Episode Transcript
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Speaker 1 (00:00):
How to get someone important to do you a favor.
You might want to reach the head of a public company.
You might want to reach a high government official. You
might want to reach a university professor. You may even
want to reach a celebrity. But who are you? Why
would they even speak to you, let alone do you
a favor? What can you offer them? This is the
position many people are in, and I know because I've
(00:21):
been in that position.
Speaker 2 (00:22):
Early in my career, I wanted.
Speaker 1 (00:24):
To get through to so many people, but I didn't
understand how. Then I figured it out. It's very simple.
If you want someone to do you a favor, especially
someone important who you don't have a relationship, do them
a favor first. Now it's easier said than that. How
do you do a favor for somebody very important? They
seem like they have everything, Well, let me tell you,
(00:44):
nobody has everything. Everybody needs something, and it's up to
you to figure out what they need.
Speaker 2 (00:49):
How do you do that when you talk to them, Engage.
Speaker 1 (00:52):
Them in a conversation, find out what they're doing, What
are they working on right now?
Speaker 2 (00:56):
What do they need to.
Speaker 1 (00:58):
Get that done. Let me give you an example. Recently,
an entrepreneur came up to me. And entrepreneurs come up
to me all the time, and most of them want
me to do something for them.
Speaker 2 (01:07):
I know that. But this entrepreneur is very smart.
Speaker 1 (01:09):
He didn't just ask me, oh, help me get money,
read my business plan, introduce me to somebody.
Speaker 2 (01:14):
He didn't do that.
Speaker 1 (01:15):
Instead, what this entrepreneur did was ask me about my book.
Speaker 2 (01:19):
What book are you writing? What are you working on? Oh?
Speaker 1 (01:22):
I'm writing about brain computer interfaces. Now really brain computer interfaces.
I started to tell him, Oh, he's interested in what
I'm writing. Then he said, you know, I know a
professor at team working on that exact thing. Let me
introduce you for me. I was like, great, yes, please
introduce me. That could help me a lot. As soon
as he did that favor, he didn't ask for a
(01:44):
favor in return.
Speaker 2 (01:45):
He just did the favor.
Speaker 1 (01:46):
Then later a week later, he came back to me
and said, you know, I'm raising money for my startup.
Speaker 2 (01:52):
Will you meet with me and give me some feedback.
I had to say yes.
Speaker 1 (01:55):
It's impossible for me not to do a favor for
somebody who just did me a favor. You want to
get somebody important to do you a favor do them
a favor first. It's hard to say no to somebody
who's just done you a favor.