At the heart of business success is the world of connection and relationships. Every business, regardless of size, is powered by people making decisions and that's why our conversation today with my guest and friend Steve Ramona is so crucial.

Steve is a master in networking, and before you think it's just another typical discussion on the topic, let me assure you, it's not. We're diving into networking strategies that have propelled businesses to multi-million-dollar heights and served clients with substantial financial portfolios.

This isn't just about us; it's about what you can achieve in your networking endeavors.

Are you ready to scale your business through the power of relationships? 

About the Guest:

Steve Ramona discovered networking was the real deal at a very young age. He is on a mission to teach the world how to network correctly. His passion for the Law of Increase is his secret sauce.

Podcasting now is the new way to network and build an incredible inner circle; the ability to bring value/serving is a skill that will increase your networking!

Connect with Steve Ramona

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/steveramona/    

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/steve.ramona/   

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bizopportunitynow/    

Website: Servinginbusinesspodcast.com

Next Event - March 5th through 8th - Affiliate Link

https://pantheon.idevaffiliate.com/101.html    

About the Host:

Jim Padilla is the founder and CEO of Gain The Edge - a done-for-you provider of industry-leading sales systems and unicorn sales professionals which he co-heads with his wife and entrepreneurial partner-in-crime, Cyndi Padilla.

Through their unique blend of laser-targeted selling systems, inspirational team-building expertise, and 60+ years of combined sales experience - Jim and his wife have generated over 1/4 bn in sales for a long line of high-level, visionary entrepreneurs.

Jim’s mission is to help purpose-driven thought-leaders untangle themselves from the day-to-day minutiae of seeking leads and sales for their business so they’re free to amplify their impact.

When Jim’s not making dollars rain down from the sky, you’ll regularly find him at the driving range - hitting a bucket of balls. Jim credits his time on the driving range as the main source of his best ideas.

Recently relocated back to California, Jim & Cyndi are immersing themselves in family time with their three daughters & four (soon to be five) grandchildren.

Connect with Jim at https://jimp360.com

If you want to see more great content like this, make sure to subscribe and ring the bell so you will get notified whenever we post a new video. And don't forget to rate and review the show on Apple Podcasts.

Hey, so glad you're back. Really excited to have you for another episode of the sales team ready podcast. And again, all things here are sales, scaling. This is all about you being able to grow your business exponentially, make sales, be responsible, be profitable, then use that money to make your business viable. And get yourself to a place where that business is viable. That's the journey. That's what you're, that's the journey you're on, if you're in our world, that's the moment. And so many times in that space, when people are thinking about sales and scaling, we get really clever. And we started thinking of the latest and greatest and all kinds of new hacks and widgets and technology and AI and everything else. But we forget to do the basics. We forget that business is built on relationships. And there's every business out there is run by people. And people are the ones that make decisions. And so at the end of the day, when you're engaging people, when you're growing your business, you're growing your team, everything is about people and relationships and being valuable to others. And so the conversation that we're having today is with with my friend, Steve Ramona, and he specializes in really understanding the power of networking. And I don't want you to roll your eyes and go, Oh, another networking conversation. Yeah, maybe, but not the way that you're used to it. You're talking to people who are generating multi millions of dollars and serving clients who are 789 figures and beyond, because of our ability to deliver valuable, meaningful relationships to people grow networks of people who are serving and doing incredible things in the world. And there's no difference between us and you and what you're doing, you're gonna be doing the same, I promise, you're gonna get a few insights tweaks to what you might be thinking or something you can add to what you're already doing if you're already a power networker. And so make sure you pay attention, because Steve is going to share some concepts and some nuggets, it's all mine, because actually, he he did a fantastic job as a guest of letting the host speak. So I think this might be the first podcast interview in a very long time where I spoke more than the guest. But anyway, Steve, Ramona discovered networking was the real deal at a very young age. He's on a mission to teach the world how to do it correctly, his passion for the law of increase is his secret sauce. Podcasting now is the new way to network and build an incredible inner circle, the ability to bring value, and the service is a skill that will increase your networking. So check it out, enjoy the episode, make sure that you give us a thumbs up or like give me any any stars, comments, anything that you can do, give me take one thing that you can do and give us some support on that just we can continue to grow our footprint and be able to bring greater content and make sure that more people are coming to you to be able to deliver the power and the value that you seek to grow your business and scale. Enjoy the episode. Awesome. So you just heard the formal introduction with the bio and all of that for me. But now Steve, why don't you just tell everybody listening about yourself? In your own words? Who's Steve Ramona, why he relevant this conversation, man. Thank

