On the other hand, what has been shocking to me is the doors opened by actually meeting in person. I was working as a software engineer and happening to be traveling to the city a customer was based in. On a whim, I emailed the customer and asked if they would like to have lunch. We did. No agenda. I emailed for a meeting a few months later, and they immediately pulled together 5 or 6 people to meet with me. I don’t think they would have felt as much of a desire to do this unless they felt like they knew me personally. I think if we really reflect on our connection with people, there is a difference between someone you have only exchanged emails with and someone you have had lunch with. That being said, I also feel that this loses meaning when it is enforced and “a given”. A lunch to connect is very different from “lunch together as a rule”. I know in my own personal set of options available to me that lunch is very powerful. As can working with someone in person. But to enforce it is to kill the spirit of what I am talking about.
Adding to the real estate reason, ii's also probably to get you a bit too invested (timewise or else) so that you have some sunk-cost fallacy working in their favor
