{"podcast":{"title":"How We Connected","slug":"how-we-connected-7614718","podcast_index_feed_id":7614718,"rss_url":"https://feeds.acast.com/public/shows/69321d954a0500b7572aafcf","website_url":"https://www.chamberofconnection.org/","image_url":"https://assets.pippa.io/shows/69321d954a0500b7572aafcf/1765223877031-7f8d5e36-499f-4fe1-89c1-88a9d5684aa6.jpeg","author":"US Chamber of Connection","episode_count":34,"summary":"How We Connected brings listeners inside the conversations that power communities right across the United States. Every week, hosts Aaron Hurst and Charlotte Massey share what they’re building at the US Chamber of Connection and the moments of connection showing up in their own lives. They talk with a community leaders from around the country about the relationships, collaboration, and human stories behind meaningful change. Join us every week for a reflections and practical advice on the ideas you can carry forward into your own communities. Aaron Hurst Aaron Hurst is the Co-Founder and CEO of the US Chamber of Connection and a long-time leader in the movement to strengthen community through work. A serial entrepreneur and social innovator, he previously founded Imperative and the Taproot Foundation, two organizations that reshaped how companies think about purpose, service, and meaningful work. His book The Purpose Economy helped define a new era in which connection, meaning, and relationships stand at the center of business value. At the Chamber, Aaron focuses on reconnecting America by mobilizing community builders in every town and city. Known for turning big ideas into pract…","last_synced_at":"2026-07-22T08:18:34.739111+00:00","page_url":"https://stenobird.com/podcast/how-we-connected-7614718"},"episode":{"title":"If It Floats, It's Invited: Erik Hillesheim, Seattle Paddle Rave","slug":"if-it-floats-it-s-invited-erik-hillesheim-seattle-paddle-rave","published_at":"2026-06-30T19:01:51+00:00","page_url":"https://stenobird.com/podcast/how-we-connected-7614718/if-it-floats-it-s-invited-erik-hillesheim-seattle-paddle-rave","show_page_url":"https://stenobird.com/podcast/how-we-connected-7614718","url":"https://www.chamberofconnection.org/","audio_url":"https://sphinx.acast.com/p/open/s/69321d954a0500b7572aafcf/e/6a43f17ed668ce4585ee48cc/media.mp3","summary":"On this week's How We Connected, Aaron checks in from Memphis, where the Peabody has a duck parade and the tailor who once dressed Elvis, then heads to Nashville to meet leaders hoping to open a Chamber of Connection. Charlotte is off to see her grandma and family in Minnesota for the Fourth of July. This week's guest, Erik Hillesheim, moved to Seattle from Minnesota knowing just one person and figured the fastest way to find his people was to build something. It started with Seattle Swim Club, a Friday cold plunge that grew to hundreds on TikTok. Paddle Rave followed last Fourth of July, when a group text for 20 people turned into 100, then 500, then 1,000 paddleboarders around a DJ on Lake Union. Erik lays out the part nobody sees: six city offices, 15 partners, neighborhood associations, insurance, and federal permits filed 135 days ahead with the Coast Guard so others can be spontaneous. He believes water is a conductor of connection, and Paddle Rave stays free, a triangle of music, nature, and each other. This year it becomes Lake Union Concerts, adding Dock Rock, a rock series for a wider crowd. As Erik says, \"If it floats, it's invited.\" --- How We Connected explores the conversations that power communities across the United States. Aaron Hurst and Charlotte Massey share what they’re building at the US Chamber of Connection and speak with leaders whose work strengthens local connection. Episodes offer human stories, practical insights, and ideas you can use in your own community. Aaron Hurst , Co-Founder of the US Chamber of Connection, is a longtime entrepreneur focused on purpose and community. He founded Imperative and the Taproot Foundation and wrote The Purpose Economy . Charlotte Massey , Co-Founder of the US Chamber of Connection, leads community programs…","meta_description":"On this week's How We Connected, Aaron checks in from Memphis, where the Peabody has a duck parade and the tailor who once dressed Elvis, then heads to Na…","key_points":[],"chapters":[],"topics":[],"duration_seconds":2774,"processing_state":"not_requested","actions":[{"name":"request_transcript","method":"POST","url":"https://stenobird.com/v1/public/podcasts/how-we-connected-7614718/episodes/if-it-floats-it-s-invited-erik-hillesheim-seattle-paddle-rave/transcription-requests","description":"Idempotently request low-priority transcript generation for this episode."},{"name":"read_markdown","method":"GET","url":"https://stenobird.com/podcast/how-we-connected-7614718/if-it-floats-it-s-invited-erik-hillesheim-seattle-paddle-rave.md","description":"Read the agent-friendly Markdown representation of this episode resource."}]}}