I wasn’t going to write about this today, but I wanted to share something that made our entire team smile yesterday.

First, did you know there’s an extra day this year? February 29th only comes around every four years. It's called Leap Day.

I’ve been wondering how to use this time for something special. There are countless challenges facing each of us — personally and professionally. What if we used this extra day to create space for all of us to pause and explore what we can do?

I don’t think we need another big conference or product. Instead, I’ve been more curious about organizing local gatherings hosted by caring individuals — a time to slow down for a meaningful conversation about risk and learning. We’ve seen from our programs with students and teams, that these slower moments are when ideas are born, or community is built, or concepts click.

So over the past month, the Ei team and I have been in touch with a few amazing people around the country. Together, we’re going to try something special:

10 dinners in 10 cities, all on February 29th.

How will it work?

These "Leap Nights” will be hosted by incredible friends who come from a range of industries — from education to hospitality to design. They’re opening their homes or finding spaces where they can bring small groups together in their cities.

We created a guide and some resources for the night. And yesterday, all of the hosts met on a video call for the first time to discuss specific plans. Seeing the group connect was incredible.

How can I participate?

Since this is the first time we’re trying something like this, we’re still working through the logistics. Some of the events are private and some will be open. We’ll share more details in the coming weeks.

If this first attempt goes well, we’ll explore inviting more of you to host Leap Nights throughout the year (who says we have to wait another four years to do this?).

One last thought...

For the Ei team and I, co-creating these dinners is one of our leaps this year. We weren’t sure how to pull it off, and we don’t know what the outcome will be. But we believe in the concept, we care about the people, and we’re taking it one step at a time.

If there’s something you’ve been thinking about that scares you, it might be time to start moving it forward. If we can do it, so can you.