Hello and welcome to Networking Unleashed, Building
Profitable Connections. Welcome back to the show,
folks. I'm your host, Michael Foreman, and you're
listening to the podcast where networking is
more than just awkward handshakes and bad coffee.
It's an art and a talent. But here's the twist.
It's an art and talent you can actually learn.
Yes, even if you're the person hiding in a corner
at every event pretending to check emails. Networking
isn't just a nice skill to have, it's a game
changer. When you get good at it, you'll wonder
why you didn't start sooner. More connections,
more opportunities, more profits. It's like unlocking
a cheat code for life. So whether you're the
life of the party or the just let me stay at
home and text, I've got something for you. So
stick around. Let's turn those awkward small
talk moments into big wins. Now, I have a guest
today. Her name is Irina Wood, and she is a relationship
expert. And instead of me going in and butchering
her background, I'm going to have her come on
the podcast, explain a little, then we'll move
into a bunch of questions. Irina, how are you?
Hey, Mike, thank you so much for having me today.
I'm great. I'm feeling Friday. Good, good. Can
you tell us a little bit about your background
and really what you're all about? Absolutely.
So I was born in Ukraine, raised up also. And
since 30 years old, actually, I've been between
Great Britain, United Kingdom and Ukraine, because
my main addiction since my childhood was knowledge.
I was greedy non -stop for the knowledge. I always
liked to study and my parents admitted that within
me and they made it like the main privilege,
the main gift for me whenever I had good marks.
I was traveling abroad. That's how my understanding
of different mentalities, nationalities and cultures
appeared. in my life and when i was university
student i still stayed in ukraine because my
parents saw me as a person who will inherit their
food production business but i decided to do
it my way so i got good marks i put my diploma
on the table and say Finally, that's my time.
I can go into spirituality because that's what
was my biggest passion, to know how the universe
is built, to understand is it first or not the
very first life that we're here on the planet,
what we are doing, why encounters are happening,
talking about networking. Yes, what kind of purpose
we are serving on this planet, what is mission,
what is calling. So I had so many questions and
my background and all other studies that I've
done for my professional. Education and my practices
with my clients because now I just hit my 12
years counseling career after diplomatic University
I was done with that. I said but still a relationship
still public relationship like diplomatic relationship
that's what i've been doing before and after
i got into psychology professionally i got my
master's degree in psychology astrology numerology
healing reiki so i started with one science i
couldn't stop and i dived into another one and
i couldn't even stop to i just Couldn't stop
the education. Clients already started to knock
my door. So I probably understood when it's calling.
Probably that was mine. And I realized that all
those instruments, they are great tools to disclose
the persona, the personality of every single
person. That's your great tools to understand
your soul and beautiful mind better. That's how
it happened in my life that I became a relationship
expert. It sounds like you're well on your way
as well. Okay, so that was your background. And
so I'm just going to move into a few questions
that I've developed for you and AI, hopefully.
Sure. Can you explain what relationship intelligence
is and how it transforms the way we network?
Absolutely. So when we speak about relationship
intelligence, and it wouldn't be directly linked
to AI because you can embrace it yourself. It's
more about emotional awakening, emotional intelligence,
how you are able to reflect on daily basis, whatever
happens in your life, because we meet events,
we meet people, we meet unexpected and planned
occasions in our life. And we are definitely
triggered by external things that are happening
in the society, in our close, surrounded or on
a distant. in a distant way like whatever it
could be news it could be advice of your best
friend it could be disappointment in your partner
and so on so something triggers us and this second
what happens actually if we think from spiritual
awakening point of view we reflect on our feelings
and we definitely have a choice how to react
the only thing we can take into the grave is
our awareness and when i created the app because
one of my biggest projects after the 12 years
of counseling career it was the app the self
-love and relationship intelligence app i realized
that ai is taking over nowadays robots are replacing
people and a lot of professions and one thing
that we can't actually embrace and that nobody
will do that for us because it's our self -work
it's our responsibility it's our relationship
with ourselves the way we feel ourselves on daily
basis 24 7 and our relationships with our people
who can come and fix that for you how you feel
when you're disappointed or you're angry or or
just feel experience shame or guilt and so on
so i created this arena ai that's a helpful not
I can't even call it avatar, but it's AI based,
but it's programmed by me as a relationship expert.
