About Christopher Kai, author of Big Game Hunting: Networking with Billionaires, Executives and Celebrities

Christopher Kai is the founder and CEO of KGL, a strategic consulting firm that helps entrepreneurs build their businesses. He is an international speaker and bestselling author. Christopher is also the founder of Mondays at the Mission, the only homeless youth program of its kind at the largest private shelter in the United States. Their 240 program speakers from 26 states and 28 countries (Elon Musk, Moby, and TED speaker Diana Nyad) have been featured on CNN, People, ABC, Time, the Ellen Degeneres Show, and Oprah. Christopher has been featured on ABC, Fast Company, Inc. Magazine, Buzz Feed, and Huffington Post.

Overview and Thoughts about the Book

In Big Game Hunting: Networking with Billionaires, Executives and Celebrities, Christopher Kai shares his in-depth knowledge of how he went from growing up in a middle-class home in Woodside, Queens, to rubbing elbows with Richard Branson, Elon Musk, Paris Hilton, and many other “Big Gamers”.

I first discovered Christopher Kai when he spoke at Google on how to “Catapult Your Career Opportunities”. One of the biggest key points he brought up was networking. ABC News reported in 2012, 80% of people’s jobs come from networking.

A friend of mine quit his accountant job in 2012 and started his own e-commerce business. After four years of ups and downs, he decided to get back into the accounting industry. How was someone out of the industry for almost half a decade supposed to find a job? Employers questioned his outdated knowledge, qualifications, and feared he would only stay short-term and leave to start another company. Luckily, he still maintained his network of people in the industry. Through his relationships, he had a signed job offer letter within a week.

Most people think of networking from a quantity perspective. The more events you attend, the more people you meet. The problem with that is, if you attend the same events, you are going to meet the same people. Right from the get go of his book, Kai introduces a huge piece of advice on how to meet “Big Gamers” and focus on the quality of relationships. If you want to meet comic book fanatics, you go to Comic-Con. If want to meet people in the electronics and tech space, you attend CES. What if you want to meet “Big Gamers”? Where would you go? How do you approach them? What do you say to them? What do you do after the event?

“The greatest danger for most of us is not that our aim is too high and we miss it, but that it is too low and we reach it.”

– Michelangelo, Italian painter and sculptor

Finding where to meet who you want to meet is only part of the battle. Kai goes through a simple four-step process of preparation, what to do before the event, during the event, and action items for after the event. The biggest thing he brings to the table is the fact that he’s been through it before, so he is able to relate to the reader much more easily. It is one thing for someone to talk about how to meet “Big Gamers” but never having done so, and another thing to have someone who has been in our shoes before providing insight and steps.

While most networking books are rather bland or wordy, Kai uses relevant personal stories and experiences to illustrate his points. For example, Kai describes how he reached out to Elon Musk and was able to get Elon to come and speak at his homeless youth program. He also provides stories from others who have used similar techniques to meet “Big Gamers”.

Final Word

Let’s say you don’t want to meet “Big Gamers”. If you want to start a business or meet an executive in your field, advice from Kai’s book, Big Game Hunting: Networking with Billionaires, Executives and Celebrities, can be used to meet just about anyone you want to meet. Kai’s life experiences on networking is boiled down to a concise yet comprehensive 100 pages. He is an amazing speaker and motivator. So much so, that he has inspired myself to aim higher than what I believe I could achieve.

Life is about living it. Living it means aiming higher and realizing your fullest potential. You can’t always do this by yourself. But if you find a mentor or someone to help you along the way, you’ll give yourself a good chance to reach your fullest potential. Build your network.