Network

Building and maintaining a robust network is essential but laborious. The resources and tools I use are pictured below and set up in a manner to maximize efficiency of communication and minimize clicks.

MEETUP (HTTP://WWW.MEETUP.COM/MEMBERS/105102512/)

I use Meetups as a way to easily and informally engage with individuals I might not otherwise have direct or immediate access to.

Since Meetups are self-selecting, attendees--especially regulars--tend to be passionate (and knowledgeable) on their subject matters and are unusually open to connecting. There is added value in interacting with founders, investors, and community members face-to-face. 

In New York, FinTech Startups and the Enterprise Technology Meetup never disappoint.

ANGElLIST(HTTPS://ANGEL.CO/BRUNO-S-WERNECK)

AngelList is a premier location to interact with operators and individuals in the venture capital space. The value of the platform compounds as the amount of information you share and connections you make on it increase. 

The central function I use AngelList for is to understand and track the portfolio companies of funds and investors I am interested in. The sync function with Crunchbase makes AngelList the most robust free private company due diligence resource available if you are unwilling to pony up for a premium Mattermark or DataFox account. Though I have not leveraged the site's Startup Jobs section, thi is a valuable capability as well. 

LINKEDIN (HTTPS://WWW.LINKEDIN.COM/IN/BRUNOSWERNECK)

I find the value proposition of LinkedIn somewhat limited beyond screening others' career trajectories (i.e. 'creeping') and having a centralized location to post one's resume. To be fair I have made a few initial connections on the site so maintaining a crisp profile is important, but interactions are either short-lived or quickly move to another medium. 

STREAK 

The engine under the hood. Streak is an absolute powerhouse at relationship management. 

Streak lives inside of your Gmail and serves three interrelated functions:

• Tracking communication across different verticals
  • Each individual or organization I communicate with is classified in one of several 'pipelines' (Finance, Startups, Venture Capital).
  • Each pipeline is subdivided into six stages (Lead --> Contacted --> Connected --> Pending --> Follow Up --> Passive --> Archived). As communication progresses, the box representing each individual or organization moves through the stages.
• Merging and splitting e-mail threads
  • If a new individual or thought process is introduced within an existing thread, split it.
  • If an existing individual or thought process is introduced that relates to an existing thread, merge it.
• Automated follow-up reminders
  • Snoozed e-mails reappear in your inbox unread at a time of your specification.

Insightly

The online Rolodex that is Insightly serves as a repository for my network. I type up notes after calls and meetings for future reference and manually add contact information from Streak once a month. 

The platform is strongest when used with Google Apps for Work as e-mails can be synced directly from Gmail to Insightly. 

Twitter(https://twitter.com/brunoswerneck) and

quora(http://www.quora.com/Bruno-S-Werneck)

Twitter is the web's local neighborhood bar. When paired with Quora there is no more effective networking and personal branding mechanism.

The power of Twitter and Quora reside in the fact that each post or interaction contributes to a triple bottom line:

1. Content creation (refer to the post)
   • Instead of a static list of roles and accomplishments, the sites allow for dynamic presentation and a frictionless way to display one's work. 
2. Community building
   • Engagement on Twitter and Quora is visible and permanent. Starting or participating in a community involves consistent, coherent, and targeted communication. Over time this creates visibility and cachet. 
3. Living portfolio
   • Twitter and Quora are the modern resume.