Your Network = Your Net Worth

Let’s be real: Going it alone is a one-way ticket to Burnout City. 😬 If you’re feeling stuck, spinning your wheels, or just flat-out frustrated, the culprit might be staring you in the face—a lack of networking. Here’s what happens when you don’t prioritize building connections:

Sound familiar? It’s time to change that. Your network is your net worth, and it’s about to go next level!

1. Be the Magnet, Not the Salesperson
   Forget the pitch, lead with value. The easiest way to break the ice and build relationships? Genuinely show up to serve. Key word: Genuinely! Find out how you can help others, and guess what? The universe (and your future clients) will return the favor.
   
   Codie Sanchez recently did a podcast with Vanessa Van Edwards, a communication and body language expert. Vanessa said 82% of our first impressions of people are based on two traits: trust and competence. It’s not how attractive you are, it’s not how tall you are, it’s not how rich or successful you are. It’s literally how fast can you signal - “I’m a friend” (trust) and “you can rely on me” (competence). From a body language perspective, the faster you can signal these two things the moment you walk in a room, the more people will like and respect you. If you show up simply to serve instead of trying to gain something, your body language and those signals will follow suit.

2. Get Comfortable with the Uncomfortable
   Networking isn’t always about smooth conversations—it’s about stepping into rooms (or Zooms) that push your boundaries. You’ll be awkward, you’ll fumble, and you’ll laugh about it later. But that discomfort? That’s where growth lives. Make a commitment today to step out of the shadows and start conversations.

3. Your Vibe Attracts Your Tribe
   You’re a brand. Own it. Walk into every conversation like the epic entrepreneur you are. People don’t just connect with your product or services — they connect with your energy. Be authentic, be audacious, and watch how the right people gravitate toward you.

4. Wear Talking Pieces Around What You Want to Talk About
   In our Magnetic program, Bart introduces the term “talking pieces.” You can steer some conversations into areas you want to and find other people who have your same interests and likes quickly if you wear a talking piece. For example, Bart has an elk tooth ring he wears - people who are hunters know exactly what it is and will walk up to him and start a conversation around that.

How to Walk Up, Start the Conversation, and Seal the Deal?

Confidence is key, but curiosity is the door-opener. Walk up with a smile, make eye contact, and start with a simple compliment or question that shows genuine interest (Hint: “I love what you said about [topic]”). We find that you’ll build rapport and genuine connection quickly if you ask about home or family or hobbies or something they are passionate about rather than the old “So… what is that you do?” Again: talking pieces.

Let the conversation flow naturally, and as it wraps up, say, “I’d love to stay connected! What’s the best way to reach you? Phone or social?” Boom—leave with their number or social handle, and just like that, you’ve got a new connection in your network!

Networking from Sunny’s Perspective:

In our lives, Bart has definitely been the outgoing networker of the two of us. He has such ease with starting conversations and leaving those conversations as practically best friends that it always blows me away. Some of the things I have learned from him as I have watched him and have worked on myself in this area:

• You may think you are at a business event to learn something… but that is always second to who is in the room. Bart rarely sits still and watches a whole event - he is always going to the back of the room and starting conversations. Whatever we walk away with from an event in terms of tips or strategies is never as valuable as the connections he makes.

• It doesn’t matter WHO is in front of Bart, he treats them with respect and gives them full presence. You truly never know who someone is, what connections they have, or what they are going to become. Aside from the fact that all humans deserve respect, it’s important not to rush the stage at whoever is the big name at the moment and pay attention to everyone who is around you. When we met Alex Hormozi, for example, he did not have a name for himself. He was always super dressed down and honestly looked like he was broke. In the rooms we were with him in, we were in the presence of other big name marketers that people were surrounding and trying to get two seconds of time with. Most people may have skipped right over Alex to talk to someone who was already “successful.” Bart did not do that - he gave him time, full presence, and they had great conversations and a personal relationship.

• Keeping in touch with people and going out of your way to visit them or spend time with them (especially after hours at events when you are completely exhausted and your bed is screaming at you) is rarely convenient. But this is always where the magic happens. If you aren’t connecting outside of the event, you’re missing out on true connection. If you are going to a city where you can take a few minutes to pop in for lunch or just a quick “hi” - you’re missing the networking mark. Networking takes WORK (netWORK) but the value of it is priceless.

Networking from Bart’s Perspective:

• I never approach networking from a “what can I get” perspective - only from a “what can I do for you?” If there is something I can do, I make sure I follow through with it. I don’t just say it to say it.

• I met world champion rodeo athlete, Tyson Durfey, on Instagram. He was asking some questions about digital marketing and I commented on his post. He looked me up, saw I was legit, and he gave me a call. From that phone call we have become close friends. I have been to one of his events and he has been on stage at my event - in fact, he even got on stage at Funnel Hacking Live through his connection with me.

• I listened to a podcast from a guy who is huge in the MLM space. I discovered he loved his morning coffee, so I sent him a card with a Starbucks card in it. That resulted in a phone call and a friendship. We have never met in person, but we still keep in touch to this day - you don’t have to overcomplicate or overthink things. Just be genuine and pay attention to things that matter to people.

• At in-person events I always look for those talking pieces first because that shows me what is important to people. I always start my conversations around those things. When we exchange information, I put my number in their phone with my name - and on the third line I always add where we met. I then use their phone to take a photo of us together as my contact photo in their phone.

• After the event, I always follow up with the people I met. I just send a simple text with a “we made it home - it was so great to meet you” type of message. That starts the conversation and keeps it going.

Life Updates!

• This week we had the absolute honor and privilege of having Aleksandra Zuraw (one of our I Do Epic ELITE clients and friends) and her cute family pop in for an overnight visit! She was in Utah for a business conference so they made the drive over to spend some time. Her little boys are all in on the cowboy lifestyle, so they got to feed and ride horses, get some new cowboy gear (hats, boots, ropes) and even tried their hand at a little goat roping. It was such a fun visit and we really enjoyed getting to know Alek’s husband, Tom, and her two little boys. Can’t wait to have them come visit again!

• Today is Friday, which means all our I Do Epic entrepreneurs send five gratitude texts out today! We invite you to join all of us in sending out five texts expressing gratitude to those in your life!

• Xander had another pickleball tournament yesterday… and did another amazing job. So proud of him! He won all of his games and had some incredible shots. My niece was asking me if Xander was going to go pro 😎

• Xander also learned a life lesson at saxophone lessons that is worth sharing… in fact we could probably write a whole newsletter around it. After listening to Xander play, his teacher asked him if he watched any Batman movies and Xander indicated he had. He mentioned a scene from one of the movies where Batman was pinned under a burning roof beam. Apparently Alfred looked at him and said, “What is the point of all those push-ups if you can’t even lift a bloody log?” Xander’s teacher than said, “What is the point of owning a vintage pro saxophone if your tone isn’t where it should be?” He then chastised Xander a little and said, “You know, you can pretty much blow away any other 9th grader and probably most sophomores, junior, and even seniors around here… but that’s not the arena you are playing in. I’m holding your feet to the fire because you want to compete with the best of the best and you are capable. You HAVE to slow down and take the time to fix everything. Right now you are at 85% and if you want to push past that 85% you have to slow down and take the time to fix every little detail… you can’t just blow past it or gloss over it.” What a great lesson for all of us at whatever we are trying to excel at! It takes practice, time, and effort to play in the big arena - but if that’s really where you want to be, you’ve got to muster up the discipline to make it happen.

Was this forwarded to you? Sign Up Here