🔮 Introducing my Future of Networking forecast

Ready for something BIG?💥

Over the past two decades, I’ve built a respected reputation in relationship-building, community architecture, and strategic introductions for executives, innovators, and platforms.

Now, as AI, automation, and remote work change how we build relationships, I’m ready to lead a new conversation—not just about networking, but about what comes next. 🔮

I’ve combined my reflections on the past with my expertise on tech’s frontier and honed in on 10 core beliefs for what’s ahead: fundamental shifts in technology, tools, behavior, and culture—along with evolving expectations of trust and connection—that will shape how we build relationships, create community, and grow professionally in the future.

Introducing my Future of Networking forecast 🔎

My goal with this series is to share what I’m seeing behind the scenes as I advise executives, AI companies, and media leaders—and translate those insights into practical guidance so you can stay ahead and get ahead.

I’ll bring you tools, strategies, and fresh ideas to help you navigate what’s changing and build your unique competitive edge.

All I ask in return: stay in the conversation. Tell me what you're seeing, what you're curious about, and where you'd like me to go deeper.

My mission has always been to bring people together to exchange ideas, insights, and opportunities. 🎯 That hasn’t changed.

What has changed is how quickly AI is reshaping human connection 🤝🤖, and that’s exactly why I’m inviting you to explore this next chapter with me.

I have so much more to say than can fit in a single newsletter, so be sure to follow me on LinkedIn as I continue the conversation there.

In the meantime, let’s dive into the first of my Ten Trends for the Future of Networking.

📣 Trend #1 is AI-Enhanced Networking.

Everything in my career, from leading companies to exit, to advising top executives, has reinforced a simple truth:

☑️ The biggest leaps in life and business come from being connected to the right people.

I bet some of the biggest opportunities of your career have come from someone you know, and some of the most game-changing leaps forward in your business resulted from someone on your team knowing the right person at the right company.

For those who think the idea is far-fetched, consider this: our technologies may be new, but we’ve long used technology to navigate relationship building and networking. We put business cards into our Rolodexes, then saved contacts straight into our mobile phones, then connected to each other via social networks, and now some of us use a personal CRM tool.

Relationship-building will be supercharged by systems that not only remind us to check in on our contacts, but will provide us with detailed notes for context—because they’ll have transcripts from past calls and in-person interactions. (If you don’t believe me, look into the Limitless Pendant.) Those special touches that strengthen a relationship—from remembering your kids’ names to your coffee order—will become the standard. With technology raising the relationship-building bar, not remembering enough of the small details will eventually be seen as a red flag. 🚩 

But, AI-accelerated networking has its limits. ⏸️

We don’t want to fully automate networking, because fully automated networking will fail.

Networking works because of the human connection: two humans meet, form a relationship, receive value from each other, like each other, and help each other by opening a door and providing an opportunity they couldn’t have otherwise accessed. 🤝 That’s the ultimate goal of networking, whether people realize it or not.

You can’t fully automate that away because each person is different in their personality and approach. We don’t want two AI agents giving each other freebies based on an algorithm. If we do, that’s called tasks and processes—and it’s not a replacement for a human connection that can lead to something unexpected and highly beneficial. ✨

And all of that is without mentioning the satisfaction humans experience from getting to know another person, spending time with them, and then being able to help them, or that feeling of gratitude when someone else does something nice for us. 🤗

If we automate too far, we turn something sacred—human trust—into a transactional algorithm. 🙅‍♀️

Aspiring to be one of those leaders in the future? Here are my recommendations for preparing in the present:

✅ Take action.

If you saw someone with a Rolodex or fax machine today, you’d think they were stuck in the past. The same goes for relying only on your memory. Failing to use AI tools will soon be seen as neglectful.

🧠 Adopt the right mindset.

It’s okay to have a system for networking. We live in a tech-powered era—there’s a tool for everything. It’s also okay to be goal-oriented in your relationships, as long as you’re not transactional and genuinely care about providing value to people.

🛎️ Hire a Connection Architect to create a system for you to use, or hire a full-service Concierge Connector (yes, like me) to do the networking for you.

Not everyone has time to build and manage their relationship strategy—but everyone benefits from having one.

A Connection Architect helps you design a repeatable, trust-based system for how you meet, engage, and build with the right people—powered by AI tools, but grounded in human credibility.

If you’re too busy or prefer to stay focused on your core work, a Concierge Connector becomes your behind-the-scenes asset: strategically making warm introductions, hosting private gatherings on your behalf, and elevating your presence in the right rooms.

Both roles are designed to help you stay visible, relevant, and well-connected in a world where relationships are your most valuable asset.

☝️ Remember: AI can’t manufacture belonging or earn you trust (nor genuine human connection). Only you can.

AI tools can recommend who you should meet, surface shared interests, and even help you stay top of mind. They’re powerful accelerators—but creating true connection is still a human responsibility. The full value is achieved after the match: when someone feels seen, valued, and understood. That can’t be outsourced.

You have to be intentional about providing a unique value, having a clear purpose, bringing people together, and designing experiences that foster trust to create the sense of belonging that no algorithm can replicate. That’s where opportunity turns into outcomes—and where you make the difference. 🫵

That’s it for the first edition of this new series! 📩 Hit reply and let me know what resonated, or what you'd like to see more of.

P.S. Remember when I said up top that I’d be continuing the conversation on LinkedIn? The truth is…I started teasing these trends already - did you catch it? 👀

For those curious to know what’s ahead in my Future of Networking forecast, these posts share a preview:

• Attending the TIME100 Summit reminded me that we’re in a new era of influence, where power will increasingly be wielded by curators, rather than creators

• “IRL” is becoming a premium, niche experience: one that sends a clear signal about what communities matter to you.

With curiosity and gratitude,
Nicole

“But wait, there’s more!” 👇

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