Consiglio: If you find yourself frequenting the same places (coffee shops, toll booths, grocery stores, businesses you’re making deliveries to), take the time to be friendly and outgoing. People tend to be more willing to do favors for people they have a rapport with.

I have to go through the same guarded gate every morning for work, I often work with customers on a repeat basis, and I shop at the same grocery store pretty frequently. I started trying to be more friendly and outgoing a few years ago, starting with people I saw a lot. Since then, I've built some great rapports, and even friendships, with these people. It's made it so pretty much wherever I go, I have a friend or someone knows someone I know. On top of just being nice, this has come in handy many times. There has been times in which I've needed something from someone, and their tone has changed completely after I mentioned that I knew so-and-so. Also, when I go into coffee shops in which I'm buddies with the baristas, I often get free drinks/stuff they were going to throw out.

The “I know a guy” thing is really as simple as that.