What’s the difference between collecting contacts and building real relationships?

Award-winning communications executive—and lifelong super-connector—Jon Harris joins us to share what more than three decades of bringing people together has taught him about curiosity, generosity and the relationships that remain long after jobs and titles change.

Jon opens up about the difficult childhood that shaped his commitment to helping others, why he believes the best networkers give without keeping score and what he has learned about asking for help during a professional transition of his own. He also introduces us to the Truffle Club, the trusted community of communications leaders he created during the pandemic, and reminds us why we should never let someone’s title stop us from saying hello.

Plus, Jeana and Rachel debate the increasingly popular wedding-day Irish goodbye and reflect on Dolly Parton’s legacy of generosity, joy and making the world a little brighter.

This episode is sponsored by Eventually. Visit eventuallyticketing.com/the-connection-code and use code CONNECT10 for 10% off your first year.

Media:

• Jon Harris: LinkedIn and Instagram @jonjayharris

• Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library: Learn about the book-gifting program
• Coyote vs. Acme: Official movie site and trailer
• Dare to Serve by Cheryl Bachelder here
• SocialWorks: Chance the Rapper’s Chicago nonprofit

What does it mean to love a place deeply and know when it’s time to leave?

New York Times bestselling author and Pulitzer Prize finalist Xochitl Gonzalez joins Jeana and Rachel for an expansive conversation about the places that make us, the people who remember our earlier selves, and the courage it takes to enter a new chapter.

Xochitl reflects on Brooklyn as both a hometown and a living archive. She also talks about writing Last Night in Brooklyn as one final love letter to the place that shaped her. She shares what decades-long friendships have taught her about grace, why closeness doesn’t always require constant contact, and how pre-digital friendship allowed people to become part of a community without feeling watched.

She also opens up about beginning her writing career in her 40s after years as a luxury wedding planner, the way class can narrow our sense of what’s possible, and why we should periodically reconsider our own “aperture of opportunity.” Plus, Xochitl talks manifestation, intergenerational mentorship, the connections she still hopes to make, and learning to trust that the road we started on isn’t necessarily the one we have to stay on.

Before the interview, Jeana and Rachel share moments when an improbable future felt inevitable. And in Show & Tell, they consider children’s autonomy online and whether we should ask permission before sharing photos of the people we love.

Media in this episode:

• Xochitl Gonzalez’s website
• Last Night in Brooklyn
• Olga Dies Dreaming
• Anita de Monte Laughs Last
• Need Blind: A Memoir of Class and Climbing in America
• Xochitl’s Substack
• Xochitl on Instagram

• Billy Joel: And So It Goes — the documentary that led Xochitl to a remarkable new connection.
• “Robby Hoffman Will Always Feel Poor, No Matter How Rich She Gets” — the New York Times interview Rachel references.

• Eventually Ticketing — use code CONNECT10 for 10% off the first year.

People-pleasing can look like kindness—but is it actually bringing us closer to one another?

In this episode, Rachel and Jeana examine how people-pleasing shows up at work, in friendships, in romantic relationships and even in hospitality. Inspired by Adam Grant’s writing on the subject, they explore the fear of disappointing others, why saying no can feel so loaded and how trying to earn someone’s approval can create an “authenticity gap” in the very relationships we’re hoping to strengthen.

They also discuss rejection as data, the difference between caring for someone and managing their feelings, and why clear communication may be one of the kindest relationship tools we have. Plus: a simple daily journaling practice, an invitation dilemma involving a Mother’s Day brunch and the question we can ask whenever we feel ourselves slipping into people-pleasing mode: Is this actually bringing me closer to this person—or am I simply trying to avoid discomfort?

Media mentioned in this episode:

• “The Truth About People Pleasing” by Adam Grant — the newsletter that inspired the conversation and includes the Kristen Bell example.
• "I Got Rejected 101 Times” by Emily Winter — the essay Jeana references about intentionally becoming more comfortable with rejection.
• “I Got Uninvited From Mother’s Day Brunch Because I’m Not a Mom” from Kramer & Jess — the call-in segment discussed during Show & Tell.
• Eventually — listeners can use code CONNECT10 for 10% off their first year.

• The Likability Trap by Alicia Menendez
• Suzy Welch’s Becoming You

What if the goal of a disagreement wasn’t to win, but to make the next conversation possible?

Rachel and Jeana talk with Harvard professor Julia Minson, author of How to Disagree Better, about what happens when we assume we already understand the other person. Julia shares a late-night disagreement with her daughter that went sideways, why curiosity needs to be spoken aloud, and a simple “curiosity sandwich” for expressing your view while staying open to someone else’s.

They also explore why personal stories can build trust where facts alone may fall short, and how asking a follow-up question shows someone you’re listening. Whether the disagreement is with a child, a friend, or a colleague, this episode offers ways to stay connected through it.

This season of The Connection Code is sponsored by Eventually. Visit ⁠eventuallyticketing.com/the-connection-code⁠ and use code CONNECT10 for 10% off your first year.

Other content to dig into:

• Read Julia's book ⁠How to Disagree Better⁠
• Dig into Julia's ⁠workshops and research⁠.
• ⁠The CBS News story about the four-year-old who brought his neighborhood together⁠—Rachel’s show-and-tell.

What happens when kids put down their phones and have the freedom to simply be kids?

Rachel and Jeana sit down with Tommy Hoffman, executive director of Herzl Camp, to explore why summer camp remains one of the rare places where young people can practice the art of conversation, navigate conflict, develop independence, and form meaningful friendships through repeated, real-life experiences.

