1 00:00:03,240 --> 00:00:05,220 Janice Porter: Steve, Hello everyone, and welcome to this 2 00:00:05,220 --> 00:00:09,900 week's episode of relationships rule. Starting your own business 3 00:00:09,960 --> 00:00:13,680 after a corporate career is an exciting but often challenging 4 00:00:13,980 --> 00:00:17,400 transition. While some professionals can tap into their 5 00:00:17,400 --> 00:00:20,600 existing corporate network, others may need to build new 6 00:00:20,600 --> 00:00:25,700 connections from the ground up. Well, today, my guest David 7 00:00:25,700 --> 00:00:31,100 Schreiner Khan is not only the host of his own podcast, which I 8 00:00:31,100 --> 00:00:35,060 love, the name of smashing the plateau. He is a business 9 00:00:35,060 --> 00:00:40,660 confident community builder, as well as podcast host who helps 10 00:00:40,660 --> 00:00:43,840 corporate professionals, or, as he likes to say, corporate 11 00:00:43,840 --> 00:00:49,000 refugees, successfully move into entrepreneurship. So today, 12 00:00:49,000 --> 00:00:54,280 David and I are going to explore some ideas around what this new 13 00:00:54,280 --> 00:00:59,260 entrepreneur, entrepreneur needs for long term success. So first 14 00:00:59,260 --> 00:01:00,720 of all, welcome to the show. David 15 00:01:00,900 --> 00:01:02,700 David Shriner-Cahn: Janice, thank you so much. It's great to 16 00:01:02,700 --> 00:01:05,400 have great to be here, and thank you for inviting me 17 00:01:05,580 --> 00:01:07,860 Janice Porter: My pleasure. And sometimes I get tongue tied over 18 00:01:07,860 --> 00:01:12,240 my own words, so I apologize. So let's start with your your own 19 00:01:12,240 --> 00:01:15,240 transition. You help professionals transform from 20 00:01:15,240 --> 00:01:18,240 corporate careers to business ownership. What inspired you to 21 00:01:18,240 --> 00:01:19,500 focus on this space? 22 00:01:19,560 --> 00:01:21,860 David Shriner-Cahn: Well, first of all, it's my story. I was an 23 00:01:21,860 --> 00:01:24,440 employee for the first 28 years of my career. I've been an 24 00:01:24,440 --> 00:01:32,720 entrepreneur for the last 19 and even though most of my 25 00:01:32,720 --> 00:01:38,060 experience as an employee was running organizations, so I was, 26 00:01:39,080 --> 00:01:44,680 I was really good at the sort of the operations management it, 27 00:01:46,420 --> 00:01:50,500 and I'm way better. I was way better at it then, and probably 28 00:01:50,500 --> 00:01:57,340 way better at it than many entrepreneurs now. It still 29 00:01:58,180 --> 00:02:03,120 didn't. It wasn't enough to be able to do everything that you 30 00:02:03,120 --> 00:02:08,340 need to do to run a successful business as an entrepreneur, it 31 00:02:08,400 --> 00:02:12,840 had some important pieces but, but it wasn't enough. So 32 00:02:12,900 --> 00:02:15,720 Janice Porter: you started out corporate 28 years now, and when 33 00:02:15,720 --> 00:02:19,740 you went into business for yourself, it wasn't what it is 34 00:02:19,740 --> 00:02:21,260 now, then correct 35 00:02:21,380 --> 00:02:25,280 David Shriner-Cahn: it wasn't what it is now and and I had 36 00:02:25,280 --> 00:02:29,600 skills that that I think are beneficial to entrepreneurship, 37 00:02:29,900 --> 00:02:34,640 but it wasn't, but many people don't have right yet, I was 38 00:02:34,640 --> 00:02:39,020 still lacking. I was there were certain skills I was still 39 00:02:39,020 --> 00:02:40,780 lacking. So 40 00:02:40,780 --> 00:02:43,300 Janice Porter: what stood out the most for you that was that 41 00:02:43,300 --> 00:02:46,360 you were lacking and you had to do something about 42 00:02:48,039 --> 00:02:55,059 David Shriner-Cahn: so when I started my business, I I told 43 00:02:55,239 --> 00:02:59,259 people in my network what I was doing and Why I was doing it, 44 00:03:00,879 --> 00:03:07,799 and and I started to get some leads for new business from kind 45 00:03:07,799 --> 00:03:12,899 of random places, which is what often happens, yes, and it was 46 00:03:12,899 --> 00:03:20,239 enough to kind of get things started, but I kind of had a 47 00:03:20,239 --> 00:03:24,139 