You speak truth.

Beginning in 2012, and well through 2017, I traveled the globe photographing festivals. I snapped thousands of photos of people, and readily shared them publicly, often obliging individuals when they would ask for a printable file, rarely asking for anything in return.

When I launched a Kickstarter campaign in 2015, all those years of nurturing what I also call 'social currency' paid off. I had thousands of people ready to support me, even if only with a share – which matters a lot when crowd-funding. My goal was $40k – I raised 119%...just under $48k.

Clearly – it pays to network meaningfully.