Strategic Networking In Tech

I've closed more deals from photographing a table plan than from any pitch. Teach me how to get great at networking, and a table plan is exactly where I would start. The people who are good at networking aren't necessarily the smoothest talkers in the room. They simply did the work before they arrived and are more interested in you than in sounding interesting themselves. Most of the value isn't created at the event at all. It's created before and after it. 1. Before I commit to anything, I ask for the guest list. Who's going, where do they work, and whether it’s worth my time. If I can't get a list, I think hard about whether to go at all. Your time doesn't come back, so make the room earn it. I'm not there to collect fifty business cards. I'm there for a few conversations that do actually lead somewhere. 2. Then I sort the boring stuff, because the boring stuff is what trips people up. A business card, even now, with a QR code I've checked actually works. One broken link can quietly cost you a deal. A phone with enough battery to swap details all evening. And the right clothes for the room. Knowing the dress code does more than make you comfortable. It makes you look like you belong, and people walk towards those who look like they belong. 3. In the room, I keep one rule: The conversation goes both ways. A short, confident introduction is enough to break the ice. After that, I'm asking questions to learn, not perform.  There's good research showing that asking someone for advice makes you look more capable, not less, especially on a hard problem. People remember being asked. The intern you're chatting to today could be running their own company in five years. 4. Now the table plan: If I can’t get the guest list, I photograph any list of names there and name badges before people arrive. By the end of the night, I've got a record of everyone I didn't reach. I did exactly that at The Times CEO Summit recently. I followed up with the people I'd missed, asked for a coffee, and some of those chats are now future projects. Do it within 48 hours, while the event is still fresh in their mind. 5. The part most people get wrong is treating networking as transactional. The relationships that have mattered most to me were built authentically. I worked out what I could offer first, then led with that, whether it was an introduction, some hard-won experience, or a door I could open. Know what you bring and give it without keeping score. None of this is a rigid set of rules. It's about preparation, and genuinely curious about people. Get those two things right, and networking starts feeling like the best part of the job. What's the best networking advice you've ever been given? I'd like to hear it. For more founder questions and answers, join my newsletter: https://lnkd.in/ergDQtiK

What if the best networking strategy had nothing to do with “networking” at all? Back in 2014, I started a group called “Delhi Internet Mafia”. To learn from and share insights with founders based out of Delhi. I would cold email founders to show up for the catchup. Vijay Shekhar Sharma of Paytm showed up for one of them. I remember being blown away by his energy, his ambition and his clarity. We stayed in touch. A few years later, Paytm invested in my startup nearbuy. If it weren’t for that group, we may have never raised money from Paytm. 3 ways to build genuine relationships: 1/ Do not try to impress. Be impressed. People can see through your attempts to impress them. But what people can truly be attracted to is your interest in them. Genuine interest. 2/ Engage meaningfully. If engaging offline, ask questions out of pure curiosity. To truly understand. If engaging online, don’t just comment “Great post!” - add insight or ask smart questions. 3/ Give before you ask. That could be sharing feedback on their work, amplifying their content, or connecting them to someone useful. You can never fail with authenticity and trust.

Speaking Tech and Human: Why Every Team Needs a Communication Chameleon Ever been in a meeting where it feels like everyone's speaking a different language? Not in the literal sense, but in that "tech jargon vs. human speak" kind of way. It happens all the time, especially in cross-functional teams. Engineers, with our love of acronyms and complex terminology, can sometimes leave non-technical folks feeling lost in the weeds. I recently witnessed this firsthand. Picture a late-night meeting about an upcoming AI launch. The tension is high, the deadline is looming, and suddenly, someone asks a seemingly simple question: "So, what exactly is an IDE?" The engineer on the call launches into a detailed explanation, complete with references to command-line interfaces. It's like trying to explain astrophysics to someone who just learned the alphabet. This is where we TPMs (or anyone with a knack for both tech and "human speak") come in. We're the interpreters, the bridge-builders, ensuring everyone's on the same page. In that late-night meeting, I jumped in with a simple explanation: "An IDE is basically the tool where developers write and test their code. It's like a word processor for software." Problem solved! The question-asker got the gist, the engineer learned a valuable lesson about audience-focused communication, and we all got a little closer to hitting that launch button. Key takeaways for clearer tech communication: - Know your audience: Tailor your explanations to the listener's technical understanding. - Focus on the "why": Explain the impact and benefits, not just the technical details. - Keep it simple: Avoid jargon and acronyms whenever possible. - Use analogies (when appropriate): Relate complex concepts to everyday experiences. Effective communication isn't about showing off your technical expertise, it's about building a shared understanding and achieving goals together. And in a world where tech is increasingly intertwined with every aspect of our lives, the ability to translate "tech-speak" into "human-speak" is more important than ever. Have you ever witnessed a "lost in translation" moment in tech? Share your stories in the comments! 👇 #TPMlife #TechLeadership #Google #LifeAtGoogle

