The old saying “It’s not what you know but who you know” is only half true in the Invisible Network. In this competitive and connected world, unless you possess qualitative substance in what you know, the who you know can never be truly leveraged and, in fact, can work against you.

Engagement is the new buzzword. The invisible connections that entwine and mingle to nurture engagement are far from a science. The intangibles of successful engagement must be experienced, and consequently experience is the key to building meaningful engagement.

A successful matchmaker is able to identify the synergies and potential of the what and who and add the where and when. It’s not so much about the scale of the network as it is about the intelligence of the network. Combining scale and intelligence along with the four W’s is the Invisible Network promise that defines Sunny Bates. You must experience Sunny to understand the engagement she brings.

Building the Invisible Network can happen only through a long, organic, and viral process that grows competence and capital through meaningful relationships and WOM (word of mouth)—it’s not so much a strategy as a process. Social Networking is a core component for any successful professional and, by extension, any successful company. And how you build the relevance and trust within the network is the key to leveraging its potential.

There are three basic networking archetypes: what I like to call the Promosexuals, who are focused purely on their personal brands; the Hunter-and-Gatherers, who mine gatherings, vacuuming up business cards as if they were collectibles for sale on eBay; and finely Gurus, a rare breed whose business cards (and attentions) are highly sought after. Sunny Bates is a Guru.

All three archetypes share certain skills—the ability to keep vast databases of names and credits within immediate mental recall, the ability to comprehend complex org structures and business strategies, and (let’s not forget) the oh-so-important and apparently effortless “schmooze factor.”

What separates the Guru is best described as the difference between an administrative relationship and a spiritual relationship within the network. Connecting with people, not just with titles; engendering trust, not just superficial recognition. But most important, Gurus possess imagination and a comprehension of the subtle chemistry that correctly identifies the potential—the synergy of the hidden complexity—rather than simply identifying the correct outline of the puzzle piece.

In 2001, I founded a broadband media publishing/syndication and interactive-TV startup. Could I have picked a worse time? Sunny completely understood the evolution from a page-based Web into a televisual delivery medium at a time when big media networks were still grappling with the basics. She understood our challenge and saw our potential, but she also identified and communicated our weaknesses. She brought us a key man, someone who had the credibility and the network to take us from a tech company to a trusted top-10 digital service company. Through the years, she opened many doors, steered customers our way, helped in fund-raising, and was a backboard, a coach, and frankly a good mentor and friend through the tough years. In 2006, we experienced the American dream: We sold the company to Ericsson—a fantastic exit that was the thrill of a lifetime.

But wait, here is who Sunny Bates truly is. After years of being consumed in a startup, defining my life as a company rather than as a person, along comes Sunny—helping me to visualize the after, the future, and helping me find my new path and potential as a valued elder, speaker, writer, and consultant. She helped me transform myself, my identity, from a company into a person. Sunny Bates has been an invaluable resource in my life both from a company perspective and a personal perspective.

Whether you are a big company or a startup, or just find yourself in need of personal reinvention, Sunny Bates brings her imagination, her tangible experience, and her Invisible Network to deliver demonstrable value and enlightened strategies that are substantial, relevant, and quantifiable. Sunny’s Invisible Network is engaged. They believe. Experience has shown them that if Sunny believes in you, they (and I) will, too. I can’t wait to meet you.