Dan Berger: The Shades of Entrepreneurship

Dan's background and journey @ 0:00

Dan shares his personal story, including being adopted, his parents' divorce, and moving to the US from Israel as a child. He discusses how these "belonging traumas" shaped his path, leading him to start a successful event planning software company and later explore the concept of belonging more deeply.

Diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives @ 6:20

Dan discusses his approach to DEI at his previous company, including being an early adopter of diversity reporting and creating an employee-owned, inclusive culture. He contrasts DEI with the concept of "belonging", arguing that belonging is a distinct competency that goes beyond traditional DEI programs.

The difference between DEI and belonging @ 13:00

Dan explains the key differences between DEI and belonging. DEI is a smart corporate strategy, while belonging is about creating a great work culture. He emphasizes that belonging must be cultivated at the team level, not just through HR programs.

Dan's framework for finding personal belonging @ 19:08

Dan shares the framework from his book "The Quest" for individuals to discover their own sense of belonging. This includes understanding your "belonging fuel tank", identifying your belonging archetype, and using various paths to build a stronger sense of belonging.

Dan's new venture: Retreat centers @ 41:14

Dan discusses his new venture, creating small-scale retreat centers designed for corporate offsites, team building, and other intimate gatherings. He sees this as an opportunity to foster belonging through intentional, high-impact meeting experiences.

Recap and next steps @ 42:25

Gabriel and Dan wrap up the conversation, encouraging listeners to explore Dan's work and resources to learn more about the importance of belonging. They highlight the opportunity for the retreat centers to support various communities, from yoga practitioners to psychedelic therapists.