Your tech solutions might be universal, but business cultures rarely are. For founders expanding globally, understanding cultural nuances can make a world of difference. I've seen so many brilliant construction tech solutions face unexpected challenges internationally not because of product issues, but because of cultural cues that were hiding in plain sight. What works smoothly in your home market frequently encounters unexpected barriers abroad. In our latest Practical Nerds episode, Shubhankar and I explored three cultural patterns we've observed that often create unexpected challenges for founders expanding internationally: 1/ Trust deficit can kill deals in Asia before you realize what happened. Asian markets require relationships BEFORE transactions. That mid-deal silence? It's not disinterest—it's a fundamental lack of trust. When things stall, don't send another "just checking in" email. Request a direct call: "Hey, can we get on a call? I'd just like to hear from you." 2/ Europeans want facts, not hype. Your high-energy American pitch style? It can be "overcompensating" to Europeans. They're engineering-minded—lead with observations, not judgments. And remember: Europeans minimize downside before maximizing upside. Frame your solution as risk mitigation first, opportunity second. 3/ Middle East surprisingly loves American tech but demands in-person presence. Virtual meetings barely register as "meetings" at all. And forget the org chart—decisions flow through specific gatekeepers who might not even appear in formal hierarchies. What seems to work well for many companies in global expansion? Maintaining consistent products and channels while building localized teams who can navigate the nuances of each market's business culture. 👇 Dive deeper into our full analysis of global construction tech expansion below. #ConstructionTech #GlobalExpansion #BusinessCulture

I’ve been having lots of conversations about LinkedIn for events from organisers wanting to drive visibility and engagement, to exhibitors heading to upcoming tradeshows, and everyone in between. Whether you’re hosting, exhibiting, or attending LinkedIn can help you get more out of every event: ✨ More visibility 🤝 More connections 📈 More business outcomes Yet LinkedIn is often underused in the event space. A one-and-done post. A quick thank you. A flurry of activity... then silence. But here’s the thing: the event isn’t the beginning and it shouldn’t be the end. To get the most value, LinkedIn should be part of your strategy before, during and after the event. Here’s how to make the most of it: 🌠 1. Be LinkedIn Event Ready Your profile and company page shape your first impression often before anyone meets you. They should tell a clear, credible story that aligns with your event involvement. Organiser Tip: Create a LinkedIn Brand Kit for your speakers, exhibitors, and team – banners, hashtags, talking points, and example posts. Exhibitor Tip: Use an event-themed banner to show your stand details or branding. 🌠 2. Build Relationships Before the Event The most valuable connections rarely start cold on event day. The lead-up to the event is prime time to increase visibility, build familiarity, and position yourself as someone worth connecting with or visiting at the stand. Organiser Tip: Spotlight speakers, exhibitors, and sessions early and use tags to amplify. Exhibitor Tip: Shortlist people you want to meet - clients, prospects, collaborators, media and start connecting early. 🌠 3. Maximise the Event Experience Use LinkedIn to take people behind the scenes, amplify moments as they happen, and make your presence visible to those who couldn’t attend. Organiser Tip: Have someone live post from the floor, tagging participants and sharing session soundbites. Exhibitor Tip: Make it easy for people to connect with you it creates immediate pathways to keep the conversation going. 🌠 4. Keep the Momentum Going This is the stage where most people go quiet, but this is when the real relationship-building begins. Use LinkedIn to keep the conversation going. Share your takeaways. Follow up with new connections. Repurpose content into future posts. Organiser Tip: Share a highlight post and set the stage for what’s next even a “Save the Date” works. Exhibitor Tip: Send a personalised follow-up message referencing your chat. 🌟 Key Takeaways LinkedIn is one of the most powerful tools you have to extend your event beyond the room. It allows you to build relationships before the first handshake, stay visible throughout the event and strengthen credibility and connection long after the banners are packed away. And if you'd like support to develop your own LinkedIn event strategy that's more than one and done, I’d love to help. Because showing up is just the beginning. #linkedin #events #eventmarketing

