The Friends – Robs10kFriends

THE FRIENDS

6749. “My top 2 values are fun and adventure. An

6749. “My top 2 values are fun and adventure. And that is how I want to live every day is have as much fun as possible, create as much fun for other people and be as adventurous as possible. Take risks, step out of comforts and help others do the same.”
-
Since her upbringing in the suburbs of Baltimore, Jen Recla’s always been drawn to adventure. Therefore, after studying Theater at @umbclife, she moved to LA to pursue her acting dreams. But when that didn’t pan out, she moved home and took a temp job at a hospital.
-
Jen loved her boss so she took a full time role there while she pursued her MBA. “I got a lot out of the leadership development courses that I was taking. I loved the topic and realized that I wanted to be the one teaching and coaching and building other leaders.”
-
As a result, Jen went into corporate learning and development for a decade or so, and now - on her own - focuses solely on helping develop leaders and their teams. She very much works to live, though, so in that time she and her husband chose to move from the east coast to Denver.
-
“And I was 7 months pregnant. So we said to our families, ‘We’re moving to Colorado and we’re taking your grandkid with us.’ That was a rough couple of phone calls.” Jen and her husband wanted to be able to enjoy the outdoors, though, and while they surely miss their families they have no regrets!
-
With their 10 year old daughter and 7 year old son they’ve found community in their neighbors, they’ve gone on trips like snowmobiling in Montana and they’ve built lives aligned her with their values of fun and adventure! So nice to meet you, @jservary!
•
How we met: Jen came across my project via @melissabethcohen (#6690) and then @linkedin messaged me to meet!
•
Swipe to hear more about how Jen discovered her values! 🏔️❄️
•
#10kfriends #philly #denver #colorado #fun #adventure #baltimore #acting #leadership #learninganddevelopment #worktolive #bigmove #family #snowmobiling #somegoodnews #robs10kfriends #meetingpeople
•
Click the link in my bio if you’d like to support me via Patreon! 🙏🏼

6748. “Super random fact - Alpaca poop sells for

6748. “Super random fact - Alpaca poop sells for $11 a pound. Like it’s just that great!”
-
Adrianne Reiners knows this because she knows it makes great fertilizer! “I have a farm. Small farm. We raise chickens, we have a large field so we grow corn, potatoes and squash.”
-
With 9 chickens and 40 acres, she’s constantly trying to upgrade the land she and her husband purchased in 2019. But she’s also balancing her agriculture skills with her entrepreneurial path. “My goal was to freelance in order to farm so if I can bulk up my winter I can slow down my summer and spend my time in different ways.”
-
Raised in the Minneapolis suburbs, Adrianne once aspired to become an inner city youth pastor, but instead worked her way up the ranks of @cariboucoffee. In between losing her mom to cancer at 20 years old and getting married and divorced, she also changed oil for a couple of years, worked at @sleepnumber and then went back to coffee.
-
As Adrianne met and married her now husband, she eventually shifted into tech, excelled in event planning for a brewery and then decided to do freelance marketing and web design.
-
On top of all of this, though, she intentionally met 67 new people last year, is now aiming to meet 70 in 2025 AND going forward hopes to expand her farm to 2-3 dozen chickens, goats and alpacas! “I have a full calendar but I would also argue that I’m slow living because I’m choosing everything that I put on my calendar.” Great hanging with you, @adriannereiners!
•
How we met: Adrianne and I were introduced via @linkedin by her friend, Cole Johnson (#6554)!
•
Swipe to hear more about Adrianne’s farm life! 💦🌾
•
#10kfriends #philly #deerriver #minnesota #farm #chickens #freelancer #balance #cariboucoffee #family #marketing #webdesign #connection #coffeechat #goats #alpacas #farmlife #somegoodnews #robs10kfriends #meetingpeople
•
Click the link in my bio if you’d like to support me via Patreon! 🙏🏼

6747. “I love Marie Forleo’s quote of ‘Every

6747. “I love Marie Forleo’s quote of ‘Everything is Figureoutable.’…I always say to my daughters, ‘Ok, we’ve got a problem then what can we do? What are the solutions? What are the ways around it?’”
-
With 11 and 10 year old daughters, Sabine Panneau is constantly teaching them what she’s learned from her life. But the main lesson is “everything is possible.” Because though she was born in the small town of Auray, France, Sabine has lived everywhere from London to Berlin to Valencia to now Rosario, Argentina (the birthplace of @leomessi).
-
As a teen, Sabine aspired to go into law, but after studying it for 2 years she moved to London to become a nanny. She loved her time there so after spending 6 months in Berlin and getting a 2-year diploma in Bordeaux, she moved back to the UK. Sabine graduated with her Business Administration degree (with a focus on Marketing) and built her career in fundraising at places like @royalmuseumsgreenwich and @cr_uk.
-
But eventually, she sought the more relaxed pace of Spain, moved into a flat with a handful of strangers and ended up dating one of them! Because of her relationship, Sabine then moved to Argentina ~15 years ago and in that time has found community by organizing and joining meetups.
-
She actually found her first job through an English-speaking meetup, and 3 years ago started a charity helping French families maintain their language and culture. Because while she wants her daughters to know that everything is possible, she also wants them to know about their roots no matter where they live! Awesome hanging with you, @sabpanneau!
•
How we met: Sabine came across my project via her friend, @hypatia24 (#6133), and then DM’ed me to meet!
•
Swipe to hear more about how Sabine’s navigated her many moves! ✈️🌎
•
#10kfriends #philly #rosario #argentina #everythingispossible #auray #london #berlin #valencia #marketing #fundraising #meetup #community #language #culture #daughters #somegoodnews #robs10kfriends #meetingspeople
•
Click the link in my bio if you’d like to support me via Patreon! 🙏🏼

6746. “I want to have some contribution to, you

6746. “I want to have some contribution to, you know, possibly changing how people look at jewelry. And really see it as connection and something that truly can align with our values. And that for me would just be the most powerful outcome.”
-
Growing up in Ohio, Melissa Dusenberry dreamt of becoming a painter. In the past she painted “watercolors that don’t necessarily look like watercolors. The average size is 4ft by 6ft so they’re big.” She worked with watercolors because “I like the transparency…you can see the history, like you can literally see what is beneath.”
-
After graduating from @miamiuniversity, though, she pursued an advertising career in NYC. And while Melissa did apply to schools for her MFA, once she didn’t get in she hit a massive restart, moved to Paris and helped entrepreneurs, such as a jewelry startup, find their vision and voice.
-
“I understood working at this entrepreneurial venture how what we know about our ancient ancestors comes to us through jewelry and weaponry…and what we could see from that past is how jewelry told so much of their stories, like who they were, what mattered to them, what their values were.”
-
As a result, after returning to NYC Melisa started her own jewelry concierge business, @allthebrilliants! Now, with the same historical curiosity that drove her painting, she helps people find jewelry that aligns with their values (sustainability, women-owned, etc.), but also makes them feel seen, powerful and confident! So great to meet you, @allthebrilliants!
•
How we met: Melissa came across my project via her friends, @kimbreiland (#6722) and @melissabethcohen (#6690), and then @linkedin messaged me to meet!
•
Swipe to hear more about Melissa’s work! 🌍💍
•
#10kfriends #philly #brooklyn #newyork #jewelry #painter #watercolor #history #artdirector #paris #entrepreneurship #jewelryconcierge #values #confidence #somegoodnews #robs10kfriends #meetingpeople
•
Click the link in my bio if you’d like to support me via Patreon! 🙏🏼

6745. “It’s like my favorite thing to do. It’s my favorite thing about my job. It’s my favorite thing about my free time.”
-
Ever since she was a kid, Meghan Hanson aspired to change the world. “When I was little my dad used to take me to just a lot of community events and things like that and I was an exchange student in high school.” She spent time living with a family in French-speaking Switzerland and afterwards developed some specific goals.
-
“I thought I was going to help farmers in Africa with their communication plans.” And luckily she chose to attend @cornelluniversity where “Their Communication major is in their College of Agriculture so I was like perfect!”
-
On top of playing soccer there, Meghan got her degree and ended up doing PR for American farmers. However, when she realized that wasn’t the path, she completed law school in San Diego and then moved back to Seattle after becoming pregnant with her first daughter.
-
Since then, Meghan’s had her second daughter and worked for organizations like the @gatesfoundation, @techsoup and now Redwood Housing; an impact developer focused on raising the standard of living for low- and moderate-income Americans!
-
With a heart for helping others, she’s passionate about areas like housing, but also food security, women’s empowerment, mental health and animal welfare.
-
Therefore, Meghan hopes to make an impact in all of those areas going forward. But she also hopes to share her sense of adventure with her family - whether she’s visiting Bora Bora with her partner, traveling through Thailand with her kids or adopting more dogs into the family! So nice to meet you, @meg_hanson_9!
•
How we met: Meghan came across my project via her friend, @pestoandpotatoes (#3153), and then DM’ed me to meet!
•
Swipe to hear more about Meghan’s passion for helping others! 🏡❤️
•
#10kfriends #philly #seattle #washington #helpingothers #switzerland #farmers #cornell #soccer #lawschool #mom #housing #foodsecurity #womensempowerment #mentalhealth #animalwelfare #adventure #somegoodnews #robs10kfriends #meetingpeople
•
Click the link in my bio if you’d like to support me via Patreon! 🙏🏼

6744. “Theater, wrestling, game shows…if I had

6744. “Theater, wrestling, game shows…if I had to name my top 3 passions, that’s it.”
-
In the year 2,000 while living at his mom’s house in California, Fred Fletcher-Jackson saw @wwe SmackDown for the first time. “It was crazy. And I immediately fell in love with it.” He became a fan of wrestlers like @therock and @steveaustinbsr, and became a performer himself once he got to high school.
-
Fred loved doing the shows so he went on to study Theater at @umbclife and Devising at @pigironschool (where the script originates from collaborative, improvisatory work). And now, he works as a Drama teacher, educating middle schoolers in Frederick, Maryland!
-
On the side, though, Fred performs in indie wrestling shows nearly once a month, and actually met his fiancée through the space. They met at a @renrumblewrestling workshop back in March of 2020 and got engaged last year in Costa Rica - during a trip Fred won on @wheeloffortune!
-
Fred has actually been a contestant twice on the show and beat the other contestants both times. But he still has some unfinished game show dreams. Going forward, he hopes to appear on @therealpriceisright! Yet for now, he’s more looking forward to his wedding this June! Great hanging with you, @fredfletcherjackson!
•
How we met: Fred heard about my project via his friend, @sarahlynnirving (#6563), and then DM’ed me to meet!
•
#10kfriends #philly #fairmount #theater #wrestling #gameshows #smackdown #umbc #pigironschool #devising #dramateacher #indiewrestling #wheeloffortune #priceisright #wedding #somegoodnews #robs10kfriends #meetingpeople
•
Click the link in my bio if you’d like to support me via Patreon! 🙏🏼

6743. “It’s the reason I taught myself Dutch b

6743. “It’s the reason I taught myself Dutch because it’s really popular in the Netherlands.”
-
Tim Holliday never anticipated the impact a Christmas gift would have on his life. Growing up in Wilmington, Ohio, he received a DVD of the first season of The Mole (a reality game show) and became obsessed. By high school, Tim was organizing his own indie versions of the show. But as he got into college, he developed another passion: history.
-
Inspired by his freshman year professor, Tim saw how works like the Iliad showed more about the times they were written (8th Century BC) than the times in which they were set. By his junior year at @xavieruniversity, he knew he wanted to continue his studies. Therefore, he attained his PhD in History at @uofpenn and afterwards became a lecturer there!
-
Now, he’s working towards getting his dissertation published (Morbid Sensations: Intimacy and Epidemic Disease in Philadelphia, 1793-1854) while teaching Critical Writing. However, on the side Tim is back to running his live reality game, @themoleohio! He’s now approaching his 6th season and shares the videos to YouTube.
-
But beyond his reality tv production, he’s also a poet and a family man. Tim writes poetry inspired by Francisco Goya’s Black Paintings and hopes to eventually publish a collection of his works. And ultimately, he’s just someone who enjoys hanging out with his parents and his younger sister! Awesome hanging with you, @icebearneedscoffee!
•
How we met: Tim came across my project via his friend, Nygel Jones (#6701), and then DM’ed me to meet!
•
#10kfriends #philly #rittenhouse #themole #demol #history #iliad #xavier #phd #lecturer #dissertation #liverealitygames #blackpaintings #poetry #family #somegoodnews #robs10kfriends #meetingpeople
•
Click the link in my bio if you’d like to support me via Patreon! 🙏🏼

6742. “I would buy a plot of land, probably like

6742. “I would buy a plot of land, probably like 10 acres.”
-
With a passion for community, Amber Friday hopes to someday have her own land where she can give out chicken eggs and cut flowers. But for now she’s working towards providing education, helping students explore beyond their hometowns!
-
Originally from Tyrone, PA, Amber knows what it’s like to come from a small town. She grew up as the youngest of 4 girls with a single father until he remarried (her mom passed when she was 3).
-
For that reason, she drifted towards sports, didn’t wear makeup until her senior year of high school, etc. but always had a strong work ethic. When Amber’s marketing teacher took note of how organized she was, she recommended Amber get a job at the local @gardnerscandies.
-
Therefore, Amber worked there (on top of working the front desk of a hotel) as she studied Business Management & Marketing at @pennstatealtoona. She also leveraged opportunities like the @sheetzfellows to set herself up for success. And fortunately after graduating, Amber landed a job back at @pennstate, leading her to become the Assistant Director of Development at @smealcollege_pennstate!
-
Now, she travels around connecting with hundreds of alumni each year, raising money for Smeal. But more importantly, she’s helping support the next generation of students as they expand their minds and pursue their own dreams! So nice to meet you, @amberfriday_!
•
How we met: Amber came across my project via @linkedin and then messaged me to meet!
•
#10kfriends #philly #fairmount #land #community #chickens #flowers #tyrone #smalltown #gardnerscandies #pennstatealtoona #sheetz #smeal #fundraising #pennstate #support #somegoodnews #robs10kfriends #meetingpeople
•
Click the link in my bio if you’d like to support me via Patreon! 🙏🏼

6741. “His car got blown up once, another time t

6741. “His car got blown up once, another time they had to take us to a secure place, the military came over to our house and just ransacked our house and destroyed everything. It was pretty wild. You know some stuff that you see in the movies? Yeah, we lived through that.”
-
For the first 8 years of his life, Amin Sanaia grew up in Santiago, Dominican Republic. But even though he came from an upper middle class family - “My mom was a university professor. My dad was the president of the largest labor union there.” - he experienced real hardships. Because of his dad’s position and strong stance on protecting workers, Amin and his family eventually fled to the U.S. and settled in the Bronx.
-
Already at a a high school learning level at the time, he trudged his way through 5th grade onwards and then took his older brother’s advice. “My brother had this dream of becoming an airplane mechanic…he’s like, ‘Let’s go to Spartan School of Aeronautics in Tulsa, Oklahoma.”
-
A year and a half later, though, they joined their family in Miami. Amin attended @barryuniversity and during that time volunteered at a retirement home. “And I found my calling.” Amin absolutely loved hearing the residents’ stories so he went into healthcare, got his master’s in Healthcare Administration, got his PhD in Leadership and became the COO of a retirement community.
-
Now, back in Tulsa, he’s looking for his next gig and plans to grow as a public speaker and consultant. But outside of his career, Amin looks forward to spending more time with his family (whether they’re home or exploring new cultures) and spending time in the sea! “I’m not certified yet. That’s one of my goals this year is getting certified for scuba diving, but I’ve done it!…I just feel at home like that’s where I belong.” Great hanging with you, @aminsanaia_!
•
How we met: Amin came across my project via @kimbreiland (#6722) and then DM’ed me to meet!
•
Swipe to hear more about Amin’s volunteering at the retirement community! ❤️📖
•
#10kfriends #philly #tulsa #oklahoma #santiago #brothers #barryuniversity #retirementcommunity #healthcare #leadership #family #scubadiving #somegoodnews #robs10kfriends #meetingpeople

6740. “She came up to me and said, ‘You’re g

6740. “She came up to me and said, ‘You’re going to be teaching at St. James High School and so is Shannon Jonasson. And you have a car and she doesn’t and you live in the same neighborhood. Make that work.”
-
During her childhood and teens, Monica Nawrocki always felt like an outsider. She grew up in a strict Christian home in a small non Christian town in Alberta. But the youngest of 3 siblings, Monica lost her dad at 14 years old, moved out on her own at 16 (to Lethbridge) and then moved to Manitoba for university.
-
And while there - studying to become a teacher at @uwinnipeg - she finally found community “when I met my partner. We came out in the 80s so we have a you know huge group of friends back in Winnipeg who are family.” Monica and her partner, Shannon, met while carpooling to their student teaching assignments.
-
And after almost 20 years in Manitoba, they found another beautiful community when they moved cross country to Cortes Island. “I came on a water taxi with a few other people and as we could finally see the island I had the strongest emotional response…like a coming home and I had never been there before.”
-
Their new home felt like destiny, though, as Shannon then battled leukemia, but at Vancouver General Hospital - the best place in Canada to get a bone marrow transplant. And luckily, she’s been healthy since January of 2011!
-
In that time, Monica’s loved spending time with her. And with a clear mind she’s also been able to focus on her writing. To date she’s written a nonfiction memoir, 2 middle grades novels and a young adult novel. And now she’s working on 2 more projects, which she’s excited to complete in the coming years! Awesome hanging with you, @nawrocki.monica!
•
How we met: Monica came across my project via @instagram and then DM’ed me to meet!
•
Swipe to hear more about how Monica met her partner! ❤️🚗
•
#10kfriends #philly #victoria #britishcolumbia #alberta #uwinnipeg #partners #carpooling #studentteaching #cortesisland #home #writer #author #somegoodnews #robs10kfriends #meetingpeople
•
Click the link in my bio if you’d like to support me via Patreon! 🙏🏼

6739. “At Christmas time we made partially degra

6739. “At Christmas time we made partially degraded sucrose with protein inclusions in chemistry class. Now, it wouldn’t ever happen this way today, but last century when I was in high school it was ok to do this, right. Nobody got hurt.”
-
As knowledge-hungry teen in Lafayette, Indiana, Brad Buehler discovered his passion “when I met my high school chemistry teacher, Mr. Kretzmeier, of all people.” Because in his class they conducted dangerous experiments like making partially degraded sucrose concoctions - in other words, peanut brittle!
-
Despite growing up near @lifeatpurdue where his parents went, his uncle went, his cousin went and his grandfather acted as university president for 25 years, Brad studied Chemical Engineering at @uofmichigan.
-
He’s since built his career in the chemical industry, got his MBA along the way, transitioned out of the industry in Nov 2023, worked at an IT outfit for 5 months and then joined the family office he’s at now! “My job is to buy companies and operate them over the long run.”
-
Brad’s been fortunate to enjoy his career and all of the experiences it’s afforded him so far. He’s lived in places like Chicago, Indianapolis, Philly, Houston, Atlanta and now Cape Coral. He’s traveled to countries like India and Japan. And through his travels, Brad’s been able to learn and pass onto others the lesson that “All humans on this planet want to be known and to know. And they want to love and be loved.”
-
However, he’s still chasing his dreams. And these days they include building great businesses in his new role, continuing to travel, spending time with his parents and someday having grandkids of his own! So nice to meet you, @ferris311!
•
How we met: Brad came across my project via his friend, @portfoliorocket (#6729), and then DM’ed me to meet!
•
Swipe to hear more about Brad taking his son to Japan! 🌏❤️
•
#10kfriends #philly #capecoral #florida #chemistry #peanutbrittle #chemicalengineering #michigan #mosquitos #familybusiness #culture #connection #grandkids #somegoodnews #robs10kfriends #meetingpeople
•
Click the link in my bio if you’d like to support me via Patreon! 🙏🏼

