Author Archives for Max

How do you keep in touch with your network? (Oversubscribed Weekly #46)

November 8, 2019 by

Max here. In today’s post I want to try something new: instead of offering advice, I’m asking a question.

I recently did an exercise called a life audit—the kind of activity I would normally mock disdainfully, but which I tried last year as well and actually got a lot of value out of—and one of my goals coming out of it is to maintain my “network” (I hate that word—but there’s no better substitute) more actively.

Over the years, I’ve built up a pretty wide network of people I’ve met in various startup contexts. I want to stay in touch with these people at least a few times a year, so that I remember who they are and find opportunities to be helpful—and so that our relationship has touchpoints that aren’t just my asking them for something.

But I’ve never been very good at doing this. I’ve tried reminders, spreadsheets, personal CRMs—but nothing seems to work all that well.

So I’m curious. How do you all manage your personal networks? Is this something you even think about?

We’d love to hear from you, and we’ll share responses in a future email.

Thanks!