The Capital Nobody Tracks

4 Thoughts

1. Access and relationships aren't the same thing.
   Knowing how to reach someone doesn't mean you've earned their trust.

2. Your reputation enters rooms before you do.
   How you show up determines what people say when your name comes up and you're not there.

3. Relationship capital compounds.
   One strong relationship can lead to another conversation, introduction or opportunity.

4. The worst time to build your network is when you're desperate.
   Real relationships need time before you ask anything from them.

4 Lessons

1. Give before you need something.
   Bring value to relationships without keeping score every five minutes.

2. Do what you say you're going to do.
   Trust gets built through the little stuff.

3. Be someone worth introducing.
   When another person makes an introduction, they're putting some of their reputation behind you.

4. Build depth, not just volume.
   A phone with thousands of contacts isn't very useful if there's nobody you can actually call when something matters.

4 Challenges

1. Look through your contacts.
   How many of those people do you have a real relationship with?

2. Make one call without asking for anything.
   Check in, offer help or reconnect with someone you value.

3. Think about your own reputation.
   If your name came up in a room you weren't in today, what would people say about how you operate?

4. See what relationship capital looks like inside the Deal Maker Alliance.
   Read what members themselves have to say about the relationships, experiences and opportunities they've found inside the room.

Quote of the Week

"Your network is your net worth." - Porter Gale

Don't wait until you're staring at a massive decision to suddenly start "networking."

That's backwards.

Build relationships when you don't need anything.

Show up.

Be useful.

Become somebody other people WANT to pick up the phone for.

Because eventually you're going to need a conversation, an introduction or another set of eyes on something important.

And when that day comes, a phone full of names isn't nearly as valuable as a handful of real relationships.