Who Answers at 2 AM | Roy George’s Secrets to Networking | Yes, You Can Write a Book

Last week I launched the 2 AM Circle podcast, and for our very first episode I invited my own 2 AM circle, a group of friends we affectionately call the Posse: Liz Schatzlien, Kris Rajchel, and Denice Beights. I wrote about them in my book chapter, and sitting down to talk about how this friendship began taught me more than I expected.

When I coach executives on building their networks, I ask a simple question: who would you call at 2 in the morning? Those are the people who show up when things get real. Your 6 AM network is the group who will gladly help you outside of normal business hours. Your 8 AM circle is the people who will help in the normal course of things, but won’t go the extra mile. All three matter, and they are not the same thing.

Here is what the Posse reminded me about the people in that first circle:

1. Trust is the foundation, and it requires vulnerability. Denice said it plainly: you don’t tell your whole life story to everybody. We built trust early, and we protected each other’s trust over the years. Nobody skipped that step.

2. Connections grow in small moments. None of us were high school or college friends. We met through volunteer boards, work projects, and a fundraising event, and we bonded over things like Diet Coke runs and texting each other during Colts games. The deep friendship came from letting those little moments build, one after another.

3. Show up without asking what is needed. We have a running joke about the friend with the shovel. The people in your 2 AM circle don’t say “let me know if you need anything.” They just arrive with groceries on the porch, or a shovel in the driveway, or a text that says “Cancel your weekend, come down.”

4. Advocate for each other when no one is in the room. Respect in person is great. Speaking up for someone when they are not there is what separates a friend from chosen family.

5. Be genuinely happy when good things happen. Liz pointed out how many people can’t do this. Celebrating a friend’s win without a hint of competition is rarer than it should be.

6. Be intentional. Every one of us said some version of this. The friendship is special, but it did not land in our laps. We worked at it, and we still do, even though we now live in three different towns.

If you are reading this and thinking, “I don’t have that and I don’t know where to start,” here is my encouragement. Start small. See something, do something. Reach out to one person this week. Notice who listens without judging, and invest in that connection.