Latest / Networking Unleashed: Building Profitable Connections / Networking Unleashed: S1E50 An Interview with Sanna Phillips and Michael A Forman, Public Speaker

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Networking Unleashed: S1E50 An Interview with Sanna Phillips and Michael A Forman, Public Speaker · Networking Unleashed: Building Profitable Connections

• 0:17
  Hello, and welcome to Networking Unleashed, Building
• 0:20
  Profitable Connections. Welcome back to the show,
• 0:23
  folks. I'm your host, Michael Forman, and you're
• 0:26
  listening to the podcast where networking is
• 0:29
  more than just awkward handshakes and bad coffee.
• 0:32
  It's an art and a talent. But here's the twist.
• 0:36
  It's an art and talent you can actually learn.
• 0:39
  Yes, even if you're the person hiding in the
• 0:42
  corner at every event pretending to check emails.
• 0:45
  Networking isn't just a nice skill to have, it's
• 0:49
  a game changer. When you get good at it, you'll
• 0:52
  wonder why you didn't start sooner. More connections,
• 0:55
  more opportunities, more profits. It's like unlocking
• 0:59
  a cheat code for life. I have a guest who is
• 1:03
  all about networking. She has her own podcast.
• 1:06
  So let me just start by saying... that she is,
• 1:10
  besides being a dynamic podcast host, she's an
• 1:13
  entrepreneur and an advocate for resilience in
• 1:16
  business. Now, before I butcher the rest of her
• 1:19
  background, let me introduce Sana and let her
• 1:23
  take it away. Sana, how are you? Good morning,
• 1:26
  Michael. It's so good to be here. Thanks for
• 1:28
  having me on your podcast. I'm doing well. I'm
• 1:31
  up in Colorado right now. That's good. So you
• 1:35
  want to tell us a little bit about your background
• 1:37
  at all or? I'll be glad to do that. I come from
• 1:41
  a background of business and honestly worked
• 1:45
  in a cubicle for about 15 years. And once I got
• 1:48
  out of that cubicle and realized that you could
• 1:50
  go and meet people and shake hands and network,
• 1:54
  I really took hold of that. And for the last
• 1:58
  10 years, I've been running a business. We took
• 2:01
  it quite rapidly, but steady growth to we're
• 2:05
  right at about a million now. And so that was
• 2:07
  a big achievement from about 15 ,000 annually,
• 2:10
  10 years ago. And through that, I've done that
• 2:13
  through networking, being good to people. That
• 2:16
  sounds like a great start and a great way to
• 2:19
  continue with all of your networking. But let's
• 2:22
  start with your story. What was your first aha
• 2:25
  moment when you realized the true power of networking?
• 2:31
  I went to a chamber meeting. And sitting in the
• 2:35
  chamber meeting, it felt like people were in
• 2:37
  their same spots, same crowd. They were with
• 2:41
  the same four people. I could just tell this
• 2:43
  being in the room. And someone came up to me
• 2:46
  and said, Ron, how are you? And it was just so
• 2:49
  personable. So it changed everything for me.
• 2:51
  And then at that point, she introduced me to
• 2:54
  B &I, which is a networking group internationally
• 2:57
  known. And from there, I really worked on getting
• 3:02
  my crowd and then those people being able to
• 3:06
  refer and it just helping your business because
• 3:09
  you're the person that knows who to go to. So
• 3:12
  people start valuing you for more than what I
• 3:16
  normally do, which is install physical security.
• 3:19
  People would start coming up to me for, hey,
• 3:22
  do you know somebody that works on gutters? Do
• 3:23
  you have a pressure washer? So I saw the value
• 3:26
  in that. That's very good. And being that person,
• 3:31
  that referral source, they're not afraid to talk
• 3:35
  to you. They're saying, oh, she'll just introduce
• 3:37
  me to somebody who will be able to help me. And
• 3:41
  being that person is always the most important
• 3:44
  piece of the puzzle. In your journey, what has
• 3:48
  been the most meaningful connection you've made
• 3:50
  and what made it stand out? Just recently got
• 3:57
  back from Oklahoma where I did a entrepreneurial
• 4:01
  documentary series that airs on Amazon Prime.
