WEBVTT 00:00:17.160 --> 00:00:20.539 Welcome to Networking Unleashed, Building Profitable 00:00:20.539 --> 00:00:23.300 Connections, the show where real conversations 00:00:23.300 --> 00:00:27.440 turn into real results. I'm Michael Foreman, 00:00:27.480 --> 00:00:29.899 and today we're stepping into a fast -moving 00:00:29.899 --> 00:00:34.340 space where AI meets digital marketing, entrepreneurship 00:00:34.340 --> 00:00:39.740 meets creativity, and relationships still sit 00:00:39.740 --> 00:00:42.960 at the center of it all. My guest today lives 00:00:42.960 --> 00:00:46.210 in that world every day. helping business owners 00:00:46.210 --> 00:00:49.530 grow with smart tech while keeping their conversations 00:00:49.530 --> 00:00:52.969 human. We're talking about how connections are 00:00:52.969 --> 00:00:58.090 built in a digital age, how entrepreneurs stay 00:00:58.090 --> 00:01:01.549 visible without losing their voice, and why trust 00:01:01.549 --> 00:01:06.650 still beats the tool in every box. And yes, we're 00:01:06.650 --> 00:01:10.049 even bringing in a special co -star, her dog, 00:01:10.310 --> 00:01:14.140 Echo Whiskey. Because sometimes the best lessons 00:01:14.140 --> 00:01:17.599 and connections come on four legs. If you care 00:01:17.599 --> 00:01:20.780 about growth, real relationships, and staying 00:01:20.780 --> 00:01:23.980 ahead without losing what makes you, you're in 00:01:23.980 --> 00:01:27.099 the right place. I'd like to welcome to the podcast, 00:01:27.480 --> 00:01:31.219 Amber. I am so glad that you made it here for 00:01:31.219 --> 00:01:34.060 the podcast. And I would like you just to introduce 00:01:34.060 --> 00:01:37.379 yourself and give us a little background of how 00:01:37.379 --> 00:01:40.230 you got where you are today. Hello, Michael. 00:01:40.349 --> 00:01:43.409 I'm so privileged to be your guest today. I really 00:01:43.409 --> 00:01:45.730 love the work that you're doing and I appreciate 00:01:45.730 --> 00:01:48.609 the plug for my precious Roddy. He's the best 00:01:48.609 --> 00:01:52.310 doggie in the whole wide world. So I'm a third 00:01:52.310 --> 00:01:55.549 generation entrepreneur and I'm a plumber's daughter. 00:01:56.060 --> 00:01:58.799 And so I grew up in the blue collar world and 00:01:58.799 --> 00:02:01.359 in the blue collar trade. So much so that in 00:02:01.359 --> 00:02:04.599 the days of Nextel, two -way radios and maps 00:02:04.599 --> 00:02:07.920 goes, we were dispatching trucks before it was 00:02:07.920 --> 00:02:11.819 cool. I'll say that. And that is what instilled 00:02:11.819 --> 00:02:15.759 the work ethic for me to go out on my own. That 00:02:15.759 --> 00:02:18.819 is what taught me that marketing cannot be ethereal. 00:02:18.919 --> 00:02:22.449 It must be practical. And that is what inspired 00:02:22.449 --> 00:02:25.770 me to pursue the very best solutions in technology 00:02:25.770 --> 00:02:29.509 and AI for the benefit of our agency clients 00:02:29.509 --> 00:02:34.069 today. That's great. I'm really looking forward 00:02:34.069 --> 00:02:38.310 to this podcast because everybody uses AI to 00:02:38.310 --> 00:02:42.629 a certain extent. I use AI as a tool. Just one 00:02:42.629 --> 00:02:45.930 of my many tools that I have to go out and network 00:02:45.930 --> 00:02:48.330 and communicate. So I'm really looking forward 00:02:48.330 --> 00:02:50.129 to everything that we're going to talk about. 00:02:50.669 --> 00:02:54.889 You work at the crossroads of AI marketing and 00:02:54.889 --> 00:02:58.889 business ownership. How has technology changed 00:02:58.889 --> 00:03:04.009 the way real relationships are built today? Technology 00:03:04.009 --> 00:03:06.650 is at the heart of almost every conversation 00:03:06.650 --> 00:03:08.710 that you have at business networking events. 00:03:09.650 --> 00:03:12.430 Technology rules our lives, as we found out from 00:03:12.430 --> 00:03:14.870 the recent Verizon outage where all of our cell 00:03:14.870 --> 00:03:16.969 phones on the Verizon platform did not work for 00:03:16.969 --> 00:03:20.949 24 hours. Technology is the driving force and 00:03:20.949 --> 00:03:24.770 differentiator between businesses today. And 00:03:24.770 --> 00:03:27.949 so I personally believe that technology being 00:03:27.949 --> 00:03:31.710 that great differentiator is also the great unifier, 00:03:31.870 --> 00:03:35.310 because when you work with people who are forward 00:03:35.310 --> 00:03:37.969 thinking, passionate about business growth and 00:03:37.969 --> 00:03:41.229 risk takers, then they are usually early adopters 00:03:41.229 --> 00:03:44.669 of technology as well. But the speed of light 00:03:44.669 --> 00:03:49.610 that technology is advancing is absolutely new 00:03:49.610 --> 00:03:52.419 to those of us that grew up. Prior to the internet 00:03:52.419 --> 00:03:54.180 and cell phones, am I allowed to say that and 00:03:54.180 --> 00:03:57.840 share my age? Facts are facts. Go ahead. Yeah, 00:03:57.860 --> 00:04:01.219 yeah. So I just think we have to embrace or get 00:04:01.219 --> 00:04:05.340 left behind. Yeah, I use the pandemic as a line 00:04:05.340 --> 00:04:10.120 in the sand. Before the pandemic, networking 00:04:10.120 --> 00:04:13.719 was really transactional. I have a widget, you 00:04:13.719 --> 00:04:16.439 have $3. You give me $3, I'll give you the widget 00:04:16.439 --> 00:04:20.970 and case closed, customer moves on. Ever since 00:04:20.970 --> 00:04:25.069 the pandemic, the relationship has become more 00:04:25.069 --> 00:04:29.269 important. And I think AI has contributed to 00:04:29.269 --> 00:04:32.750 making it easier to keep those relationships 00:04:32.750 --> 00:04:36.329 going. So I firmly believe in what you're talking 00:04:36.329 --> 00:04:41.509 about. Many people use... Oh, go ahead. I was 00:04:41.509 --> 00:04:43.889 just going to say, I also believe that COVID 00:04:43.889 --> 00:04:47.689 and the pandemic taught us that... technology 00:04:47.689 --> 00:04:50.550 can empower and strengthen relationships in a 00:04:50.550 --> 00:04:52.250 way that we really took for granted previously. 