Chris Bashinelli

Chris Bashinelli and
Japanese Sumo Wrestlers

Chris Bashinelli farming for tea
in the hillsides of China 

Chris Bashinelli at the
United Nations Day of Peace

Chris Bashinelli and his mentor
Dr. Jane Goodall

2:00 pm - 3:00 pm
The Power of Connection:  
How Garden Centers Can Deepen Relationships,
Build Community, and Drive Growth
Chris Bashinelli, National Geographic Explorer

What if the real secret to growth today isn’t persuasion—but connection?

In a world where trust is the ultimate currency, customers and employees are craving something deeper. Yet in the rush to increase sales or efficiency, we often sacrifice the very thing that fuels long-term success: genuine connection.

Garden centers are uniquely positioned to lead this shift.

Garden Centers are more than retail spaces—they are places of tranquility, healing, and community. And at the heart of every one of these experiences are the people who create them.

In this high-energy keynote, National Geographic Explorer Chris Bashinelli, better known as Bash, takes audiences on an unforgettable journey across cultures—from nomadic communities in Mongolia to a single stoop in Brooklyn—revealing a powerful truth: when we prioritize connection, everything changes.

Blending immersive storytelling, audience interaction, and exclusive video from his work with National Geographic, Bash creates an experience that goes far beyond a traditional keynote. This is not a lecture—it’s an invitation into a new way of thinking, feeling, and leading.

Participants will discover how to create environments where both teams and customers feel seen, safe, and valued—and how those moments of connection translate directly into loyalty, trust, and growth.

This is not about tactics or manipulation. It’s about meeting people with genuine care, turning “them” into “us,” and building relationships that last far beyond the transaction.

Key Takeaways:

• A simple framework to build deep trust with customers and teams
• How to shift from transactional interactions to transformational relationships
• Practical tools to increase presence, empathy, and real-time connection
• Strategies to fister a people-first culture that drives loyalty and growth
• A renewed sense of purpose around the role garden centers play in their communities

Don't miss your chance to learn more about The Power of Connection!

An Interactive Experience for
Building Stronger Teams,
Customer Relationships,
and Community

"Chris waters the seed that is
in me and helps me to grow.
I’m forever indebted to him
for this. I’m very grateful to
meet Chris, with all my heart.
He made me laugh, he made me cry,
he made me think, he made me
be thankful and he opened my eyes.
He’s shown me by his manner
and by his habits, that love,
more than anything in the world,
is the greatest power there is."

DOMINIC CHIANESE
Emmy Award-winning Actor
“Uncle Junior” from
HBO’s The Sopranos

______________________________

“Chris is one of the most inspiring
new voices on TV. He’s part
Anthony Bourdain, part
Anderson Cooper
and 100% fresh.”

JERRY KOLBER
Executive Producer of Brain Games
on National Geographic

_________________________________

“We need more people like Chris in the world.”

DR. JANE GOODALL

3:30 pm - 5:00 pm
It's Time to Get Connected
Chris Bashinelli, National Geographic Explorer

This highly interactive experience will help you immediately apply the principles of connection within your business – and with one another.

With a blend of guided exercises, group collaboration, and experiential learning, we will turn insight into action. At the core is a simple idea: the same conditions that help plants thrive—care, consistency, and resilience—are the ones that help people and businesses grow.

Through a series of engaging exercises, participants will explore:

Defining the Vision: “Step Z”
Clarify a compelling vision for their garden center and begin aligning actions with that future now.

Creating Connection-Driven Spaces: “The Stoop”
Learn how to turn everyday environments into spaces of belonging—where customers feel welcomed, understood, and eager to return.

Strengthening Meaningful Relationships: “Who Inspires You?”
Identify what makes relationships impactful and translate those insights into stronger connections with teams, customers, and peers.

Throughout the experience, there will be a strong emphasis on audience engagement and peer connection—creating a rare space where members can collaborate, share ideas, and build trust, even as competitors.

The result is more than just strategy—it’s a shift. You will leave with practical tools, stronger relationships, and a deeper connection to your work, your community, and your peers.

It's time to turn insight into action—and Get Connected!

Chris Bashinelli, better known as “Bash,” was born and raised in Brooklyn, New York, to Lebanese and Italian-American parents. His worldview was shaped on his childhood “Stoop,” where friendships spanned a combined 13 nationalities. After a decade-long acting career, including an appearance on the hit HBO television series The Sopranos, Bash traded the red carpet for the road—launching Bridge the Gap, a global travel series featured on PBS and the National Geographic Channel, where he experiences life across countless cultures around the world.

As a National Geographic Explorer, Bash fully embeds himself within cultures to understand the nature of connection and happiness from the inside out. He shares these insights everywhere from Fortune 500 companies, to inside prison walls, to the United Nations General Assembly Hall. His immersive approach has granted him unprecedented access to people and cultures around the world—earning the lifelong trust of Ugandan mystics, Mongolian herdsmen, suicide prevention activists on the Pine Ridge Reservation, and some of TIME Magazine’s 100 Most Influential People on the Planet.

Bash has shared the stage with luminaries such as Stevie Wonder and Michael Douglas, and at just 24 years old became the youngest man ever to moderate the United Nations International Day of Peace. His work has been featured in Delta Sky Magazine, Lonely Planet, Huffington Post, and The Daily News Zimbabwe. He is also an Eagle Scout and guest host on the Be Here Now podcast network. In a world hungry for meaning and connection, Chris Bashinelli delivers—with heart, humor, and an unwavering belief in our shared humanity.