• 4:05
  That was for it was all about networking. And
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  I would say that's life changing when you compete
• 4:12
  about 60 ,000 people applied and about 100 got
• 4:16
  selected. So to go into an incubator type environment
• 4:20
  where you're competing and working with people
• 4:23
  and realizing that these people are actually
• 4:25
  my team and my friends and then you're networking.
• 4:28
  You're networking across the world across the
• 4:31
  United States. Definitely. So I would say that's
• 4:34
  probably been my most meaningful, although every
• 4:37
  interaction you have. is meaningful. That's because
• 4:40
  you never know who you're talking to. And you
• 4:43
  never know who their network is. So you might
• 4:47
  be talking to somebody on a local level, but
• 4:49
  he may know somebody who he will want to introduce
• 4:53
  you to and get you on a national stage. So you
• 4:56
  never know. So it's very good. How would you
• 4:59
  differentiate between transactional networking
• 5:02
  and building genuine, long lasting relationships?
• 5:09
  Well, I'm more about building relationships because
• 5:12
  when I come into someone's home to or their business
• 5:15
  to look at security, I'm thinking about them
• 5:18
  on a personal level and I'm thinking about their
• 5:21
  safety. So it's much more meaningful to me than
• 5:24
  than just a transaction. I would say I was at
• 5:29
  my business partners life coach. We went to a
• 5:32
  dinner there one night. This was recently. And
• 5:35
  the person's talking about has no idea really
• 5:37
  what we do so much. We're just talking. We're
• 5:39
  just getting to know one another. And this person
• 5:41
  was late to the party and quick conversation.
• 5:45
  And the next thing I know, within the month,
• 5:48
  we're installing quite a extensive gate system
• 5:52
  at their house. So I would say, and I care about
• 5:55
  that. It's not, oh, I want to meet this person
• 5:58
  because I'm going to install a gate at their
• 6:00
  property. He was complaining in the conversation
• 6:03
  of The bane of my existence is that gate that
• 6:07
  runs on solar power at my front entrance. And
• 6:10
  I was like, I can solve that problem for you.
• 6:14
  And so that felt great. And it felt more like
• 6:17
  every time someone comes to us with. a problem
• 6:21
  that we can provide a solution for. I feel like
• 6:24
  in our work, we have an entire storyline for
• 6:29
  them and we get to know them and we want to be
• 6:31
  the call that they make if something is aggravating
• 6:34
  to them or they need to increase their security.
• 6:38
  So I would say honestly, I'm not interested in
• 6:41
  transactional type business at all. I'm more
• 6:44
  in the relationship business. Well, firstly,
• 6:47
  one thing you said is that you are a problem
• 6:49
  solver. Okay. That's the number one goal to be
• 6:53
  a good networker. I also have found that as of,
• 6:58
  since the pandemic, before the pandemic, people
• 7:01
  were very transactional. They were very like
• 7:04
  building up their customer list. But afterwards
• 7:08
  with the advent of zoom coming into its own.
• 7:12
  thing and everybody talking on their cell phones
• 7:15
  is people forgot how to speak with one another.
• 7:20
  They forgot how to communicate. And after the
• 7:24
  pandemic, they forgot how to do all this. So
• 7:27
  now we're into the realm of building relationships,
• 7:31
  not just customers. So that's a huge difference.
• 7:35
  And that's what I go all around talking about.
• 7:38
  But it's not transactional anymore. It's what
• 7:41
  you feel. and that relationship that you're building.
• 7:45
  It's always paying attention to everything that's
• 7:47
  going on around you when you're talking to that
• 7:49
  person. And even if I go and install, we work
• 7:52
  in a lot of HOAs with our security business.