00:04:53.790 --> 00:04:56.689 Absolutely. I'm here talking to you. You're in 00:04:56.689 --> 00:04:59.410 Texas. I'm in Georgia. And I'm talking to you 00:04:59.410 --> 00:05:02.470 like you're sitting right next to me. So that 00:05:02.470 --> 00:05:06.769 is just one platform with the AI that we can 00:05:06.769 --> 00:05:10.069 turn to. And what we're trying to do, I'm trying 00:05:10.069 --> 00:05:13.810 to. Take everybody out of their houses, out of 00:05:13.810 --> 00:05:16.490 their homes, put them face to face with people, 00:05:16.670 --> 00:05:19.769 get them back to nurturing those relationships 00:05:19.769 --> 00:05:25.050 that it really counts, really means. But I digress. 00:05:25.050 --> 00:05:29.310 I don't want to go there. Okay. Many people use 00:05:29.310 --> 00:05:34.490 digital tools to reach more people. Few use them 00:05:34.490 --> 00:05:39.660 to connect better. What separates the two? I 00:05:39.660 --> 00:05:42.079 believe what separates the two is the way that 00:05:42.079 --> 00:05:45.180 you use digital tools. You can reach more people 00:05:45.180 --> 00:05:47.819 and still not make connection. You can reach 00:05:47.819 --> 00:05:50.579 more people and still not make a sale, and especially 00:05:50.579 --> 00:05:53.980 in the business world. So the use of the digital 00:05:53.980 --> 00:05:58.680 tools in line with the offerings and services 00:05:58.680 --> 00:06:03.000 of a company is what becomes of paramount importance 00:06:03.000 --> 00:06:05.899 when you're talking about digital tools and marketing 00:06:05.899 --> 00:06:08.620 for return on your investment. It's not enough 00:06:08.620 --> 00:06:11.860 just to treat ChatGPT like Google. That's kids 00:06:11.860 --> 00:06:14.540 play. My nine -year -old can do that. What you 00:06:14.540 --> 00:06:17.439 have to understand is that with digital tools, 00:06:17.740 --> 00:06:22.139 AI can be utilized to develop your audience and 00:06:22.139 --> 00:06:24.279 prepare them for a sale before they're even aware 00:06:24.279 --> 00:06:29.259 of your brand. Yes, yes. Very true. Very true. 00:06:29.699 --> 00:06:34.319 Okay. When entrepreneurs rely too much, on automation, 00:06:34.600 --> 00:06:38.740 what usually gets lost and how can they bring 00:06:38.740 --> 00:06:43.319 it back? I think that's a great question because 00:06:43.319 --> 00:06:46.819 when entrepreneurs rely too much on digital tools 00:06:46.819 --> 00:06:49.360 and they lose sight of their personal brand and 00:06:49.360 --> 00:06:53.139 authenticity, then they become, I'm going to 00:06:53.139 --> 00:06:57.019 say they become just another brand, just another 00:06:57.019 --> 00:06:59.259 part of the buzz, just another part of the noise. 00:07:00.060 --> 00:07:02.399 And it's important to understand that the one 00:07:02.399 --> 00:07:05.079 thing that technology will never replace is the 00:07:05.079 --> 00:07:09.500 critical thinking capability of people and the 00:07:09.500 --> 00:07:12.560 fact that people do people with those that they 00:07:12.560 --> 00:07:16.500 know and trust. And so as an entrepreneur, you 00:07:16.500 --> 00:07:20.120 have to maintain this fine balance of utilizing 00:07:20.120 --> 00:07:25.560 technology to empower your sales. and your marketing 00:07:25.560 --> 00:07:29.019 while still maintaining the personal branding 00:07:29.019 --> 00:07:32.899 that keeps you local, powerful, and approachable. 00:07:34.980 --> 00:07:38.959 Absolutely. And the word authenticity gets thrown 00:07:38.959 --> 00:07:41.939 around a little bit too much, right? Everybody 00:07:41.939 --> 00:07:45.600 wants to become that authentic self. But the 00:07:45.600 --> 00:07:50.939 true thing I believe that separates us from AI, 00:07:51.220 --> 00:07:57.170 that's emotion. And emotion is the main cog that 00:07:57.170 --> 00:08:00.769 holds you together and makes you that authentic 00:08:00.769 --> 00:08:04.329 self. AI can tell you what you are, what you 00:08:04.329 --> 00:08:07.689 do, and actually reproduce you and your voice 00:08:07.689 --> 00:08:12.949 and everything else. It can't yet, anyway, bring 00:08:12.949 --> 00:08:16.990 in that emotion. And that emotion drives a lot 00:08:16.990 --> 00:08:21.269 of sales, right? And the positioning and the 00:08:21.269 --> 00:08:24.939 nuances behind branding. is what will convey 00:08:24.939 --> 00:08:30.720 emotions and evoke emotions and opinions in potential 00:08:30.720 --> 00:08:34.419 clients or existing clients. So knowing how to 00:08:34.419 --> 00:08:37.620 pick your colors, establish your brand voice, 00:08:37.980 --> 00:08:41.259 put them into play of your tech -based platforms 00:08:41.259 --> 00:08:45.259 in a way that is consistent, clear, and evocative 00:08:45.259 --> 00:08:48.559 is, again, what creates a better opportunity 00:08:48.559 --> 00:08:52.720 for success. Absolutely. And when you look at 00:08:52.720 --> 00:08:55.120 the commercials that are being produced now, 00:08:55.320 --> 00:08:59.960 it's those commercials that create those emotional 00:08:59.960 --> 00:09:03.519 draw. My wife can't watch a dog food commercial 00:09:03.519 --> 00:09:06.840 without crying. She just YouTube. So it's that 00:09:06.840 --> 00:09:10.200 kind of emotion that AI can't bring in. Not yet, 00:09:10.299 --> 00:09:13.419 anyway, but they can't bring in. So that's really 00:09:13.419 --> 00:09:16.879 a big difference. You've built connections in 00:09:16.879 --> 00:09:21.659 fast moving spaces. What habits help relationships 00:09:21.659 --> 00:09:26.919 last when everything else keeps changing? I think 00:09:26.919 --> 00:09:29.179 we touched on this a little bit with the emotions. 