How 1 cold DM a day can change EVERYTHING in a year!

31 Mar 2026 · 1 min

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In this concise networking tip, Dan Novaes advises sending one cold direct message or email each day to a person who is about five professional levels ahead of you. He prescribes a strict five‑sentence format: introduce yourself, describe what you’re building, mention something you admire about the recipient, propose a one‑word actionable next step, and suggest a way you can add value (e.g., an internship or a specific benefit). The core message is that thoughtful, value‑first outreach, done consistently, can dramatically expand your network and opportunities over a year. Novaes ends with a call‑to‑action to follow for more free hacks.

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Here's the action step. Send one cold DM or email a day to someone that's 5 levels ahead of you. Keep it to 5 sentences. Who you are, what you're actually building, what you admire from them, and an actionable next step that they can respond to in one word. Lastly, think about how you could add value to them. Can you intern for them? Can you provide some sort of benefit? People like when other people help them. That is how humans are wired. And when you have an ask, think about what that ask is and plan thoughtfully over time. If you want to get more of this, follow us and get all of our hacks for free.