6738. “The biggest thing I learned was never let

6738. “The biggest thing I learned was never let your evolution elevate your ego.”
-
Andre Young is on a mission to create healthy marriages, but not just in the traditional sense. “Creating that marriage between what you want to do and give for others to knowing what they need most from you right now.”
-
Growing up in North Philly, though, he was on a much different mission. Andre wanted to play football, but he struggled to keep his grades up. “I couldn’t verbalize why…I get my report card my 10th grade year: 4 Fs, 2 Ds and a C. To this day I will never forget my mom looking at my report card in just bewilderment…and I understand now I have ADHD.”
-
Luckily, because he was academically ineligible to play for his high school, Andre joined a semi pro team which helped him play in college, and there he really dove into his purpose. His senior year he began working at a residential treatment facility doing therapy, leading him to get his master’s.
-
“I was a good football player, but this is what I was supposed to do regarding connecting with people.” Andre worked in therapy for 19 years (despite burning out after 15), but it was really his divorce that changed his life.
-
Realizing he did some things great, some things good and a lot of things wrong, he reevaluated his life. And after getting remarried, he started a men’s group in his living room which expanded to conferences and eventually led him to become the leadership & work-life harmony speaker he is today!
-
Now, Andre loves helping others succeed while enjoying the benefits his has on his own life. One’s like helping his son chase his own football dreams, being able to enjoy his passion for cigars and being able to practice target shooting, which he plans to compete in this year! Great hanging with you, @youevolvingnow!
•
How we met: Andre and I were introduced via @linkedin by @gm82psu (#6712)!
•
Swipe to hear more about Andre’s biggest lesson! 🧠📚
•
#10kfriends #philly #reading #pennsylvania #evolution #humility #marriage #football #adhd #therapy #divorce #leadershipspeaker #worklifeharmony #dreams #somegoodnews #robs10kfriends #meetingpeople

6737. “Running, travel enthusiast, part of the L

6737. “Running, travel enthusiast, part of the LGBT community, adrenaline junkie and of course my disability is just a thing that I was dealt with by the universe.”
-
Born with cerebral palsy, Michael Friant has noticed, “Most people don’t feel comfortable with people who have disabilities in general so I wanted to demonstrate that I am a multifaceted human being like everyone else.” He created his own website, despiteofcp.org, to showcase the reality of his life!
-
Michael attained his Communications degree at @uncwilmington in 2023. And now he does stats and motivational content for the door-to-door pest control company, @aptive.environmental.
-
But he’s also an avid runner, completing a half marathon in 6:36:48.6 as well as several other races. And he enjoys a good adrenaline rush! “I love motorbikes. I’ve ridden with my friend.”
-
But ultimately, Michael dreams of traveling the world, having experiences and then talking about those experiences. He therefore aspires to connect with inspirations like @yestheory, @ellendegenerous, @raymondbraun and @romanatwood - because someday he wants to make a similar impact.
-
In the meantime, however, he’s just trying to build up his support system and his experience as a speaker while hitting a big near term goal - traveling to El Salvador for his graduation trip! Awesome hanging with you, @potentialfulest!
•
How we met: Michael came across my project via @thesolaryogi (#6732) and then DM’ed me to meet!
•
Swipe to hear more about what Michael wants the world to know about him! 🌎🏃🏻‍♂️
•
#10kfriends #philly #wilmington #northcarolina #runner #travel #lgbt #adrenalinejunkie #cerebralpalsy #uncw #motorbike #yestheory #speaker #elsalvador #somegoodnews #robs10kfriends #meetingpeople
•
Click the link in my bio if you’d like to support me via Patreon! 🙏🏼

6736. “There’s a saying about ‘the biggest b

6736. “There’s a saying about ‘the biggest burden is having nothing to carry.’ And I just think back to the times where I didn’t have a job. It was basically network television 24/7 in a small space. I felt like I was in prison, like I wasn’t living life.”
-
After high school, Phil Van Deusen tried to work in healthcare, “and healthcare was not the path at all.” He instead worked 3 different part-time jobs in 2016, but that still didn’t pay the bills and in 2018 he got into back-to-back car accidents. “And because I didn’t have a vehicle to get to work I basically lost my jobs one by one.”
-
As his parents downsized their house, Phil found himself in an extended period of struggle until the tide turned with his mom’s help. “She read an article in Connecticut Magazine about how the manufacturing workforce was retiring and they needed help.”
-
Though he didn’t have enough money to go back to school, Phil googled “free schooling for manufacturing in Connecticut,” found nearby classes and learned the necessary skills to break into the field.
-
“They held a job fair and I got I would say about 13 interviews and out of the 13 interviews I got 2 job offers and I took one. It was in plastic injection molding.” Phil started as an operator but then shifted into quality control, “and I finally got the job, I loved what I did and from there really the rest is history.”
-
Now, he’s fortunately stable with a career he loves; however, going forward he hopes to incorporate his other passions once he finds the time and energy! “I would probably read, I’d go to coffee shops, I’d play music, I’d do photography, I’d eat when I need to. I enjoy cooking. I feel I make you know a good oven-baked chicken.” So nice to meet you, @vandstudios!
•
How we met: Phil came across my project via his friend, @therealshakhnazarov (#5508), and then DM’ed me to meet!
•
Swipe to hear more about Phil’s life outlook! 📺💸
•
#10kfriends #philly #hartford #connecticut #life #manufacturing #qualitycontrol #energy #reading #podcasts #coffee #trombone #photography #chicken #somegoodnews #robs10kfriends #meetingpeople

6735. “Really leaning into my human design and m

6735. “Really leaning into my human design and my life paths are really where I’m trying to be intentional in my next career path.”
-
Michelle Pecak recently shifted into what she feels is the 2nd of 3 career paths. Growing up in Chicago as the oldest of 3 girls, she had one dream in high school: “Truly, to be a mom.” So after becoming valedictorian of her high school and graduating from @illinois1867, she worked towards that goal. Michelle now has 3 sons ages 14, almost 12 and 8.
-
However, she also became a successful pricing operations expert during this time, helping scale companies to $1B. “And then I realized that that was not making me happy…I bought into a paradigm of how I was supposed to live life.” Within the last few years, Michelle began focusing on what she wanted to do and last year cohosted some wellness events, leading to a major shift.
-
Now, relying on her human design, she’s building a new community called My Vibe Community. “I’m a 5/1 Project so I’m a Heretic Investigator. So I’m really meant to like guide others and then I take all of the information in and then I just tell people the best path forward.” Michelle has created what she equates to a “virtual shopping mall,” giving people the opportunity to showcase and explore each other’s offerings.
-
A passionate connector, she wants to help other people thrive off of their innate gifts while creating an entirely new way of doing business. And then, for her 3rd path, she plans to evolve from monetizing her superpowers to doing what lights her up inside when money is no longer a factor.
-
Fortunately, though, Michelle’s number one gift is bringing people together. Therefore, she never plans to retire. She just plans to continue bridging gaps in new and exciting ways! Great hanging with you, @michellepecak!
•
How we met: Michelle came across my project via her friend, @melissabethcohen (#6690), and then @linkedin messaged me to meet!
•
Swipe to hear more about Michelle’s
My Vibe Community! ❤️✨
•
#10kfriends #philly #chicago #illinois #humandesign #valedictorian #mom #pricingexpert #operations #myvibecommunity #virtualmall #connector #somegoodnews #robs10kfriends #meetingpeople

6734. “It really left like, well what does matte

6734. “It really left like, well what does matter to me? And I think the answer that led to my move was our daughter and what was possible for her.”
-
This past July, Lauren Miller, her husband and their daughter moved from the US to the Netherlands! Ironically, she’d had an international experience of her own as a child. “Most of my childhood I lived in Missouri, but I was born in Massachusetts, my parents were actually evangelical missionaries to Mexico so I spent 5 years of my childhood there.”
-
Fortunately, they then moved back to Missouri because in 7th grade science class Lauren met her now husband! “Between sophomore and junior year we had a friend who had a birthday party and we got talking again then…we’ve officially been together half of my life this year.”
-
In that time, Lauren graduated from @missouristate, worked at a contact center, moved into customer success and now works for a contact center tech company. And because her role is remote, she’s been able to achieve one of her personal dreams!
-
“I really wanted to study abroad when I was in university, but that just was not something that I chose to pursue aggressively…it was a choice to let the things that were stopping me stop me.” Due to a combination of hitting her 30s, having her daughter and her husband getting very into city infrastructure, though, she and her husband decided to make the move!
-
Now, Lauren’s focused on immersing her daughter in Dutch culture, enjoying the experience of being able to bike everywhere and finding community in her new home!
-
“It’s been so freeing…so I think it really kind of came back to that is what do I want for my life? And at the end of my life I’m the one who gets to look back and see what I’ve done…what I wish I could have found the time for or made the time for and I think that’s what kind of drove me to ultimately make what feels still like kind of a crazy decision.” Awesome hanging with you, Lauren!
•
How we met: Lauren came across my project via @linkedin and then messaged me to meet!
•
#10kfriends #philly #utrecht #netherlands #possibility #missouri #mexico #highschoolsweethearts #motherhood #community #somegoodnews #robs10kfriends #meetingpeople

6733. “I’m in Switzerland because of love.”

6733. “I’m in Switzerland because of love.”
-
After graduating from @ualbany, Jason Ho spent a year in Beijing, but had to leave every 3 months to renew his visa.
-
“I went to Thailand and had 3 weeks there booked for vacation and yeah met Melanie, my wife now, at the airport. We were at baggage claim. After getting our bags we were at the map looking at where we were supposed to go on this island and it turns out we were going to the same place and we shared a taxi, met up for lunch and had a great connection.”
-
Therefore, after returning home to New York for a couple of years and feeling a strong sense of reverse culture shock, Jason joined his wife in Switzerland, her home country! He moved there 6 years ago and has since continued working in marketing & management. However, he’s also spent a lot of time giving back and helping others.
-
“I’m volunteering as a host for other newcomers and expats to share them with my experience and answer some questions.” He’s also giving tours of Switzerland “because I feel like I’ve learned so much about this country and I really love this country now…I don’t even call New York my home, I call Switzerland my home.”
-
Through his experience, Jason’s realized that he doesn’t have to get to a certain place in his personal development to help others. “I’m on this journey and there are people ahead of me of course, always going to be. But there are also people behind me that I could support.”
-
He’s always excited to help other expats, etc. but going forward he’ll have an even more important mentee - because in the next couple of months he’s becoming a first time dad! Great hanging with you, @hellojasonho!
•
How we met: Jason came across my project via @kenwoodward99’s (#3097) Curated Questions site and then DM’ed me to meet!
•
Swipe to hear more about Jason’s ways of supporting others!🇨🇭❤️
•
#10kfriends #philly #zug #switzerland #love #baggageclaim #reversecultureshock #expat #tourguide #home #helpingothers #fatherhood #somegoodnews #robs10kfriends #meetingpeople
•
Click the link in my bio if you’d like to support me via Patreon! 🙏🏼

6732. “I’m really lucky. I feel like I had rea

6732. “I’m really lucky. I feel like I had really good programming. We are programmable beings living in a programmable universe.”
-
Colin Shor is very aware of the blessings he’s had in his life. “My parents are still together, both my mom and dad were in sales so connection. My mom was a Girl Scout troop leader. My dad was active within scouts as well. And so I had a lot of really good early touch points of like how to be a good human.”
-
As a result, Colin began doing door-to-door sales at 16 years old and continued creating connections as he attended @uncwilmington. He volunteered with @habitatforhumanity, joined a fraternity and gave tours to prospective students. And he stayed in the sales industry, going from pest control to solar sales.
-
Through his career, Colin became hugely passionate about self-development and therefore came across people like his late mentor, Luke. “And what he was really about was…helping people make the small shifts that make a world of a difference.”
-
Because of Luke, Colin learned to simplify the rules of what he needs to feel happy. “Perfect day is like I don’t get hurt, I get to connect with people I love and it’s sunny outside.” And now, through @technotutor, he’s helping people reprogram their own lives for more fulfillment!
-
Colin enjoys making a difference in people’s lives and plans to expand his impact; however, he’s also intentional about taking care of himself. Therefore, when he’s not working, he spends a lot of time doing yoga, mediating, exercising, reading, building relationships, dancing and helping people feel seen and heard! Awesome hanging with you, @thesolaryogi!
•
How we met: Colin came across my project via his friend, @yogabriela.c (#6342), and then DM’ed me to meet!
•
Swipe to hear more about Colin’s mindset towards happiness! 🌎🌞
•
#10kfriends #philly #wilmington #northcarolina #programming #family #sales #seahawklink #selfdevelopment #smallshift #simplicity #connection #sunshine #technotutor #movement #reading #relationships #somegoodnews #robs10kfriends #meetingpeople
•
Click the link in my bio if you’d like to support me via Patreon! 🙏🏼

6731. “I realized like you get told your whole c

6731. “I realized like you get told your whole childhood what to do. Go to school, get good grades, go to college, get a job, like buy a house…and once you’ve finished all of those things then nobody is there anymore to tell you what you’re supposed to be doing for the rest of your life.”
-
When Christine Reed graduated from @ualr, she felt incredibly lost. “One day while casually surfing the internet, though, she found a blog about the @appalachiantrail.
-
As she heard people talk about how the trail changed their lives, helped them realize what was important, gave them community, etc. Christine thought, “Well, that sounds way better than what I’m doing!”
-
Therefore, she spent 1.5 years buying gear and googling tips, and in March of 2015 set out on her trek. “I left for the trail March 20th. My mom died on March 24th while I was on trail.” Christine flew back for the services and thought about forgoing her journey, but she ultimately pressed on knowing sitting at home wouldn’t help.
-
“I did like a third of the trail and at that point I felt like I had kind of gotten what I could get out of the experience at this moment in my life.” So she went back to spend 3 months with her dad, becoming much tighter with him, and then moved to Denver and began working.
-
Christine struggled, however, to reintegrate into the normal world so she bought a van, continued backpacking, wrote a book about one of her hikes, and in the 4 years since then, has traveled to speak about her book, has written a 2nd one and has found a long-term home in Taos, New Mexico!
-
Now, on top of speaking and writing, she’s looking forward to becoming a staple in the community there, dancing more and creating visual art this year! “That kind of lifestyle has this like really deep pull for me.” So great to meet you, @ruggedoutdoorswoman!
•
How we met: Christine came across my project via @instagram and then DM’ed me to meet!
•
Swipe to hear more about Christine’s AT experience! 🥾❤️
•
#10kfriends #philly #taos #newmexico #appalachiantrail #loss #family #denver #vanlife #backpacking #author #speaker #dance #art #community #somegoodnews #robs10kfriends #meetingpeople

6730. “Quitting wasn’t just a financial adjust

6729. “There’s a ton of things I knew I wasn’t good at. I mean the list is endless. But there’s two things that I knew that I was surefooted on. No matter what, no matter when.”
-
Growing up in Boston, Loren Greiff had a very specific goal. “My dream for my life was to be a photographer. I mean I wanted to be the next Annie Leibovitz.” She always knew, firstly, she had a keen visual eye.
-
Therefore, after graduating from @skidmorecollege, she moved to NYC and broke into the advertising industry. “By 28 I had become a vice president of a global advertising agency and I loved it!..but then life changed right? I had a couple of kids and I couldn’t be traveling the way that I was.”
-
So Loren shifted to recruiting and moved to Chicago. In her 20+ years there, she also ran a business called North Shore Insider (giving her her first taste of entrepreneurship), she became sober (almost 20 years now) and ~11 years ago she was diagnosed with colon cancer. “That was really where I reassessed my purpose, my legacy…I’m freakin’ lucky as hell to be alive and so I don’t take that lightly.”
-
Therefore, after leaving the recruiting industry, she started her own company again, @portfoliorocket. “I focus in today on the career space primarily for executives who are 40 and over, many of those who are confronting ageism.”
-
With her second skill, writing & communication, Loren’s since been able to really tap into her desire for impact. And as a result, she’s now helped over 400 people in what will be 5 years in March and plans to impact many more in the years to come! “I’m 60 years old right now and I’ll tell you, I’m literally just getting started.” Great hanging with you, @portfoliorocket!
•
How we met: Loren came across my project via her friend, @melissabethcohen (#6690), and then @linkedin messaged me to meet!
•
Swipe to hear more about Loren’s business! 👩🏻‍💻📈
•
#10kfriends #philly #asheville #northcarolina #photographer #skidmorecollege #advertising #recruiting #coloncancer #legacy #portfoliorocket #writer #ageism #impact #somegoodnews #robs10kfriends #meetingpeople
•
Click the link in my bio if you’d like to support me via Patreon! 🙏🏼

6728. “While we were there we’d met a bunch of

6728. “While we were there we’d met a bunch of people who’d taken their kids out of school for a year and had a sabbatical. And so when we were in Istanbul even before we had kids we were like that would be cool! We should do that one day.”
-
Since August of 2023, Tessa Rawson’s lived on a 50ft sailboat in the Bahamas with her husband and their kids! A far way away from her childhood home in Lanark, Scotland.
-
There, Tessa grew up on a 300-acre farm surrounded by mining towns. But she left to study History at @durhamuniversity and afterwards took a job in NYC.
-
During her year there, Tessa met her husband, and afterwards felt like a plant that had grown too big for its original pot. So, although she briefly returned home to Scotland, she moved back to NYC and with her husband eventually set off for Istanbul!
-
While her husband worked as a teacher, Tessa attained her master’s in Political Economy, and together they met a lot of international folks with different styles of living. Therefore, after moving to Switzerland (where they began having kids and Tessa began putting on @tedx_official events) and Vermont (where Tessa became a TEDx coach), they chose to sell their home and move on the boat!
-
Ever since, they’ve had an incredible mix of both challenges and triumphs, but Tessa knows one thing for sure: they’ll never be wondering what could have been!
-
“It was more a case of, you know, a long time of planning versus like, well, now we’ve had this idea, what if we didn’t do it? Like how, what opportunity would we have lost by not doing this very cool thing?…it might not work out, but that’s okay…what is working out in this situation, right? It’s, it’s just meant to be an experience.” Awesome hanging with you, @sailingturas!
•
How we met: Tessa came across my project via her friend, @melissabethcohen (#6690), and then @linkedin messaged me to meet!
•
Swipe to hear more about Tessa’s mindset towards her adventure! ⛵️🏝️
•
#10kfriends #philly #bahamas #sabbatical #sailboat #lanark #scotland #durhamuniversity #nyc #istanbul #switzerland #tedx #vermont #family #adventure #somegoodnews #robs10kfriends #meetingpeople

6727. “I stood up and I went to turn and I tripp

6727. “I stood up and I went to turn and I tripped over my hiking boots and I fell into the fire, into a full fire pit. And it was one that had like bricks in the circle around it so it was like you can’t really get out yourself. Like I was in it.”
-
In June of 2020, Francesca Ferrante went camping with her friends. “I bought new hiking boots. I was like let’s go, I’m ready to go! I bought a kayak. Why do I need to buy a kayak?? I’m not an outdoorsy gal.”
-
Despite her high expectations, Francesca ended up tripping into the campfire, landing her in the ER with 3rd degree burns. “I couldn’t do anything basically for a month then after that…so I got on Instagram and started doing a lot of like ‘Ask me anything.’ And a lot of the stuff I started realizing was geared towards my recommendations for things in Pittsburgh.”
-
Having grown up in the area, Francesca (when she was in middle school) thought @olivegarden was the best restaurant in town. But as she got older she expanded her palate to love Thai food, sushi, Indian food etc. Therefore, after graduating from @slipperyrockuniversity, she moved back to Pittsburgh and explored the city’s restaurants, shops and small businesses!
-
Career-wise, though, Francesca went from doing health education and finance / accounting for the Gift of Life Donor Program to working in paid digital advertising. And now, she gets to see social media from both sides, alongside enjoying her other passions like her cat, her family and the @steelers! So great to meet you, @the412franimal!
•
How we met: Francesca and I met at @governorshapiro’s Holiday Brunch and then set up a time to meet!
•
Swipe to hear more about how Francesca got into posting on social media! 🔥📲
•
#10kfriends #philly #pittsburgh #pennsylvania #camping #campfire #silverlining #ama #olivergarden #slipperyrock #organdonor #digitaladvertising #cat #family #steelers #somegoodnews #robs10kfriends #meetingpeople
•
Click the link in my bio if you’d like to support me via Patreon! 🙏🏼

