Networking

In the U.S., you can grab coffee with a CEO in two weeks. In Europe, it might take two years to get that meeting. I ’ve spent years building relationships across both U.S. and European markets, and if there’s one thing I’ve learned, it’s this: networking looks completely different depending on where you are. The way people connect, build trust, and create opportunities is shaped by culture-and if you don’t adapt your approach, you’ll hit walls fast. So, if you're an executive expanding globally, a leader hiring across regions, or a professional trying to break into a new market-this post is for you. The U.S.: Fast, Open, and High-Volume Americans love to network. Connections are made quickly, introductions flow freely, and saying "let's grab coffee" isn’t just polite—it’s expected. - Cold outreach is normal—you can message a top executive on LinkedIn, and they just might say yes. - Speed matters. Business moves fast, so meetings, interviews, and hiring decisions happen quickly. But here’s the catch: Just because you had a great chat doesn’t mean you’ve built a deep relationship. Trust takes follow-ups, consistency, and results. I’ve seen European executives struggle with this—mistaking initial enthusiasm for long-term commitment. In the U.S., networking is about momentum—you have to keep showing up, adding value, and staying top of mind. In Europe, networking is a long game. If you don’t have an introduction, it’s much harder to get in the door. - Warm introductions matter. Cold outreach? Much tougher. Senior leaders prefer to meet through trusted referrals—someone who can vouch for you. - Fewer, deeper relationships. Once trust is built, it’s strong and lasting—but it takes time to get there. - Decisions take longer. Whether it’s hiring, partnerships, or leadership moves, things don’t happen overnight—expect a longer courtship period. I’ve seen U.S. executives enter the European market and get frustrated fast—wondering why it’s taking months (or years!) to break into leadership circles. But that’s how the market works. The key to winning in Europe? Patience, credibility, and long-term thinking. So, What Does This Mean for Global Leaders? If you’re an American executive expanding into Europe… 📌 Be patient. One meeting won’t seal the deal—you have to earn trust over time. 📌 Get introductions. A warm referral is worth more than 100 cold emails. 📌 Don’t push too hard. European business culture favors depth over speed—respect the process. If you’re a European leader entering the U.S. market… 📌 Don’t wait for permission—reach out. People expect direct outreach and initiative. 📌 Follow up fast. If you’re slow to respond, the opportunity moves on without you. 📌 Be ready to show value quickly. Americans won’t wait months to see if you’re a fit. Networking isn’t just about who you know—it’s about how you build relationships. #Networking #Leadership #ExecutiveSearch #CareerGrowth #GlobalBusiness #US #Europe

I have 2,60,000 followers on LinkedIn, but if I had to start over in 2025, here's what I'd do (WARNING: This is NOT for ghostwriters or agency owners but only for busy entrepreneurs who want leads but "don't have time") 1. Forget posting every day → Focus on 2-3 high-quality posts per week instead → The algorithm rewards quality and frequency both. But if I was busy and had to choose 1 I would choose quality. Stop creating content calendars → Document your actual business journey. → Share real wins and failures—authenticity beats perfect planning. Ditch the fancy tools → Use your phone’s notes app. → Write like you talk, no corporate jagron. → Share screenshots of actual work; people love “behind-the-scenes.” Skip perfection on aesthetics → Text posts with professional pictures> overly polished carousels. → Personal stories > generic business tips. → A clean design helps, but your story matters more. 20-minute content system: → 10 mins: Write about 1 thing you learned today. → 5 mins: Edit using Claude for clarity. → 5 mins: Add a hook + CTA. The truth? Most "LinkedIn gurus" will tell you to spend hours creating perfect content. But I've helped 150+ founders grow their LinkedIn, and I can tell you this: The ones who succeed treat LinkedIn like a coffee chat, not a TED talk. That's it. That's the "secret." PS: If you’re still too busy to do this, I can help you—website in the comments. #linkedin