wake up call. This was about nine months after I started my 48 00:03:24,139 --> 00:03:28,819 business a friend of mine who also had a long career like me 49 00:03:30,619 --> 00:03:40,279 as an employee and started her own business, when, in her case, 50 00:03:40,279 --> 00:03:46,659 she got pushed out. And anyway, she started her own business, 51 00:03:46,659 --> 00:03:50,919 and we were having dinner, and, you know, which is friend? And 52 00:03:50,919 --> 00:03:55,539 she said, Oh, you know, David, I'm, I'm part of this group that 53 00:03:55,539 --> 00:04:00,419 you might be interested in. Since you know, you're doing the 54 00:04:00,419 --> 00:04:04,679 same, same thing that I've done, maybe you'd like to come. So 55 00:04:04,679 --> 00:04:07,619 that was a business networking event, right? It was the first 56 00:04:07,619 --> 00:04:10,019 time I had gone to one of these kind of structured business 57 00:04:10,019 --> 00:04:16,139 networking events, and and it was, it, on the one hand, it was 58 00:04:16,139 --> 00:04:20,039 kind of exhilarating to see all these people in a room who were 59 00:04:20,039 --> 00:04:25,219 there primarily to help one another with word of mouth 60 00:04:25,219 --> 00:04:29,899 marketing, right? Really, the whole point was, you know, if I 61 00:04:29,899 --> 00:04:34,159 have know somebody who needs what you offer, I'm happy to 62 00:04:34,219 --> 00:04:37,459 make an introduction. If you have some, you know somebody 63 00:04:37,459 --> 00:04:40,779 else knows somebody who needs what I offer, they'll make an 64 00:04:40,779 --> 00:04:44,799 introduction, and everybody wins. So at the one hand, one 65 00:04:44,799 --> 00:04:46,959 hand, it was kind of exhilarating to see the energy 66 00:04:46,959 --> 00:04:49,539 in the room and see people really want to step up and help 67 00:04:49,539 --> 00:04:52,959 one another around entrepreneurship. It was a very, 68 00:04:53,859 --> 00:04:56,679 you know, different energy and different kinds of people than 69 00:04:56,739 --> 00:05:00,299 than I, for the most part, had in my network. And then. Um, but 70 00:05:00,299 --> 00:05:05,159 the thing that was kind of daunting was there was, there 71 00:05:05,159 --> 00:05:09,419 was pressure to get up and and give a pitch. And I had never 72 00:05:09,419 --> 00:05:13,679 done that right. Never done it where you have to do it in a 73 00:05:13,679 --> 00:05:16,919 very short amount of time before a whole room full of strangers. 74 00:05:16,919 --> 00:05:22,579 So that part was exceedingly but I ended up joining because I 75 00:05:22,579 --> 00:05:25,279 realized that this could be helpful. And you know, if you 76 00:05:25,279 --> 00:05:27,859 don't push yourself out of your comfort zone, you're not going 77 00:05:27,859 --> 00:05:29,599 to grow right, right? 78 00:05:29,840 --> 00:05:32,900 Janice Porter: So if I could just then take what you just 79 00:05:32,900 --> 00:05:35,780 said and then back up to something else that you said, 80 00:05:35,780 --> 00:05:39,560 which was that, when you started out on your own, you told your 81 00:05:39,560 --> 00:05:44,200 corporate friends that you were doing this, what was their 82 00:05:44,200 --> 00:05:49,420 reaction? Were they helpful, or were they skeptical, or were 83 00:05:49,420 --> 00:05:50,620 they supportive? 84 00:05:50,980 --> 00:05:53,020 David Shriner-Cahn: I'm going to say skeptical is probably an 85 00:05:53,020 --> 00:05:56,740 understatement. They said, David, what are you doing? Are 86 00:05:57,160 --> 00:06:01,620 you crazy? What are you going to do for health insurance? Like 87 00:06:01,620 --> 00:06:04,920 that was the most common question I got. Yeah, health 88 00:06:04,920 --> 00:06:09,360 insurance in the US has changed for the worst since then. But, 89 00:06:09,360 --> 00:06:12,780 yes, but, but, you know, it was before there was the Affordable 90 00:06:12,780 --> 00:06:15,480 Care Act. You couldn't, you couldn't buy individual 91 00:06:15,480 --> 00:06:17,280 insurance that easily, right? 