00:09:29.299 --> 00:09:32.139 I think people are not going to care about you 00:09:32.139 --> 00:09:34.120 until they know that you care about them. Everyone 00:09:34.120 --> 00:09:36.200 wears a silent sign around their neck that says, 00:09:36.259 --> 00:09:39.379 make me feel special. So I think the habits that 00:09:39.379 --> 00:09:42.460 we develop are intentionality, frequency of communication. 00:09:43.580 --> 00:09:46.440 Heartfelt touches and messages. I still handwrite 00:09:46.440 --> 00:09:49.399 notes every single week in my business to clients 00:09:49.399 --> 00:09:51.860 and to connections and the stack of business 00:09:51.860 --> 00:09:54.240 cards that I keep on my desk of people. When 00:09:54.240 --> 00:09:56.179 I go to events, I'm going to write them a handwritten 00:09:56.179 --> 00:09:59.059 card. I'm not going to send them a LinkedIn introduction. 00:09:59.500 --> 00:10:02.200 Usually I'll do both. So I think the habits of 00:10:02.200 --> 00:10:05.779 maintaining those opportunities to out serve 00:10:05.779 --> 00:10:09.200 one another are what really helped to establish 00:10:09.200 --> 00:10:12.019 and maintain those meaningful. connections i'm 00:10:12.019 --> 00:10:15.419 going to give away advice all day long i'm always 00:10:15.419 --> 00:10:17.559 going to try and bring value to a conversation 00:10:17.559 --> 00:10:20.980 i'm going to lift people up it's those kinds 00:10:20.980 --> 00:10:23.860 of opportunities to give back into your networking 00:10:23.860 --> 00:10:27.379 community that position your reputation as a 00:10:27.379 --> 00:10:31.879 giver and not just a one -sided transaction you 00:10:31.879 --> 00:10:37.250 hit on so many things that are So correct that 00:10:37.250 --> 00:10:41.870 I can't begin to tell you how much I am right 00:10:41.870 --> 00:10:44.929 behind you, right? Between giving the thank you 00:10:44.929 --> 00:10:48.409 notes, between the giving. When you go to a networking 00:10:48.409 --> 00:10:51.090 event, you're going with a servant's heart. You're 00:10:51.090 --> 00:10:55.090 going to give and not receive. Bob Berg, who's 00:10:55.090 --> 00:10:57.830 a famous author and speaker and everything else. 00:10:58.429 --> 00:11:02.649 He does that. He's been for 25 years. He's been 00:11:02.649 --> 00:11:05.850 talking, going on stages, saying that you have 00:11:05.850 --> 00:11:10.009 to give first before you receive. Be a connector. 00:11:10.370 --> 00:11:14.169 And he's made the whole career of this. And it 00:11:14.169 --> 00:11:17.009 was really nice. I had him on a podcast a few 00:11:17.009 --> 00:11:20.789 weeks ago, and he was just sensational. But it's 00:11:20.789 --> 00:11:24.269 true. And everything you're doing. I teach, I 00:11:24.269 --> 00:11:28.389 coach, I mentor, and I teach everything that 00:11:28.389 --> 00:11:32.070 you just said. So I'm just so happy with your 00:11:32.070 --> 00:11:36.470 answer. We knew we had alignment prior to the 00:11:36.470 --> 00:11:38.289 podcast, but birds of a feather flock together. 00:11:38.789 --> 00:11:42.809 Absolutely. Absolutely. What's one moment where 00:11:42.809 --> 00:11:46.870 a genuine connection mattered more than any campaign 00:11:46.870 --> 00:11:52.129 system or strategy? Oh, goodness. It's hard to 00:11:52.129 --> 00:11:54.549 pick just one because I think genuine connection 00:11:54.549 --> 00:11:56.889 is what keeps us all in business if you look 00:11:56.889 --> 00:12:01.269 at it. I'm going to give an example of my friend 00:12:01.269 --> 00:12:04.350 who is now in political office. When I was a 00:12:04.350 --> 00:12:08.309 very young mother, I took my son to a chiropractor's 00:12:08.309 --> 00:12:11.029 office because he was born without the ability 00:12:11.029 --> 00:12:14.539 to turn his neck to one side. And because of 00:12:14.539 --> 00:12:16.779 that, we had some health concerns for my son. 00:12:17.019 --> 00:12:20.080 And the precious woman behind the counter who 00:12:20.080 --> 00:12:23.960 was the receptionist was beyond compassionate 00:12:23.960 --> 00:12:27.799 and helpful. Anytime that he spit up, anytime 00:12:27.799 --> 00:12:31.120 I was running late, anytime we needed to book 00:12:31.120 --> 00:12:33.580 an appointment, she knew my name, my son's name, 00:12:33.679 --> 00:12:36.120 my insurance information, and the intentionality 00:12:36.120 --> 00:12:40.580 of her service was unparalleled. Fast forward, 00:12:40.720 --> 00:12:43.769 my son is now nine years old. And yesterday, 00:12:43.889 --> 00:12:48.669 I got a phone call from this same person who 00:12:48.669 --> 00:12:50.470 said, Amber, I don't know if you remember me 00:12:50.470 --> 00:12:54.230 or not, but I am running for reelection. And 00:12:54.230 --> 00:12:58.330 I have found myself in need of a messaging strategist. 