The 2026 Kickoff: Why We Traded a Dinner Party for Slide Decks

On 31st January, my wife and I hosted a small group of friends at our home. It wasn’t just a dinner; it was our 2026 Kickoff.

After a slow, home-cooked meal, we did something unconventional for a Saturday night: All six of us gave a 10–15 minute presentation, recapping our 2025 and laying out our focus for 2026.

The Commitment

The result? We’ve already penciled in our mid-year review for June and a year-end follow-up for December. We’ve promised to be witnesses and support systems for each other’s journeys.

Why do this outside of the office?

I’ll admit, it took some courage to ask friends to do this. Isn’t the flurry of corporate January kickoffs enough? Who wants to "present" on a weekend?

But after doing it, I am so glad we pushed through the hesitation. We realized that even with friends you've shared countless beers with, there is always more to discover. * I saw a stunning photography portfolio I never knew a friend possessed.

• I heard about passion projects that had never come up in casual conversation.
• Even my wife and I shared aspirations that were new to one another.

The Wisdom of "Not Knowing"

This experience reminded me of a passage by author Jung Ji-woo that has been on my mind lately:

"We must guard against the arrogance of believing we have nothing more to be curious about... or that we know ourselves and others clearly. Preserving that 'riddle'—leaving the other person as a mysterious being—is an act of love in itself."

By creating a formal space to listen, we stopped assuming we knew everything about the people closest to us. We gave each other the room to be "mysterious" again, and in doing so, we found a deeper connection.