And it's restricted to speak only about emotional
intelligence, about self -love and self -care
routine, about your relationship, niche expertise
and different types of situations to help you
to reflect on your emotions and level up your
confidence, your awareness, your consciousness.
Very nice. Very nice. Let me just move into this
next one. How does the arena AI avatar enhance
networking and relationship building in the ways
that humans alone can't? People can, but for
this, what happens that people unfortunately
don't take a second to reflect. on their feelings
it's much easier to judge somebody that your
husband didn't take away the trash bin it's much
easier to say that your wife is not trying to
satisfy you emotionally or mentally or sexually
anymore it's much easier in a relationship to
speak from your point of view than to use i statement
reflect on your feelings to understand it's no
matter what people are doing to you it's the
more about the way you are reacting and i like
to work as a because i still do counseling one
-on -one with singles and couples in a very fast
way i give you all instruments that can help
you to understand yourself better and you proceed
in life on your own if you need me of course
you can get in touch with me but i like my clients
to be independent so what does irina ai to do
does to you why she's different from chat to
pt that First of all, she's not giving you any
medical advice as a therapist. Second, she's
not giving you any lawyer's advice to divorce
your wife, okay? But it's speaking on your emotional
level. Whenever you have a throat pain, and it's
usually linked to your emotions, because when
your body is suffering, your soul is suffering.
Whenever you are unhappy with your... works jobs
salary any kind of things that can bother you
in life you can talk to Irina AI it's a conversational
way she's all about spiritual perspective looking
at the things it she may it sorry it's not me
it's still digital version of me programmed by
me but it's it is programmed to help you to Get
in touch with your inner self, with your inner
child, with your feelings to understand why you,
Michael, react this way, why it bothers you so
much. It gives you some tips, never advices.
And you'll see, because I'm a big believer, self
-work matters because we have to take responsibility
for our life. And we have a stigma of visiting
the shrink or psychologist. One, people are staying
away from. The therapy, the other people become
dependable. So where is the middle? This is the
golden middle because you have around the clock
counselor in your pocket. You can use it 24 -7
when you had a fight with your girlfriend, two
o 'clock in the night before to go to sleep and
you can't fall asleep and you have a chance to
talk to Irina AI. But what is very important
that Irina AI is disclosing everything that you
already know about yourself because all answers
are hidden within. Very nice. Very nice. Let's
talk about challenges a little bit. Sure. Many
professionals struggle with maintaining meaningful
connections. How does your app help people stay
engaged and authentic in their relationships?
Whole app is built on authenticity. America is
number one, and I'm a big fan of America, just
to let you know. I'm Ukrainian. I came here almost
three years ago. This country is a blessing for
me. It gave me love. It gave me happy marriage.
It gave me business, startup, everything what
I dreamt about. So I'm very thankful as Ukrainian
for your support and help to my nation and to
me personally. But American... people do you
know it's not easy to open up the heart because
it's a huge market of producing seminars how
to become the best version of yourself I respect
Tony Robbins a lot. And he speaks about authenticity
mixed up with becoming the best version of yourself.
I visited his seminars three times in my life.
But if you see the whole market, it's always
become the best, become the number one, become
somebody else, and so on and so on. Best version
of yourself. What about just being yourself?
Maybe... you'll call yourself lazy or somebody
will tell you, oh, Mike, you're a procrastinator,
but maybe this procrastination will bring you
somewhere. You understand? And you will open
up a podcast about procrastination. And a lot
of people will think, yeah, that's his point.
He helped me overcome his own. I wouldn't even
call it disadvantage. So because it starts to
be your plus, it starts to be your advantage
since you acknowledge and. accepted within yourself
so this app is built on self -love as a phenomenon
as a foundation of healthy relationships with
yourself and others and i'm a big believer that
self -love is doesn't exist without full acceptance
full acceptance will never exist without full
understanding of yourself your strengths weaknesses
including shapes and this you can find out only
if you know yourself So this app helps you to
get to know yourself better. And all features
within app, we have 10 extra features besides
Arena AI that help you to understand yourself
better and open up your potential and get to
know real you. Sounds like everybody can use
this AI, your Arena app. It sounds like everybody
has the certain something that they need to find
or to do, but they have to look within themselves.