6726. “Our mission as a group is to flatten the

6726. “Our mission as a group is to flatten the loneliness epidemic curve. Each individual is like a professional that somehow is teaching the world a way to better connect…”
-
In December of 2018, Hansen Hunt created a shift in his life. Rather than running away from the unhealthy lifestyle he’d been living, he chose to thrive. “I want to live in this very energetically powerful way where when I’m interacting with people I’m inspiring them and they’re feeling my energy…I was like that’s the energy I want and I’m going to run towards that energy.”
-
Hansen knew he wanted to wake up and feel good, he wanted to train for marathons and run with his friends, he wanted to physically be able to do activities without limits and he wanted to build strong relationships with people like his girlfriend and her daughter.
-
Therefore in January of 2019 he began training for his first marathon and afterwards created @bsideracingteam so he had friends to run with. Simultaneously, Hansen became involved in @themankindproject, and after burning out on 20 years of marketing became a community lead at @covveapp.
-
Now, with Covve he’s created the Connection Crew - a collection of people who are inspiring real connection through their work! While he’s always trying to improve his own connection skills - sending handwritten notes, etc. - Hansen is truly enjoying being the connection conductor, and looks forward to help decrease loneliness in the world! So nice to meet you, @hansenhunt!
•
How we met: Hansen and I connected on @linkedin and then I invited him to meet!
•
Swipe to hear more about Hansen’s Connection Crew! 🌎❤️
•
#10kfriends #philly #sandiego #california #connection #lonelinessepidemic #choosingtothrive #marathon #runner #bsideracingteam #mankindproject #covvee #connectioncrew #conductor #somegoodnews #robs10kfriends #meetingpeople
•
Click the link in my bio if you’d like to support me via Patreon! 🙏🏼

6725. “I know I’m stuck in this career for the

6725. “I know I’m stuck in this career for the rest of my life, but I love being stuck in this career!”
-
When Dave Speiran finished high school in Oshawa, Ontario, he didn’t really know what to do. “I was sort of floundering around doing a bunch of you know just part time jobs. I was delivering pizza, I was working the door at a bar, I was doing some sales here and there.”
-
Dave got into door-to-door insurance sales and started to do really well with it. However, talking about retirement and death didn’t really inspire him at 20 years old. Luckily, he managed to shift to a day staffing company thanks to one of his good friends, eventually got picked up by an executive search firm and the rest is history!
-
As he spent ~20 years in Toronto and a few in Northern Ontario, building a life with his wife whom he met at a bar, Dave became a skilled recruiter. But he really started to excel 5 years ago after being diagnosed with and addressing his ADHD, “and now all of the sudden I’m a machine.”
-
So now, being third in charge at a staffing agency, he’s able to live out his passion of connecting with and helping people! However, outside of work, Dave loves spending time with his wife and cheering on the @mapleleafs. And while he plans to do recruiting for years to come, he also looks forward to retiring someday and (potentially) enjoying new activities!
-
“Up here…there’s 10,000 lakes so I’d probably do some fishing. I’d probably learn how to ice fish, but I hate the cold. Probably learn how to snowmobile, but I hate the snow. I’d been doing a lot of ATVing, that’s for sure! And probably a little bit more travel…I love Mexico, we love the whole resort themes so going to that…ultimately I’d find something to keep me busy though!” Great hanging with you, @mrnicerecruiter!
•
How we met: Dave came across my project via his friend, Jamie Soo (#6609), and then @linkedin messaged me to meet!
•
Swipe to hear more about Dave’s insights on recruiting! 👨🏻‍💻📄
•
#10kfriends #philly #ontario #canada #staffing #recruiting #marriage #adhd #staffingagency #mapleleafs #fishing #atv #mexico #somegoodnews #robs10kfriends #meetingpeople

6724. “Our home was always just buzzing with peo

6724. “Our home was always just buzzing with people. I actually can’t remember many moments when it was that quiet even though we were a very small family. We didn’t have extended family in Botswana of course because my parents moved away from Belgrade.”
-
Despite being born in Serbia, Marija Hammon moved to Botswana when she was 1 year old. She and her parents were only supposed to stay 2 years for her dad’s work; however, they ended up building their lives there.
-
As a result, Marija picked up slang terms like “tekkies” for sneakers and developed a strong sense of open mindedness. Therefore, she had no problem moving to Malta for university especially since it was small, safe and sunny. “I thought it was going to be a stepping stone to a big city, but then I loved my bachelor’s degree there.”
-
Marija studied Communications & Psychology and then found a great dual master’s degree she couldn’t pass up. Therefore, she stayed in Malta, studied Integrated Marketing and Business Administration and afterwards landed a great job.
-
Throughout her 14 years in Malta, Marija also met her husband (a chance encounter at a pub on her way to a sushi dinner) and had her now 5 year old son! But 4 years ago, she and her family moved to Gibraltar where she had her now 1 year old daughter!
-
Now, she enjoys growing as the Marketing Director of a 350+ person company (her team is 15) while also being a positive role model for other professionals and for her kids. And going forward, she’s excited to share her thoughts on topics like leadership. But she’s just as excited to enjoy downtime activities, like walks, with her family! Awesome hanging with you, @majasmix!
•
How we met: Marija came across my project via @linkedin and then messaged me to meet!
•
Swipe to hear more about Marija’s idea of home! 🌍❤️
•
#10kfriends #philly #gibraltar #belgrade #serbia #botswana #community #openminded #malta #communications #marketing #sushi #marriage #family #marketingdirector #positiverolemodel #thoughtleader #mom #somegoodnews #robs10kfriends #meetingpeople
•
Click the link in my bio if you’d like to support me via Patreon! 🙏🏼

6723. “He was not my type, but he was so funny a

6723. “He was not my type, but he was so funny and he had the best sense of humor!”
-
After Bobbie Cameron moved to Philly in 1982, she formed a ton of meaningful relationships. Prior to that point, she’d graduated from @uiowa and worked in Chicago & Minneapolis. “I requested a transfer to Philadelphia…because my older sister and only sibling had her first child.”
-
Here, Bobbie continued building her career and one night went out for a spontaneous dinner with a friend. “We sat at the bar and had dinner and while I was there some guys came in that I knew and they introduced me to this blonde guy. Really blonde blonde hair, which was not the kind of guy I would go for at all.”
-
That guy, however, recognized Bobbie as the “data lady” from Chicago, took her out on a date and eventually became her husband! As they built their life together, spending most of it in Rittenhouse and Ardmore, Bobbie also became truly impacted by her time in @jl_philadelphia.
-
Having frequently volunteered as a kid, she thought it’d be a good way to meet people. And now ~30-40 years later, her hypothesis has proven to be quite true!
-
After retiring, Bobbie and her best friend Marcie (from the Junior League) opened a consignment shop together and ran it for 10 years. But more importantly, Bobbie’s Junior League friends became her biggest support system - especially after her husband, John, passed suddenly at 54 years old.
-
“The first thing I got was from the junior league…They supported me. I mean, these older (older than me) junior leaguers would call me up and say, ‘Honey, you wanna, you know, I wanna take you out for dinner or lunch. Let’s get together.’…I get tears in my eyes every time I talk about it because they were just so supportive.”
-
Bobbie doesn’t know what she’d do without these friends, and for that reason is still a Sustaining member today, fostering relationships for the next generation! So nice to meet you, Bobbie!
•
How we met: Bobbie and I were introduced via email by @philly_pr_girl!
•
#10kfriends #philly #ardmore #pennsylvania #iowa #datalady #marriage #humor #juniorleague #consignment #support #friendship #somegoodnews #robs10kfriends #meetingpeople

6722. “From the moment that pool opens in like M

6722. “From the moment that pool opens in like May to when it has to be closed in September I just stand and wash my dishes and look at my pool and it makes me happier. It’s silly how happy it makes me.”
-
As an elementary school student, Kim Breiland was always sick and she was always trying to catch up. “My earliest thoughts were about learning to read…it wasn’t until probably 5th or 6th grade, maybe 4th, that I started to think about what I wanted to be and I wanted to be a marine biologist.”
-
She’s always been a huge fan of the water; however, despite also wanting to do law, interior design and communications, Kim eventually realized she was best suited for entrepreneurship. “I’m meant to make things easier for people and happier for people.”
-
Therefore, she’s been her own boss since 2021, helping people navigate change management with a behavioral science approach. Ultimately, though, Kim plans to start a nonprofit for dyslexia advocacy!
-
On top of her own learning challenges, she’s helped her two oldest children navigate dyslexia through their schooling. And so, Kim’s become extremely passionate about bringing more education, awareness and financial support to kids who need it.
-
Therefore, she now spends a lot of her time valuing support of others whether it’s her kids with school or other parents in the sandwich generation. However, Kim also enjoys relaxing in her downtime, especially when she can hang at her pool or visit places like Bushkill Falls! Great hanging with you, @kimbreiland!
•
How we met: Kim came across my project via her friend, @melissabethcohen (#6690), and then connected with me on @linkedin so I invited her to meet!
•
Swipe to hear more about Kim’s path to entrepreneurship! 🐬✍🏼
•
#10kfriends #philly #newhope #pennsylvania #pool #learning #marinebiologist #entrepreneur #changemanagement #behavioralscience #dyslexia #dyslexiaadvocacy #sandwichgeneration #bushkillfalls #somegoodnews #robs10kfriends #meetingpeople
•
Click the link in my bio if you’d like to support me via Patreon! 🙏🏼

6721. “That is the most humbling experience man

6720. “It used to be writing, honestly.” - Bef

6720. “It used to be writing, honestly.”
-
Before she actually started getting paid for it, Blythe Davenport dreamt of writing for her career. Afterwards, she found it drained her passion for the craft. However, she still enjoyed publishing her book, “Second Oldest: A Poetic History of Philadelphia.”
-
Having grown up in West Chester, she eventually spent 15 years here in the city, but not before exploring the world first! After high school and one semester at @ithacacollege, Blythe completed her studies at @sjcsantafe in New Mexico. She really found her people there, but after graduation moved to Italy to study Italian and teach English.
-
Almost 2 years later, she moved home, reconnected with her high school sweetheart, got married and had kids. And during this time, Blythe joined the Quaker community (we met in a meeting house today!), got her MFA and began teaching Creative Writing at places like @drexeluniv and Philly U.
-
Then in 2018, she and her family moved to St. Petersburg, Florida where she broke into customer service. However, after getting divorced she moved back up to Philly last year so her kids could be closer to their dad.
-
Now, Blythe enjoys reconnecting with her PA friends, traveling whenever she can and doing project management for a learning software company. However, if you could pursue any type of dream she’d shy away from being a writer and instead would become a full-time learner! So great to meet you, @blythedaven!
•
How we met: Bylthe saw my Philly @reddit post looking for people to meet!
•
#10kfriends #philly #centercity #writer #poet #westchester #stjohnscollege #milan #quaker #creativewriting #stpetersburg #travel #projectmanagement #learner #somegoodnews #robs10kfriends #meetingpeople
•
Click the link in my bio if you’d like to support me via Patreon! 🙏🏼

6719. “I have 10 days to decide if I want to mak

6719. “I have 10 days to decide if I want to make my deposit or not.”
-
Sean Eden has already been accepted to @pennstate law school. Now, he just needs to decide if he wants 3 more years in State College.
-
Because of his upbringing, Sean’s used to moving around. While he was born in PA as the 4th of 6 siblings, his family moved to Poland when he was a kid. Two years later they moved to Malaysia and four years after that they moved back to PA.
-
Once there, Sean attended Council Rock High School where he won the senior superlative, “Most Likely to Become TikTok Famous” - mainly because he’d already amassed hundreds of thousands of followers.
-
Sean became known for dropping items through a hole in his school’s floor to the class below. But he built on his early success by making videos with his siblings during Covid, ranking state flags and conducting street interviews at Penn State.
-
Unsurprisingly, he had an interest in people and this inspired him to major in Sociology and minor in Spanish and Deafness & Hearing Studies. Sean even joined the @pennstateslo (of which he’s now president) and completed a social justice fellowship in D.C., inspiring him to get into disability law.
-
So now, in his final semester of undergrad, he’s deciding what he wants to do next - either do some type of social media management for a year or go straight to law school. However, Sean would postpone both of these paths for the opportunity to fulfill his true dream - becoming a contestant on @bigbrothercbs! So nice to meet you, @seanedenn!
•
How we met: Sean and I met at @governorshapiro’s Holiday Brunch and then set up a time to meet!
•
#10kfriends #philly #rittenhouse #lawschool #poland #malaysia #tiktok #pennstate #sociology #asl #disabilitylaw #socialmedia #bigbrother #somegoodnews #robs10kfriends #meetingpeople
•
Click the link in my bio if you’d like to support me via Patreon! 🙏🏼

6718. “I don’t want families to lose out on be

6718. “I don’t want families to lose out on being a family because they’re so busy in life and parents are so busy working.”
-
Growing up in Liberty, NY - a small town where singers like Jerry Lewis and Frank Sinatra used to sing - Tracy Schatz was eager to get out and explore. So after working as a court clerk for a few years, she joined the @usairforce.
-
In her 4 years there, she worked in intelligence everywhere from South Carolina to Saudi Arabia AND she met her husband, a fellow airman. As they settled in Ohio, Tracy and her husband had 6 kids together, and after her youngest was born she became a travel advisor. “I had done enough traveling in the Air Force and I like to travel, I like to learn about the world.”
-
She went to a school to become an official travel agent and got into the field by working at a @disney only agency. “I wanted people to slow down and see all of the nuances that Disney / the theme parks had to offer...and then as my children got older I took my oldest 2 to Kenya…I wanted my kids to see how other countries looked at education and appreciated education.”
-
As a result of that trip, Tracy became inspired to sell travel for different reasons. “My mission changed I think to become helping families to see, to explore, to connect.” She now wants to help people slow down, get off their phones and reconnect with each other. “Because I think the world is really small…and I think we need to see how really we are all the same.”
-
Whether she’s sending people to communities in Uganda, to ice villages in Canada, on nature hikes in Yellowstone or on cruises to Antarctica, Tracy is now set on helping people expand their lives! “Finding out what else is out there for us to see and do and experience because it’s really about experiencing it and all of what this world has.” Great hanging with you, @tracy.l.schatz!
•
How we met: Tracy came across my project via her friend, @jennleetravel, and then DM’ed me to meet!
•
Swipe to hear more about Tracy’s why! ✈️🌍
•
#10kfriends #philly #schuylkillcounty #pennsylvania #family #liberty #airforce #traveladvisor #disney #kenya #connection #experiences #somegoodnews #robs10kfriends #meetingpeople

6717. “I think there’s so much to learn from d

6717. “I think there’s so much to learn from deep ocean life.”
-
Mo Zerban is a big fan of aquatic life. He enjoys reading books like @sytheauthor’s “The Soul of an Octopus” and he’s even started an account dedicated to Jupiter’s moon, Europa, which is covered in ocean and ice. Despite this, he’s built his career in engineering.
-
After growing up in Egypt (Alexandria) and England, Mo moved to Philly to study Mechanical Engineering at @drexeluniv. He’s been here for 13 years now, and in that time has gone from working for companies like Peco to running his own water treatment & filter startup to becoming a product consultant for other companies.
-
Having helped one of them successfully exit, Mo looks forward to growing many more. And eventually, he hopes to become one of the best product professionals in the world, achieving the ranks of people like Mustafa Suleyman (@microsoft’s Head of AI).
-
For now, though, he’s building his resume while constantly drawing inspiration from other life forms. Given that creatures like octopi have been around for some 330 million years, he feels there’s a lot to learn from their past while always staying optimistic about the future! Awesome hanging with you, @moz3rban!
•
How we met: Mo came across my project via @instagram and then DM’ed me to meet!
•
#10kfriends #philly #rittenhouse #ocean #aquaticlife #europa #alexandria #egypt #england #drexel #mechanicalengineering #watertreatment #productconsultant #mustafasuleyman #optimism #somegoodnews #robs10kfriends #meetingpeople
•
Click the link in my bio if you’d like to support me via Patreon! 🙏🏼

6716. “I accidentally found this book on Ebola a

6716. “I accidentally found this book on Ebola and I loved it.”
-
At the end of her freshman year at @loyola_nola, Brooke Williams read @richardprestonauthor’s “The Hot Zone.” Her friend had recommended it and sure enough, Brooke fell in love with it - so much so that she changed her major from Pre-Law to the sciences!
-
Upon graduating, she worked at hospitals like @childrensphila and @pennmedicine, but eventually made her way from the lab bench into the office. Brooke broke into medical sales and now handles the Americas for a Switzerland-based company.
-
She takes a ton of pride in being a successful scientist / businesswoman, but she also finds a lot of fulfillment outside of work. She adopted her dog when he was 6 months old and now misses him the most when she travels. But when she’s home, she also enjoys exploring restaurants like @alpenrosephl and cooking her own meals.
-
Over the last year, Brooke’s committed to a health journey that’s included getting her sleep, exercise and nutrition routines all in order, which has had a huge impact on her life. But even more so, she’s continued to participate in the sobriety community as she’s been sober for the last 5.5 years!
-
Now, Brooke’s enjoying the freedom and flexibility she has in this stage of her life, and going forward plans to continue excelling while maintaining the balance of things she loves! So great to meet you, @brookewilliams33!
•
How we met: Brooke was tagged in one of my @instagram posts looking for people to meet so I DM’ed her!
•
#10kfriends #philly #fairmount #ebola #thehotzone #loyolanola #sciences #labbench #sales #switzerland #dogmom #restaurants #health #sobriety #balance #somegoodnews #robs10kfriends #meetingpeople
•
Click the link in my bio if you’d like to support me via Patreon! 🙏🏼

6715. “The only time I broke a finger was when I

6715. “The only time I broke a finger was when I was catching a football when I was 9 years old.”
-
This year Seth Tootell has 2 main goals: improving his Italian speaking skills and fostering more relationships. He’s loved learning languages ever since he had patient mentors in his high school German teacher and college German professor.
-
Because of their influence, Seth studied International Business at @saintjosephs and even studied abroad in Austria during his junior year - some of the best 3 months of his life! Not only did he improve his language there, Seth also built his confidence by being on his own for the first time.
-
Born with cerebral palsy, he’s taken life at a slower pace at times and has experienced falls here and there due to imbalance. But luckily, he’s never broken any bones! Just scuffed knuckles.
-
Because of his disability, though, Seth’s fostered a deep appreciation for the present moment. It’s helped him succeed in his procurement job at the Defense Logistics Agency while making him a more active member of the community through orgs like the Rotary club.
-
Now, as he navigates life in his 30s, Seth’s simply maintaining his identity as someone who’s overcoming his fears, persevering through his challenges and trying to help others all while staying ambitious with his goals! So nice to meet you, @seth_tootell!
•
How we met: Seth came across my project via @specialbooksbyspecialkids (#2245) and then DM’ed me to meet!
•
#10kfriends #philly #fairmount #italianlanguage #relationships #german #stjoes #studyabroad #austria #independence #cerebralpasly #presence #dla #perseverance #ambition #somegoodnews #robs10kfriends #meetingpeople
•
Click the link in my bio if you’d like to support me via Patreon! 🙏🏼

6714. “I think my whole mentality is reflected i

6714. “I think my whole mentality is reflected in my coaching of when my daughter was like 8 years old on the soccer field. And you know when the ball goes out of bounds I used to teach the girls, ‘Ok, quickly, quickly just get the ball and just heave it down and someone will run onto it.’”
-
Mike Schugt is all about setting things in motion - a skill he picked up through hockey. “My dad…he went into a drugstore way back when…he walks in there, grabs 3 hockey sticks…and hands them to all of us and we start playing. And little do we know that all 3 of those sticks were left handed!” Despite being right-handed, Mike and his 2 brothers simply adapted to their circumstances!
-
He continued playing for fun as he went on to @pennstate, but while there studied Hospitality - the result of washing dishes at the Racquet Club of Pittsburgh and loving the tv show, “Hotel.”
-
Thanks to his involvement in @bbbsamerica, Mike then landed a job with @marriotthotels, worked his way up to VP of Sales & Marketing at @hilton, started his own consulting company and became President of @teneohg. After 10 years there, though, he recently left to run his own nonprofit, Inn-Clusivity, inspired by a visit he made to @bittyandbeauscoffee.
-
Now, using his connections and working with orgs like @inspirecfl, Mike is creating career opportunities for special needs adults in the hospitality industry! Like he used to coach his daughters, he’s simply set the ball in motion and is now excited to see what kind of impact he can make on their lives!
-
“Step by step we’ve hired some people. We’re ready to hire a couple more people at a local place. And I have the template now and so I’m gonna start taking on the road.” Great hanging with you, @shooktmi!
•
How we met: Mike and I met when I spoke at @teneohg’s 2023 Summit so I invited him to meet once I saw he went full-time with Inn-Clusivity!
•
Swipe to hear more about the inspiration behind Mike’s nonprofit! ☕️❤️
•
#10kfriends #philly #orlando #florida #kineticenergy #hockey #pennstate #hospitality #marriott #hilton #teneo #innclusivity #specialneeds #specialneedsadults #highercalling #somegoodnews #robs10kfriends #meetingpeople

