendships. There are built-in conversation starters: What brings you here? Have you been here before? How do you like your coffee? We’ve experienced firsthand that it’s less about what you say and more about extending an invitation to connect and seeing where things go.
A simple question can lead to a touching conversation. Cosmo Kuzmick from Charlottesville wrote, “As we were cleaning up, I asked a woman if she enjoyed the talk. She sat down and we talked about grieving and for half an hour we held each other’s hands and cried, then we walked and hugged.”
Built in conversation starters in San Diego.
10. Discover the beauty in the hyperlocal
When we start with where we are, we can find beauty at our doorstep.
This is what it means to tap into the hyperlocal. An attendee from Grand Rapids described one such encounter: “I found my neighbor who lives three doors down at a CreativeMornings event. We are now friends and share plants!”
In New York, Naim Sheriff had the same experience. “I met someone who turned out to live around the block from me.”
For some, the events themselves are a way to feel part of the hyperlocal in a bigger city. As Kim Leddy from Columbus told us, this is the beauty of seeing familiar faces. “Being a part of this community makes me feel more connected to my city at large.”
Coming together in New York City.
11. Expand your circle worldwide
Within the hyperlocal, we can also find the global—new people, cultures, and viewpoints.
Because CreativeMornings is in almost 250 cities worldwide, it’s possible to expand your friendship circle across the globe. As Rick Etkin from Vancouver told us, “It also opens doors in other cities to meet even more people.”
Another attendee described how it can work while on the move: “One of the main things I love about CreativeMornings is that when I travel, I’m able to catch an event in a new city. The volunteers are incredibly friendly and have so many thoughts on where to go, at times they have even hosted me. I’ve also done this with folks from other chapters in the past as well! It’s a great cultural exchange and I love that I still have friends in many ports because of this community’s generosity.”
It’s also a way to introduce friends to friends. As Kimberley Healy from Oakland shared with us, “My best story is meeting a Bulgarian woman in Oakland who recognized me from a virtual FieldTrip I gave and I set her up to meet my Bulgarian friend who lives in Oregon when he went back to Bulgaria!”
12. Bond over shared interests
Because we think everyone is creative—and anything we do can be creative—there is always a fascinating mix of people to meet at CreativeMornings.
Being curious, asking questions and listening to others is a great way to unearth shared interests and commonalities—the perfect friendship-starter.
One attendee told us, “It was the first event for both of us, we realized we had a lot in common, attended a few more events together and then started meeting up outside of the events.”
Name tags break the ice in New York
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13. Do what you love together
Take bonding over shared interests a step further and do those things together regularly.
We’ve heard countless stories of people striking up conversation at CreativeMornings and going on to do what they love together—attending gigs, heading out for coffee after the events, or meeting up for shared hobbies like salsa dancing.
If you meet someone you connect with, create momentum by suggesting meeting up again another time. An attendee in Mumbai described this experience: “The speaker invited me for a walk the following week and we’ve been friends ever since then.”
We can’t wait to help you build momentum even further with the roll out of CreativeMornings Clubs, which is supercharging the community-led gatherings that are already happening. Lily Heaton from Amsterdam told us about her experience: “Last year I met a gal who was curious about analog photography, and we started going on photo walks and now I’ve started a women’s analog photography group which is cool.”
The Making Comics Club.
14. Diversify your interests and connections
Conversely, a great foundation for friendship can be the wonderful differences between people.
While many industry events can be separated into silos—design events, law school events, and so on—everyone is welcome at CreativeMornings.
An attendee told us that our events can be a great way to mingle with people you might not come across in other circles. “My first time at a CreativeMornings I sat next to a woman who worked in fashion and interior design. I was working in dance and digital design, and so we connected as two creative women who love to explore design in different ways. We became instant friends.”
15. Reconnect with old friends
Friendships can drift for all sorts of reasons, but they can also be renewed.
It’s a small world, and you never know who you might be able to reconnect with.
In the survey, many of you shared stories about reconnecting with previous colleagues, school friends, and old friends at our events. One attendee told us, “I met a friend that I studied with in the past and it was so cool to renew that relationship.”
16. Turn online friends into IRL friends
We can put the social back in social media by seizing opportunities to connect in person.
Amy Rogers conveyed how these friendships can come to life: “I was able to meet people IRL that I knew only through social media.”
Online platforms can also be a great way to stay connected after meeting someone in person.
Many of you told us you’ve created Discord channels about shared topics or professions, as well as following each other online to stay connected and support each other’s work.
17. Say hello to someone you admire
It can be a gift to share how something resonated with you or how you admire the work someone puts into the world.
