who you know

“it’s not what you know, it’s who you know.”

you’ve heard this before. maybe even said it yourself.

but like most catchy phrases, it’s not quite true.

a better version is: “what you know matters less than who you know.”

this isn’t just folk wisdom. it’s baked into the math.

according to Newton-Slade’s Law of Universal Influence:

influence = value ÷ distance²

• what you know = value
  • (skills, experience, qualifications—useful, but inert)
• who you know = distance
  • (proximity to decision-makers, gatekeepers, and allies)

and since distance is squared in the equation,

even small reductions in distance massively increase influence.

in other words:

you might be the most qualified person for the job—

but if no one in the room knows your name, it won’t matter.

this is why 60–85% of positions are filled through networking.

not job boards. not résumés. not cold applications.

networks beat knowledge.

proximity beats potential.

relationships beat résumés.

want to be an actress?

working as a stripper or pour girl probably won’t cut it.

want to be a tech entrepreneur?

bootstrapping without contacts in Silicon Valley might not get you there.

if you want to increase your odds of success, the math says you need to be in the right network, close to the right people.

Colin

p.s. for $10 i'll share with you my Dunbar Layers Analysis tool. reply "i'm in" and i'll send you the link.