6713. “With every pulse of my heart I felt like

6713. “With every pulse of my heart I felt like there was a large shock of like electric and fire going through my leg and all I wanted was for that ambulance to get there.”
-
In Dec 2018, Jared Ewing was in really good shape. He was part of the @nationalguard at the time. “I had just finished like 3 marathons in 5 weeks.”
-
But that month, he went out with his friends, and as they were leaving the bar a drunk driver hit a concrete pole right near them. “The concrete from that all blew off like shrapnel would…and that’s what dislodged off into my leg…I looked down and there’s my leg and it’s like flayed open like a steak.”
-
Through 4 major surgeries, Jared didn’t know if he was going to be able to keep his leg or not. And afterwards, the doctors were unsure if he even should. “They were like, ‘Hey, you can keep your leg, but if you keep it, you’re not longer gonna be running marathons.” Jared didn’t want to wonder, “what if,” so he kept his leg and went from doing PT to working out at a YMCA.
-
By April, he went from walking a quarter mile to walking / jogging 4 miles. And by Aug he was doing 6 miles so he decided to do a half marathon in Oct, but then signed up for the @cbusmarathon a week before it. And though he planned to do ~15 miles, Jared completed the full thing in 5:55! “Probably by far my most proud moment of my life. So yeah I finished a marathon 10 months after they told me if I kept my leg I was never gonna run marathons again.”
-
Not done yet, though, Jared now has a goal to run a marathon in every state while completing races like a 100 miler this July! “For the past 2 years I’ve run a marathon every month. I’m up to about 38 races of at least a marathon or longer…and this past year I ran a 50 miler…and then I ran my first sub 3 marathon with 2:59:50…even when I had 2 good legs I would’ve never thought this in my wildest dreams.” Awesome hanging with you, @jrod4513!
•
How we met: Jared came across my project via @instagram and then DM’ed me to meet!
•
#10kfriends #philly #akron #ohio #nationalguard #marathon #recovery #polynovo #columbusmarathon #ultramarathon #inspiration #resilience #runner #somegoodnews #robs10kfriends #meetingpeople

6712. “I always wanted to see Fenway Park, for e

6712. “I always wanted to see Fenway Park, for example.”
-
In 2025, Glenn Miller hopes to see more sports events and stadiums. Because in 2025 he’ll be retiring! Over the past several decades, though, he’s had a wonderful life and career.
-
Born and raised in Phoenixville, Glenn left home to attend @psuberks and then finished college at @pennstate main. He graduated with his Accounting degree, began his career in audit and worked mainly in corporate finance. However, in 2019 Glenn sought a position with more impact and became the CFO of @concern4kids.
-
Recognizing how fortunate his childhood had been, he felt truly inspired to help provide child welfare, juvenile justice, and behavioral health services to children in need and their families. But now, Glenn is planning to shift into more part-time fundraising while volunteering with other orgs like @unitedway.
-
Still a huge @pennstatefball fan, he’s also planning to go to a couple of games each year, whether home or away. And he’s planning to spend more time with his wife, their 2 kids, their 2 dogs and their 2 cats. They’ve often times traveled to @waltdisneyworld or the Outer Banks, but Glenn still has aspirations of driving across the country and seeing places like the @lacoliseum!
-
Whatever he ends up doing, though, Glenn knows he’ll be staying active as he enjoys hitting the elliptical in his home gym, he’s always networking within the CPENG org and he’s always down to meet new folks like me! So nice to meet you, @gm82psu!
•
How we met: Glenn came across my project via @linkedin and then messaged me to meet!
•
#10kfriends #philly #collegeville #sports #stadiums #retirement #pennstate #accounting #concern4kids #unitedway #football #family #roadtrip #fitness #cpeng #connection #somegoodnews #robs10kfriends #meetingpeople
•
Click the link in my bio if you’d like to support me via Patreon! 🙏🏼

6711. “My husband walked up and put a bottle of

6711. “My husband walked up and put a bottle of wine between us and said, ‘Hi, my name’s David Orlick. I’m the chef here at the restaurant. I just want you to know that I’ve been watching you and you’re exactly the kind of girl I want to marry.’”
-
Thirty one years ago, Heidi Solomon-Orlick took a solo trip to @clubmed. She actually went to spite her mom who’d made the comment, “Well don’t all 34 year old women who are alone on Thanksgiving go to club med or something?”
-
“She didn’t even know what Club Med was I don’t think, and I was like you know what, that is a brilliant idea!” So Heidi went alone and long story short came home with her husband of now 30 years with whom she has 3 kids!
-
She’d gotten married in her 30s because during her 20s she was heads down in her career. Despite aspiring to be a @natgeo journalist researching topics like albino gorillas, Heidi got her start in the advertising industry working for Wells Rich Greene. “Which Mary Wells was one of the first female CEOs in the ad agency business.”
-
Heidi traveled the world and worked for major brands, and then shifted into the business process outsourcing / professional sales industry, which she stayed in for the next 4 decades. Like Mary Wells, Heidi eventually became a CEO, but these days she’s focused on using her experience to give back!
-
She started @girlzwhosell in 2019 (after her parents had passed 10 days apart) and just wrote her first children’s book, “I Have a Voice: A Book of Listening,” this year. “I started thinking about legacy and future and what can I do to leave the world a little bit better place.”
-
Therefore, Heidi’s now on a mission of democratizing professional sales, building the largest pipeline of diverse early stage female sales talent and positioning sales as a viable path for women to achieve economic independence! Great hanging with you, @heidisolomonorlick!
•
How we met: Heidi came across my project via her friend, @melissabethcohen (#6690), and then @linkedin messaged me to meet!
•
#10kfriends #philly #newhampshire #clubmed #marriage #natgeo #advertising #BPO #sales #childrensauthor #girlzwhosell #legacy #somegoodnews #robs10kfriends #meetingpeople

6710. “I broke my arm my freshman year in footba

6710. “I broke my arm my freshman year in football and then I was like you know what, I’m just gonna run to stay in shape, but then I realized how good I was for my age. And then I ended up running like summer track and I ended up getting some medals for my age group. So I was like you know what, I might as well just stick with it and see how far I can go with it.”
-
After John Lewis broke his arm, he discovered he had a talent for running events like the 200m, the 800m, “and I did 300m hurdles, 400m hurdles.” With these skills he got recruited to run at @clemsonuniversity and even trained for these past Olympics. But with a 1:46 800m time he missed out on qualifying by just a couple of seconds!
-
Still John’s maintained running as a big part of his life. He’s coached track in D.C. and back at Cheltenham High School, and he now runs about 3 days a week.
-
Beyond running, though, he works at the Pennsylvania Sibling Support Network, helping individuals with intellectual disabilities. Having volunteered at @lifeseeds during high school and everywhere from animal shelters to nursing homes in college, John’s always had a passion for helping others.
-
Therefore, he aspires to maybe do something in social work, or to give back like his mentors (his former teammate’s parents) who help others in health & wellness.
-
With financial freedom and generosity being the two big goals, he enjoys attending business conferences and reading books like “How to Win Friends and Influence People.” But when John just wants to relax he likes playing video games, listening to artists like @50cent or hitting Kelly Drive for a nice run! Awesome hanging with you, @j_lew800!
•
How we met: John and I met at the Art Museum intersection while we were both out on runs and then connected to meet!
•
Swipe to hear more about how John got into running! 🏃🏾‍♂️💨
•
#10kfriends #philly #cheltenham #brokenarm #track #clemson #studentathlete #trackcoach #pssn #givingback #ura #reading #videogames #50cent #runner #somegoodnews #robs10kfriends #meetingpeople
•
Click the link in my bio if you’d like to support me via Patreon! 🙏🏼

6709. “My older daughter was in the back seat si

6709. “My older daughter was in the back seat singing 5 Little Ducks.”
-
At 31 years old, Jessica Basciano got in a fender bender when she turned around to look at her daughter for a split second. 31 weeks pregnant at the time, she went into labor and had to go to the hospital to prevent giving birth. But shortly after, Jessica came down with a high fever, went back to the doctors and discovered she had stage 4 liver cancer.
-
Her seatbelt from the accident had actually caused a slit in her tumor, and since it didn’t have anywhere to swell, her body mistakenly thought it needed to expel her baby. Within 5 weeks Jessica delivered her 2nd daughter, and in the coming months she went through 2 surgeries to take out 85% of her liver. But she wasn’t out of the woods yet since the cancer had spread.
-
The doctors thought she’d have to go through several months of chemo (6 days on, 1 day off); however at the last minute, she received a call from @memorialsloankettering about a new treatment in Hong Kong. Jessica and her family raised money so she could afford the trip, and once there she had a radioactive isotope put in her body, leading to 11 days of isolation. Afterwards, though, she had no evidence of disease and has now been cancer-free for almost 21 years!
-
In that time, Jessica’s been making most of her life by always having fun. She’s enjoyed country concerts like @lukecombs, she’s volunteered with the @pspca and now has 2 horses, 2 potbelly pigs, 2 dogs and a cat of her own, she’s gone to @celtics and @ndfootball games and she’s spent many days on the beach. But most importantly - considering she didn’t know if it’d be possible 21 years ago - Jessica’s been able to watch her daughters grow! So great to meet you, @jessica.basciano!
•
How we met: Jessica heard about my project through her aunt @kelly.harris.186 (#6307), and then DM’ed me to meet!
•
#10kfriends #philly #kingofprussia #fenderbender #pregnancy #livercancer #hongkong #radioactiveisotope #cancerfree #countrymusic #pets #celtics #notredame #beach #family #somegoodnews #robs10kfriends #meetingpeople
•
Click the link in my bio if you’d like to support me via Patreon! 🙏🏼

6708. “She might not remember all of those momen

6708. “She might not remember all of those moments so it’s a chance for her to experience the joy or hear like what I was observing of her.”
-
Raised in California as the daughter of Indian immigrants, Mamta Valderrama has always valued her career and impact. “I’m trying not to pass that to my daughter, but it’s still very much part of my psyche and I want to feel impactful.”
-
Instead, Mamta’s trying to pass on meaningful moments to her daughter that she may not be old enough to recognize yet - all by capturing and emailing her little milestones of her life. Because while she has experience as the COO of a global nonprofit and while she’s about to become the COO of a health tech startup, Mamta is equally a mother. She’s also an activist, a social justice author, a daughter and a wife.
-
After growing up in Orange County and studying Journalism at @gwuniversity, she aspired to become a newspaper reporter. However, someone told her she should be the one in front of the camera, leading her to get into sales & marketing, get her MBA and work her way up to her executive roles.
-
In this time, Mamta also moved to Santa Monica for 20+ years and met her husband at a healthcare conference in Denver. They dated long distance (he lived in AZ) until getting married about a year and a half later, and now with their 9-year old they’re building their lives in Phoenix!
-
While Mamta’s constantly juggling her personal and professional lives, going forward she also has one underlying goal - somehow becoming a stress free individual amidst the chaos! “I want to balance my scope of influence and ability to influence with reality so that’s something that is a work in progress for me.” So nice to meet you, @mamtavalderrama!
•
How we met: Mamta came across my project via her friend, @melissabethcohen (#6690), and then DM’ed me to meet!
•
Swipe to hear more about Mamta’s emails to her daughter! 📧❤️
•
#10kfriends #philly #phoenix #arizona #mother #milestones #coo #activist #socialjustice #author #journalism #gw #healthcare #marriage #stressfree #balance #somegoodnews #robs10kfriends #meetingpeople
•
Click the link in my bio if you’d like to support me via Patreon! 🙏🏼

6707. “In my world prayer is when I’m talking

6707. “In my world prayer is when I’m talking to God. Meditation is when I’m listening for God’s voice. And if you get good at it you hear a lot of guidance.”
-
Raised in a Southern Baptist family, Adrienne Craighead’s always had faith, but her spirituality has evolved over the years. On top of building her career in nonprofit fundraising / sales / marketing and raising her two daughters (now 23 and 21), she’s moved through life with an openness to try new things.
-
Most importantly, during Covid she felt a sense of anxiety that she just couldn’t kick. “So my guidance was, ‘Alright go back to your chiropractor.’” Despite not having back pain, she went and received an energy healing that blew her away. Adrienne then followed God’s guidance to a hypnotist, which led her to seek an Irish doctor, whom she found in the mountains of Virginia.
-
There Adrienne and her friend experienced Dr. Joe McNamara’s tachyon chamber. And she moved from a relaxing meditative state to a journey through the cosmos with two angels. “And when I came out of that journey I thought, ‘Damn, this is something else.”
-
As a result, Adrienne built her own tachyon chamber and opened it on 8/8/22. Ever since, she’s been helping others, establishing a legacy as “Adrienne the Anxiety Annihilator”! And now, Adrienne’s even helping others build their own tachyon chambers everywhere from North Carolina all the way to Australia!
-
“I’m here to educate the world about *Tachyon Therapy* and build ‘portals to peace’ all across the planet!” Great hanging with you, @tachyontorch!
•
How we met: Adrienne came across my project via her friend, @alchemizingeden (#6608), and then DM’ed me to meet!
•
#10kfriends #philly #charlotte #northcarolina #prayer #meditation #family #anxiety #energyhealing #gudiance #angels #tachyonchamber #tachyontherapy #somegoodnews #robs10kfriends #meetingpeople
•
Click the link in my bio if you’d like to support me via Patreon! 🙏🏼

6706. “I was in a college dorm room, we were mov

6706. “I was in a college dorm room, we were moving one of my sisters in and I saw MTV play one of his songs. And I was like, I wanna do that!”
-
The youngest of 4 girls in her family, Ariana Gavriilidis spent a lot of time visiting college campuses as a kid. But she specifically remembers being 6 years old, seeing @johnmayer on @mtv in her sister’s dorm. Ariana became inspired to play guitar, and by 11 years old was entertaining her family with “Daughters.” But she also became inspired to go into media.
-
In high school, she got connected with a world renowned photographer, Mel Di Giacomo, who became her mentor for the next 10 years. And in that time, Ariana studied Media, Communications & Visual Art at @paceuniversity. She then worked for magazines like @goodhousekeeping, projects like the @letterman show and documentaries like “Girl in the Picture.”
-
But in recent years, Ariana’s been more attracted to writing after taking a memoir / personal essay course at @yale. “It honestly like changed my life.” She applied and wrote about one of her favorite coffee shops, which had been demolished. But her teacher helped her become a much more vulnerable writer through the experience. “He was just like if you’re not ready and you’re not ok to being open about writing about personal stuff, you shouldn’t be writing about it.”
-
Ariana’s since carried that mindset into other areas of her life, and now plans to use these tools to continue telling good stories and creating connection - whether she’s interviewing others or sharing her own experiences! “I think that’s like the biggest gift or reason why I could here.” Awesome hanging with you, @ag_curate!
•
How we met: Ariana came across my project via @instagram and then DM’ed me to meet!
•
#10kfriends #philly #newjersey #johnmayer #mtv #paceuniversity #media #writer #yale #memoir #personalessay #vulnerability #connection #somegoodnews #robs10kfriends #meetingpeople
•
Click the link in my bio if you’d like to support me via Patreon! 🙏🏼

6705. “I feel awake for the first time in my lif

6705. “I feel awake for the first time in my life.”
-
Diagnosed with narcolepsy at age 18, Mia Johnston has woken up every 20 mins throughout the night basically for her whole life. Growing up in Delaware County, she managed to push through and still enjoyed activities like playing ice hockey.
-
But once she began studying Physics at @wideneruniversity, her condition really took a toll. During her 2nd semester there, Mia also got mono, causing her grades to drastically drop. As a result, she left and instead attained her Computer Science associate’s at @delawareccc.
-
Mia then got a job at a data center, but lost it during the pandemic and has struggled to maintain employment ever since (because of her narcolepsy). But in the past few years, she’s focused her time on caring for her mom, who was diagnosed with multiple myeloma and is fortunately in remission now.
-
In her free time, Mia’s enjoyed playing games like @runescape and @rocketleague, learning about everything planes, trains and automobiles and connecting with other people in the trans community. But now having received the proper medication for the first time in her life, she’s feeling refreshed, rejuvenated and ready for her career.
-
While Mia would like to do something with computers in general, she ultimately dreams of working a desk job for a hockey team - ideally the @philadelphiaflyers, but she’d even take the @nyrangers! Great hanging with you, @miastruggles!
•
How we met: Mia saw my Philly @reddit post looking for people to meet!
•
#10kfriends #philly #washingtonsquare #awake #narcolepsy #hockey #computerscience #family #runescape #publictransportation #lgbtq #flyers #somegoodnews #robs10kfriends #meetingpeople
•
Click the link in my bio if you’d like to support me via Patreon! 🙏🏼

6704. “For a lot of my life I wanted to be every

6704. “For a lot of my life I wanted to be everything that she wanted me to be, but it was really hard because it wasn’t me. None of it was me.”
-
While their mom is a Capricorn, Chris Ruiz is a Cancer so they always joke that they’re polar opposites. “I’m like everything that she feared I’d turn out to be.” Despite their mom’s hopes, Chris battled substance abuse, they never felt intelligent or like an overachiever, they don’t have kids, they’re queer and not cisgender and they openly talk about mental health.
-
However, all of these things have helped them have an impact as a social worker; a career they’ve dreamt of since 16 years old. That year, Chris sadly witnessed the loss of their dad and began going to therapy, which exposed them to the field. However, after studying Philosophy at @umntwincities, they moved to Boston for a past relationship and got into bartending - until they lost their job during Covid.
-
Chris instead found work at an eating disorder center, which inspired them to go back to school at @simmonsuniversity. And now they work as an in home family therapist and outpatient youth therapist!
-
Outside of work, though, Chris enjoys playing violin and guitar, painting in the pointillism style, hanging with their spouse and their cats and ultimately trying to achieve a greater sense of self-acceptance! Awesome hanging with you, @chrissabotage!
•
How we met: Chris came across my project via their friend, @reginatreveloni (#6634), and then DM’ed me to meet!
•
Swipe to hear more about Chris’ identity! 🎶🐈
•
#10kfriends #philly #massachussetts #polaropposites #socialworker #minnesota #bartender #therapist #musician #pointillism #marriage #cats #acceptance #somegoodnews #robs10kfriends #meetingpeople
•
Click the link in my bio if you’d like to support me via Patreon! 🙏🏼

6703. “I was either going to die, go to jail or

6703. “I was either going to die, go to jail or get clean.”
-
Vito Baldini sees his life as balance beam on which his priorities constantly shift. Some days he’s dedicating his full attention to his wife and 2 kids, others he’s out enjoying fly fishing and others he’s helping grow his nonprofit, @small_things_philly.
-
For several years now, Vito’s lived by the Mother Theresa quote, “We can do no great things, only small things with great love.” However, he lived a completely different life in his teens / early 20s. To cope with the dysfunction at home, he fell into years of heroin addiction. Until one day, he stood outside of a CVS in his neighborhood and prayed, “God, I’ll try your f***ing way.”
-
Therefore, 20 years ago (as of September) Vito got clean. He then went to Bible college with a calling to become a pastor and ended up volunteering with Easter Outreach, distributing dinners to those in need the day before Easter. But once their operation halted due to Covid, Vito created Small Things and began distributing food throughout each week of the year.
-
Now, he and his team handle the sourcing and distribution of food to 50 food pantries in the city as well as 3 Small Things Markets - meaning they distribute 50,000 meals into the community each week! However, there’s still work to be done. Going forward, Vito hopes to stabilize the nonprofit, expand their distribution centers from 1,000 sq ft to 5,000 sq ft and ultimately create unhungry communities who no longer need his services! So great to meet you, @vito.baldini!
•
How we met: Vito and I were introduced via @instagram by his friend, @ricardomaldonado!
•
#10kfriends #philly #fairhill #balancebeam #family #flyfishing #smallthingsphilly #mothertheresa #addiction #recovery #faith #foodsecurity #fooddistribution #unhungrypathway #somegoodnews #robs10kfriends #meetingpeople
•
Click the link in my bio if you’d like to support me via Patreon! 🙏🏼

