Actually this is very key. Knowing someone who wants to be, or otherwise excels at being, the center of a huge network, is a great resource. The trust barrier i

Actually this is very key. Knowing someone who wants to be, or otherwise excels at being, the center of a huge network, is a great resource. The trust barrier is lowered during new introductions to their connections by virtue of the person introducing you, so making genuine connections is a lot easier. Otherwise it feels like that weird kind of forced interaction that usually ends with standing there in silence for a while.