The first physical product from For The Firsts transforms proven conversation prompts into a tool for building soft skills, stronger professional relationships and avoid ‘algorithmic’ discussions
NEW YORK, July 21, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Networking has become remarkably efficient. A professional can optimize a LinkedIn profile, attend a dozen events, join multiple communities, and leave with hundreds of connections. Yet many still struggle with the challenge of turning introductions into relationships.
That observation became the foundation for First Round, a new deck of 40 conversation prompts from For The Firsts founder and Forbes 30 Under 30 creator Colin Rocker. The product grew out of an unexpected pattern Rocker noticed while building For The Firsts, a New York-based community that hosts guided networking events for ambitious professionals.
While most networking conversations revolved around job titles, companies, and career ambitions, Rocker became fascinated by the questions that shifted the conversation elsewhere. Rather than focusing on where someone worked, they encouraged people to reflect on the experiences, decisions, and defining moments behind their journey. After seeing the same prompts spark meaningful exchanges across dozens of gatherings, Rocker began collecting them.
Over time, the collection grew into a library of prompts designed to help people move beyond résumés, elevator pitches, and predictable networking conversations. First Round represents the first time those prompts have been assembled into a physical product.
“At our events, we noticed an interesting pattern,” said Rocker. “People would arrive expecting the typical ‘What do you do?’ networking conversations. Then someone would introduce one of our prompts, and suddenly the discussion shifted from what people did to who they were. Strangers discovered shared experiences, conversations took unexpected turns, and people who planned to stay for an hour often remained until the very end. Those were the moments that inspired the First Round.”
The deck contains 40 human-written prompts spanning themes such as career, identity, community, and personal growth. Some were sourced directly from previous For The Firsts events. Others were written and refined by Rocker after seeing firsthand how the right question could transform an interaction.
The idea is rooted in the community’s broader philosophy around the concept of being a “First.”
Many people only associate the term with being a first-generation college student or the first person in their family to reach a particular milestone, but Rocker wants to expand that definition.
“People don’t always realize they’re a First,” he said. “Maybe you’re the first person in your family to move across the country. Maybe you’re the first to start a business. Maybe you’re the first to completely reinvent yourself. Everybody has experiences that shaped them, but most people never get asked about them.”
The launch arrives as many professionals are rethinking the role of relationships in career advancement. Despite an abundance of digital tools designed to connect people, networking has increasingly become associated with transaction rather than curiosity.
At For The Firsts events, Rocker noticed attendees weren’t necessarily looking for more contacts. They were looking for better conversations and deeper connections.
“Most parts of professional life have been optimized for efficiency,” said Patrick Zielinski, co-founder of The Drive Agency. “People know how to build a personal brand, polish a profile, and position themselves for opportunities. What’s becoming more valuable now is the ability to build genuine relationships. That’s a skill people are actively looking to develop.”
First Round was developed entirely through real-world conversations, not artificial intelligence. Every prompt was written by Colin, the founder and tested across dozens of community gatherings before making its way into the final deck.
The product is designed for networking events, team off-sites, dinner parties, coffee chats, job interviews, and any environment where people want to move beyond surface-level conversation.
“The best opportunities in my life didn’t come from meeting the most people,” he said. “They came from having a meaningful conversation with the right person. Those conversations usually start with a question nobody expected.”
Rocker jokes that attendees have been “stealing” his conversation prompts for years by photographing them, copying them into their notes app, and bringing them to their own gatherings. Beginning July 21, they’ll be available for purchase at https://for-the-firsts.com/products/first-round.
About For The Firsts
For The Firsts is a community built around helping people confidently own their identity as a First. Founded in New York City, the organization hosts recurring events, conversations, and experiences focused on connection, career growth, and community.
About Colin Rocker
Colin Rocker is a Forbes 30 Under 30 creator, LinkedIn Top Voice, and founder of For The Firsts, a monthly meetup community for professionals, founders, and creatives pursuing their own paths. His work has been featured in Forbes, The New York Times, Fortune, Business Insider, CBS, Digiday, and other national publications.
About The Drive Agency
The Drive Agency is the premier creator talent management and business scaling firm for category-defining experts in B2B technology, AI, data science, family, and career development. Operating on a founder-based framework, the agency functions as a comprehensive ecosystem for creator-led enterprises, providing end-to-end support across brand partnerships, physical product development, digital courses, and live speaking engagements. By integrating global staffing, recruiting, and business scaling infrastructure under one roof, The Drive Agency transforms elite subject-matter experts into diversified, high-growth businesses. For more information, visit https://thedriveagency.co/.
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SOURCE For The Firsts
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