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

About this episode

Chris Schembra discusses the loneliness epidemic and how designed friction can help build meaningful relationships.

Chris Schembra is a Wall Street Journal bestselling author, gratitude strategist, and founder of the 747 Club — a dinner party experience that has brought together tens of thousands of people across the globe. In this episode, Chris takes us back to July 15, 2015, the night he invited 15 strangers to his 300-square-foot Manhattan apartment, made a simple pasta sauce, and asked one question that changed everything: "Who have you never thought to thank?" What emerged wasn't just a dinner — it was a movement. Chris breaks down the concept of "designed friction" and why our obsession with frictionless connection has made us lonelier than ever. You'll walk away with three actionable pillars — presence, intimacy, and coherence — to start building more meaningful relationships starting today. Find Chris Online: Website: ⁠ http://www.chrisschembra.com/⁠ Linkedin: ⁠ https://www.linkedin.com/in/schembra/⁠ Chapters: 0:00 — Welcome & Chris Challenges Brian to Do the Opposite 1:39 — July 15th, 2015: Brian Sets Up the Origin Story 2:44 — Chris Begins: Life Before the Dinner Party 4:41 — The Moment in Rome That Changed Everything 6:01 — From Murphy Bed to Pasta Sauce 7:37 — The First Dinner…

People in this episode

Host: Brian Ondrako

Guest: Chris Schembra

Topics covered

• loneliness
• gratitude
• relationships
• dinner party
• designed friction

Keywords

• loneliness
• gratitude
• dinner party
• relationships
• designed friction
• intimacy
• coherence

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: Wall Street Journal, 747 Club

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