The onslaught of technology and social media provides for a tightly woven "community" online, but isolation and loneliness remain high for people of all ages, especially in the midst of a global pandemic.

Join General Assembly in conversation with Susan McPherson on powerful relationship building and to discuss Susan’s new book, The Lost Art of Connecting. In this practical and much needed book, serial connector, and seasoned communicator Susan McPherson explains how to go back to basics and forge lasting, effective, and meaningful connections—the human way. Her three-step method (Gather, Ask, Do) encourages people to be more intentional and authentic both when looking for new connections and retaining old ones.

Anyone involved in building partnerships, marketing and selling goods and services, as well as those needing to maintain solid relationships with their internal colleagues, will benefit from this discussion.

Terry Rice believes all businesses, no matter how large or small, should have access to the critical resources and information needed to grow. His professional experience includes client-facing roles at organizations including Facebook and Adobe. During his career, he’s consulted hundreds of organizations including Walmart, Bonobos, Warby Parker and FedEx.

As a business consultant, he serves as a conduit to make these best practices available - and scalable - to entrepreneurs and small businesses. As the Marketing Expert-in-Residence at Entrepreneur magazine, he provides need to know information through his work as a VIP contributor. He's also the author of the upcoming book Start Your Own Consulting Business: Your Step-By-Step Guide to Success, published by Entrepreneur Media.

An engaging and informative presenter, Terry has been a featured speaker at industry events including Social Media Week and SXSW. He also serves as a startup mentor at organizations including Amazon, Techstars and the NYU Entrepreneurial Institute.

Terry is a father, husband and proponent of both mental and physical health. His mission is to show people how they can achieve professional success without sacrificing their personal life.

Susan McPherson is a serial connector, angel investor, and corporate responsibility expert. She is the founder and CEO of McPherson Strategies, a communications consultancy focusing on the intersection between brands and social impact, providing storytelling, partnership creation and visibility to corporations, NGOs and social enterprises. She’s a regular contributor to the Harvard Business Review, Fast Company and Forbes and has 25+ years experience in marketing, public relations, and sustainability communications. She is a featured speaker at industry events including Net Impact, Inspirefest/Dublin, Center for Corporate Citizenship's Annual Summit, DLD, TOA Berlin, and Techonomy. Susan is a regular guest on a variety of business and leadership podcasts and has appeared on NPR, CNN and CBC (Canada) as well as been quoted in major media outlets including USA Today, The New Yorker, New York Magazine and the Los Angeles Times.