Welcome to Networking Unleashed, Building Profitable
Connections. The show where relationships aren't
random and conversations actually lead somewhere.
I'm your host, Michael Foreman, and today we're
talking about a tool most businesses underestimate.
Not because it's complicated, but because it's
done wrong. Podcasting. Not as a vanity project,
not as background noise, but as a relationship
engine. My guest today works directly with Business
Radio X, where business conversations turn into
long -term B2B relationships. We're breaking
down how companies use podcasting to open doors,
stay relevant, and build trust before the first
sales conversation even starts. If you've ever
wondered how to make networking easier, warmer,
and more human, this episode is for you. So let's
get into it. I'd like to welcome to the podcast,
Garrett. Garrett has a long time. We became friends,
I guess about a year ago, and he's looking for
something and he seemed to have found his niche.
So I'm going to have Garrett explain his background
and give us the clip notes of why you are here
today. Garrett, welcome to the podcast. Thank
you, Michael. I appreciate you having me on your
podcast for sure. And yeah, this is definitely
a new venture for me. I spent roughly 30, 31
years in the environmental testing laboratory
industry. Decided it was time to move on after
that. Got to a point where I was working for
several large corporations and wanted to get
back into business for myself after starting
my career. in a small business of about 15 to
18 people, decided to resign and started networking
a lot, particularly in Johns Creek and Gwinnett
County, and that's where you and I initially
met. And through the networking events, I was
introduced to a business broker who had this
business for sale. And it was very intriguing
to me. It was an established business and it
was something new and exciting. And I decided
to go for it. So I'm now a small business owner,
getting out there, meeting a bunch of new people,
putting some new roots down here in Gwinnett
County and really enjoying the time that I have
right now within the podcasting industry. That's
great. Listen. I think you're perfect for it.
I happen to love podcasting. It's as close to
radio, I think, as I'll ever get. But it opens
up, it's a whole new world because it goes on
to my networking, what I do on a weekly basis.
But I think it opens up further than your local
areas. It opens up the world. It really does.
I was looking at my LinkedIn, our business LinkedIn
account, LinkedIn member, look at our latest
episode that I just posted, which was interesting.
So it is a worldwide reach with very little effort.
I'll tell you, I've had guests from Canada, Mexico,
the UK, France, Germany, Israel, Egypt, Australia.
I've had them from all over. So this, what you're
doing, what you're saying goes out to everybody.
It's interesting because I've thought about putting
a map up in the studio here of the world and
put little pushpins on from wherever I get listeners
from just so I could see the scope of the reach.
It would be really interesting to see that in
a single place. It would. That's something you
should think about doing. Okay, so let me jump
into the questions. Most B2B leaders say they
network, but few see revenue from it. What are
they doing wrong? And where does meaningful connections
actually begin? That's an interesting question.
Being new to the networking scene within just
the past year, it really is a situation where
you're meeting people and developing relationships.
And those relationships are really what solidify
B2B business transactions, or I shouldn't say
transactions, but relationships. So it's been
very interesting to me to meet people through
active networking events and start to learn that
trust, start to understand how I can make their
lives easier, how I can give back to them, give
back to the community and really be a servant
to potential clients at that point. Yeah. It's
I, I, I value networking so much. Networking
is the lifeblood of all business. And I found
that if you go into networking, a networking
meeting or a networking event with a servant's
heart, then you're looking to give, not receive.
And if you do that, it takes all the pressure
off your shoulders. It takes all the pressure
off and you can actually see what everybody is
about. And if you go in there thinking, how can
I help this person? It'll come back to you tenfold.
Bob Berg, Zig Ziglar, all these guys, they all
say the same thing. Give first and you'll receive
afterwards. That's 100 % correct. With at least
our business plan, we have a weekly show, which
I had you on one of our shows, where we're just
highlighting local businesses. And it's absolutely
amazing when you give them an opportunity to
talk about themselves and the show concludes.
they immediately go to, what can I do for you?
