My financial advisor (and friend) emailed me yesterday with a real estate issue that required a local attorney with an understanding of Philadelphia's tax assessment nonsense. With a quick email. I connected him with a real estate attorney (and friend) who's regularly negotiating with the City on behalf of significant property holders. They have a meeting scheculed for this morning.
Did I make any money from this interaction? No. But one friend probably has a new client and another probably as a subject matter expert who will likely save he and fellow condominium owners thousands of dollars.
What it did do was make me (and my network) more valuable, so that, when a friend has a need for professional advice, she knows that I likely "got a guy" (or gal) who can help. Doing so keeps my niche practice relevant to hundreds of professionals outside of my industry, and top-of-mind when a professional needs marketing and business development assistance.
Finally, it's fun to have a seat at the big kids' table and to learn about issues facing other professionals. It's the best kind of professional development.