The way to have incredible opportunities come to you is to be exposed and liked by as many people who have the potential to exponentially accelerate your career and improve life.

 

For the sake of simplicity, I will call these people who have the potential to transform your life ‘super-stars’.

 

These opportunities can come in 2 forms: direct and indirect.

• Direct-form (content): your super-star directly contributes to your brand or product (content). For example, she is the CEO of a prestigious firm and decides to hire you on the spot, or she is a renowned Advertiser and decides to help you design your marketing strategy for your start-up, or she is a famous Instagrammer and decides to share your new coaching website to her millions of fans.
• Indirect-form (network): your super-star contributes to improving the quality of people around you. For example, maybe she introduces you to potential clients or invites you to a party with other well-respected individuals.

 

In this article, I will go into detail about how you can build a network of super-stars to maximize your chances of receiving incredible opportunities that will contribute to strengthening your content and network.

 

Let’s dive right in.

 

 

1. Find The Right People

 

What people?

 

The first step is to make a list of people that you look up to—people you would like to have around you. These are people from who you have something to learn from. They can be your peer, an industry veteran, or even a legendary figure like Elon Musk you frequently see in the news.

 

However, I would rather have you focus on approachable people—those who have enough mental bandwidth and time to take you in as a friend or mentee.

 

For example, if you are into the luxury industry, think of the Senior Manager of LVMH Korea rather than the CEO of LVMH Group. The Senior Manager of LVMH Korea is obviously not as accomplished as the CEO of LVMH Group, but is a million times more approachable than the latter.

 

How do you make the list?

 

Though it might sound easy to make a list of people you admire, it may be a bit tricky to get started. This is because you do not know who these people are in the first place.

 

For example, even though I may be interested in the luxury industry, it might be difficult to connect that idea to LVMH, and even more difficult to connect that idea to a specific person.

 

This is why I recommend you dedicate time to do some research. It can be through news articles and blogs, but the source I find most helpful is social media—platforms such as Facebook, Twitter, Linkedin, and Instagram.

 

Why research on social media?

 

There are 3 reasons for this:

1. Leverage Platform’s Friend Recommendation Algorithm: when you begin to add or follow your super-stars on social media, the platform tracks the kind of people you are adding and makes helpful suggestions on who you should be adding and following. More often than not, the algorithm does a great job and you get exposure to people that you did not even know existed.
2. Understand What Is Top Of Mind For Your Super-stars: your super-star is most likely a thought leader who enjoys sharing what is in her mind with the public. Therefore, it is highly likely that your super-star will leverage social media platforms to get their idea out. By being their sns friend, you will understand what they are thinking which will not only be insightful but also give you material that will enable you to build a closer relationship with them moving forward.
3. Build Channel To Develop Direct Relationship With Your Super-star: social media, unlike e-mail and slack, is a casual channel where your super-stars are more relaxed and open about themselves; therefore, it is an easier channel to build a relationship. I will go into this point in greater depth “Reach Out” chapter below.

 

Wrapping things up

 

By leveraging the power of social media, you will not only have a roster of people from who you can learn but also build potential channels through which you can initiate a real relationship to ultimately receive incredible opportunities that will transform your life.

 

 

2. Reach Out

 

Why the casual channel is recommended over formal channels

 

There are 2 approaches you can take when reaching out to your super-star: formal and casual.

• Formal way: reach out to your super-star through e-mail and similar formal channels.
• Informal way: contacting through the DMs, or direct message, in social media platforms.

 

In this article, I focus on and recommend using the more casual Chanel.

 

This is because I have seen this work first-hand. I built a community called FireSide with the most talented entrepreneurs and industry experts in Korea through various acquaintances I made through Facebook. More on this later.

 

Below I cover the most frequent questions I get on how to reach out.

 

Why leverage social media?

 

My social media of choice is Facebook. Many say it is dead but surprisingly a lot of high profile and talented people are still heavy users in Korea.

 

I believe this is because of 3 reasons:

1. Though leaders enjoy writing out their insights in a long-text format which Facebook supports.
2. Facebook is a lighter and friendlier social media channel compared to other text-heavy platforms such as Medium.
3. Facebook’s audience is accustomed to reading long-text format on the platform.

 

Another helpful platform similar to Facebook is Linkedin.

 

Linkedin feels much heavier than Facebook, but it is lighter than e-mail or medium because it has a social aspect to it, so you can expect similar outcomes to Facebook.

 

One more social media platform that I am experimenting with these days is Twitter.

 

Thought leaders write down their insight in short bursts of text rather than long blocks of text but I found them to be just as insightful if not more.

 

So, how do I begin interacting with my super-star?

