We’re using location + shared background to rethink how professional networking actually works
I’ve been thinking a lot about why professional networking still feels so awkward, despite having more tools than ever.
LinkedIn is great for visibility, but it’s noisy, transactional, and mostly disconnected from the real world. Event apps promise networking, but they’re downloaded for a few days and deleted immediately after. Most tools assume networking happens only at scheduled moments or inside closed platforms.
The insight that led us to build Connector didn’t come from a whiteboard session, it came from sitting at jury duty.
I was surrounded by hundreds of people. Statistically, some of them shared my alma mater, professional background, fraternity, nonprofit involvement, or industry. Yet there was no natural, low-friction way to discover those shared bonds. Networking opportunities were everywhere, but completely invisible.
So we started asking a different question:
What if networking didn’t require effort, events, or awkward cold outreach?
What if technology could quietly reveal common ground wherever you already are?
Connector uses location and shared background to surface relevant connections in everyday environments, airports, coworking spaces, conferences, sporting events, even places people never think of as “networking venues.” Discovery is passive, engagement is optional, and privacy controls are built in by default.
A few principles guided the build:
Networking should be year-round, not event-centric
Engagement should be opt-in, not forced
Identity isn’t singular, people belong to multiple communities
Organizations shouldn’t need IT integrations or access to user data
Tools should fit into real life, not demand new behavior
One thing we learned early is that closed networks limit opportunity. Many platforms only allow connection within a single group. Connector lets users network within their affinity group and, if they choose, beyond it. That distinction matters more than we initially realized.
We’ve seen early adoption across fraternities, alumni groups, nonprofits, and trade shows, but the bigger takeaway for me as a founder is this:
Most networking tools optimize for platform engagement. We’re trying to optimize for human relevance.
Curious how other builders think about:
Networking outside traditional platforms
Location-aware products that don’t feel creepy
Avoiding app fatigue while still driving real usage
Happy to answer questions or hear where you think this breaks down.