you, Jim. Appreciate it. Having me on the show and taking the time to do this. 18 years old, I started networking at a gym and my family started and it it occurred to me quickly that I was meeting 40 5060 year olds might you know, people way above me, not my peers, but they were giving me advice. They're giving me tips, and then building relationships. And they're like, Hey, let's go to lunch. Let's talk about your finances. And let's talk about an opportunity. And I realized early, this is a way to grow. And within the health club, I realized bringing value to their members. We grew to one of the top clubs in northern Cal in our northern California area. So that young age I learned and for 22 years, I worked for the health club and different capacities, eventually being a director. And then I just started using that network I built with the health club to build other businesses, network marketing, I built a recycling electronic business. And I just went to the network and the health club go, Hey, you guys need anything to recycle? was killing it because I had made such great relationships and brought value to them when I asked. People want to welcome Yeah, passing referral on top of referral on top of referral. So really young, I was lucky to learn about this networking and connecting and bringing value. And now I'm sharing it with the world.

Yeah, and I think we're we're typically preaching to the choir, when we're, you know, our audience, everybody really understands the importance of relationships. And a lot of times it's easy to overlook this stuff is easy. Oh, yeah, yeah, yeah, I get it. I network, you know, but there's networking. And then there's networking. You know, if you go to Network events of any kind and I, you know I do, I don't go to the same kind of use to now I do things a little differently more and make mastermind environments, etc. But it's all about networking. It's all about building relationships. And I wish that was common was to lose the word networking because it sounds so unimportant these days yet, I don't know. And that's how I've made the majority of the revenue we've ever created millions of dollars worth of partnerships and relationships, the organic marketing, cold traffic marketing, all that stuff. That's great. But that stuff represents like 5% of the revenue we've ever generated. Yeah,

virtual partner, anything we could change it to. I just thought of that. Yeah, cuz networking everybody's doing, it's watered down so much. guy used to run six events. I've been doing it for 10 years, my first networking group, and I've left all those not in a bad way, but in a good way, because I want to make more time. For example, my podcast is my new network. And I run a mastermind and work with masterminds and gentlemen, we talked before, that was very, very in line with what we do, working with these people that need value, but they're a high level, high quality business owner that's done well in their life. And they just want to keep growing.

Right? So when you know when talking about networking, and when people are sick, we'll just use the word since it's there. And it's everybody at least has some picture, some sort of connection to where they believe networking is. What is networking?

Building relationships, not pitching. So as I say, serving instead of sell before selling, because you're always selling, even when you're serving you're selling. But you're sort of bringing value. I tell people all the time, what do you do? What do you do, Steve? I say, first time I meet somebody, I'm jumping on Jim's podcast, how can I bring him value? Great guest, of course, be honest. But always thinking when I meet people working out what resource can I give them? What referral? Can I give them? How can I help them grow, love increase and Think and Grow Rich, that's what got me going on all this. It just hit me it's like I've been doing it. Now I'm really hyper focused on that. And that comes natural. So when you're networking, bring value to people.

You know, it's interesting, because we, we've been in this recent transformation in our company, and just my field of awareness, that value, the difference between value and valuable is three letters. But it's so important, because value what the witness simplified way, it's like I can say, value is determined by the, the one who delivers the value, I can say, Hey, I just gave you my vault of content. And it's the best content I've ever created. It's got tons of value. But if you don't consume it, there's zero value to you. But if I introduce you to somebody that can further your business, or be a great guest on your podcast, that's not delivering value, that's me being valuable to you. Right, so valuable is determined by the end user value is determined by the giver. And you can now think about that guy's gonna use our offering stuff, if you can send me a, you know, I've had people send me programs and stuff. I'm like, Hey, I really, really appreciate this. But I don't have 11 hours to go through your stuff. You know, what are we what do you need me? What? Show me the cliffnotes? Give me something specific. Right? So I'm trying to encourage people to be valuable, instead of just add value. Especially now, because everybody kind of has a perspective of adding value. But if you can specifically say, Hey, man, I happen to notice this about your pipeline, or your email, or your and I have something that I can share with you that will immediately improve that particular one. If you're interested, right now, you can give, I can give you something very specific to something I already know you're doing and will use. And now it can be valuable. Versus Hey, read my newsletter on writing emails. Now you're giving me a job? Yeah.

