Get-or-Connect Facilitation
Solve each participant's need directly or connect them to someone who can.
- Difficulty
- Moderate
- Time to result
- ~weeks to results
- Steps
- 5
- Confidence
- 96%
Get-or-Connect Facilitation begins with a direct question: what does the participant need next? The facilitator clarifies the desired outcome and identifies the knowledge, access, or tactical support currently missing. If the program team can provide that help, it does so directly. If not, the facilitator finds a qualified person in its network and creates a targeted connection. The value lies in accurate routing rather than pretending the host has every answer. A strong match includes context about the participant's problem, a defined purpose for the conversation, and follow-up on what changed afterward. This makes a cohort more responsive, expands the expertise available to every member, and turns the facilitator into an active growth broker rather than merely a meeting host.
Origin
Jasmine Star extracted this model from Andrea Sullivan and James Orsini's facilitation of the Vive accelerator and their expert introductions between weekly sessions.
Core principles
- 01A facilitator does not need to possess every answer.
- 02Participant needs should determine the resources introduced.
- 03A relevant expert connection can be more valuable than generic instruction.
- 04Facilitation continues beyond the scheduled session.
How to run it
- 1
Elicit the real need
Ask the participant what result they want and what currently prevents it. Convert a broad request into a specific outcome.
Pro tip Ask what a useful answer or introduction would enable them to do next.
Watch out Do not route a vague request before clarifying the underlying problem.
- 2
Assess internal capability
Determine whether the facilitator, curriculum, or existing program resources can address the need credibly.
Pro tip Maintain an indexed directory of internal expertise and prior sessions.
Watch out Do not force the request into an irrelevant scheduled lesson.
- 3
Find the right connector or expert
When internal help is insufficient, identify a person whose experience closely matches the need. Confirm that the request is appropriate for that person.
Pro tip Prefer specific operational experience over prestige.
Watch out Access to a famous person is not automatically a useful match.
- 4
Frame the connection
Introduce both parties with concise context, the question to explore, and the expected scope of the interaction.
Pro tip Include a suggested agenda or two focused questions.
Watch out A context-free introduction transfers unnecessary coordination work to the expert.
- 5
Close the loop
Ask what the participant learned, what action followed, and whether additional support is required. Feed useful lessons back into the program.
Pro tip Record recurring needs as candidates for future curriculum.
Watch out Do not assume that scheduling the meeting means the need was resolved.
In the wild
When Jasmine asked detailed questions about a specific business arm that fell outside the current session, the facilitators connected her with Gary's chief of staff, Hannah. Hannah then explained how Vayner Talent builds personal brands and helped Jasmine identify changes to her video-production process.
→ A question outside the session became a focused 30-minute consultation with actionable advice.
A mastermind participant needs help redesigning enterprise pricing, but the host specializes in brand strategy. The host connects the participant with an experienced SaaS revenue leader and frames the discussion around packaging, procurement, and discount controls.
→ The participant receives relevant expertise without the host pretending to be the authority.
Common mistakes
Connecting for status
Introducing participants to impressive people without matching expertise to need creates excitement but little practical value.
Unscoped introductions
A connection without a clear question or expected outcome wastes the time of both parties.
Stopping at the introduction
Facilitators miss learning and accountability when they never check whether the connection helped.
Is it for you?
Best for
It is best for accelerators, masterminds, communities, and leadership programs with access to a broad expert network.
Not ideal for
It is not ideal when participant needs are outside the program's scope or when introductions would violate confidentiality.
From the transcript
“How do we get you what you need or connect you with somebody who can?”
“They said their job as facilitators for growth scale in leadership is we're going to help you get what you need, and if we can…”
“I walked away with such like tactical advice that I thought to myself, all of this is being facilitated by a powerhouse team, not by…”
From the episode
Gary Vaynerchuk’s Growth Accelerator Program: My Experience and Key Takeaways (So Far)