loading . . . In Business It's About Relationships I recently re-joined BNI (an international networking group, where only one person per profession can be in the group) after a 14+ year hiatus. The former BNI chapter I was in hovered around 20-25 members, the current chapter I'm in is around 65 members. And size shows. Business is being passed like crazy. But I noticed something... relationships are the key.
I've been building and growing Goldstein Media since I started in 2008 through networking and referrals almost exclusively. I've gotten some leads from my SEO and other efforts, but the most have been through networking and building strong business relationships with colleagues and clients.
Eighteen-plus years... and I'm still at it. It hasn't always been sunshine and rainbows, but I'm still at it.
I can honestly say that some of the most rewarding parts of my job aren't directly benefiting monetarily. They're when I can find a referral for a colleague or connect two of my business friends and they do business.
Like the title says... **In Business It's About Relationships.**
This past Friday, I had a coffee with a fellow member of my BNI chapter at a local coffee shop. This guy is a Ph.D., an engineer, and business advisor (business coach is almost an insult when describing this gentleman). He's an older guy and has done so much in his years in business. So much so that I told him he has to write a memoir. His life and business stories are seriously incredible.
Now, is this a person that I can refer business to right away? No. But as I get to know him better that "not right now" turns into a resounding "YES!" You know why? The relationship!
It's not rocket science. Also you don't need to spend a couple grand on a closed networking group to build your book of business. You do need to get out there and join some groups. Think chambers of commerce, monthly happy hour business groups. Go to Eventbrite (etc.) and you'll find some great events to attend. Trust me it's worth it.
Promise me one thing, you won't go there trying to get business right away. That's not how it works. It's about the... wait for it... relationships. As you go to these events regularly and for bonds with people, that's when the magic happens. It's most certainly NOT overnight.
Last Friday, the same day I met 1-on-1 with my BNI colleague, a good buddy of mine, Tim Dodd, who hosts an event that rotates around the Delaware Valley, had his quarterly Bucks County get together. It's always a small group. We met for drinks in New Hope during happy hour. There was only six of us, but the conversations we had were amazing, and I honestly would pass business to everyone there, because I've developed relationships with them.
See, it's all about... RELATIONSHIPS!
**What do you do to grow your business? Do you frequent a certain type of business group or regular event? Share your stories in the comments!**
* * *
💲
Want To Sponsor The Newsletter? Reach 1,450+ subscribers weekly who are in the marketing industry. Hit reply to this email and let's have a chat!
* * *
## The Latest From The Entrepreneur's Enigma Podcast
https://entrepreneursenigma.com/boftayimam
* * *
### Sponsor
Looking for guests? Want to be on podcasts? Check out Podmatch! I use it for both getting on podcasts and finding quality guests. It's well worth it and affordable too!
* * *
## Web Jawn
Why AI can’t match human creative workEven when people can’t tell the difference between human and AI content, they usually prefer the human, studies show.ComputerworldMike Elgan
The AI companies keep trying, but they can't! There's something about human-made that still strikes home with people.
Turning Off the AI Features in WordPress 7.0 - Shawn HooperWordPress 7.0 shipped this month, with a focus on adding AI features into the core of the platform. If you don’t want these features, here…Shawn HooperShawn Hooper
There's new AI integration in WordPress 7.0. If you want to turn off the features my buddy, Shawn Hooper, shows you how.
Who’s suing AI and who’s signing: CNN latest to sue PerplexityNews AI deals revealed: Which publishers are suing and which are signing deal with the tech giants over generative AI.Press GazetteCharlotte Tobitt
Not the first and not the last suit filed.
YouTube adds ‘custom feed’ to home pageYoutube is adding an AI-powered custom feed feature, that allows you to use AI prompts to create your own feed that you can save to your homepage.MobileSyrupMatthew Mountjoy
This could be a cool use for AI and customizing the YouTube experience.
LLMs believe false statements even after explicit warnings that they’re falseFine-tuning tests show “bias... toward confidently representing the claims as true.”Ars TechnicaKyle Orland
Humans aren't the only ones refusing to believe false statements and incorrect, LLMs are susceptible as well! Geezus!
The internet is being rebuilt for machines | TechCrunchAs AI agents move from experiments to production, AWS, Cloudflare, and others are redesigning cloud infrastructure for a future dominated by machine-generated internet traffic instead of human users.TechCrunchRebecca Bellan
This is sad. 😔 We need to keep the human in the Web too!
Comment threads, votes and pinsDeeper threading for replies, smarter sorting, and pinned comments to guide conversationChangelogTeam Ghost
I love the Ghost.org CMS. These are some great updates.
It’s Okay to Break Some Podcasting ‘Rules’Learn when podcasting best practices are not rules but only guidelines, what tradeoffs matter, and how to break podcasting rules with intention.The Audacity to Podcast®Daniel J. Lewis
I concur! DJL is such a smart podcaster and teacher.
Proposed new US funding rules: We can cancel any grant at any timePeer review now optional, political staff would screen grants for forbidden topics.Ars TechnicaJohn Timmer
This is really concerning.
Worth a watch about impacts of data centers.
DuckDuckGo installs are up 30% as users reject being ‘force-fed’ Google’s AI Search | TechCrunchGoogle overhauled Search at I/O 2026, replacing blue links with AI agents. The backlash has been swift. DuckDuckGo app installs spiked 30% as users seek a way out.TechCrunchRebecca Bellan
Love this for DDG!
Discord enables end-to-end encrypted voice and video calling for every user | TechCrunchGood news! Discord’s hundreds of millions of users now have their communications scrambled, so not even Discord can see them.TechCrunchZack Whittaker
This is a good move for Discord. I'm glad to hear they are taking E2E seriously.
In a surprise, Meta increases funding to the Oversight BoardAfter months of uncertainty, the company’s oversight body has a new lifelinePlatformerCasey Newton
Didn't see this coming. 😀
Inimitable Product is the New “Make Great Content” - SparkToroFor 25 years, Google told websites to “just make great content,” and they’d sort out the rest. This advice was incomplete, problematic, and reductive, butSparkToroRand Fishkin
A must read from the Godfather of SEO Rand Fishkin.
Hackers Simply Asked Meta AI to Give Them Access to High-Profile Instagram Accounts. It WorkedThe exploit shows the extreme risk of offloading technical support to AI.404 MediaJason Koebler
Yikes.
* * *
## Web Find
Scott Johnson (@scottjohnson.zip)Maybe I’m crazy, but protesting AI data centers using AI-generated images is counterproductive.Bluesky SocialScott JohnsonEpisode 946: Small TalkSmall talk doesn’t have to be shallow. It is a bridge to meaningful conversation, and it can show warmth, approachability and confidence.The Official BNI PodcastIvan Misner
A good episode. Even if you're not in BNI, you should listen to this podcast. It's a quick listen full of great info and tips.
SourceSourceAnother h/t to my buddy Brian Griffiths finding this meme!
* * *
That's It For This Week! Keep Rocking It!
-Seth
* * *
_Thanks for reading! If you're liking the newsletter and the content that I curate, please consider signing up for a_ pay-what-you-want subscription_to help me continue to write this weekly newsletter._ https://marketingjunto.com/in-business-its-about-relationships/
