How Loneliness Became a Business Opportunity | UBQT | Ep. 62

We have more ways to reach people than ever, and somehow feel more disconnected than ever. In this episode of Productive Passions, host Christy Tagye sits down with Lara Varjabedian, co-founder of UBQT, the AI-powered platform built to put face-to-face connection first.

Lara and Christy dig into why loneliness keeps climbing even as digital connectivity climbs alongside it, what "social wellness" means as a category alongside physical and mental health, and how organizations, teams, alumni networks, and events are using real-world connection to rebuild the kind of belonging a like button was never going to provide.

This episode also includes an excerpt from a previous conversation Lara had with renowned Oxford psychologist Robin Dunbar, whose research on human relationships, including his well-known concept of "Dunbar's Number," explains exactly why it's become so easy to lose touch with people we never meant to lose touch with. If you hear an unfamiliar voice partway through, that's him.

In this episode:

Why social isolation persists despite record levels of digital connectivity

What social wellness means and why it deserves the same attention as physical and mental health

How UBQT helps companies build social capital, break silos, and improve employee retention

How event organizers and conference hosts keep networking energy alive before, during, and after an event

How alumni networks and corporate alumni communities turn a dormant database into an active, real-life network

Why workplace friendship is directly linked to retention and productivity

How UBQT differs from Slack, WhatsApp, and traditional social media platforms

An excerpt from Robin Dunbar's research on friendship, community, and why modern life makes both so easy to lose