015 | Change happens in Connections

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Back to regular programming.

We have less than 8 weeks left in the year. There is no better time to relate to others than now. And with this relation, comes a connection.

In this week's letter, we talk about connection: the difference between in-person and online and how to make the best of both.

📓 015 | In-Person vs. Online Connections

A few years ago, I was sitting at a bar with my fellow product support colleagues, chatting up the VP of the FinTech product about all the travels I'd been on: the 1 euro bus ride I took, the couchsurfing stay I did in Bulgaria, the sweet croissants of a quiet European town.

He wanted to hire me on the spot. No more customer support. I was going to be shipped back over to Europe!

This was January 2020. You can guess why this didn’t work out.

Fast forward a year later, and I was schmoozing my way to getting hired again, as a summer MBA intern.

But January 2021 was still relatively… remote. So I had to find a way to job search without my usual in-person pizzazz.

And honestly, now I find online connections so much more preferred.

At least initially, let me explain.

⁜ Magic of IRL

Let’s start with the classic: face-to-face, old-school, in-person meetings.

There’s something undeniably powerful about being in the same room as someone else. It’s the way their eyes light up when they talk about their favorite project or how they lean in when they’re really listening. You can feel the energy.

In-person connections give us access to a world of non-verbal cues—body language, facial expressions, even a reassuring pat on the back.

Research has shown that 93% of communication is non-verbal. When you’re in person, you have the full experience. These moments create a kind of intimacy and trust that’s hard to replicate.

But there’s a problem.

Since the pandemic, people's sense of non-verbal cues feels… off.

And that’s where the online world comes in.

⁜ Online Comms

Yes, we're talking about the communications which start with a LinkedIn message, an email, or a comment on a post.

The latter suggestion is exactly how I got my summer 2021 internship.

After sending out a frenzy of connection requests, I started to also engage with my new connections: by commenting. It was from a single comment on LinkedIn, plus my knowledge of Accounts Receivables software, which landed me a role working 2 steps below the co-founder of Ethereum—a dream role.

The point here is online connections are a different kind of magic. They’re scalable, efficient, and best of all—they’re global.

Your potential network isn’t limited by your location. It’s only limited by your willingness to reach out and start the conversation.

Online conversations are easy to begin because you have the entire universe of the internet to research someone like a James Bond spy, giving you valuable insights into helping you navigate the virtual room like a true 007.

Online connections also leave a beautiful digital breadcrumb trail—a message history, emails, or video call recordings you can reference later. This makes follow-ups easier and more effective.

Just remember — Online connections require more intentionality. 

You have to go the extra mile to show you care, to prove that you’re not just another faceless LinkedIn request or an automated follow-up. It’s about turning a connection into a conversation and a conversation into a relationship.

⁜ The Hybrid Approach

One of my favorite online connections lately has been one with Adam Elend, a true networked connection-turned friend who I met through an online community. If you've followed along my journey, Adam and I also attended CreatorFest together, and even recently met up in Tampa for coffee.

We met professionally online, we continued the magic in person.

Business partnerships today don’t need to happen strictly online or strictly in person—they happen when you blend the two.

Think of it like a handshake that starts online but gets strengthened over coffee.

You might meet someone online first, build rapport through messages and video calls, and then meet in person when the opportunity arises. Or perhaps you meet someone at a conference, exchange contact info, and keep the connection alive through regular online check-ins.

This hybrid approach gives you the best of both worlds: the richness of in-person interactions combined with the convenience and reach of online networking.

You need to leverage both.

It’s about being intentional, showing up with curiosity, and building trust one interaction at a time.

The world is changing, and so is the way we connect. You have the power to make a memorable first impression, no matter where or how it happens. All it takes is a willingness to be genuine, to listen deeply, and to look for that spark of connection—whether it’s across a room or across a screen.

Because here’s the truth: Connection isn’t about the method; it’s about the magic. And that can come from any direction and any space—virtual or physical.

⁜ Last thing

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⚡️ Updates

The online connection power-hours are taking a break until 2025.

If you can't wait for another one, then join a special Thanksgiving Networking Hour I'm co-hosting with Ilias Anwar, founder of Tapped Ai and NYC Creator Week.

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