Welcome back to the Guy Who Knows A Guy podcast! In this episode, host Michael Whitehouse tackles common concerns about the upcoming JV Connect event, drawing from insights gathered in a recent survey. He dispels myths surrounding networking events, underscores the value of connections, and elucidates why JV Connect serves as a growth opportunity for businesses at any stage. If listeners are curious about networking or hesitant to attend, Michael offers valuable insights. Prospective attendees can register at JV-connect.com for a distinctive networking experience!

Mentioned in this episode:

JV Connect, December 12-13, 2023

Join us for JV Connect, the dedicated networking event December 12th and 13th, 2023 https://www.jv-connect.com

Hello!

2

Welcome once again to the

Guy Who Knows A Guy podcast.

3

I am Michael Whitehouse, the

guy who knows a guy himself.

4

And the other day, I sent out a survey

to my email community, asking them

5

many things, but one of the things was,

Have you registered for JV Connect?

6

And if you have, why?

7

You know, thank you.

8

And if you have not, why not?

9

What's holding you back?

10

And I wanted to address some of the

concerns people brought up, because

11

this was a very valuable access for me.

12

By the way, if you're ever wondering, Why

is your audience not buying something?

13

Ask them, they'll tell you.

14

In fact, you can do this on

a sales call face to face.

15

You can actually say when you're done,

you know, the game's over, you're

16

pitching your tent, you're putting

your stuff away, it's okay to say.

17

So I'm not trying to sell you up.

18

I, I get, you said no.

19

And I completely respect

that for my education.

20

So I can do better at

educating people going forward.

21

Could you share with me what it

was that made you decide to say no.

22

instead of yes.

23

You can also do it the other way.

24

What was it that made you

decide to say yes instead of no?

25

And they'll generally tell you,

right, they want you to know this,

26

and often, it will give you, almost

all the time, it will give you

27

education, like, oh, I didn't realize,

oh, that's an interesting point.

28

And sometimes, it will make you

realize, Wait, you thought that oh,

29

oh, would you mind if I explain that?

30

Cause I, I completely whiffed that one,

cause that's actually not how it works.

31

Do you mind if I, if

we dive back into that?

32

Cause they, if they're taking the

time to meet with you, they want

33

the solution you have to offer.

34

So if there is a misunderstanding,

they don't want to miss out on it.

35

It's worth asking.

36

So anyway, I asked, I got some answers.

37

I'm going to address some

of those concerns for anyone

38

who has similar concerns.

39

So the first one that I want

to talk about is very simple.

40

Not sure it would be a value add.

41

Why should I go?

42

What's the benefit?

43

Why would I spend my money and

my time going to this event?

44

Now, this is probably very common because

there's a lot of networking events out

45

there and most of them suck, right?

46

Let's be honest.

47

Most of them just aren't very

good for various reasons.

48

And I'm not going to go into

the issues of all of them.

49

If you go to jv connect.

50

com, look at the blog.

51

I'm addressing a number of the

things I've seen in networking

52

events that I don't like and how

I'm not going to do those things.

53

So that thing, I can sit here and

tell you about the value runoff.

54

Oh, you're going to meet a hundred

people and that's going to create

55

this much value and blah, blah, blah.

56

Everybody promises that stuff.

57

So if I tell you the deliverables

I think you're going to get, you

58

don't necessarily believe them.

59

Even if you trust me, you don't

necessarily believe that you're going

60

to get that value because you're

so used to hearing these made up,

61

fanciful, fanciful, fantastic things.

62

You're going, Oh, you got a

hundred thousand dollars in value.

63

Blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah.

64

So, but let me try to share

how it would be a value add.

65

So one of the things about networking

is that connections can solve.

66

Any problem you might have,

whatever the problem is,

67

connections can solve it, right?

68

If you're trying to figure out if

you're, if you're stuck and you're

69

just like not getting anything done,

you could meet someone who could

70

teach you some organizational tips.

71

If you need more leads, you could

meet someone who give you referrals.

72

You can meet someone who could

teach you about social media.