A few years ago, I cold DM'd the CTO of Meta. He replied. I had 15 minutes. I blew it. I asked three unimaginative questions. He answered in an equally unimaginative way. I never heard from him again. I think about that conversation every time I hear someone ask about "networking." There are unspoken rules of business no one teaches you. Once I learned them, they changed everything. The rules I wish I'd known at 22: (PART 1) 1. Build the well before you're thirsty: Help people and provide value long before you ask for anything. Asking before you've given is the fastest way to deplete social capital and burn a bridge before you've built it. 2. There are only three ways to network: Create something that gets people interested in you. Be great at working the room. Or give first, generously. Better yet, do all three. 3. Surround yourself with energy, not drain: Negative people are contagious. The chronically unhappy are unlucky. Choose your inner circle deliberately. 4. Identify relationships where lifetime value beats short-term gain: Sometimes this means taking a lower salary to work for someone exceptional. Or doing pro-bono work. Many such examples in tech. 5. Create the room yourself instead of trying to get through the door: Host the dinner. Throw the event. It's easier than begging for an invite. 6. Master the art of the ask: Be specific. Be brief. Make it easy. "Can I pick your brain?" gets ignored. "Can I ask three questions about pricing strategy for my B2B app?" gets answered. 7. Give more physical gifts: Gift someone when they refer you business, intro you to a decision-maker, or do you a favor. Make it memorable enough that they never forget it. 8. Treat junior people like senior people: The intern today is the founder in five years. How you treat people who can't do anything for you is the truest indicator of your character. 9. Play long-term, positive-sum games: The best way to build social capital is to play long games with people who play them too. Short-term extraction will always lose. --- If you are reading this in your twenties, save these nine rules. Run them for the next decade and the people you can call when you need something will look nothing like the people you can call today. Part 2 next week. The rules nobody wants to hear, including a few that took me five years to admit out loud.

🤦🏼♀️You don’t know what networking is. Sending a cold dm to a stranger on LinkedIn isn’t networking, it’s asking a stranger for help. It’s telling someone you need a job. And that’s fine and you need to do that but don’t get it twisted that is NOT networking. 🟢Networking is building relationships. 🟢Networking is getting to know other people. 🟢Networking is not about YOU. Here are some tips on how to network 1. Shift Your Mindset 🧠 Give first: Don’t just ask for favors; ask, "How can I support you?" or share helpful resources.   2. Be Selective 📈 Quality over quantity: One meaningful conversation is better than cold emailing 50 cards strangers. Personalized outreach: Never send a generic connection request. Add a note mentioning a shared interest, a recent article they wrote, or a mutual connection.   3.Long-term focus 📆 Networking is a marathon. Cultivate relationships before you actually need a job or a favor.     4. Be Ready 💃 Have your pitch down. Know your unique value proposition. Be memorable. 5. Leave the house 🚗💨 Go to in person industry events, conferences and happy hours. Play pickle ball. Go with your friend to their work event. Join a chamber of commerce. Make friends at a café. 6. Don’t be shy 🤝 How to break the ice: Approach people standing alone or in groups of three (they are easier to enter than pairs). Introduce yourself simply and ask open-ended questions like, "What brought you out here tonight?" or "What exciting projects are you working on?" 7 Follow Up 📱 The 48-hour rule: Always follow up within 48 hours of meeting, send a thank you note or a thank you. Better yet send an article or resource that connects back to the conversation you had. (Go back to step 1 be a resource) Mention something specific you discussed (e.g., "I loved hearing about your experience transitioning into tech") to jog their memory   8. Be active on social 👩🏼💻media: Share industry insights, comment on others' posts, and reach out to professionals for 15-minute informational interviews.   9- Nurture consistently 🎯 Check in occasionally with a quick text or email just to share a relevant article, say congratulations on a milestone, or see how they are doing   10- It’s not about YOU🤗Networking is about building a relationship that is mutually beneficial. GIVE VALUE. #howtonetwork #careeradvice #jobsearchtips #linkedin

