Tips for Building Authentic Connections with Kindness

I wouldn’t call myself a networking expert. BUT I’ve landed my last 8 clients because of “networking.” Here’s what’s worked for me 👇 A disclaimer before I start: “successful” networking hinges on being as invested in other people‘s success as you’re in your own. It’s NEVER a matter of quantity (“send 20 connection requests a day!”), and always a matter of connecting with like-minded people. 1. Be genuinely nice and helpful — proactively. Someone landed a role at a company you’ve admired or a product you’ve thought is cool? Reach out and congratulate them. Go beyond LinkedIn’s recommend one-liner and add a personal note. Someone’s struggling with a task you could do in your sleep? For example, setting up Monday automations. Send them a voice note with instructions or screenshots. 2. Show up on both sides — people who you can help and people who can help you. It’s not “networking” if you’re only reaching out to people who have something to offer you. Connect with others in your industry, people who have your role in a completely different industry, and people who want to be where you are. 3. Listen before you talk. Listen actively, intently, and empathetically. Seek to understand before you comment or ask for something. Always always ask “how can I support you in your goals?” Give people an opportunity to tell you — unfiltered — what they need from you. 3 “Don’ts” which you…just don’t do pls. It’s gross. 1. Don’t bait and switch: it’s the worst. People don’t hate cold pitches as much as they hate this. With a cold pitch, people might ghost you. But bait and switch and they’ll mentally block you forever. 2. Don’t get emotional in business conversations. I once recieved a follow up where the person went on and on about how they’d stayed up at night waiting for my reply. It was an unsolicited cold pitch. I don’t even remember seeing the email, I was probably too busy. They went on to call me some rather rude names and I … blocked them. Point is, they burnt a bridge for no reason. 3. Don’t fake it till you make it. Don’t exaggerate your credentials. Even if the conversation is successful, you’ll never be able to form a real relationship. It’ll always be superficial. What do you think?

I’ve coached many of the most successful community leaders. A few are businesses that have grown every year for a decade. I've learned that the key to compounding growth is not complicated funnels, hiring a marketing team, or hanging out on TikTok. The secret to growth for community businesses is… friendship. Helping members make and keep new friends in your community is how you reduce churn, increase your referral rate, and turn your existing members into leaders. And it’s also a really fun metric to build a business around. In her excellent book Platonic, Marisa G. Franco outlines the six elements of starting and deepening friendships. What if we applied these elements to a community business context? Here are the 6 elements, each with one way that we might create an environment that encourages them in our communities: 1. Initiative 💥 One way to encourage: Help your members take initiative by normalizing reaching out and providing them with a clear guide on how to initiate connections. 2. Vulnerability 🤲 One way to encourage: Model vulnerability by sharing your own experiences, challenges, and personal stories in the way you’d like your members to open up to each other. 3. Authenticity 🤸🏻♀️ One way to encourage: Make it clear that the community is different from social media platforms and invite members to show up more joyfully, and less polished than they otherwise would. 4. Productive Anger 🔥 One way to encourage: Be transparent about how conflicts are handled and don’t freak out when they come up. Having clear member guidelines and reminding members of what’s expected of them makes it easier to mediate conflicts when necessary. 5. Generosity 💐 One way to encourage: Encourage members to share what they can offer others, whether it's knowledge, support, or skills. Then, when those exchanges happen make it a point to celebrate them. 6. Affection 💞 One way to encourage: When someone thanks you for introducing you to a new friend because they’re amazing, invite them to also share that message directly with the new friend. It’s a great way to deepen a budding friendship! Cultivating a culture of friendship in your community has the potential to ultimately grow and sustain your business. And it's also a beautiful way to meaningfully improve the lives of your members. What are the ways new friendships have sparked for you in the communities you lead and/or are a part of? Friendship stories are my favorite. ☺️

When I worked at a startup, I loved the people and culture was great but noticed leadership was homogenous … and there weren’t many women. I saw this as an opportunity to found an Employee Resource Group for women in revenue with the goal of building community to help women on the revenue team get promoted and build relationships with women to look up to. Here is how I found community from within my company while building relationships with mentors at other companies: 1. Focus on one community The real goal of building a network is joining a community. Communities can be based on industry/vertical or geography. You can track key opinion leaders in your areas of interest, engage with their content and start writing your own. When you're part of a community, ideas and information flows easily. You're one of the gang, so people feel comfortable sharing insights and experiences because it increases the value of the community. 2. After identifying a community, reach out In the beginning, your goal is to connect with one person in a community, and learn what they do. You'll want to do some basic research on the industry - market trends, which companies are leaders, what are new industry developments that are top of mind. This gives you topics to write about. But don't feel like you have to have all the answers - you're here to learn. But you're here to learn what a specific person does, so express curiosity about the person you're talking to. 3. Create triangles Ask new contacts in the community who else you should meet. Then meet them. You'll build triangle of relationships over time. You know Ryan, you know Kris, Ryan knows Kris. Ryan knows you know Kris, and Kris knows you know Ryan. These triangles form the basis of you joining the community and being part of the flow of exchange of ideas. 4. Help your community If there's a formal community, you can contribute through existing channels. A networking group might need people to present on topics you are knowledgeable on - you get a chance to show what you're learning and help others. For informal communities, you can make introductions to people who don't know each other. You can also help people by interviewing leaders and sharing job opportunities. 5. Be consistent Stay in touch with people. Pick a cadence that works for you and stick with it. You've done the hard work up front, now all you have to do is tend to your investment. If you want to stay in touch with people at scale, you can post on social media, run a newsletter, host a podcast. Even if there aren’t people like you in leadership at your company - you can build relationships with mentors in your community.

Networking isn't just about exchanging business cards; it's about connecting, learning, and growing. As a CEO and entrepreneur deeply immersed in personal development, I've found that authentic connections can be the catalyst for both personal and professional growth. Here are three networking tips that have transformed my approach: 1. Be Curious: Genuine interest in others fosters deeper connections. Ask insightful questions that go beyond the surface. It's not just about what someone does, but why they do it. 2. Provide Value: Networking is a two-way street. Think about how you can help others before considering what they can do for you. Share knowledge, offer assistance, or connect them with someone in your network. 3. Follow Up: The magic happens after the event. Reach out with a personalized message referencing your conversation. This demonstrates attentiveness and sets the stage for a lasting relationship. Now, I pose this question to you: What networking strategies have you found most effective for creating meaningful professional relationships? Engage with this post by sharing your insights in the comments. If you find these tips useful, give this post a like or pass it on to help others in your network. Let's learn from each other and expand our collective networking prowess. #Networking #Growth #Strategy

I've built some of my most meaningful relationships on social media with one simple strategy: Being kind.  Not the fake, surface-level kind of kindness that's so common online.  But the real, genuine kindness that comes from a place of caring. From day one, I made a commitment to myself: Every connection will be rooted in authenticity and kindness. And the results have been incredible. By consistently being kind, I've built a network of amazing people. Folks who inspire me, have my back, and challenge me to be better. These aren't just casual online acquaintances. They're deep, real relationships based on mutual respect and appreciation. The kind of connections that go beyond the surface and touch the soul. And here's the beautiful thing about kindness: it grows. The more I give, the more I get back. Not because I was angling for it, but because that's just how true kindness works. So if you want to build meaningful, lasting relationships on social media, start with kindness. Not as a strategy, but as a way of life. Not for personal gain, but for the good of everyone. In a world where so much online interaction feels fake, your kindness will stand out. It will attract people who value real connection over self-promotion. And those are the relationships that will support you, inspire you, and help you grow. Both on social media and in life.