We’ve mistaken networking for noise.

Attending the right events. Collecting business cards. Posting selfies with strangers.

But real connection has very little to do with any of that.

It’s not about the number of people who know your name.

It’s about how many trust it.

The most valuable network isn’t the biggest one. It’s the one built on follow-ups, shared value, and showing up without asking for anything first.

Great founders don’t network to get.

They connect to give.

To understand.

To create a circle that sustains, not drains.

Networking, when done right, is a slow burn.

And like compound interest, it gets more powerful the longer you invest.

Forget the coffee. Focus on consistency.