But it sounds like the arena AI is the app to
get. With AI playing a bigger role in professional
networking, what do you see as the biggest shift
happening in the next five to 10 years? We'll
create a community of like -minded individuals
because you are speaking about networking, not
first time. And I appreciate that because I do
believe in power of people together. I know you
can become the best idea creator, whatever you
invented, napkin, car, app, but it will never
go nowhere without people. So the power is people
united, people together, because idea coming
from the sky, we exchange the energies and it
becomes better. And that's what happens. We are
building up the community of like -minded individuals
who will experience self -value, self -respect,
understand the treasure of self -knowledge, understanding,
accepting yourself as you are. And when people
will be on the same page. I wouldn't go that
far into strategic plan because I created this
app. It's not Arena AI. Gemini near me is the
name of the app. Arena AI is conversational avatar,
which is the only one feature out of 11. I created
this app with a huge help and support of my dear
husband, who is a businessman. He is more strategic
than I am because I'm spiritual. I'm creative.
I'm expert brain. behind this app but we have
a big idea to make people united because I wanted
people to know who they are and when you Already
did a huge job of self -work on yourself and
your goals and values are clear. You definitely
don't want to lose your lifetime. You want to
work with people who are on the same page, who
know themselves and know what they want in life.
You want to date people like that. You want to
unite your life with people like that. Well,
it's true. Everything you've said is true. But
I feel that the base of every... business of
every person of everything is networking. And
whether it's personal networking or business
networking, but either way, everybody is networking
just about every place that they go. If they
go to the clothing store or grocery store or
anything, they're networking, they're talking,
and they're talking to not only those people,
but the people around them. And it's as well
as your app. It talks to you from within. And
then you can go outwardly and network really
as much as you want. But this helps you deal
with everything from within. And it gives you
a good base, a good start. And then you can go
out and do just about anything. Okay. So one
of the biggest challenges in networking is personalization
at scale. How does AI help individuals and businesses
build deeper connections without losing the human
touch? As I said before, AI is a great helper.
It can generate ideas, but I do believe in power
of the universe, in power of higher spirits and
creator that helps us with... implementing ideas
here on the earth so i wouldn't say that ai can
replace your relationship i don't believe in
that never ever but i wanted my idea when i looked
at the market and then said that's it where it's
always good and bad in life about everything
AI is taking the market over. We are in 21st
century. Astrologically, I understand it's era
of Aquarius. We'll never go back. It will be
the market of influencers, of IT industry. Everything
will be all about Wi -Fi and internet connection.
That's where we go. Everything is going to become
virtual. So I realized that real professions,
maybe food production will stay. All the rest,
I have no idea. It's already, I know the app
for the clothing. You don't need even to change
different and buy outfits. You don't need to
invest in your clothes. It's already, you can
replace your clothes. You can replace your photo
shoot. You can replace a lot of this. for the
way you feel about yourself, who can help you
with that? Even human, the most powerful human,
your mother can't help you with that. Your spouse
can't help you with that. Everybody can praise
you. You're the best. You're the number one until
you don't think that way about yourself. That's
why offer yourself work because affirmations,
meditations, quotes of the day, inspirational
cards, everything what we have was designed by
me. with my experience because i knew it helped
people so i decided we have to help a bigger
quantity of people that's why it will never place
and it will always like i want people to stay
people i want human to remember about their soul
but it helps you to look within to look inside
you that's where it comes from to make you Relax
to make you authentic, to go and conquer the
world with your big ideas, doing networking or
whatever you're doing in life. It sounds perfect,
which leads me right into my next question. AI
versus human instincts. OK, so networking has
always been about gut feelings and chemistry.
How does AI complement rather than replace the
human element? in relationship building? Michael,
great questions. Let me tell you. Usually I do
question people because I have my little show
where I... Great questions. Nowadays, AI, we
have Grog that Elon Musk invented. We have Gemini
AI. And by the way, Gemini and EME, which is
our app, we created the name My Husband and Dyke.
