Connection Blog

We are very excited to announce that Dr. Karen Countryman-Roswurm, Executive Director of Center for Combating Human Trafficking, will be joining us on the mainstage for Connection 2017!

To learn more about how you can attend Connection 2017, click here today!

Learn More About Karen

Dr. Karen Countryman-Roswurm serves as the Founder and Executive Director to the Wichita State University, Center for Combating Human Trafficking (CCHT). With a passion to better serve high-risk marginalized populations, Karen works to bridge the gap between direct practice, academia, research, and policy. Karen has been nationally and internationally recognized, receiving many honors and awards, for doing just that — particularly for her specialization in working with homeless, runaway, and throwaway youth (HRTY) and young people who are at-risk of, or subjugated to, domestic minor sex trafficking (DMST) and other forms of exploitation.

About Connection 2017

Commonly referred to as the UN-conference, Connection is more than an event – it’s an experience. It’s an opportunity to explore new insights, the latest advances, and genius developments, all mixed with a sprinkle of grounded wisdom. More than that, it’s an opportunity to reflect in ways we often don’t have time for.

Connection brings together inspiring speakers, influential leaders, innovative practitioners, and a passionate national audience for this immersive experience. This year’s event is being held on September 20th-21st in a city known for innovation: Pittsburgh, PA.

Tickets to Connection 2017 are now sold out! If you have questions, please contact us at emily@manynet.org.

As technology advances, Americans are having fewer and fewer interactions face-to-face than at any other point in history. As of 2012, 83% of employees in the U.S. work remotely at least part of the time and 10% of all conversations in the United States now take place through the Internet, and those numbers will continue to climb as our work force grows older. In fact, 70% of young professionals say it’s unnecessary to go into the office, a while I do not share this feeling, it is a great indicator that the future of work will likely take place primarily online.

But even as a young professional, I can tell that there’s something to face-to-face interaction that gets lost-in-translation over the Internet, a feeling which I have confirmed over and over again, most recently at MANY’s 2016 Member Meeting (don’t forget to register for 2017 here! 😉). Although I knew something was different about face-to-face interaction, I couldn’t quite place what specifically was lost-in-translation, so I decided to do some research.

Consider the following facts:

• 55% of communication occurs through facial expressions, 38% through inflection, and only 7% occurs through words. This means that some technologies (email specifically) lose a lot of the intentions behind a communication.
• A study that compared in-person and virtual meetings found that in-person meetings generated both a higher number of ideas and ideas that were of a higher quality than a virtual meeting.
• In another study related to in-person networking, 72% of those surveyed found that they were influenced by both looks and the quality of someone’s handshake more than other factors.

Reviewing these facts, I was struck by a clear truth: There isn’t a single technology that will replace the power of in-person relationship building.

While digital collaboration and communication tools can complement our networking needs, an appropriate dose of face-to-face interactions is healthy and necessary. Luckily, at Connection 2017, you’ll have the opportunity to network with some of the youth and family services field’s best thinkers, doers, and thought leaders.

If my experience with, these five stats may do the trick:

85% say they build stronger, more meaningful business relationships during in-person business meetings and conferences.

Source | Click-to-Tweet

84% say they prefer in-person meetings.

Source | Click-to-Tweet

77% say they prefer in-person conferences due to the ability to read body language and facial expressions.

Source | Click-To-Tweet

75% say they prefer in-person conferences because they lead to more social interactions and the ability to bond with co-workers / clients.

Source | Click-To-Tweet

95% say face-to-face meetings are essential for long-term business relationships.

Source | Click-To-Tweet

Don’t miss out on your opportunity to meet face-to-face with some of the youth and family services field’s best thinkers, doers, and thought leaders at Connection 2017 on September 20-21st, 2017! Space for this exclusive event is running out quickly – to purchase tickets for Connection 2017, click here.

Tickets to Connection 2017 are now sold out! If you have questions, please contact us at emily@manynet.org.

Tickets to Connection 2017 are now sold out! If you have questions, please contact us at emily@manynet.org.

What is Connection?

Commonly referred to as the UN-conference, Connection is more than an event – it’s an experience. It’s an opportunity to explore new insights, the latest advances, and genius developments, all mixed with a sprinkle of grounded wisdom. More than that, it’s an opportunity to reflect in ways we often don’t have time for.

Connection brings together inspiring speakers, influential leaders, innovative practitioners, and a passionate national audience for this immersive experience. This year’s event is being held on September 20th-21st in a city known for innovation: Pittsburgh, PA.

Where/when is Connection 2017 being held?

Connection 2017 is being held in Pittsburgh, PA. Pittsburgh offers both scale and intimacy, history and cutting edge uniqueness. The venue, the historic Pittsburgh Opera House, is a perfect blend of urban and familiarity that can make anyone feel like they are home in the heart of Pittsburgh’s Strip District. To purchase your tickets to Connection, click here.

What is the Connection experience like?

The main stage program is only a fraction of what happens at Connection – the full experience involves many more activities and interactive installations that catalyze discussion and stimulate new relationships.  

The experience kicks off with a welcome reception that introduces you to this year’s Connection event and to prepare you for what’s ahead.  The next day  is spent alternating between inspirational thought-provoking talks from our speakers and meals & interaction with fellow delegates, who comprise a truly multi-faceted group of change-makers passionate about strengthening outcomes for youth in our county.

During breaks between sessions, Connection offers innovative hands-on activities, art exhibits, and of course, meet-ups with the speakers.  On the final evening, take the chance to kick back, relax, and share new ideas over food, drinks, and entertainment at Session 5.

What was the last Connection event like?

You can check out videos from previous Connection events below or check out a recap of Connection 2015 here.