6 months of raising voice against Fake Recruiters ✨ I don't have a number of people who have been impacted but I am happy, even if it's 1, it's still a change. A lot of Fake Recruiters have blocked me but anyways a lot of them are left. Identifying fake job recruiters on LinkedIn can be challenging, but there are several red flags and best practices that can help you spot them: 1. Incomplete Profiles: Genuine recruiters typically have a complete and detailed LinkedIn profile, including a professional photo, a comprehensive job history, and recommendations. Fake recruiters often have sparse profiles with few connections. 2. Unprofessional Communication: Be wary of messages with poor grammar, spelling errors, or unprofessional language. Legitimate recruiters usually maintain a professional tone and standard in their communications. 3. Vague Job Descriptions: Authentic recruiters provide clear and detailed job descriptions. If the job details are vague or sound too good to be true, it might be a scam. 4. Request for Personal Information: Real recruiters will not ask for sensitive personal information such as your bank details, or full address upfront. Be cautious if such information is requested early in the process. 5. Email Domains: Check the recruiter's email domain. Legitimate recruiters usually have company email addresses (e.g., @company.com) rather than generic ones (e.g., @gmail.com, @yahoo.com). 6. Pressure and Urgency: Scammers often try to create a sense of urgency to pressure you into making quick decisions. A reputable recruiter will give you time to consider the opportunity and ask questions. 7. Research the Company: Verify the company the recruiter claims to represent. Visit the company's official website, check for job postings, and see if the recruiter is listed among their staff. 8. Verify with the Company: Contact the company directly using contact information from their official website to verify the recruiter's legitimacy. 9. Network and Connections: Legitimate recruiters often have numerous connections and are part of professional groups and associations. Look at the recruiter's connections and endorsements to gauge their authenticity. 10. Too Good to Be True Offers: Be skeptical of job offers that promise very high salaries for minimal work or seem unusually easy to get. By staying vigilant and using these strategies, you can better protect yourself from fake job recruiters on LinkedIn.

🎣 “They didn’t even cc me.” Yumi, a senior marketing director, discovered her billion-dollar product had been repositioned without her. Eighteen months leading the project. Then, overnight, it reported to someone else. 🧊 She didn’t mess up. She wasn’t underperforming. She just wasn’t.... there. Not at the executive offsite. Not at the Friday “golf and growth” circle. Not at the CEO’s birthday dinner, her peers casually got invited to. 🏃♀️ She was busy being excellent. They were busy being bonded. 🍷 When she asked her boss about the change, he looked puzzled: “You’re usually aligned with the bigger picture, so we assumed it’d be fine.” 🧩 Translation: Yumi was predictable and available, but not powerful enough to be consulted. Women are told to “build relationships.” Men build alliances. Women maintain connections. Men maintain relevance in power circles. It’s not who likes you. It’s who says your name when you’re not in the room. 🕰 And let’s be honest: the real decisions about budget, headcount, and succession are made off-the-clock and off-the-record. 📌 How do you stop getting edited out of influence? 1. 🗺 𝗧𝗿𝗮𝗰𝗸 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗹 𝗽𝗼𝘄𝗲𝗿 𝗺𝗮𝗽 𝗡𝗼𝘁 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗼𝗿𝗴 𝗰𝗵𝗮𝗿𝘁    the shadow organization. Who gets early previews? Who influences without title? Write it down and update it monthly.     2. 📣 𝗔𝘂𝗱𝗶𝘁 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗻𝗮𝗺𝗲-𝗱𝗿𝗼𝗽 𝗰𝗼𝘂𝗻𝘁    If three senior leaders haven’t mentioned you this month, you’re invisible to power. Fix it with pre-wires, brief wins memos, and sponsor loops.     3. 🏛 𝗧𝗮𝗸𝗲 "𝗪𝗼𝗿𝗸" 𝗼𝘂𝘁 𝗼𝗳  “𝗡𝗲𝘁𝘄𝗼𝗿𝗸𝗶𝗻𝗴”    Skip passive panels. Show up where strategy happens: QBRs, investor briefings, offsite planning, cross-functional war rooms. Ask to observe; then add value.     4. 🔁 𝗕𝘂𝗶𝗹𝗱 𝗮 𝗯𝗮𝗰𝗸𝗰𝗵𝗮𝗻𝗻𝗲𝗹 𝗼𝗻 𝗽𝘂𝗿𝗽𝗼𝘀𝗲    Recurring 1:1s across functions to co-design plans, not “catch up.” Influence travels faster sideways than up.     5. 🚨 𝗕𝗲 𝘄𝗵𝗲𝗿𝗲 𝗮𝗯𝘀𝗲𝗻𝗰𝗲 𝗵𝘂𝗿𝘁𝘀    If you vanished for two weeks and nothing stalled, you’re not central enough to promote. Attach your work to decisions, not tasks.     🧨 If this feels raw, it’s because it is. Brilliant women are being rewritten out of their own stories, not for lack of performance, but for lack of positioning. 🎤 That’s why Uma and I are hosting a live online workshop on the 2nd. Oct: 👉 𝗛𝗼𝘄 𝘁𝗼 𝗕𝗲 𝗦𝗲𝗲𝗻 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗛𝗲𝗮𝗿𝗱 𝗮𝘁 𝗪𝗼𝗿𝗸 A practical session to help you build strategic visibility, engineer sponsorship, and get your work into the rooms where decisions are made. 🔗 Join here: https://lnkd.in/g3sec2pN 🚪 Come if you’re done waiting to be recognized. Or let them “assume you’d be aligned,” too....