00:12:58.330 --> 00:13:02.049 And when I looked up on ChatGPT, the top strategic 00:13:02.049 --> 00:13:06.090 experts in our city, your name came up. And I 00:13:06.090 --> 00:13:08.269 know you probably don't remember me, but would 00:13:08.269 --> 00:13:11.500 you be willing to take on my account? And the 00:13:11.500 --> 00:13:14.620 fact that we had formed a connection nine years 00:13:14.620 --> 00:13:18.679 prior brought me business yesterday with someone 00:13:18.679 --> 00:13:20.960 who I hope to serve throughout her political 00:13:20.960 --> 00:13:25.179 career. So you never know when it's going to 00:13:25.179 --> 00:13:28.240 come back around, whether or not it's a big ticket 00:13:28.240 --> 00:13:32.360 item or not. My name awareness and her reputation 00:13:32.360 --> 00:13:35.039 is what brought the business opportunity together. 00:13:36.759 --> 00:13:41.019 Absolutely. And I can't. put enough behind what 00:13:41.019 --> 00:13:45.799 you just said. I can't drive it home enough because 00:13:45.799 --> 00:13:49.879 the little things you do, when I tell all my 00:13:49.879 --> 00:13:53.620 students, my clients, everybody, I say, you know 00:13:53.620 --> 00:13:56.879 what, give a little bit more, give a little patience, 00:13:57.279 --> 00:13:59.919 give a little information, give whatever you 00:13:59.919 --> 00:14:02.879 can. If they want from what you're trying to 00:14:02.879 --> 00:14:04.919 sell, they're going to buy. Okay. Or if they 00:14:04.919 --> 00:14:08.029 want more information. But it doesn't take very 00:14:08.029 --> 00:14:13.230 much for you to give that information to them, 00:14:13.269 --> 00:14:16.009 right? If one of my clients was interested in 00:14:16.009 --> 00:14:20.470 a company, I say contact them on LinkedIn. Contact 00:14:20.470 --> 00:14:23.809 the person that you want to contact and ask him, 00:14:23.889 --> 00:14:27.429 say, look, can I call you for 15 minutes? I want 00:14:27.429 --> 00:14:30.629 to pick your brain. They'll be more than happy 00:14:30.629 --> 00:14:34.620 to give you everything. Plus, it's an amazing 00:14:34.620 --> 00:14:38.500 thing. And if more people thought the way you 00:14:38.500 --> 00:14:41.340 and I feel, I think the world would be a much 00:14:41.340 --> 00:14:44.500 better place. Oh, we'd certainly have fewer confrontations, 00:14:44.500 --> 00:14:46.679 wouldn't we? If we could just stop and take some 00:14:46.679 --> 00:14:48.539 of the hyper -emotionalism out of it and realize 00:14:48.539 --> 00:14:51.080 we're just humans trying to find common ground. 00:14:51.519 --> 00:14:54.419 Just trying to get along. That's exactly what 00:14:54.419 --> 00:14:57.340 we're trying to do. Yeah, while using technology, 00:14:57.559 --> 00:15:00.340 right? To do it better and faster. While using 00:15:00.340 --> 00:15:04.470 technology. Yes, yes. Should business owners 00:15:04.470 --> 00:15:08.909 use AI to support conversations without turning 00:15:08.909 --> 00:15:13.110 them into copy and paste interactions? This is 00:15:13.110 --> 00:15:15.909 the temptation when you utilize certain plugins 00:15:15.909 --> 00:15:19.669 and automations is that it feels robotic. So 00:15:19.669 --> 00:15:23.370 I believe, and we coach our clients to use technology 00:15:23.370 --> 00:15:28.169 for automation, for streamlining, but to program 00:15:28.169 --> 00:15:32.370 the technology to be personalized. So it doesn't 00:15:32.370 --> 00:15:35.309 take that much more time for you to personalize 00:15:35.309 --> 00:15:37.789 your responses by putting someone's first name 00:15:37.789 --> 00:15:40.850 in there. Michael, thanks for reaching out. How 00:15:40.850 --> 00:15:42.750 can we be of service to you? Instead of you've 00:15:42.750 --> 00:15:45.490 reached far beyond marketing, what's your marketing 00:15:45.490 --> 00:15:49.820 problem? So you personalize it. You customize 00:15:49.820 --> 00:15:53.980 your responses. You offer things earlier in the 00:15:53.980 --> 00:15:56.620 conversation that will solve the most common 00:15:56.620 --> 00:16:00.620 problems that your audience faces. You are warming 00:16:00.620 --> 00:16:05.200 up an audience with educating them about how 00:16:05.200 --> 00:16:07.980 you make their life better. But you duplicate 00:16:07.980 --> 00:16:11.950 your efforts. through automations and platforms 00:16:11.950 --> 00:16:15.330 that will take you further faster. So again, 00:16:15.529 --> 00:16:18.389 I run a very lean, mean marketing machine with 00:16:18.389 --> 00:16:21.490 my team and we serve a lot more clients than 00:16:21.490 --> 00:16:24.769 we would be able to if we didn't have plugins, 00:16:25.049 --> 00:16:28.370 automations, and things like that, that tech 00:16:28.370 --> 00:16:35.929 powers. It's so true. And companies now are doing 00:16:35.929 --> 00:16:38.789 more with less and they're actually more efficient. 00:16:39.450 --> 00:16:43.350 with the less than having more people. That's 00:16:43.350 --> 00:16:46.669 creating an atmosphere where people like you 00:16:46.669 --> 00:16:49.690 and I, whether we have a two, three, four, even 00:16:49.690 --> 00:16:53.590 five person company, we make the assumption or 00:16:53.590 --> 00:16:55.990 have the people look at us and say, oh, wait, 00:16:56.090 --> 00:16:59.669 you're ahead of a bigger company. You're 10 people, 00:16:59.850 --> 00:17:02.210 15 people. And I'm like, oh, yeah, sure, sure. 00:17:02.610 --> 00:17:04.490 Meanwhile, it's me and three other people. But 00:17:04.490 --> 00:17:07.609 that's how it all works. But it's to make you. 00:17:08.059 --> 00:17:11.240 better. It's not to replace anything that you're 00:17:11.240 --> 00:17:14.380 saying or doing, but just to make it better. 