Inflection Point Camaraderie
Over the summer, I wrote about building High-Connective Experiences for Founders1, which was half thesis on building group experiences and half reflection on my time at Hampton.
I stated, “Connection matters most at moments of inflection,” and as I teeter on the edge of inflection, I am enjoying talking and being with people who are pregnant too. For me, it’s not just someone who’s a Mom but … someone who’s pregnant, ideally in their 3rd trimester, for the first time, who’s negotiating when and how an entire identity shift thats definitely-going-to-come-but-hasn’t-fully-arrived-yet2 is about to rock their world. I’ve prioritized meeting with fellow pregnant women in my neighborhood and signed up for a first time moms group, filled with others hovering around a similar birth window. Camaraderie doesn’t feel nice right now, it feels urgent.
While I tout the importance of perspective - people behind and ahead of you in - I’m feeling that I distinctly need “walking side-by-side” people right now, even if its the blind leading the blind. I don’t like to be told how to do things3. I like messing it up and making mistakes to frontier my own path. Call it a first born thing.
It’s kind of strange to accumulate new relationships in this moment. And it’s interesting to observe my instincts in myself and others - how people want to connect during high stakes, life altering moments. It’s challenging my assumptions and expanding my beliefs of what makes for great groups and deep connections. Inflection points are intense and this one creates a sense of urgency I’ve never experienced before.
What other inflection points pushed you to challenge your thinking, ways of being and people you surround yourself with? The way I’m relating and in relation to people right now is fascinating me!
Podcast & Hiring Alert
Last month I spoke with Supra Insider about how I hire. I wasn’t hiring then but oh how quickly things change. I’m bringing on another teammate. Job description here. More about the role here:
Podcast here 🎙️
Culture Clicks
🌭 As a New Yorker who eats delicious food regularly, I feel jaded and often hard to surprise and delight when it comes to truly outstanding food. Recently I had an amazing food. The chocolate babka at Miss Ada, Salt Hank’s4 at the U.S. Open, the French Toast at Lonnie’s5. What a time to be eating. Also: a 90’s delicacy as pictured below.
📺 I cannot get myself to read a novel or watch anything with a cohesive narrative. So it’s reality TV6 and stand up for me. Jared Freid’s latest special hit too close to home and I was reeling in pain from laughing.
🏡 We’re in the process of intense nesting in a hurry to get everything in order and have a perfect apartment before my due date, lol. Here are things we’ve ordered that have been worth it. Lighting. Shoe storage. Buying second hand knick knacks from thrift stores. Oh, and outsourcing the research. I’ve also been throwing things out aggressively and returning about half of what we buy. Did you know you can put your name on a waitlist before you get to Buffalo Exchange7 or Ikea to save you IRL wait time? It’s a great time hack!
Substack clicks
I’m Jori Bell, VP of Core at Hampton and a coach for Product Leaders. Learn more about my coaching practice here.
this title sucked. who approved that? definitely not Claude.
Just ask my husband, he loves this about me. 🙄
This article just dropped and I’m upset bc I think it’ll be harder to get a last minute table now. Bold statement to call Boerum Hill the “West Village of Brooklyn”
though shall not be named, just cited.
I have obviously and already disowned by whole wardrobe.