6702. “Before I lost my job I never felt that wa

6701. “The night before the train this listing p

6700. “I could never have imagined that I would’ve ended up - with a Journalism degree - running a huge piece of a wealth management business at a Fortune 25 company. I just would never have thought it.”
-
Growing up in Los Angeles, Julia Carreon had a very dynamic life. “I was briefly a parts model of my legs and I ran around in these crazy circles in LA.” Julia dated the guy who invented SEO marketing (the 5th employee of Oracle), leading her to have dinner with Bill Gates and Steve Ballmer.
-
She also socialized with Jimmy Buffett and dated a musician who wrote a folk rock song (“Rome”) about her. “And I ended up being in rooms with all of these people that I learned that they were just regular people.”
-
As a result, she became a fearless corporate leader. After graduating from @sanfranciscostate, Julia worked as a journalist “and then realized that I could make more money building technology rather than writing about it.”
-
Julia became a webmaster at a startup in 2001, then joined Wells Fargo, “and over 20 years went from being an individual contributor to managing a team of 500 people in 13 states and running the largest conversion of investment management accounts in U.S. banking history.”
-
By letting life unfold, Julia had a bunch of other amazing experiences like marrying and having 3 kids with her graduate course TA, finding (and protecting) her voice on @linkedin, moving from California to Austin and working for Citi.
-
And now, having recently left the corporate world, she’s focusing on an entirely new adventure - writing a book and doing keynote speeches on how to accelerate transformation! “Actually public speaking is my absolute favorite thing to do which I think makes me a crazy person.” Awesome hanging with you, @julia.carreon!
•
How we met: Julia and I connected through @linkedin after she saw @tedmerz’s (#6689) post about me!
•
Swipe to hear more about how Julia ended up marrying her TA! 👨🏻‍🏫🧮
•
#10kfriends #philly #austin #texas #california #journalism #connection #rome #wellsfargo #fortune25 #marriage #family #author #keynotespeaker #somegoodnews #robs10kfriends #meetingpeople

6699. “I’ll have watched about 250 movies this

6699. “I’ll have watched about 250 movies this year.”
-
Everett Burns is a film connoisseur who recommends watching Jessie Eisenberg’s “A Real Pain” (mainly because it reminds him of his late friend). He started to get really into movies around 12 years old when his parents separated. However, Everett also went through a ~6 year period of not watching them.
-
During this time, he focused on building his future. As a senior in high school, he began selling @cutcocutlery and continued the job as he paid his way through @stjohnsu. Living in NYC, he then worked his way up the company ladder. Yet when he briefly left to join a media startup, Everett got back into film and has been deepening this passion ever since.
-
Now, on top of doing leadership learning & development at his initial company, he’s keeping a balanced life.
-
He also enjoys spending time with his family, watching Philly sports, riding his bike (hoping to replace 90% of his car time with it), appreciating small town America, helping grow an eye drops startup, seeing live music and raising his new puppy! So great to meet you, @everettjburns!
•
How we met: Everett saw my Philly @reddit post looking for people to meet!
•
#10kfriends #philly #callowhill #movies #film #arealpain #cutco #stjohns #queens #learningdevelopment #family #biking #eyedrops #puppy #somegoodnews #robs10kfriends #meetingpeople
•
Click the link in my bio if you’d like to support me via Patreon! 🙏🏼

6698. “One piece of it that…is always there is

6698. “One piece of it that…is always there is like being a dad and, you know, the joy that I get from seeing my kids happy and healthy and doing well and kind of finding their path into adulthood…to me they’re just really cool people.”
-
Everything changed when Rob Blackett became a dad at 23 years old. Working at a middle school at the time, he and his coworker (/ future wife / future ex-wife) had a baby together. “And so the pressure I think to make a living made me think about work differently. And one thing that I thought was how can I make the most money possible with whatever skills I have?”
-
Rob had a Spanish & Latin American Literature degree and a couple of years of experience as a teacher. So he found his way into sales and training and built a successful career in the tech industry. But “I told myself a long time ago that someday when I had enough money I would optimize for something else.”
-
Rob hit that point a couple of years ago, and simultaneously had the opportunity to produce and host a video series, highlighting the people around the world that made up his company. Therefore, after officially leaving his job in June “I had this idea for another video series that was independent, but had some of the same heart and soul as what I was trying to do with the other series.”
-
Now, on top of spending time with his 3 kids, traveling, playing guitar and singing, Rob’s getting his new project, “House Calls with Rob” off the ground, featuring the people he’s connected to on @linkedin! “I want people that know them to be able to see it and get to know this person in a deeper way.” So nice to meet you, rob_is_your_friend!
•
How we met: Rob came across my project via @tedmerz’s (#6689) @linkedin post and then messaged me to meet!
•
Swipe to hear more about Rob’s passion for fatherhood! ❤️✈️
•
#10kfriends #philly #seattle #washington #dad #family #spanish #teacher #sales #training #videoseries #host #travel #guitar #humaninterest #somegoodnews #robs10kfriends #meetingpeople
•
Click the link in my bio if you’d like to support me via Patreon! 🙏🏼

6697. “Robin Williams is like the goal person.”
-
As an improv coach and performer, Jaime Chaifetz spends a lot of her time making people laugh, and she absolutely loves it.
-
Growing up in New Jersey, she used to perform in school shows, but as she got older she shifted to making her own shows. In 2019, Jaime helped create the web series, @effectivelyschizo, which went on to win awards from festivals like @njwebfest.
-
During this period, though, she spent most of her time working at an insurance company. After graduating from @floridastateuniversity, Jaime became the creative director of the Jersey-based company, handling their social media. But she actually had to step away from her role after having an adverse reaction to her 3rd Covid vaccine.
-
Therefore, she’s since been going to physical therapy to recover, and has instead worked a few odd jobs. On top of teaching improv she teaches guitar lessons and works as a server at a restaurant. But she spends her down time caring for her 15-year old Maltese, attending @sipcitymixer events and dreaming up new ways to make people laugh.
-
While she does most of her performing locally right now, Jaime hopes to someday turn her passion into a full-time career, having an impact similar to that of Robin Williams! Great hanging with you, @jaychay220!
•
How we met: Jaime came across my project via her friend, @dontbeasillygirl, and then DM’ed me to meet!
•
#10kfriends #philly #fairmount #robinwilliams #improv #laughter #effectivelyshizo #floridastate #creativedirector #pt #guitar #sipcity #performer #somegoodnews #robs10kfriends #meetingpeople
•
Click the link in my bio if you’d like to support me via Patreon! 🙏🏼

6696. “I’ll forever remember the structural en $6696. “I’ll forever remember the structural engineer telling us the building had to come down.” - Having turned 40 back in March, Max Silver feels like he’s entered the 3rd quarter of his life journey (assuming the avg expectancy of 80 years old). He spent his first 20 years learning how to live, the next 20 becoming a provider for his family and now he’s diving into who he really is. With that in mind, he’s spent a lot of this year thinking, “I’m not my business,” despite the fact that it’s a big piece of his identity. - Born and raised in Cheltenham, Max studied Engineering at @carnegiemellon and worked various jobs in the field, including being a precursor to fracking. He was licensed to detonate explosives thousands of feet below the earth’s surface. But eventually, his high school sweetheart turned wife wanted to settle in one location so they moved back to Philly. - And after dabbling in commercial real estate, they got into flipping houses together - until one of the houses had to be demolished. Rather than taking a loss, however, Max and his wife built a new construction home, exposing them to an entirely new path! - They’ve since been developing new homes in Philly, which has been a cool way of leaving a physical legacy for their 2 kids. Yet, with the reflection of this past year, Max has also been focused on building a legacy of generosity. Therefore, he’s been helping out with toy drives, coat drives, etc.! - Now, he’s not just his business; rather, he’s turned it into the engine of purpose, set to fuel his impact in the years ahead! Awesome hanging with you, @max_silver_! • How we met: Max saw my Philly @reddit post looking for people to meet! • #10kfriends #philly #centercity #life #identity #cheltenham #carnegiemellon #engineering #marriage #realestate #realestatedeveloper #newconstruction #family #legacy #purpose #somegoodnews #robs10kfriends #meetingpeople • Click the link in my bio if you’d like to support me via Patreon! 🙏🏼$

6695. “I wanted to know what the lyrics were abo

6695. “I wanted to know what the lyrics were about. I really wanted to sing like them. And so at first I tried to translate the songs and then I asked my mom to send me to an English school so I could learn the language.”
-
Despite growing up in São Paulo, Ingrid Natalie Leão fell in love with American media. She regularly watched shows like @friends, listened to bands like her favorites, @hanson and @chilipeppers, and even tried to translate all of their songs! “I would go word by word, look at them in the dictionary and try to make sense in my mind.”
-
Eventually, Ingrid received a more formal education in the language, which ultimately led her to teach it! She began teaching English at 18 years old, and worked while pursuing her Biology degree; a path she chose because she loved science as a kid and knew her mom had aspired to become a doctor.
-
“Studying Biology was also a way to pursue my mom’s dream in some way…but I think life showed me a different path.” Ingrid truly fell in love with teaching so she’s done it ever since, but she’s also made sure to maintain her passion for music!
-
Beginning in 2012, she started interviewing local indie bands and has since shared her interviews, music reviews, etc. to her website, @femalerocksquad. Now, she feels fulfilled in her current life, and going forward just plans to dive deeper into Asian culture by learning Japanese and deeper into teaching by getting her master’s in Education! So great to meet you, @umaingrid!
•
How we met: Ingrid came across my project via her friend, @alinealmeidaingles (#6684), and then DM’ed me to meet!
•
Swipe to hear more about why Ingrid studied Biology! 🧬📚
•
#10kfriends #philly #saopaulo #brazil #friends #hanson #chilipeppers #english #englishteacher #biology #femalerocksquad #japanese #masters #education #somegoodnews #robs10kfriends #meetingpeople
•
Click the link in my bio if you’d like to support me via Patreon! 🙏🏼

6694. “Probably a Christmas song. I love Christm

6694. “Probably a Christmas song. I love Christmas time.”
-
First and foremost, Amanda Gordon is a musician whose favorite song to sing (right now) is “Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas.” But she also enjoys “Ain’t No Mountain High Enough”!
-
Originally from Cheltenham, she’s been singing in choirs since her school days and is now part of @seantandchanged (they just put out an album “The Gift” earlier this month!).
-
Beyond music, though, Amanda is a burn survivor who offers peer support to other burn victims. As a baby, she suffered severe burns when a pot of boiling water slipped off the stove and fell on her. And while she fortunately doesn’t remember that day, Amanda grew up with the scars as a reminder of it.
-
In her early adulthood, she was more focused on getting her HR degree at @templeuniv and establishing her career - a mix of singing with @mspattilabelle and doing @americorps before she broke into HR. But during Covid, Amanda felt called to connect with other burn survivors so she got involved with the @phoenixsociety and @firefightersburninstitute.
-
Now, she enjoys the mix of singing, community and work in her life. But outside of it, she simply enjoys staying active - whether she’s attending hot yoga and @f45_training classes or completing a @toughmudder! So nice to meet you, @amanda_joy4!
•
How we met: Amanda saw my Philly @reddit post looking for people to meet!
•
#10kfriends #philly #dilworthpark #christmas #seantandchanged #burnsurvivor #temple #humanresources #phoenixsociety #yoga #f45 #toughmudder #somegoodnews #robs10kfriends #meetingpeople
•
Click the link in my bio if you’d like to support me via Patreon! 🙏🏼

6693. “It would be Art Museum, Broadway, hikes w

6693. “It would be Art Museum, Broadway, hikes when it’s nice out.”
-
Alexandria Lynch spends a lot of time socializing for both work and fun, but she definitely appreciates her alone time as well. She can get lost in books like @erikxlarson’s “The Devil in the White City.” She equally loves roadtripping to places like Cherry Springs State Park (which is still on her bucket list).
-
Growing up as an only child in Northeast Philly, she had a lot of solo time as a kid too. Yet she also experienced several hardships during her youth. Alexandria lost her dad to addiction when she was 5 years old and she lost her stepdad when she was 11. Therefore, she had a lot of respect for her mom, who supported her as a single mother working as a bartender.
-
But at 16, Alexandria began having her own struggles with alcohol. She got sober at 20, fell back into addiction a couple of years later, and then had what she feels was divine intervention 5 years ago. She realized (though she doubted herself at first) that she could become sober if she followed the steps that her support groups laid out for her.
-
Ever since, she’s experienced highs like traveling to places like Italy, Arizona and Chicago, as well as lows like losing her best friend to addiction. But these days, Alexandria looks optimistically towards the future; something she couldn’t envision as a teen.
-
Therefore, she takes advantage of the small things like seeing @takingbacksunday in concert, watching @wickedmovie and @hereticmovie and listening to oldies like @sinatra - an artist her grandfather loved so much that she named her childhood doll after him! Great hanging with you, @alexandria_ann3_!
•
How we met: Alexandria heard about my project via her friend, @anthony.wilson.06 (#6506), and then DM’ed me to meet!
•
#10kfriends #philly #fairmount #artmuseum #broadway #hiking #reading #cherryspringsstatepark #loss #sobriety #travel #grief #takingbacksunday #wicked #franksinatra #somegoodnews #robs10kfriends #meetingpeople
•
Click the link in my bio if you’d like to support me via Patreon! 🙏🏼

6692. “I believe that every problem has a soluti

6692. “I believe that every problem has a solution as long as you know the formula. And if you don’t know the formula you can ask other people for the formula or you can create your own formula.”
-
When Sha Nacino got her first professional job, she struggled to manage her money. “I didn’t see the need to save up for my future because my mindset was I will get my salary every 15th and 30th of the month.” She ended up in credit card debt; however, thanks to the book, “Rich Dad Poor Dad,” she began to work her way out of this hole.
-
Sha became so passionate about money management that she spent the next 3 years attending seminars, and afterwards started helping her colleagues and friends, leading her to write a book!
-
“It took me 3 years to write my first book because I didn’t know anything about writing. I went to a local bookstore in the Philippines, I looked for a best selling book and then bought all of the books from that one author, and then I studied ok, how thick was the book, how was the sentence construction, things like that.”
-
Sha cracked the code on how to write a book, ended up writing her 2nd one in one day and her next 4 in the following 6 months so she started teaching others. “I already taught over 200+ authors.” And now she’s teaching people from the stage as well!
-
Because of her experiences, Sha quit her corporate job in 2013 and has since spoken about everything from how to write books to human connection and compassionate leadership!
-
She now balances her career with her family, friends and her faith, and doesn’t usually plan more than 3 months ahead; but she’s hoping to travel more next year, hitting hopefully 24 countries through her speaking endeavors! Awesome hanging with you, @sha_nacino!
•
How we met: Sha came across my project via a friend who saw me speak to @corenet_global and then @linkedin messaged me to meet!
•
Swipe to hear more about Sha’s experience of being seen! 🎶📚
•
#10kfriends #philly #manila #philippines #formula #moneymanagement #richdadpoordad #author #writingcoach #keynotespeaker #humanconnection #compassionateleadership #family #faith #somegoodnews #robs10kfriends #meetingpeople

6691. “I got into wine out of spite.” - Kyle N

6691. “I got into wine out of spite.”
-
Kyle Nobel enjoys surrounding himself with down-to-earth people. Growing up in Marlton, NJ, his dad used to tell him that his salary was 25 cents, and being a kid at the time he figured that made sense.
-
Raised with this humble mindset, Kyle wanted to make an impact on the community. Therefore, he studied History at @rowanuniversity with plans of becoming a teacher and while there got into political activism. Due to the budget cuts to education, though, he found himself working various jobs after school ranging from a warehouse to a group home.
-
During Covid, however, Kyle began working at @whitehorsewinery. While he was perfectly content with sweet Franzia wines before (he still has nothing against them), he learned that he truly enjoyed full-bodied, heavy-tannin options.
-
But he’s of the belief that wine should be enjoyed without ego, in whatever way makes you happy. So over the last ~4 years, Kyle worked his way up from harvesting in the vineyards to serving at the winery to now helping manage it!
-
These days, he enjoys interacting with the regulars at work; however, outside of it he loves hanging with his girlfriend and skiing! Though he still believes he’s not the most skilled person on the mountain, Kyle can definitely hold his own and has skied everywhere from Vermont to Italy to Austria! So nice to meet you, @knobes102!
•
How we met: Kyle came across my project via @instagram and again through @reddit and then messaged me to meet!
•
#10kfriends #hammonton #newjersey #wine #downtoearth #marlton #history #rowanuniversity #whitehorsewinery #winery #relationship #skiing #somegoodnews #robs10kfriends #meetingpeople
•
Click the link in my bio if you’d like to support me via Patreon! 🙏🏼

6690. “Being active on the platform, on LinkedIn

6690. “Being active on the platform, on LinkedIn, really gave me my voice.”
-
Though Melissa Cohen joined @linkedin in 2008, she didn’t post until 2020 - a small choice with big results. Up to that point, she’d been busy building her career in fashion.
-
Born in Brooklyn, Melissa moved to Long Island as a kid and stayed close for college. Fascinated by Italian culture, she studied Italian Language & Literature at @stonybrooku, but graduated into a rough economy. Therefore, she started her career in retail management before breaking into corporate.
-
Beginning with @pvhcorp, she worked her way up through brands like @anntaylor, @nautica and @tommyhilfiger before eventually landing at @poloralphlauren (where she became VP of Production). After losing her job in 2020, though, Melissa felt like her voice and self-identity had been taken away from her. But in reality she was just discovering it.
-
Alongside doing fashion consulting, she started consistently posting on LinkedIn, highlighting things like 6 quotes that stood out to her and 4 creators worth following each week. She built a loyal audience which then allowed her to help others find their voices through personal branding and thought leadership coaching!
-
Now, Melissa loves her lifestyle of starting mornings with coffee and LinkedIn posts, helping people throughout the day and enjoying some downtime at night. Because in addition to being “The Good Witch of LinkedIn,” she’s also a wife (who met her husband on a blind date), a mother (to her 19-year old daughter), an adventurer in her own city and an avid sports fan - cheering on teams like @uvamenshoops and the @nyrangers! Great hanging with you, @melissabethcohen!
•
How we met: Melissa came across my project via @rachel_rozen (#6508) and then messaged me some words of encouragement so I invited her to meet!
•
#10kfriends #nyc #bryantpark #voice #linkedin #longisland #italian #stonybrook #fashion #ralphlauren #personalbranding #thoughtleader #coffee #family #uva #rangers #somegoodnews #robs10kfriends #meetingpeople
•
Click the link in my bio if you’d like to support me via Patreon! 🙏🏼

6689. “I’ve spent my life walking around colle

6688. “The changes in life are gonna be somethin

6688. “The changes in life are gonna be something incredible. I mean living with something on your body that you thought shouldn’t be there for so long, and then to know like this time next week they’re gonna be gone is mind boggling to me, but it’s fantastic at the same time.”
-
Growing up, Ted Freeman always felt like a tomboy. “And I was always told by a lot of people that I’d grow out of it as your hormones kicked in as you hit puberty. Like boys would interest you more, you’d start wanting to wear makeup and things and so I was kind of just holding out for that.”
-
But that time never came, and during high school Ted came across an article “and just everything they were saying all of this like discomfort and knowing that this isn’t you, like it just ticked the boxes…And then after I left school I decided like that’s it. I’ll cut my hair, I’ll change my name and I’ll go into college fresh start as me.”
-
Now, ~6 years later, Ted has been on hormones for about a year and 3 months and is currently preparing for his top surgery, which is 5 days away. “For me the hormone experience and the surgeries are for me to make me feel more masculine in myself…Looking in the mirror and feeling correct in yourself.”
-
While Ted’s journey has been a big part of his life in recent years, he’s really just trying to get to a place where “Once I pass as myself I don’t think I’d have to introduce myself as a trans man if that makes sense.” At that point, he’ll just focus on enjoying his job as a support worker for adults with learning disabilities and his passions - hiking, camping, listening to bands like @thebeatles and traveling to places like @niagarafallstourismcanada! So great to meet you, @ftmtransformer01!
•
How we met: Ted came across my project via my @oplpodcast episode and then DM’ed me to meet!
•
#10kfriends #philly #london #england #ftmtransgender #topsurgery #masculinity #supportworker #thebeatles #hiking #niagarafalls #somegoodnews #robs10kfriends #meetingpeople
•
Click the link in my bio if you’d like to support me via Patreon! 🙏🏼

