How to Build Real Connections in an Increasingly Distracted World

I get the feeling that everything’s automated and oversized these days. With a click of a button you can send one email… or a million. With one scheduled post you can share your little idea or selfie… with all of the internet. And when everything is so easy, so automated, it’s a slippery slope on which we lose a sense of the unique, the truly personalized, the thoughtful.  

In my years as an entrepreneur, I’ve worked hard to apply the proverb I got brainwashed with at Google: Focus on the user and all else will follow. It’s a thread that has woven throughout my career and still, despite being a technology lover, I feel there’s real value in remembering: the real magic of professional success comes down to the quality and depth of relationships we build with other humans. 

At Matcha, we’re building products that help professionals tap into that secret sauce and go deeper into connections that move the needle for your business, your career, even your side hustles. That also means that we partner with companies – like Loop & Tie – who are equally committed to using technology to enable human connection. Not replace it.   

Using Tech to Enhance, Not Replace, Human Connection

First of all, let’s get something straight: scale isn’t fundamentally bad. We live in a world where abundance is now attainable and it’s natural to want to do more of the things that work well.  Unfortunately, sometimes doing more leads to worse outcomes over time.  We’ve seen the tipping point in email, with now more than 33% of professionals having declared email bankruptcy at some point. We’ve seen social selling done well and we’ve seen LinkedIn DM inboxes filled with examples of it done poorly.  We’ve all read a “personalized” sales outreach that is clearly only personalized based on bits and bytes of data. 

It’s a fine line, to be sure. But the defining line is when there’s tech that gives humans the tools to connect with people better or more vs. simply replacing the humans in the assembly line.  

In my personal entrepreneurial journey at Gated and Wednesday Women and Nut Tree and Matcha, I’ve settled on a few simple truths: being genuine is key, moments of delight can take a brand to new heights, and scale isn’t always the end goal.

The Power of Being Yourself in Networking

Another core truth I’ve discovered is that every relationship or connection is improved by proactively communicating something about the participants.  For instance, if you know what someone’s goals are, professionally, a conversation feels more focused.  If you know something they care about personally, that conversation feels more authentic. If you offer something of value to start, the natural urge to reciprocate is a powerful force. 

This means that wherever we’re looking to build connections, we should look to have information before we begin. Email data enrichment tools know this on a data-scraping level. Social sellers know this and are always looking at content that’s been posted before they speak with someone. Good podcast hosts know to learn about their guests before turning on the microphone.  And gifting companies like Loop & Tie structure their gift-giving in a way that gives the recipient a choice or thoughtful offerings.  

Matcha, with our profile pages, allows participants to start a conversation with knowledge of the person, not just their title or resume. And that bit of personal knowledge often springboards truly meaningful discussion. Like how I’ll always chat with MK about her Lego collection or ___ about the Killers or Russ Sommers about his guitars. 

Sure, we all have business goals to hit.  But as I heard in one recent chat: “I might be a salesperson by title, but I never EVER want to be seen as salesy.”

Thoughtful Gifting: More Than Just a Gesture

In professional relationships, as in life, it’s a good idea to give before you get. This is where the power of gifting comes in. Sometimes, simply asking, “How can I help?” can open doors. Real Matcha Pros are the helpers who listen and offer solutions, whether it's advice, time, or expertise.

But gifting is another way to go beyond just words as a powerful way to connect. I remember when electronic gift cards, so easy to deliver, became the trend. A gesture goes a long way. Over time, though cards are easy, they have become somewhat ubiquitous and come off as a bit impersonal. I might even go so far as to say that when a gift card is offered, it actually makes the relationship feel more transactional and less authentic.  (You can debate me on this, to be sure.)

Where does gifting still make a big impact? When it’s delightful, thoughtful, or even unexpected.  I’ve been a guest on a fair amount of podcasts but I’ll always remember my time on Brandi Starr’s Revenue Rehab because, as a thank you, I received a lovely gift from a company called Loop & Tie.  With a seamless experience, and only needing my email to get started, I was able to pick from a host of elegant gifts, and select just what I wanted at that time. Now every time I’m cutting on those beautiful cutting boards, I think of Brandi and my Loop & Tie experience. 

It might be a chocolate bar, like the ever-thoughtful Gaby Grinberg likes to send folks.  Or a custom LEGO set to top customers, like Commsor recently sent.  Or an enjoyable ‘shopping trip’ to a Loop & Tie list of items to choose from. But a delightful gifting experience can go a long way to starting, or continuing a strong professional relationship.  And it’s a breath of fresh air in the over-automated marketing world we live in the rest of the time. 

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