
Why Your Network Is Literally Your Net Worth
From CEO School with Suneera Madhani by Suneera Madhani
March 30, 2026 · 49 min
About this episode
This episode discusses the importance of networking as a long-term relationship investment and features insights from Cate Luzio on building community and strategic partnerships.
Have you been networking the wrong way, treating it as a transaction instead of a long-term relationship investment? This episode gets into the real work behind two things that can transform a business: building a genuine community and forging the kind of strategic partnerships that actually move the needle. Host Suneera Madhani and guest Cate Luzio, founder and CEO of Luminary, go deep on how Cate survived losing 80% of her revenue overnight during COVID, why she pivoted to acquisitions as a growth strategy, and the mindset shifts every leader needs to make around self-advocacy, networking, and community. Whether you’re thinking about building a community around your brand, landing your first major partnership, or exploring M&A as a growth lever, this episode gives you the real-world playbook to start thinking and acting like the CEO who plays the long game. Cate Luzio is the founder and CEO of Luminary, a global professional education and networking platform supporting women and allies through community learning and leadership development. After two decades in corporate investment banking at Bank of America, JPMorgan, and HSBC, Cate left finance to build the community she…
People in this episode
Host: Suneera Madhani
Guest: Cate Luzio
Topics covered
- networking
- community building
- strategic partnerships
- business growth
- leadership mindset
Keywords
- networking
- community
- partnerships
- business growth
- leadership
- self-advocacy
- M&A
Mentioned in this episode
Organizations: Luminary, Bank of America, JPMorgan, HSBC, JP Morgan, Verizon, LVMH, Under Armour
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