And my standard line is nothing because this
is for you. This is for you to highlight your
business and for us to promote you guys. So the
immediate reaction when you do have a servant's
heart is people do want to reciprocate and offer
some kind of service back to you. Absolutely.
And really, that's the way it should work. Because
if you do something for, if I did something for
you, you're going to turn around and say, look,
Mike did that for me. So let me do something
for him. And if we both did that and it just
creates a larger and larger network, everybody's
doing everything for one another and the world
would be a better place. That's my thought. Okay.
Business Radio X sits at the intersection of
media and relationships. What have you seen work
best when companies use media as a connection
tool instead of a branding badge? You really
got me on that one. That's a real zinger there.
It's an interesting media tool or marketing tool
or branding tool. It gives people the opportunity
to share information very easily to their potential
clients. additional hours put towards the business
i guess it's true and the ai is the buzzword
of late and you really throw that out you really
just get to the person themselves and that's
the relationship part ai doesn't bring emotion
into it it just it's there it's facts and everything
else you are bringing relationships. And I think
that's what it's all about. I agree. And I've
been reading a lot of articles about AI recently,
and they're comparing it to when the computer
first came out and the big fears about, oh, it's
going to replace people when we have computers.
And it really doesn't. AI is simply a tool that
we're learning how to use, learning how to maximize
that in our own businesses, in our own lives.
And I don't think it's a replacement for true
person -to -person contact, true person -to -person
relationships. I just think, I don't think that
will ever go away. No, I agree a thousand percent.
Otherwise, I'd be out of business. It will just
make you better. And if you use it as a tool
in your tool belt, one of many, then you're all
set. But you can't rely on AI to do your entire
business. or be afraid that it's going to take
your business away because you still have to
be you. Correct. So why does being a host, not
a guest, change the quality of conversations
and caliber of relationships in business to business?
Being a host allows me the opportunity to really
dig into these businesses, to ask them the questions
that make them stand out, Position them to look
good, basically, to highlight their business.
And it makes me, it makes me allow them to really
shine and really offer to whoever's listening
or their clients, what makes their services stand
out amongst the rest of the competitive market.
I agree a thousand percent is a thousand percent.
Okay, because being a host and a guest, I've
been on over 100 podcasts. And I've done, I've
created over 100 podcasts. So I get to see it
in real time. And it's different, but it's the
same. Because as a host, as you said, I'm making
you look great, right? But when I'm a guest,
they're trying to make me look great. And I'm
still in the back of my head trying to make them
look great. So it's really strange. So which
one do you enjoy more? Do you enjoy being a host
or a guest more? I think I enjoy being a host
more. I really do. Because I love the feeling
of giving, right? And I love the feeling of,
okay, how do I make Garrett look great? And all
that is going through my head. And I just would
rather you be in the spotlight and show yourself
and me just guiding you down the path. than me
having to be in the spotlight. For me, an additional
aspect of it is I get an opportunity to learn
about so many different businesses. And when
I go to networking events and people say, I really,
I'm really looking for this, or I'm looking for
this kind of service. And that's where networking
really explodes is I can tell whoever I'm speaking
to, oh, I just talked to somebody about this.
They seem like a very honest person. They're
very eager. Their service is great. Why don't
you go talk to them? And that's where the networking
really starts gluing everything together. So
being a host is fantastic. Absolutely. You know,
when you walk into a networking event and you
see what's called a wallflower, you see the person,
he gets a drink and he goes right to the wall
and he's, I don't want to go in there. It's too
many people. That's where you take the opportunity
to walk up to that person. and say, hey, that's
a nice blazer you have on. Or, hey, that's great
shoes. Or, where'd you get that shirt? That's
great. Have them talk a little bit and you'll
see them come out of their shell and you'll walk
them over and say, he's a graphic designer. Oh,
that table over there is filled with marketing
people. Let me introduce the two of them. And
then you'd back away. So what does that do? That
helped him get into a conversation, but it made
you. look like he's always going to remember
me because I walked him over. So all these different
facets. What makes podcasting such a powerful
door opener in business conversations compared
to cold outreach or to traditional networking
events? What makes a difference is the reach,
just like you and I here. We're in two different
locations right now, but with the technology
we have, we're able to have a video conversation
and we can distribute that conversation just
about anywhere. Within a traditional networking
situation, you're limited to a single location.
