Mastering Human and Business Development

Intros that Elevate the Universe’s Energy: The Checklist

As a kid in Minnesota, I introduced my friends to the best stuff: the 7-Eleven with the slushiest Slurpee, the shiniest guitar picks, and the finest baseball gloves. So I’m not surprised to find that, today, I have considered a walking trusted resource for all kinds of recommendations, from the best tour guide in Bhutan to the most intriguing blockchain community in Lithuania. But my true calling, the most important work that I do, isn’t telling friends about sushi restaurants or boutique hotels: it’s making stellar introductions and “Elevating the way Business Does Business” These are not haphazard handshakes as a result of standing next to someone at a party. They are intentional connections that come from a place of trust and energetic resonance. I aspire to take disparate friends, relatives, and co-workers from near and far, and connect the pieces, remove the friction, and nurture relationships that inspire great people to pursue great projects. Whether that’s MedTech investors, IT scale or cost/carbon reduction services,  innovative addiction treatment approaches, or charitable efforts for the cryptocurrency community,  I hope to kindle a circle of trust pulsing into all our lives that multiplies infinitely and elevates the universe’s energy. From human technology, banking and healing let’s raise the vibration. These introductions will build a triangle of trust between you, me, and the connection. The introductions are intended to bring value to all three points of the triangle. You will bring value to the introduction and the introduction to you. My team and I will use the closest precision to research, filter, and work together through the process of introductions in order to guide you and your team through the following steps from the first internal discussion through the execution of any deliverable:

• Mind meld – we want to know what you’re all about so that we can diagnose what drives you as a human and what gifts you bring to others
• Audit – great trust requires great responsibility. We want to make sure we never do that to any relationship we have, so we verify every claim before making a connection
• Friendly guidance – we want to point out any inadvertent flaws and gaps in how you present yourself from a place of caring before it’s used to slam a barely-open door
• Social impact – we won’t help anyone that isn’t about more than making money. But if that impact idea is just a seed, we will help you grow it into concrete commitments.
• Informed introduction – we won’t just give you a name and a number – we will work on which of your gifts best address the target’s needs and wants and customize each pitch
• Getting to no faster – not all relationships work out. If something goes wrong, we’ll work behind the scenes to find out why and help you revive or do better next time.
• Making the most of a “yes” – once you get interested, we’ll work with you on any custom value proposition or draft contract to make sure your interests are protected

  Over my 20 years in the business of business referrals, I’ve developed a checklist, guidelines on how to exchange energy with your support system. Follow these, and secure, long-term connections are more likely.

1. RESPECT THE INTRODUCER: People are a texture of the web they weave. Be careful to get the intro from someone you admire and trust. Introductions are most meaningful when coming from the right person.
2. BE RECIPROCAL: Life is composed of people who are givers, takers, and those who are indifferent. Similarly, there are those that give you energy, those that take energy from you, and those that are bewildering. Greed cannot develop until you open the door to it. Identifying those that are similarly givers in life and building trust between them leads to fruitful connections and energy alignment. Be balanced in your framework for giving and receiving introductions. Don’t just take energy, give energy.
3. SET INTENTIONS: Write out why you want to meet this person, what you want to accomplish, even if it’s just discovery and within confidentiality. Share this with my team and me.
4. SYNERGIZE: Clearly align your goals. Research the introduction, know their story. Ask questions of me or the team if you have questions, we are here to help.
5. BRING VALUE, OR DON’T STEP FORWARD: Don’t accept an introduction unless it may be valuable to you and the person introduced.
6. BE HONEST, AND BOW OUT EARLY: If you don’t see a future connection or don’t want to continue with the introduction, communicate that with each party in an appropriate manner. It takes massive energy on all parts to reach someone, sell them on the connection, have them agree to take a meeting, or provide value, and it costs great social equity. Don’t waste anyone’s time.
7. IF THERE’S CASH, DOUBLE YOUR EFFORTS: Connections become more difficult, high stakes, and risky for me when related to fundraising and capital introductions. I rarely make these connections and only do so for deals that I am personally invested in, own shares of, or advise closely. I always disclose my intentions and attachments and I will always do my own due diligence. You should too.
8. PAY IT BACK BY PAYING IT FORWARD: Make a clean and conscious decision to pay it forward to your new connection, which makes the introducer a hero. I am proud when you are proud. I am trying to give you someone to love, cherish and increase the circle.
9. REPORT BACK: To me, an introduction is like introducing a love interest, I am dying to hear how it plays out. Be sure to ping me, report back in writing what happened with the introduction the same day it happens.
   1. Did you connect?
   2. How hard was it to schedule or connect?
   3. Did they provide value?
   4. Were you gracious, appreciative, and orderly?
   5. How was the connection on a scale of 1-10?
   6. Did I mistake the value in it or what is off-center?

  A successful connection has been made when the person who introduced you hears back how wonderful a connection was. I too have the responsibility to not waste peoples’ time and resources. People’s jobs, security, quotas, and stock prices are tied to these successful or unsuccessful outcomes. With feedback from you, the better I get at introductions and the more valuable I am to both parties. I am becoming more resourceful and more efficient each day as I navigate this complex web of humans. On the other hand, a failed connection reduces the trust my connections have with me.

1. SEE THE DEAL TO CLOSE: Don’t let a deal die unintentionally. Everyone has invested time and not committing to see a deal through to close is disrespectful to everyone’s investment.
2. ESCALATE WHEN NECESSARY: If you run into a problem with the introduction and need guidance or assistance, forward the most recent correspondence and conversations to my team and me with your request and we will do our best to provide insight.
3. REMIND FOLKS OF THEIR PROMISES: While I am joyful to have a team to support me, monitor most business meetings and calls, take downloads from me daily, and receive my random texts to track in spreadsheets, unfortunately, some stuff slips through the cracks. Be sure to remind me if I didn’t respond, following-up on the original email. I promise I didn’t forget about my promises, In fact, I obsess over them and strive to pull the right arrow out of the quiver at exactly the right time. Some connections require being in person, some require I pay it forward with the other person, some need additional connections and relevant value. These connections are done with the purest intent of increasing the circle of trust and creating human value.

  Introductions are often worth millions of dollars each. Those stakes are not be taken lightly. A triangle is one of the stablest forms nature ever created. This list is an architectural blueprint for a triad of respect, friendship, success, and hopefully, yes, even love.