Networking without feeling pushy after 11 years as a quality inspector

I want to talk to people in a new field but I hate cold messages. I do not usually post, so bear with me. Some people reply with short answers. What did you ask?

Follow up with a thank-you and a short update. One of my chats led to a referral a month later.

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