Over the next 3 months, I’m hosting 4 major events in France, UK, USA and KSA. Beforehand, I want to share my top tips on how to get the best out of networking. 1. Set Clear Targets Action: Make a hit list of the top 10 companies or people you need to meet. Research what they care about—know their wins, pain points, & what they’re hunting for before you walk through the door. Outcome: These conversations won’t just happen by chance. By doing your homework, you’ll turn a five-minute chat into a deal-building moment. Schedule meetings in advance, & after the event, send a tailored follow-up email that shows you were listening. 2. Take the Stage (Literally) Action: Get on the agenda. Whether it’s a keynote, panel, or fireside chat, nothing says “I’m the one to watch” like holding the mic. Use this time to address the industry’s biggest challenges & position yourself—& your company—as the answer. Outcome: Speaking builds instant credibility. It’s not just exposure; it’s authority. Post-event, share the highlights on LinkedIn & invite attendees to continue the conversation, turning an audience into a lead pipeline. 3. Own the Floor Action: Don’t just lurk—work the room. Engage with key exhibitors, ask questions, & position yourself as a resource, not just another pitch. Be direct but curious: “What’s your biggest challenge this year?” and “How can I help?” are powerful openers. Outcome: You’ll stand out as someone who listens. Take notes during conversations, & follow up within 48 hours with a personalised message. Not a generic “great meeting you”—send actionable insights or specific ideas that move the ball forward. 4. Host the Inner Circle Action: People bond better in a more relaxed setting than over Wi-Fi. Organise an exclusive dinner, roundtable, or cocktail event for a curated group of heavy hitters. Keep it intimate—this is about building relationships, not just showing off. Go easy on the heavy sell. Outcome: People remember who brought them value & connections, not who handed out free pens. Post-event, share any key takeaways & book one-on-one follow-ups to solidify what you started over drinks. 5. Hack the Tech Action: Use every tool at your disposal—event apps, LinkedIn, QR codes. Pre-event, reach out to attendees & book meetings. At the event, swap contacts digitally to keep things seamless, & use a CRM to track every interaction. Outcome: You’ll leave the event with an organised roadmap of leads, not just a stack of business cards destined for a desk drawer. Follow up strategically with segmented, value-driven emails & keep the momentum alive. The Bottom Line: Trade fairs & exhibitions aren’t just networking. Preparation, presence, & follow-up separate those who close deals from those who just collect swag bags. Be human. Don’t think of this as just a branding exercise but an opportunity for long term partnerships. Be genuine - your new contacts will become close contacts, if not friends. Make it count! #revenuegrowth

