How do I ask for an informational chat? - 4 months and counting

I want to talk to people in a new field but I hate cold messages. I have read a lot of threads here and could not find my exact situation. Some people reply with short answers. Did any turn into leads?

I asked what they wish they had known at my stage. People enjoy answering that.

Thanks for writing this out. I went through something close to it last year, and it got easier once I kept a simple log of every call and form.