Your Network Isn’t Your Net Worth
I’ve heard the phrase “your network is your net worth” and I get it. It’s catchy. It’s postable. But it’s misleading.
If your network is only as strong as your next transaction, it’s not a network. It’s a sales funnel. And it’ll collapse the moment people sense you’re only in it for what they can offer you. The people who’ve most impacted my life and career didn’t do it because they were chasing a return on investment. They did it because they believed in what I was building. And I try to pay energy that forward, again and again.
The truth is, community is what gets you through the droughts. It’s what sustains you when the gigs don’t come, when the inspiration dries up, when the algorithm ignores you. You don’t need a massive network. You need the right people in your corner. People who challenge you, support you, and root for your evolution. Those kinds of connections takes time to nurture. It takes showing up when you don’t need anything. It takes generosity without expectation.
In a world obsessed with scaling, growing, and optimizing every connection, real community is the slow work. But it’s the most important investment you can make.