Yeah. And that's a great distinction. And I'm going to add to valuable, what I learned is bringing resources and referrals, bringing value but to make you valuable, which I'm going to borrow in all my other conversation because it's perfect, is I met this gentleman months ago, 100 million dollars in serving. He just served and made a ton of money. But one thing he told me and he's he went over my serving is you weren't valuable, because you brought in it's so powerful, what you said. You brought value by here, Jim, here's 12 referrals and a tip and then you go Steve, how can I help you? I'm good. Enjoy those referrals. I just turned value into invaluable or as he said, you turn them into takers because you give so much value to people and become valuable. If you don't give it that they don't give it back to you it, the universe changes. Once I learned that concept, my income blew up, my referrals blew up, my network blew up, because people now want to work with because I'm valuable. I just don't bring value. And I gotta write that down. Because that's really good.

Yeah, it's a big thing, man. Because being able to receive is so important. And most entrepreneurs are in the game of solving problems for people, but not having people solve problems for us. Right, we just want to give, we want to be, but if you don't allow me to give back to you, then you're, you're blocking my ability to be valuable. Yep.

This audience is what the best podcast right now, because it's, that's a million dollar tip, we hear that all the time, hey, I've got the million dollar program, the million dollar AI, that right? There's a million dollars, because it's everybody can do it. You don't need no special skill at all.

No, and what I find often is that the things that make you most valuable are the things that are just most, most personal to you. But they don't necessarily have to be a massive monetary value. They're just, you know, just like, you know, I could send my Send Out Cards thing, which is great. It's delivering value. And it's nice, but I can hand write you a note that cost me time. And I put personal intention behind it, and go out and give it to the mailman. And he sends it to you, that's more valuable because it's got a piece of me in it. You know, and then it is specific to you. So I'm going to send you something that's not just, Hey, happy holidays. Write something specific to it. You know, one of the best examples, this is what got me going this actually this very thing is, I have a gentleman who reached out to me, because he saw my YouTube channel. And instead of just saying, Hey, I have a new way to get you more views and more subscribers or more whatever. He said, I watched a video of yours. And I have really quick insights that would totally change how they're viewed and perceived. Would you like me to share it with you? And I said, Sure, I'll take that. He sent me a six minute video. And he broke down the core of my page, and a couple of core concepts that were incredibly insightful, and specific to me. And then he said, in the last minute of the video, he said, Hey, here's what I do. Here's what my business does. If I can help you let me know, I told him to do, I'm saving this email. I'm not going to use this right now. But this is a 2024 initiative, I'll be reaching out to you. And in that time, I've also already sent him a referral. I don't even know the guy. Because I know he knows what he's talking about. Yep. Right. He was valuable to me.

And to add to that, I hear all the time I don't want to give my IP my program my platform away like this guy did. And I just had a conversation this morning. I'm like, you could give your whole program to somebody. But they can't drive the car. They're gonna go so far, but they're going to stop because they need your insight your mindset. You don't want to develop it. But then what is your your look wait you just hit that's the GREATEST STORY you love you love what he did, he did it properly didn't pitch you that guy's universe is going to change one you gave him a referral. So it changed there directly, but indirectly, something's going to come to him that he never thought would happen. That's happened to me 100 times this year. And I don't know where it came from a meet you or this or given something here. But I tell people how when or where that serving gets paid back you'll never know just know what's gonna happen

is so important. I've had people sit you know, I actually had I have friends picture here right in my mind right now. We were in a mastermind group. And we had a local mastermind group had his break into local chapters. So we had a Bay Area's Sacramento quote unquote chapter and she went to these networking functions and she's extremely intelligent woman with great resources and everything to share. But she got really mad because she was giving she's like I showed up and I made I showed up with leads for people and nobody showed up with lead for me as like, it doesn't work that way just because you have give me two leads today doesn't mean I have to for you. But the next one that comes I could or the next guy over you know, God takes care of this stuff not me. It's not about us. It's not a tip for tat. It's it's how you were engaging with God in the universe and and just the atmosphere and energies of other people and the more you give out without expectation without that tie to it I think that might be blocking or in general if you're just showing up because you're expecting to get and not just give that can be very thing blocking you from the give that could be coming to you.

