Building real relationships by leading with genuine value

Executive overview

Most people approach networking transactionally — offering something small and expecting a big return. That doesn't work with people whose time is genuinely scarce.

The approach that does work: identify what you can do for someone before asking for anything. Sponsoring a podcast or creating something genuinely useful gets you in the room. What happens next depends on whether the relationship is real.

Relationships compound when you get in early and bring value that actually matters to the other person.

Leading with service

• Start by asking what the other person actually needs — not what you want to offer
• With Joe Rogan, the question was: what supplement would you most want to exist? The answer became the foundation of a product and a business partnership
• A 30-minute sponsorship meeting turned into a 4-hour conversation because of genuine shared interests — that's what built the friendship
• Sponsoring early-stage creators (before they're obvious choices) creates real connection; sponsors who come later get a slot, not a relationship

What counts as value

• It doesn't have to be money — it has to be something that actually matters to the other person
• A custom knife set with engraved quotes got a meeting; a offer to "buy coffee" didn't
• A laugh, a genuinely useful introduction, or a well-timed creative gesture can all qualify
• Entitlement kills it: getting a sponsorship slot doesn't mean you've earned a friendship

Creating the situation

• Don't wait for luck — engineer the circumstances where value exchange can happen
• Rogan had no advertisers when the sponsorship was offered; that gap was the opportunity
• Early-stage creators are often the highest-leverage connection because the relationship can grow with them
• Once someone is established, there are 100 sponsors ahead of you and no time for personal connection