6687. “There’s just no way to explain the way

6687. “There’s just no way to explain the way you love your child. Like the moment I found out I was pregnant I loved my child. And then the moment I held him on my chest like your heart just explodes. There’s just no way to put into words how much you could love someone.”
-
For the last 15 years, Leigh Garret and her husband have been raising their son, Ben. And since he’s now a freshman in high school, they have 3.5 more years together before he goes off to college. But Leigh maybe wishes it was longer, joking, “I don’t think they should make you start college until your frontal lobe is developed.”
-
As a kid, she aspired to become a pediatrician because she wanted to help people and it sounded cool. But once she got to school, she worked at a restaurant where one of her friends asked, “‘What do you like to do?’ And I’m like, ‘Well, I kind of like writing papers.’” Therefore, Leigh pursued her degree in Journalism and afterwards worked for the @ritzcarlton.
-
In 2008, though, she went to work for a real estate development firm and lost her job (while 6 months pregnant) due to the Recession. “I was unemployed for about a year and a half and I was making $215 a week on unemployment.” Looking for more stability, Leigh went to Occupational Therapy school for a year, but thanks to @daveramsey left and got into sales instead!
-
Now, she continues to work in the field, but outside of it enjoys attending a monthly supper club with her friends, exercising 4-5 days a week, practicing her faith and spending time with her family - whether they’re taking trips together or simply driving to sports practices and teaching their son how to drive! “I wouldn’t trade my life or my family for anything.” So nice to meet you, @leighgarrett!
•
How we met: Leigh heard about my project through my cousin & brother and then DM’ed me to meet!
•
#10kfriends #philly #atlanta #georgia #love #pediatrician #journalism #recession #sales #supperclub #exercise #faith #family #somegoodnews #robs10kfriends #meetingpeople
•
Click the link in my bio if you’d like to support me via Patreon! 🙏🏼

6686. “I grew to love it very early and I grew t

6686. “I grew to love it very early and I grew to hate it very early.”
-
While Paul Catrino enjoyed playing soccer as a kid, he was bullied in school and all of his bullies happened to be on the team. But he kept with it, deciding he’d improve his life by improving his game.
-
However, once he got to high school he didn’t get along with his coach so he ended up running cross-country, playing football (as the kicker) and playing basketball. Living out High School Musical, Paul also did theater and in between basketball practices made sure the stage crew had their lights properly set up.
-
For that reason, he studied Theater at @montclairstateu and got the opportunity to work on an Off-Broadway show. But through the experience, he realized he didn’t want to be in such a cutthroat industry.
-
Therefore, he worked while completing his English degree at @rowanuniversity and found fulfillment in other areas. Paul went back to soccer by starting his own @casasoccerphilly team, @sportingserotonin, in 2020 and he met his wife in 2021!
-
Now, he has a pleasant life with his wife and their cat, and he runs a team of 60 people who are all improving their mental health through playing the game they love. Paul and his teammates strive to up the vibes of everyone around them, so it’s no surprise he also finds enjoyment in music festivals - particularly Atlanta’s @shakykneesfest! Great hanging with you, @catrino93!
•
How we met: Paul came across my project via his friend, @kristinlepley (#6662), and then DM’ed me to meet!
•
#10kfriends #philly #fairmount #soccer #highschoolmusical #stagecrew #theater #rowan #casasoccer #sportingserotonin #captain #mentalhealth #marriage #upthevibes #shakyknees #somegoodnews #robs10kfriends #meetingpeople
•
Click the link in my bio if you’d like to support me via Patreon! 🙏🏼

6685. “The only way I think to fully say thank y

6685. “The only way I think to fully say thank you is just to pass along to the next person who truly needs it like I needed it in that moment.”
-
Steven Hollander has always had a zest for life. By age 13, he was flipping microwave plates from thrift stores. “So I’d buy those for a dollar or two and at the time they were selling for like $30-$40 a pop on EBay all day.” While he largely saved his money, Steven did buy a sweet sound system for his car as his business evolved.
-
In high school, he began selling things for people on consignment, got into private labeling products and ultimately ended up partnering with brands and reselling their products on @amazon. He built his business alongside starting college at @templeuniv (where he played tennis) and finishing at @emoryuniversity. And then dove into it full-time as he graduated and moved to Austin.
-
Steven balanced his life with challenges like completing an @ironmantri in 2021; however, this year he sought a different adventure. “In February…I decided to sell everything I owned so I sold my car, sold my furniture, literally sold everything and I’ve been living out of my carryon suitcase.”
-
Steven spent 3 months in South America where a stranger helped him through a bad case of dengue fever and totally transformed his outlook on life. He came back to the states for a bit, left again in June for 3 months in Europe, came back to the states again. And now he’s gearing up for even more travel to Miami, Hawaii and then Japan next year - continuing to expand his perspective and experiences! Awesome hanging with you, @stevenhollander!
•
How we met: Steven came across my project via @instagram and then DM’ed me to meet!
•
Swipe to hear more about Steven’s early days of entrepreneurship! 👨🏻‍💻📈
•
#10kfriends #philly #clearwater #florida #thriftshop #ebay #amazon #tennis #emory #entrepreneurship #austin #ironman #digitalnomad #travel #payitforward #adventure #somegoodnews #robs10kfriends #meetingpeople
•
Click the link in my bio if you’d like to support me via Patreon! 🙏🏼

6684. “When I was 9 years old I listened to Mari

6684. “When I was 9 years old I listened to Mariah Carey and Michael Jackson all the time, and I translated every single word from English to Portuguese on little notebooks.”
-
When Aline Almeida was 11 years old she started formally learning English. “Because my mom just said, “Please go to an English school to learn because you only listen to music in English and don’t understand what you’re singing.”
-
Then at 14 years old she took a trip to @waltdisneyworld where “I saw a Brazilian girl working there, and I said, ‘If she can do it, I can do it.’” As a result, Aline began teaching English at 18 years old and studied hospitality in university. She then achieved her dream of working for Disney, doing so when she was 21 & 23 years old, and afterwards went back to teaching English.
-
With her boyfriend at the time, Aline opened a language school, “and then when we got married we went back to teaching private lessons.” But eventually they created an online business, “and at some point we had 12,000 students online.”
-
After getting divorced a year and half ago, though, Aline shifted into teaching English solely for women. And going forward, she hopes to organize trips and teach them about solo travel too! With 19 countries under her belt, Aline wants to continue exploring and helping others see the world; all while appreciating the small things - seeing bands like @hanson and hanging with her dog - as well! So great to meet you, @alinealmeidaingles!
•
How we met: Aline came across my project via @sstef0112 (#5276), and then DM’ed me to meet!
•
#10kfriends #philly #saopaulo #brazil #mariahcarey #michaeljackson #english #disney #disneycollegeprogram #languageschool #solotravel #girlstrip #hanson #dogmom #somegoodnews #robs10kfriends #meetingpeople
•
Click the link in my bio if you’d like to support me via Patreon! 🙏🏼

6683. “I knew that if I pulled the plug and said

6683. “I knew that if I pulled the plug and said I don’t want to be a part of this religion anymore, I want to leave my husband, that I would lose my entire network.”
-
Originally from Sacramento, Candice Morgan Beaver grew up in a strong religious community where service to the faith outweighed everything else. Therefore, instead of going to college she got engaged at 19 years old, got married at 20 and moved to Michoacán, Mexico with her (now ex) husband.
-
While she learned new recipes, saw new ecosystems and learned more Spanish, everything changed once they moved back to California. “I had a daughter out there in California with him and that’s where I started kind of waking up.”
-
Candice left her husband and moved to Georgia; however, once there she realized she was 5 months pregnant so she and her husband tried to work things out. But once her son was in preschool, she truly began plotting her escape.
-
Candice went to school to become a dental hygienist, started building her career and then left her religion and marriage in 2020 - despite the resulting shunning from her family and friends. Fortunately, though, she’s since gotten remarried and has found an incredible support system in her now husband’s family. And she’s shifted from dental work into business development where - thanks to her combination of pride and humility - she’s formed a bunch of connections and seen a lot of success!
-
“It turns out my decades of experience knocking on doors and trying to convert people to a religion, turns out that’s like really good sales experience…part of who I am because I’ve been learning them since I was a child about like following up and taking good notes and trying to manage the conversation so you have the right outcome. Like all of that is sales and I’ve been learning as I go.” So nice to meet you, @candiceismorgan!
•
How we met: Candice came across my project via her friend, @cathrynmarshallofficial (#5747), and then DM’ed me to meet!
•
#10kfriends #philly #atlanta #georgia #sacramento #religion #mexico #motherhood #escape #dentalhygiene #supportsystem #prumble #sales #connection #somegoodnews #robs10kfriends #meetingpeople

6682. “I think if you want to see who you are yo

6682. “I think if you want to see who you are you just reflect on your actions.”
-
Alicia Jhoo is a simple person who finds contentment in the small things such as sunsets. The youngest of 3 in her family, she grew up with 2 loving, very smart older brothers. Yet she always had her own confidence about her.
-
When she first attended school, while all of the other kids were crying, Alicia ran away from her mom excited for the day! She also built a foundation of helping others thanks to her mom as they’d volunteer in Camden on weekends.
-
So once she got to @rutgersu, Alicia studied Biomedical Engineering thinking she’d become a doctor. However, she ultimately switched to Human Resources and graduated in 2021. Since then she’s worked in agency recruiting and tech recruiting, but now she does subspecialty recruiting, looking for folks like anesthesiologists.
-
Outside of work, though, Alicia keeps a close circle of friends and tries to call them on the phone once a week. She also enjoys playing video games and building community at her church, where she’s gone for the last 4 years. But ultimately, she’s just going with the flow, finding gratitude in the people and things around her! Great hanging with you, @aliciayoohoo!
•
How we met: Alicia saw my Philly @reddit post looking for people to meet!
•
#10kfriends #philly #universitycity #contentment #family #rutgers #humanresources #recruiting #friends #gaming #church #gratitude #somegoodnews #robs10kfriends #meetingpeople
•
Click the link in my bio if you’d like to support me via Patreon! 🙏🏼

6681. “I feel like so much of my routine revolve

6681. “I feel like so much of my routine revolves around when I walk my dog.”
-
Jillian Pugatch just moved to Philly in June and since then has been forging new friendships. But luckily, she always has her dachshund mix for company too!
-
Originally from Long Island, Jillian actually took a roundabout way to arrive here. She studied Psychology at @urochester and then moved down to D.C. to work for the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development.
-
While there, Jillian realized she didn’t want to do research and instead took an interest in the impact of marketing on human behavior. Therefore, after working in smoking cessation (the process of quitting) and getting her master’s in Public Health, she found her way into tech and specifically UX design.
-
Jillian moved to Portland for a few years to try out the Pacific Northwest, but then moved to LA after her niece there was born. And that year (2019), she got her dog and spent a lot of time with her as we went into Covid. But after 5 years in LA, Jillian sought a different, more affordable city. So while she kept her job working on software for therapists, she switched coasts again!
-
Now, she enjoys working and spending time with her pup; however, outside of those things she loves cooking and baking, she enjoys going dancing and she enjoys comfortable nights in watching shows like @bobsburgersfox! Awesome hanging with you, @jillianandzora!
•
How we met: Jillian saw my Philly @reddit post looking for people to meet!
•
#10kfriends #philly #nolibs #dogmom #longisland #rochester #psychology #uxdesign #portland #LA #aunt #cooking #baking #music #bobsburgers #somegoodnews #robs10kfriends #meetingpeople
•
Click the link in my bio if you’d like to support me via Patreon! 🙏🏼

6680. “Taking a bigger leap into photography.”

6680. “Taking a bigger leap into photography.”
-
During his senior year of high school, Aden Betman figured he didn’t need any more Spanish classes so he decided to change his schedule. The only other option he had was photography, so he switched courses and fell in love with it!
-
Aden enjoyed being able to capture and preserve moments forever, which eventually led to him shooting subjects like eagles, foxes and other animals. As he took a particular liking to nature photography he dreamt of becoming a @natgeo photographer. However, when he got to @drexeluniv he studied Criminal Justice and afterwards took a job back at the university.
-
Now, he works in campus security, making sure the university stays in compliance for all of its safety reporting. But outside of work, he’s still working towards his interests and dreams.
-
Aden trains jiu-jitsu at Shorty’s in West Philly and has even gotten his dad into the sport. He’s enjoyed traveling to places like Jim Thorpe and North Carolina with his family. And he’s maintained his passion for photography by doing some paid gigs and staying open to future paths with it.
-
Since he hopes to dive further into it, balancing it as a hobby / side hustle, he’s considering getting into sports photography - mainly because it’s a bit more accessible than trying to catch a fox on the side of the road! So great to meet you, @adenbetman!
•
How we met: Aden saw my Philly @reddit post looking for people to meet!
•
#10kfriends #philly #springgarden #photography #naturephotographer #natgeo #drexel #criminaljustice #jiujitsu #travel #sportsphotography #somegoodnews #robs10kfriends #meetingpeople
•
Click the link in my bio if you’d like to support me via Patreon! 🙏🏼

6679. “We’d break out a pack of cards and we’d play games like Newmarket.”
-
Growing up in Hawarden, Wales, Chris Kingsnorth formed fond memories of travel with his family, driving their caravan around the country. Though he was only ~7 years old at the time, he’d beg them to play card games like Newmarket or whist wherever they stopped. As he got older, though, Chris traded travels for studies.
-
In 2008 he moved to Nottingham for med school (where he met his wife), and from ages 23-31 he trained to become a pediatric doctor. During his rotations, however, Chris and his friends played games like Pandemic to stay sane. And as he neared the end of his training years, he started to become interested in board game design.
-
Chris attended a board game conference in his area and then decided to organize his own Protospiel (board game testing event), donating the proceeds to the children’s hospital at which he worked. Through these experiences, he then actually decided to leave the medical field for game design, joining @paperfortgames (who had attended his event).
-
Now, Chris designs games like the Terraria board game, which he’s sharing at conferences like @officialpax_. However, he also enjoys life outside of his career - whether he’s spending time with his wife and immediate family, staying fit or listening to bands like @bombayinsta! So nice to meet you, @tabletopapprentice!
•
How we met: Chris came across my project via @southstreetsam (#6379) and then DM’ed me to meet!
•
#10kfriends #philly #bok #newmarket #hawarden #wales #whist #medschool #pandemicboardgame #pediatricdoctor #protospiel #gamedesigner #boardgame #PAXUnplugged #family #music #somegoodnews #robs10kfriends #meetingpeople
•
Click the link in my bio if you’d like to support me via Patreon! 🙏🏼

6678. “I’m 10 siblings…I’m #5 from the bot

6678. “I’m 10 siblings…I’m #5 from the bottom so because we are too many they would put 2 tables. I’m always at the kids table and I wished to sit at the big kids table. They never wanted me there. And so in my brain I always want to be a senior right away.”
-
Karoline Qasem has been on one flight in her entire life. “I came from a very small rural town from Gaza, Palestine to the U.S.” Before arriving here, though, she grew up in a very large, very well educated family. “My dad used to be a professor in medicine so he cares a lot about education…We were like 7 engineers, 3 doctors.”
-
Karoline studied Architectural Engineering, but did so as a mother since she got married at 19 and had her first kid at 20. “So I had the first kid my second year of undergrad and my second kid at my graduation. Imagine, I’m 9 months pregnant and defending my thesis.”
-
While pregnant with her third kid, Karoline applied and got accepted to the @the_fulbright_program, which brought her to Chicago. And since arriving, she’s completed her master’s in Urban Planning & Policy and her PhD in Civil Environmental Engineering - alongside having her third and fourth kids!
-
Thanks to the support of those around her, she then took an unpaid internship and (driven by her childhood desire to sit with the big kids) has since gotten a dream role, building a practice within the water quality space.
-
Now, she’s able to live out her full sarcastic, carefree, spiritual personality - something she plans to share on a larger scale going forward. With a desire to be visible, she regularly posts her thoughts on LinkedIn, but this Spring will be teaching at a university and, who knows, may someday be sharing her experiences on stage! Great hanging with you, Karoline!
•
How we met: Karoline came across my project via @muxiangpajerski (#6591) and then DM’ed me to meet!
•
Swipe to hear more about how Karoline found her confidence in the U.S.! 📚📈
•
#10kfriends #philly #chicago #illinois #kidstable #gaza #palestine #engineering #motherhood #family #fulbrightscholar #istikhara #waterquality #visibility #somegoodnews #robs10kfriends #meetingpeople

6677. “I also grew up doing theater, like a lot.

6677. “I also grew up doing theater, like a lot. I spent every hour after school doing theater or doing dance or something like that. And I think I already had like a mindset or like the ability to memorize things very easily.”
-
Growing up in Bucks County, Liam Smith always heard his nonna talk about how she wished she could still speak Italian. Therefore, he wanted to learn the language, but his high school only offered Spanish, French & German.
-
Liam figured Spanish was close enough and because he’d had a background in theater - acting in shows like West Side Story and Miss Saigon - he easily picked it up. More importantly, though, he immersed himself in Spanish speaking cultures.
-
Liam spent time in Spain during his senior year of high school, he spent time in Ecuador during his freshman year at @templeuniv and he studied abroad in Madrid during his sophomore year. While his time there was unfortunately cut short due to Covid, Liam then returned to Madrid after school to teach.
-
He taught English, Science and Social Studies to kindergartners through 6th graders, but now he’s back to being a student! These days, he’s pursuing his master’s in Spanish Language (with a specialization in teaching) at @middleburycollege.
-
He’s learning all about Spanish literature, history and art and aspires to work as a point person for a study abroad program. But for now, Liam’s enjoying his time in Madrid, supplementing school with dancing, grabbing beers with friends and catching the occasional 3am @philadelphiaeagles game! Awesome hanging with you, @liam._.smith!
•
How we met: Liam’s brother @cjdonuthole (#6653) told me about him so I DM’ed him to meet!
•
Swipe to hear more about how Liam got into studying Spanish!
•
#10kfriends #philly #madrid #spain #theater #nonna #westsidestory #language #temple #ecuador #studyabroad #teacher #masters #dance #somegoodnews #robs10kfriends #meetingpeople
•
Click the link in my bio if you’d like to support me via Patreon! 🙏🏼

6676. “I do 3D printing so that takes up a lot o

6676. “I do 3D printing so that takes up a lot of my time.”
-
Despite just moving to Philly in February, Shivani Reddy has already immersed herself in the city. She’s joined communities like book clubs and is currently reading Jhumpa Lahiri’s “Interpreter of Maladies.” But she’s also found joy at home, playing games like Beat Slayer on her @metaquest and making 3D printed figurines.
-
Shivani really just wanted a 3D printed toy so she learned the process and has since made characters like Patrick Star and Pikachu! She’s no stranger to technology though.
-
After growing up in Hyderabad, she studied Computer Science in Kolkata, worked in Bangalore for a bit and then pursued her master’s at @uofmichigan. She graduated in 2021 and has since worked in the mortgage and healthcare fields. Shivani works remotely as a data engineer so when given a few options of where to live, she chosen Philly!
-
She actually spent a lot of time in Kansas City during grad school as classes were remote in Covid and she had friends there. But while there the @chiefs won the Super Bowl. While she lived in Ann Arbor, @umichfootball won the National Championship. So now that she’s in here in Philly it’s inevitable @philadelphiaeagles will win Super Bowl LIX! Awesome hanging with you, @shivani_wuz_here!
•
How we met: Shivani saw my Philly @reddit post looking for people to meet!
•
#10kfriends #philly #universitycity #bookclub #metaquest #3Dprinting #hyderabad #india #michigan #computerscience #dataengineer #goodluckcharm #somegoodnews #robs10kfriends #meetingpeople
•
Click the link in my bio if you’d like to support me via Patreon! 🙏🏼

6675. “I guess the strategy is just one day at a

6675. “I guess the strategy is just one day at a time.”
-
For the last year and a half, Abby Synnestvedt has been navigating a new normal. Because after getting married in 2015, she sadly lost her husband, Robin, to cancer on August 5, 2023. In the 15 months since then, Abby’s found solace in widow support groups on @reddit, in hiking the Wissahickon and in being surrounded by her creative friends as she tries to get back to painting.
-
After high school, she spent 3 years training at an art atelier before attaining her BFA at @pafacademy. And fortunately, she landed a job teaching high school art. Therefore, Abby built her career as she and Robin built their life together; however, everything changed when Robin developed a blood clot & pulmonary embolism.
-
The doctors didn’t know what caused it, but months later in December of 2021 - after spending 12 hours overnight in the waiting room of a hospital - they discovered he had stage 4 colon cancer. While Robin went through chemo and had a wonderful following summer, the cancer spread limiting his options and he went on hospice the summer of 2023.
-
Since his passing, Abby has been taking life one day at a time. And though it’s difficult not to think of the milestones she’d planned to reach with Robin, she’s taking the Annie Dillard approach of “How we spend our days is, of course, how we spend our lives.”
-
For Abby, that means meeting new people, spending time with her dog and succeeding in art on her own terms (she’s actually having a studio sale right now). She doesn’t have to be famous, she just wants to capture and share her observations of the world!
-
“My work has one aim, and that is to convey the intangible feeling I experience when I am fully present with my subjects. I hope that by stating what is true to me, you will find something true to you.” So great to meet you, @abigail_synnestvedt!
•
How we met: Abby saw my Philly @reddit post looking for people to meet!
•
#10kfriends #philly #manayunk #onedayatatime #robin #loss #grief #healing #art #painting #pafa #artteacher #connection #hiking #dog #artist #observation #somegoodnews #robs10kfriends #meetingpeople