• 7:55
  And even if I go install an access panel in a
• 7:58
  pool room, when I leave that pool room, it's
• 8:01
  going to be neater and cleaner. I wasn't there
• 8:03
  just to do that. I was there to make that a better
• 8:06
  place. And when I work with someone, I want to
• 8:08
  make them better as well. Absolutely. And by
• 8:12
  that, you said it so perfectly. You listen to
• 8:16
  everything because you have to listen to the
• 8:19
  people and not hear them. And it's very difficult
• 8:23
  to say, but if you listen to them and here's
• 8:26
  the kicker, you pause after they are talking
• 8:30
  because that little pause tells them that you
• 8:34
  were listening to them. tells them that you were
• 8:37
  paying attention and you respond to whatever
• 8:39
  they said and that you don't come up with the
• 8:43
  next thing that you have to say. You're responding
• 8:45
  to what they said. So it's very important. What
• 8:49
  are some key habits or daily practices you follow
• 8:53
  to keep your network warm and active and even
• 8:57
  when you're not networking? reach out to people
• 9:06
  as they come across my mind. So people will often
• 9:10
  tell me in networking meetings, sometimes people
• 9:13
  will read something that I sent to them because
• 9:16
  it was on a day where they didn't feel inspired
• 9:19
  and they might have received a text. And it's
• 9:21
  warm, it's genuine, it's honestly what's on my
• 9:24
  heart. So I feel like anyone that is in my reach
• 9:28
  is very important and they're in my reach for
• 9:31
  a reason. So I'm constantly thinking about them,
• 9:35
  wishing them well in my daily practice of life.
• 9:38
  And if they come across my mind in a specific
• 9:41
  way of you should tell them this, I make sure
• 9:43
  to do that. Because that that that's her inner
• 9:47
  voice saying, you know what, I should really
• 9:49
  reach out to the person because you don't know
• 9:51
  what they're all about, what they're doing. But
• 9:54
  I have found more times than not when I get.
• 9:57
  the inkling to call somebody or text somebody
• 10:00
  or email somebody that I haven't thought of for
• 10:03
  a while, it always comes back to me and says,
• 10:06
  oh, you know what? I'm glad you called me or
• 10:08
  I'm glad you texted me because I have this problem.
• 10:11
  So it all works out. So it's very good to go
• 10:14
  with your gut, so to speak, and just network
• 10:16
  that way. Can you share a time when a connection
• 10:20
  you invested in paid off years later in an unexpected
• 10:24
  way? I would say that's definitely through B
• 10:38
  and I, I was in B and I, and then when I took
• 10:43
  a break from B and I wasn't as active, my business,
• 10:47
  your business just gets so busy that sometimes
• 10:49
  you have to take a step back and B and I was
• 10:51
  very understanding about that. But the people
• 10:54
  of my chapter would call and check on me at least
• 10:58
  yearly. And then I thought, oh, I'm sure they're
• 11:01
  just wanting me to get active again. But however,
• 11:04
  It was a time I knew it was a time I was so busy
• 11:07
  growing my business. So then when I did. Come
• 11:11
  back to the group to help grow the group. The
• 11:15
  connections there were foundational and it was.
• 11:20
  I'm a cheerleader at heart, so it was if you
• 11:22
  were building the biggest stock and you're already
• 11:24
  on top and you don't know how you got there with
• 11:27
  that group of people and that is from years of.