His name is Kenwood. And we never knew that by
that time Gemini AI wasn't there. So it was happening.
Everything was happening at the same time. And
chat GPT. People are already going and asking.
family or counseling advice couples therapy from
chat gpt which is like horrible because it's
like good and bad because we hit the trend but
you have to understand like it takes you very
far away from authenticity because you nominate
chat gpt or any other platform to take care of
your destiny which is absolutely impossible so
i think this is another time when you can't be
reconnected so that's why we have and singles
and couples whatever is your goal to achieve
And I think that this like Irina AI and the whole
app, because we have everyday exercises, we have
digital awareness diary. It can keep your secrets
about yourself. It can decode your dreams because
we have a dream analyzer. So that's your ability
to work with your unconscious. We have subconscious,
conscious and unconscious. And unconscious usually.
is hiding your repressed emotions is your things
that you maybe you don't want to remember about
your childhood and coming back to the instincts
i have my i don't know how you create this question
but i'm just telling you we have a few primary
emotions like shame guilt and anger is always
the secondary emotion never primary that are
destroying us, that are ruining us, like shame,
for example. And we have physically, when I work
with people on one -on -one session, we have
full body instant. Let's say you're feeling shame
about something. So one person in case of that
shame would like to run away. That's your body
instinct, body language. The other person is
freezing and you're observing situation. You
have no idea what to do. The other person is
feeling physical disgust. I can't look at this.
And another person starts to be angry and start
to fight for your life, for your love, for your
justice or whatever it is. So when I work with
people, your emotion is linked to your body.
instinct and it all came from your childhood
mike since like up to 10 12 years old that's
why i say all answers within because we know
everything about ourselves we just don't want
to remember and nobody's helping you to find
out that's why irina ai and our self -love and
relationship intelligence app that's the goal
to help you to find out because how many people
i can embrace with my technique, not too many.
That's why I programmed it this way to be as
much emotional. Apply always to your emotions
because like this, it will ask you, okay, Michael,
what do you want to do in this case? Because
your reaction and your friend's reaction on the
same type of situation would be different. That's
what matters. Very good. I'm glad I asked that
question because you gave such a roundabout answer,
but you really hit the point or several points
very well, I have to tell you. Okay, so we understand
that you've become successful at this time, but
what are some of the biggest mistakes people
make when it comes to networking and how can
AI help correct that? I think networking, it's
always about being you because people want you
to be different. You're authentic. Yes, and people
are linked to energy. If you ask me as a person
who has a master's degree in psychology, I would
tell you we are attracted through trauma, through
common trauma. Whatever you're doing, you can
do networking in business or you're building
up love relationship. We're attracted through
trauma. And through our archetypes. Which are
hidden in our unconscious. So what happens. Let's
say you are meeting the lady. You are falling
in love. And somebody will tell you. She is not
beautiful. But she is beautiful for you. And
why? Because she has special triggers. Or she
has playing special role in your life. And she
is beautiful and meaningful. And very much matters
for you. Because it does correspond. To your
archetypes. and to the triggers that you have
within you. And it reflects, and you see you're
the best lady in the world. And the same with
men, the same vice versa. That's men of my life,
and that's it. Maybe not for somebody else. When
we come back to networking, people, now it's
all social media. Everybody wants the same nose,
the same appearance, the same curves. And I'm
sorry to tell that, but it is these trends. And
okay. It's clear enough, marketing, people have
to make money. And I'm always respectful to the
industry because they made it. They absolutely
made it. But when it comes to networking, why
after having 10 meetings, and I'm probably your
number, I don't know which one podcast, one person
you want to shoot an email immediately, like
that was amazing. You just killed it. And the
other person, you think, okay, I'll get back
in a week, in a month or so. Why one person,
you'll never forget the birthday, and the other
person, it doesn't mean like, I'm not great with
my memory, by the way. Not a good example. But
why one people, you met them once, one sentence
changed your life, and the other not. Energy.
It's all about energy. And the energy is great
and flowing when you are you. That's... You're
absolutely right. Listen, I go on to different
stages, into big corporations, and I teach about
networking the energy of the networking itself.