92 00:06:17,280 --> 00:06:20,420 Janice Porter: I understand there, yes, so, 93 00:06:20,900 --> 00:06:25,460 David Shriner-Cahn: but, but as part of my role as an employee, 94 00:06:25,460 --> 00:06:29,480 I was, I was the group administrator, so I knew a lot 95 00:06:29,480 --> 00:06:33,080 about buying insurance. So it to me, it didn't seem daunting. You 96 00:06:33,080 --> 00:06:36,140 just had to figure out what the rules were and pay for 97 00:06:36,139 --> 00:06:38,599 Janice Porter: it, right, exactly. But it's interesting, 98 00:06:38,599 --> 00:06:41,079 because that is one of the biggest questions that comes up 99 00:06:41,139 --> 00:06:45,279 even here it does, although the in Canada, the, you know, the 100 00:06:45,279 --> 00:06:48,819 government helped in, probably in a different way, but that's 101 00:06:48,819 --> 00:06:52,119 another whole podcast discussion, but it sure is but, 102 00:06:52,119 --> 00:06:56,079 but I totally understand what those people were saying to you. 103 00:06:56,079 --> 00:07:00,159 Some of them are probably wishing it was them being brave 104 00:07:00,159 --> 00:07:03,119 enough to do that, right to go out on their own, and others 105 00:07:03,119 --> 00:07:07,559 would never think of it at all, because they like the the safe 106 00:07:07,559 --> 00:07:10,859 environment, or supposed safe environment that they're in, 107 00:07:10,859 --> 00:07:15,059 right? Nothing in the US is safe today, it seems, but. But that 108 00:07:15,059 --> 00:07:21,199 was the case probably back then, right? So then in your case, 109 00:07:21,259 --> 00:07:26,779 would you say that your connections that you had when 110 00:07:26,779 --> 00:07:30,259 you went out into business for yourself were not really that 111 00:07:30,259 --> 00:07:34,399 useful to you for your new business? Or were they? 112 00:07:34,760 --> 00:07:37,160 David Shriner-Cahn: Well, they were useful enough because I was 113 00:07:37,160 --> 00:07:42,160 able to get new business through them. Yes, yeah, through them, 114 00:07:42,340 --> 00:07:48,220 okay, it really, you know, when I look back on it, first of all, 115 00:07:48,220 --> 00:07:51,220 it was also, it was 2006 the economy was really strong. It 116 00:07:51,220 --> 00:07:54,100 was a good time to start a business, okay, had I started 117 00:07:54,100 --> 00:07:56,440 the business two or three years later, would have been, would 118 00:07:56,440 --> 00:08:01,380 have been quite different, for sure, but my connections were 119 00:08:01,380 --> 00:08:04,500 enough to get to get enough business, okay? And I did find 120 00:08:04,500 --> 00:08:09,060 the first year, but it wasn't. It didn't really provide kind of 121 00:08:09,060 --> 00:08:13,680 a marketing engine or a pipeline of kind of consistent leads of 122 00:08:13,680 --> 00:08:23,120 the right kind, yeah, and honestly, I think, when it came 123 00:08:23,120 --> 00:08:27,680 to business challenges, the fact that I didn't have a network of 124 00:08:27,800 --> 00:08:33,920 entrepreneurs, I didn't really have enough people I could go to 125 00:08:33,920 --> 00:08:37,160 to talk about the challenges. Luckily, I didn't have that 126 00:08:37,160 --> 00:08:42,940 many. But when I think back on it that, like one of the biggest 127 00:08:43,420 --> 00:08:48,100 detriments would have been had I had a lot of trouble. I'm not 128 00:08:48,100 --> 00:08:50,740 sure who I would have gone to at that point. But 129 00:08:50,740 --> 00:08:53,380 Janice Porter: when you were you were a director, as I recall 130 00:08:53,380 --> 00:08:58,360 when we spoke earlier, you were a director of a nonprofit, 131 00:08:58,360 --> 00:09:02,280 nonprofit, right for a couple of, a couple of different ones 132 00:09:02,280 --> 00:09:06,000 over time that. And if you're the director, aren't you running 133 00:09:06,000 --> 00:09:06,960 that business? 