1. The Weight of "What Do You Do?"
The person sitting next to you at a tea gathering. Small talk after a book club. The networking hour at a study group. A LinkedIn connection request. An introduction from a mutual friend. A former colleague you haven't seen in years.
The settings differ, but the question is always the same: "What do you do?"
TokiStorage is not easy to explain. Engraving voices on quartz glass. Embedding audio in QR codes. Three-layer distributed storage preserving records for 1,000 years. This isn't the kind of service you can convey in a single sentence.
So every time, I'd adjust the level of detail to the audience and judge how far to go.
2. The Burden of Judgment
When meeting someone new, I used to have three options:
- Deflect. "I'm in IT." Easiest, but potentially discarding an opportunity.
- Give the short version. "I run a preservation service." Then gauge their reaction to decide whether to go deeper. Requires judgment.
- Explain properly. Most honest, but highest cost. Spending five minutes explaining to someone whose genuine interest is uncertain doesn't pay off.
Every option required first judging whether this person was worth explaining to. Their profession, their interests, their technical literacy — all assessed in an instant to calibrate the depth of explanation.
On LinkedIn, a templated message arrives and I'd read their profile, search for overlap, then decide "never mind" and move on. In person, I'd say "I'm in IT" and change the subject. Online or face-to-face, it's the same thing — the cost of explaining is too high, so you don't explain.
3. One Link Changed the Structure
I made a brochure. Everything about TokiStorage fits on a single A4 page: three-layer distributed storage, TokiQR, pricing, contact information. It can be saved as a PDF. All you need to do is send the link.
My reply to templated messages became this:
"Thank you! We're still a small project, but this page will give you the clearest picture of what we do. I'd love to hear your thoughts."
One link. Thirty seconds. Zero judgment.
4. The Strategy of Not Judging
What the brochure revealed was this: I didn't need to decide who to send it to.
Before, I was screening people. "This person seems relevant — I'll reply." "This person has no clear focus — skip." But this judgment had two problems.
First, the judgment is often wrong. Someone running a diversified business in real estate, staffing, and solar energy might have a client whose president is thinking about end-of-life planning. A construction worker might want to preserve their late parent's voice. The overlap I can predict in advance is only a fraction of what actually exists.
Second, judging itself is the cost. Time reading profiles, time deliberating, time hesitating. Each instance is small, but they compound into a significant burden. And most of that burden leads to "I won't reply after all." Cost paid, no return.
Share with everyone. Only those who resonate will respond. Don't choose, don't overthink, but keep planting seeds. When the cost of judgment drops to zero, templated messages become opportunities, not noise.
5. Let the Other Person Filter
What happens after you send the brochure tells you everything about the other person's level of interest.
- Read but no reply. No overlap. That's fine — you spent thirty seconds.
- A "That's cool!" reply. Pleasantry. No need to follow up.
- Specific feedback or questions. They read it. They're interested. Now a real conversation can begin.
The filtering shifts from you to them. Instead of you deciding "Is this person worth explaining to?", they decide "Is this relevant to me?" That's far more accurate. They know their own situation best.
6. Not a "Digital Business Card" — a Business Card Upgrade
A business card conveys your name and affiliation. But not what you actually do. So after exchanging cards, you need to explain. After explaining, you need to follow up. Then composing the follow-up message becomes a chore.
The brochure skips this entire chain. Instead of — or alongside — a business card, you share a single link. The other person can read it whenever they want. In person, "Take a look at this" is all you need to say. On LinkedIn, you reply to a templated message with the link. The medium differs, but the structure is the same — hand over information and let the other person decide.
It's far more honest than ignoring or deflecting. You're sharing information: "This is what we do." Whether they read it is their choice.
7. Works for Every First Meeting
This structure applies to every scenario where you meet someone new:
- Following up after exchanging business cards at a networking event
- When someone asks "What do you do?" at a tea gathering or book club
- When conversation flows at a study group's after-party
- Reaching out after a brief chat at a trade show
- When a mutual acquaintance says "You should meet this person"
- When a templated LinkedIn or social media message arrives
- When an old friend asks "What have you been up to?"
The same single move works every time. "Take a look at this." Zero explanation burden. Zero judgment burden. You don't take their time either. If interested, they'll read. If not, they'll close it. In person or online — show a QR code or send a link. The medium differs, but the structure is identical.
8. Build Once, Use Forever
The brochure costs nothing to maintain. No server fees. It's statically hosted on GitHub Pages. The link never changes. If the content needs updating, just edit the HTML.
This is TokiStorage's product philosophy made tangible. Engrave a QR code on quartz glass. Once made, physics handles the preservation. The brochure works the same way. Once made, the link does the work.
What used to be a burden became the entry point to opportunity. This is what structural change means: same situation, different available actions, different costs, different outcomes.
Conclusion — No Reason Needed to Share
"Should I send this to them?" That question no longer exists. When sharing costs nothing, there's no reason not to share.
It doesn't matter if the other person is a real estate agent, a staffing firm, a solar energy salesperson, or a jack-of-all-trades consultant. The brochure carries a built-in message: "Whether this is right for you — that's your call." You don't need to screen anyone.
Share with everyone. Only those who resonate will come back. If they don't, that's fine. If they do, that's where it starts.
The choice not to choose. For now, I believe it's the most honest and most efficient form of outreach there is.