If I don't bring forth that energy, then who's
going to remember what I say? So I have to bring
that energy in order. I have to interact with
them. I have to have them remember it or remember
me in such a way where it's going to help them.
So the energy has so much to do with it. Like
I said, you've now, you're becoming successful.
You're either successful or you're becoming successful.
Can you share a real world example of someone
who leveraged relationship intelligence with
Arena AI Avatar to unlock incredible networking
opportunities? AI, Iryna AI was launched on March
20th. So I wouldn't brag about myself that somebody
made a fortune or created a huge community based
on that. I will be very honest with you. Otherwise,
I'm a liar and I hate it. But I have to tell
you that I already have few fans because those
people, they were my clients initially. As I
told you before. The app, Gemini Niami app, was
the basic version, very raw version of the app,
was launched on September 2023. We are watching
what people want, and we keep updating the app.
And Arena AI was born and launched March 20 this
year, 2024. So I had my clients on 101. They
were actually a few couples. It was family counseling.
I let people go because I know that they need
me for a while. I'm always available for them,
for my clients, but I don't want them to have
a stigma that you have to be dependable on counselors,
experts, psychologists, therapists, or whatever.
You can call it either way or for a long, long
lifetime. So they became users of the app. And
they loved these features like astrological updates,
where are my lucky stars and so on. They did
meditations and they did different things. Whatever
we had affirmations because they are pretty inspiring.
They picked up cards of the day because we have
everyday updates. So it's always new, always
new. You don't repeat the same stuff. And when
I said, because I'm co -host on one podcast,
Relationships is a Bitch, with two people, and
they are my two clients, by the way, like in
real life. And people started to pick it up and
they said, really? So right now, and two hours
ago, I just finished the conference for women
where I was a keynote speaker. And I tell you,
honestly, Mike, I just launched it. I slept one
day because I'm nonstopper. I love what I'm doing.
I slept one night and say, okay, darling, to
my husband, that starts to be my own PR job.
I become my own publicist. And I started to get
book on the podcast, to speak on the conferences.
And as you weigh, I'm becoming successful. And
in this world of opportunities, especially in
the United States, I don't want to say never
enough because it sounds like a perfectionism
and greediness, but it's in reality, we have
all the world and a lot of opportunities in a
good way, in a quality way. And I hear good stories
that people said, one guy called me who listened
to the podcast and said, listen, I paid for family
counseling for a few years, 400 bucks. And she
answers all my questions. It, sorry, it's Irina
AI. Yes, the other guy tells me, oh my God, I
was in the, after the divorce, I, with this shrink
and she charged me 200. And this is 10 bucks
a month. You kidding me? With seven days prior
free trial. So people started to call me and
I probably like already 20 people because we
are still like today is what? 28? Yeah, it's
a week. People started to call me and say, I
saved my money. I don't need this. I don't need
that. Are you kidding me? The other girl said,
I paid for astrology 250 and now it's one of
11 features. So that's what I wanted. I didn't
want people to jump on one platform to listen
about relationship intelligence because I have
lectures, pre -recorded lectures. I forgot to
say that when you asked me about relationship
intelligence. I didn't want people to go to do
their horoscope in some place, numerology in
the other place. I wanted to bring all my knowledge,
what I collected, traveling the world and what
I'm graduated for here in one place. Just go
enjoy yourself. Very good. Now, okay, let's bring
this whole thing around to a complete stop. But
let me ask you a question. For listeners, for
my listeners looking to level up their networking
game today, what are three actionable steps they
can take right now using AI or your app? Okay,
that's working. Good. I would say that, first
of all, you have to understand what you're calling.
You're going on a big market. You want to speak
to people. What's your message? Who you are?
Because it always starts from your meaning on
the planet. And do whatever you do the best.
So acknowledge what's your practical profession
or professional hobby, whatever. somebody maybe
doesn't need to make money that you can bring
to the society to the networking whatever you
do the best how you can do that with our app
it's manifesting journaling with daily coaching
prompts because not everybody understands what
they're calling and you'll tell me okay so what
are your goals and values let's call it this
way what's your message yes what you're doing
here what you're going to network for the other
thing you would see what's your potential. Because
like how you're going to determine that calling.
