5 VIPs You Need in Your Network

All connections are not created equal.

There are the folks you may exchange details with at conferences and meetups, the random LinkedIn requests with zero mutual contacts, and your parents’ well-meaning friends who don’t really understand what you do for work.

And then there are key connections who can open incredible doors with just one DM.

I call them your Champions.

A Champion is someone who is genuinely enthusiastic about your career growth. Someone who not only wants to see you succeed, but wants to play a part in your success.

The important thing is, there are different kinds of Champions, each with unique value to offer your career. Below are the 5 Champion connections you should definitely add to your network:

Add these 5 Champions to your network this month:

1. The Mentor.

Seems obvious, but I’m surprised by how few of my friends and clients actually have mentors! Maybe it’s because the process of finding a mentor seems daunting that they shy away from cultivating this connection (more on that below). Mentors are folks more seasoned in their careers who can offer up their best practices and advice based on experience. Mentors don’t necessarily need to be in the role or position you want in the future (though it helps)- but they do need to be able to guide you in the right direction, challenge your thinking where necessary, and hold you accountable to take action.

👀 Where to find a mentor:

Pretty much anywhere you can build an organic relationship with them. I have a mentor from an undergrad extracurricular, a mentor from my first HR internship, and a mentor who is— I kid you not— my college situationship’s mom (she’s been a leader in our shared field for years)!

With more and more digital communities forming in response to the pandemic, it’s entirely possible to find a mentor online! They should be someone with whom you already have a genuine connection- you’ve conversed with them a few times already, trust their insight, have had positive interactions, and they’re somewhat easily accessible to you (read: they’re generally responsive).

2. The Sponsor

Sponsors differ from mentors in that they are in a position to directly impact your career trajectory. Their positive feedback and endorsements tangibly affect your professional success, because they are present in the rooms where those decisions are made (or can at least influence the decision-makers).

👀 Where to find a sponsor:

Think cross-functional leaders at your company, long-time successful clients, or professors and advisors.

3. The Title Twin

These folks do your job at other companies and uniquely understand what it takes to do it well. They’re at a similar level to you and potentially in different industries, which can add useful perspectives into fresh ways to do your job. 

When you meet your Title Twins, form a braintrust, start organic conversations on LinkedIn, and keep each other up to date on industry trends and news by adding them to a private group in Dex to bring everyone together!

👀 Where to find a Title Twin:

LinkedIn, Slack Groups, Former classmates/colleagues who have moved on to other companies

4. The (Approachable) Industry Expert

They’ve got a pulse on your industry, a unique POV, and passion for sharing their intel. Important key: they’re not too big that they’re impossible to interact with.

Maybe the Approachable Industry Expert in your field is a peer who never stops learning and sharing. Engage with what they share, ask follow-up questions, and even loop them into conversations with your Title Twins.

👀 Where to find an Approachable Industry Expert:

Industry-specific Slack groups, the comment section of LinkedIn posts in your field, industry conferences.

5. The Mentee

Yep, I invite you to be someone else’s Champion! Mentorship is age- and level-agnostic. All you need to be a mentor is some experience, empathy, and enthusiasm. In championing your mentee’s career, you’re bound to learn a ton from their questions and challenges- crucial for perspective and keeping your own career lessons fresh in mind).

👀 Where to find a Mentee:

Interns or junior colleagues, younger members of clubs/orgs you belonged to, industry-specific Slack groups

Keeping track of all of these important people– and remembering to connect with them regularly– became incredibly simple once I created these Groups within my Dex dashboard:

With you all the way,

Janel

This week’s question comes from Amrita, a product marketing manager at a Saas tech company. She asks:

Great question — and honestly, no, you don’t need to formally ask someone to be your mentor like it’s a Girl Scout badge. In fact, most of the best mentorships are organic and start informally.

That said, here’s the deal:

Informal mentorship is great because it’s low-pressure, more flexible, and often more sustainable. You can ask for advice, send updates, and build trust over time without putting a heavy label on it. But the downside is, without structure, it can fizzle or stay surface-level.

Formal mentorship can be powerful if you’re looking for consistent check-ins, accountability, or deeper support — but it can feel like a big ask upfront. It also puts pressure on the other person to commit, and not everyone has the bandwidth.

My advice? Start informal. Make it easy for them to say yes. Ask thoughtful questions, share your progress, and express appreciation. Keep in touch regularly — fortunately, today's sponsor Dex makes it easy to set keep-in-touch reminders, keep track of what you've talked about, and automatically track every time you chat. If the relationship deepens and they start acting like a mentor… congrats, you’ve got one!