Now, the community of women in leadership roles at Get Satisfaction act as a source of formal and informal mentorship.

FORBES: More Women In Tech, More Women Mentors

For years an informal adviser to Beijing leaders, he is well placed to act as a go-between, though his ties to Lee Teng-hui have cooled partly due to differing political views.

CNN: Money for Influence?

The act of brokering can be formal and compensated with paid commissions or informal and somewhat ephemeral.

FORBES: The Ultimate Broker