Five years on the road: Building community across continents
By Michael Labate ’18 MBA
A Kellogg EMBA cohort ambassador
For the last five years, I’ve had the privilege of hosting a unique brand of networking dinner — one that’s crisscrossed continents, from the historic streets of London to the innovation heartland of the Bay Area to the vibrant pulse of Miami. Each month, in a new city, I’ve gathered 10 to 15 senior executives and aspiring leaders, all alumni or students of Northwestern University's Kellogg School of Management, with the shared aim of building deeper connections, community and commercial opportunity.
The Kellogg spirit is famously collaborative, innovative and globally minded. “Community” at Kellogg is more than a catchphrase — it’s the backbone of the alumni experience. At these dinners, each guest brings more than their resume: they contribute unique career stories, fresh perspectives from diverse industries and the open-minded curiosity that distinguishes Kellogg graduates.
Being an alumni network organizer, I’ve witnessed firsthand how our collective bonds stretch across borders and disciplines, from an executive in fintech learning from a healthcare entrepreneur in Miami to a tech leader mentoring a rising star in London.
A table of equals: Fostering trusted spaces
One signature feature of these dinners is their intimacy and intent. Restricting the size to a dozen or so participants changes everything. In these settings, egos vanish, status fades and genuine conversation flourishes. This is crucial for senior leaders — often surrounded by noise but hungry for substance. Time and again, attendees remark how rare it is to sit at a table where every voice matters, where vulnerability is safe, and where everyone is equally eager to give and receive insight. We see the exchange of “war stories,” the sharing of lessons from failed launches and the celebration of pivots that paid off.
Advancing professional and personal goals
The main draw for students and alumni of the Executive MBA Program at Kellogg is not simply social; it’s deeply professional. We come to these tables with ambition: to learn, to share and to identify opportunities for collaboration and growth. Dozens of consulting gigs, startup partnerships and business deals have come to fruition over shared appetizers.
Just as importantly, lifelong friendships — off the clock and across the world — have begun over dessert. For many, these dinners have provided a trusted sounding board for leadership dilemmas, transitions and leaps into new industries.
Intentional community building
Business school alumni networks are renowned for their role in catalyzing careers but too often, their true value is underleveraged. Organizing these monthly dinners has only reinforced how powerful intentional community can be. It’s about more than swapping business cards — it’s about growing a network into a lifeline: sounding boards, personal mentors, investment partners and even lifelong friends. Numerous participants have told me that these gatherings rekindled their Kellogg spirit, helped them pivot careers or even launch ventures with fellow alumni.
Every city’s dinner brings together executives and aspiring leaders with complementary backgrounds or overlapping goals. The focus is on alignment over breadth, creating intentional chemistry. From private dining rooms in city bistros to rooftop tables overlooking the skyline, venue choice is intimate but inspiring. Attendees are introduced not by job title but by passions and aspirations — creating room for connection beyond the obvious.
Rather than free-form networking, we begin with a topic to anchor initial conversation, such as leadership challenges, market disruption or “what I wish I’d known.” This lowers barriers and sparks honest, lively discussion. As the evening unfolds, guests are encouraged to share not only success stories but also the hard-won lessons learned from setbacks and pivots. Candid exchange is at the heart of each event.
Every guest leaves with more than just contacts — they gain new perspectives. And, in many cases, actionable next steps or introductions to continue meaningful dialogue.
Building bridges to better connections
After five years, hundreds of alumni, and countless success stories, a few clear lessons have emerged:
- Authentic gatherings: Smaller, thoughtfully-matched groups result in more meaningful connections than any ballroom full of badges and lanyards.
- Meaningful conversations: Senior executives want peer-level, agenda-driven exchange—surface networking is not enough.
- Consistency matters: Making the dinners a monthly ritual in different cities sustains momentum and keeps the network vibrant and accessible, even for alumni living far from large metro areas.
- Paying it forward: Most importantly, those who gain most from the network do so by giving freely:sharing insights, time and support for others. This “give, then get” ethos is a hallmark of the Kellogg mindset.
Celebrating the ripples of connection
It’s impossible, and unnecessary, to tally every relationship that’s sprouted from these dinners — each guest weaves their own story. What’s certain is that the alumni network remains a powerful force multiplier for professional growth, entrepreneurial partnership and personal friendship.
For those considering whether to get involved or start their own version of this tradition, the answer is clear: the best time to invest in your Kellogg network was yesterday; the second-best time is today. The evolution of these dinners — in structure, participation and the stories that emerge — proves the enduring value of community in an increasingly digital and dispersed business world.
A message to my fellow alumni: keep showing up for one another, no matter where your journey leads. The connections made over a casual dinner may just change the trajectory of your career or your life.
Ask me about what it means to be a Kellogg EMBA “cohort ambassador,” I’d love to connect and learn from you, as well.
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