Advice tells you what you could do. An introduction puts you at the table with someone who's already done it.
There's no shortage of advice. Books, podcasts, reports, LinkedIn, everyone knows what you should do. Yet I often see entrepreneurs stuck at exactly the same point: they know what they want, but not who can help.
A good introduction does something advice can't. It shortens the journey. It brings trust that would otherwise take months to build. And it brings together two people who both have something to gain.
Networking isn't collecting contacts. It's noticing who needs each other.
What I love most about connecting people is the moment before the introduction. You hear someone's question and think: I know someone working on exactly this. I try to make that moment happen as often as possible.
An introduction only works if it makes sense for both sides. That's my only rule. Then meeting someone isn't a favour, but an opportunity.
Christ van den Akker More about Networking