I can maybe recall my childhood. I give proper
exercises there. Maybe I can question my people
around who I am, what I do the best. Or I can
acknowledge what people may ask for, what kind
of help. Because somebody is great with computers.
The other person is doing great pictures. So
probably first thing, understand who you are.
and here two features manifesting journaling
can help you because we have special prompts
to help you to figure it out and probably astrology
or numerology if you believe in that because
it's a pure mathematical tool it's nothing to
do no fortune telling no tarot reading it's pure
math if you can read about yourself i wish somebody
told me because i discovered astrology at 23
earlier and told me Sorry, I have to hang up
on this girl. And you know how astrology can
help you to understand your potential. So second,
create some kind of plan of seeing yourself in
5, 10, 50 years. Where do you want to end up?
You know, how do you see yourself in 50 years?
Maybe you want to become a super mother of five
kids and educate yourself. to, I don't know,
speaking to the women, how networking, how to
help kids or kindergartens or doing charity or
whatever you're doing. The other one wants to
start from journalism and to become an author
of bestsellers, for example. So here you can
use your manifesting journalist, journaling as
well, and self -awareness diary because we have
exercises about your goals on the long run. and
your values that what matters very much so you
don't lose your value what you are and if you
have time to understand what it is and how to
communicate with people with easiness because
let's say you understood what you are and how
you see yourself in 50 years which is your step
number two and how you bring this message how
you yourself while talking then probably relationship
intelligence classes pre -recorded classes can
help you why because you can hear what kind of
challenges people meet in general because i raise
up topics how to build up inconvenient challenging
conversations how to make peace how to be yourself
what is karmic partnership and so on So why people
meet and sometimes they bring challenge into
your life. So probably these three steps. It
sounds very interesting. Very good. You are a
sensational guest. I want to thank you so much
for coming on. And if somebody wanted to get
hold of you, whether to be coached or for your
app or for anything else, even just to ask a
question, how would they do it? The easiest way
to get me is Instagram. I never used it before
I started business. I was indifferent to this
social media platform. Now I'm big on it. So
I'm always respond to all answers. If somebody
has a question, please use Instagram. I -R -Y
-N -A -W -O -O -D. And if you want to go and
visit our website for Gemini Near Me. It's the
best way to go through the app. It's Gemini as
a Zodiac sign near me .com. Very good. Irina,
I got to tell you, thank you so much for coming.
Thank you. And I'll talk to you soon. My understandable,
incredible, fantastic questions. Thank you so
much for this beautiful experience. You're most
welcome. Well, hold on, folks. Don't go anywhere.
Let me just read a few of our sponsors that we
have. Struggling to reach success? Maybe it's
time to quit. In Quit Your Way to Success by
Rodney Davis, this reveals 27 steps to breaking
bad habits that hold you back. This powerful
book helps you rewire your mindset, take control
of your actions, and turn setbacks into stepping
stones. With real -life examples, motivational
quotes, and actionable lessons, especially for
sales professionals. You'll gain the tools to
quit what's stopping you and start winning. Transform
your future today. So Quit Your Way to Success
by Rodney Davis, available now on Amazon. And
this is a nonprofit called Revved Up Kids. This
is something I believe in wholeheartedly. Revved
Up Kids is on a mission to protect children and
teens from sexual abuse. exploitation, and trafficking.
They provide prevention training programs for
children, teens, and adults. To learn more, go
to revvedupkids .org. That's R -E -V -V -E -D
-U -P -K -I -D -S dot org. Well, that's a wrap,
folks. A huge thank you to our special guests
for sharing such incredible insights today. And
of course, a big shout out to you, our amazing
listeners, for tuning in and spending your time
with us. Remember, networking isn't about being
perfect. It's about being present. So take what
you've learned today, get out there and make
some meaningful connections. If you enjoyed this
episode, don't forget to subscribe, leave us
a review, and share it with someone who could
use a little networking inspiration. Let's keep
the conversation going. You can find me on Apple,
Spotify, YouTube, or my website, Michael. Remember,
until next time, keep practicing, keep connecting,
and keep building those relationships. This is
Michael signing off. Take care and happy networking.