IN THIS ISSUE

INTRODUCTION

Hello, Pathwayers -

I’ve been working in American soccer for more than 20 years (yes, I’m old).

And one thing that I kinda sorta (?) knew when I started my career at D.C. United in 2005 was how important relationships were.

I started in PR after all.

But, as I move fully into the second half of my career - and especially after experiencing four years of running Name & Number - I can tell you that there’s really nothing more important than relationships.

Truly, nothing.

There are, of course, other things that matter - doing good work, being reliable, adding value, driving revenue, etc. etc.

But, if you’re someone that can cultivate and grow relationships - trusted, supportive, human-first relationships - I’m convinced you’re going to be successful.

That’s the basis for which I wrote today’s Career Tip section.

And while I used the word “network” in the subject line, I actually prefer “relationship building” because that should be your focus: Building genuine relationships with other humans.

I promise you: If that’s your focus, those relationships will open doors for you in the future - sure, maybe to a job opportunity or a business deal, but also they might lead to deep friendships and cool life experiences.

And those are pretty great, too.

-Kyle Sheldon, Co-Founder & CEO

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Most people approach networking with one question in mind:

"What can you do for me?"

They just don't say it out loud, but it comes through anyway.

In the rushed message.

The vague ask.

The follow-up that only appears when they need something.

And it's the fastest way to make sure a relationship never actually forms.

People can tell the difference between someone trying to learn from them and someone trying to get something from them.

And they can tell immediately.

The first feels like a conversation.

The second feels like a transaction.

And in an industry as small as soccer, the way you make people feel is the thing that follows you around for the rest of your career.

Instead of leading with something that feels like "What can you do for me?"

Lead with, "How can I learn from you?"

That one change reframes the entire interaction.

You're no longer asking someone to solve your problem.

You're showing genuine interest in their experience, their path, and their perspective.

And people are far more willing to help someone who is genuinely curious than someone who is clearly just looking for a favor.

Your first conversation with someone shouldn't end with an ask.

It should end with them feeling like you were genuinely interested in what they had to say.

Ask about their path.

What they've learned.

What they'd do differently.

The relationship comes first, and everything else follows.

Case in point, I had a call last week with a young woman early in her career. She was introduced by a trusted mutual connection.

In her preparation, she went deep on my LinkedIn profile and asked me about a very specific project from almost 20 years ago.

I hadn’t thought about that project in a long, long time. Her bringing it up absolutely guaranteed I would remember her.

She did the research, expressed genuine curiosity, and it left a mark.

Nothing signals "copy-and-paste" like a message that could have been sent to anyone.

Before you reach out, spend a few minutes learning about the person:

Then reference something specific.

That alone puts you ahead of almost everyone.

The worst time to start networking is when you need a job.

The best time is right now, when you don't need anything at all.

Reach out with the intent to build a real relationship, not to cash in a favor.

The people you connect with genuinely today are the ones who will think of you when an opportunity opens up down the road.

One good conversation is a start.

But relationships are built through consistency.

Check in.

Share something useful.

Congratulate them on a win.

You're building a trusted network of people who actually know you and want to see you succeed.

Networking isn't about collecting names.

It's about building relationships that grow over time.

👉 This week, reach out to one person you admire in the industry with no ask attached. Just genuine curiosity and a specific reason you wanted to connect.

Do that consistently, and you won't have to go looking for opportunities.

They'll start coming to you.

-Kyle Sheldon, Co-Founder & CEO

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