Business Karma Returns

Shaan Puri shares his perspective on "business karma" through a story about a growth expert who leveraged expertise and relationship building to create powerful network effects in Silicon Valley. The approach emphasizes providing value first without expecting immediate returns.

Key Points:

• The Power of Focused Expertise:

  • Being able to eliminate 99% of wrong answers quickly
  • Finding the "one straw that matters" in a haystack of possibilities
  • True expertise is about knowing what to ignore

• Value-First Approach:

  • Declined direct payment for consulting
  • Offered services for free in exchange for future introductions
  • Built reputation through solving high-impact problems quickly

• Network Effect Strategy:

  • Secured introductions from highly-respected figures
  • Leveraged the rarity of recommendations (e.g., "Adam never makes intros")
  • Created compound value through selective networking

• Building Trust Through Results:

  • Demonstrated expertise through quick, effective solutions
  • Solved problems that teams had struggled with for months
  • Created immediate, visible impact

• Long-term Value Creation:

  • Traded immediate compensation for relationship building
  • Built reputation through selective, high-impact work
  • Created opportunities through trusted connections

• Key Philosophy:

  • "Don't make money on every transaction"
  • Be either "ultra free or ultra premium"
  • Let value come back naturally through business karma

This approach demonstrates how providing value first, without immediate expectation of return, can create more significant long-term opportunities through network effects and reputation building.