There is a saying that most professionals have heard at some point in their careers: "Your network is your net worth." While there is truth in that statement, I have always believed that the real value of a network lies not in the number of people you know, but in the number of people who remember you.

Over nearly two decades in the retail and shopping mall industry, I have had the opportunity to interact with brand founders, CEOs, retail heads, entrepreneurs, developers, investors, and business leaders from around the world. Those interactions taught me a lesson that no business school can teach and no networking event can fully explain.

I call it the Everest Rule of Networking.

The Reality of Human Memory

Let me begin with a simple question. What is the tallest mountain in the world? Almost everyone knows the answer: Mount Everest.

Now, what is the second-highest mountain in the world? Some people know it is K2. But ask for the third-highest mountain, and most people struggle to answer.

The same principle appears repeatedly in life. Most people remember the first person to walk on the moon, Neil Armstrong. Some remember the second, Buzz Aldrin. Very few remember who came after.

Human memory is selective. We naturally remember what stands out. We remember people, moments, and experiences that leave an impression. Everything else gradually fades into the background.

The business world is no different. Every year, senior leaders meet hundreds, sometimes thousands, of people through conferences, presentations, launches, board meetings, networking events, and business discussions.

Expecting someone to remember you simply because you met them once is unrealistic. That is why networking is not about meeting people. It is about creating memory.

A Lesson I Learnt Early in My Career

When I started my journey in the mall business, I was fortunate to work on projects that brought several leading national and international brands into South India.

My role required me to spend countless hours meeting brand leaders and decision-makers. I prepared extensively, understood the numbers, studied the market, and worked hard to ensure every presentation added value.

The meetings often went well. People appreciated the preparation, energy, and insights I brought to the table. Some even remarked that I seemed unusually young for the depth of understanding I had of the business.

Naturally, I assumed I was building a strong network. Then reality arrived.

Months later, I would meet the same people again. I would walk up confidently, greet them, and ask how they were doing. More often than I expected, the response would be: "Have we met before?"

At first, it was disappointing. But over time, I realised it was one of the most important lessons of my career.

A great meeting does not make you memorable. A successful presentation does not make you memorable. Even a successful business deal does not automatically make you memorable.

People move on quickly. The world moves quickly. Unless something deeper is created, most interactions are forgotten.

The Difference Between Contacts and Relationships

Many professionals spend years collecting contacts. Phones are filled with numbers. LinkedIn profiles are filled with connections. Business cards are exchanged at every event.

Yet very few of those contacts become meaningful relationships. Why? Because relationships are built on emotional memory, not contact information.

People remember how they felt around you. They remember whether you listened. They remember whether you respected their time. They remember whether you made them feel important.

The strongest professional relationships are rarely built through one remarkable meeting. They are built through a series of thoughtful interactions that make people feel seen and valued.

That is where most networking advice gets it wrong. Networking is not about visibility. Networking is about memorability.

The Secret to Being Remembered

Over the years, I observed something fascinating. People tend to remember two kinds of individuals more than anyone else.

The people who treated them exceptionally well. And the people who treated them exceptionally badly.

Either you create warmth or you create pain. Either you make someone feel respected, appreciated, and understood, or you make them feel ignored, dismissed, or insignificant.

Both experiences leave an imprint. Fortunately, one of them also builds trust.

This understanding changed the way I approached professional relationships. Instead of focusing on making people remember me, I started focusing on remembering them.

Make It About Them, Not About You

One of the most common mistakes young professionals make is trying too hard to impress. They spend most of the conversation talking about their achievements, ambitions, and experiences.

Then months later, when they meet the same person again, they ask: "Do you remember me?"

The problem is that this approach places all the attention on yourself. The most effective networkers do the opposite. They place the attention on the other person.

Because people do not feel valued when you ask them to remember you. They feel valued when you remember them.

That is a subtle but powerful difference.

The One Personal Question and One Professional Question Rule

Over time, I developed a simple practice that has served me well throughout my career.

Whenever I meet someone, I try to remember two things:

• One personal detail.
• One professional detail.

The personal detail may be something about their family, hometown, interests, or a holiday they mentioned. The professional detail may be a store launch, an expansion plan, a business challenge, or a project they are working on.

Then, when I meet them again, I begin there. Not with myself. With them.

Instead of asking, "Do you remember me?", I ask questions like:

• "How did your Mumbai store launch go?"
• "Last time we spoke, you mentioned an expansion into Hyderabad. How is that progressing?"
• "How was your family holiday in Spain?"

The reaction is almost always the same. There is a moment of surprise, a pause, and then a smile. Because in that moment, the person realises they were heard.

They realise that the conversation mattered. And that is often the moment when a contact begins to become a relationship.

The Leadership Lesson Behind Networking

As leaders, we often talk about strategy, execution, growth, and performance. But leadership is ultimately about people. And people remember those who make them feel valued.

The ability to remember details, listen actively, and show genuine interest may seem small, but it creates a lasting impact.

In a world where everyone wants to be noticed, those who notice others stand out. In a world where everyone wants attention, those who give attention are remembered.

That is true in business. It is true in leadership. And it is true in life.

The Everest Rule

The Everest Rule of Networking is simple. People naturally remember number one. Sometimes they remember number two. Very few remember number three.

So if you are not yet the most senior person in the room, the most successful person in the room, or the most influential person in the room, don't compete for attention.

Compete for memory.

Create warmth. Show curiosity. Remember details. Ask one personal question and one professional question. Most importantly, make the interaction about them, not about you.

Because people may forget your title. They may forget your presentation. They may even forget your name. But they rarely forget someone who made them feel important.

And that is what transforms a meeting into a relationship, and a relationship into a lasting network.