73

Meet someone who could get you on

their podcast, whatever it is you need.

74

There's someone out there who can solve

it for you and not necessarily for money.

75

They might just share advice.

76

They might refer you to a podcast.

77

They might, who knows, there's all

kinds of ways they can help you.

78

So what, I want you to think about

what is the challenge you're facing,

79

and then I want you to think about who

could help you solve that challenge.

80

Now there's a guarantee on JVConnect

that you may or may not be aware of,

81

and the guarantee is that you will get

valuable connections At least, I it's

82

five, that's what I put on the website.

83

But you will get valuable connections.

84

And if you don't, I, the guy who knows

a guy, will personally introduce you to

85

three people that you need to know who can

help you move forward towards your goals.

86

So here's the question.

87

Is it worth fifty bucks to get

three introductions from me?

88

I would think so, since my regular

networking concierge program is

89

1, 000 a month plus commission.

90

50 bucks.

91

Even if you think this event is

worthless, you spend 50 bucks.

92

It's gonna be more when the

price goes up after Thanksgiving.

93

But you spend 50 bucks on your ticket,

you show up for at least half the event.

94

You have to attend for, I think

at least half, might be more.

95

But you, you know, you play, you play

full out the event, you participate.

96

And if you don't get those

connections, I'll make them for you.

97

Because I am absolutely confident,

I don't expect to make a single

98

connection on this guarantee.

99

Because if you attend and participate...

100

Then you'll be, you'll,

you'll get those connections.

101

It's just no question.

102

There's going to be

hundreds of people there.

103

Over a hundred of them

are handpicked people.

104

I personally invited because of the

quality they bring to the room, right?

105

This isn't some event where it's like I'm

selling Facebook ads to bring people in.

106

I have no Facebook ads,

no paid advertising.

107

It is entirely me inviting people.

108

My own community, and people who are

coming, inviting their communities.

109

That's, that's who we're getting here.

110

So, if you have a challenge that can be

solved by another human, which is almost

111

every challenge you might have, then,

you're going to find find those people.

112

So let's bring up the

next, the next concern.

113

Is not sure if it's a place for

me, as I focus on in person events.

114

This is a person who plans live

events, plans in person events.

115

But, this applies to anyone who,

Who's thinking, I'm not sure if it's

116

me because I focus on blank, right?

117

Now you hear the JV and JV connect.

118

You think, well, it's just

coaches, promoting coaches,

119

just other people's networks.

120

There is that, but

there's also other things.

121

So according to my surveys, at least 97

percent of the people attending JV connect

122

are humans who live in the real world.

123

It is possible as many as 3 percent

of them are just really well presented

124

AIs who don't have human bodies.

125

But at least 97 percent are humans with

physical bodies who live in physical

126

space and attend physical events.

127

So just because they're connecting

online doesn't mean they're not.

128

Live humans who do live things.

129

There's also a lot of people now

who are doing virtual events who

130

want to do more in person events

but it's a bit of a leap to do so.

131

If you're used to bringing people together

on Zoom or some virtual platform and you

132

don't know how to you know, you don't

know How to do in person stuff which

133

involves hotels and food and travel and

printing brochures and printing booklets

134

and all these different things Then you

might want to hire someone to do that

135

or you might not even thought about

that you meet someone You know, you meet

136

someone who does these kinds of things

and you say oh, oh, that's interesting.

137

Yeah.

138

What do you charge?

139

Oh, really?

140

You only charge that much?

141

Yeah, let's do this.

142

Absolutely Okay, so whatever it

is you do it's entirely possible.

143

This is not just a place for

for virtual joint ventures.

144

This is not just a place for promoting

launches and giveaways and summits.

145

This is a place for any kind of, when I

say joint venture, I mean the broadest

146

possible version of joint venture.

147

Anytime two people come together

to create greater value.

148

Anything.

149

Podcast interviews, live

events you know, Whatever.

150

If you're a massage therapist who travels

around the country, I mean, that's a bit,

151

if you're locally focused, then you're not

going to find as many clients necessarily,

152

but you can still find knowledge.

