Join me to launch “The Campfire Method”
Come experience what warming up a room without awkward icebreakers actually feels like.
Wed, Sept 9 | 5:30 – 7:30 PM
Mentimeter Office, 500 King St West
About the Event
This is not a book reading.
It’s an intentionally designed experience.
Most book launches are a reading and a Q&A. This one isn’t, because it would make no sense.
The Campfire Method is about designing genuine connection in a group, so I’m going to do that rather than describe it. You’ll walk in, and within a few minutes you’ll find yourself in conversation with a like-minded person. Not through forced fun. Not through a round of two truths and a lie. Just through a sequence that makes it easy to start small and go deeper at your own pace.
If you lead groups, you’ll leave with something you can use in your next meeting. If you don’t, you’ll leave having spent a Wednesday evening better than you expected, and maybe with a few new people you’ll want to see again.
What to expect
- Experience the Campfire Method in action
- Meet and connect with people you didn’t come with
- Get a behind-the-scenes look at the book
- Leave with ideas you can use in your own groups
About the Book
Trust is built layer by layer, not broken open in five minutes
Most icebreakers don’t work. They’re meant to help people connect, but they usually leave the room feeling awkward or put on the spot, and the people who disengage first are the ones who needed the connection most.
The Campfire Method is a practical guide for facilitators, trainers, and leaders who want sessions where people feel safe enough to speak up and brave enough to take a risk. It’s not a collection of better activities. It’s a framework for designing the conditions that let connection happen, starting with a spark, adding kindling, and letting the heat build.
The book was shaped with the help of more than 150 facilitators who read early drafts and shared their feedback before it was published. And now, I can’t wait to share it with you!
€25 (roughly $40) | Order by August 30 | Picked up at the launch
About the Host / Author / Facilitator
Hey, I’m Jan 👋
I help leaders, facilitators, and teams create brave spaces where real conversations happen.
For over a decade, I’ve worked with organizations to turn crickets into conversations, low engagement into deep connection, and small talk into meaningful dialogue. My expertise is in facilitative leadership — helping you not just run meetings, but create experiences where people feel included, heard, and empowered to contribute.
I’ve designed and led hundreds of workshops, trained leaders across industries, and developed frameworks that help facilitators handle resistance, disengagement, and high-stakes moments with confidence.
Details
📆 Friday, Sept 11
🕗 8:30 AM – 1:30 PM
⛺️ Toronto Island
👥 Max. 12 People
Exclusive ½-Day Training for People who want to go deeper
Want to learn the Campfire Method from me while I’m in Toronto?
The launch gives you a taste. The training gives you the tools.
5 hours, in person, on Toronto Island with a small group of just 12 people.
We’ll explore the full arc of the Campfire Method: how to read where a group actually is, design a sequence that starts small and builds, and lower the cost of participation so quieter people come with you instead of waiting it out.
And because this is the Campfire Method, we won’t spend five hours in a conference room.
F.A.Q.
Before you come to the Book Launch
Is it really free?
Yes. There is no catch.
The launch event is free to attend. You don’t need to buy the book or anything else.
If you’d like a signed copy of The Campfire Method, you can reserve one in advance, but it’s completely optional.
Do I need to be a facilitator or trainer?
Not at all.
If you lead groups, you’ll probably leave with ideas you can use in your own work. But if you’re simply curious about how strangers become a connected group, you’re very welcome too.
Can I bring a friend?
Yes, please do. Have them RSVP separately so I have an accurate headcount for the room.
Where exactly is the venue? Is it accessible?
Mentimeter’s office at 500 King St West, downtown Toronto.
Thanks to their team for hosting us.
Getting there
Streetcar: 504 King, get off at King St West at Portland St.
Subway: St Andrew Station on Line 1, then a 15 minute walk west along King.
Parking: Paid street parking on King and the side streets, plus Green P lots nearby.
Accessibility
There are 5 steps at the building entrance before the elevator, so the entrance is not step-free. I’m checking this week whether there’s another way in. If that’s a barrier for you, contact me and we’ll sort it out.
Seating. There are chairs and you’re welcome to sit the whole time. Parts of the evening involve moving around to talk with different people, and all of it works seated.
Sensory. Standard office lighting, music at background volume, no fog or flashing lights. Please skip strong fragrance so the room stays comfortable for everyone.
Stepping out. You can step out at any point without explaining yourself.
Photos. I’ll be taking some to share afterwards. Tell me when you arrive if you’d rather not be in them.
Anything I haven’t covered, contact me.
Is there food? And drinks?
Non-alcoholic drinks will be available. No food.
Eat before you come, or make a night of it afterwards. King West has more restaurants than you’ll know what to do with, and going for dinner with someone you met at the launch is a very good outcome.
Can I arrive late / leave early?
Ideally, you’ll stay for the full event. The evening is designed to build, like a campfire. Each piece sets up the next one. If you miss a section, you may not feel ready for what comes after it, and that’s not a great way to spend a Wednesday.
But life happens.
If you’re running late: the office needs someone to buzz you up in the elevator. Look for a sign at the entrance with a number to text, send a message, and someone will come get you. Then slip in quietly and I’ll fold you into whatever we’re doing.
If you need to leave early: that’s fine, just head out when you need to. No explanation required.
I'm an introvert. Is this going to be exhausting?
I call myself a recovering shy-guy and people-loving introvert, so you can be sure that this experience is designed with us in mind. Nothing gets sprung on you, nobody gets put on the spot, and you decide how far you go at every step.
Can I buy the book at the door?
No. Signed copies only exist for people who ordered by August 30. The book is on Amazon in paperback and Kindle if you’d rather just grab it there. If you order your book independently, bring it for a chance to get it signed there.
I'd like copies for my team.
Bulk orders are possible. Get in touch and we’ll sort out what makes sense for your group size.
See you in Toronto
Wednesday, September 9 · 5:30–7:30 PM
Two hours, free, and you’ll leave having actually met a few people. If you lead groups, you’ll also leave with a sequence you can use in your next meeting.
Thanks to the team at Mentimeter for hosting us in their Toronto office. Their whole product exists to get quiet rooms talking, so this felt like the right room to launch a book about exactly that.
Bring a colleague or a friend if you like. Just have them RSVP too.
