[28:56] Step out of your comfort zone and imagine having lunch with 500 strangers to enhance your social skills, fortify your mindset, expand your network, and unlock new opportunities. In this, our 250th episode, we delve into his journey and speak with Nick Bendel, a dedicated Toastmaster whose lunch tally currently sits at 376. Nick pulls back the curtain and sheds light on the motivations behind his ambitious endeavour and shares insights into his selection process for lunch companions and the logistics of organizing these dining opportunities and the topics that fuel engaging discussions over meals. You'll hear stories and learn about the evolution of Nick's journey and some of the memorable lessons and unexpected moments bolstered by the invaluable support of Toastmasters along the way.This is no small feat for Nick who self-describes as an anti-social introvert.Nick's inspiring story is featured in Laura Mishkind's article, "500 Lunches With Strangers: How one Toastmaster’s personal growth project changed his life," published in the April 2024 issue of Toastmaster Magazine.And for those curious about the logistics, Nick shared after we recorded that the costs of these meals are often split among participants.Hailing from Sydney, Australia, Nick Bendel is the owner of Hunter & Scribe, a copywriting agency specializing in content creation for property and finance industries. A Toastmasters member since 2016, Nick is an active participant at the Dynamic North Shore TM Club.Connect with Nick on LinkedIn to learn more about his journey and insights and perhaps to arrange lunch.

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