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Skip the Small Talk, Make Meaningful Connections.

Big Talk provides the inspiration, tools, and services to help people move past small talk and make more meaningful life connections – with loved ones, teammates, classmates, coworkers, strangers, new acquaintances, and even oneself. Big Talk is a video series, card game and app, government-funded international Fulbright research project, workplace team-building program, educational workshop, and a global movement that aims to fight modern-day loneliness and social disconnection, foster community belonging, and build curiosity and empathy across borders.

Big Talk has been adopted by Harvard Medical School, the LA Lakers G Team, Universal Music Australia, a Prison Education Startup, a US Senator’s Office, the Institute of International Education, the Foundation for Social Connection, employees at Fortune 500 companies, the California Marital and Family Therapists Association, and more. Big Talk has also inspired marriage proposals!

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What do you want to do before you die?

What was your childhood dream? Has it changed?

How do you want to be remembered?

Describe a turning point in your life.

If you could create and run your own country, what would it be like?

What do you wish you knew?

What is your next great adventure?

How do you show love?

What does home mean to you?

What brings you peace?

The Big Talk Story

Watch the video that started the Big Talk movement and led to a TEDx talk with over 6.5 million views!

Watch the latest Big Talk video!

How To Make Big Talk

Join the Movement! Below are ways to make Big Talk.

Testimonials

Corporate

J&J makes Big Talk in a Hybrid Event

"We selected Kalina and her Big Talk program for our end-of-year meeting for our Wound Closure business at Ethicon. Kalina was a great presenter and facilitator - despite being virtual while we were physical - and her Big Talk was a great bonding experience! People left excited to continue Big Talk in the workplace (it was suggested as an opener for meetings) and in their personal lives. Definitely recommend!

J&J Ethicon Employee

Education

Harvard Medical School makes Big Talk for Orientation

"Big Talk helped a LOT to break down potential barriers and make us all feel a lot more comfortable. The breakout group strategy was helpful in that it gave each of us a lot of choice about what we wanted to share with the group and how vulnerable we wanted to be, which worked out beautifully as people really started to open up over the course of the discussion, providing a great foundation for subsequent reflective sessions in our first week."

Harvard Medical School Student

Corporate

Big Talk for Adobe Women’s Event

“This was the best 'networking' event I have attended. Adobe's very first Women-In-Tech neighborhood mixer was exactly what I needed to recharge. If you haven't heard Kalina's story I'd encourage you to watch this video she created. It prompted wonderful conversation with a room full of 200+ women from 40 companies. It made it easy to get past the standard where do you work and where are you from conversations and help guide more insightful and meaningful conversations with total strangers.”

Erica Hennes, VP of Marketing at Urban Sitter

Nonprofit

Edovo Jail Education Solutions - Inmates make Big Talk in a Tablet Course

"Kalina helped us bring Big Talk to Edovo and it quickly became one of the most popular options on the platform. A prison or jail isn’t always the most inviting space for a person’s deepest thoughts. With Big Talk, users have a private space for self-reflection and tools to build relationships and foster empathy. When students started the courses, we were blown away by their answers! Some told stories about fear and difficulties of adjusting to prison and the powerful lessons they’ve learned. In a recent survey, students were eager for even more Big Talk materials. One message read, “Can you upload a second course this week? I’d like to finish it before I go home.'"

Edovo Jail Education Solutions

Personal

Big Talk Inspired Marriage Proposal

“We began writing each other Big Talk letters and continued throughout the last year over our long- distance relationship. We are continuing it now as I am currently three months into a 7-month deployment to the Middle East with my B-52 bomb squadron. At the moment, we have answered 36 of your questions in letters to each other. I was hoping you could make a Big Talk card that looks the same as all the others on the front and on the back says simply, ‘Will you marry me?’ Thanks Again, Capt Joe” (Update: She said yes!)

Captain Joe

Celebrity

LA Lakers Basketball Team makes Big Talk

"My name is Coby Karl, I am currently the head coach of the LA Lakers G League Team, the South Bay lakers. After watching your ted talk and first video, I bought the Big Talk Cards. I am emailing you today, because today was the first time that I had the courage as a young head coach, to bring them out with my team (a bunch of young talented men) on our bus ride to the arena, and it went great. The game itself has brought us all closer as people and teammates. We have guys requesting to play it now, when we have extended bus rides on the road. I love your courage to take that step and understand the fear that we walk around with everyday to not take that step towards people. Thank you Be well, Coby"

Coach Coby Karl, LA Lakers G team

Celebrity

Billie Eilish makes Big Talk

Superstar Billie Eilish joins the Big Talk movement and plays the Big Talk Question Card Game in a video created by Universal music Australia. By skipping the small talk, she gave meaningful answers to questions like, "What is your greatest strength?"

Billie Eilish, Musician

Celebrity

U.S. Senator's Office makes Big Talk

"I wanted to circle back and let you know that our breakout session using Big Talk was beyond amazing. Both the Senator and new members of our team talked about how enlightening and enjoyable the experience was. We also came up with our own Big Talk questions, which the group asked the Senator to answer and he came up with a couple that he asked of the group. We were so caught up in the experience that we went over our time limit, but it was well worth it."

Senator's Office Staff

Mental Health

Autism and Aspergers Support

"I'm autistic & I can't fathom the reason for small talk. I Big Talk but I can be careless if I'm not very careful. An issue that has been left dangling by both our family counselor and my therapist. I have an extreme aversion to groups. It is a bit of a miracle that I found information on the issues I deal with from a credible source. Your website is a safe place. I can't wait to show my wife your site. She's my Small Talk coach :). Thanks for the guidance."

Alan, Diagnosed with Autism

Education

Big Talk inspires university students to explore answers to deep and meaningful questions

"Big Talk inspires university students to explore answers to deep and meaningful questions and to gain confidence sharing profound ideas with others. The program enhances students' ability to engage in a genuine exchange and development of insights and new perspectives with their peers. Big Talk generates an appreciation for the role deep communication plays in leading a rich and fulfilling university and professional career."

Greg Dunn, Dean of Narxoz Business School in Almaty, Kazakhstan

Health Care

Big Talk is good therapy for patients

“My name is Julie. I am an RN and this year I am celebrating 30 years as a Registered Nurse. I saw your Big Talk video and was totally amazed. I am so excited and impressed by this, it is going to change the world. Believe me, as a nurse I see so many people in pain. Physical and emotional. And they don’t want to have small talk. They want to talk about what really matters and they want someone to listen.”

Julie, Registered Nurse

Celebrity

Keith Urban skips the small talk

What does Keith Urban do when nobody is watching? Watch him play the Big Talk Question Card Game here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iwq3X0W_FpI

Keith Urban, Country Music Superstar

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