6674. “That was one of the best experiences of m

6674. “That was one of the best experiences of my life was doing improv in high school.”
-
Growing up in Northern Virginia, Arta Seyedian became somewhat of a class clown. So he thought it’d be cool to pursue a career in comedy.
-
However, when he went to college he had no idea what he actually wanted to do. Beginning his education at @georgemasonu, he transferred to @vcu, but then finished back at George Mason - ultimately with a Neuroscience degree.
-
He then worked in pharmaceutical market research for ~8 months, but that wasn’t a great fit so he quit and traveled. Arta spent 3 months driving across the U.S. (avoiding a few close calls on the road) and afterwards ended up at the National Institute on Drug Abuse, supporting research on diseases like ALS.
-
During this time, he tried to be a lot more outgoing, which led him to meet his girlfriend of 7 years! It also helped him tap back into his passion for comedy. Arta began performing standup at open mics, but once he moved to Philly in 2022 he took a step back.
-
Treating comedy less like work and more like fun, he shifted to making videos on social media, which he still enjoys. And career-wise he learned how to code and took a job in bioinformatics. Now, he enjoys his balance of life and complements it with trips with his girlfriend, traveling to places like the @petrifiedforestnps and the Florida Keys! So nice to meet you, @arta.the.arta!
•
How we met: Arta saw my Philly @reddit post looking for people to meet!
•
#10kfriends #philly #centercity #improv #comedy #nova #georgemason #neuroscience #roadtrip #relationship #standup #socialmedia #bioinformatics #travel #somegoodnews #robs10kfriends #meetingpeople
•
Click the link in my bio if you’d like to support me via Patreon! 🙏🏼

6673. “The Navy’s ad was at the top of the sea

6673. “The Navy’s ad was at the top of the search and so I clicked.”
-
When Steve Kirby finished school, he didn’t know what to do next. He’d studied Geography & Political Science at @westernmichu (where he met his wife) and got his International Relations master’s at @marquetteu. So he searched joining the military with a college degree and ended up become a @usnavy officer!
-
Steve spent 8 years in active duty; a time during which he spent 3 years deployed to places like Kuwait, Iraq and the Mediterranean Sea. And then after 2 years of other jobs he began working for the Navy again as a civilian. Now ~9.5 years later, though, he’s exploring a new chapter.
-
Steve left his job 3 weeks ago and is currently taking some time to decide his next move. He’s volunteering at the @seamaac food pantry, he’s practicing mindfulness and meditation, he’s staying active at @cityfitnessphilly and he’s enjoying hanging with his wife and friends!
-
While he hopes to apply his military logistics background to something like a food nonprofit, for now he’s just enjoying the intentional time off. A period in which he’ll hopefully hit a few @detroitlionsnfl games (as a season ticket holder) and visit some new national parks with his wife! Great hanging with you, @stevengkirby!
•
How we met: Steve saw my Philly @reddit post looking for people to meet!
•
#10kfriends #philly #southphilly #michigan #marquette #navy #military #newchapter #volunteer #seamaac #fitness #family #detroitlions #nationalparks #somegoodnews #robs10kfriends #meetingpeople
•
Click the link in my bio if you’d like to support me via Patreon! 🙏🏼

6672. “That whole month of July 2023 totally cha

6672. “That whole month of July 2023 totally changed my life.”
-
Originally from Houston, PA (a town of ~1,000 people), Kierra Lee grew up riding dirt bikes on dirt hills with her brother. She was homeschooled until 8th grade and didn’t really know much about her opportunities until she got to high school. So she never considered college.
-
But during her junior year she had a friend who went to the college fair. And because Kierra felt left out, she went home and told her dad that day that she wanted to go to college. So they googled the requirements, she took the SATs, got her aid in order and ended up attending @christophernewportu in Virginia.
-
Kierra decided she’d become a doctor and make her family proud. But 4 years later of studying Pre-Med & Molecular Biology, she realized she, in fact, did not want to be a doctor. Instead, she moved up to Philly and eventually got into administrative work. But at the same time, she began fostering her passion for comedy & writing.
-
Kierra turned every high school project into a video skit, she took part in a musical in college and she realized she loved making light out of the dark parts of her life. Therefore, she took a @ucla writing course in July of 2023 and reinforced her aspirations. Not only did she enjoy the class, she found a mentor in her @airbnb host, Debbie, who encouraged her progress!
-
And since then, Kierra’s watched her dreams slowly unfold. From booking paid gigs (she’s performing tonight at @moonrose.vintage with @more_please_philly) to performing in comedy festivals to appearing on podcasts, she’s now working towards joining the ranks of her favorites - comedians like @mariabamfordcomedy, @garygulman and @emophilips! Awesome hanging with you, @kierrabirdie!
•
How we met: Kierra heard about my project via @montaguecomedy (#5673) and then DM’ed me to meet!
•
#10kfriends #philly #fairmount #houston #dirtbike #christophernewport #mollecularbiology #comedy #writing #ucla #airbnb #standup #comedian #dreams #somegoodnews #robs10kfriends #meetingpeople
•
Click the link in my bio if you’d like to support me via Patreon! 🙏🏼

6671. “My town was around 80 and I had a 2 hour

6671. “My town was around 80 and I had a 2 hour bus ride to school.”
-
Jason Herwick grew up in a small town outside of Albany, NY where his dad worked as a correctional officer and his mom worked as a cafeteria woman. He preferred simple things like fishing in a pond over taking fancy vacations. And he attended a very small high school.
-
Therefore, he always valued human connection and always had a patience for conversation. So when he went to @sunyplattsburgh he studied Psychology and attained his master’s to become a therapist. Jason then moved to Philly site-unseen with his friends and dove into his career.
-
Over the last decade, he’s worked with low income families, low level criminals, sex offenders and health care professionals. And what’s stuck out to him is that everyone under 40 relates their problems to the internet / social media while people over 40 rarely do. But at the end of the day, most people’s issues come down to a lack of resources or a lack of communication.
-
Now, making a transition in his career, Jason’s shifting to a private practice. However, he still values the simplicity he grew up with. For that reason, he hopes to someday ideally work 3 days a week while spending the other days creating, painting, taking long walks in the city and casually running into friends - letting his life unfold in a relaxed, spontaneous manner! So nice to meet you, @herwick!
•
How we met: Jason saw my Philly @reddit post looking for people to meet!
•
#10kfriends #philly #westphilly #smalltown #bluecollar #connection #conversation #patience #sunyplattsburgh #therapist #resources #communication #privatepractice #easygoing #somegoodnews #robs10kfriends #meetingpeople
•
Click the link in my bio if you’d like to support me via Patreon! 🙏🏼

6670. “I guess all of the little things.” - Wi

6670. “I guess all of the little things.”
-
With a 3.5-year old son and a 7-month old daughter, David Lemons wants to pass on the little things from his childhood. Like the fact that his family always went out to get a real Christmas tree. Or that they spent summers visiting his grandparents at the lake. Or even that he grew up with a passion for music.
-
David played violin and guitar, but he also invested a lot of time into athletics. He swam competitively in high school and played water polo at @drexeluniv. And shortly into his time there, David met his wife when their RA took them to First Friday in Old City!
-
David and his wife talked the whole walk back from 2nd to 35th street and 4 years later they got married! Since then, they’ve both progressed in their careers with David using his Architectural Engineering degree to land at a real estate company. And now they’re finding the balance between work, parenthood and everything else.
-
While they definitely don’t have the time they used to, David still managed to run the @philly_marathon last year. And now, he’s using his lunch breaks to lift/run/swim while listening to bands like @theplotinyouofficial, @bringmethehorizon and @linkinpark to stay motivated! Great hanging with you, @limonlar!
•
How we met: David saw my Philly @reddit post looking for people to meet!
•
#10kfriends #philly #universitycity #littlethings #fatherhood #christmas #lake #music #waterpolo #firstfriday #marriage #architecturalengineering #family #fitness #theplotinyou #somegoodnews #robs10kfriends #meetingpeople
•
Click the link in my bio if you’d like to support me via Patreon! 🙏🏼

6669. “Something I’ve started to do in every c

6669. “Something I’ve started to do in every city I go to now abroad is I will try and go to the local metal bar or the local dive bar. I find no one, no tourist stumbles into there. People go there intentionally and they go there because they’re passionate about that scene.”
-
Sheldon Tarpey took his first solo trip in September when he traveled to Valencia. And he had such a positive experience that he’s already booked his travel for next year! “I’m doing Finland down through Poland through like all of the Baltic states. So Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania.”
-
For most of his life, though, he remained in the same location. Since the age of 4, Sheldon grew up in Birmingham, England where he developed a passion for psychology. “The study of human behavior is something I find so fascinating.”
-
But when he went to university, he struggled to keep up with the competition. Therefore, he studied Marketing (combining psychology and economics) and now works in advertising strategy. “There’s a funny joke in the industry which is like strategists are frustrated creatives and I’m just like no, I’m a very frustrated psychologist actually.”
-
While he built most of his career in Birmingham, Sheldon just moved to London back in March, hoping to increase his professional opportunities. But ever since, he feels like he’s made a ton of personal progress as well! “There’s a saying that ‘change brings change’ so when I moved my life down everything else seemed easy.” Awesome hanging with you, @sheldonlt!
•
How we met: Sheldon came across my project via his friend, @alexlewisig (#6666), and then DM’ed me to meet!
•
Swipe to hear more about how having an epileptic seizure in 2020 impacted Sheldon’s life! 🚎❤️
•
#10kfriends #philly #london #uk #metal #divebar #connection #baltic #birmingham #psychology #marketing #travel #change #somegoodnews #robs10kfriends #meetingpeople
•
Click the link in my bio if you’d like to support me via Patreon! 🙏🏼

6668. “Don’t do something because it’s tradi

6668. “Don’t do something because it’s tradition. Do something because it means something to you.”
-
As an event coordinator, Carley Finn cares a lot about the intention behind events. Perhaps because the first one she ever ran held deep significance for her family.
-
When she was 13 years old, her stepdad was diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease. And wanting to be able to help in some way, Carley hosted a Pancakes for Parkinson’s fundraiser at her local Applebee’s. They raised about $500 that year, but worked their way up to ~$10,000 just before Covid!
-
During this time, Carley also formalized her passion by studying Hospitality & Tourism at @stocktonuniversity. And afterwards, she worked at a couple of places before landing a dream job - coordinating events for @habitatforhumanity.
-
Now, she taps into the core of what people want by attending events. She thinks back to her dad’s brain surgery 5 years ago, which occurred on Thanksgiving, and how the next day he wanted a piece of pie before his turkey. Though it wasn’t the “right” order, it meant comfort for him to have pie in that moment.
-
So now Carley brings this mindset to work. She cares about the underlying promises of events and someday hopes to apply this to personal gatherings (like themed dinner parties) as well. But she also cares about the simple things like hiking, reading and seeing family - because on top of spending time with her parents she’s the youngest of 10 siblings and lives with her older cousin! So great to meet you, @curlymnstrfries!
•
How we met: Carley saw my Philly @reddit post looking for people to meet! (📸: @photolope (#72))
•
#10kfriends #philly #dilworthpark #meaning #eventcoordinator #pancakesforparkinsons #stocktonuniversity #habitatforhumanity #pie #dinnerparty #hiking #family #somegoodnews #robs10kfriends #meetingpeo
•
Click the link in my bio if you’d like to support me via Patreon! 🙏🏼

6667. “I basically kind of moved here on a whim.

6667. “I basically kind of moved here on a whim.”
-
Last February, Gabriella Lobue visited Philly with her mom just for fun, but because of that trip she moved here last month! Originally from North Jersey, she’s actually spent most of her adult life in Ithaca, New York.
-
Because she had a passion for music and editing, Gabriella took a video production class in high school, leading her to study Film at @ithacacollege.
-
She truly enjoyed the work and could spend countless hours in front of her computer making recut trailers. For example, editing the @thewalkingdead to look like a comedy trailer. However, after interning at a trailer house in LA, she realized Film wasn’t for her.
-
Therefore, she turned her Business minor into a master’s in Business Analytics at @hofstrau and then jumped into the field! Throughout her career, she’s become more of a business intelligence engineer, valuing the analytical, creative and technical aspects of the role.
-
But outside of it, she’s enjoyed finding a sense of independence, which she’s done through moving to Philly and settling into her interests. As she makes herself at home here, Gabriella’s keeping up with CrossFit and running, she’s listening to alternative & country music and she’s loving hanging with her 2 cats! So nice to meet you, Gabriella!
•
How we met: Gabriella saw my Philly @reddit post looking for people to meet!
•
#10kfriends #philly #fairmount #bigmove #ithaca #music #editing #videoproduction #recuttrailer #businessanalytics #crossfit #running #cats #somegoodnews #robs10kfriends #meetingpeople
•
Click the link in my bio if you’d like to support me via Patreon! 🙏🏼

6666. “My parents owned a small business that wa

6666. “My parents owned a small business that was in the marine business and we traveled for like dealer meetings and stuff. But mostly in like Florida…so I was used to planes and airports and hotels and that kind of stuff, but never really like exotic travel.”
-
Growing up in Bobcaygeon, Ontario (a town of ~2,000 people), Alex Lewis became comfortable with travel, but never went too far. After graduating from @torontomet and beginning his career, though, he ventured into the world.
-
“[In January of 2020] I quit my job, went to Iceland and I was starting day one back from Iceland at this [new] job. Ended up calling in sick at that day one because I was stuck in the Keflavik airport because they had had the worst storm they’d had in like 10 years.”
-
Luckily, Alex managed to keep his ed tech job, and over the years worked his way up to his current company, @shopify. But in this time he also became more nomadic.
-
In January of 2022, he joined a friend on a trip to Colombia for a few months. “That year I spent that summer in Portugal…then that following winter was like pretty long. I started in Argentina went through Uruguay, Peru, Mexico City, Colombia again and then back to Canada for the summer.”
-
Alex leveraged orgs like @remoteyear to complement his travels and through his experiences learned how to speak Spanish. Therefore, he’s heading back to Argentina next year and has fallen in love with places like Valencia, thinking he could someday live in either location.
-
But while travel and his career take up a good portion of his time, Alex also appreciates the simpler parts of life! He enjoys hanging with his parents, sister and niece, working out to stay physically, mentally and spiritually fit and being extroverted no matter where he’s located! Great hanging with you, @alexlewisig!
•
How we met: I saw Alex on @linkedin through @paigegoldstein_ (#6458) and then messaged him to meet!
•
Swipe to hear more about why Alex loved Argentina! ✈️🇦🇷
•
#10kfriends #philly #toronto #ontario #bobcaygeon #travel #torontomet #iceland #shopify #digitalnomad #colombia #argentina #remoteyear #spanish #family #fitness #extrovert #somegoodnews #robs10kfriends #meetingpeople

6665. “It’s kind of like programming except yo

6665. “It’s kind of like programming except you get a direct response.”
-
When Nate Smith’s not working his IT job, he enjoys spending time with his wife (they’ve been together for 15 years), playing video games and making music!
-
Originally from Malvern (he’s the shortest of his siblings), he met his wife during high school after he moved into her neighborhood. They then both attended @wcuofpa, and afterwards moved to Georgia for Nate’s wife’s master’s degree.
-
Nate worked remotely during their 5 years there and then switched jobs to a blockchain company once they moved to NYC. This past August, though, they settled down back in Philly!
-
Now, they enjoy activities like walking along the Schuylkill Banks. But at home, Nate loves playing @rocketleague and indie games with his friends. He also enjoys developing his own games, but more so appreciates the immediate gratification of music.
-
Having played guitar for years, Nate likes making songs specifically for video games; however, when it comes to listening, he enjoys rising artists like @hot.chip, @born_at_midnite and @fcukers_! Awesome hanging with you, @naughtsmith!
•
How we met: Nate saw my Philly @reddit post looking for people to meet!
•
#10kfriends #philly #centercity #it #marriage #videogames #music #malvern #westchester #georgia #nyc #rocketleague #musicproduction #creativity #somegoodnews #robs10kfriends #meetingpeople
•
Click the link in my bio if you’d like to support me via Patreon! 🙏🏼

6664. “I think screenwriting is the speed at whi

6664. “I think screenwriting is the speed at which my train of thought lives best.”
-
In 4th grade, Mimi Stringfield unknowingly entered and won a contest. Her teacher had secretly submitted her writing to a poetry fellowship. And before she knew it, Mimi was sitting in a classroom surrounded by adults, honing her poetry skills. From that point on she was destined to become a writer, but first she had to finish her education.
-
A bridge baby™, Mimi grew up between Philly and South Jersey and attended a performing arts high school where she took classes like drama and yoga. For college, she attended @drexeluniv (while working full-time) where she studied Communications with a focus on Marketing. And now alongside her work at a doctor membership org, Mimi’s finding her voice as a writer!
-
She’s already dabbled in lit fic, has gotten bylines in publications like @vogue and has been a finalist in screenwriting incubators. But going forward she hopes to build on these accomplishments.
-
Mimi doesn’t care about notoriety or winning an award like an Emmy; she simply wants to enjoy the journey of exploring different writing styles, finding which ones work best for her and sharing them with the world - all while enjoying some downtime with her cat! So great to meet you, @mimistringfield!
•
How we met: Mimi saw my Philly @reddit post looking for people to meet!
•
#10kfriends #philly #lovepark #screenwriting #poetry #writer #performingarts #drexel #marketing #litfic #vogue #incubator #journey #cats #somegoodnews #robs10kfriends #meetingpeople
•
Click the link in my bio if you’d like to support me via Patreon! 🙏🏼

6663. “We spent almost an hour after the movie j

6663. “We spent almost an hour after the movie just talking about it.”
-
After 10 years away, Elton Torres just moved back to Philly 3 months ago! Though he denied it being home for a while, he realized he has the ability to spend more meaningful time with loved ones here - whether he’s analyzing the film, “Mystic River,” with his sister or strolling the city with his longtime friends!
-
While he was born in the Philippines, Elton moved to the Frankford neighborhood of Philly at 5 years old. He never felt like he fit in, though, so instead of imagining his future he chose to romanticize the past.
-
Elton studied Classical Studies and Art History at @uofpenn and afterwards built his career in executive assisting at places like an auction house and Penn’s rare books museum.
-
About 10 years ago, though, he moved to Japan to teach English and then settled in Seattle 6 years ago. There, Elton got back into his assisting career at the Seattle Opera, but he eventually felt like Philly had more to offer so he came back!
-
Now, he’s adjusting to the feeling of seeing familiar faces, exploring updated places and imagining a future set here at home! So nice to meet you, @elt220!
•
How we met: Elton saw my Philly @reddit post looking for people to meet!
•
#10kfriends #philly #dilworthpark #mysticriver #philippines #upenn #classicstudies #arthistory #japan #seattle #qualitytime #family #home #somegoodnews #robs10kfriends #meetingpeople
•
Click the link in my bio if you’d like to support me via Patreon! 🙏🏼