• 11:32
  That group of people investing in me and then
• 11:35
  I constantly the people that are in your reach
• 11:38
  You're constantly giving business to because
• 11:41
  you know them you trust them. So of course you're
• 11:44
  going to refer that person and I believe that
• 11:48
  Foundation through all of those years Definitely
• 11:51
  came around when I got active with that group
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  again, and it's been very meaningful and profound
• 11:56
  to my business The people that you meet in B
• 11:59
  &I I've been friendly with the people and I met
• 12:03
  in B &I four or five six years ago and even though
• 12:08
  I stopped with B &I I'm still friendly with most
• 12:11
  of those people and Now a lot of them are in
• 12:14
  my chamber. Okay, so I see them constantly but
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  I always refer to them and if I know somebody
• 12:22
  that needs their help, I'll of course I'll reach
• 12:24
  out to them and put them together. So those are
• 12:29
  very good relationships that you've kindled and
• 12:33
  that you flame, that you fan the flames, and
• 12:36
  that you make them into true relationships. So
• 12:40
  B &I is great that way. What role has vulnerability
• 12:45
  and authenticity played in the way that you build
• 12:49
  professional relationships? I wouldn't do anything
• 12:54
  without vulnerability. I would say probably,
• 12:57
  although professionally, try to keep my heart
• 13:00
  leading in everything. And I feel that is being
• 13:04
  true to who I am, which is authenticity. Believe
• 13:08
  that in the industry where I am in security and
• 13:12
  biometrics and then doing a podcast, everything
• 13:15
  is about being creative, finding a solution and
• 13:19
  often thinking outside the box. And if you're
• 13:22
  not true to who you are and You can't do that.
• 13:27
  So I feel like it's not just a formula. It's
• 13:30
  often you're creating that formula yourself.
• 13:32
  And so I think that you have to really know yourself
• 13:34
  to be able to do that and do it successfully
• 13:36
  with confidence. I truly believe what you just
• 13:41
  said. And what I feel is that if you are not
• 13:45
  authentic. You are not true to yourself. And
• 13:50
  you, if you were not, if you were that way, when
• 13:52
  you go to a networking event and you go to another
• 13:55
  networking event, let's say three months and
• 13:57
  you see the same people, you can't remember what
• 14:02
  you said to them. If you weren't telling them
• 14:04
  from the heart, if you weren't authentic and
• 14:07
  they'll say, this isn't what he said three months
• 14:09
  ago. So which one do I believe? So I just believe
• 14:14
  in being yourself. being authentic. And as you
• 14:17
  say, be that good referral source because whenever
• 14:21
  they look at you, they'll say, you know what?
• 14:24
  Santa is the person who I want to call. I need
• 14:27
  a roofer, but I know she doesn't do it, but I
• 14:30
  know her and respect her enough where she's not
• 14:34
  going to lead me down the wrong path. So that's
• 14:36
  very good. In today's fast paced digital first
• 14:41
  world. How do you make networking efforts more
• 14:45
  intentional with being less overwhelming? I feel
• 14:51
  like consistency is extremely important. You
• 14:54
  got to show up and you've got to be there as
• 14:57
  well as you've got to have your technology stack
• 15:02
  for your business so that if you hand your card
• 15:05
  to someone. You they scan your QR or they look
• 15:09
  you up. You need to be looking like you're open
• 15:12
  on every platform that you have. And. What advice
• 15:21
  would you give someone who feels like they don't
• 15:24
  have a strong network or don't know where to
• 15:27
  start? To show up and smile. I get that a lot.
• 15:33
  I get the light. And what you said before. was
• 15:36
  the consistency. So when you're showing up and
• 15:40
  smiling and you're being the authentic self,
• 15:42
  of course, but that consistency factor. So whatever
• 15:46
  you're doing, whatever you're showing up, whatever,
• 15:49
  do it consistently. And I don't mean like for
• 15:52
  a week or two consistent because you really can't
• 15:54
  tell anything for at least six months. So you
• 15:59
  have to be consistent. And what more than meeting
• 16:02
  the person, of course, is the follow up. and
• 16:06
  the follow -up is much more key than even meeting
• 16:09
  them. Okay, who has been a networking mentor
• 16:14
  for you and what did they teach you that stuck?
• 16:18
  The people that have been mentoring network or
• 16:21
  networking mentors to me have been the people
• 16:24
  that are very consistent. They're gonna be there,
• 16:27
  the leaders in the groups. And I would say the
• 16:31
  people that show up to give more, they're really
• 16:34
  there to greet you and talk about your business
• 16:38
  and what's going on with you. And then they become
• 16:41
  such a pillar in a group that of course you just
• 16:45
  know that they're a financial advisor, although
• 16:47
  they've not really spoken about it that much
• 16:49
  because they're asking about what you're doing.
