We network all the time, but how often do we realise that it's much more than asking "so, what do you do?" That’s exactly what Richard Cogswell, the best-selling, award-winning author of books “Mastering Networking” and “The Cultural Sales Leader”, spoke about at the Bangkok Payments Retreat. Day 2 started off with his keynote, where he reminded us of something simple but powerful: people first, technology second. Because at the end of the day, human behaviour and connection are what open up new opportunities, chances to learn, grow, and work better together. But honestly, most of us don’t really know how to connect. Networking feels awkward. Self-promotion feels uncomfortable. And teams often end up misaligned because people aren’t truly connected. That’s why Richard Cogswell said networking shouldn’t feel like a performance or an event that you “prepare for.” It works best when it flows naturally, when it’s curiosity-driven, easy, and simply human. To show us what he meant, he gave us the 5-minute free-talk activity: Just walk up to anyone in the room and talk about anything, no prompts, no scripts, and definitely no “Where do you work?” or “What’s your job title?” And honestly… that’s exactly what networking should be. People having real conversations, like actual humans. Those five minutes became the highlight of the session. We loved how we got to know people beyond their job titles, and how quickly the room went from quiet to full of stories, laughter, and curiosity. That’s the kind of networking he wanted us to experience. Simple, human, and actually enjoyable. We’re grateful for the clarity and warmth he brought to the room.