You can't skip the process.. if you want to get to higher ranks, then you have to spend time on the forum. Discuss, share ideas and opinions. Everyone has a unique contribution to the forum and that's why they were able to rank up. It can take months or a year but you will have to be committed to learning about everything related to the forum and Bitcoin...
Thanks Hatchy, but I don't think that I can actually contribute to this forum. Y'all seem to be doing well without me, and I'm also a bit too introverted to talk to people who I don't know (lol).
I've met a prominent user of this forum with whom we discussed my non-crypto, non-tech related project. I could probably show some of our PGP-signed messages to ensure everyone that I can be trusted, but they def won't be happy with it. They could probably vouch for me, but they don't have enough time to even read emails more often than once a month or two. That's why I came here - I have found only one investor so far and yet they don't have enough time for everything. That sucks ig...