Learn

Friends · 50 items · 3 min read

Easier Network

For a solo founder or independent worker who needs peers, mentors and allies but hates "networking." Format: easier > harder. A good network isn't a contact list. It's people who trust you because you've been useful to them over time.

Sections
  1. Formulas
  2. Finding peers (1–12)
  3. Being useful (13–25)
  4. Online (26–37)
  5. Keeping it alive (38–50)

Formulas#

  • Network value = people × trust × how often you help each other. A long list with no trust is worth close to zero.
  • Weak ties bring new opportunities. Strong ties bring support. You need both. (Mark Granovetter, The Strength of Weak Ties)
  • Give first, keep giving. Reputation spreads through people you've helped, not people you've pitched. (Adam Grant, Give and Take)
  • Peers you talk to every week shape your ambition more than heroes you follow.

Finding peers (1–12)#

  1. People one or two steps ahead of you > celebrities. They remember the problem you have now, and they reply.
  2. A small peer group of 4–6 people who meet regularly (a mastermind) > a big community you lurk in.
  3. Communities organized around a tool or craft (WordPress, Claude, indie makers) > generic "entrepreneur" groups.
  4. Meeting people through your work (customers, collaborators, contributors) > cold events.
  5. Conferences where you have a role (speaker, volunteer, sponsor) > attending as a nobody.
  6. Local meetups in your city > only online, for the deepest bonds.
  7. Replying thoughtfully to people's work > sending a cold "let's connect."
  8. A clear answer to "what do you do?" > a vague one. People can only introduce you if they can describe you.
  9. Joining early in a new community > late in a crowded one.
  10. People with complementary skills (designer ↔ developer ↔ marketer) > only people who do what you do.
  11. Meeting founders at your revenue level > constant comparison with much bigger players.
  12. A few ex-colleagues and old clients > forgetting the people you already know.

Being useful (13–25)#

  1. Introductions that help both sides > asking for introductions.
  2. Sharing what you learned, with numbers > sharing only highlights.
  3. Answering questions in your area > only asking.
  4. Giving honest, specific feedback on someone's product > "looks great!"
  5. Promoting peers' launches > only promoting your own.
  6. Small favors that cost you little (a review, a retweet, a quick call) > grand gestures.
  7. Following up with results ("I tried your advice, here's what happened") > taking advice silently.
  8. Being generous with credit > claiming it.
  9. Being easy to help (a clear, short ask) > a vague "can you help me?"
  10. Paying for peers' products > asking for free copies.
  11. Keeping a list of what each close contact needs right now > forgetting.
  12. Teaching one thing well > advice about everything.
  13. Becoming the connector in one niche > being one of thousands of nodes.

Online (26–37)#

  1. Building in public > building in secret. People can only root for what they can see.
  2. A newsletter people can reply to > a social feed only.
  3. Long-form writing that shows how you think > quick hot takes.
  4. DMs that reference someone's specific work > copy-pasted pitches.
  5. A few platforms, used consistently > everywhere, rarely.
  6. Video calls that turn online acquaintances into real ones > years of only replies.
  7. Helping in forums and GitHub issues > only promoting.
  8. Public thanks > private silence.
  9. Your own site as home base > profiles you don't own.
  10. Being the same person across platforms > different personas.
  11. Leaving mob fights alone > joining pile-ons. People remember.
  12. Consistency over years > viral moments.

Keeping it alive (38–50)#

  1. A simple contact list with last-contact dates > relying on memory.
  2. A quarterly "just checking in" note with no ask > appearing only when you need something.
  3. Meeting in person once a year > online forever.
  4. Celebrating others' milestones > ignoring them.
  5. Keeping your promises > overcommitting.
  6. Staying in touch after a deal ends > disappearing.
  7. Being honest when you can't help > ghosting.
  8. Mentoring people behind you > only looking up.
  9. Long-term relationships with a few peers > constantly adding new contacts.
  10. Turning peers into friends > keeping it purely transactional.
  11. Trusting slowly, and deeper each time > trusting instantly or never.
  12. Leaving every interaction a little better > extracting value.
  13. A network you'd enjoy even without business > one you only tolerate for deals.

If you keep only 5: #1 (one step ahead), #2 (a small peer group), #13 (make introductions), #26 (build in public), #39 (check in with no ask).