Networking without feeling pushy - 25 weeks in

I want to talk to people in a new field but I hate cold messages. It has been weighing on me all week. I worry about bothering people. Did any turn into leads?

Thanks for writing this out. I went through something close to it 2 months ago, and it settled down once I kept a simple log of every call and form.

Do not apologise for asking. Most people remember someone who helped them.