You're limited to the people that attend. And
with today's busy lifestyle for everybody, everybody's
busy in whatever they're doing. you can still
share this information to them even though they
weren't able to attend. So I think podcasting
just has a farther reach and many more tools
to share that information to a larger audience
of people than just the traditional networking
events. Yeah, absolutely. Absolutely. And it
does. It makes going to the event special because
you're there in person. But if you can't go to
the event, then... you see a replay of it or
something else like that. And you can still,
so it used to be where if you miss an event,
you miss the event and that was it. Now you get
to view it as a webinar almost. And you get to
say, okay, and you see all these people. So you're
introduced to all these people that you weren't
introduced at a show. So it just opens everything
up greatly. And additionally, You doing this
podcast with me and with our reciprocal eye doing
that podcast with you, we're reaching different
audiences. You have a large network. I'm growing
my network. So we're reaching different people
as we post it on social media and your contacts
and my contacts will see that information and
possibly connect themselves or your clients or
your contacts, your network will reach out to
me and vice versa. Absolutely. And that's what
it's all about. That's what it's all about. Just
when you speak to, and I, as a speaker, let me
just change hats. As a speaker, when I'm speaking
to an audience, I'm not only speaking to that
audience, I'm speaking to that audience's network
of people. So I have to keep that in mind, because
if I just speak to a room of 45 people, that's
great. How big are their networks? And if I'm
good enough, then they'll say, I've got to get
you over here. And that's how it all begins.
Right. You helped companies step into podcasting
without tech overwhelm. What's the simplest mindset
shift leaders need to make before launching a
show? They just need to get over their fear of
being in front of a microphone is my initial
reaction. People see podcasting as something
that's very high tech, something that requires
a certain personality. If they just get over
their fear and just loosen up and sit in front
of the microphone and just have a conversation,
they can realize it's not that difficult to do.
Here at Business Radio X, we make it easier for
people to do that. And I compare it to a car
wash where everybody can go through a car wash
or they can wash their own car. But the convenience
of going through the car wash outweighs getting
the soap out and the bucket out. And that's what
we here at Business Radio X, we want to make
it easy for them to harness the power of podcasting
to promote their businesses or make additional
connections. Let me ask you a question. Do this
when I coach people, businesses, C -suite executives,
and I have them do something to get used to speaking
in front of a microphone, speaking in front of
people. What do you think is a good exercise
that they can do to make things easier for them
so that they don't think about the microphone,
don't think about who they're talking to in front
of? Do you have an exercise? just talking to
themselves in the mirror. Ah, there you go. That's
the number one. Yeah. Just having that conversation
with yourself and giving yourself the confidence
that yes, you do have a voice and yes, you are
knowledgeable and you know what you're doing
with your business. Absolutely. And also look
at your facial expressions. Look at the facial
expressions when you make a joke, when you don't
make a joke, when you make a joke and it falls
flat. Look at your face and see how it is, right?
But yes, that's perfect. That's perfect because
that's exactly what you should do. I think it's
funny when you walk past somebody, I'm talking
into a mirror, but it'll make things go, if they
crack jokes or whatever, it'll make them much
more at ease so that when they come in front
of you or in front of me or something else like
that. They're much more at ease. And one thing
to understand as well, when people are talking
into a microphone or even in a public setting,
and I've struggled with this over my own career,
I'm not a big public speaker. I've never enjoyed
public speaking. However, when people do public
speaking, such as yourself, people need to recognize
that once you enter that position, everybody
views you as the authority on that subject. You
are at that point, the smartest person in the
room on that subject. And it's just gaining that
confidence to know that you are in business for
a particular reason for a particular service.