 

It is a simple 2 step process:

1. You need to build a light relationship with your super-star by either engaging with their content or having them engage with yours.
2. Send the right message at the right time to deepen your relationship either through a separate 1on1 online or offline meeting.

 

Reaching out to your ‘celebrity’ may be frightening for some people. You can read this article I wrote if you need an extra boost in confidence! In a nutshell, there is nothing you lose by reaching out 😉

 

How do you build a light relationship with your super-star?

 

This can be done in one of two ways:

1. Read, like, and comment on her content.
2. Have your super-star engage with YOUR content.

 

I highly recommend that you take both approaches.

 

Interacting with your super-star’s content is relatively easy. You just have to read, like, or comment on whatever content she posts.

 

However, it is challenging to attract your super-star’s attention by engaging in this rather passive way. The best you might get is a ‘like’ back on the comment you posted.

 

Therefore, I highly recommend that you start making and posting your own content to grab your super-star’s attention and have them interact with YOU.

 

Super-stars do not spend as much time reading other people’s content, so to increase their engagement, you must make sure to write in lines with your super-star’s interest and write consistently over an extended period of time.

 

What content would increase engagement from my super-star?

 

Simple! You can get a sense of what she enjoys reading by taking a look at their social media wall.

 

Ask yourself:

• What posts is she posting?
• What is her view on a particular subject?
• Can I write a post that complements or challenges her view?
• What content is she re-sharing / re-tweeting on her wall?
• Can I write something that she might want to share on her wall?

 

Once you figure out the topic your super-star may be interested in, the next step is to set the tone you will be using to shape your content and then build into your calendar certain times a week that you will be writing and publishing.

 

Now let’s move onto the next stage.

 

What message should I send after I building a light relationship with my super-star?

 

Awesome! You came this far. This means you have been liking and commenting on your super-star’s posts, and if lucky, had her interact with your content.

 

Once you are confident that she knows who you are, what I usually do is send a direct message with the following structure:

1. Hello, my name is Paul and I am …
2. I avidly follow your posts and especially enjoyed reading …
3. If possible, I would be very happy to meet you in person and ask you questions on …
4. I am available on XX, XX, and XX and could visit your office or place of preference for a cup of coffee
5. Thank you for reading my message and hoping to hear from you soon.

 

This method has always worked for me and I was always able to get an offline meeting.

 

Wrapping things up

 

In this chapter, we looked into how you should reach out to your super-star to build a real lasting relationship.

 

I focused on the casual approach of strategically building a relationship over social media. My channel of preference is Facebook, Linkedin, and Twitter.

 

There are 2 things you can do to build a positive relationship with your super-star. One approach is to lightly engage with her post by liking or commenting. The other more impactful approach is to consistently post interesting content that can pique her interest.

 

Though posting your content for all to see is scary and it is definitely challenging to consistently create interesting content, it can be done. I will write more on this in a later post so stay tuned!

 

Ok, so you finally got the opportunity to meet your super-star. What do you do now?

 

 

3. Add Value

 

Adding Value: How can I help you?

 

Having your super-star give you a life-changing opportunity means that she decided to invest her time and effort into your life and career; it does not come for free and the only way to get it is by adding value to their lives.

 

This is perhaps the most important message that I can share with you, and one that can be applied in any and every context to improve your life.

 

You receive opportunities by adding value to the lives of other people. The easiest way to figure out what the other person needs is simple.

 

You just need to ask: is there anything I can do to help you?

 

You will be surprised by what the other person has to say.

 

But before you ask this question. Let’s explore the different types of values that you can add to another person’s life. Only by understanding the different values can you properly understand and implement them effectively.

 

The 2 Types of Value

 

There are 2 ways to add value: tangible value and intangible value.

• Tangible Value: these are values that you can provide that directly impacts your super-star’s content (product or brand) or network.
• Intangible Value: these are values that cannot be measured and are closer to the realm of emotions.

 

Adding Tangible Content Value

 

For example, if the person you look up to shares on social media that she is trying to build a webpage but is struggling, and you so happen to be a software engineer or know how to use WordPress, you can proactively reach out to her and support her build a website.

 

This approach is very much straightforward but not common for 2 reasons.

1. It is difficult to have the right skill your super-star is looking for at the right place and time.
2. Super-stars usually have a whole slew of other talented people within their network who can directly ask for help, so it is not common that they make such requests on social media.

 

Regardless, if you ever are in the position to lend a hand to your super-star, please do! The dividends this will pay down the road will be far greater than what you can imagine.

 

Adding Intangible Network Value

 

The other approach is to indirectly contribute to your super-star’s success by leveraging your network.

 

For example, you may not have the skills to directly help your super-star with their mission, but you may have a close friend that might be able to help.

