Probably the Worst Networking Tip You Can Ever Get

This is probably the worst networking tip you can ever get, but I still wanted to talk about it for educational purposes.

Recently I watched the Netflix series Inventing Anna about Anna Delvey, also known as Anna Sorokin, a Russian-born woman who moved through New York’s elite social scene by pretending to be a wealthy German heiress.

And honestly, if you ignore the scams and fake lifestyle for a second, her networking skills were insane.

She came to New York without real connections, without a powerful family, and somehow managed to get into rooms full of millionaires, celebrities, investors, fashion people, and art collectors. She almost convinced people to back a multi-million dollar art project completely from scratch.

I’m not saying you should copy what she did.
Most of it was fake, and eventually it all collapsed. But if you analyze the psychology behind it, there are still lessons there.

Anna understood something that a lot of talented people don’t understand: people react to confidence, positioning, and perceived value.

She acted like she already belonged in those rooms. Her clothes, her attitude, the way she talked, the places she went to, her personal brand online and offline – everything looked intentional.

People trusted her because she looked like someone important before she actually became important.

I’ve Seen This in Real Life

And the crazy thing is, I’ve seen similar situations in real life.

I know songwriters and producers in Los Angeles who were literally sleeping in trains or on couches, but when they walked into industry events, they looked like they already worked with Drake or Metro Boomin.

They wore clean high-fashion outfits, spoke confidently, introduced themselves like they already belonged there, and somehow ended up meeting major people.

Some of them exaggerated their positions. Some of them completely lied. Some of them snuck into VIP sections just to be in the same room as successful people.

And years later, some of those same people actually became Grammy-winning producers, engineers, and songwriters.

“Fake It Till You Make It” – The Good and Bad Side

In my networking course, I talk about the idea of “fake it till you make it,” and this series is honestly one of the best examples of both the good and bad sides of it.

The bad part is obvious. Anna built a lot of things on lies, and eventually everything collapsed. That’s why I’m not recommending anyone to fake their entire life or scam people.

But there are still important lessons you can learn from the way she moved.

1. Confidence

You need to believe in what you say, or at least say it with confidence.

Confidence is almost everything when it comes to networking. A lot of people are talented, but they speak with fear, insecurity, or hesitation.

Meanwhile, confident people get opportunities faster simply because they make others believe in them.

2. Your Offline Brand

People always talk about personal branding online, but your offline brand matters too.

The way you talk, the way you dress, your energy, your attitude, how you treat people, how you enter a room – all of that creates an impression before you even show your work.

Anna understood that perfectly.

3. Being Proactive

Even though she was fake, she was extremely proactive.

She had a huge goal to build a massive business without knowing anyone, and step by step she kept moving toward it. She constantly met new people, introduced herself, showed up at events, started conversations, and kept building connections.

Most people fail at networking not because they are untalented, but because they stay passive.

If everybody took even 20% of the good qualities from Anna – confidence, strong personal branding, and being proactive – they would probably become unstoppable.

At the end of the day, networking still needs real value behind it. You still need real skills. You still need to make great music, great art, or great business. But confidence and positioning can open the first door.

The Real Lesson

The lesson here is not “go fake your life.”

The real lesson is that confidence changes the way people see you before your resume does.

A lot of talented people stay invisible because they look uncertain, uncomfortable, or scared to enter rooms where opportunities exist. Meanwhile, someone with half the talent but ten times more confidence ends up building relationships faster.

Long-term networking still needs honesty, real skills, and real value. Fake energy eventually falls apart.

But learning how to present yourself with confidence, learning how to communicate your vision, and acting like you belong in bigger rooms can completely change your life.