• 16:51
  So I feel that is always the people that I gravitate
• 16:55
  to and that I take lessons and notes on. Absolutely,
• 17:00
  because the art of networking is to give, not
• 17:05
  to receive. It's to see what they are, what you
• 17:09
  can help them with. And really, one thing that
• 17:12
  I say to a new person is, how can I make you
• 17:16
  more successful? How can I be a good referral
• 17:20
  source for you? That usually blows your mind,
• 17:22
  and they don't say, I don't even know what you
• 17:24
  do yet. And that's because I've gotten everything
• 17:27
  from them. So that's very good. And let's bring
• 17:30
  this around full circle. Looking ahead, how do
• 17:34
  you see networking evolving and what can we all
• 17:38
  do now to future future proof our connections?
• 17:44
  I think living in a forward technology world,
• 17:48
  we're already there. I feel like it's not just
• 17:51
  going to church is networking. Everything has
• 17:55
  combined and Everyone wants to be not just a
• 17:59
  business card. It's a personal story They want
• 18:02
  to know your story and I feel like that is where
• 18:05
  personal brand it's you've got to be all of it
• 18:08
  and I think that is I think that's where we are
• 18:11
  and where we're going is more just being more
• 18:15
  personable and Finding that it's not just a business
• 18:21
  that you're calling. It's your neighbor. And
• 18:23
  so I think that care is where we'll continue
• 18:26
  to go. Okay. Santa, I have to tell you that this
• 18:32
  was still very nice, very good. I could probably
• 18:34
  talk to you for another two hours, all about
• 18:37
  your business and everything else. I have a large
• 18:40
  security background, so I'm very interested in
• 18:42
  what you do, but that's not our topic for today.
• 18:46
  Santa, how could somebody get hold of you if
• 18:49
  they wanted to get hold of you? I am on LinkedIn
• 18:53
  under Santa Phillips. And then I also, my business
• 18:57
  website is blueskysystemsllc .com. And then this
• 19:02
  season I'm doing, producing the podcast called
• 19:05
  The McCaw Show, where it's people just like yourself,
• 19:07
  Michael, that I find interesting, something neat
• 19:10
  about them. And so I just sit down and interview
• 19:13
  them and find out what goes on in their head
• 19:15
  and what are they like at five o 'clock in the
• 19:17
  morning, that sort of thing. So it's a very personable
• 19:20
  podcast, but it's all centered around business.
• 19:23
  Very good very good Santa. Thank you so much
• 19:26
  for coming on This was I still had a great time
• 19:29
  and hopefully I'll talk to you soon. Yeah. Thank
• 19:32
  you Michael. It was great. You're welcome Well,
• 19:36
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  .org. That's R -E -V -E -D -U -P -K -I -D -S
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  dot org. Well, that's a wrap, folks. A huge thank
• 20:57
  you to our special guests for sharing such incredible
• 21:00
  insights today. And of course, a big shout out
• 21:03
  to you, our amazing listeners, for tuning in
• 21:07
  and spending your time with us. Remember, networking
• 21:10
  isn't about being perfect. It's about being present.
• 21:14
  So take what you've learned today, get out there,
• 21:17
  and make some meaningful connections. If you
• 21:20
  enjoyed this episode, don't forget to subscribe,
• 21:23
  leave us a review, and share it with someone
• 21:25
  who could use a little networking inspiration.
• 21:29
  Let's keep the conversation going. You can find
• 21:32
  me on Apple. Spotify, YouTube, or my website,
• 21:37
  michaelaforman .remember. Until next time, keep
• 21:41
  practicing, keep connecting, and keep building
• 21:43
  those relationships. This is Michael A. Forman
• 21:46
  signing off. Take care and happy networking.