The Window is Closing: Why Real Connection is About to Become the Most Valuable Currency in Business

Drea Buer
Nov 24
7 min read

Gary Vaynerchuk said something recently that stopped me in my tracks:

"Loneliness is on the rise. The world is getting far more digital. I think if I was here 10 years ago and said I'm gonna start a company that charges people to take a walk with another human, it wouldn't have landed."

He went on to talk about how as the world becomes more digitally mapped, real-life experiences are going to become remarkably valuable.

And honestly? He's not wrong.

But here's what I want to talk about - because I think there's a massive opportunity happening RIGHT NOW that most people are completely missing.

The Digital Connection Window is Open (But Not For Long)

I'm going to be straight with you: In 2 years, your DMs and comments are going to feel like your email inbox does right now.

Flooded. Spammy. Unusable.

Right now, there's still a window where you can build genuine connections through social media. Where a thoughtful comment or a real DM conversation actually means something. Where people still appreciate authentic outreach.

But that window is closing fast.

And here's what kills me - I'm watching so many talented people completely miss this opportunity because they're either:

Too scared to show up authentically online
Treating social media like a billboard instead of a networking event
Waiting for "the right time" to start building their personal brand
Stuck in old-school pride about how business "should" work

Let me break down what's actually happening and what you need to do about it.

The Fake Persona Problem (And Why It's Making You Invisible)

I had a client who was trying SO hard to be the "polished professional" on social media. Every video was scripted. Every post was carefully curated. Everything was... safe.

And it was bombing. Like, crickets-level engagement.

Then one day, she recorded a video in her car on the way to a hair appointment. She gave a market update, talked about her day, and was just... real. Raw. Open about what she was doing and how she was doing it.

That video? Blew up.

People were so happy to just HEAR from her. The real her. Not the corporate robot version she thought she needed to be. And she was shocked. "Wow. I did not expect that to be received so well." Here's what I need you to understand: The digital side of you IS you - if you let it be.

You don't have to pretend to be someone else to be successful online. In fact, pretending is what's killing your chances. People can smell fake from a mile away. And it's almost worse than AI-generated content at this point.

The "Nice People on the Internet" Truth Nobody Talks About

Can we address the elephant in the room for a second?

Everyone talks about "letting the haters hate" and dealing with trolls and keyboard warriors. But here's what nobody's saying: There are SO many nice people on the internet.

I have over 50,000 followers across all my platforms. TikTok, Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn - you name it. And you know how many haters I've dealt with?

I can count them on one hand.

And when someone does leave a nasty comment? I delete it and block them. And then I literally forget they exist. Because they don't matter.

We're so focused on the tiny percentage of keyboard warriors that we're missing the massive opportunity to connect with genuinely good people who want to support you, learn from you, and potentially become your clients. You have a block button for a reason. Use it. And then focus on the 99.9% of people who are actually kind, supportive, and ready to engage with your content.

What "Networking" Actually Means in 2025

Here's where most people completely drop the ball:

They post content. They wait for likes. And then they move on. That's not social media. That's a billboard.

Real networking on social media looks like this:

You post content
You engage in the comments for at least the first hour
You respond to EVERY comment (even if it's just "thank you!")
When you can, you answer with a QUESTION to keep the conversation going
You check back periodically and keep engaging
You use those conversations as springboards to DMs and deeper connections

Every comment brings your post back to the top of the algorithm. Every conversation is an opportunity to build trust. Every genuine interaction is a potential client relationship starting.

You can't build connection without conversation.

And comments allow you to get to know people. It's far less formal than email. You can go back and forth. It might lead to you sending a DM about something that reminded you of that conversation. It allows friendships to be watered and trust to grow.

And yes - it also allows you to sell your service as a natural result of that relationship.

But here's the key: You have to have good intentions. You have to genuinely want the best for people. You have to be seeking to educate, not just spam.

That's what makes you valuable instead of unusable.

The "Old Soul Pride" That's Keeping You Broke

I used to work for a free utility concierge service. Literally free for residents to sign up, and property managers made money just by offering it. No-brainer, right? I had one guy tell me: "No. I'm not gonna condone laziness."

His pride - his old-school way of thinking about how things "should" work - made him miss out on an incredible opportunity that would've provided better service to his residents, gotten him better reviews, and made him more money. All because he was stuck in the past.

I see the same energy with people resisting personal branding now.

And my heart genuinely goes out to them. Because I want them to know this is an opportunity, and I don't want them to miss it.

Business has always evolved:

First it was word-of-mouth
Then the telephone
Then newspaper and TV ads
Then radio
Then the internet
Then social media
Now personal branding

If you're not willing to evolve now, you will be forced to evolve later anyway.

So you might as well make the most of what you can now, because you WILL have to adapt down the road. The question is: will you do it while there's still opportunity, or will you do it when everyone else has already captured the market?

The Bottled Water Moment We're Living In

Remember when bottled water first came out? People were like, "I'm gonna sell water? It's free!"

And now look at the bottled water industry.

Here's our bottled water moment in personal branding:

Building genuine connections through comments and DMs seems too simple. Too obvious. Too... informal.

But it's about to become incredibly valuable - and possibly expensive.

Right now, you can build relationships organically. You can slide into someone's DMs with a genuine message. You can leave thoughtful comments and start real conversations.

In 2 years? Your inbox will look like your email spam folder. Flooded with automated messages, AI-generated outreach, and people who waited too long to build real relationships.

What's Actually Going to Matter

When organic outreach becomes spam and AI content is everywhere, here's what will be valuable:

Pure and honest connection.

And you can't build that if you're not willing to put in the effort NOW.

I come from an itty bitty small town in Wyoming. And I say this with so much love in my heart: Because of social media, personal networking, and everything that led up to where I am today, I could drive across every state in this nation, get a flat tire, and be able to call or message someone who would either come help me or know somebody who could.

That is valuable.

That's what personal branding actually builds. Not followers. Not likes. Not vanity metrics.

Real relationships with real people who know you, trust you, and would show up for you (and hire you) when it matters.

What You Need to Do Right Now

If you take nothing else from this post, hear this: The window for organic connection on social media is open right now. But it won't be for long.

Here's what you need to do:

Stop trying to be perfect. Post the car video. Share the messy take. Be real. That's what performs.
Treat social media like a networking event, not a billboard. Engage in comments. Start conversations. Build relationships.
Use AI to your advantage. It's here to stay. You might as well use it to make content creation easier so you can focus on the CONNECTION part (which AI can't do for you).
Let go of the old-school pride. Business has evolved. You can evolve with it now while there's opportunity, or be forced to evolve later when the market has moved on without you.
Focus on building real relationships NOW. In 2 years, everyone will be trying to do what you can do easily today. Get ahead of it.

The Bottom Line

Gary V was right about one thing: As the world becomes more digitally mapped, real connection becomes more valuable.

But here's what he didn't say (and what I'm telling you): You can build those real connections digitally RIGHT NOW, before everyone else catches on and ruins it.

The question is: Are you going to take advantage of this window while it's open?

Or are you going to be the person in 2 years wondering why nobody responds to your DMs anymore?

Your choice.

Ready to build a personal brand that creates real relationships and attracts clients organically? The window is open, but it won't be forever. Let's make sure you're not the one left behind when it closes.

P.S. - If you're reading this thinking "but I don't know how to be authentic online" or "I'm scared of what people will think," that's exactly why you need to start now. Because that fear is the only thing standing between you and the connections that could change your business.