Mike Wang

I'm writing a cookbook for connection and launching the first recipes → cookbookforconnection.com For 15+ years I've been the friend people texted at 11 pm before a big life thing. "I'm walking into my first board meeting tomorrow, how do we build trust in the first 10 minutes?" "I'm designing my 35th, help me make it more than a bar night." "I'm going on a trip with my parents, how do we actually connect?" "We're designing our intercultural wedding, how do we make it magical and not formulaic?" 🍽️ They each wanted a "recipe" for how to design an experience. I'm sharing some of the meaningful ones that helped them (ingredients, steps, and a little science explaining why it works). 👨‍👩‍👧 What I learned is that people wanted to connect with the most important people in their lives, but were stuck. Holidays with parents, date night with their partner, a cousin's trip, a team offsite, a birthday, a baby shower. We default to the same script and wonder why the night felt okay but not great. It's usually not a lack of love in the room. It is a lack of inspiration about how. 🍚 In the same way you pull up a food recipe when you want to cook something great for someone, I believe we need inspiration from recipes for the experiences we host. Magical recipes to teach people how to host, facilitate, and create the "vibes". I will share a new recipe every Monday (cookbookforconnection.com). Comment 👇: What recipes would you want to read? Who do you want to deepen connection with in your life?

@DanielDruger @bullet_pitch Totally agreed. I think the default dinner is what kills me. Long tables. Chicken + salmon + mushroom entrees. Open bar. There are lots of way to make dinners a magical experience!

@zmwang Dinner can actually be a great event. It's the VC involvement that bastardizes it. @bullet_pitch and 3rdspace examples of how dinners can be fun and cool again!

VC firms right now: "So we need to host new events. But they can't be dinners. They need to be good events." The "new" events: - Bowling - Arcade - Poker - Ping Pong - Movie Screening - Escape Room (this would be sick actually) Events don't equal community Good events are about what feelings you evoke (not what you do).

Design for the feeling, first. I watched some of the best professors in the world design transformational classes. That informed my worldview for experience design (after all classes are events). They always started with outcomes first (what they wanted to teach), not content. This applies to events. What do you want your community to feel/know? The activities are abundant and can be molded.

@nizhanxi Would be easy to, but for the experience (you know how much I love experiences by now), I'd suggest you wander along the foodie street on Telegraph, between 51st and 42nd streets and explore!

@zmwang oh my goodness, is it okay to ask .. WHERE?? 🙏❤️❤️🦋

I believe this East Bay bakery has single handedly changed my relationship with scones. Paired with a coffee beverage that is between a cortado<>capp. A delightful sunny morning.

I'm so proud of our team - @ariellezuck and @zmwang sourced and ran the process for the Jenson jacket. It started with a dream - how can we support the @JoinEdgeCity and builders with the biggest impact? This is legendary stuff.

@DanielleFong Little tip. Never put your stone fruit in the fridge to ripen.

the peaches. so juicy. so tender. so flavorful. and so large

TIL the Bay Area has 44% (7/16) of the Michelin 3 starred restaurants in the US New York has 5, LA has 2

@timourxyz Got him.

life updates - I'm a year older today, and I have officially moved to SF☀️

@shuooo BFF. Not bad Acronym. Ha.

@shuooo Bougie Flower Friends.

Hosted an incredible groups of founders for Olivia Dean this weekend! Good vibes and high energy only 🔥 I want to make this a series! Need a name, cohosts and more amazing founders to join me! Help me 💜

Day 7/10: Jensen Jacket Auction Bidding stays at 26 bids, holding steady at $75,000. From everything I am hearing (classic game design dynamics) the bidding heats up in the last 48 hours and in particular the last 12 hours... I'll have my zhajiangmian ready. LFG!

@signulll LOL. I was only partially joking... but now... that might be too good to not do.

@zmwang unlike others, mine are actually tasteful & possibly less cliche lmao. but i’m excited for the session with you!

i love being alive.

@adelwu_ It's all about the power law.

@zmwang top tier husband

Creating venture scale returns for my wife’s breast milk 🍼

@sushiispot Goji berries and dates. Jujube are my preferred but Ranch 99 / 99 Ranch (?) didn't have them. Goji berries I put too early in, for proper chew add at end.

@zmwang Curious. What are those berries?

Healdsburg also packing HEAT. Singlethread… yes. And now… Troubadour with its first ⭐️ I believe another husband and wife combo. What is it about worldclass artists and collaborators being also life partners? Magical.