153

Which brings me to the next

objection, next concern.

154

Currently building my business.

155

So I hear this often.

156

I don't want to go, I'm not ready.

157

I don't have my offer.

158

I don't have a list.

159

I don't have anything

to bring to the table.

160

Yes, you do.

161

You bring something to the table and even

if you have nothing even if you're saying

162

you know what I don't even know what my

Business is I'm thinking about starting

163

a business haven't even started it yet.

164

I've got Absolutely nothing then

you should be at JV Connect.

165

You should absolutely be at JV Connect

because it's the most Affordable education

166

you will find anywhere Let me tell you why

you are going to be in a room with dozens

167

or hundreds of experienced established

ethical Entrepreneurs good people who

168

know what they're talking about and are

open to serving open to helping and so

169

you can get on a one to one With someone

like this, you know get 30 minutes their

170

time potentially and they will share some

knowledge with you Okay, if you tried this

171

here's a platform I try someone else to

talk to you Let me connect you some people

172

I know because that was me In 2021, when I

attended the event that I, I took a lot of

173

the cues for this event from, I had this

vague concept of like, I'm the guy who

174

knows a guy, I do maybe some coaching or

something, or maybe I do a couple events,

175

I guess, I don't know, I do some stuff.

176

I got on calls with

DOZENS, DOZENS of people.

177

Who were, you know, six, seven,

eight figure business owners,

178

experts in sales, experts in

mindset, experts in joint ventures.

179

The networking concierge program

came out of connections I made from

180

there, as did the initial clients.

181

If you go back to season three of

this podcast, you will find a lot of

182

interviews I did with people I met

at that event and learned from them.

183

I brought very little to the table.

184

when I arrived at that event.

185

But, these people were willing

to meet with me because what

186

they saw was, I'm growing.

187

If you have an attitude of I'm here

to give, I'm here to serve, even if

188

I don't have anything, but whatever

I've got I'm here to serve with it.

189

If you've got that attitude,

they're happy to help you.

190

Why?

191

Because that tends to return.

192

At worst, you're going to leave and say,

Wow, that was such a nice guy I met.

193

I'm so glad I met him.

194

I'm going to tell a couple

friends how cool he is.

195

Right?

196

You improve their brand a bit.

197

At best, one of the people who I

met who was very very generous with

198

his time and his knowledge with me,

I ended up making I think a dozen

199

introductions, if I'm not mistaken about

six or seven of them became clients.

200

So, you know, there's paybacks.

201

So don't worry about where you are

in business, what you've got ready.

202

It's fine.

203

So the first two days

are open to everyone.

204

Now day three is invitation only.

205

Day three you can't go to.

206

If you don't have your business

ready, your offers, your list, your

207

programs, your systems in place.

208

But that's fine.

209

Day 3 exists so that the established

folks on day 1 and 2, they understand

210

they're meeting with people who don't

necessarily have all their ducks in a row.

211

And that's fine for them.

212

They know what they're going to meet.

213

They're also going to

meet a lot of each other.

214

But day 3 is where they're going to

make all the big deals with each other.

215

But if you're not there, you

still get to hang out with them.

216

It's not going to be a bunch of newbies

hanging out with a bunch of newbies.

217

Which is what you find in a lot of other

events, because they're enrollment events.

218

This is why JV Connect is

not an enrollment event.

219

With an enrollment event, you

need to target your audience

220

who are going to buy from you.

221

And that tends to be more the newbies.

222

The people missing something

in their business, that's why

223

they need to buy from you.

224

You make that a networking event,

that ends up being who's networking.

225

And then you end up with the blind leading

the blind, groping around in the dark,

226

and probably trying to grab your wallet.

227

And that's not what I want to have here,

that's not what we're going to have here.

228

We're going to have something much

more valuable, where it is a mix of

229

more experienced and newer people.

230

And as it's currently breaking down,

mostly more experienced people, but don't

231

worry, they're not going to judge you.

232

They were, you know, the

online industry as it is...

233

Only existed for the last few years or so.

