Meeting/Event Information
Wellness Workshop
June 04, 2026
5:30 PM - 7:30 PM
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SmithGroup San Francisco Office
301 Battery Street, 4th Floor
San Francisco, CA 94111
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Registration is now closed as we have reached capacity.
BURNOUT! The AEC Marketer's Kryptonite
Matt Connor
Director of Marketing and Business Development, Asakura Robinson
Studies have shown that over 60% of employees in the U.S. claim to have experienced burnout at work. Some researchers have said that it is growing to epidemic proportions. In this session, attendees will learn about the symptoms, causes, consequences, and solutions to burnout. Matt's interactive program will give attendees a simple plan and a list of strategies and tactics they can start immediately.
Matt Connor is the Marketing and Business Development Director at Asakura Robinson, a planning, urban design, and landscape architecture firm based in Houston, Texas. He is also the President and Janitor of Coach Connor Consulting. His 30+ year marketing career has taken him from ad agencies and a global software company to the AEC industry working for Architecture, Civil & Structural Engineering, Construction, and Program Management firms. He even started a Fencing company (Fence Ninjas) as a pandemic side hustle. As a Marketer, Business Developer, Life & Career Coach, and Professional Speaker, Matt strives for connection, authenticity, and of course fun. Matt lives in Houston, Texas with his wife of 30 years, Shelly, and says his greatest accomplishments are his two grown children, Trent and Peyton.
DIY Mini Zen Garden - A Moment of Calm, Created by You
Following Matt’s program, you’ll participate in a fun, hands-on workshop to build your own personalized mini Zen garden—a soothing tabletop space that blends natural elements with mindful design. As you work with sand, stones, and simple tools, you’ll explore how small, intentional rituals can bring clarity, ease stress, and support emotional balance.
Throughout the session, you'll be guided on how grounding activities and visual focus can help regulate the nervous system, improve concentration, and promote a deeper sense of calm. Simple practices like raking patterns or arranging elements mindfully offer accessible ways to reset the mind—tools you can continue using long after the workshop ends.
What You'll Experience
- Conduct a simple burnout assessment
- Learn how your mind set controls your situation
- Recognize and implement small steps to improve any and all aspects of your job and really, your life
- A guided, creative mindfulness workshop
- DIY mini Zen garden to keep (materials provided)
- Practical techniques for reducing stress and mental overload
- Insights into how tactile and visual grounding support emotional well‑being
- Healthy bites and refreshments
Getting There
- SmithGroup's office is a 7-minute walk from BART Embarcadero station and an 8-minute walk from BART Montgomery station.
- Parking is available at Embarcadero Center Parking Garage.
Please reach out to [email protected] with any questions.