00:17:14.500 --> 00:17:17.380 And you're right, the personalization of it, 00:17:17.420 --> 00:17:20.720 just that little bit, that little touch of Amber, 00:17:20.880 --> 00:17:23.799 this is Michael, and yada, yada, yada, just to 00:17:23.799 --> 00:17:26.700 make it personal. A great example of this, Michael, 00:17:26.740 --> 00:17:31.099 is I recently met the incomparable, brilliant, 00:17:31.240 --> 00:17:35.190 beautiful Vera Stewart. And Vera is based in 00:17:35.190 --> 00:17:38.549 Augusta, Georgia, and she is the premier caterer 00:17:38.549 --> 00:17:41.809 for the Masters Tournament. And Vera has had 00:17:41.809 --> 00:17:46.170 her creations in Goldman Sachs and in Neiman's, 00:17:46.170 --> 00:17:48.849 and she had three SKUs in Costco. She started 00:17:48.849 --> 00:17:51.109 out in Augusta, Georgia, as a home economics 00:17:51.109 --> 00:17:55.970 teacher, and she has built a 44 -year career 00:17:55.970 --> 00:18:01.190 on culinary arts, hospitality, and excellence. 00:18:01.960 --> 00:18:04.559 And I will tell you that her business empire 00:18:04.559 --> 00:18:09.059 is so impressive. But in the course of the conversation 00:18:09.059 --> 00:18:11.359 with Vera while she was signing my cookbooks, 00:18:11.559 --> 00:18:16.220 she continued to impress upon me and the audience 00:18:16.220 --> 00:18:20.559 at the importance of customer service, personality 00:18:20.559 --> 00:18:24.160 profiling your employees, never compromising 00:18:24.160 --> 00:18:26.519 on quality, no matter what it is that you're 00:18:26.519 --> 00:18:30.359 doing. Have you ever read the book, The Raving 00:18:30.359 --> 00:18:35.119 Fan? Oh, one of my favorites. Okay. Because I 00:18:35.119 --> 00:18:38.140 used to be in the mortgage industry and I must 00:18:38.140 --> 00:18:41.480 have bought 25 of those books. And I used to 00:18:41.480 --> 00:18:44.119 hand them to all my realtors whenever they're 00:18:44.119 --> 00:18:47.339 having a problem or as a small gift. It's out 00:18:47.339 --> 00:18:50.420 of print already, but I still have five left. 00:18:50.619 --> 00:18:54.880 And I just, it's a quick read and it just teaches 00:18:54.880 --> 00:18:58.839 you the basics of customer service. 100%. Raving 00:18:58.839 --> 00:19:03.650 Fans, The One Minute Manager. Yep, absolutely. 00:19:03.910 --> 00:19:07.369 I have all my shelf. I have all my shelf. Okay. 00:19:07.829 --> 00:19:11.789 Okay. In digital marketing, attention is easy 00:19:11.789 --> 00:19:15.930 to get and hard to keep. What makes someone worth 00:19:15.930 --> 00:19:20.049 staying connected? What makes someone worth staying 00:19:20.049 --> 00:19:24.589 connected to after the first interaction? You 00:19:24.589 --> 00:19:27.730 should always stay connected. It's a mutual decision. 00:19:28.240 --> 00:19:31.160 So if that person elects out of your communication, 00:19:31.420 --> 00:19:33.660 you're not going to force them to communicate 00:19:33.660 --> 00:19:37.180 with you. But I believe that when you continuously 00:19:37.180 --> 00:19:40.960 reach out and you continuously provide value, 00:19:41.220 --> 00:19:43.660 people intrinsically want to stay connected. 00:19:43.900 --> 00:19:46.319 So when you're looking at things like digital 00:19:46.319 --> 00:19:49.740 marketing, whether you're running ads on Facebook 00:19:49.740 --> 00:19:53.079 or YouTube, or you're establishing an email campaign, 00:19:53.339 --> 00:19:57.690 or you are talking on a chat bot. The primary 00:19:57.690 --> 00:20:01.309 reason to stay connected is brand awareness and 00:20:01.309 --> 00:20:04.250 opportunity so that you are in a prime position 00:20:04.250 --> 00:20:06.569 to be remembered when that person is ready to 00:20:06.569 --> 00:20:10.529 buy. And that equates to frequency overreach. 00:20:10.730 --> 00:20:15.390 So over communicating both in person and in digital 00:20:15.390 --> 00:20:19.769 marketing is hugely important. What would you 00:20:19.769 --> 00:20:23.829 say to somebody who has a huge LinkedIn following? 00:20:24.329 --> 00:20:27.250 I have 10 ,000 people that I'm connected to. 00:20:27.450 --> 00:20:30.470 How big would you say I should keep my circle, 00:20:30.630 --> 00:20:35.170 my sphere of influence, so that I can keep up 00:20:35.170 --> 00:20:39.890 on those interactions? Especially in light of 00:20:39.890 --> 00:20:41.970 today's conversation, I would say there's no 00:20:41.970 --> 00:20:45.049 reason to shrink your circle. Just employ some 00:20:45.049 --> 00:20:47.269 technology to help you stay in front of all of 00:20:47.269 --> 00:20:49.789 them. I don't think you have to decrease. I don't 00:20:49.789 --> 00:20:51.769 think that just because you're reaching the masses, 00:20:51.789 --> 00:20:54.670 you have to decrease the quality. of your communication. 00:20:55.089 --> 00:21:00.529 That's the basis of technology and AI. So I tell 00:21:00.529 --> 00:21:03.069 my clients all the time, the wider the net you 00:21:03.069 --> 00:21:07.890 cast, the more opportunities you bring in. But 00:21:07.890 --> 00:21:11.970 the more narrowed you are in your approach, the 00:21:11.970 --> 00:21:15.150 faster you are to bring someone around to doing 00:21:15.150 --> 00:21:17.569 business with you because you have highly vetted 00:21:17.569 --> 00:21:21.329 them. So is it a numbers game or is it a quality 00:21:21.329 --> 00:21:25.200 game? Frequency over reach, quality over quantity. 