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If you’ve ever raised capital, built partnerships, or tried to grow through referrals, you already know the pitch deck isn’t the whole story.
David Homan has spent more than a decade building a global network of over 2,000 family offices, startup founders, and impact investors, and a clear way of turning introductions into funding, collaboration, and real business results.
As the founder of Orchestrated Connecting, he makes thousands of strategic introductions each year. His book sets out the thinking behind it, and his startup, SOAR Connect, is building tools for leaders who want to manage relationships properly instead of chasing contacts.
This conversation is about how access actually works, why trust decides who gets the call back, and how to build relationships in a way that holds up when something is on the line.
🔗 Find David on LinkedIn
Takeaways from David’s episode
1️⃣ Most networking is a waste of time
The “34% rule” is the reality check: most people won’t match your curiosity, even when you show up open and human first. Stop collecting contacts and start hunting for the minority who actually engage.
2️⃣ Raise before you need to raise
Founders mess this up by showing up only when they want money or favours, then making every chat about the ask. Flip it: ask people what they need, make helpful intros, and let trust build while you’re not under pressure.
3️⃣ Your network can’t outrun your self-work
This isn’t vibes, it’s habits: managing stress, doing the inner work, and getting honest feedback from people who know you. The 140 quick calls idea is savage in a good way, because it forces you to stop guessing how you come across.
4️⃣ Pitching works when you stop performing
If you’ve got confidence, bring humility and answer the hard questions before they’re asked. If you’re quieter, stop trying to “sell” and explain what you’re building, why it matters to you, and how you’ve thought it through, then make it a two-way conversation.
5️⃣ Introductions are currency, so act like it
Trust gets built through follow-through and dies through flakiness. If an intro leads to something meaningful, “honour the chain” and thank everyone who helped it happen, not just the last person in the chain.
📘 Get David Homan’s book, Orchestrating Connection.
In this episode we cover:
00:00 Introduction to David Homan
01:56 The 34% rule of networking
07:17 5 principles of real connection
12:00 Network before you raise
18:03 Self-work for better networking
25:19 Pitching without bravado
37:36 Can online trust be real?
44:37 How people burn social capital
50:45 Honour the chain of connection
55:37 Conference networking tactics
