There’s a moment every professional recognizes: a message lands in your inbox or LinkedIn DMs—friendly, respectful, and familiar.
“Would you be open to a quick call so I can pick your brain?”
At face value, it feels like an opportunity to help. But over time, these requests can quietly erode your most valuable asset: your time. The reality is that what’s being requested is often not a “quick chat”—it’s years of experience, insight, and strategy compressed into an unpaid hour.
The good news: you