Yeah, no, that's so well, Saturday. It's when you put it out there the universe when he she spoken out, it gets out there, your universe start slowing and God will start going, oh, you know, pull back a little bit here. Cuz you're right because people ask me how do you know I just don't. But I know this year because I really love my podcast and just changing my mindset and Josh top who you know, is my mentor and teaching me things. It just started happening. And it's the best world to bring valuable to be valuable to somebody in a bar that keep our eye on that, Jim, I'm just gonna, it's I don't think you're going to ever be unhappy when you bring. I'll give an example. I went to a 14 hour game yesterday, my football, okay, and we met bunch of people, I'm in the Bay Area, and tough game, but we'll we'll talk about that. There was a, there was a family there, there's a little girl that I started playing with brought her up that was valuable to her. She wanted to dance with me, and we just had fun. And so she grabbed my head walking into the game, and she just said, Hey, you're my favorite. Because I became my main her valuable to me, my time was valuable. It wasn't, oh, there's a young kid, she's a seven year old, hey, nice to meet you. We treat our adults like we treat kids that way. Your business will blow up. And you know what, it'll blow up in a way where everybody wins. You're not just making $100 million and taken from people, everybody wins in your inner circle, or your mastermind or whatever you want to call that your village. And that's so that's so exciting. Right?

Yeah, well, you know, I mean, we could talk about this for a long time I, I find that, you know, I've been very blessed to, you know, with our business model, we serve a lot of millionaires and billionaires. And we've been around a lot of really successful people. And I'm constantly defending them as a, as a group as a segment of people has been so much to so many people. Well, the successful people, they're this or that, or they're greedy, or they've done this, or they've gotten it by taking they've done or they need to pay their fair share of taxes, all this other stuff. And like, you just don't get it man. I don't know, I'm not going to be naive, there definitely going to be selfish minded, me focused people out there. But the higher levels of success that I've gained, and the more of those people I'm around, I just haven't met any of them. They're all givers. They all give first now, maybe when they were starting to climb the mountain, they were trying to do it by taking, but the higher levels of attain, you know, of height they've achieved. They've all figured out that you get there by given. Yeah. You know, that's just how it works. And it's not because oh, well, now that I've made millions I give no, I this is how you operate to generate millions. That's how it works.

Yep. Yeah, they say when you can make a lot of money that your true. Athletes talk about this all day pro athletes, hey, when you make a lot of money, your true character comes out. It's true. You're right. There are some billionaires are taken and millionaires are are takers are going to do until the day they die for whatever reason. But what kind of would you live? If you were just gave? gave back? How would you feel? How would people treat you, you gain the edge podcast, that's why I'm so excited to be on here. Because this is an edge, we have all these tools, AI, they're all great to get the edge. But we're talking about again, I'm gonna go back to it's super simple. Me and you are not special. But we special because we take action that way. I mean, that's what people need to understand.

And you have to do it without, I mean, you need to track if you're in business, you should be tracking, tracking all of the acts and things that you do. So you know, what actions are providing what kind of results, but more than anything, those are it's data, it's just feedback. But you don't give with a ledger. You just give you give in that because I will tell you this, my experience, it's not a one for one. It's not, you're gonna give twice as much. Maybe you're gonna give 10 times as much. Some of you are gonna give 1000 times as much and you'll become a billionaire. Yep. Right. So it's not, it's not like, well, I've given at least 12 people and I've done this and you just keep doing it. Maybe you're doing it with the wrong heart. Maybe you're doing it with the wrong perspective. If it is if the if the reward hasn't come back yet. That's okay. Doesn't mean it's not coming. Yeah, just keep keep giving and keep giving with the right intentions. And by giving it's it's not just giving your private message and giving your product value services away. It's give your perspective, give your support, give your endorsement, give your it whatever you can give that can be valuable to other people. And sometimes it's just your time. Yeah.