6662. “I joined and never looked back and now I

6662. “I joined and never looked back and now I play 3 times a week on 3 different teams.”
-
Kristin Lepley has always been an avid athlete. Originally from Harrisburg, she played basketball and soccer until high school, but then stuck to her role as center mid on the field!
-
Kristin then went on to play at @millersvilleu; a time during which she attained her Business degree with a focus on Marketing. She also worked as a bartender at @rubytuesday, so after school she transferred to their Plymouth Meeting location because she had a close friend in Philly.
-
Thanks to that same friend, Kristin began playing in the @casasoccerphilly league for fun. But once her team captain moved, she became more involved. Kristin took over her captain’s role in Casa - and she actually took over her real estate appraisal day job too.
-
She figured she’d enjoy the new path beyond bartending; however, Kristin really knew she wanted to dive further into the soccer league. Therefore, she was elated last Dec when she learned she could join them full-time this past Jan.
-
Now, she works a dream job, which involves traveling to tournaments in Texas and across the northeast and creating community for people of all different backgrounds. But best of all, she gets to continue playing the sport she loves with a group of people she loves! Great hanging with you, @kristinlepley!
•
How we met: Kristin heard about my project through her colleague, Mike McKinney (#6642), and then DM’ed me to meet!
•
#10kfriends #philly #fairmount #harrisburg #soccer #centermid #millersville #rubytuesday #bartender #realsstateappraisal #casasoccer #community #dreamjob #somegoodnews #robs10kfriends #meetingpeople
•
Click the link in my bio if you’d like to support me via Patreon! 🙏🏼

6661. “I remember sitting on the porch and I rem

6661. “I remember sitting on the porch and I remember the rainstorm because I remember the question.”
-
At 3 years old, Anthony Ruffino sat on the front porch with his dad and asked him, “What’s lightning?” To which his dad replied, “You’re the smart one, you figure it out.” And so he did!
-
As he grew older in his hometown of Oneonta, NY, Anthony became interested in everything from how magnets work to the underlying structure that holds our individual perspectives together.
-
So, on top of working at his family’s pizza shop, he developed a fascination with physics, which he majored in at @rittigers. He then moved to Philly to attain his master’s and PhD at @drexeluniv, and now he continues to work in the lab there!
-
Through his research, Anthony looks at areas like inelastic light scattering, electric dipoles and phases transitions - using equipment that he pretty much assembled on his own. Therefore, he shared he spends about 96% of his time fixing things, 4% measuring actual tests and 1% analyzing.
-
He really enjoys his work, though, as he’s living the dream he had as a kid. But he also enjoys life outside of it. When he’s not in the lab (or even sometimes when he’s in it), Anthony loves listening to artists like @daftpunk, playing video games like @minecraft, playing piano and guitar, hanging with his cat and spending time with his wife! Awesome hanging with you, @raman_noodles_phd!
•
How we met: Anthony saw my Philly @reddit post looking for people to meet!
•
#10kfriends #philly #universitycity #lightning #oneonta #pizzashop #rit #physics #drexel #phd #dipoles #daftpunk #minecraft #cat #marriage #somegoodnews #robs10kfriends #meetingpeople
•
Click the link in my bio if you’d like to support me via Patreon! 🙏🏼

6660. “In the hospital with everyone visiting me

6660. “In the hospital with everyone visiting me.”
-
On September 2nd of this year, Chuck Conners was out golfing with his buddies. On September 3rd he was being medevaced to the hospital.
-
That morning, he laid down with a headache that just wouldn’t go away and he soon began struggling to talk. After making his way to the ER, Chuck learned that he had a cavernous malformation (collection of abnormal blood vessels) on his brain that required brain surgery.
-
But while there he suffered a serious seizure, blacked out and woke up 2 days later with the doctors removing the breathing tube from his throat. Since then, Chuck’s been recovering really well physically, but he’s also had to manage panic attacks and anxiety.
-
Never a writer before, he started journaling to let out his thoughts and eventually the worlds began spilling out of him. He wrote morning to night (as he was out of work), only breaking to read and take care of his now 18-month old daughter. And before he knew it, Chuck amassed ~40k words, which he turned into @1percentbettr_; a collection of thoughts on everything from his brain surgery to leadership to resilience!
-
Having run multiple inside sales teams, he realized that the true fulfillment of his job comes from the colleagues he’s able to develop. And similarly, going through his surgery he learned that his true happiness comes from his loved ones.
-
Therefore, despite his life being turned upside down in September, Chuck now reflects most frequently on the good part. The fact that as he laid there in recovery, he experienced a true outpouring of love, seeing his family and friends all gathered to visit him! So awesome to meet you, @chuckconners10!
•
How we met: Chuck and I were introduced via text by our mutual friend, @steve_mahoney2!
•
#10kfriends #philly #norristown #medevac #cavernousmalformation #brainsurgery #mentalhealth #journaling #author #1percentbttr #progressnotperfection #family #friends #gratitude #somegoodnews #robs10kfriends #meetingpeople
•
Click the link in my bio if you’d like to support me via Patreon! 🙏🏼

6659. “I think there was a beauty to their relat

6659. “I think there was a beauty to their relationship that even as a kid I could tell.”
-
Meredith Rebar grew up with an amazing set of parents, who both had a hand in raising her while enjoying their computer programming careers. Therefore, as an only child, she felt particularly impacted by their loss. Meredith lost her mom to lung cancer when she was just 12 years old and her dad to multiple myeloma 2 years ago.
-
Despite this, she’s carried their memories with her as she’s forged her own path in life. From a young age Meredith was hustling cookies through @girlscouts, selling dog bandanas and training & selling horses (she also rode competitively). So when she got to @pennstate, she naturally maintained her ambition.
-
On top of working at Blockbuster, Meredith booked shows for local bands and thanks to @drinkzenos fell in love with and began brewing her own beer. Upon graduating with her Marketing degree, she then worked for the @americancancersociety for a bit, did marketing for a beer wholesaler and eventually shifted into entrepreneurship.
-
Since the end of 2016, Meredith’s run @homebrewedevents full-time hosting everything from brewing classes to festivals. Now, she works with several breweries, does 20+ large events each year and going forward plans to continue growing her business.
-
While the last couple of years have involved handling all of the details of her dad’s passing, she’s now looking forward to the future - teaching yoga classes (since she got certified in Jan), maybe starting a music & beer club and hopefully someday owning her own community space! Great hanging with you, @cherrydarlinga_go_go!
•
How we met: Meredith came across my project via @instagram and then DM’ed me to meet!
•
#10kfriends #philly #norristown #parents #lovedones #inmemory #pennstate #homebrewing #beer #breweries #beerfestival #yoga #music #community #somegoodnews #robs10kfriends #meetingpeople
•
Click the link in my bio if you’d like to support me via Patreon! 🙏🏼

6658. “Just picture a 72 year old rocking out to

6658. “Just picture a 72 year old rocking out to Pitbull on the dance floor.”
-
As a line dance instructor & DJ, Ashley Rose knows how to fill the dance floor with people of all ages. These days, she’s playing a lot of @shaboozey’s “A Bar Song,” @westlife’s “Hello My Love” and @alesso’s “I Like It.” But 2 years ago, Ashley wasn’t DJ’ing or dancing at all!
-
Born and raised in northeast Philly, she spent her college years doing service and studying Journalism. Through her church, Ashley spent 6 months in Uganda, helping children in need. And after coming home, she wanted to go back to capture their stories and showcase the impact of donors.
-
However, she stayed here, finished her degree at @templeuniv, got married at 22 years old and had her first son at 23. Therefore, she did photography on the side, but after having her second son and her daughter focused on raising her kids.
-
Two years ago, though, Ashley got divorced and turned to line dancing as an outlet. She simply enjoyed the distraction, but 6 months later started learning how to DJ, and 6 months after that created her own business! Now, Ashley instructs / DJ’s at several venues like @americanlegionpost458, @ten7brewingco, @thestableschestersprings and @wildwoods_honkytonk!
-
Following what feels like a calling, she’s turned her hobby into a true path, and going forward plans to continually to grow. Balancing her career and motherhood, Ashley hopes to create online lessons so she can soon teach line dancing to folks across the world! Awesome hanging with you, @djashleyrose!
•
How we met: Ashley heard about my project through her friend, @bestofness_ (#204), and then DM’ed me to meet!
•
#10kfriends #philly #ambler #linedancing #linedanceinstructor #dj #uganda #service #journalism #temple #mother #businessowner #godsplan #somegoodnews #robs10kfriends #meetingpeople
•
Click the link in my bio if you’d like to support me via Patreon! 🙏🏼

6657. “I was a teenager in the 90s so Smashing P

6657. “I was a teenager in the 90s so Smashing Pumpkins will always be in there.”
-
When Laura Velasco and her husband began dating they bonded over shared interests like foreign films, podcasts and concerts.
-
Having grown up in the 90s, Laura enjoys the @smashingpumpkins, but she and her husband also love artists like @honeymoon and @sufjan. Together they’ve been to live taping of shows like @criminal_podcast. And during the early years of their relationship, they’d go to the Baxter Avenue Theatres, discovering films like @asgharfarhadiofficial’s “A Separation.”
-
Born and raised in Kentucky, Laura grew up in Owensboro, but moved out to attend @universityoflouisville. And after undergrad, she got her master’s in Higher Ed Administration and worked back at the school. She then met her husband at a cookout and again at a @starbucks 9 months later, and after they got married they moved to Pittsburgh and then to Philly!
-
In that time, Laura got into institutional research, which led her into data analytics at @carnegiemellon and @uofpenn, but now she works in the corporate world. Outside of work, though, she stays plenty busy caring for her greyhound and her 8-year old son, and beyond that she enjoys her individual interests - running and reading whenever she has the time! So nice to meet you, Laura!
•
How we met: Laura saw my Philly @reddit post looking for people to meet!
•
#10kfriends #philly #fairmount #smashingpumpkins #foreignfilms #criminalpodcast #kentucky #louisville #highered #dataanalytics #family #greyhound #running #reading #somegoodnews #robs10kfriends #meetingpeople
•
Click the link in my bio if you’d like to support me via Patreon! 🙏🏼

6656. “It was always like come home from school,

6656. “It was always like come home from school, we all jump in the pickup truck, go like mow the lawns and do all the stuff.”
-
Christine Marchuska grew up in a very entrepreneurial family led mainly by her dad. “Right out of the gate he started buying apartment houses and doing all this entrepreneurial stuff and as a family we had to pull together - me and my 2 older brothers - and make it happen. So I’ve been working since I feel like I was 5 years old.”
-
With this ambitious foundation, Christine went off to attend @cornelluniversity, but while there became burnt out. “I was thinking of dropping out of Cornell and opening my own restaurant.” However, when a doctor told her that a lot of women have trouble graduating from there, she instead finished her degree in 3.5 years!
-
From there, Christine built a finance career in NYC, tried her own entrepreneurial venture, went back into finance, moved to Silicon Valley where she got into investor relations and then moved to Cambridge, Massachusetts. Shortly after having her daughter, though, she moved back to her hometown (Binghamton) and has been there ever since!
-
Now, Christine hopes to either continue her work in investor relations, sit on a corporate governance board or become a Three Principles practitioner / life coach. But overall, she’s more intentional about balance these days.
-
While she can still whip out her Wall Street trading floor attitude, she’s also happy to watch the @minions movies with her daughter, all while working towards her goals of having a lake house with her fiancé, a property in Tahoe and a property in Slovenia (where her grandparents immigrated from)! Great hanging with you, @cmarchuska!
•
How we met: Christine heard about my project through her friend, @rachel_rozen (#6508), and then DM’ed me to meet!
•
Swipe to hear more about Christine’s personality! 📈❤️
•
#10kfriends #philly #binghamton #newyork #realestate #familybusiness #cornell #finance #investorrelations #motherhood #threeprinciples #minions #laketahoe #slovenia #somegoodnews #robs10kfriends #meetingpeople
•
Click the link in my bio if you’d like to support me via Patreon! 🙏🏼

6655. “I knew my priorities…my career was so i

6655. “I knew my priorities…my career was so important, but I know my priorities in life since the boys were born. It’s the family. I love family.”
-
Growing up in Springfield, Illinois, Jamie Vost was painfully shy. So while he attended @usiedu, he took an internship at a local drug store and figured he’d just work his way up the ladder there - until he met his friend.
-
“The guy I was sitting next to in one of my classes, Dan…I remember his name so clearly…Dan Connors. And he and I, of course it was a night class, we go out and have beers and we end up playing racquetball.”
-
Through their friendship, Jamie learned that Dan was interning at @ibm, making double what he was making at the drugstore. Therefore, he interviewed and got a job there, leading him into a successful IT career!
-
However, Jamie’s found most of his fulfillment through family. After marrying his wife, whom he met through one of his softball leagues, Jamie had his two sons, now 30 & 28 years old.
-
And as he’s enjoyed raising them, he’s also maintained his personal interests: working out, playing tennis, hiking, learning philosophy and stoicism, reading, attending concerts here and there and ultimately meeting new people!
-
Now, having been retired for the last ~8 months, Jamie’s figuring out what his next challenges and goals will be. But at this point, he’s proud of what he’s accomplished so far! “As I put all of the pieces together I just feel very grateful that I had all this together and had the boys, you know, all of the vacations we did, the coaching soccer and basketball...” Awesome hanging with you, @jamesbvost!
•
How we met: Jamie heard about my project via Jamie Soo (#6609) and then DM’ed me to meet!
•
#10kfriends #philly #springfield #illinois #priorities #family #racquetball #ibm #IT #sales #fatherhood #fitness #stoicism #connection #gratitude #somegoodnews #robs10kfriends #meetingpeople
•
Click the link in my bio if you’d like to support me via Patreon! 🙏🏼

6654. “When we didn’t have a game last weekend

6654. “When we didn’t have a game last weekend I didn’t know what to do with myself.”
-
Recently, Alicia Leech has been studying where all of the @philadelphiaeagles players went to college - just in case she ever gets stopped by @joebonham. Born and raised in Philly, she loves all of the sports teams, but has yet to get to an Eagles game! Instead, she’s been spending her time walking dogs, which she enjoys as an animal lover.
-
After attending Central High School, Alicia went to @templeuniv to study Psychology. But during this time, she also worked as a dealer at @parxcasino. So after becoming burnt out and realizing she didn’t want to pay thousands of dollars to figure out her future, she dropped out.
-
She and her friend moved to Fishtown 2 years ago, and there Alicia sought a job that brought her joy instead of stress. Having dealt with mental health challenges in high school, she figured dogs were a good choice! And now, on top of her job, she aspires to become a therapist, helping others through their own struggles.
-
Outside of career, though, Alicia enjoys becoming a knowledgeable Philly sports fan while remaining a music virtuoso. She’s full of random musical facts because she listens to everyone from @deftones to @prince to @theweeknd. And beyond that she’s simply a lover of cats whether she’s caring for her own or looking at random ones on @reddit! So great to meet you, @lici.peach!
•
How we met: Alicia saw my Philly @reddit post looking for people to meet!
•
#10kfriends #philly #nolibs #eagles #dogwalker #centralhighschool #parxcasino #temple #psychology #mentalhealth #therapist #musicfacts #cats #somegoodnews #robs10kfriends #meetingpeople
•
Click the link in my bio if you’d like to support me via Patreon! 🙏🏼

6653. “The end is to provide for my family.” -

6653. “The end is to provide for my family.”
-
When Chad Smith was in school, he had 2 plans. He was either going to 1) join the military and fight in Afghanistan / Iraq or 2) get married and have a family. Whatever option he chose, though, he knew he was diving in 100%.
-
Therefore, after taking an interest in business during his sophomore year at @americanuniversity and starting to date his girlfriend (now wife), he opted for the family route.
-
Chad broke into sales after graduation, and has since found fulfillment in the progression of his career (he now sells capital projects). But everything he does is in service of his 3 daughters, making sure they’re set up for great college educations and futures.
-
Still, Chad has retained his own individual interests. And while they used to include endurance challenges like marathons and the Rocky 50k Run; he now finds himself training jiu-jitsu and playing drums in the church band.
-
These days it’s all about balance for Chad, and with his career, family and hobbies in place, he’s built a life he truly enjoys! So nice to meet you, @cjdonuthole!
•
How we met: Chad saw my Philly @reddit post looking for people to meet!
•
#10kfriends #philly #centercity #family #americanuniversity #sales #girldad #college #endurance #rocky50krun #jiujitsu #drums #church #balance #somegoodnews #robs10kfriends #meetingpeople
•
Click the link in my bio if you’d like to support me via Patreon! 🙏🏼

6652. “I think that would be cool, just a standa

6652. “I think that would be cool, just a standalone building.”
-
Coming from humble beginnings in Northeast Philly, Nick Holmes is now proud to run his own massage therapy practice, @phillysportsmassage!
-
After moving out of his home around 16 years old, he made his way to LA to take classes at @smcedu and originally planned to go into physical therapy. Once they changed the requirements to include a doctorate, however, Nick pursued his degree in Biology & Creative Writing instead.
-
He then got into massage therapy, but still approached it like a physical therapist. And over the years of teaching the skill, working under a French PT and watching his friends excel in their Etsy and landscaping businesses, Nick gained the confidence to go out on his own!
-
He found a Center City office and now has a different space in the same building with 3 rooms and a lobby. And someday down the road, he hopes to grow big enough to have his own building! For now, though, Nick is just grateful for how far he’s come.
-
In addition to his business, he has a wife and 2 kids, a home in Delco, and he’s pursuing his master’s in Genomics at @saintjosephs. Because on top of the massage therapy work he does, he truly cares about communicating studies in layman’s terms - helping prevent falsehoods about what is and isn’t healthy! Great hanging with you, @nicadelphia!
•
How we met: Nick saw my Philly @reddit post looking for people to meet!
•
#10kfriends #philly #rittenhousesquare #massagetherapist #pt #biology #creativewriting #businessowner #family #genomics #stjoes #author #scientificstudy #health #somegoodnews #robs10kfriends #meetingpeople
•
Click the link in my bio if you’d like to support me via Patreon! 🙏🏼

6651. “One of my favorite shows is Rehab Addict.

6651. “One of my favorite shows is Rehab Addict.”
-
As someone who appreciates history, Meghan loves watching @detroitdesign restore homes to their original states. She also loves research and therefore aspires to someday do something with @archivesphl, but for now she’s still settling into the city!
-
Born and raised in Indianapolis, Meghan lived there until she was 26 years old. She studied English Language & Literature at @indianastateuniversity and afterwards started her career in HR. But ~4 years later, she began working with associations, managing memberships and budgets - a shift that took her up to Chicago.
-
While there, Meghan met her husband in 2019, got married in 2021, and last January they moved to Philly together for his job as a pilot! In that time, Meghan’s taken a break from work, focusing instead on their move and arrival here. But on the side she’s volunteered at places like @hairs2uwigbank and a cat shelter (she has 2 cats of her own and has fostered everything from rabbits to pigs).
-
Going forward, she hopes to dive back into her career, doing something like working with the archives or working as a legal assistant. But she’s also looking forward to someday becoming a homeowner in Philly and decorating her space with places like her “weird room,” filling it with tacky handmade art from the 60s and 70s! Awesome hanging with you, Meghan!
•
How we met: Meghan saw my Philly @reddit post looking for people to meet!
•
#10kfriends #philly #nolibs #rehabaddict #archives #research #indianapolis #indianastate #associations #marriage #volunteer #cats #legalassistant #handmadeart #somegoodnews #robs10kfriends #meetingpeople
•
Click the link in my bio if you’d like to support me via Patreon! 🙏🏼

6650. “Usually the paintings I think of are thin

6650. “Usually the paintings I think of are things I see in my dreams.”
-
Alexandra Kurowski has always been inspired by art; particularly artists like Alice Neel. After growing up in the nature of Tennessee, Alexandra moved to Philly at 8 years old. And once here, she fostered her passion for art, yet never wanted to commoditize it.
-
Therefore, she made her way into nutrition in 2008, and found an office to work out of within a reiki school. Since she was raised by a New Age mom and had done tarot card readings since she was 18, Alexandra felt right at home.
-
She became friends with the school’s events manager (they still do daily walks in the Wissahickon together), started to get involved with the school and then helped take it over once the owners moved.
-
Since 2013 (officially), Alexandra’s been working with multiple healing arts like tarot readings, reiki and sound bath healings, and she continues to run her business, @house_of_adelphi, to this day. But on top of this, she’s stayed busy through raising her 3 kids - now 21, 18 & 12 years old!
-
And when she has the free time, Alexandra still loves art - whether she’s expressing herself through her counter-culture personality, attending local theater shows, sketching by the Rodin Museum with friends or painting her dreams!
Awesome hanging with you, @house_of_adelphi!
•
How we met: Alexandra came across my project via her friend, @rajadain (#6079) and then DM’ed me to meet!
•
#10kfriends #philly #fairmount #dreams #art #aliceneel #tennessee #nutrition #reiki #tarotcards #soundbath #houseofadelphi #motherhood #counterculture #sketching #somegoodnews #robs10kfriends #meetingpeople
•
Click the link in my bio if you’d like to support me via Patreon! 🙏🏼