234

So no one's that experience.

235

Everyone remembers when they were new.

236

And even if they, they've been in business

a long time, they're not there to judge.

237

That's not the kind of people I invite.

238

That's not the kind of

people that I'm attracting.

239

We're, we're attracting people who are

abundance mindset, growth oriented and

240

thinking about constant improvement.

241

So wherever you are, that's

just your step in the journey.

242

And they all recognize that.

243

And if they don't let me know.

244

Because if someone's giving you issues,

if someone's making fun of you or

245

putting you down because you're not

in a good place, I want to know about

246

that because I'm going to have a

conversation with them and let them know

247

that's not how we do this here, right?

248

Because this is a supportive

environment where we're all helping

249

each other move ahead as we can.

250

The next concern was that see this

person is concerned about you know, why

251

no, there's going to be a, a next level

networking event because a lot of the

252

events this person's gone to what they

find is that the people they meet, they

253

don't want to share what they have.

254

They don't want to

share their information.

255

They don't want to share connections.

256

They don't want to share introductions.

257

They're not there to give.

258

Now that tends to be a matter

of being a newbie networker.

259

People who don't know how to network.

260

Hoard their networking connections, right?

261

Oh, no, I don't want to

introduce you to that person.

262

That's one of my special

networking contacts.

263

I can't share them with just anyone.

264

So, I'm not gonna, I'm not

gonna share that with you.

265

A great networker comes to

give and comes to share.

266

And I very often make connections.

267

Yeah, I'll meet someone for the first

time and then I'll say, Hey, you

268

know, you should meet this person.

269

Let me connect you.

270

And does that go bad sometimes?

271

Do I sometimes hear back, Hey,

that person introduces you?

272

Yeah, kind of a, you know, Kind of a

stinky fish not a great introduction.

273

It happens, sometimes, but not often.

274

The worst case scenario generally

is that they meet and they say, Meh,

275

that was nice, thanks, moving along.

276

You know, didn't really get much from it.

277

But there, there's, there's

nothing to be lost from making

278

a well intentioned introduction.

279

And anyone who's a good

networker understands that.

280

Anyone who's successful in

business understands that.

281

Truly successful, not

struggling at a high level.

282

Anyone who's...

283

You know, we're successful business

abundance minded understands that and

284

that again, that's who I'm attracting to

this event That's who I'm bringing to JV

285

connect those kinds of people who want

to give who want to share The kind of

286

people you meet them They're gonna want

to connect you to people they know and

287

provide that value and support you as

they can now I can't guarantee that every

288

single person you meet is gonna be like

that and I don't know how you network.

289

So, you know, it's possible that

you might give off a vibe that

290

makes people be like, I don't really

want to connect you with anyone.

291

So I can't speak to that.

292

But if you are giving and open and

abundance minded and charismatic

293

and you make people like you, then

the people you meet at JVConnect

294

will be receptive to that.

295

And, if everyone you meet ends up

being a dud and like, no one will

296

introduce me to anyone, this event

was crap, well, we've got a guarantee.

297

That if you're not satisfied with

the people you meet, I'll make

298

three introductions for you myself.

299

So, once again, is it worth 50 in

two days to get three introductions

300

from the guy who knows a guy himself?

301

I think so.

302

And the final concern that I have

here is, Just need to make it the

303

right priority at the right time.

304

Now obviously that's up to you.

305

Right?

306

As I'm recording this, as the moment

I'm recording this, there was a

307

networking event I was going to attend.

308

I decided not to go to it because

I looked at it and said, yeah,

309

this actually, could it be good?

310

Could it be valuable?

311

Yes, but it's an hour away and

I got to pay for parking and

312

I've got a bunch of stuff to do.

313

I need to record my podcast and

you record these other things.

314

This is not the priority for me.

315

So it could absolutely be that this is

not a priority for you at this time.

316

You don't want to spend two days.

317

First off, let me make this clear,

you don't have to spend two days.

318

You could come for four hours, five hours.

319

If you come for half a day, a

little over half a day, you're

320

going to get your money's worth.

