It feels like a long time ago when I first began putting together a rough plan for what has now become known as “Intersect”. So long that it’s hard for me to remember what the earliest iterations of this event looked and felt like. Luckily, many of the people that came to the first Intersect have been coming to every single one since then, and according to them, despite the size, scale, and venue upgrade, it still feels very much the same – intimate, familiar, and enthusiastic.

Named after…well, ourselves, Intersect is a literal intersection of brands and enthusiasts; no third parties, no event planners – just brands and enthusiasts. It is a simple formula.

Intersect builds upon our core philosophy at Nodus, which is that a rising tide raises all ships. Our work on Design Lab, NodeX™, and now Intersect has been the three pillars of the current version of Nodus and it all points towards our vision of what this industry should become: collaborative. This is why we have poured our heart and soul into these ventures.

Along with my “InterBros” – Markus from Formex, Peter from Jack Mason, and of course, Cullen, we strived to make this event as democratic and fair as possible for brands and as memorable as possible for attendees. Every brand (including Nodus) pays an equal amount to host the event and the onus is on all of us equally to promote it.

There are three simple criteria when selecting brands to invite to the show:

1) They must be independently-owned
2) A decision-maker must be present at each show
3) Said decision-maker must be cool, collaborative, and community-driven

Leading up to this event (which was the largest one yet, with over 600 people on the RSVP list), we were contacted by a few large brands, all of which were owned (at least in some capacity) by a large conglomerate or a private equity firm. The attention from such large players in the industry affirmed that our efforts here are starting to gain momentum. Although it would have been cool to see some of these brands in the same room, it would have overshadowed the qualities that set independently-owned watch businesses apart from our larger counterparts.

This leads me to why this project is so important to me personally. The brand owners in the room have either inspired me, mentored me, started with me, or they’re just someone whose work I enjoy. We are all competitors, yes, but we are also colleagues - and most importantly, we are friends. While all our companies have different goals and we all have our own dreams, we all have a shared passion for watches.

The bonds between our brands are truly one-of-a-kind. For years, this job felt solitary as many of us were/are solo operators. Intersect has changed everything. Beyond showcasing our work, these events have become a channel for genuine connection. From late-night taco runs to early morning birdwatching, bowling competitions to arcade sessions; it's a testament to the idea that this job isn't nearly as lonely as it once was.

This industry is special and unique because of the variety of our work and accomplishments. There are very few industries that are not winner-takes-most/all, but I am lucky enough to be working in one where everyone can win. In fact, the differences between us are what make this hobby so interesting in the first place.