Networking needs a rebrand.

It's incredibly important, but how we think about it is so outdated.

I tried to reimagine networking in a post-COVID, digital age with 7 principles...
Principle 1: Depth of connection is most important

I have 79k connections on Linkedin.
I know roughly 1% of those connections.

I get & give no value to a network this large.

I would way rather 79 deep connections who I form meaningful bonds with.
Principle 2: Intrinsic value matters more long-term

Play the long game.
Resist the urge to connect bc of likes & social validation.

Connect because it makes you a better person.

Bc it makes you:

Think deeper and in different ways.
Feel deeper and gain a sense of self.
Btw, if you focus on connections that better you intrinsically, things like likes, money, and career trajectory will happen for you as a byproduct.
Principle 3: Proximity of connection is overrated

Since March 2020, I have seen 5 people minus my family and my girlfriend.

That said, I have formed more deep connections in the last 12 months than in the previous 5 years.
All of these relationships have been made online through platforms like Twitter.

Our parents grew up in an era where you knew your neighbors.

We grew up in an era where you meet people in person.

We live in an era where shared values trump shared geography.
@SahilBloom
@web
@polina_marinova
@karagoldin
@gregisenberg
@morganhousel

These are just a few of the folks I neither live near nor have met in real life.

But I would take these connections over geographically proximate connections any day of the week.
Principle 4: Identity is not that important

We live in a world where pseudonymous interactions are becoming commonplace.

Some of my best convos are on Twitter w/ ppl whose profile pic & handle disguise their born identity.

No idea who they are.
They could be teens or adults.
They could live in the US or elsewhere.

If I find my interactions with them valuable, I'd take that over a connection with someone I know, but who gives me no value or energy every single day.

@RampCapitalLLC is a perf example of this.
Principle 5: Expect psychological safety

I want to surround myself with people that give me the space to learn & struggle with an idea without judgment.

Tons of smart people to connect with.
Way fewer smart people that give you a safe space to connect.
@awilkinson, @patrickxrivera, @helena and @garrytan are great examples of this.

Absolute allstars in their domains of expertise, but always patient & welcoming to clarify questions that may seem elementary to them.
Principle 6: Force yourself out of echo chambers

I’m in media.
I’m in startups.

I don’t want all of my connections to be in media and the startup world no matter amazing.

I want diverse connections. Diverse thinking, diverse backgrounds, diverse viewpoints.
So important for so many reasons.

1) Whether it's Morning Brew or my own content, my audience is diverse.

To put out great product that respects the diversity of my audience, I want diverse connections that take me outside of my bubbles.
2) As I've gone deeper in media, I've realized my best ideas come from outside of media.

My most creative thoughts have been inspired by retail, gaming, financial services, etc.

I want to connect with people that obsess over things that are far different from me.
3) Connections aren't just about bettering yourself professionally.

They're also about personal development.

Some of my strongest connections are people that I talk to about everything except for work: relationships, anxiety, aspirations, etc.
Principle 7: Don't hold onto connections too long

In life, when you make a losing investment, you talk about sunk cost and cut your losses ASAP.

We should view connections the same way.

It’s okay for your connections to churn over time.

And it makes sense.
People change, their interests change, and their needs change.

It only makes sense that connections should change based on our own evolutions.

Don’t hold onto connections for the sake of longevity.

Hold onto connections if there’s value & impact not worth losing.
And those are my 7 principles for connecting in a post-Covid, internet era!

If you want my complete thoughts on this, check out my @FoundersPod episode about it.

Listen on Apple: apple.co/2Rm4WU6

Listen on Spotify: spoti.fi/2RpmheT
If you want more threads to think smarter in business, follow me on Twitter: twitter.com/businessbarista

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More from @businessbarista

3 May
I used to hate myself for the way my brain worked.

- short attention span
- easily distracted
- "all over the place"

I've learned to love myself for the way my brain works.

- super creative
- outside-the-box thinker
- focused in short sprints
My hope for everyone is to understand the beauty of their brain.

Of course there are things we see in others that we desire for ourselves. Of course we can strengthen our weaknesses.

But we need to learn to respect our natural way of being & understand all of the benefits.
The grass is always greener on the other side, but you need to value the grass that you stand on.

Every upside has a downside. Every yin, a yang.

Love your brain for what makes it great & understand "weaknesses" are not weaknesses, but byproducts of our strengths.
Read 4 tweets
1 May
depth of connection > # of connections

intrinsic value of connection > extrinsic value of connection

relatability of connection > proximity of connection
value of connection > identity of connection (@balajis)
psychological safety of connection > expertise of connection
Read 12 tweets
28 Apr
People suck at giving feedback.

It's not a natural human behavior and we fail to practice and perfect it.

But it's a must have if you want to be a great manager or build a great business.

My thoughts on feedback...
Ever since my first job in Finance, I've been obsessed with the value of feedback.

That’s because, I literally never received it.

Just once, at the six month mark of my job, my manager sat me down for feedback.

And all he said was "it's too soon to know how you're doing."
Other than that....nothing.

From then on, it was my mission to become great at giving feedback.

And i've come to think about feedback a lot like teaching:

• It's invaluable
• Trust is a must
• Conversation > Lecture
• Know your audience
• Specificity is key
Read 19 tweets
27 Apr
Business school rewards the same set of hard skills.

Financial modeling. Operations. Excel.

In the real world, none of these are the most important skill.

And that skill is Storytelling.

Here's why...
We live in a digital age.

Technology is eating everything.

Skills are more commoditized than ever before.

And business is more competitive than ever before.

Storytelling is not & will not be commoditized.
I experienced this first-hand at @MorningBrew.

We were unproven entrepreneurs.
We weren’t making money.
We were building in a competitive space.
And we had zero brand legitimacy.

Quality storytelling is what gave us legitimacy.
Read 16 tweets
26 Apr
My series, "The 50," is back.

Each week, I share the story and lessons of a top 50 largest company in the world.

This $215 billion company paved the way for modern software & modern CSR.

Let's dive in 👇
Salesforce is the #1 CRM platform in the world.

$215 billion company.
Over 50,000 employees.
$21.3 billion in 2021 FY revenue.

The company is massive.
And it all starts with Marc Benioff (@Benioff).

Marc is the most visible of Salesforce’s four founders.

He is CEO & Chairman and has been part of the business since its founding in 1999.
Read 27 tweets
23 Apr
I have exciting news to share.

Effective this week, I am moving from my role as CEO of Morning Brew to the role of Executive Chairman.

Austin, my co-founder of 6 years, will be moving from his role as COO to CEO.

Time for a quick reflection 👇
It is remarkable how this company has grown over the last 12 months.

We’ve long talked about this transition from newsletter business to media brand.

Well, that day is here.
Since January 2020…

• We 3x'd headcount to 90
• We built an allstar senior leadership team
• We built a portfolio of seven products across several mediums
• We built a burgeoning B2B business
• We have remained profitable, while doubling revenue
Read 14 tweets

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