134 00:09:07,440 --> 00:09:09,540 David Shriner-Cahn: Yes, yes. And one of the Yeah, but one of 135 00:09:09,540 --> 00:09:12,060 the things I like to say about that is, even if you're in an 136 00:09:12,060 --> 00:09:16,260 executive role, and even, for example, if you're in a 137 00:09:16,320 --> 00:09:19,800 marketing or a sales role, so you're used to marketing and 138 00:09:19,800 --> 00:09:22,040 selling, which is one of the biggest challenges for 139 00:09:22,040 --> 00:09:26,180 professionals who go out on their own. It's very different 140 00:09:26,180 --> 00:09:31,460 when you when you're selling somebody else's stuff, yeah, 141 00:09:32,300 --> 00:09:35,420 versus getting up and trying to pitch yourself you're right. 142 00:09:35,840 --> 00:09:37,040 Very different feeling, 143 00:09:37,160 --> 00:09:40,840 Janice Porter: yeah, absolutely, you're right. And when I went 144 00:09:40,840 --> 00:09:44,380 out on my own, I'd come from corporate as a trainer, 145 00:09:44,440 --> 00:09:49,480 corporate trainer, and it was very evident very quickly to me 146 00:09:49,480 --> 00:09:53,860 that I didn't know how to sell myself and my services, because 147 00:09:53,860 --> 00:09:57,160 I all I ever did was show up, right? They would book The 148 00:09:57,160 --> 00:10:00,720 company would make the sale and book the train. Training, and 149 00:10:00,720 --> 00:10:04,140 I'd go in and do the training of the for the equipment that they 150 00:10:04,140 --> 00:10:08,100 had sold to the client. So it's very different, the marketing, 151 00:10:08,100 --> 00:10:11,520 the selling, whatever, all of that. So, but I do feel that, 152 00:10:12,600 --> 00:10:15,960 and I've always felt this way, that it's it's not always what 153 00:10:15,960 --> 00:10:19,080 you know, it's who you know, and it's who they and who they know. 154 00:10:19,080 --> 00:10:22,880 And I bet you learned that very quickly, and in that networking 155 00:10:22,880 --> 00:10:24,920 organization that you joined, 156 00:10:25,400 --> 00:10:28,580 David Shriner-Cahn: yes, right? Very much who they know, yeah, 157 00:10:28,580 --> 00:10:28,820 it's 158 00:10:28,820 --> 00:10:31,100 Janice Porter: who they know. And so you have to know how to 159 00:10:31,400 --> 00:10:34,700 how to build those relationships, make those new 160 00:10:34,700 --> 00:10:40,100 connections and turn them into trusting relationships. So would 161 00:10:40,100 --> 00:10:45,220 you say that now, when you are teaching or not, teaching might 162 00:10:45,220 --> 00:10:52,540 not be your term, coaching new people in transition. Are you 163 00:10:52,540 --> 00:10:56,200 having to still do that today? Teach people how to build 164 00:10:56,200 --> 00:11:00,220 relationship? Because I know I have to on LinkedIn, 165 00:11:00,580 --> 00:11:03,660 David Shriner-Cahn: yes. Yes. Well, yeah, LinkedIn. I mean 166 00:11:03,780 --> 00:11:06,660 LinkedIn is, it's perfect platform for building 167 00:11:06,660 --> 00:11:13,260 relationships, if you do it the right way. And you know, since, 168 00:11:13,260 --> 00:11:16,740 since you and I both generate a lot of content, and we're out 169 00:11:16,740 --> 00:11:20,540 there, we're very visible in spaces like LinkedIn, and you 170 00:11:20,540 --> 00:11:25,400 probably get the same kind of of request to connect that I get. 171 00:11:25,880 --> 00:11:32,000 And nine times out of 10 if I accept a connection request from 172 00:11:32,000 --> 00:11:37,460 somebody who I haven't already had an encounter with, the 173 00:11:37,460 --> 00:11:40,180 immediate thing that's going to happen is they're going to pitch 174 00:11:40,300 --> 00:11:41,680 themselves, yeah, 175 00:11:41,680 --> 00:11:43,480 Janice Porter: well, I made the mistake of saying this on 176 00:11:43,480 --> 00:11:46,600 someone else's podcast last week. It's the pitch slap. I 177 00:11:46,600 --> 00:11:49,780 think he's probably going to name that episode pitch 178 00:11:49,780 --> 00:11:52,480 slapping, which I'm horrified that I said that, but that's 179 00:11:52,480 --> 00:11:55,000 what it is, that's really what it is, exactly 180 00:11:55,000 --> 00:11:57,340 David Shriner-Cahn: what it is, right? And it's like if you if 181 00:11:57,340 --> 00:12:03,000 you met somebody at a party or, or, you know, a networking 182 00:12:03,060 --> 00:12:09,240 event, or you get introduced by somebody. You know, most people 183 00:12:09,300 --> 00:12:12,060 are not going to immediately pitch themselves, 184 00:12:12,659 --> 00:12:15,959 Janice Porter: although you surprised at how many do, yeah, 185 00:12:15,959 --> 00:12:16,379 I've 186 00:12:16,380 --> 00:12:18,300 David Shriner-Cahn: had that experience too, yes, right? And 187 00:12:18,300 --> 00:12:21,320 then I just want to run out of the room. Yeah? Me too. 188 00:12:21,440 --> 00:12:25,460 Janice Porter: Me too. It's just, I think what one of the 189 00:12:25,520 --> 00:12:30,260 the best phrases that I ever heard was that you want to be 190 00:12:30,260 --> 00:12:35,420 interested, not interesting. Because if you are interested in 191 00:12:35,420 --> 00:12:38,300 what the other person has to say and who they are and what they 192 00:12:38,300 --> 00:12:44,980 do and and you're curious enough about it, then you get them 193 00:12:44,980 --> 00:12:48,040 talking about themselves, which, of course, they love to do. 194 00:12:48,160 --> 00:12:51,160 You've gone in Technicolor now that's really interesting. Yeah, 195 00:12:52,060 --> 00:12:55,540 it's okay. There you go. It says we're not on video. We're on 196 00:12:55,540 --> 00:12:58,300 video, but we're not going to be on video. So it's okay. 197 00:12:58,300 --> 00:13:03,840 Interesting. Yes, it is, anyway. So if you if you meet somebody 198 00:13:03,840 --> 00:13:07,380 at a networking event or online networking, you can get them 199 00:13:07,380 --> 00:13:10,620 talking. You can guide the questions, too, if you want to, 200 00:13:10,860 --> 00:13:14,160 and let them talk. And usually what happens in that situation 201 00:13:14,160 --> 00:13:16,740 is, by the time it's time to leave that situation, they say, 202 00:13:16,740 --> 00:13:20,300 hey, it was great talking to you. Had a super time. And you 203 00:13:20,300 --> 00:13:22,640 know, it's nice to meet you and learn all about you. They learn 204 00:13:22,640 --> 00:13:26,060 nothing about you because they did all the talking. But that's 205 00:13:26,060 --> 00:13:28,700 okay, because that's what you wanted to have happen. That's 206 00:13:28,700 --> 00:13:33,440 what I like to do, because then I can come back to them and have 207 00:13:33,440 --> 00:13:36,920 my opportunity, and by then they realize, you know what I talked 208 00:13:36,920 --> 00:13:39,560 to you all that time, I never learned anything about you. Tell 209 00:13:39,560 --> 00:13:42,160 me about yourself, and now you've got their one to one 210 00:13:42,160 --> 00:13:44,320 attention, so it's a great time to do that. There you are. 211 00:13:44,320 --> 00:13:53,260 You're back to normal now. So what do you tell your clients 212 00:13:53,560 --> 00:13:56,980 are the best ways for new entrepreneurs to start expanding 213 00:13:56,980 --> 00:13:59,800 their network in a strategic or meaningful way? 214 00:14:01,960 --> 00:14:07,320 David Shriner-Cahn: You need to find your community, and in most 215 00:14:07,320 --> 00:14:10,800 cases, it's communities. You'll need different groups of people 216 00:14:10,800 --> 00:14:16,140 for different things, okay, but But find find your place, where 217 00:14:16,440 --> 00:14:19,320 you are connecting with like minded people, and where you 218 00:14:19,320 --> 00:14:20,400 feel like you belong. 219 00:14:21,660 --> 00:14:25,160 Janice Porter: So I think that's really good advice. I think that 220 00:14:25,220 --> 00:14:27,920 there's kind of like you said different things, for different 221 00:14:28,040 --> 00:14:31,160 communities, for different things. And one of the the 222 00:14:31,640 --> 00:14:35,480 things that I experienced with entrepreneurs, so is they'll say 223 00:14:35,480 --> 00:14:38,240 to me, Well, I'm just getting all my social done. I've got to 224 00:14:38,240 --> 00:14:43,180 get on my twitter done, and my my Instagram and my LinkedIn, 225 00:14:43,180 --> 00:14:46,060 and I'm like, Why do you need to be on all of them? Where are 226 00:14:46,060 --> 00:14:50,560 your prospects? Where is your community, for your terminology, 227 00:14:50,800 --> 00:14:54,040 where are your people? That's where you need to be. Don't try 228 00:14:54,040 --> 00:14:55,540 and be everything to everybody. 