Partner with people 100x more successful than you

This makes me want to cry a little.

Partnerships with successful people will transform your online business. You’ll be able to:

• Tap into other people’s audiences

• Spread your message further

• Sell more of your offers

• Get invited to cool opportunities

• Learn and get inspired in new ways

But how do you start building those connections when your name isn’t even on the map yet? And how to do it in a way that doesn't seem sleazy, dishonest, pushy, and annoying?

Enters Michael Thompson, once a shy, stuttering kid, now a professional educator & an online mega-star with 100K+ audience and a worldwide book launch coming this year. 

If you struggle to stand out in a world of loud (and often empty) people, this book can change your life & your business. You can pre-order it here.

This post is inspired by Mike’s post “The Shy Person’s Guide to Winning Friends and Influencing People.”

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Talk to people. 

Everyone you look up to has way more 1–1 conversations than you. 

I promise you that. 

How to have more 1–1 talks? Ideally, look for events. 

Find events in your industry and your area (America, Europe, Asia — there are great events on every topic everywhere), choose a great one, and get a ticket. 

Extra tip: I strongly recommend you get a VIP or any premium ticket that gives you access to extra meetups & the VIP lounge. Because that’s where all the speakers + the massively successful people in your industry are. 

Is that expensive advice? Yes, it is — but you can afford to do it once a year. Even once every two years is fine. 

And once you get there, instead of being worried about talking to people, take a page of Michael’s book and just see the people around you. 

“Heads down and phones out — most of us are oblivious to the world around us, including our fellow human beings. That’s why smiling, holding doors, and saying hello to strangers are such powerful gestures. Acknowledging people makes you stand out without having to show off.”

If events are not an option, exchange phones with some people you like online and jump on a call. If you don’t know what to say, just ask them what they’re up to. Ask them how you can support them. You’ll be surprised at how great that conversation will be. 

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Forget first impression. 

I’ve e-mailed Tim Denning multiple times and he’s responded every single time. 

Then, a few weeks ago, I ghosted him. Just forgot to respond to his e-mail.

Way to go, Maya. 

You see, maybe I made a good first impression, but that’s not all there is. 

“Every Tom, Dick, and Sally loves to say, “You only get one chance to make a first impression.”

Sure. But a lot has changed since that cliché came into common parlance. For one thing, the opportunity to continue our conversations is now literally a click away.

Countless times, I’ve met someone in passing who I didn’t click with right away, only to hear from them days or weeks later with a kind gesture of some sort. Sometimes they’ll reach out with a networking opportunity, other times maybe a book or artist recommendation based on our conversation.

These interactions have taught me a valuable lesson: It’s hard to dislike someone thoughtful enough to take time out of their day to make an effort.” — Michael Thompson 

Impressions are a cumulative game. Choose the person you want to partner with and build that relationship, one step at a time. 

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Spread great messages. 

Sometimes successful people will tell you no. 

So what? Partner with them anyway. Use your introverted nature to do things your way. 

“If you’re an introvert, you probably pride yourself on your observation and listening skills. Don’t stop prioritizing these skills. Many fail to really listen to and notice those around them, so an observant person who actually listens is rare and valued.” — Michael Thompson 

Here’s what you do: 

• You listen to them / read their writing with extra attention. 

• You make a list of interesting moments/stories/points of view. 

• You use mental models to flip one of those into a fresh take. You can Google the most popular mental models, but if you want to go deep, Michael Simmons is the person to learn from. 

• You feature the original author in your piece. 

Do this a few times, maybe with a few different top-level influencers, and you instantly boost your credibility & chances of building a cool new relationship. 

Here’s an example of me doing it: getting an idea from Lenny Rachitsky, one of the top Substackers, and flipping it to match my audience of solopreneurs, all while giving him credit for all his ideas & linking to his posts. 

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Final Words. 

Let me tell you a secret. 

I’ve been messaging people 100x more successful than me this year, and all of them said something along the lines of, “Yeah, I know who you are, I’ve read your work.” Can you imagine that?? 

I kid you not, it was Michael Thompson’s strategies that gave me the courage to reach out to those people in the first place. They gave me the courage to do so much.

I wasn’t just shy as a kid. We were poor, I was bullied, it was hard. 

Back in 2019, I was devouring Michael & Tim’s Medium posts. Devouring, I tell you — often reading the same thing again and again, most days still carrying that bullied girl perspective inside. Makes me want to cry a little, thinking of these days. 

And now… 

Well, now you’re reading this. 

Thank you for being here, and here’s that link to Michael’s life-changing book again.