And you are more than likely the most knowledgeable
person about that. Right. In the room, in the
room anyway. So, you know, yes, that's true.
However, you really have to know your stuff.
You can't just fake it till you make it. Because
if I go up there, if I go up on a stage and I
go up on a stage once a month and I try to fake
it till I make it, if I say one thing that's
really wrong and they call me out on it, I go,
and that's it. So I really have to know what
I'm talking about. So that's what you have to
do. Know what you're talking about. Yes, definitely.
You do need to know what you're talking about.
And there will be those people in the audience
that are looking to discredit just about anybody.
Absolutely. And no matter what you say, they're
going to try to find something to discredit you
and you have to be ready to answer something
like that. Yes. And I've had many people like
that. Many people. Okay. How can a podcast quietly
warm up prospects and partners long before a
sales conversation ever happens? I'm sorry, would
you please repeat that? How can a podcast? quietly
warm up prospects and partners long before a
sales conversation ever happens. I'm going to
take a little bit out of your playbook and just
use the methods that you've described. Just get
personal with them. Ask about family. Talk about
current events or get to know them. You have
the form method. Yes, number one is family. The
most important thing to people is their family
and getting to know them, understanding where
their children live, understanding what their
children do or what they're doing with their
parents. I've been reaching out. I've been going
to a lot of Gwinnett County Chamber of Commerce,
and I've been seeing repeat people there. And
I make a point to go up and talk to them for
at least a few minutes. And it's gotten to a
point where. They are sharing information with
me as far as, oh, the daughter's coming down
to visit with me today. And it really excites
them. And it excites me, too, because I have
daughters as well, and I enjoy seeing them. So
getting to that personal level really gains trust
with any potential client. Whether they become
a client or not, that's beside the point. But
it's given you credibility, and it's given you
that personality that people want to work with.
Absolutely. And you can go one step further.
So if you were to speak with somebody and they
say, oh, my daughter's coming down and is all
excited. The next week you ask that person, how
was her daughter? How, you know, and she goes,
you remembered that? Say, yeah, I remembered
that because we're talking. And that will stick
with them a whole lot longer than anything else.
And one thing you do, people yell and scream
at me, but you never talk business. And with
a chamber, a chamber of commerce, the one thing
that you don't want to do is talk business right
away. Because I feel I've told this to just about
all of my clients. I get a lot of clients from
the chamber itself, but you never talk business.
And you never, if you have, if you do 10 things,
let's say. And you get up and you talk for your
30 seconds, whatever. Don't try to cram everything
all in there at the same time. Pick one thing.
Pick two things and talk about it. The meeting
beforehand, don't talk business. You're there
just to socialize and everything else. And people
say, no, the Chamber of Commerce, I'm there to
network. I'm there to get business and everything
else. You are getting business. It may be a longer
wait. But you are getting because you have to
get to that level of trust. And everybody has
a wall between them. Sure. And when you're speaking
with somebody, that wall is coming down and that
trust level is rising. And once they pass one
another, then you're okay. Then the next week,
you talk about something different or how your
daughter came in or something else like that.
And they begin to trust you. And then they let
a little bit slip and they talk about work or
occupation or anything else like that. And then
you start to question. So it's a longer process,
but it works so much better. It does. It certainly
works a lot better. And it just, it solidifies
those relationships. It does. Everybody's always
thinking about business. every minute of the
day in the back of their head. We got to accomplish
this. We've got to sell this. We've got to do
this. We've got to change this. There's so much
going on in the business world that it's actually
refreshing when you start going to networking
events and you talk about something other than
business. Absolutely. Absolutely. Okay. So separates
podcasts that create real business relationships
from those that just create content. It gives
you the one -on -one opportunity, at least with
Business Radio X, when we have our show, we generally
have two individual companies on the show, which
we highlight. And after the show is concluded
or even before the show starts, it gives those
people an opportunity to just talk, even if they're
just talking about, wow, I'm so nervous to go
on this show. And then they have something in
common at that point. But the real value comes
after the show. When people are more relaxed,
they've made it through, they've realized that
they've survived the podcasting and being a microphone,
and they can start talking about their, what
do you do? What services do you offer? And they
start building that relationship. Whether or
not they are ever going to do business together
is beside the point, but it gives them an opportunity
to start expanding their network and making those
connections with people they normally wouldn't
have made a connection with. Absolutely. And
it depends on whether they're extroverted or
introverted. Extroverts will just come around
and say, hey, what are you doing? Oh, that's
what you do. Oh, that's great. I know somebody
who, and we'll go into it that way. And an introvert
will not say anything. That's the wallflower
that walks in an event. Okay. In B2B, trust often
matters much more than reach. How does consistent
media presence shorten the trust building curve?
