Action Item: How to create a network from scratch

Welcome back to Action Items a series in which we condense and extend each of our interviews into actionable bullet points — only for paid subscribers. 

This week we’re doing something new: we’re distilling down a never before released conversation I had with Ali Hamed, partner and co-founder of asset management firm CoVenture

Ali started his career in 2014, but instead of going the traditional finance route and working his way up the food chain he decided to strike out on his own. Today, his fund manages hundreds of millions of dollars—investing in startups and emerging assets like crypto and exotic credit (think financing TikTok creators.)

One of the tools Ali used to start so quickly on his own is his ability to network. He began fresh out of school without knowing anyone, so he had to bootstrap his network from scratch—meeting founders, partners, and potential LPs along the way.

Much like Peter Boyce, he’s made finding the right people and connecting them together a huge part of his early success—and he agreed to share with us the tools he uses to do that.