Give 51% Networking
Create relationships by contributing more value than you request
- Difficulty
- Moderate
- Time to result
- ~months to results
- Steps
- 6
- Confidence
- 96%
Give 51% Networking reverses the usual networking question from “What can I get?” to “What useful value can I contribute?” First, identify a community or geographic network you want to develop and work through a credible connector when possible. During conversations and events, listen for concrete needs: a strategic idea, introduction, content asset, recommendation, or visibility opportunity. Offer a specific contribution with no immediate condition attached, then follow up quickly enough for it to remain relevant. Continue supporting the person’s work in authentic ways while allowing reciprocity to emerge—or not—over time. The mechanism makes networking easier for people who dislike inserting themselves into conversations because contribution supplies a legitimate reason to engage. Repeated useful actions build trust, expand second-degree connections, and can eventually create invitations and opportunities that could not have been requested credibly at the outset.
Origin
Jasmine Star described using this approach to build East Coast relationships through podcast co-hosting and a Miami pitch event on The Jasmine Star Show.
Core principles
- 01Lead with contribution rather than extraction
- 02Make useful offers specific to the recipient
- 03Seek no guaranteed return for each contribution
- 04Follow up while the relevant context is fresh
- 05Treat relationships as long-term networks, not transactions
How to run it
- 1
Choose a network
Define the community, industry, or location where you want to develop stronger relationships. Be specific enough to identify relevant connectors and events.
Pro tip Start with one city, niche, or professional circle rather than “everyone.”
Watch out A vague target produces scattered contacts instead of a coherent network.
- 2
Find a trusted connector
Work with someone who already has credibility in the desired network. Invite them to introduce people whose interests align with your platform or expertise.
Pro tip Design the collaboration so the connector and guests also receive meaningful value.
Watch out Do not treat the connector as a list of names to extract.
- 3
Listen for useful openings
At events and in conversations, pay attention to goals, problems, and missed opportunities. Identify a contribution you can credibly make with your existing knowledge or assets.
Pro tip Look for small, immediately actionable contributions.
Watch out Unsolicited advice can feel intrusive unless it is relevant and respectfully offered.
- 4
Give something specific
Provide a concrete asset, idea, introduction, recommendation, or visibility boost. Make it usable rather than offering a generic promise to help.
Pro tip Explain exactly how the recipient could use what you send.
Watch out Do not attach an unspoken obligation to reciprocate.
- 5
Follow up promptly
Send the contribution while the shared experience remains fresh. Keep the message focused on usefulness rather than on securing another meeting.
Pro tip Follow up the next day when possible.
Watch out Waiting too long weakens both relevance and relational momentum.
- 6
Nurture without keeping score
Engage with the person's work and remain alert for future ways to help. Let introductions, invitations, and collaboration develop as trust accumulates.
Pro tip Support investments, launches, or content when there is a genuine fit.
Watch out Visible generosity followed by immediate requests will reveal the interaction as transactional.
In the wild
Jasmine invited her Miami-based friend Jen Gottlieb to co-host a recording session and bring five guests. The guests received podcast exposure and reusable media, while Jasmine began forming relationships in a market where her existing network was limited. One guest, Kim Patel, later became a possible bridge to other Miami business owners.
→ The co-host format created mutual value while opening a coherent new professional network.
After The Pitch, Jasmine sent Josh and Lisa her own footage and recommended a specific clip and framing for LinkedIn. She asked for nothing in return. The organizers thanked her and later invited her to their California recording.
→ A practical follow-up strengthened the relationship and preceded another opportunity.
Common mistakes
Leading with what you want
Beginning with requests signals extraction before enough trust or mutual value exists.
Offering vague help
“Let me know if I can help” creates work for the recipient; a specific asset or recommendation is easier to use.
Keeping a reciprocity ledger
Expecting an equivalent return from every contribution turns relationship building into a delayed transaction.
Is it for you?
Best for
Entrepreneurs, creators, and professionals who want to build durable relationships in unfamiliar communities or markets.
Not ideal for
Anyone seeking guaranteed short-term leads or using generosity as a disguised demand for reciprocation.
From the transcript
“But when you're only saying, how do I get that? What you failed to add into that equation is what can I give?”
“How do I give 51% in order that hopes on the hope that somebody might give something small in return.”
“I want nothing in return. I just want to make sure that I'm giving value.”
From the episode
Quarter One Review: How I’m “Laying Bricks” to Build Relationships and Open Up New Opportunities