People Invest in People
One of the biggest lessons that continues to show up while building HUMN is something I first learned years ago when I was working at CDW. I can still picture it clearly. As you walked into the warehouse there was a poster on the wall with a group of penguins standing side by side. Across the top were the words…
“People do business with people they like.”
At the time it felt like a simple message, maybe even something you would expect to see in a corporate hallway. But as the years have gone by, I have realized how true it really is. No matter the industry, no matter the product, relationships are often the deciding factor. Building HUMN has reminded me of that lesson almost every single day.
The Prerequisites
Of course, the basics still matter. A business plan matters. A financial model matters. A thoughtful go to market strategy matters. Those things are the foundation of any serious company but I have learned that those elements are often the prerequisites to the conversation, not the reason people decide to get involved. Many founders can build a deck or a model. Many entrepreneurs can outline a strategy but what ultimately moves someone to invest their time, energy, or capital is the person leading the vision.
Surrounding Yourself With People Who Know More
One thing I try to be very honest about is what I do not know (some of you have heard me say “I don’t know what I don’t know”). Pretending to know everything is one of the fastest ways to limit your growth as a founder. It also makes it harder for the right people to step in and help. Instead, I focus on surrounding myself with individuals who are significantly smarter than me in areas where I still have a lot to learn. Construction experts, operators, investors, advisors, and partners all bring perspectives that help strengthen the business. That approach does two things. First, it improves the quality of decisions being made. Second, it shows people that the company is being built with humility and collaboration.
Delivery Matters
There is another element to relationships that often gets overlooked. The documentation and preparation are important, but delivery matters just as much. How you communicate, how you listen, and how you make someone feel during a conversation often leaves the strongest impression. People rarely remember every detail of what was said in a meeting. What they remember is how they felt walking away from that interaction. Did the conversation feel thoughtful and genuine? Did it feel rushed and transactional? Cough cough authenticity…
Those impressions shape how people view both the founder and the company they are building.
The Power of Connection
Over time I have realized that one of my greatest strengths is relationship management and communication. I try to approach every conversation by putting myself in the other person’s shoes. Whether it is an investor, a potential partner, or someone simply curious about the vision, I think about what they might be looking for in the conversation. That mindset helps create a dialogue instead of a pitch. It also builds trust over time, which is the real foundation of any lasting relationship. Trust does not appear overnight. It compounds through consistent and thoughtful interactions and when people trust the person leading the vision, they become far more open to supporting the mission behind it.
Reflection
As I continue building HUMN, I am reminded that documents and strategies are only part of the equation. They create structure and direction, but they are not what ultimately brings people together around an idea. What brings people together is trust.
People invest in people. They support leaders who show curiosity, humility, and a willingness to learn from others. They want to know that the person steering the ship understands both the opportunity and the responsibility that comes with it. That responsibility is something I take seriously every day while building HUMN.
