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So what have you been up to lately?
The simple habit that keeps your network warm without burning time
Zvi Band
June 17, 2025
I write weekly about the strategies, habits, and tactics around cultivating the connections that matter to you.
Every quarter, I send what might be the most important email for me.
It's not a sales pitch or a company announcement. It's a personal update to my entire network about what I've been up to. Work projects, family chaos, books I'm reading, shows I'm binge-watching. The real stuff that would never come up in a normal business conversation.
This quarterly habit has become the best relationship investment I make. And it's probably the simplest relationship-building tactic most people completely ignore.
Go beyond the surface
The key is sharing things that wouldn't surface in typical business context. Not the polished LinkedIn post about a work milestone, but the human stuff that makes you memorable.
Like the fact that I'm currently obsessed with a particular hot sauce. Or that a dinner guest asked the table which way I face in the shower (apparently this is controversial). Or that I've been reading the same page of a book for a week because I keep falling asleep.
This is what people remember. This is what creates real connection.
The magic of oversharing (just a little)
When you share beyond your professional highlight reel, you're giving people conversation starters they can't get anywhere else. You're showing them who you are when the meeting ends and the laptop closes.
I've watched clients transform their networks this way. The financial advisor who started sharing stories about her weekend hiking adventures. The consultant who mentioned his terrible cooking experiments. The CEO who admitted she's been binge-watching White Lotus.
Suddenly, their "professional" relationships became actual relationships.
Keep it simple. I aim for three things in each update:
Work stuff that's real: Not "thrilled to announce" nonsense, but actual challenges, insights, or projects that matter to you.
Personal glimpses: Family chaos, travel disasters, hobbies you're exploring. The stuff that would never make it into a business card conversation.
What you're consuming: Books, shows, podcasts, articles. These create natural bridges for future conversations.
The whole thing takes five minutes to write and reaches dozens of people at once. I prefer email, but this could just as easily translate to the social media platform of your choice.
The best thing I do for myself
This quarterly update has become the best networking investment I make. Not because it generates immediate business (though it often does), but because it keeps my entire friend circle & network warm without individual check-ins, which is unrealistic to expect so often.
People know what I'm up to. They think of me when opportunities arise. They respond with their own stories and updates. My network stays alive and human instead of turning into a cold contact list.
Most people won't respond directly to your update. They don't need to. They're just getting a temperature check on your life, filing away information for later. That's exactly what you want.
Stop waiting for the perfect moment or the perfect story. Your network is waiting to hear from you. Not just your business - you.
Until next week - Zvi
P.S. If we haven’t caught up in a while, hit reply and tell me what you’ve been up to. I’d love to hear!
Feedback is a gift! What did you think this week? |
Authentic relationships not contacts are the true engine of long-term business success. In this video, I share how shifting from transactional networking to intentional relationship-building creates exponential opportunity through two powerful forces: mindshare and goodwill.
Key Topics Discussed:
Why traditional networking fails (and what to do instead)
The difference between mindshare and goodwill—and why you need both
The simple mindset shift that turns acquaintances into advocates
Real-world examples of how long-term connection drives business growth
Three practical habits to build authentic relationships without feeling fake or salesy
You can see all my videos and interviews on my channel! If you find these helpful, I’d appreciate a like, subscribe, and share with a friend, colleague, or enemy.