At least with podcasting, to answer your question,
consistency is key. If someone is interested
in the information that you're providing and
they're listening to several different shows,
they want to know, is this person going to hold
true to their word and publish their podcast
every Friday at 9 a .m. when I take a break from
my work and I want to listen to that? So that
helps build trust. This guy, he's a standup guy
or woman, and he's being consistent all the time.
So I can trust when I take a break from my work,
this gentleman or this podcaster is going to
have that information that I want to listen to
at that particular time. Very good. Yep, absolutely.
Absolutely. What's one overlooked way? Companies
can use podcast conversations to stay top of
mind without chasing follow -ups. You got some
zingers here. My goal, I don't want to be the
typical guy to ask you just general questions.
I want you to think about it because my listeners...
will truly want to understand about Radio X,
about networking, and how they can do it better,
because the better you are at networking, the
more money you make. Correct. So I'm going to
ask you the question one more time. What's one
overlooked way companies can use podcast conversations
to stay top of mind without chasing follow -ups?
So looking for one way where we can use this
conversation. So we don't have to chase follow
-ups. One way for me would be when we can just
use you and I as an example and our podcast that
we did several days ago, staying top of mind
is once you complete this podcast, you share
it. You share it on your LinkedIn account. your
Facebook, wherever you're sharing your podcasts.
And you're probably also going to share the link
with me and it automatically becomes top of mind
because you're refreshing my mind as yes, Michael
Foreman is the networking guy. He is the public
speaking guy. He solidified that within my brain
by doing that immediate follow -up. Okay. So
let's bring this podcast full circle. If a business
owner wanted to turn their next 12 podcast episodes
into long -term relationships, what should they
focus on first? Making sure they have good content
to discuss. Having information that's relatable.
Having information that will spark interest in
a lot of people. And also... As we have stated,
being consistent and sharing that information
on a regular basis to their potential clients
or their top prospects. That's great. I want
to tell you, Garrett, this was a great podcast.
I'm so thankful to you for what you're doing
and that you came on my podcast. If somebody
wanted to get hold of you to be either on Radio
X or ask questions about it or just networking
in general, how should they contact you? There's
two ways to contact me. One of them is email.
So Garrett, G -A -R -R -E -T -T at businessradiox
.com. Or they can call me or text me directly
at 386 -283 -8315. And I'd be happy to discuss
how Business Radio X can promote their business
and highlight what they're doing to the greater
business community. That's great. Today's conversation
proves one thing. Meaningful connections don't
come from chasing attention. They come from creating
conversations worth staying in. Podcasting, when
done right, isn't about downloads or microphones.
It's about access, credibility, and showing up
with consistency where real business relationships
are formed. If you're thinking bigger about how
you connect, how you're remembered, and how people
decide to do business with you, this episode
gave you a clear path forward. If this hit home,
share with someone who still relies on cold outreach
and hoping for warm results. I'm Michael Foreman,
and this is Networking Unleashed, building profitable
connections. Until next time, keep your conversations
intentional, your follow -up real, and your network
working for you. Garrett. I want to thank you
so much for coming on the podcast, and I will
talk with you soon. Thank you, Michael. I appreciate
you having me on. Very enjoyable. Well, hold
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Remember, networking isn't about being perfect.
It's about being present. So take what you've
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