321

Alright, if you come for three

hours, you will probably end up in

322

at least five breakout sessions.

323

And you're going to make some powerful

connections because these sessions are

324

built to create connections for you.

325

The primary objective is that

you get valuable connections.

326

That's what this is around.

327

I'm not trying to teach you anything.

328

I'm not trying to sell you anything.

329

I'm trying to get you great

connections because if you get great

330

connections, you're going to register

for the next event in March and

331

you're going to bring some friends.

332

That's the business model.

333

give you a great experience with

great results so that you want

334

to keep coming back forever.

335

That's my primary KPI.

336

How many people at one event

register for the next event?

337

That's my KPI.

338

So if your challenge, whatever you're

doing could be solved by meeting more

339

people, Whoever those people might be,

then JB Connection can do that for you.

340

If you're in a place where you're

like, I'm meeting people left,

341

right, and sideways all day long.

342

They're great people, but I

don't have my landing page.

343

I don't have my course created.

344

I don't have, you know, there's all these

technical things I need to get done and

345

I'm not getting done some networking

too much, then yeah, you might want to

346

skip this one and join us in March when

you've got everything together, but,

347

but that is, if you have a clear list

of things you need to be getting done.

348

If instead of going to JV Connect,

you're going to wander around worrying

349

about what you haven't gotten done

for another day and remain unclear

350

and unfocused and not sure what you're

doing, come to JV Connect, because

351

you'll meet people who will inspire you.

352

You'll meet people who will

set you on the right track.

353

You'll meet people who

will hold you accountable.

354

You know, you'll meet the people

who will give you the information

355

and become more productive.

356

So, some people, absolutely.

357

Maybe it's not the right

priority right now.

358

But if you're not sure why it's not,

this will be the most valuable two day

359

networking event you've ever attended.

360

I am confident of that for most

people for a virtual networking event.

361

I'm not sure I'd hold this up against any

live multi day networking event, because

362

if you're going to a live multi day

networking event, you're probably dealing

363

with some really, really high level

people, and you're doing it face to face.

364

Real powerful.

365

So if you have a choice

between, like, JBConnect and...

366

Going to the folks, hanging out

with the folks who go to Davos,

367

hang out with the Davos folks.

368

But if it's a choice between JV Connect

and, you know, I don't know, writing

369

some emails, come to JV Connect.

370

I think you're, I think you're

gonna get something out of it.

371

And if not, worst case, hey Michael,

you owe me three introductions.

372

We'll get on a call.

373

We'll hook you up.

374

I'll make sure it's worth

your time, worth your money.

375

So if you are not yet registered

for JV connect, you should

376

go to J V dash connect.

377

com JV connect.

378

com hit the purple button, go to the,

go through that second page there

379

and register at this very moment, as

you listen to this, it is 50 after

380

Thanksgiving, it's going to 70.

381

So, you know, we don't have any

kind of black Friday discount, but

382

the black Friday deal is the price

is lower than it'll be afterwards.

383

So don't wait, unless you want to give

me more money, but don't wait, if you

384

want to give me more money, just send

me more money, totally cool, buy two

385

tickets, whatever, buy a ticket for a

friend you can do that by the way you

386

can buy a ticket and just, you know,

you can only buy one ticket at a time,

387

but you buy a ticket, you then buy a

second ticket, put in your friend's name

388

that you want to, your friend's name

and email address that you want to buy

389

a ticket for, you have to put in your

own address, because it compares the zip

390

code to your credit card number, but put

in your friend's name and email address,

391

and thus you can buy them a ticket.

392

So, there you go.

393

If you do decide to do that and you want

confirmation, because of course, they'll

394

get the confirmation and you won't, then

just email me, michael at guyknowsaguy.

395

com.

396

Fuck yeah.

397

Alright, I look forward to seeing

more and more of you in December.

398

We have over 140 people registered

as of this recording, and it

399

just keeps getting better.

400

I think we've had three

registered this morning.

401

So it just keeps cooking along.

402

Thank you so much for listening,

and I'll see you in December.