If you're reading this, you have the ability to seek out the types of people you want to work with and produce something for them for free.
The upside to this technique is enormous, you get something, they get something, your audience gets something, their audience gets something. A true positive-sum game.
This was one of the largest growth levers in the early stages of the Visualize Value business.
I did this by studying and making artwork for my favorite thinkers, the most notable being Naval Ravikant and Nassim Nicholas Taleb.
Whatever your pursuit, you have access to hugely influential players in your space via a network like Twitter.