The first time you show up somewhere new, you're a stranger.
The second, you're a face.
The third, you're "oh hey, you again."
The 4th, you're a regular.
And regulars get invited to things.
Most people give up after their first visit in a new space.
One slightly awkward experience (which is unavoidable whenever we step out of our comfort zone), and they decide it wasn't for them, reverting back to swiping through community events like dating app profiles until they find the elusive “perfect one.”
As someone who’s hosted 400+ events and watched tens of thousands of people find their social groove, I’ll tell you:
The first slightly awkward visit is the price you pay for trying something new.
The 4th visit is where social opportunity unlocks.
Which is a pretty darn magical coincidence, because tomorrow is our 4th birthday! 🎉
That’s right, squad.
Tomorrow marks 4 years of walking five miles with curious humans in Austin, Texas.
Every Saturday at 8 AM, since July 2022. We’ve proudly grown into “Austin’s premier friendship accelerator,” with most regulars joining us over 20 times.
Speaking of making friends… 🧡
From our walking villages in 17 cities around the world:
Miami's crew, out on a Saturday morning. 🧡
Walk #207 in Austin. And the countdown is on: this Saturday marks 4 years! 🥳
Atlanta’s intro circle keeps getting bigger. Sohil’s speech is a thing of legend now.
Detroit adapted this week. Terrible air quality from the Canadian wildfires meant no walk, so our host Izzy Quane hosted a chat at a local café instead. 🧡
(Don’t see your city? We post the photos on Instagram or Meetup after the walk. Otherwise this email would be longer than a CVS receipt.)
🏆 In Austin, a handful of walkers who recently moved from NYC, Dallas, and elsewhere said they're finally starting to find their people, and the walk has quietly become their “weekly anchor” in a brand new city. Four years in, and we still hear that every week. 🧡
🏆 In Atlanta, host Sohil is welcoming huge crowds of friendly faces 7 months into hosting. The intro circle has gotten so large that people walking by are starting to ask questions… and jump in. That’s exactly how we grew in Austin.
🏆 In Miami, half a dozen walkers were entirely new to the city, and the walk was their first real taste of belonging here. Five miles in, they weren't new anymore.
Here's the whole cheat code for a new city in one line:
Pick one recurring thing, and go back four times.
Remember: You're not bad at making friends. Nothing is wrong with you. You just packed the machine that used to make them into a truck and drove away.
Social environments can be rebuilt. Here's how.
This week on The Board Walks, people brought these topics:
"What will socializing look like in 5, 10, 15 years?"
"How do we build community as adults after major life transitions like retirement, divorce, or moving to a new city?"
"Why do some community spaces feel genuinely safe while others don't, especially for women?"
"What's a favorite failure, something that taught you a lot or set you up for greater success?"
"When do you feel like an outsider?"
Screenshot these. Steal with pride. Bring one to your next dinner party to shift the conversation from “meh” to marvelous.
Quick hits:
🎉 Our 4th birthday is TOMORROW in Austin, Texas!
Four years of the same simple ritual: show up, walk five miles, talk to strangers. Still the best idea we've ever had.
Want to celebrate with us?!
Share your favorite walk story and RSVP for tomorrow in Austin.
✨ Great news: The Awesome Foundation awarded us a grant for building community in Detroit, Michigan. It covers something essential: the $55/mo fee to keep our Detroit walk chapter live on Meetup for one year. This one’s for our beloved regulars in The D. 🧡
🌎 Sponsorship talks are picking up speed. Cam's having most of these conversations on 1:1 walks in Austin (very on brand!), and he just started sharing a weekly update on our show Whimsy World if you want the inside scoop.
The fastest way to belong somewhere new isn't to know everyone.
It's to go back.
Pick one Saturday. Then pick the next one. Somewhere around the 4th walk, a stranger becomes the person you text when something funny happens.
Have a whimsical week,
Founders of The Board Walks
P.s. Know someone who just moved and doesn't know a soul yet? Send them this. Sometimes a whole city changes shape because someone forwarded an email. 🧡
