Strategic introductions · The meeting brief
Before you ask for an introduction, make the meeting worth taking
Explain why this particular person should take this particular meeting now. Prepare a concise account of the business, the relevant proof and a realistic next step. Give the introducer something accurate they can forward, and leave the recipient free to decide whether there is a fit.
‘Can you introduce me to someone?’ sounds like a small request. For the person making the connection, it puts their judgment and relationship into the conversation. They need a reason to believe the meeting will be worthwhile.
Sheeraz's public interviews discuss connecting visibility with decision-makers and regional opportunity. The practical starting point is not the contact list. It is the quality of the proposition the contact will receive.
Be precise about the person you need
An investor, a distributor, a brand partner and a commercial customer can all help a company, but they make different decisions. Describe the role and relevance you need before naming the most famous person in the room.
A company looking for regional distribution should be able to explain the product category, customer, territory and kind of operating partner it needs. A founder looking for an investment conversation needs a different brief. Combining every possible opportunity into one request makes it hard for an introducer to choose a useful route.
Be specific about the decision you hope the recipient can make. Sometimes the right first contact is an operator who can assess fit, rather than the most senior name on a public list.
Source: London Real: Sheeraz Hasan on fame, founders and AI (2025)
Write a brief that can be forwarded intact
A concise introduction note should stand on its own. The recipient may see it without the conversation that produced it. Explain the business, the reason for the proposed connection and the next step in language the introducer can repeat accurately.
Keep the first request proportionate. A short conversation to assess distribution fit is easier to evaluate than a vague demand for access to an entire market. Avoid asking the introducer to endorse numbers or claims they have not reviewed.
Prepare a short public version and a deeper information pack. Do not make a warm introduction depend on forwarding confidential material to somebody who has not agreed to receive it. The first note should establish relevance; detailed information can follow through an appropriate process.
- What the company does and who buys it
- Why the recipient's role or market is relevant
- Two or three facts that support the opportunity
- The specific question or decision for the first conversation
- A clear contact and a realistic next step
Make the public record agree with the brief
Assume the recipient will look you up. The company website, founder biography and materials in the introduction should describe the same business. If the brief says the product is operating while the site presents an idea still being developed, explain the difference before it creates doubt.
Use evidence that is relevant to the proposed conversation. A product demonstration, customer reference with permission or a documented operating milestone may be more useful than unrelated media coverage. A polished public profile supports the meeting; it does not replace a viable business case.
Read the brief from the recipient's side. What obvious question remains unanswered? If the answer is commercially sensitive, say what can be discussed at the next stage. Clarity about the process is better than hiding the gap behind broad claims.
Give mutual interest room to develop
A strong connection still requires the other person to want the conversation. Agree how the introduction will be made and who will confirm interest. Treat a lack of fit as information, not a reason to push the same request through several people at once.
Once both sides agree to speak, arrive prepared. Send the agreed material, confirm the purpose and keep the first meeting focused. The introducer should not have to explain the whole proposition again because the founder has not prepared it.
For a hypothetical distribution enquiry, the first meeting might establish whether the product category, territory and operating model fit the partner's business. That is a useful result even if the parties decide to stop there. It prevents a longer process built on the wrong assumptions.
Own the follow-through
After the conversation, record what was actually agreed. A request for more information is not a commitment to invest or buy. An encouraging meeting is not a closed deal. Keep the next action, responsible person and date clear.
Send the information that answers the recipient's question rather than adding a larger generic deck. If the next step belongs to your team, complete it promptly. If the recipient decides the fit is wrong, close the loop respectfully and preserve the relationship.
Good introductions create a chance for a useful conversation. The business still has to earn the next one. Preparation, accurate evidence and disciplined follow-through make that chance more valuable for everyone involved.
Sources & context
This article applies recorded experience to a practical business question. The recommendations are FAME Team analysis; attributed statements and historical examples are linked below.
- London Real: Sheeraz Hasan on fame, founders and AI (2025)Recorded interview