00:21:25.380 --> 00:21:27.700 These are the consistent conversations that keep 00:21:27.700 --> 00:21:30.019 marketing companies in business because every 00:21:30.019 --> 00:21:33.420 client has a different desire. Our job is to 00:21:33.420 --> 00:21:35.940 create the right mix to generate the success 00:21:35.940 --> 00:21:40.380 definition that the client has. Yes, I could 00:21:40.380 --> 00:21:44.940 agree. A thousand percent, I agree. Okay, entrepreneurship 00:21:44.940 --> 00:21:51.839 can feel lonely. How has networking shaped your 00:21:51.839 --> 00:21:56.519 growth when things felt uncertain? Oh, when did 00:21:56.519 --> 00:21:59.180 things feel uncertain as an entrepreneur, Michael? 00:22:00.180 --> 00:22:03.359 Absolutely. We're the last to get paid and the 00:22:03.359 --> 00:22:05.619 first to hear about the problem. God bless all 00:22:05.619 --> 00:22:08.200 entrepreneurs everywhere. I think networking 00:22:08.200 --> 00:22:11.940 is what brings entrepreneurs solitude and friendships. 00:22:12.619 --> 00:22:16.079 And I think that there is networking, again, 00:22:16.180 --> 00:22:19.359 for the sake of business transaction. And then 00:22:19.359 --> 00:22:21.160 there was networking for the sake of connection. 00:22:21.500 --> 00:22:25.359 I am incredibly picky about where I spend my 00:22:25.359 --> 00:22:28.619 time networking. I am not a serial networker. 00:22:28.640 --> 00:22:30.920 I can't be. I'm a mother and I'm a business owner 00:22:30.920 --> 00:22:33.099 and I'm a rotting owner. So I don't have to be 00:22:33.099 --> 00:22:35.640 home petting my dog then out until midnight. 00:22:35.839 --> 00:22:38.359 I guess it's boring in that way. But I think 00:22:38.359 --> 00:22:40.839 that networking with like -minded professionals. 00:22:41.740 --> 00:22:45.059 whether it's an industry group or a shared clientele 00:22:45.059 --> 00:22:49.099 group, allows entrepreneurs to realize that they 00:22:49.099 --> 00:22:51.400 are not alone. I was at a wine bar yesterday, 00:22:51.519 --> 00:22:53.339 I'll give you an example, with a fellow female 00:22:53.339 --> 00:22:55.500 business owner who has also been in business 00:22:55.500 --> 00:22:58.200 for over 10 years. And we were just sitting at 00:22:58.200 --> 00:23:00.619 the table before our Chamber of Commerce event, 00:23:00.720 --> 00:23:04.319 and she said, I am so tired of reinventing myself. 00:23:04.920 --> 00:23:07.960 For 10 years, I've been reinventing my business 00:23:07.960 --> 00:23:11.410 and reinventing myself. And my comment to her 00:23:11.410 --> 00:23:14.710 was, when you stop reinventing yourself, you 00:23:14.710 --> 00:23:17.150 might as well close your doors because you are 00:23:17.150 --> 00:23:21.529 always going to be reinventing an offer, a strategy, 00:23:21.769 --> 00:23:26.230 a product or a service. And that is what entrepreneurship 00:23:26.230 --> 00:23:29.410 is about. It's about lifting each other up, sharing 00:23:29.410 --> 00:23:33.609 common concerns, finding solutions together and 00:23:33.609 --> 00:23:36.609 serving one another. So I believe that entrepreneurship 00:23:36.609 --> 00:23:42.430 requires. a huge community somehow of people 00:23:42.430 --> 00:23:45.170 that are going to lift that entrepreneur up and 00:23:45.170 --> 00:23:48.349 keep them encouraged. If it's a beat down, entrepreneurship 00:23:48.349 --> 00:23:52.069 is not for the faint of heart. Absolutely. I 00:23:52.069 --> 00:23:55.910 actually, I run a networking group, a weekly 00:23:55.910 --> 00:24:00.049 networking group from 5 .30 to 7 o 'clock at 00:24:00.049 --> 00:24:04.309 night. And between 17 and 20 businesses come 00:24:04.309 --> 00:24:07.849 together. And we talk about, we do networking 00:24:07.849 --> 00:24:10.829 and everything else. But about the last 15 minutes 00:24:10.829 --> 00:24:15.329 or so, I say, okay, what frustrates you the most? 00:24:15.890 --> 00:24:18.950 And then what excites you the most? Every week 00:24:18.950 --> 00:24:21.470 is different, of course. It's getting through 00:24:21.470 --> 00:24:25.730 certain problems. There are 17 business minds 00:24:25.730 --> 00:24:31.309 in that room. So if you have a problem, who better 00:24:31.309 --> 00:24:34.509 to answer those problems than other... business 00:24:34.509 --> 00:24:37.349 owners like yourself. And that's what keeps me 00:24:37.349 --> 00:24:39.029 going. We have a great time. We have a great 00:24:39.029 --> 00:24:43.369 time. Phenomenal. Phenomenal. Let's talk Echo 00:24:43.369 --> 00:24:47.690 Whiskey for a moment. What has your dog taught 00:24:47.690 --> 00:24:52.150 you about patience, presence, or connection that 00:24:52.150 --> 00:24:55.789 shows up in business too? Well, my dog is perfect. 00:24:55.970 --> 00:24:58.990 He has no faults. So when you want to look at 00:24:58.990 --> 00:25:01.670 the model of patient's connection and purpose, 00:25:01.730 --> 00:25:03.529 you just look at his little chocolate cover eyes 00:25:03.529 --> 00:25:06.029 and you go, yes, you are absolutely right about 00:25:06.029 --> 00:25:08.269 that. Let me give you a duck foot. Absolutely. 00:25:09.329 --> 00:25:13.130 They say dogs are a man's best friend. I think 00:25:13.130 --> 00:25:17.490 that when you look at companionship from a dependence 00:25:17.490 --> 00:25:20.849 perspective, who would lay down their life for 00:25:20.849 --> 00:25:23.279 you. If you ever needed them to. And that's why 00:25:23.279 --> 00:25:25.180 I'm a Rottweiler owner, because I believe in 00:25:25.180 --> 00:25:27.359 a strong working dog. I'm sorry. I know I'm five 00:25:27.359 --> 00:25:29.559 foot tall, but I don't have time for a little 00:25:29.559 --> 00:25:33.140 dog. Sorry. Give me a real dog. I shoot big guns. 00:25:33.160 --> 00:25:35.059 I got a big dog. I drink big whiskey. Anyway, 00:25:35.099 --> 00:25:37.799 but I think when you look at the perspective 00:25:37.799 --> 00:25:43.420 of power versus dependence and servanthood, there 00:25:43.420 --> 00:25:46.779 is a beautiful continuity in the two. Be powerful, 00:25:46.859 --> 00:25:50.579 but give love. Be consistent, but have boundaries. 