And it's I'll give you a great story. I met Jason Wilson shout out to Jason. He's in Colombia, Levine and we met I remember was a Saturday in our first five minutes and it's a great tip audience. I was thinking right away. I met Jason never it was a referral. And I'm thinking okay, as he's talking, how can I help and he talked about YouTube. So I stopped I said hey, can I Give me a tip on YouTube, how to make your podcast in the category. He goes, Yeah, five minutes I show him he's like, Steve, this is awesome. You're amazing. Now, am I amazing? Maybe maybe not doesn't matter. But I thought of how to bring him value. He's now become my best friend, he's launching this thing, he wants me to work with them. I've given him some referrals he send me referrals is great things about me. Audience are met, imagine 1000 people doing that for you monthly or 5000 people. Your abundance is going to come pray.

It's Imagine if one person does that for you a month. Right. And we you know, I'll give you an example, too, of what we you know, my wife and I, we've been very focused on streamlining our business, we're shifting our business model a bit as we're moving into 2024. But we're really laser focused on ensuring that our business is not just, we don't just use our business to deliver our purpose. And you know, in support, we're trying to build our, our business as the purpose vehicle, so that everything the business does, delivers on our purpose and generates more prosperity and more for other people. And so as we have shifted into this, this requires adjustments inside of us inside of who we're being and how we're showing up how we connect with God and everything. And just in the act of the intention of doing this. All of a sudden, in the last week, I've had multiple people who are extremely successful, you know, high nine figures, you know, I mean, real legit business people that we know, we've been blessed to be a part of their world, etc. And they're reaching out saying, Hey, how can we help you cold out of the blue call from what, you know, former colleague, Hunter, he's like, I just feel like it's 2024 is coming. I just feel like I want to help you. What can I do to, you know, let's, let's look at these collaboration opportunities. We have this going, how can we help you put this in place so that you guys can generate a bunch of revenue and support and financial literacy for your clients, and stuff? And, but it's all in Yeah, there's business in it. But as I said, with, I was thinking of you, and I had an idea, which is my favorite line, that's our fate. That is our, that's our number one tip, you want to follow up with people, make sure you just reach out to everybody go out to go through your list and just reach out to people and say, Hey, Steve, I was thinking about you. And I had an idea, see if he doesn't return a phone call, or want to get on a call with you? Right? Because it's the right spot. Yeah. So but but it's literally as we have right now, we've already got three deals that are lined up, that will be that we're going to be pursuing, after the first of the year, centered around this that have all been outreach to me as a result of just how we're showing up for other people and talk about not you never know where it shows up. I'm talking more than you are today. But as it was, you know, I didn't reach out to any of them. One of them was on my podcast, but he just reached back out to me the other two were just people reaching out saying hey, man, you know, or we had a meeting about something else all together. And then the meeting turned to hear I have this thing I wanted to help you with. Yeah,

I love it. And on the opposite side of that I tell people all the time in our group in our mastermind I mean, Josh talk about it is your business not making money right now it's slow, which happens with everybody God campaign for somebody else. Right? So you know, a coach that you know, get an affiliate link or whatever way you work it out and spend one day just reach out hey, you looking for a coach, you know, may look for a coach, I've got a great coach for you. Are you looking for a PR threat? You know, somebody will do your PR, I met seminar this morning, same thing, and you'll make money that way as you're growing your business. So finances are not and what uh, when when you promote them, they pay you, the client gets a great coach, PR whatever that business is, because you've vetted them and you know them and you know, they they do a great job.

Yeah, you know, I spend time I have come chunks of time on my calendar where I spend there's a couple of different days a week where I spend two hours a day doing nothing but what I call it power connecting time, but it's reaching out to people for the purpose of reaching out there's no intended business to be done. It's just building relationships. But sometimes in that time, I don't reach out to him like maybe if I Okay, Steve just Steve's book just released today. Awesome. Let me get it let me go Facebook Live and then we read a chapter while they're in promote all of a sudden everybody's like, Oh, wow, you know, I know I didn't ask for anything there's no affiliate nothing. There's just me uplifting my friend. Right and then just net you'd be amazed at what kind of ROI you get on those and that kind of quality engagement. And

