Connection Can't Be Outsourced

Recently, I thanked a partner for an introduction he had made for me. Nothing major — I just sent a message saying how useful the conversation had been and thanking him for the bridge.

His response? "Funny, almost no one does that."

I laughed at the time. But then I started thinking.

It's true. We're always asking for introductions. "Do you know so-and-so?" "Can you introduce me to that person?" And when someone opens their network and makes the connection, many times they don't even receive a "thanks."

I'm not talking about obligation. Whoever makes the introduction usually does it willingly, without expecting anything in return. But recognizing that help — following up, sharing what happened, saying thank you — is part of building the relationship.

Nothing gets built on autopilot

Technology has made networking easier, but it's also made us more careless. Asking has become easy. But nurturing the relationship afterward... not always.

Most good opportunities still come from good connections. Studies show that more than 80% of job market moves come from networking. And that weak ties — the friends of friends — are the ones that open the most doors.

But for those bridges to keep being built, you have to take care of them. Follow up, say thank you, close the loop.

And this also applies to hiring. Some companies hire as if they're asking for a favor: "can you find me someone good?"

At Catena, we create intentional connections with people who make sense for your business. We combine hunting with commercial intelligence to deliver the right profiles in 72 hours, without wasting anyone's time.