the moment you realize you know someone
you meet a lot of people. most stay acquaintances. some turn into allies. the difference is time and trust.
there's a moment in conversations where you realize you're not just networking. you're building.
it usually happens after you've talked to someone two or three times. not in the first call—everyone's on their best behavior in the first call. but by the third or fourth time, you start to see who they actually are when there's no audience.
that's when you start seeing if you can work together.
i've built companies with people i barely knew at first. but we sat down, we talked through the messy parts of the problem, we disagreed on some stuff and found common ground on others, and by the third conversation, we got it. we understood each other.
that's different than hiring because someone has a good resume.
when you're building, you want people you've tested in real conversation. not interviewed. not vetted on paper. talked to.
the podcast is my version of this. i get to test if i can think with someone. if they're the kind of person who's searching for truth or defending ego. and by the time we've done two episodes together, i know.