then the people thinking, Well, how am I gonna make money is now your top of mine. You just did this great thing go Jim. By the way, what are you doing now? Well, I'm doing this well, you know, it's funny, I've been looking for that. Hey, can we and then you they hire you as a client you know, as As a business, because you've done such a good thing, you show up. People go, what do you know? And that's what I teach people go through your contact list. And reach out with a quick question. Your coach and you're looking for realtors say, you know, a great realtor, I'd love an introduction, like you did on that it's super simple. You're not selling them. But you know, those people in your contact list, you like them something, they're there for a reason. Of course, the ones that don't, you know, but three things are gonna happen. One, they're gonna give you a referral, great or multiple? Two, they're gonna ask you, I don't have a referral. But what are you doing now? Which now you got a new call? I mean, that's just, that's a new call, because it's somebody who doesn't know what you're doing, and you tell them what you're doing? Or third, nothing never happens. And all those are good, because you're gonna reach out to number three, again, with another question. Hey, do you know an entrepreneur that you've worked with? Or whatever that quick question is? And I'd love an introduction, you could do that monthly, and generate so many leads, warm leads, loving leads, I call them,

right? Yeah, there's, there's so much in all of this. And it's, again, a basic conversation, what's networking, right? I mean, it's, but it's, it's, it's something that is that's drastically over abused, and has lost its flavor, because of the way people do it. But that's how everything is everything, you know, the 8020 rule applies, the 9010 rule applies. And you just got to be the one of the ones who's the 10 that know how to do it differently. They get a bigger bang for the buck, because you care about what you're doing. Just like with sales, I mean, dude, they're 90. Everybody sells. But there's a lot of people who teach us like, we don't we just teach things differently. We teach matters, how you show up in a relationship is what's going to lead to conversions. It's not about the tactics and the strategies, those are all secondary. You know? So what, what along these lines here, you know, I mean, how, what are you guys teaching from business concepts, you're building networking. And we were just talking about some packages that people you know, are hiring you guys for. And, you know, you mentioned some, some marketing tactics that a lot of people again, just like networking could easily think are just overused, abused, and just not very relevant anymore.

Yeah, you know, the thing that we do we call a hot seat. Very, very cool way of building business. Because a lot of virtual networking businesses are networks that we go to, and the ones that are in persons, well, I won't name names. They're really talking business. Hey, I'm a realtor. I'm looking for XYZ, I'm talking business and that's okay. But when we do a hotseat, it's doing business. Okay, Jim's looking for this, this and this. This is what he does. Okay, guys, you millionaires jump into your network? Who can you meet? Well, guess what one guy said, I'm introduce you to Donald Miller to be on your podcast, who wrote the book, The Story brand, which everybody knows. I had Bob Berg, who wrote the Go givers say morning that happened on a hot seat. So getting in that network, building the relationship and getting that network is the one of the best tips in the world because it's guess what, it's long lasting. It's not short term. Because it's something else is going to come up or they're going to come to you or whatever. It just keeps evolving and growing and evolving. To where you're looking around you. You're a multimillionaire with multimillionaires going, Hey, what do we want to do next?

Well, and then all of that is again about the power of the intention because I've been in it and I'll be honest, I've been there's been times where I've tried to get myself out of it. Am I gonna want to be on a hot sale? Now I'm talking about my business want to talk about with, I wonder what's going on your business. So I know I help it. Right. But then I'm removing the opportunity for people to really shine. And you'd be amazed. You know, you just mentioned you know, Donald Miller and Bob Berg and the crazy thing that I love about the online business world in 2023 Being born in this time, for a time such as this, to me is that you are literally like two clicks away from darn near anybody on the planet now. And you never know who knows who will be hard pressed to find any person of significance of substance that has done anything accomplish anything in any area. That if you just ask around, there's somebody who knows somebody who's got them on the shortlist or got them on the speed dial. Yep. And if you don't ask, you're never gonna get it.

So the door is open. You're gonna walk through the door. You might have to walk back out because it didn't work for you. That's okay. You don't take that chance. You're never gonna know I've had people are not feeling too good. I had a guy miss a $10,000 job. Got it all set up. Got a referral. He's gonna meet this real chameleon group. He was sniffles that day beside that show up. Where's your guy? Oh, he's not feeling good. He'll be here next week. The next day I heard somebody else. Right. I understand effect COVID death. There's events in life that keep you From it, but I think it's 10% of your life. That 90% of time you show up great things are happening there happened to me a new gym, just go through that door. Again, if it doesn't work, you pass off, you shake your hand or whatever and say move on. And but there's always something you can give somebody.