00:25:51.279 --> 00:25:55.420 Understand that you can provide peace and protection, 00:25:55.640 --> 00:26:00.440 but also offer a sense of companionship and truth. 00:26:00.700 --> 00:26:03.759 And I think that's what we get when we have relationships 00:26:03.759 --> 00:26:08.180 with others. And also when we recognize, even 00:26:08.180 --> 00:26:12.220 as pet owners, that these are powerful creatures 00:26:12.220 --> 00:26:15.079 that still rely on us for their well -being. 00:26:15.460 --> 00:26:19.319 And it's really an amazing connection that we 00:26:19.319 --> 00:26:24.980 have. to steward our relationships yeah i'm a 00:26:24.980 --> 00:26:28.460 dog owner myself and i the longest time i went 00:26:28.460 --> 00:26:30.680 without i think was a year and a half that was 00:26:30.680 --> 00:26:33.799 after one dog passed away it took me about a 00:26:33.799 --> 00:26:37.279 year to a year and a half to adjust to her being 00:26:37.279 --> 00:26:40.640 missed it was like a piece of me was torn out 00:26:40.640 --> 00:26:43.920 so we finally got a puppy and now she's about 00:26:43.920 --> 00:26:47.950 five months old But yeah, if she was around, 00:26:48.190 --> 00:26:50.549 I would show her to you. She's probably upstairs 00:26:50.549 --> 00:26:53.990 with my wife. But it's just, it's an incredible 00:26:53.990 --> 00:26:58.650 thing that you, the love and affection you can 00:26:58.650 --> 00:27:01.710 get, but the protection you can get. And it's, 00:27:01.710 --> 00:27:07.250 you, in business, you find like minds, right? 00:27:07.329 --> 00:27:10.450 And you don't want yes men. You want people that 00:27:10.450 --> 00:27:14.069 are actually going to give you constructive criticism. 00:27:15.000 --> 00:27:17.319 but they'll lay down their life for you. Absolutely. 00:27:18.059 --> 00:27:20.940 So that's what a true friend, a true cohort is. 00:27:21.440 --> 00:27:25.420 And I couldn't agree more. But I had to do that 00:27:25.420 --> 00:27:28.519 question for Echo Whiskey. I'll let him know. 00:27:29.000 --> 00:27:31.259 How did you come up with the name Echo Whiskey? 00:27:32.460 --> 00:27:35.299 Okay, so here's a funny story for you. So I come 00:27:35.299 --> 00:27:37.200 from a military family and I see your veteran 00:27:37.200 --> 00:27:39.779 logo and thank you for your service because our 00:27:39.779 --> 00:27:41.700 military families are the backbone of America. 00:27:42.119 --> 00:27:45.539 And so my nephews are Marines and my grandfather 00:27:45.539 --> 00:27:49.319 was in the Navy. And so military is just part 00:27:49.319 --> 00:27:53.259 of who we are. And I unfortunately did not serve. 00:27:53.380 --> 00:27:55.920 I was the creative type who decided she was going 00:27:55.920 --> 00:27:57.799 to be an opera singer and tour the world. And 00:27:57.799 --> 00:27:59.680 I did that for a time, but found out quickly 00:27:59.680 --> 00:28:03.490 it doesn't pay the bills. So my artistic operatic 00:28:03.490 --> 00:28:05.730 side came out when I had to pick a name for my 00:28:05.730 --> 00:28:08.809 buddy. And I was going to name him Avic Von Century, 00:28:09.009 --> 00:28:11.529 which meant my eternal guardian because Avic 00:28:11.529 --> 00:28:15.529 is the word of eternal in German. But it is spelled 00:28:15.529 --> 00:28:23.730 E -W -I -G. Okay. Okay. And so military call 00:28:23.730 --> 00:28:28.930 letters, Echo, Whiskey, India. So instead of 00:28:28.930 --> 00:28:33.490 Avic. He is Echo Whiskey. And as soon as I saw 00:28:33.490 --> 00:28:36.369 it, I knew it was associated with the military. 00:28:36.549 --> 00:28:41.130 Just because I phonetically spelled the alphabet. 00:28:41.349 --> 00:28:45.529 So I knew automatically. So I had to ask. Okay, 00:28:45.809 --> 00:28:49.750 so let's bring this podcast full circle. If you 00:28:49.750 --> 00:28:53.789 could change one belief people have about networking 00:28:53.789 --> 00:28:57.779 in a tech -driven world. What would it be, and 00:28:57.779 --> 00:29:01.940 why does it matter now? Connection, I think we've 00:29:01.940 --> 00:29:03.960 established in our time together today that connection 00:29:03.960 --> 00:29:06.420 matters more than ever. Genuine connection is 00:29:06.420 --> 00:29:09.359 hard to find, and technology is what empowers 00:29:09.359 --> 00:29:12.359 us to have both. I think what we have to change 00:29:12.359 --> 00:29:14.720 is the opinion that tech is going to replace 00:29:14.720 --> 00:29:17.880 connection. It never will. Tech is going to empower. 00:29:18.259 --> 00:29:20.680 Tech is going to allow us to have more connections, 00:29:20.779 --> 00:29:22.500 just like it's allowing us to connect today. 00:29:22.859 --> 00:29:25.869 But it will never replace. Like you said earlier, 00:29:25.970 --> 00:29:29.029 emotion, it will never replace connection that 00:29:29.029 --> 00:29:32.609 is human. And it's never going to change the 00:29:32.609 --> 00:29:38.329 way that people choose to make their buying decisions. 