Summer School: The New Social Code
Perhaps no audience is a better fit for a preview of the upcoming book, The New Social Code than independent booksellers. As AI shapes more choices, indie bookstores still offer something technology cannot copy: the human algorithm. Readers come not just for books, but to feel understood. They come for conversation, trusted recommendations, surprise discoveries, and human connection. This engaging session takes you on a “Gladwellian journey” through stories of Mary Shelley, Billie Eilish, Harrison Ford, Benjamin Franklin, Alexander the Great, and Cardinal Robert Prevost. Together, these stories reveal the hidden relationship patterns behind opportunity, trust, attention, insight, and influence. They show why the human skills that make indie bookstores special matter even more in an AI-powered world. Participants will explore the Five Relational Edges for thriving in the Age of Intelligence and learn practical ways to deepen customer relationships, strengthen teamwork, spark ideas, and build influence through trust. Right after the session, a guided breakout will help participants put one of the book’s plays into action by making meaningful new connections with fellow booksellers.