Build a simple process that resurfaces people you'd otherwise forget, then add a little deliberate randomness on top.
The idea
I love serendipity, but you can't build a network on it. So engineer it. One of my projects was literally incorporated as Serendipity in Software, Inc. A serendipity machine is any process that resurfaces relationships you'd otherwise forget (and those aren't the people at the top of your LinkedIn feed). Then pair the laser with some chaos. Strategy makes sure your best relationships get attention, and some of the most meaningful reconnections I've seen came from pure randomness.
How to do it
Pick your machine: a spreadsheet, a CRM that tracks last contact, or yes, a shoebox of business cards you shuffle through.
Block regular time for strategic outreach to your A's and B's.
AFTERWARDS, scroll your phone or CRM at random and message whoever catches your eye. Don't overthink it.
One rule for both: make it genuine.
Example
Thursday mornings I usually work from a coffee shop. One week I went somewhere different, got annoyed that they were cash-only, and sat down at an empty table, right next to an old friend. Magic. But we can't rely on it alone. Think of it like a Spotify playlist, which feels better when you mix your carefully picked favorites with the occasional random suggestion.
Relatable: A tool that tracks last contact date, like Relatable (I'm biased), makes a fine serendipity machine, but so does a spreadsheet or a shoebox of business cards. How-to: Know who to reach out to next.
Related frameworks
Scrollbacks: Scroll back months in your texts, stop on someone you like, send "just thinking of you," and do exactly three.
Filter and Sort: Filter to one tier, sort by last contacted with the oldest first, and reach out to the names at the top without cherry-picking.
Browse Your Relationships Like Netflix: On a fixed daily trigger, scan your list of key people, ask who you want to reach or have something for, and send one message.
A/B/C Spheres: Sort everyone into three tiers by gut feeling (love, like, don't know) and spend more time on A's than B's, and more on B's than C's.