Tommy shares how returning to camp after a 30-year career helped him find his “A+” calling—and what he has learned from watching hundreds of campers grow, connect, try new things, and become more confident in who they are. Together, they discuss camp as a sanctuary for childhood, the difference between witnessing connection through a screen and experiencing it for yourself, and the lessons adults can borrow from camp to build richer relationships of their own.

Plus, Rachel and Jeana tackle one of the least glamorous—but most important—parts of adult friendship: Who is responsible for making the plans? They talk about the invisible labor of being the group planner, rotating responsibility, creating standing dates, and why we could all use more low-pressure “barefoot plans.”

Media within:

• Herzl Camp
• The Anxious Generation by Jonathan Haidt
• Eventually Ticketing — with code CONNECT10 for 10% off the first year
• Cut article about the AI-driven summer camp here
• This Closure Instagram video discussing the weight of being the friend who makes plans!

We’re back for Season 3—and after 50 episodes of talking about friendship, connection and the relationships that make life better, we’ve learned a few things.

In this season opener, Rachel and Jeana look back at the conversations from Season 2 that have stayed with them, changed their behavior and even sparked new friendships in real life. They talk about why friendship can feel harder in adulthood, the invisible work of being the person who always makes the plans, the vulnerability of feeling left out, and why chemistry alone isn’t enough to turn someone into a close friend.

They revisit lessons from guests including Danielle Bayard Jackson on why friendship requires effort, Leslie John on the power—and limits—of vulnerability, Sara Haines on curiosity as a tool for connection, Laura Sanchez Greenberg on building a personal board of directors, Suzy Welch on the freedom to disagree, and more.

Plus: the unexpected connections that continued after the microphones turned off, why adults might secretly be craving friendship camp, the beautiful story of Japan’s “wind phone,” and one very small-world dinner party moment that proves you really never know where a cold email might lead.

Season 3 is here. Let’s get connected.

In this episode:

• Why friendship doesn’t have to feel effortless to be meaningful
• The emotional sting of a friendship misunderstanding
• What 50 episodes have taught us about vulnerability and curiosity
• Why adults need more unstructured time together
• How to stop defaulting to “What do you do?”
• The Season 2 conversations Rachel and Jeana are still thinking about
• What happens when podcast connections become real-life friendships
• The case for friendship camp

Mentioned in this episode: Danielle Bayard Jackson, Leslie John, Sara Haines, Laura Sanchez Greenberg, Suzy Welch, Morgan Radford, Dr. Carly Thompson, Shabnam Mogharabi, Lilliana Vazquez, Lily Engelbret and Sarah Spain.

This episode is sponsored by Eventually, event ticketing and registration that lives directly on your website without per-ticket fees. Visit eventuallyticketing.com/theconnectioncode and use code CONNECT10 for 10% off your first year.

What happens when you stop waiting to feel ready?

This week, we're joined by Peloton instructor, author, and all-around force of nature Kirsten Ferguson for one of our favorite conversations of the season.

Kirsten shares the winding path that led her from the NFL to Peloton—including heartbreak, infertility, divorce, reinvention, and learning to embrace a dream she never saw coming. Along the way, she opens up about public speaking anxiety, imposter syndrome, manifestation, motherhood, and why some of the biggest opportunities in life begin with saying "yes" before you feel qualified.

We also talk about:

• Why confidence is something you build—not something you're born with.
• How movement can become an act of self-love instead of self-punishment.
• The surprising story behind Kirsten's Peloton audition.
• Setting boundaries that protect your peace.
• Why your uniqueness is your greatest strength.
• The children's book she wrote with her daughters to help young girls grow up believing exactly that.

Whether you're standing at the beginning of a new chapter, wrestling with fear, or simply looking for a reminder that you're capable of more than you think, this conversation will leave you feeling a little braver.

In this episode, we mention:

• Kirsten Ferguson's new children's book, From A to Z, This Is Me: An Empowering Alphabet for Young Girls Pre-order here
• Peloton's Call Yourself a Runner program
• Kirsten's Intention Setting Sunday classes

And as always, we close with our Connection Code questions—including Kirsten's dream connection (hello, Michelle Obama), the friendship advice she'd give her younger self, and why the smallest circles often hold the deepest relationships.

What happens when your dream job ends?

For fashion expert, media personality, and entrepreneur Lilliana Vazquez, it became the beginning of something even bigger.

In this conversation, Rachel sits down with Lilliana to explore the connections that have shaped her remarkable career—from cold-calling a television station and becoming the first Latina host of E! News to reinventing herself as one of today's most trusted style creators.

But this episode isn't really about fashion.

It's about curiosity. Persistence. Learning to stop chasing external validation. And building authentic relationships instead of transactional networks.

Together, they discuss:

• Why curiosity is one of the most underrated career skills.
• How meaningful networking starts with genuine conversation—not titles.
• What it took to rebuild her identity after leaving legacy television.
• Why women should stop apologizing for being ambitious and persistent.
• The mindset shift from scarcity to abundance.
• Why your greatest advantage is becoming more of yourself—not more like everyone else.

Plus, Rachel and Jeana reflect on carrying each other through different seasons of work, share their latest Show & Tell picks—from Mahjong to All the Cool Girls Get Fired—and explore why the best connections often begin with simply asking better questions.

Whether you're navigating a career transition, growing your confidence, or simply trying to build deeper relationships, this conversation is full of practical wisdom and refreshing honesty.