Matt Burns's Linkedin Analytics

Look at this photo. What do you notice? A few things stand out: 1. No one is on their phone. 2. No one’s trying to impress. 3. Just real humans, sitting in circles, leaning in, listening to stories. I get why we're all obsessed with followers and likes, but this is what actual connection looks like. And if you're trying to build a community that lasts - this is where it starts. We are more “connected” than ever before, yet loneliness is at an all-time high. Did you know that in 2023, over 60% of adults in the U.S. reported feeling lonely? The real damage loneliness has on us is equivalent to smoking 15 cigarettes a day per the Surgeon General. I made a whole YT video about what we can do about this, feel free to comment below with a ✅ somewhere or say check and I'll send it to ya. People are scrolling through life starving for real conversations, real support, and real belonging. The folks who build safe, intentional spaces (online and offline) aren’t just solving a business problem. They’re solving a human one. This photo was taken at Authentic Austin where strangers became friends by doing the one thing we all crave: sharing authentic stories. No gimmicks. No algorithms. Just presence. If you’re a creator, a coach, a founder, or just someone who gives a damn... now is the time to start building your community. Start with 3 people in a room or on Zoom. That's all it takes y'all. I'd love to learn from more community builders - which ones do you love being part of and why? Especially if they are local or very specific to a career!

The most valuable things in life compound. One of the most deeply fascinating things I've studied in recent months is the math behind network effects. I hated math for most of my life, but now that I'm working with other entrepreneurs every day, you quickly learn that life is all just math. And life is pretty rad, so math must be too, right? Our lives are completely driven by networks, and despite being largely invisible, yes, the math is there. Networks have gravity, and that gravity transform lives. Friends, hear my plea: invest time in finding meaningful local communities. If you can't find one you like, create it!! A community starts with you and two others. That's it. One of my favorite communities is AITX. They've created a central hub for the AI ecosystem in Texas, and the energy in the room is always electric. Michael Daigler, Jake O'Shea and the AITX team have done an incredible job of compounding networks of over 3000 people as the celebrated their 2nd birthday (seen below!) It ended up 150+ people shoulder to shoulder by the end of the event even though it was pouring rain outside. Folks like Shep ⚡️ Bryan of Penumbra AI gave epic demos about leveraging AI for strategic thinking. This is a use case I work with daily, and am beyond pumped about. Check out what the Penumbra team is working on - it's incredibly special. I asked everyone I was chatting with - what compelled you to leave your house? Without fail, everyone said they craved two things: knowledge and community. A delightful community of explorers eager to advance AI innovation. Why? Community networks give you the most powerful things life has to offer: connections, jobs, dreams, ideas, money - the list goes on and on! Austin TX friends, join me at the next AITX event on May 27th. Check the calendar, they also have pop ups between the monthly meetups! I'll be happy to talk to you about how math (who would have thought) community and AI are the most exciting frontiers of our lives. If you're thinking about starting a local community wherever you are in the world, DM me and I'll be happy to share the playbook I'm working on for making sure everyone who wants to build communities can easily do so. You're just one idea or relationship away from a completely different future. Will I see you at the next AITX monthly meetup? 😁

Anyone in my network know of a high agency person who is looking for an AMAZING remote friendly tier 1 customer support opportunity? Extra emphasis on the word amazing - this company is changing the world. The hiring manager reached out asking if I knew anyone, and I'm taking their request seriously. I want to make the best possible referral, so please be ready to have a thorough chat with me first where I likely will say it's not a great fit and you're okay with that. Please share if you feel inclined, and connect/DM me here on LinkedIn and I'll shoot you some more info!

"It takes 20 years to build a reputation and five minutes to ruin it." This is insane. Instead of leveraging a real customer from their community, this dog food company instead took their brand out back and obliterated it. https://lnkd.in/gP-BiJBY The ad itself not only uses a clip from the show, they've cloned Sam's voice to fake an endorsement. Listen to the second half while the ad is still live. Right now it's easy to pick these things out but the tech will only get better. All the more reason brands need to be building and leveraging real communities. How do you imagine laws will need to evolve to protect from this kind of thing?