What should a founder clarify before asking for an introduction?

Many founder requests start with: "Do you know someone who could help?"

I am finding that the harder work often comes before the introduction: deciding what you actually need that person to help with.

For example, if a founder is hiring their first VP of Sales, asking for candidate names may be premature. A better first question for an experienced operator could be:

"At $2M ARR, which gap should this hire own first: pipeline creation or deal execution?"

Once that decision is clear, the search and introduction request become much more specific.

I am building Netlio around this workflow, so I am close to the problem and may be biased. For founders who have made an important hire or requested a strategic introduction: what did you need to clarify before asking your network for names?