We had the good fortune of connecting with Joseph Bowers and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Joseph, what principle do you value most?
Human connection — it’s our most ancient, hard-coded survival tactic. It sits firmly in the middle of Maslow’s pyramid, just south of self-esteem, and has long since been credited with building empathy, belonging, and a sense of well-being. I suppose that’s why I’m so passionate about connecting people for greater, collective, outcomes.

Alright, so for those in our community who might not be familiar with your business, can you tell us more?
During my 25 years of building global community platforms, it became inherently clear: The one element that continually provides the highest level of satisfaction and value is face-to-face interaction via gatherings. The magnificence of communication is found in the nuance that’s only accessed through in-person conversations. And considering the fact that 93% of communication effectiveness is determined by non-verbal cues, now more than ever, feeling socially connected, especially in an increasingly isolated world, is more important than ever. Following my passion for connection, my partners and I set out to create a luxury convening campus for leadership training and development. Based in the quiet countryside, our destinations provide numerous opportunities to work and play, to gather and to disperse, to be still, and to move. In short, to celebrate the power of the natural world, far away from the 24/7 noise of urban life and the distractions of traditional meeting venues in city centers — all easily accessible via a 35-minute drive from Hartsfield, yet well-sequestered and remote. It’s the meeting place and executive getaway that we’d always hoped for when planning or attending thousands of executive team meetings.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
For a perfect day in Atlanta, I would start our morning with a Stone Mountain sunrise summit to mitigate any potential guilt of over-imbibing. With our calorie deficit in check, I would organize a rooftop, bourbon-tasting tour of my favorite city. Kicking things off on the W Rooftop at Whiskey Blue in Buckhead. Then, appetizers and a Blanton’s neat from Tiny Lou’s on the Clermont rooftop. After that, we would take to the Beltline by foot, dropping by 9Mile Station on The Roof at Ponce City Market for a Woodford Old Fashion followed by sunset views on the Estrella Rooftop with a locally distilled Old Fourth bottled-in-bond Bourbon on the rocks. After that, continuing on the Beltline, we would make our dinner stop at Rathbun Steak followed by a coffee at Krog Street Market and a nightcap with music at The James Room speakeasy.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
I’m a firm believer that we become better people with each interaction we experience. I’ve been fortunate to work with many inspiring individuals over the years. My work with Young Presidents’ Organization as Chief Networking Officer has had the most profound impact. Buddy Teaster, now CEO for Soles4Souls, invited me to join the management ranks at YPO. During my eight years with the organization, the opportunity to connect and network tens of thousands of global CEOs as mentors around business, personal and philanthropic endeavors confirmed for me that regardless of our race, creed or religion – we all crave connection and common ground.

Website: https://stonecottageatserenbe.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/stonecottageserenbe/

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/josbowers/

Other: Other content possibilities? https://vimeo.com/user98265357 https://www.instagram.com/josbowers/ https://www.dejabluegrassband.com/joey-bowers

Image Credits
Jamila Lisbon

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