229 00:14:56,260 --> 00:14:58,360 David Shriner-Cahn: And you, honestly, you don't need any of 230 00:14:58,360 --> 00:15:01,860 that to get business. You. What you need, what you what you need 231 00:15:01,860 --> 00:15:05,700 is a sale. That's right, that's really true. When I started my 232 00:15:05,700 --> 00:15:08,160 business, I didn't have a business entity, didn't have a 233 00:15:08,160 --> 00:15:12,420 website. I had nothing. I'm not even sure that I had anything 234 00:15:12,480 --> 00:15:17,520 like social media. Then wasn't like what it is now, the only 235 00:15:17,580 --> 00:15:21,320 social media channel where I might have had anything related 236 00:15:21,320 --> 00:15:24,560 to my business would have been LinkedIn. And I'm not sure that 237 00:15:24,560 --> 00:15:28,100 I had anything up there initially, either. Mm, hmm. 238 00:15:28,880 --> 00:15:32,120 Janice Porter: I discovered about six months ago that I was 239 00:15:32,120 --> 00:15:37,040 actually on LinkedIn in early 2004 I went What I didn't know I 240 00:15:37,040 --> 00:15:40,900 had a membership, or whatever you called it way back then 241 00:15:40,900 --> 00:15:43,720 because I didn't know what to do with it. It wasn't until later 242 00:15:43,720 --> 00:15:48,040 that I started to explore that possibility and found it to be a 243 00:15:48,040 --> 00:15:53,440 great home for me and my business. So no matter where 244 00:15:53,440 --> 00:15:58,600 they go to build their community, do you ever have do 245 00:15:58,600 --> 00:16:05,880 you have people that you they really don't know how to talk to 246 00:16:05,880 --> 00:16:09,780 people, how to build that trust, how to make those relationships. 247 00:16:12,120 --> 00:16:15,060 David Shriner-Cahn: I have to say that, luckily, at this point 248 00:16:15,060 --> 00:16:21,500 in my life, not so much. Okay, maybe 1520, years ago, I would 249 00:16:21,500 --> 00:16:23,720 have had more of those kinds of people meaning 250 00:16:23,780 --> 00:16:27,620 Janice Porter: that they're meaning age wise, that you get 251 00:16:27,620 --> 00:16:30,620 more mature people now coming out of corporate or 252 00:16:32,240 --> 00:16:37,760 David Shriner-Cahn: no that, that the People that with whom I 253 00:16:37,760 --> 00:16:47,560 end up connecting, yeah, I um, tend to be a little better at 254 00:16:47,560 --> 00:16:52,240 the the give and take part of relationship building, so you 255 00:16:52,240 --> 00:16:54,340 Janice Porter: don't find you have to teach that at all to 256 00:16:54,340 --> 00:16:58,060 people about how to build the right kind of relationships. 257 00:16:58,420 --> 00:16:58,720 Yeah, 258 00:16:58,720 --> 00:17:00,940 David Shriner-Cahn: not so much. Okay, that's good. That's good. 259 00:17:00,940 --> 00:17:03,300 You know, I've never really thought about it, to be honest 260 00:17:03,300 --> 00:17:08,820 with you, okay? And, you know, maybe I'm lucky, and maybe it's 261 00:17:09,000 --> 00:17:11,220 who I end up attracting. At this point, it could 262 00:17:11,220 --> 00:17:19,500 Janice Porter: be That's right. What was I gonna say? I had to 263 00:17:19,500 --> 00:17:21,440 follow up to that, and I forgot what it was. 264 00:17:28,160 --> 00:17:35,300 I know that for me, when I'm talking about, when I'm training 265 00:17:35,300 --> 00:17:39,200 someone on LinkedIn, and I'm talking about, I believe that 266 00:17:39,200 --> 00:17:41,560 the mess, the money's in the mailbox. I believe you have to 267 00:17:41,560 --> 00:17:44,260 talk to people. It's not just about posting content. It's 268 00:17:44,260 --> 00:17:47,440 about, you know, strategically reaching out to the right kind 269 00:17:47,440 --> 00:17:51,880 of people that you want to be connected to. And I still find 270 00:17:51,880 --> 00:17:56,020 people that say, Well, what should I say? How? How should I 271 00:17:56,080 --> 00:17:58,600 fray? You know, frame the question, what should because 272 00:17:58,600 --> 00:18:02,280 they just, they think it has you. It is work. It's not 273 00:18:02,280 --> 00:18:05,880 working. It's not just making it happen because you said hello to 274 00:18:05,880 --> 00:18:09,000 somebody, you have to show that you're interested in them. So 275 00:18:09,000 --> 00:18:12,000 that's what, where that was coming from. What would you say 276 00:18:12,000 --> 00:18:14,640 are the biggest networking mistakes that you're that you 277 00:18:14,640 --> 00:18:18,300 can see entrepreneurs make, and how to avoid them? And how would 278 00:18:18,300 --> 00:18:19,560 you tell them to avoid them? 279 00:18:19,740 --> 00:18:25,640 David Shriner-Cahn: Oh, biggest mistake is, is asking, asking 280 00:18:25,640 --> 00:18:29,060 more than giving, particularly in the beginning, you know, 281 00:18:29,060 --> 00:18:33,800 there's, there's three kinds of networkers, there's takers, 282 00:18:34,280 --> 00:18:39,680 givers and exchangers. And that, right? And the best kind of of 283 00:18:39,740 --> 00:18:44,320 Networkers are exchangers, right? Obviously, if you're if 284 00:18:44,320 --> 00:18:46,900 all you want to do is take, nobody's going to want to give 285 00:18:46,900 --> 00:18:50,260 to you, right? That's pretty obvious. But if all you're going 286 00:18:50,260 --> 00:18:54,940 to do is give and you never feel comfortable receiving, then 287 00:18:55,000 --> 00:18:58,180 people are going to start to feel uncomfortable making 288 00:18:58,180 --> 00:18:59,140 introductions. 289 00:19:00,040 --> 00:19:03,060 Janice Porter: Does that happen that people, oh, wow, yeah, 290 00:19:03,060 --> 00:19:03,480 yeah. 291 00:19:03,900 --> 00:19:09,720 David Shriner-Cahn: I know people that, yeah, they feel 292 00:19:09,720 --> 00:19:13,740 very uncomfortable receiving which also means they tend to do 293 00:19:14,040 --> 00:19:18,060 things like they have low self esteem and they they will often 294 00:19:18,600 --> 00:19:22,100 undercharge for their services or not ask for the sale, and 295 00:19:22,100 --> 00:19:26,480 things like, right or not ask for the sale, even when it's 296 00:19:26,480 --> 00:19:32,000 right in front of them. And, yeah, so, so, you know, just 297 00:19:32,000 --> 00:19:37,520 giving is not good either, but it's good to know when it's time 298 00:19:37,520 --> 00:19:39,560 to give and when it's time to take. 299 00:19:40,220 --> 00:19:43,240 Janice Porter: Yeah, for sure. I think, I think it's time to give 300 00:19:43,240 --> 00:19:45,880 at the beginning. I think it's always good to give value to 301 00:19:45,880 --> 00:19:52,960 people before, before you, you know, work with them, because if 302 00:19:52,960 --> 00:19:55,660 you're going to or if there's an opportunity there that you might 303 00:19:55,900 --> 00:19:58,840 then they can see that you are trying to build trust with them 304 00:19:58,840 --> 00:20:04,380 and that you. That you you're not thinking like, you know how 305 00:20:04,380 --> 00:20:06,660 they always say, give your best stuff away. Well, don't be 306 00:20:06,660 --> 00:20:10,500 afraid to do that, because it works, right? Yeah, 307 00:20:10,560 --> 00:20:12,660 David Shriner-Cahn: yeah. Just simple things like, how can I 308 00:20:12,660 --> 00:20:15,720 help you? Exactly? Who are you trying to meet? Maybe I know 309 00:20:15,720 --> 00:20:19,620 somebody I can introduce you to. Yeah, those are not hard things 310 00:20:19,620 --> 00:20:20,100 to offer. 311 00:20:20,340 --> 00:20:23,600 Janice Porter: No, exactly. However, I do believe that 312 00:20:24,140 --> 00:20:28,220 building relationships is a long game and in order, so I know 313 00:20:28,220 --> 00:20:30,740 what I was going to ask you, and this is sort of fits in with 314 00:20:30,740 --> 00:20:37,040 this. So do you believe in an or, how do you teach your 315 00:20:37,040 --> 00:20:44,620 clients to to to build a business of referrals without 316 00:20:44,620 --> 00:20:48,520 asking. Do you mean, do you say you got to ask for the referral, 317 00:20:48,520 --> 00:20:51,040 or do you believe the referrals will come based on the work that 318 00:20:51,040 --> 00:20:51,460 you do? 319 00:20:51,640 --> 00:20:54,040 David Shriner-Cahn: Oh, what depends? Sometimes I think it's 320 00:20:54,040 --> 00:20:58,480 important to ask for the referral. Okay, yeah, you