As 2025 ramps up, we’re taking a moment to spotlight an incredible story of innovation and human connection: Folx Table, a platform created by Emma McCallie and Dallas Condra, graduates of our InFlight Accelerator. Since its launch on September 16, 2024—appropriately chosen as National Sit with a Stranger Day—Folx Table has been redefining how people connect in Nashville.
What Is Folx Table?
Simply put, Folx Table is The Sit-Down Social Network, connecting you with the people you need to meet at the places you love to eat. By creating a profile on their platform, users are matched with up to six others at local restaurants, coffee shops, and bars for curated conversations and meaningful experiences.
The platform’s mission is simple but profound: to put connection at the center of modern life. That looks like offering higher-quality conversations and authentic in-person experiences.
Key Learnings
Through intentional design, Folx Table has tapped into something people crave more than ever: genuine connection. Highlights include:
- Small tables (4-6 attendees) foster deeper conversations.
- Curated conversation programming like “The Game” cuts through the small talk to create meaningful exchanges.
- Collaborations with community organizations boost guest retention and deepen existing relationships.
Metrics & Milestones
In just a few short months, Folx Table has achieved remarkable growth:
- 1,500 profile completions and over 500 bookings since September.
- Partnerships with 30+ local venues, including coffee shops, bars, and restaurants.
- An impressive 96% attendee satisfaction rate for better conversations with strangers.
Customer Success Story: Meet Natisha
Natisha, a self-described introvert, was hesitant to attend her first Folx Table but left with a transformative takeaway:
“When meeting new people, ask questions that truly matter and invite vulnerability.”
Her role as the “Depth Diver” in Folx Table’s signature conversation game gave her the tools to connect deeply with strangers—and she’s already returned twice!
Product Updates
User feedback has driven meaningful updates, including:
- SMS notifications for seamless reminders and updates.
- Check-in processes to ensure smooth arrivals and uphold no-show policies.
- Continued development of the platform’s no-code web app, with plans to launch a mobile app in late 2025.
Recent Pilot
In January, Folx Table piloted their first community table offering. 6Run5, an East Nashville based group, has experienced the recent boom of run clubs. Welcoming 200+ runners each week, the organization was eager for a way to better introduce long-time runners to new-comers. They opted to add a weekly Folx Table dinner for members to meet and deepen connection. Folx Table ran 4 consecutive weeks, hosting 5 tables across different restaurants at the same time. Then, all members were sent out to the same bar to meet up together after. Those guests reported feeling more connected to the 6Run5 community and having had more meaningful conversations than their typical encounters.
Press and Recognition
Folx Table has garnered attention in local media:
- WPLN’s This is Nashville: Talking to Strangers with Folx Table
- Nashville Scene: Conversation Starters – Folx Table Brings Strangers Together
- Talk of the Town: How Folx Table Connects Strangers Through In Person Experiences
- Nashville Entrepreneur Center: Folx Table is Changing the Game of Socializing – with 30+ Partners
You can also listen to Emma’s insights on two recent podcasts: City Cast Nashville (Nashville’s Best New Game Turns Strangers Into Friends) or You Need Therapy (Connecting IRL: Emma McCallie on Folx Table’s New Way to Create Relationships)
What’s Next for Folx Table?
For Q1, the team is focused on:
- Community Acquisition: Gaining traction through additional community table pilots (Ex: member clubs, professional networks, fitness studios) that want to drive greater connection and belonging within their membership bases.
- Retention: Increasing return rates by encouraging users to book at least once per quarter.
- Content Marketing: Positioning Folx Table as a leader in fostering in-person, connections, friend-making, and higher-quality conversations.
A Shared Vision for Connection
Emma and Dallas are building something truly special with Folx Table, creating spaces where strangers become friends and where the act of sitting together transforms into something meaningful.
Here’s to more tables, more connections, and a bright 2025 ahead.
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