Had a conversation the other day with a musician friend who's just starting out, and wanted touring advice. His agent told him not to play underpaid gigs that they felt like they were below his value currently, and he was wondering what I thought… I told him the opposite - take every opportunity you can get. It’s a question a lot of musicians face, and others as well. When you’re trying to break into any industry, you have to prove yourself, and the path isn’t always clear. Maybe it’s an internship, an open-mic night, a pro-bono request. It’s hard to know what’s worth it, and now more than ever, people are understandably conscious about their time and value. Here’s the thing - When you’re just starting out, part of the work is making connections, and those connections have a different kind of value than money. My friend was too early in his career to take a stand like that - he had minimal brand awareness and few paying customers. His job was to create demand. Otherwise, “supply” is worthless. When The Chainsmokers got started, we took every chance we could to get our name out there. We played for fans at colleges, frat parties, little bars and venues. We built relationships with promoters, gave out free music on the internet, and took numbers for future reference. Not sure if everyone remembers the like-to-download hustle (ie. want a free song? like our page first!), but that was our bag!  Europe was an even harder grind. No one knew us, so we drove ourselves around for a month with absolutely no support, practically begging bookers to let us play a song or two. It took years to get any attention. We were complete scrubs. Until we weren’t. Until we had history everywhere. Until we knew who to call, and where to play. Now, we’re getting asked to headline festivals like Tomorrowland and Ultra Europe. If you’re attempting something hard, it’s going to be hard. It will likely take time to make money - that’s why a lot of people don’t even try. But the first currency you need to earn is credibility. The same applied to our first fund as well. We were happy to take 100k into a great deal with amazing investors to prove our value and we have since willfully moved up the food chain. You have got to put in the work, build trust and a network. Sometimes we felt like pledges in a fraternity taking out the trash, but everyone has walked this path and no one is the exception. Go to the dinners when you want to stay home. Go to the conferences and events, and “network” till you can’t stand another minute. Get people on your side, find resources and channels, learn how to navigate the ecosystem. Of course, no one should be taken advantage of or manipulated, but when you’re just getting started, it pays to be humble, and not expect a big return right away. You need connections as much as a paycheck.

