by Felecia Hatcher

Everyone loves to talk about gatekeepers like they’re villains standing between us and our destiny. But the truth about gatekeeping is much more layered and far more revealing than most people are willing to admit.

Gatekeeping Protects Power, Not Just Access

When we talk about gatekeeping, we often focus on access—who gets in, who gets left out. But the deeper truth is that gatekeeping is about power. Gatekeepers decide who gets visibility, who gets legitimacy, and who gets to shape the narrative. If you want access, you have to show that your presence expands the vision, strengthens the table, and multiplies the impact, not that you’re coming to overthrow it. The best way to move past a gatekeeper is to make them see that opening the door for you benefits everyone.

The Best Gatekeepers Aren’t People; They’re Systems

Sometimes the person you think is holding you back isn’t the real barrier. The real gate is often an invisible system—a process, a policy, an algorithm, or a culture that wasn’t designed with you in mind. That’s why networking only takes you so far. If you don’t understand the system, you’ll keep knocking on doors that were never built for you in the first place. The real work is decoding how the system operates and then deciding whether to work within it or build something new entirely.

You Don’t Always Need the Gate

Here’s a secret that changed my life: a lot of gates are optional. The internet leveled the playing field in ways many people still underestimate. You can build your own stage, your own platform, your own lane. The moment you stop waiting for permission, you start creating demand, and eventually, the same gatekeepers who ignored you will come knocking. The irony is that by the time they do, you’ll realize you don’t need their key anymore.

Gatekeeping Isn’t Always Malicious

We’ve been conditioned to think that every locked door means someone is trying to keep us out. But sometimes, the person at the door is actually trying to protect what’s inside. Gatekeeping isn’t always about ego; it can be about preservation. Whether it’s culture, safety, or quality, some gates exist to maintain the integrity of a space. The real issue isn’t that the gate exists—it’s whether the criteria for entry are transparent, fair, and rooted in purpose rather than power.

Gatekeeping Is a Skill, Too

Once you’ve broken in, you might find yourself on the other side of the door. The question becomes: how will you handle the gate? Will you guard it the same way it was guarded against you? Or will you redesign it? Responsible gatekeeping is an act of leadership. It’s about knowing when to say yes, when to say not yet, and when to tear down the entire door. Because real legacy isn’t about how many rooms you entered; it’s about how many you opened for others.

5 Ways to Navigate Networking in your zone of genius

1. Stop Collecting Contacts—Start Building Chemistry
Networking used to be about how many people you met. Now, it’s about how deeply you connect. The most valuable connections are built on resonance, not proximity. Show genuine curiosity, share ideas that make people think, and aim for alignment over access.

2. Lead With Generosity, Not Need
The people who open doors aren’t responding to desperation; they’re responding to value. Instead of asking, “Can you help me?” ask, “How can I support what you’re building?” Generosity is the new credibility.

3. Build Digital Proximity
We live in a time where you can build trust and visibility without being in the room. Comment thoughtfully on industry leaders’ posts, share insights publicly, and let your work speak for you online. Visibility is networking now. If you do it consistently, the invitations will start to find you.

4. Borrow Rooms Until You Can Build Your Own
If the door doesn’t open, join a space that’s already open and use it strategically—communities, accelerators, masterminds, or online spaces aligned with your values. Get in the habit of showing up where powerful conversations are already happening. Eventually, you’ll host them.

5. Make the Follow-Up Your Superpower
Most people show up once and disappear. The real relationship starts after the event, the email, or the call. Be the person who checks in thoughtfully—send updates, share wins, or forward something relevant to the conversation. That’s how trust compounds over time.

The truth about gatekeeping is that it’s not going away. But the future belongs to those who understand it, navigate it, and eventually rebuild it to work for more people.