the 5 people you need in your circle

Your network is probably full of people you've never spoken to.

But it's these 5 who'll shape where your career goes.

After 15+ years in this industry, I'd trade 10,000 connections for these 5 people.

And every founder I've seen handle growth well has had some version of them in their corner.

🔗 The Connector
↳ Opens doors for you without expecting anything back.
↳ A lot of the best opportunities in your career will trace back to someone like this.

🎯 The Challenger
↳ Looks at your plan and asks the question nobody else wanted to ask.
↳ It's uncomfortable in the moment, but it's usually what saves you from an expensive mistake.

🔭 The Future You
↳ A few years ahead, already running the kind of business you're trying to build.
↳ Watching them do it turns "maybe one day" into a plan.

🎨 The Wild Card
↳ Works in a completely different world from you.
↳ They'll look at your problem from an angle you'd never find on your own, and some of your best ideas will start in those conversations.

⚓ The Anchor
↳ Knew you before the title and the team.
↳ Reminds you who you are when the pressure makes it easy to forget.

You can't force any of these people into your life.

But you can notice who's already there and make the effort to keep them close.

And if someone's missing, you can put yourself in the rooms where they tend to show up.

Whether that's a small founder dinner or a coffee with someone outside your industry.

It also works both ways.

The best thing you can do for your own circle is be 1 of these 5 for someone else.

So, which one are you missing right now?
And which one are you for someone else?

💾 Save this for the next time you're adding connections you'll never speak to.
♻️ Repost for a founder who needs the right people around them.
And follow me, Jacob Rokeach, for more on leadership and building as an operator.