Bus. Yeah, and you know, people listen, you got to recognize, too, that I can say this with with certainty, we get a lot of referrals, we're good at it. We take care of people, we build great relationships, we serve people, we've had referrals from some clients that we didn't even serve well. Because they knew we didn't screw them over, they knew that we it just this, the opportunity didn't pan out. But they appreciate everything that we did in our entire approach about it. We've had some of our biggest referral partners have been people who never spent a penny with us. But we treated them right in the process. They're either a mastermind colleague or a networking buddy or somebody that they just see us show up with Integrity Time after time, after time, you know, or interview you really well and just show up and say, Hey, man, how can I future you and how can I put you on the spotlight and, and they just love the way you do it. And then all of a sudden they're sending people your way. You know, it's just it doesn't it's it's not a financial transaction. As a way of being

that's it's all energy, money is energy, financial ROI energy. And that energy to get people to side a little bit to just take, I've been waiting to see it. I mean, you go on LinkedIn, now it's, they've actually just found out today on LinkedIn, you can only leave for notes and nine for notes a month. Now. I used to like, leave a note, man, I love what you're doing here, Jim, let's connect and get to know and see how we can help each other I can't even do that anymore. Because the pitchers have ruined it for for all the good people. And that's okay, you just gotta kind of pivot move with the punches. But you know, FOMO and the COVID. And the fear, you know, we can look at COVID is a perfect example of serving, who the restaurant industry pivoted to still serve their clients, their customers, I have a good friend Dan, who has a restaurant he put the outdoor spent a lot of probably the first five months of his of this COVID He broke even. But he had customers still come in eating his food reminded him. And then when he got to reopen these outlines out the door. Because he was there he served, literally serve them.

Right. Yeah, it's just it's it's being committed to serving not being committed to the transaction, and the function of the business is being committed to delivering the outcome and the experience you want to provide. And there's a million different ways to do that, no matter what business model you're in. So as we get ready to wrap up, you know, I know the key focus here is that you're really leaning into the podcast, as the tip of the spear for your networking by which is largely what I do. That's where I build most of my relationships. And everything else goes from that. And I think this conversation has been a perfect example of out of network and build a relationship in a podcast. But what are the key components? If you're talking to people who are doing interviews, connecting with people, or there's meeting people and networking? What is their, you know, what's your top three points are you aware of,

and I'm gonna be bold, Jim, and I just was having a meeting this morning about it. Podcasting is the new network. They're like, there's 3.8 million podcast, 4 million podcast, but I could care less. And I mean that in a good way with a heart. I care about my podcast, who can I bring on? It's my network. It's my business card. I can go to Leigh Steinberg, and say, I'd love to have you on my blog as well. That'd be great. Lead never would have been on my podcast or met with me without it. So that's the first tip. It's going to help grow your network and grow high quality people in your network to is just take action and do it. Get out there and start recording. Throw it on YouTube don't care about the outcome. It's like anything the more you do it, the better you get. I launched in October I have now 255 252 podcasts done. Nice. I launched in January, so less than a year. Now I know people have to earn 50 podcasts in 10 years. I know people have 50 pocket you need to know those people. And that's fine. But you got to take action stay action. It's about consistency. This is not a run and do it and then Oh, I did my 50 podcast I'm good. Use it as a tool to build relationships. Like Me and you Have we connected you knew somebody Joshua, we knew and we're gonna jump on you're gonna be on my podcast tomorrow shout out to doing business with a servant's heart. What a great way to do it. But the other tip is, I get to learn about my podcast guests, their pains, their successes, their loves, what they're passionate about. And then when I get done, I give them value and then I get to learn more and ask them hey, I've got this thing here. Hey, I need to go Connect, you hear, here's a great partnership. Yeah, three to five referrals 90% of time from people like that, like you're saying, you start getting these, your emails flooded with, hey, you need to be Jim and you need Steve, you meet Jim, I want your audience to think about that you get three, three to five referrals today, for your business for your parts doesn't matter to ability to connect with somebody. The last tip, I'll leave you, you meet 10 to 15 new people a day a week, excuse me, you'll million dollar business.

