Before introducing people or changing the terms of a relationship, ask three things: who owns the relationship after the intro, what is each person responsible for, and how will compensation work. Define these in writing before money enters the picture, because once it does, everyone's memory gets fuzzy.
The first question is simple: Who owns the relationship after the intro? If the answer is unclear, the introduction creates motion without creating ownership. The second question is what each party is responsible for. Who makes the introduction? Who follows up? Who supplies context? Who keeps the process moving? Written roles keep the relationship from depending on whoever happens to remember the conversation best. The third question is how everyone is compensated if something real happens. Because once money appears, memory gets creative. The point is not to predict the outcome. The point is to define the terms before timing changes.