Why Setting Up a Global Tech Center Is Easier (and Smarter) Than You Think I often hear: “Isn’t setting up a global development center too hard and high-overhead?” “Shouldn’t we wait until we have hundreds of engineers?” “Why not just outsource instead?” That’s outdated thinking. In 2025, building your own Global Capability Center (GCC) in India or Latin America is often as easy as signing an outsourcing contract — with lower costs, higher productivity, and far greater strategic value. Here’s why: 1. Fast, Low-Hassle Setup Forget multi-year sagas. With GCC-as-a-Service, companies are standing up centers in 3–4 months. Incorporation, hiring, talent management , infrastructure, and compliance are handled — you just focus on building your products and serving your customers with increased capacity. 2. Works Even for Small Teams You don’t need to be a Fortune 100 giant. Many mid-sized firms and PE-backed companies are launching micro-GCCs with 10–20 engineers. Start small, prove value, then scale. 3. Significant Cost Advantage Direct hiring avoids vendor markups. • 50%+ lower fully loaded costs vs U.S. • Mexico offers 800,000+ tech professionals at ~40% lower salaries than U.S. peers. This isn’t just cost arbitrage — it’s EBITDA impact. Some firms see 20–25% margin expansion within a few years. 4. Higher Productivity and Innovation GCCs aren’t “back-office.” They’re innovation engines. • Up to 34% of enterprise innovation now comes from GCCs (vs ~5% a decade ago). • Best-in-class GCCs file more patents per employee than their headquarters counterparts. This kind of innovation scale and per-capita output is hard to match with outsourcing arrangements. 5. Talent Retention, Culture, and IP Control Your GCC team is your team. • Lower attrition than vendor staff. • Knowledge and domain expertise stay inside. • Full control over IP, culture, and processes. That’s priceless for product companies and regulated industries. Setting up a GCC is no longer a risky, high-overhead bet. It’s a strategic move that delivers: • Faster setup than most expect • Cost savings you can reinvest in growth • Innovation and IP that outsourcing can’t match In 2025, the question isn’t “Why build a GCC?” It’s “Why haven’t you — and why have you let your competition gain strategic advantage?”

🤝 Networking in Germany: It’s More Than Just Job Hunting! In a recent poll, you voted that, besides finding the right companies, your biggest challenge is networking. Here’s how you can expand your network and find hidden job opportunities: 🔹 1. Join Industry Events & Meetups ✅ Tech conferences (e.g., Bits & Pretzels, OMR, Web Summit) ✅ Startup events (e.g., Berlin Startup Night, Hamburg Startups) ✅ Meetup.com events in your industry (IT, finance, marketing, consulting) ✅ Local Chamber of Commerce or professional networking events 💡 Tip: Many companies hire through referrals, so even a casual conversation at an event could lead to an opportunity! 🔹 2. Use LinkedIn the Right Way LinkedIn is a place to build relationships. ✅ Follow professionals in your field and comment on their posts ✅ Send personalized connection requests ✅ Join LinkedIn groups relevant to your expertise ✅ Share your own knowledge (projects, industry insights, trends) 💡 Tip: Instead of writing, "Hi, can you help me find a job?", try: "Hi [Name], I see you're in [industry]. I’m new to Germany and would love to exchange insights. Let’s connect!" 🔹 3. Get Involved in Sports & Hobby Circles 🏀🎨🎸 Networking isn’t just professional—it’s also social! Some of the best connections happen in hobby groups and sports clubs. ✅ Join a local gym, running club, football team, yoga group ✅ Sign up for art classes, book clubs, language meetups ✅ Play in a band or music group ✅ Volunteer for local events & organizations 💡 Why? Germans value trust and long-term relationships. If people know you personally, they’re more likely to help you professionally. 🇩🇪 Bonus: You can also practice your German while meeting people. Even basic German can help you integrate, build trust, and access more job opportunities. 🔹 4. Use the “Coffee Chat” Strategy ☕ Many people land jobs through casual conversations. ✅ Reach out to professionals in your industry ✅ Invite them for a 15-20 minute virtual coffee chat ✅ Ask about their career path, industry trends, and advice ✅ Focus on learning & relationship-building, not just job searching 💡 Tip: People remember genuine conversations. If they hear of a job opening, they might think of you first! 🔹 5. Explore Online Communities & Hidden Job Markets Many job leads come from WhatsApp, Slack, or Facebook groups. 🔹 Slack communities: Berlin Tech Workers, Startup Jobs Germany 🔹 Facebook groups: “English Jobs in Germany” / “Expats in [city]” 🔹 Internations.org: Great for meeting professionals in Germany 💡 Tip: Actively engage in discussions. The more visible you are, the more opportunities will come your way! 🌍 Final Thought: Networking is not just about job hunting—it’s about integrating, building trust, and forming connections. When you participate in events, hobbies, and professional communities, you naturally expand your opportunities. #Networking #JobSearch #Germany #CareerTips #ExpatLife #LinkedInNetworking #Integration