Coffee chats are great.
But sometimes “coffee” feels like code for: find parking, sit down, make small talk, and commit to 45 minutes.
So people delay, overthink, or say “yeah we should” and nothing happens.
Here is an underrated alternative that gets more yeses:
A 15-minute walk.
Why the walk works (the real reason)
It is not that people hate you. It is that they are protecting their calendar.
A short walk feels:
- lighter (15 minutes is a rounding error)
- healthier (it does not feel like “another meeting”)
- easier to schedule (no table, no wait, no ordering)
And because it is short, people are more willing to say yes now instead of “sometime.”
The 15-minute walk invite (copy/paste this)
Quick one — want to do a 15-min walk this week and compare notes?
Does Tue 4:30 or Thu 8:30am work better on your end?
No worries if timing is wild right now.
Three lines. One clear ask. Two options. Easy out.
How to make it feel natural (4 simple rules)
Rule 1: keep it under 20 minutes
Fifteen is perfect. Twenty is fine. Thirty starts feeling like a “real” commitment.
Rule 2: pick a simple meet spot
Use a low-friction anchor:
- outside a coffee shop (you can still grab a drink if you want)
- a loop around a park
- “meet at the front door and we will walk”
The goal is: no logistics spiral.
Rule 3: give two time options inside the next 7 days
“When are you free?” creates work. Two options creates motion.
Rule 4: have one question ready
Walks can feel informal (which is good), but do not show up with zero structure.
Bring one question like:
- “What are you building right now that feels hardest?”
- “What are you optimizing for this quarter?”
- “What would make the next 30 days a win?”
Two variations (use the one that fits)
Variation A: you met at an event
Hey [Name] — enjoyed meeting you at [event].
Want to do a quick 15-min walk this week and swap notes on [topic]?
Does Tue 4:30 or Thu 8:30am work better?
Variation B: you want to make it even lighter (the “walk + one idea”)
Quick one — I had an idea on [their project/goal].
Open to a 15-min walk this week so I can share it and get your take?
Does Wed lunch or Fri 9:00am work better?
What not to do (common mistakes)
- Do not oversell it. It is a walk, not a pitch.
- Do not make it vague. “We should walk sometime” dies in the inbox.
- Do not turn it into an hour. Short is the point.
- Do not forget the exit ramp. “No worries if timing is wild” makes the ask feel normal.
How Thawe fits
Thawe is built for local connection that actually turns into real life.
Not endless messaging. Not “sometime.”
Just simple next steps — like a 15-minute walk — that build relationships quickly.
Sources
- Harvard Business Review on relationship building and follow-through: hbr.org