Your Network Is Not Your Net Worth (Yet)

Zach Zoulias
Jul 11
3 min read

Updated: Aug 7

If your network really were your net worth, we’d all be billionaires by now.

We’ve all heard it: “Your network is your net worth.”

It sounds empowering. It feels like a cheat code for life and business.

But here’s the reality that many of us face:

We are connected to hundreds, sometimes thousands of people. When it’s time to seek help—a warm introduction, career advice, or honest feedback—how many of those connections can you rely on?

Not many come to mind, do they?

In my case, maybe ten.

On a good day.

The Illusion of “Connection”

Let me share a personal experience.

I connected with a guy named Frank at a conference a few years ago. We had one great conversation. We are in the same industry. We exchanged cards and connected on LinkedIn. Since then? Nothing.

Not a like, not a comment, not a message. If I were to DM him now, it would feel like a cold call.

Yet, I still count him in my network.

Now, multiply that situation by a few hundred people. You start to see the disconnect. Social media has made it easy to connect. However, it has also made it harder to navigate those connections with intention.

The Bloat Problem

We tend to accumulate connections rather than prune them.

Consider the types of people in our networks:

Old coworkers
Past clients
Teammates and classmates
“You may know…” connections

The problem is that this leads to a bloated contact list. It becomes challenging to identify:

Who matters now
Who shares your goals or values
Who might actually take your call
Who could actually help (or needs your help)

This situation is like hoarding ingredients in a kitchen. You don’t know which items are expired, which ones pair well, or how to use them effectively.

The Search for Relevance

The core issue, I believe, is this:

Networks are unmanageable, yet they still hold value.

Within our networks, there is real potential. However, finding that potential is often slow, manual, and awkward.

You have to scroll through your connections, remember conversations, and make guesses.

You hesitate to reach out. You think, “Will they remember me? Are they still in the same context?”

You want to avoid coming across as transactional or desperate.

So, you don’t reach out. Maybe this is just me? Your network simply sits there. Dormant. Untapped.

So, What Do We Do?

I’m currently working on a project called Bonsai to explore this dilemma. However, this post isn’t solely about that. Instead, I want to think through the problem with you.

Here are some questions to ponder:

What would it take to feel good about reengaging someone from your past?
How might you track the health of your network rather than just its size?
What if your network could surface the right people for the right questions at the right time?

Because I don’t think the solution is simply to “grow your network.”

I believe the answer is to “wake it up.”

The Benefits of Reviving Dormant Connections

Reengaging with past connections can yield unexpected benefits.

When you reconnect:

Broaden your opportunities. Friends might know about job openings or collaborative projects.
Gain insights. Engaging with diverse backgrounds can spark fresh ideas.
Foster support. A solid network becomes a group of advocates during times of change.

Networking is not just about adding names to a list. It’s about cultivating relationships that can help you thrive.

Interested in learning more about Bonsai.Social?

Join the waitlist to get early access and be the first to revive your dormant connections!