00:29:38.430 --> 00:29:41.769 Because even digitally, I would argue that you 00:29:41.769 --> 00:29:44.670 have to feel a connection with a brand, even 00:29:44.670 --> 00:29:47.109 if it is purely for your own self -betterment. 00:29:47.410 --> 00:29:50.589 If you are not feeling connected to the product 00:29:50.589 --> 00:29:53.029 or purpose, you're not going to spend your money 00:29:53.029 --> 00:29:56.670 on it. So don't assume that tech replaces connection. 00:29:57.089 --> 00:30:00.890 Tech underscores connection and allows you to 00:30:00.890 --> 00:30:03.269 do it more efficiently and on a broader scale. 00:30:05.349 --> 00:30:09.829 Absolutely. Absolutely. Amber, we probably could 00:30:09.829 --> 00:30:12.950 talk for another two hours about this or a multitude 00:30:12.950 --> 00:30:16.769 of things, but time constraints. If somebody 00:30:16.769 --> 00:30:19.569 wants to get hold of you, either just to talk 00:30:19.569 --> 00:30:22.009 to you, be consulted by you, or ask you about 00:30:22.009 --> 00:30:25.220 your companies. Where should they go? You're 00:30:25.220 --> 00:30:28.220 welcome to find me on LinkedIn, Amber Gage, G 00:30:28.220 --> 00:30:31.019 -A -I -G -E. You're welcome to go to our website 00:30:31.019 --> 00:30:33.900 and take advantage of our free quiz to assess 00:30:33.900 --> 00:30:36.339 what marketing you currently have. That's www 00:30:36.339 --> 00:30:40.579 .farbeyondmarketing .com. You're welcome to follow 00:30:40.579 --> 00:30:42.740 us across all the social channels. We'd be very 00:30:42.740 --> 00:30:47.440 happy to connect. That's wonderful. That's what 00:30:47.440 --> 00:30:51.579 happens when technology, creativity, and real 00:30:51.579 --> 00:30:54.880 connection come together. You don't grow a business 00:30:54.880 --> 00:30:58.019 through clicks alone. You don't build trust through 00:30:58.019 --> 00:31:02.579 tools alone. You don't build it though, how you 00:31:02.579 --> 00:31:06.640 show up online. You build it through how you 00:31:06.640 --> 00:31:11.039 show up online and in person. Take one idea from 00:31:11.039 --> 00:31:14.279 today's episode and try it in your next conversation. 00:31:14.880 --> 00:31:17.539 Watch how people respond when you bring more 00:31:17.539 --> 00:31:21.279 presence, more curiosity, and a little more heart 00:31:21.279 --> 00:31:24.279 into the room. If this episode made you think, 00:31:24.319 --> 00:31:27.559 smile, or see networking in a new way, share 00:31:27.559 --> 00:31:29.579 it with someone who's building something of their 00:31:29.579 --> 00:31:32.500 own. And be sure to follow Networking Unleashed, 00:31:32.539 --> 00:31:34.859 Building Profitable Connections, so you never 00:31:34.859 --> 00:31:37.420 miss a conversation that helps you grow the right 00:31:37.420 --> 00:31:40.460 way. I'm Michael Foreman, and remember, your 00:31:40.460 --> 00:31:43.059 next connection right, your next connection. 00:31:43.640 --> 00:31:46.740 might come from the last place you expect, sometimes 00:31:46.740 --> 00:31:52.000 even from a dog named Echo Whiskey. Amber, this 00:31:52.000 --> 00:31:54.900 was just a wonderful time. I thank you so much 00:31:54.900 --> 00:31:58.119 for coming on my podcast. It was my humble privilege, 00:31:58.259 --> 00:32:05.640 Michael. Take care. Well, hold on, folks. Don't 00:32:05.640 --> 00:32:09.079 go anywhere. Let's hear from our sponsors. David 00:32:09.079 --> 00:32:12.559 Neal, co -founder, Revved Up Kids. Revved Up 00:32:12.559 --> 00:32:15.380 Kids is on a mission to protect children and 00:32:15.380 --> 00:32:19.380 teens from sexual abuse, exploitation, and trafficking. 00:32:19.640 --> 00:32:22.819 They provide prevention training programs for 00:32:22.819 --> 00:32:26.380 children, teens, and adults. To learn more, go 00:32:26.380 --> 00:32:30.759 to revvedupkids .org. Henry Kaplan, Century 21. 00:32:31.259 --> 00:32:33.480 When it comes to making the biggest financial 00:32:33.480 --> 00:32:36.420 decision of your life, leave it in the hands 00:32:36.420 --> 00:32:39.740 of a proven professional, Henry Kaplan. Henry 00:32:39.740 --> 00:32:42.940 is a global real estate agent with Century 21, 00:32:43.140 --> 00:32:47.099 celebrating his 41st year in business. No matter 00:32:47.099 --> 00:32:49.799 where you're moving, Henry has the right connections 00:32:49.799 --> 00:32:56.779 for you. You can contact Henry at 561 -427 -4888. 00:32:57.440 --> 00:33:00.460 A huge thank you to our guests for sharing such... 00:33:00.880 --> 00:33:04.180 insights today. And of course, a big shout out 00:33:04.180 --> 00:33:07.480 to you, our amazing listeners, for tuning in 00:33:07.480 --> 00:33:10.400 and spending your time with us. If you're interested 00:33:10.400 --> 00:33:13.740 in my digital courses, being coached or having 00:33:13.740 --> 00:33:16.880 me come and talk to your company, just go to 00:33:16.880 --> 00:33:20.099 Michael and fill out the request form. Remember, 00:33:20.420 --> 00:33:23.740 networking isn't about being perfect. It's about 00:33:23.740 --> 00:33:26.660 being present. So take what you've learned today, 00:33:26.839 --> 00:33:29.460 get out there and make some meaningful connections. 00:33:30.190 --> 00:33:33.109 If you've enjoyed this episode, please don't 00:33:33.109 --> 00:33:36.450 forget to subscribe. Leave us a review and share 00:33:36.450 --> 00:33:38.650 it with someone who could use a little networking 00:33:38.650 --> 00:33:41.650 inspiration. Let's keep the conversation going. 00:33:41.829 --> 00:33:46.369 You can find me on Apple, Spotify, Pandora, YouTube, 00:33:46.529 --> 00:33:51.170 or my website, foreman .com slash podcasts.