The Coffee Chat: Your How-To Guide On Networking Up

By Matthew Threadgill, Assistant at Disney Branded Television & your Executive Editor at THA

In an industry where who you know matters just as much as what you know, building relationships is key–especially with people a few steps ahead of you. Whether it’s an executive, an agent, or a seasoned creative, these folks hold a wealth of insight into how the industry works and how to navigate your own path forward. One of the most impactful ways to tap into that wisdom? The coffee chat.

Whether over actual coffee or over Zoom, informational coffee chats are golden opportunities for early-career professionals to connect with someone more established, learn more about their experience and, ideally, build a meaningful connection that can grow over time.

The idea of the coffee chat sounds simple in theory. It’s just a casual conversation. But actually setting it up can be intimidating. Whom do you reach out to? What do you say? How do you make the most of the time? That’s where this article comes in! From making the initial ask to following up afterward, here’s your step-by-step on how to navigate a successful informational coffee chat. 

Making the request

There are many ways to request an informational meeting with someone you’re interested in learning from. If you learned of them through a mutual connection, ask that connection if they’d be willing to make an email introduction. A warm intro is often the smoothest path to a yes as it gives you credibility and signals to them that you’re someone worth paying attention to.

That said, don’t worry if you don’t have someone to make the connection for you. Cold outreach is a perfectly valid and often a successful way to go! See if you can find their professional email online, through a friend, or in your company’s database. If you can’t find their email, a message through LinkedIn can also suffice. The key is to be respectful, clear, and specific in your ask.

Here’s an email template you can use to get started:

Hi NAME,

[GREETING: Introduce your name and current professional status]

[REASON: Explain how you found out about the person and what about them interests you. Be as specific as you can. Did you fall in love with a show they worked on and saw their name in the credits? Did you read about work they're doing in the trades? Let them know! Also, if you have any meaningful connection to them, like you went to the same university or someone you know recommended you reach out, mention this.]

[CALL TO ACTION: Make your request. Be straightforward in your ask and don’t leave it up to interpretation.]

[SIGN OFF: Thank them and express excitement to hear from them.]

Best,

[SIGNATURE: Name and relevant hyperlinks (LinkedIn, website, etc.). It’s helpful to have some hyperlinks in here in case they want to click on them to learn more about you. You can also include a title if applicable.]

Here’s an example of an email using this template:

Hi Jane,

I hope your week is going well! My name is Carter, a recent graduate of the University of California, Los Angeles and an aspiring literary manager. Nice to e-meet you!

I recently read your interview in Deadline and was struck by your hands-on approach in growing Ashley Johnson’s career from staff writer to showrunner. In a business that often prioritizes short-term wins, your commitment to building sustainable careers is inspiring.

As I’m interested in going into literary representation, I’d love to pick your brain a bit to learn more about your career path and how you’ve established such strong relationships with your clients. Would you be open to having an informational chat sometime?

Thank you, and I look forward to hearing from you!

Best,

Carter Smith

UCLA Class of 2025

LinkedIn (hyperlink)

Notice that the email above is fairly short. As many folks in our business are busy, it’s important to keep your email succinct so your reader quickly understands what you’re asking. If they see too much text, they may just skip over it.

So you’ve sent your coffee request. Amazing! Next is the waiting period. Again, folks are busy so give them a bit of time to respond. Some will, some flat out won’t. As long as you are respectful and clear about what you’re requesting in your email, there’s no harm either way.

If you don’t hear back for a bit (1-2 weeks), send a friendly follow up to check in. If you still don’t hear back after that, kindly follow up once more. If they don’t respond after the second follow up, let it be–now just isn’t the right time. 

Let’s say you receive a response. Even more amazing! You’ve secured a valuable opportunity to learn from someone established in the industry and start building a connection that could help shape your path. You’ll likely begin organizing the details of your coffee chat after they accept. As you lock in the details, keep a few best practices in mind:

• Be mindful of their time. Execs, agents, etc. have packed calendars and many responsibilities, so let them lead with their availability. Work around their schedule as best as you can.

• Be prompt and professional in your replies. Responding quickly (ideally within 24 hours) keeps the momentum going and shows you value their time.

• Be flexible about location. Defer to them on where to chat (Zoom, Starbucks, their office, etc.).

Preparing beforehand

Before you walk into your meeting, doing a little preparation can go a long way in helping the conversation feel smooth, intentional, and worthwhile for both sides.

Take some time to research the person you’ll be speaking with. Look into their career path, recent projects, or any interviews/articles they’ve been featured in, and familiarize yourself with the company they work at. Having a basic understanding of the person will allow you to ask thoughtful questions and move your conversation past the surface level quickly. Perhaps you can create a one-sheet for yourself and study it leading up to the chat.

After you’ve done some research, you can craft thoughtful questions to ask. You don’t want to ask questions that anyone can easily find on Google. That will waste both of your time. Prepare questions that tap into their personal experiences and perspective on the space they’re in (ex: what decisions shaped their path, how they navigated challenges, or what trends they’re paying attention to right now). Thoughtful questions show you did your research and are genuinely interested in learning from them.

Lastly, don’t forget about your story! They’ll likely ask you to tell them about yourself to get a better understanding of who you are. It helps to have a short, clear summary of who you are, what you’re currently doing, how you got to where you are, and where you hope to go. This will communicate that you understand your value and have targeted goals. This coffee chat isn’t just an opportunity to learn–it’s also an opportunity to demonstrate your capabilities. Who knows, this person may want to hire you some day.

Doing the thing

When the day arrives, make sure you’re ready. If it’s in-person, show up early and dress professionally. It’s Hollywood and people tend to be pretty casual, so no need to overdo your dress, but also, don’t be too casual. If it’s virtual, check your tech ahead of time: Wi-Fi, camera, speakers, all those bells and whistles that can end up bailing on you at the last minute.

During the conversation, don’t try to impress. Just be yourself and genuinely curious. It can also be a good idea to lead with your questions to get them talking first. Eventually, the baton will organically pass back to you.

And be sure to keep an eye on the clock! If you asked for 30 minutes and you started at 10am, aim to wrap it up right as you reach 10:30am. Only go over if the person you’re chatting with offers to (which does happen more often than not). Being respectful of their schedule shows you’re thoughtful, organized, and easy to work with.

Post coffee

Congratulations, you did the thing! It’s a great feeling when you have a successful and meaningful informational chat with someone you respect. Now, just a few follow up steps!

As soon as you can, jot down key takeaways from the chat so you don’t forget: advice they gave, shows or books they recommended, people they suggested you connect with, etc. You’ll want these notes for future reference. This was supposed to be educational–make sure you learn from it!

Within 24 hours, send a thoughtful thank you note. It doesn’t need to be long, but do make it sincere. This is also an opportunity to show them that you were listening and truly engaged in the conversation. It’s a good idea to reflect on something they mentioned, like a show they recommended or a piece of advice they gave. 

In the months and years moving forward, be sure to find ways to stay in touch. You can send career updates, congratulate them on their professional achievements you hear about, wish them a happy holiday, etc. Try to keep these follow ups organic. At this point, you’re building upon your relationship with this person.

When approached with intention, curiosity, and professionalism, coffee chats can give you guidance you didn’t know you needed and relationships that can fuel your path. Don’t hesitate–send that email, do the research, ask the questions, and follow through. Genuine connections go a long way in this business. Sometimes all it takes is a simple cup of coffee.