The theory ‘six degrees of separation’ is the idea that all people are six (or fewer) connections away from each other. In Silicon Valley (SV), it’s more like 2-degrees of separation— if you learn how to properly engage with warm networks, SV’s network effects will help amplify your good outcomes!
How to Write a Great Email Request for Introduction: Investment, Hiring, Sales, and Anything Else.
A friend of a friend happens to be looking to hire someone like you.
Your ex-boss decides to be an angel investor just as you choose to found a startup.
A relative happens to work for the key decision-maker at the very company you want to secure an enterprise contract with.
You successfully raise a round of funding, and an employee happens to know a team of talented, tight-knit engineers looking for a new company to work for—
— These serendipitous events can turn into great opportunities for everyone involved. However, unless someone activates their relationships and networks with clear intent, a lot of these brilliant opportunities can go by unrealized.
The opportunity: when you combine the right approach with modern-day technology, you can effectively activate your networks to reach people who would otherwise remain strangers.