… received an email from a prospective client.

Two sentences, all business, asking about my interest in a particular project.

When I responded, and noticing that the writer lived in Seattle, I mentioned that my daughter Emily is a sophomore at nearby University of Puget Sound (AKA, “How far can I get from my parents without actually leaving the continental United States?”).

His email back to me a couple of hours later was considerably warmer and even included mention of a camping trip he is taking with his own daughter this weekend.

It may seem like businesses is just about business. But if you can find ways to make connections on a human level too, you’re bound to have a whole lot more of it.