02/07/2026
Working in the financial industry for 12 years has taught me one thing- Your network is the only asset that appreciates every year without you having to sell it.
Most people treat networking like fishing cast wide, hope something bites.
The ones who win treat it like farming.
Year 1: you plant seeds that feel like they’re going nowhere.
Year 3: some of those seeds become conversations.
Year 5: some of those conversations become partnerships.
Year 8: some of those partnerships become your biggest clients.
I have never once regretted investing time in a relationship that didn’t immediately convert.
I have regularly regretted not investing in ones that would have.
Here is how I build my network deliberately:
Give first. Always.
Before I ask for anything, I ask: what can I do for this person?
Share their content. Make an introduction. Send a useful resource. Give without keeping score.
Be specific, not generic.
“Let’s keep in touch” means nothing.
“I’ll send you that case study I mentioned” means everything.
Invest in the long shots.
The MD who seemed untouchable at that conference? Stay in their orbit. Comment on their posts. Send the occasional thoughtful note. Relationships that look impossible in year 1 close deals in year 4.
Reach out with no agenda.
The biggest networking mistake: only calling when you need something. Reach out when you have nothing to sell. That is what makes you memorable.
Your network is your net worth.
But only if you tend to it.
What is the most valuable relationship in your professional network and how did it start?