The energy transition is a major challenge, requiring not only sustainable power generation but also reliable electricity distribution. 🌱⚡ Any power interruption can disrupt public life, making critical infrastructure availability crucial. Effective security measures, processes, and products are essential to eliminate vulnerabilities and ensure uninterrupted operation. Network technology for use in substations must therefore meet particularly high requirements: Powerful Platform: In substations, the network technology must process a significant amount of data in real-time. Managed switches with high bandwidth, precise time synchronization, and low latency are essential for communication. This is because the management of installed network components quickly becomes extensive and complex. IEC 61850 and IEEE 1613: Compliance with these standards ensures products meet critical infrastructure requirements, including high electromagnetic immunity, a wide temperature range from -40°C to +85°C, and extreme shock and vibration resistance. Cyberattack Protection: In a networked world, cyberattack protection is vital. Network technology must have extensive security features like VLANs for network segmentation, user authentication, and syslog support for reliable monitoring and protection. Let's work together towards a sustainable future in which the energy supply is not only green, but also secure 🔐.  For more information on this topic, visit our website: https://lnkd.in/ewyginNi #cybersecurity #criticalInfrastructure #IEC61850 #industrialcommunication

7 Things You’re Doing On LinkedIn That Are Hurting Your Job Search (And What To Do Instead): 1. Using LinkedIn As A Copy Of Your Resume Resumes are terrible ways for conveying value. Thankfully, LinkedIn lets you tell more of your own story in your own words. Don’t just make it a digital copy of your resume. Do This Instead: Tell your story in your own words, leverage the Featured Section to share case studies, get Recommendations from colleagues. Make it a sales page for YOU. 2. Not Optimizing Your Headline Your headline affects the employer searches you show up in. It also shows up across the platform - in search results, in comments you leave, etc. Do This Instead: Go to HeadlineAnalyzer.io, get your headline score, and update it per the feedback the tool shares! 3. Not Engaging With Content LinkedIn is a social media platform geared towards networking. If you’re not actively engaging with other people and their content, you’re missing out! Do This Instead: Find content creators in your target industry/space, bookmark their post feeds, and leave regular comments on their posts. 4. Using “Easy Apply” Easy Apply makes it easier to submit an application. It also means you’re submitting the most generic application possible. Do This Instead: When you see a job, take the time to optimize your resume (using a tool like ResyMatch.io) and cover letter, then apply via the company’s website. Personalization wins in today’s market. 5. Your Skills Section Is Outdated When was the last time you updated your skills section? I bet you didn’t know that your skills factor into LinkedIn’s search algorithm and affect the searches you show up in. Do This Instead: Do an audit of your skills section and update it with a fresh set of relevant skills. Make sure to completely max it out and get endorsements. 6. Not Creating Your Own Content I get it - content creation is scary. It’s not for everyone. But the upside is HUGE. One post has the potential to reach more people than your total number of connections, even if you have no audience yet. Do This Instead: Try writing and sharing one post. See how many views it gets and compare that to your total connections. 7. You’re Waiting For LinkedIn To Do It For You Whether it’s waiting for recruiters to reach out or for that Easy Apply application to finally land you an interview, too many people just hope that LinkedIn will do the legwork for them. Do This Instead: Take control of your job search by leveraging LinkedIn to its max potential and tapping into multiple channels (like networking, etc.).

