Throughout my journey in the world of finance, one invaluable lesson that stands out is the immense power that lies within a curated, premium network. I’ve learned that your network can be the strongest lever you pull on the path to success.

Starting with a pretty limited set of cards, navigating my way through university, and finally finding a foothold in the banking sector, I found that one’s network could be the catalyst that propels them towards success.

My personal story is one of the powers of a network. You see, I wasn’t always set up for success. I only got one offer from a University.  The only one that would accept me (and my lousy grades) was the University of Plymouth, which was not really known as a center for excellence (except for the beaches in Devon, which were fabulous!). I scraped my way through and finally focused on my final year and got a decent grade.

I wanted to get into banking, but it was a recession in 1990 and the banks were all firing people. Eventually by grit and determination, I clawed my way into my dream job at an investment bank.

My real leap forward came in the mid ’90s when I joined Goldman Sachs, the world’s most prestigious investment bank.

I had applied to Goldman when I left University, but my CV and academic qualifications were not good enough for Goldman and I was quickly rejected without even an interview (I still have that rejection letter in a box, along with the 130 other jobs I got rejected from back then!).

But what eventually got me into Goldman, mid-career, was that I had started to build very good client base of the world’s most famous hedge fund managers. This group was becoming my community…

Goldman was more than an opportunity for career advancement, it offered a gateway to a powerful, global network of influential individuals. This network, teeming with the world’s most renowned hedge fund managers, was the backbone of my career growth. It followed me when I founded Global Macro Investor and Real Vision, forming the cornerstone of my professional community. Ex-Goldman Alum are also probably the single most powerful network on earth and although it is not an organized network per se, it operates globally, across most industries and can help open doors or give you credibility as you search for your own success.

I leveraged this network when I started Global Macro Investor (my hedge fund manager community were the early subscribers of GMI and remain so to this day, 18 years later). GMI itself has grown into an amazing network.

Many members have gone on to becomes friends or business partners, and many coinvest in opportunities.

The magic of this network revealed itself with the evolution of Real Vision. Those GMI members also backed my crazy idea of Real Vision and provided the Friends & Family capital to help us in our early days. These people were more than just connections; they formed the bedrock of my personal community.

My original network from GMI didn’t merely participate on the Real Vision platform. They shared their wisdom with an expansive audience, a move that magnified their opportunities and successes. It led to investment in their ideas, a broader client base, increased visibility, and new business ventures.

In return, Real Vision members had access to a wealth of knowledge and wisdom. They took these insights and transformed them into personal and professional triumphs.

Robust, high-quality networks have a tendency to grow. The Real Vision community has turned into a deep global network, not only in finance and crypto but spanning all industries. It has now become my main network and spans thought leaders, entrepreneurs, influencers, and experts across all fields. The sheer number of people I can now instantly connect to due to Real Vision is incredible. These are people who would never have taken my call or my email 10 years ago. That is the power of Real Vision.

But the true beauty of a network lies in its potential for reciprocity. It thrives on the principle of karma — the more you invest into it, the greater the return.

A network flourishes when its members selflessly share ideas, foster connections, and support one another. The key to a successful network is a collective spirit of giving. It’s a shared ecosystem where everyone benefits. The more you put in, the more exponential the rewards.

The potency of a network lies in its quality, not quantity. It’s about the collective wisdom and shared understanding that stems from it. A carefully curated and nurtured network is a powerful entity that can unlock doors you never knew existed. It’s more than just a group of contacts — it’s a deep community.

In our interconnected world, it’s not just about who you know, but also who you grow with that determines your trajectory. Harness the wisdom of the right crowd — cultivate a premium network, invest in it, nurture it, and watch the magic unfold.

Your network is your greatest asset. Use it wisely. Be generous with your knowledge and connections, and the benefits will undoubtedly circle back. After all, a network isn’t just about taking — it’s about giving, sharing, and growing together.

That’s why I’m delighted to invite you to join the The RVIP Club — an exclusive, private club for those Real Vision members who want to feel truly globally connected to experts like them around the world (everyone is an expert in something that is valuable to someone else), who want to feel like they have unparalleled access at their fingertips to information, ideas and opportunities from like-minded, curious, ambitious people in different careers — from financiers to technologists, from medical professionals to entrepreneurs.

Imagine what it could do for your future success if you had access to a network like that.

That is what we are creating… what you will be creating, together.

And Real Vision will act as your concierge, your organizer, your introducer, and your curator to make the network come alive. We give you, access to Real Vision mentors and experts, global dinners, video sessions, curated speakers, and an annual event.

But not only that, because you are so special as a network, we source offers exclusively for The RVIP Club from discounted premium macro research, unique partner events to impossible to join NFT communities and potentially other networks too. We want not only to help you in your investing life but your lifestyle and wellness too. These are all things that matter.

We are opening the doors to members who would love to join us and create some magic together but you’ll need to move fast as there are only 50 spaces available.

Finally, when I mentioned the wisdom of the right crowd, this club is not for everyone…

It is only for the curious and the ambitious, the people who want to feel deeply connected, to find their place, and it’s for those that love to share opportunities, debate and discuss ideas, maybe even pool resources, and most importantly, people who want to be active and engaged club members. Remember — a network is only as good as its members. The more everyone interacts and shares, the more priceless the network becomes.

I very much look forward to meeting you all and building our network for success.

Raoul Pal

Co-founder and CEO, Real Vision