#243: Cooking Chanterelle Mushrooms for Eckhart Tolle, Connection Lessons From 72 Hours in Darkness, & How YOU Can Use Quantum Networking To Achieve Your Goals w/ Gil Petersil

Beyond Curious ™

Gil Petersil used to feel awkward speaking to people.

With English as his third language, Gil built his confidence by serving hundreds of homeless people… and going to speed dating events.

Today, he’s known as a global leader in the world of networking—building relationships with royalty in Indonesia and running thousands of events worldwide, including many for Tony Robbins.

There is SO much magic in this episode, but here are 3 fun things to look forward to:

• How cooking a chanterelle mushroom for spiritual teacher Eckhart Tolle led to Gil producing his largest event in Russia (6,000+ people) and getting invited to vacation with Eckhart’s family
• Unlocking the power of “Quantum Networking” — and how Gil uses “time algorithms” and “networking codes” to build deep relationships
• What Gil learned about connection from being DISCONNECTED by spending 72 hours in complete darkness

If you’re ready to take your relationships to the next level, this is an episode you won’t want to miss.

Show Notes Generated With The Help of AI!

00:00 - Introduction to Beyond Curious and today's guest, Gil Petersil

Brandon sets the stage for a wildly engaging episode featuring global networking expert Gil Petersil, highlighting stories involving Tony Robbins, Eckhart Tolle, and even networking during a darkness retreat.

00:01:08 - The power of small actions and foreshadowing Eckhart Tolle

Brandon teases three key stories: Gil's time with the homeless, his mushroom-cooking moment with Eckhart Tolle, and how he networks in complete darkness.

00:02:28 - Gil Petersil's background and tea-powered facilitation

Brandon shares Gil’s impressive bio, including his quantum networking expertise and his integration of tea ceremonies into strategic facilitation work.

00:05:13 - Practicing networking with homeless people in London

Gil recounts his early 20s in London, where he left a corporate job and began engaging in deep conversations with homeless people to improve his English and develop human connection skills.

00:07:29 - Lessons in empathy and humanity from the streets

Gil reflects on the most powerful takeaways from those conversations: empathy, soul-level connection, and the realization that anyone can end up in difficult life circumstances.

00:12:26 - Cooking for Eckhart Tolle and building an unlikely bond

Gil recalls nervously preparing chanterelle mushrooms at a retreat—only for Eckhart Tolle to walk in and accept the meal, eventually leading to Gil organizing Tolle’s largest-ever event in Russia.

00:17:28 - Networking as a thousand-step journey with Eckhart Tolle

Gil discusses the year-and-a-half-long process to bring Eckhart to Moscow and the unexpected depth of their eventual connection, including a family vacation together.

00:18:40 - Disrupting networking norms through darkness retreats

Gil shares how 72 hours in complete darkness helped him identify and reconnect with significant people in his life, reflecting on his relationship to presence, time, and disconnection.

00:24:18 - Quantum networking and writing in the dark

Inside the darkness retreat, Gil used an ingenious system to write and meditate on networking entanglements, karmic energy, and deepening valuable relationships.

00:26:30 - Follow-up as soul nourishment, not CRM tracking

Gil breaks down his intuitive follow-up system, including daily practices like scrolling WhatsApp and re-engaging people with heartfelt, time-aware voice notes.

00:39:12 - Live experiment: Brandon challenges Gil to a real-time follow-up

In a spontaneous moment, Brandon has Gil scroll four times in his WhatsApp and send a one-minute voice message to the first person who resonates—a woman named Kaya, who coincidentally shares a name with Brandon’s daughter.

00:46:46 - The anatomy of a one-minute voice message

Gil sends a voice note live, sharing his thought process in crafting a message that reflects presence, intention, and value—all in just over a minute.

00:53:10 - How many minutes in a day? The 1,440-minute mindset

Gil explains his time algorithm: with 1,440 minutes in a day, there are 1,000 usable networking minutes. He challenges listeners to rethink time allocation through this simple but powerful lens.

00:57:22 - Creating experiences to disrupt old networking codes

Brandon and Gil dive into how immersive, intention-driven events like tea salons can radically accelerate connection by bypassing outdated relationship-building strategies.

01:00:17 - The “1-2-3” algorithm for accelerated networking

Gil shares his favorite time-based code—1, 2, and 3-minute frameworks for intentional sharing and engagement—and how these have transformed the speed and depth of his network.

Links & Resources:

• Gil Petersil’s Website
• Connect with Gil on Instagram
• Episode #217 – Scott Griswold’s episode