Day 4 of teaching A to Z of LinkedIn .Today is 'D' for DMs :the underrated power move of LinkedIn growth. When people think of LinkedIn growth, they often think: 📌 Viral posts 📌 Aesthetic profiles 📌 Hashtags, hooks, and headlines But what they MISS is something that doesn’t make noise publicly... DMs. YESssssssss the Direct Messages. The real game of LinkedIn. So, Let’s break this down. 📌 Why are DMs so underrated? Because they don’t bring instant dopamine like a viral post. Because they’re private. Not flashy. Not performative. But if you’re serious about career growth, networking, and personal branding then DMs are your shortcut to depth. ➡️ According to LinkedIn, InMail messages are 300% more likely to get a response than cold emails. ➡️ I personally got 50+ speaking opportunities, different clients, and 100+ crazyyyy yet hardworking people from DMs in the last 6 months. 🍪 Brownie Points: The Types of DMs that WORK : 1. The Gratitude DM “Hi Riya, just read your post on personal branding: such a fresh take! Thank you for sharing. I would love to stay connected and learn more from your journey.” ✅ Low-pressure ✅ Builds trust ✅ Starts a warm connection 2. The Curiosity DM “Hi Riya! Loved your recent talk on Gen Z marketing. Quick Q: What do you think is one emerging trend most marketers are missing in 2025?” ✅ Invites conversation ✅ Makes the other person feel valued ✅ Opens a loop 3. The Collaboration DM “Hi Riya, I run a small series on marketing meets psychology. Your recent breakdown of consumer bias was ! Wondering if you'd be open to a small collab or feature?” ✅ Personalized ✅ Value-forward ✅ Converts followers into collaborators ⚠️ Common mistakes people make in DMs: “Hi” (and nothing else) 📌 Pitching without permission 📌 Copy-paste mass messages 📌 No context = No reply Every week, I do this: ✅ DM 3 people whose content I genuinely liked ✅ Follow up with 2 people who engaged on my post ✅ Introduce 2 people who can benefit from knowing each other ✅ Reply to every DM with authenticity (even if it’s late) Here’s your DM Framework (save this): D.M.A. Discover. Message. Align. Is this series helping you? Any guesses for tomorrow 's post of E of Linkedin? #linkedin #linkedinlearning #riyagadhwal #marketing #brands #ceos

If you are a brand or creator planning to grow your own community, save this post for your next brand strategy session – Follower counts are overrated. What truly matters for your brand is a community that talks back. In the last 5+ years of building my personal brand along with Like Mind Tribe, I’ve learned this the hard (and beautiful) way. We often chase vanity metrics, namely likes, views, followers. But the brands that actually grow focus on: + trust + conversations + creating spaces that people want to return to My top 3 learnings about community building that most people ignore are👇 1/ Stop broadcasting. Start involving. Don’t just talk to your audience, co-create with them. Ask for their input. Let them choose the next product, workshop, or event theme. Your content should feel like a conversation, not a monologue. 2/ Trust builds in silence. Show up even when it’s quiet. The real connection begins when no one’s clapping. Be consistent with your presence. Show your progress, not just your polished wins. 3/ Give them a space beyond social media. DMs, Zoom rooms, meetups, or even a close friend's story list; These micro-interactions are where loyalty is built. If you want retention, give them a room where they feel seen. ———— I’ve met: → strangers who are now collaborators → community members who became accountability partners → even businesses that were born from casual coffee chats at our meetups That’s what happens when you value: Impact >>>>> Followers Whether you're building a brand or just starting out as a creator – Don’t just aim for attention. Create belonging. What’s the biggest challenge you face in building your community? Let’s tackle it together! #drishtiispeaks #community #branding #strategy #growth #socialmedia #content

What if the best networking strategy had nothing to do with “networking” at all? Back in 2014, I started a group called “Delhi Internet Mafia”. To learn from and share insights with founders based out of Delhi. I would cold email founders to show up for the catchup. Vijay Shekhar Sharma of Paytm showed up for one of them. I remember being blown away by his energy, his ambition and his clarity. We stayed in touch. A few years later, Paytm invested in my startup nearbuy. If it weren’t for that group, we may have never raised money from Paytm. 3 ways to build genuine relationships: 1/ Do not try to impress. Be impressed. People can see through your attempts to impress them. But what people can truly be attracted to is your interest in them. Genuine interest. 2/ Engage meaningfully. If engaging offline, ask questions out of pure curiosity. To truly understand. If engaging online, don’t just comment “Great post!” - add insight or ask smart questions. 3/ Give before you ask. That could be sharing feedback on their work, amplifying their content, or connecting them to someone useful. You can never fail with authenticity and trust.