Yeah, as long as you're not showing up to pitch them, that's gonna be the caveat. Because you could do that. And if you're focused on time and time focus, you're like, Well, I can just have 15 prospects, and then I have the opportunity to sell them yet, but but you're now everything's a transaction. And if that's how you do it, then you have to always meet a new 15. But if you meet 15, new potential partners, eventually you don't have to meet new partners. Yeah, because they're consistently opening the doors to other people who have the problems that you solve, and need you in their world. And, and that's, that's such a

great point, too, Jim, because that's where I'm at, I had to cut my schedule down. Because I was mean eight to 10 people a day. I mean, imagine thinking eight people, building my network, building my relationships, I don't need that much anymore. So go out and build it. And I tell people, if you're out there 10 to 15 new people and you're pitching them, you're gonna lose a million dollars.

Yeah, it's a heck of a way to build a business, it works. But it's not not what I recommend. And especially in today's marketplace. As you know, right now we're we're four days before the start of 2024 is the point of recording this conversation. But by the time you're listening to this, we're in 2024. And I don't, I don't suggest trying to go business in 2024. And beyond. In a transactional vibe, you got to have a good network, you need people, everyone's going to need each other. That's how we're going to overcome this monster of whatever's going on in the economy in the world. That's how we're going to be the solution is by being there to support each other, grow each other's businesses with intention, and purpose and clarity, and make this all go and can take this perspective. I was gonna save this one for your podcast tomorrow. But you know, I I've been one of my biggest secrets to success is that I don't sell to people I sell through people. And so when I show up on a podcast, I'm no, I'm not looking to go, wow, Steve would be a great client, because he would. But I'm also thinking, you know, how can I be a resource to Steve and his community? Yeah, like, and then I'm a I'm valuable to Steve. And then he now shares me with his community. Yep. Well, so if he's interested, he goes, Hey, you know, what about me? You know, but I don't have to ask him. I just is like, who do you know? How can this who do you know, in your world? Do you have people in your world that have this problem? And might be interested in solving? Yeah, I do. One of them's me. That's it that takes the pressure off the conversation to I don't have to worry about making some kind of offer and he doesn't have to worry about me pitching it. Yep.

Very uncomfortable situation.

So even when you're good at I am a sales for a living, and I want to pitch people who that wants to pitch people. Right? So see how people get a hold of you? What's where's the best place? Yeah, you

can reach me my digital business card in phone.co/podcast. imp. joanie.co/podcast. Or Steve Ramona, on LinkedIn. I'm always on LinkedIn. It's a place where I live.

Got it? And is there anything that you have any any resource or, or gift that you want to share that we did you put anything that you wanted to get out in front of

you, if you want to reach out, I do a free workshop on podcasting. You reach out to me, I'll get you the date and get you the link. Come on, I just answer questions about podcasts. It's one of my giving back, we're talking about as you start making money, I can do that, and help people and I don't care about my IP, I've got a unique way of doing it. But you can definitely jump on that workshop and learn more about podcast.

Amen. And all that is going to be in the show notes. We got several links in here, including all the social ways to get a hold of Steve and go into his in phone and getting getting contact finding out more information about what's going on with him and his network in his in his workshops, as well as getting on the podcast as well, making sure you're consuming all of that. You can you can pick anything in any place. There's so much content out there available, but be really strategic with what you're thinking of and what exactly you're looking for. So that you know if you're trying to grow a business through normal natural means, which is building relationships with other humans, which is what we were designed for, then really lean deep into this conversation. And I would say I would encourage you to take a very serious dive into networking and relationship building as a concept and as a strategy as you move into 2024 Because I don't know, a better way more effective. That's going to work for you to build your business and Unless you've got a lot of money to spend on cold traffic ads, and you might, but this cause should still be a powerful lane that's in your business. So Steve, really appreciate you, man. It's so good to be able to connect. And just, and thanks for letting me talk a bunch on my podcast.

You're welcome, Jim. Thank you. It's been great. All right.

Well, the eyes as always, we know you could have been anyplace else on the planet and you chose to be here. And we don't take that for granted. So we always appreciate you trusting us to be part of your success team on the sales team radio podcast, and we'll look forward to seeing you on the next episode. Make sure that you rate review and subscribe. Hit the like button. If you're on YouTube, hit that like button, let us know. And in just give us his thoughts. Let me know what you're thinking about this. Let me know what questions you have about this conversation so that we can bring Steve into it for them on to him and just share more great things with him. So go forth multiply, make a lot of money impact a lot of people's lives and set yourself up for a powerful next year.