Drop transactional, card-collecting networking, invest in the relationships that matter, and stay good at what you do.
The idea
Picture the hotel ballroom: a lukewarm drink, and someone pitching their "business opportunity" while scanning the room for their next victim. Borrow Buffett's "Invert, always invert" and list what real relationship building leaves out: collecting business cards like Pokemon cards, keeping score of favors, treating people like walking ATMs, LinkedIn requests with an instant pitch. What's left is investing intentionally in relationships that matter and actually giving a damn about the person.
I also mostly agree with the line "Networking is overrated... Go do something great and your network will instantly emerge." Relationships open the door, but you still have to be good at what you do. The intro is a lost cause if you bomb the project.
How to do it
Audit yourself honestly: are you treating relationships like transactions?
When you meet someone, be curious about who they are, even if they can't "help your career."
Only send "let's grab coffee sometime" if you'll actually grab coffee.
Share something genuine about yourself. Vulnerability builds trust faster than an elevator pitch.
Example
When I hosted large tech meetups, I'd see the same people every time "networking" for a startup that was a napkin sketch. My own work came from referrals out of the blue, because I was a solid freelancer who happened to know a lot of people.
Watch out for
Writing off conferences. I love them, and their real value is in the 48 hours after.