On a recent episode of the "You're Going To Great At This" podcast, I interviewed Stone Payton, the co-founder of Business RadioX, about his journey in entrepreneurship, the mechanics of scaling a business, and the power of professional coaching. Stone shared his background and how he transitioned into the world of business media. One of the key takeaways was that scaling isn't just about getting bigger; it's about creating systems and processes that allow the business to run without the constant intervention of the founder. Even those that may sound easy, but it can be a long and time consuming process. Unlike traditional "hard sell" tactics, Payton also advocates for building genuine relationships. His "pro-relationship" approach to business development, which focuses on providing value first. This process also can take time, but it can also produce much more success and help grow a much more sustainable business. Of course, this all goes h...
Networking is important for the success of our business, sales goals, and even personal relationships. Meeting people and building a rapport with them can lead to other introductions and referrals. But what should you do after a networking event to increase the odds of meeting your goals? Years ago, I would go to a networking event and hand out business cards like I was dealing poker. People would be polite and say "thank you" with an occasional "I'll give you a call". Of course, they did not call. Disappointed, I would question why I should bother and ask myself how this was working for other people. A coworker explained that I needed to be more proactive. Instead of handing out my cards (which are not cheap, by the way), I should be collecting cards from others, and following up on my own. This worked and I was soon booking appointments and getting some traction. Recently, I had Dorien Morin-Van Dam, host of the Strategy Talks podcast (a great listen) and we ...