The Top 20
Rank 20 relationship paths and contact one person each day for 20 days.
- Difficulty
- Moderate
- Time to result
- ~weeks to results
- Steps
- 6
- Confidence
- 99%
The Top 20 is a relationship scorecard for pursuing one defined outcome through an existing network. First, list 20 people who could directly help or connect you to someone who can. Score each person from one to ten on their influence over the desired outcome, then score how likely they are to help based on the strength and history of the relationship. Add the scores and sort the list from highest to lowest. For 20 days, contact one person per day. Strong, high-scoring relationships can receive a direct request, while weaker relationships require value creation first. This sequencing creates early momentum while using HOPE-style service to develop the contacts who are not yet ready for an ask.
Origin
Jen Gottlieb learned the Top 20 from Chris and tested it while working as a health coach. She later taught it as a practical relationship tool for goals including media coverage, sales, and introductions.
Core principles
- 01Start with a specific outcome.
- 02Search the full network rather than only obvious professional contacts.
- 03Score relevance and willingness separately.
- 04Begin with the strongest relationship paths.
- 05Earn trust before asking weaker connections for help.
- 06Use service to turn distant contacts into real relationships.
How to run it
- 1
Define the Outcome
Select one concrete result you want, such as a particular media feature, introduction, sale, or opportunity. The outcome must be precise enough to evaluate who can influence it.
Pro tip Name the exact publication, company, person, or opportunity whenever possible.
Watch out A broad goal produces an unfocused and poorly scored contact list.
- 2
List 20 Relationship Paths
Write down 20 people who could help directly or connect you to someone who can. Search family, friends, neighbors, parents, contacts, and social networks rather than limiting the list to business peers.
Pro tip Use your phone contacts and social accounts to trigger less obvious possibilities.
Watch out Do not reject a contact simply because their professional title seems unrelated.
- 3
Score Influence
Rate each person from one to ten according to how influential they are in achieving this specific outcome. Measure access and relevance, not follower count or general fame.
Pro tip A direct decision-maker or insider should receive a higher score than a broadly popular person with no relevant access.
Watch out Do not confuse social-media reach with influence over the chosen goal.
- 4
Score Likelihood of Help
Rate each person from one to ten according to how likely they are to help. Base the score on trust, familiarity, and the value you have previously provided.
Pro tip Close contacts and people you have consistently supported should rank higher.
Watch out Briefly meeting someone does not create the same willingness as an established relationship.
- 5
Add and Sort
Add the influence and likelihood scores for each person. Sort the resulting totals in descending order so the strongest relationship paths appear first.
Pro tip Preserve both component scores because equal totals may require different outreach approaches.
Watch out Do not rank solely by prestige; a powerful stranger may be less actionable than a supportive connector.
- 6
Run the 20-Day Outreach
Contact one person per day, beginning with the highest score. Make direct requests of strong relationships and provide personalized value before asking weaker contacts for assistance.
Pro tip Listen for personal details that reveal a genuinely useful way to help lower-scoring contacts.
Watch out Cold-pitching a weak relationship before creating value makes the request easy to ignore.
In the wild
Gottlieb wanted coverage in Well and Good and ranked one of its writers highly for influence but low for willingness because they had met only briefly. Remembering that the writer was single in New York and writing a book, Gottlieb organized a small brunch with women who could offer friendship and publishing connections. She never pitched an article. A week later, the writer invited her to participate in a story, and Gottlieb was published about a month afterward.
→ She secured the desired media coverage and developed a lasting relationship that remained valuable after she founded a PR agency.
Common mistakes
Listing Only Business Contacts
Restricting the list to an entrepreneurial circle overlooks friends, relatives, neighbors, and other people who may provide the strongest introduction.
Scoring General Popularity
Influence must be measured against the selected outcome, not by audience size or public status.
Cold-Pitching Weak Relationships
Lower-scoring contacts need trust and relevant value before receiving a request.
Is it for you?
Best for
It is best for people pursuing an outcome that depends on introductions, access, trust, sales, media coverage, or other relationship-enabled opportunities.
Not ideal for
It is not ideal for goals that have no meaningful relationship component or for users unwilling to make direct requests and nurture weaker connections.
From the transcript
“This is called the top 20.”
“The first column you put 20 like just a 20 on top. And what you're going to do is you're going to do a dump…”
“Then for 20 days, you're going to reach out to one person per day.”
From the episode
The Secret to Building Influence—One Person at a Time with Jen Gottlieb