Build Communities With Friendship Lamps

If you are a community builder, this is for you.

Building a community is one thing. 

Sustaining community is another. 

Creating a sense of connection even when you are not actually together… Now THAT is next-level astonishment.

I am curating a 5-day retreat for a group of 30 people from 8 different countries. This group gathers, in person, twice a year. They are much more than a mastermind. They are a community that is deeply committed to each other’s impact in the world. I need something tangible to inspire connection between retreats. Something that, upon returning home, will unite them in an instant despite being spread out across the globe. 

I found what I needed with LuvLink’s Friendship lamps.

What you can do

Choose the style of lamp you like. I went with the original model because it is the smallest. Whenever I give a gift that is intended to be displayed or kept out, I think smaller is better. I don’t want to risk taking up too much space and then the item finds itself in a drawer (or trash). Trust yourself to know your people and select the model that fits the group. 

Max the Magic 

A key ingredient for creating a memorable experience is to commit to a Golden Thread and touch on it several times throughout the arc of the experience. Learn about Golden Threads in more detail here.

This particular group was going to Santa Fe, NM for an in-person retreat. We built the whole 5-day experience around the Golden Thread of being a creative maverick and trailblazer. Santa Fe is home to the late artist and maverick, Georgia O’Keeffe.

To add another layer of magic to an already powerful community-building gift, I hired a vinyl sticker artist to add a Georgia O’Keeffe quote to each lamp. This cost an additional $20 per lamp plus some time, but quotes galvanize people. It’s with the extra time to select a quote that will speak to your group and what is important to them. 

Pro Tip:

✧ Purchase in bundles of 2-6 to save some money.

✧ Register your lamp in advance so you will be better equipped to lead the group and answer questions.

✧ When you download the app, you will need to create a group. The person who sets up the group is automatically the admin and is responsible for managing it. This involves adding people, re-approving people whose lamp goes offline, etc.. Think through who would be the best person for this job.

✧ When the group is initially created, you will be assigned a group ID. Everyone will need this ID. Create a sticker and put it on the bottom of the lamp so the recipient has easy access to it when they go to register theirs.

✧ Be careful to not cover up the QR code. It is unique to each lamp and is needed to register in the app. 

✧ Give them to everyone at the same time and ride the momentum of the group’s excitement. You can do this in person or virtually. Get essential tips for virtual gift-giving here.