Q&A part 2 | Tam Pham

Sorry.

What do you do to people on your network that don't reply? Do you delete them, or do you just keep them? Because sometimes I have some people on my network that I actually keep sending emails to, but I get nothing in return. I get no feedback. So do you delete, or do you just keep following up?

Yes, so the question was, if someone on your network doesn't respond back to you after following up multiple times, what do you do? I would challenge that and be like, is that person in your network? But does that mean, are you guys really close? Or is it kind of like a weak relationship where you guys texted one time and then you want to keep it going but you can't?

It's something I want to keep going, but it's not— there are some mentors I just met and I said, hey, OK, I'll give you feedback or updates on my project and stuff. Some hours after we met, I just sent some emails like, thank you for the advice and stuff. But from that moment till like weeks now, there's been no feedback. So do I still think of that person as part of my network or mentor or whatever? Or do I just kill it?

Well, I think everyone's in your network. It's just that you have a very weak tie with that person. And I don't think you should delete people from your life or from your network entirely. So just like know that that's a weak tie, that's a weak relationship that you want to improve on. And you can use that when you really need to ask them something. But as long as you just keep updating them and maybe even ask them for a quick response, like, hey, like a small ask, like, hey, is it cool if I update you on what I'm doing? If not, just let me know. Or you can ask them for a small favor too, like, do you know anyone in like X industry? you a favor, of course, so that they can get a response back. So if you're just like sending them like, hey, like here's me at the beach, you know, like they're not gonna respond. They're probably busy and they're successful entrepreneurs, like they have their own lives and business too. So don't beat yourself up if they don't respond, and it takes two to tango, so I think you're good for now.

Thanks, man.

Hey, digging your hat.

Thank you. So in regards to like when you're out there networking and meeting people, do you have any Is there any go-to way that you start a conversation? Any go-to way, or is it kind of just depending on who you're talking to and the situation?

Yeah, so it does depend on the situation, but there are definitely ways to have a great conversation. So, okay, when you guys go to networking events, what's the first thing someone asks you? What do you do?

What do you do, right?

What do you do?

Where are you from?

Who do you know here? Whatever. These are like the most boringest questions ever. Like, no one ever gets excited about Answering a question like, oh, what do you do? Because like, that's what you're saying like 20 times in that 1 hour when you're meeting people. And so instead, I challenge you to do something different, right? So ask about like, what are you most excited about right now? And just in life. Or like, what's your dream? Or like, just questions that get them out of their comfort— not out of their comfort zone, but questions that people don't expect of you to ask. So if you keep asking, what do you do, what do you do, you'll be like one out of like everyone else. But if you ask something like personal and say like, oh, I love your hat, like where'd you get it? Or I'm really digging like that backpack. Like, did you— was that a gift or whatever? It's all situational as well, but the mindset you should have is asking better questions in order to have better conversations. And you get a book as well. All right, I think he was first and we'll go this way. Yeah.

So when we go to network with like potential advisors or investors or something like that. I think we all agree it can sometimes be kind of intimidating, and/or you just don't know how to approach the situation. Is this investor or is this advisor actually serious? Or should I approach it in a kind of more informal way or whatever the case may be? So what's your advice on kind of how in those type of settings, because I would imagine networking with maybe a co-founder or something like that is a little different than an investor or advisor. So in those type of settings, what would be your advice on how to approach those different type of categories of networks? Definitely.

Well, at the end of the day, everyone's human, right? I'm human, investors are human, entrepreneurs are human. And so we all want the same basic— we all have the same basic needs. And if you study the hierarchy of needs, and if you study psychology, you kind of know what people want. And so it doesn't really matter if— well, it does matter, but What I'm basically saying is that everyone has the same needs, feeling important and being recognized and significant. And so when you talk to these investors or advisors, for example, I would take it a step further and ask what do they prefer? So if they are a more serious person, then you should mirror that and be more serious. If a co-founder is kind of loose and informal, like for example, I'm very loose and informal, so if you guys come up with me and just talk informally, like, I'm chill with that. But if someone's here with their tie up and like talking like, you know what I mean, like, then you would approach that a little differently. You would ask, you would talk a little bit like more intelligent. I don't know what the word is, but, but so it's kind of mirroring like what, what they are and, and approaching that conversation in that way. So for example, when I wanted to work for a company called The Hustle, The Hustle is like super like bro-y, not like super bro-y, but it's very like informal, cool, and chill, and they use like cuss words and shit in their emails and stuff, and so they're very cool. So when I wanted a job for them, I emailed them in a way that mirrored their website copy, and they instantly got it. They're like, okay, you're in, let's talk like next week or whatever. But if I was going to like McKinsey or like Morgan Stanley or something, I would have to be like, dear, you know, Mr. VP of whatever, you know. It's all in context, but I hope that answers your question.

Yeah, that's great.

When you guys are asking questions, make sure to project and speak up so the whole class can hear you.

Yeah, speak up.

I'll repeat it.

Because they're working, so there's like clinks and stuff going on, so talk loud.

Yeah. All right, we'll go here, here, there, there. All right, cool. Where am I looking? Yeah, I just wanted to know how do you use social media?

Yeah, like LinkedIn, Facebook?

Yeah, it kind of depends on who you want to network with. So if all the people you want to talk to is on Twitter, then you should spend most of your time there. If all the time— if all the people you want to spend time with are on LinkedIn, then you should spend time there. I personally don't like social media. Like, I don't have Snapchat. I have it, I have one, like Instagram and Twitter and stuff, but I try not to use it because it kind of distracts me from what I really want to do. But you can use those channels if you're like actively like building your network to find those people. So like who are some of the people that you want to network with and where do you think they're hanging out at?

Like Facebook groups maybe sometimes I find people. Like who could be my team? What?

Who are these people you want to talk to?

Oh, like developers, designers, or— yeah, but like, yeah, for now that's it.

Okay, cool. Well, whatever— I don't know what specific developer or designer you want to approach.

Oh, like web designer or— yeah, application developer.

Yeah. I hope you guys get my framework where we're just all working backwards. So we're finding out who we're trying to meet, Where are they hanging out at, and what's the best way to approach them? Or who's the best contact I know to insert myself in these communities? Because there are some communities where it's more general, where it's like, I'm in this community called Under 30 Changemakers, and everyone there is like under 30 years old who are just like doing cool shit. And it ranges from like web designers to entrepreneurs to authors. And so I'm going into this group knowing that everyone has this kind of mindset. And just networking, like networking, meeting people naturally through that. But if you want to do your approach where, okay, I need a designer, then it's a little bit more difficult because you have to put yourself in a designer community and everyone in there is designers. So it's kind of like, okay, you have to approach it at a different angle. So it's definitely situational, and we can talk more afterwards if you want to master social media.

No, I'm kind of your style. I'm not like a social media guy, but I think you've got to identify who you're looking for and then use the channel, the appropriate channel.

That's marketing, guys.