Article · 7 min read

How to ask me (and others) for an intro

Alex Iskold · Startup Hacks Free Beginner

This is the anatomy of the ask that actually gets answered in an alumni channel. Iskold, a founder and now VC, hands you the exact template (subject line, the LinkedIn link, the one paragraph on traction, the one line on why this specific person is the fit) and the forwardable email that lets a busy alum help you in ten seconds. It is the difference between 'anyone have advice?' getting silence and a targeted ask landing a warm intro.

  • Do the work for the connector: attach the LinkedIn profile, a paragraph on what you do plus traction, and one sentence on why this exact person is a fit, so all they do is hit forward
  • Never dump a list of 30 names on someone; each ask should be self-contained and forwardable, because effort on your side signals the ask is worth their reputation
  • State the purpose plainly (hire, customer, vendor, investor) up front so the reader can say yes fast, and commit to the 15-minute call for mentorship intros
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The question it answers

  1. How do I actually use an accelerator or program alumni network after the program ends instead of letting it go cold?

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