One coffee with someone worth knowing.
A coffee round gives everyone who's opted in a one-to-one introduction to someone outside their usual circle, with a clear reason to meet. You start the round. The invitations, the scheduling, and the reminders take care of themselves.
Opt-in, always. Nothing happens until both people say yes.
The introduction
A first name, a team, and why you might connect: “You haven't had coffee with anyone in Finance yet.”
Both say yes
Nothing is arranged until both people agree to meet.
Pick a time
Suggest up to three times. The other person picks one, or suggests their own.
Afterwards
A quick, private “how was it?” that makes the next introduction better.
Good intentions don't book coffees
Everyone agrees people should know colleagues beyond their own team. Almost nobody books that coffee on their own, because there's no reason to pick one person over another and no easy way to ask. A coffee round supplies both: a specific person, a reason that's true, and a simple way to say yes.
How a coffee round works
Your first round in an afternoon.Choose who's included
The whole organization, one team or cohort, or only across groups. Preview how many introductions it will make before you start.
Members set their pace
Each person shares what they're into, what they'd like help with, and how often they'd like a new introduction. Someone not ready for another is left out of that round.
Introductions go out
Each person gets one introduction, with the reasons it makes sense. Both say yes, then agree on a time without the back-and-forth.
Reminders, then feedback
A reminder the day before and an hour before. Afterwards, a private rating that shapes who each person meets next.
Easy to say yes to
The member
- One introduction at a time, never a crowd
- The real reasons behind it, not a random name
- Their own pace, and a pause button with no questions asked
- An introduction shows a first name and team, no photo
The person they meet
- The same reasons, from their side
- Free to say not this time, with no reason needed
- Times suggested for them to pick from
- A gentle reminder before the invitation lapses
You, the host
- Rounds you start when you're ready
- How many pairs met, and which teams are connecting
- A gentle nudge for pairs still waiting, worded the same for both
- No spreadsheet of pairs to make
What you see. What you don't.
The host sees
- Who was paired in a round, why, and how far each pair got, with every look recorded
- Participation and which teams are connecting
- Feedback as a total, once at least five people have answered
The host doesn't see
- Who said no to an introduction
- What anyone talked about, or their notes and messages
- How any one person rated their coffee
We'd rather make no introduction than a bad one.
How to run coffee chats people look forward to
Five things that make a coffee program feel like a gift instead of a chore, with or without us.
- 1
Give every introduction a reason
“You're both new to the Nairobi office” starts a conversation. “You've been randomly selected” starts an excuse to cancel.
- 2
Let people choose their pace
Some people want a new face often, others a few times a year. A program that respects that keeps both.
- 3
Mix teams on purpose
The most valuable coffee is usually with someone from a team you never work with. Favour those pairs.
- 4
Make scheduling the easy part
Most coffees die in the calendar, not the conversation. Offer a few times and let the other person pick.
- 5
Never shame a no
If saying no is awkward, people stop opting in. Keep declines private, and never name anyone for not taking part.
How-to guides on the blog
- How to run coffee chats at work that people actually show up toRandom pairs and a calendar invite get a burst of coffees and then silence. A reason to meet, a respectful pace, and easy scheduling get the opposite.Read it · 6 min
- 50 virtual coffee chat questions that aren't awkwardThe questions that turn a polite thirty minutes into a conversation worth remembering, grouped by the moment you're in.Read it · 6 min
- How to get your community to actually network (without forcing it)Most communities are full of people worth knowing who never meet. Here's how to fix that on purpose.Read it · 7 min
Good to know
The honest answers, including what it doesn't do yet.
- How often do rounds happen?
- When you start one. Rounds don't repeat on their own today. Each member also chooses how often they'd like a new introduction, and someone who isn't ready for another is left out of that round.
- How are people paired?
- We look for real reasons: shared interests, someone who can help with what another is looking for, and different teams, especially ones a person hasn't met yet. We avoid repeating pairs who already have a coffee planned.
- Does it work for remote and hybrid teams?
- Yes. A coffee can be in person or a video call, whichever suits the two people.
- What does a host see?
- Who was paired in a round, the reasons, and how far each pair got, and every look at that list is recorded. A host never sees who said no, what anyone talked about, anyone's notes, or how any one person rated their coffee.
- What does it cost?
- Nothing right now. Billing isn't on yet, so there's no card and no contract. Paid plans for larger companies are coming.
Start your first round this afternoon.
Pick who's included, invite your people, and start. It's free while billing isn't on.
Get started