Don’t be afraid to approach a speaker, the host or a fellow attendee you admire—you could make their day, and yours!
As Larry Yes from Portland said, “I really loved the artist speaking. I had never met them, but afterwards we had a brief talk and realized we had many friends in common and they had seen my work before. That was just lovely.”
It can also be someone who you admire in the moment. Michelle Chu from New York told us, “I met someone at an in-person FieldTrip years ago, she liked my introduction and we met up afterwards for a potential collaboration and later for social reasons.”
18. Approach people who are alone
Here’s another instance where fortune favours the bold!
While it can be daunting for some to attend events solo, it is often the best way to meet new people as you’re more approachable.
Whether you attend solo or otherwise, keep an eye out for people who are alone. As Heath Osburn from Charlotte said, “I often go to CreativeMornings by myself. Rather than sit alone, I sit next to others who are seated alone.”
This approach also worked well for someone in Vancouver who told us: “I saw a fellow attendee standing alone (like myself) and started up a conversation. We sat together for the event and exchanged numbers and have been very good friends ever since!”
19. Give a great compliment
When you think of something kind, don’t hesitate to share it.
A compliment might make someone’s day or be a great conversation starter. As Kina Forney from Ottawa said, “I love seeing people with fun clothes, hair, and accessories and will often strike up a conversation that way, which usually leads to sharing each other’s work.”
You never know where a genuine compliment might lead. Another survey responder shared their story: “When leaving the event, I complimented another attendee’s cowboy boots at the crosswalk. We started talking about our experience with CreativeMornings. By the time we crossed the street, she offered me an interview with her design firm. That’s how I got my first UX internship!”
20. Wear something worthy of a compliment!
With the previous tip in mind, why not try wearing an item of clothing that’s a potential talking point?
It could be a band t-shirt, a tote from your favourite bookstore, or a bold piece of jewellery. The point is to make it easy for others to strike up a conversation with you.
That wow factor in Cincinnati.
21. Find community in a new city
Tina’s favorite type of email to receive goes something like this: “I moved to a new city and I didn’t know where to find my people. I started going to CreativeMornings, and I made amazing friends and felt at home.”
This happens so often that our events are like community starter-packs for people moving to new cities. As Shea Michals described, “While living in Denver I knew no one, so I volunteered and made all my closest friends in the city! Now I’m in Chicago, I’m doing that again.”
22. Be open to collaboration
A bonus to being in a room with curious and inspiring people is the potential to develop partnerships, collaboration, and more.
This is in part what Jolinda Smithson Anderson meant by saying such friendships have become the fabric of her life: “One became a business collaborator, client and then eventually my wedding planner. Another has been an entrepreneurial support and business referral partner. One introduced me to his wife, who became one of my first employees in my growing business. I can’t capture all the stories.”
Without agenda or expectation, you can be open to all sorts of patterns and pathways for friendship.
People-powered poetry in Toronto.
23. Start a fun challenge
Collaborations can just be for fun, too.
As Mary Lee Hahn from Columbus told us, “I met an architect who was interested in my embroidery. We made a challenge to bring a sample of our work that breaks all the rules to the next CreativeMornings gathering.”
24. Become heart-oriented
People have told us that coming along to CreativeMornings is like taking an elevator from your head to your heart—fear, anxiety, and uncertainty are transformed into optimism, kindness and curiosity.
We need more opportunities like this to shift our perspectives and be more heart-oriented.
It doesn’t have to be complicated—we’ve seen first hand how simply being in a room together can be enough to feel more connected, positive, and alive.
Happy to hang out together in Hong Kong.
25. Find the places that feel like home
When we are made to feel comfortable and welcome in a space, everything else can follow.
“Every time I get to go, I get hugs from the folks I met at previous sessions,” Colleen Gallion from Austin told us. 'It’s just lovely.“
Being part of such welcoming spaces can shape who we are. As one attendee wrote, "The best of who I am becoming is directly attributed to my involvement in CreativeMornings … it’s a special place where I feel at home.”
That’s what we think we do best at CreativeMornings—we wrap people in a blanket of love, belonging, and friendship that not only shapes who you can become, but what becomes of the world.
This article is part of our blog series of love letters to everyone who’s ever been part of a CreativeMornings gathering. Since our start in 2008, our remarkable volunteers have hosted over 15,000 events across the globe. As a community, we have become experts in what it means to create spaces that allow for deep, loving, human connection in an increasingly disconnected world. With this series, we’re sharing what we’ve learned hoping it will encourage you to join in or create your own meaningful spaces. The future is not lonely. It’s communal and hyperlocal.