 

By bridging your super-star with your friend who is capable of addressing her needs, you can improve your super star’s life without compromising too much of your own effort and time.

 

This approach is also tough because for the following 3 reasons:

1. It is challenging to capture your super-star’s needs.
2. It is unlikely that a friend within your network has the exact skill that solves your super-star’s need.
3. You need to build a convincing narrative to convince your friend to help your super-star.

 

Again, if you can help your super-star with your network, then by all means please do. How would you want her to invest in your life if you are not willing to invest in theirs?

 

Adding Intangible Value

 

Intangible value on the other hand is a value that is not materializable in the form of content or network.

 

What this means is to entertain your super-star with your achievements and potential so that she is convinced that you are worth her time and effort; making a compelling argument why she should invest in your growth.

 

Think about it.

 

Most super-stars are who they are because they put in hard work to become great at their craft. The road to greatness, however, is one rife with struggles.

 

Therefore, when super-stars encounter a person who has great potential but is struggling with their next step, almost motherly affection and a sense of responsibility sweep over them. This makes them want to take part in your journey and your growth.

 

They become interested in your story and are curious how you will develop moving forward.

 

The value you are adding here is different from tangible content or network values.

 

It is tricky to put it in words, but in essence, you are giving her a sense of purpose. You give your super-star the joy of seeing you advance in life, and see how the investment they made in you turns out.

 

What should you do to trigger this need?

 

You need to do 2 things:

1. Be deeply interested in your super-star’s struggles and achievements. You can show your interest by asking well-thought-out questions.
2. Compellingly share your life story. Explain the struggles you overcame and the important milestones in your life. Draw out your mid-to-long-term vision and describe what you are doing to work towards your goal.

 

You can use these techniques to become a human magnet and have your super-star take greater interest in your life. You can also refer to these 5 soft skills that will guarantee that you are on her good side.

 

If you would like to practice how to carry an engaging yet casual conversation with your super-star and have them want to invest in your career and life, you might be interested in a private 1on1 course that I am teaching you can find here.

 

Wrapping things up

 

Ok so let’s wrap things up. To build a positive relationship with your super-star—the person who has the potential to shower you with opportunities that will transform your life and career—you must add either tangible or intangible value to their lives.

 

You can provide tangible value by directly contributing to their success by personally offering a particular skillset that your super-star is in short supply of, or connect her with somebody you know within your network who can help your super-star achieve her goal.

 

Alternatively, you can add intangible value to her life by being deeply interested in your super-star’s life and demonstrating that you have the tenacity and talent to reach greater heights. The value you are adding here is the joy and excitement of seeing you excel in your career and life with their help.

 

 

TLDR Summary

 

In today’s article, we explored how to build a network of super-stars and how to receive incredible opportunities that will exponentially improve your life and career.

 

We discovered that opportunities and luck do not exist in a vacuum. Everything begins with a person who has the skills and network to boost your life and career. I call these people super-stars.

 

Therefore, surrounding yourself with super-stars is an intelligent way to increase the likelihood of receiving incredible opportunities.

 

To effectively create a network of super-stars, I highlighted the importance of finding the right people, reaching out, and adding the right value.

1. Right people: these are people who you look up to in your field. Most times we do not know who to look up to. So, I recommend that you actively leverage social media. Super-stars usually are a creative bunch who enjoy sharing their thoughts and insights with the public. Therefore, you will find most if not all super-stars active on some social media platforms. Leverage the ‘recommended friend’ function in most social media platforms to add and follow as many interesting people as possible. By doing so you will have a virtual network of super-stars within your reach.
2. Reach out: here again, I emphasized the importance of leveraging social media as a communication channel. Facebook and Twitter are friendlier and less intrusive than cold-email. It is important to build a positive relationship with her in advance to increase the likelihood of her wanting to invest her time and effort into you. This can be done by engaging with her posts or creating your own posts and have her engage with YOU. I recommend that you use both approaches. Once you built a light positive relationship with your super-star (she knows you exist), the next step is to actually reach out. By this time, you will no longer be a stranger to her. Tell her over DM that you enjoy her content and that you would like to meet her and learn from her in person.
3. Add Value: once you secured time with your super-star, focus your conversation on adding value to her life. You can provide tangible value to her by offering a special skillset your super-star needs to achieve her goal. Another approach is to show her your potential and have her interested in your development. This will make her want to invest her time and effort in your growth. The value you are adding here is to give your super-star the joy of seeing you grow!

 

There you have it.

 

My advice on how to sow the seeds of opportunity and benefit from it in the long run. If you liked this article, maybe you would like this one as well which covers the 3 secrets that bring you opportunities.

 

If you use other tactics or tricks to expand your circle of influence and receive more opportunities, please let me know! I would love to learn 🙂