The loop
- You make an introductionTwo people you know should meet. Add their names, their emails and one line on why. It takes about a minute.
- Both are asked, privatelyEach person gets a short, personal invitation from you. Nothing is shared until both say yes, and a "no thanks" is never shown to the other side.
- They meetWhen both agree, we send one email connecting them, with your reason attached. You're copied, so you see the good you did.
- They're invited to pass it onThe people you helped see what you're looking for, and can introduce someone from their world to you. They don't need an account. It's one short form.
- It comes back aroundSome of those people become introducers too. Your dashboard counts the intros that came back to you: the surprises.
Why we believe it works
People return kindness. Reciprocity is one of the most consistent findings in social psychology. When someone does us a genuine favour, especially an unexpected one, we look for a way to return it. Introholic simply gives that instinct somewhere easy to go.
Kindness spreads further than we think. In a well-known 2010 study, researchers James Fowler and Nicholas Christakis found that generosity cascades through networks: people who received help went on to help others, who in turn helped others, up to three degrees away. A good deed doesn't stop with the person you did it for.
Your next opportunity is probably a stranger. Sociologist Mark Granovetter showed that people often find new jobs and ideas through "weak ties": acquaintances and friends-of-friends, not their closest circle. Those are exactly the people an intro from a friend can bring to you.
You can't plan what comes back. That's the point. Give first, and let the network surprise you.
What we never do
- Introduce anyone without asking both people first.
- Share an email address before both sides have said yes.
- Tell anyone that someone said no.
- Send an intro you didn't write and approve yourself.
Why it's an experiment
Introholic began as a social experiment at the Mr. 6 Foundation, and in a real sense it still is one. We're measuring something simple: when people make good introductions for each other, how often does the kindness come back? Every intro you make is part of finding out.
Further reading: Fowler & Christakis, "Cooperative behavior cascades in human social networks," PNAS (2010). Granovetter, "The Strength of Weak Ties," American Journal of Sociology (1973).