need 321 00:20:58,480 --> 00:21:04,380 to let people know who your ideal client is and what some of 322 00:21:04,380 --> 00:21:09,900 the triggers are that might lead them to want your services. Fair 323 00:21:09,900 --> 00:21:17,700 Janice Porter: enough. Okay, so one of my past guests wrote a 324 00:21:17,700 --> 00:21:20,720 book called the long game, Dory Clark out of New York. Do you 325 00:21:20,720 --> 00:21:21,440 know Dory Clark, 326 00:21:21,980 --> 00:21:23,600 David Shriner-Cahn: yeah, yeah. Had her on my show too. 327 00:21:23,660 --> 00:21:27,620 Janice Porter: Oh, fantastic. So she says, relationships, you 328 00:21:27,620 --> 00:21:31,880 know, take time. So what would you say to your entrepreneurs 329 00:21:31,880 --> 00:21:35,420 about staying consistent and building and maintaining their 330 00:21:35,420 --> 00:21:38,060 network? How do you tell them? Pete, how do you teach people to 331 00:21:38,060 --> 00:21:39,800 do that? How do you do that over the 332 00:21:41,180 --> 00:21:42,340 David Shriner-Cahn: well, there's always room for 333 00:21:42,340 --> 00:21:47,380 improvement. I think, right? I think consistency is the most 334 00:21:47,380 --> 00:21:52,600 important thing, and being consistent, I'm sorry, being 335 00:21:52,600 --> 00:21:58,600 having a system to help you with your consistency. So for 336 00:21:58,600 --> 00:22:03,840 example, you know, for most people, there's a relatively 337 00:22:03,840 --> 00:22:07,680 small number of people that are, like, the key people that really 338 00:22:08,940 --> 00:22:14,160 drive the best business, right, especially if you're in a small 339 00:22:14,160 --> 00:22:18,000 service based business, yeah. I mean, like solopreneur business 340 00:22:18,000 --> 00:22:25,520 or or a small team, you know, it might be 15 or 20 people that I 341 00:22:25,520 --> 00:22:29,000 call those the hubs. Yeah, exactly. So you need to make 342 00:22:29,000 --> 00:22:32,180 sure that you stay in touch with them regularly. So just, you 343 00:22:32,180 --> 00:22:35,660 know, have a calendar where you put their names on different 344 00:22:35,660 --> 00:22:41,560 dates, right? So let's say, let's say it's 24 people, for 345 00:22:41,560 --> 00:22:48,460 example, okay, right? And you want to make sure that you stay 346 00:22:48,460 --> 00:23:00,280 in touch with with these people at least twice a year, right? So 347 00:23:00,280 --> 00:23:03,180 that means you're going to have four touch points a month, 348 00:23:03,900 --> 00:23:06,480 right, which isn't a big deal, right? Which isn't a big deal, 349 00:23:06,540 --> 00:23:10,860 and touch point could be. And I do like different things with 350 00:23:10,860 --> 00:23:13,140 different people, like, I have certain people that I'll send. I 351 00:23:13,140 --> 00:23:17,160 have a send a text once a week, okay, right? And I may not speak 352 00:23:17,160 --> 00:23:20,540 to them for a month or two. Okay, you know, either I text 353 00:23:20,540 --> 00:23:24,140 them, or they text me. It's always the same day, 354 00:23:24,620 --> 00:23:27,800 Janice Porter: really. So is it? Is it because, like, you follow 355 00:23:27,800 --> 00:23:31,280 the same team or, or you have something, no, so it could be, 356 00:23:31,280 --> 00:23:32,900 it's random, okay, totally 357 00:23:32,900 --> 00:23:37,340 David Shriner-Cahn: random. Like, I have one friend who I 358 00:23:37,340 --> 00:23:42,460 actually met through a networking colleague. Many, many 359 00:23:42,460 --> 00:23:45,340 years ago, we became friends and we stayed in touch. We've done 360 00:23:45,340 --> 00:23:50,920 some business together, but not a lot. But every Friday we send 361 00:23:50,920 --> 00:23:53,860 a text to each other. One of us does it, and by the end of 362 00:23:53,860 --> 00:23:56,560 Friday, I know like there are three or four people that I'll 363 00:23:56,560 --> 00:23:59,920 either text or send an email to on Fridays. And if I haven't 364 00:23:59,920 --> 00:24:02,700 done it, by the end of the day, oops, I forgot to do it. I got 365 00:24:02,700 --> 00:24:06,540 to send them out. And, you know, usually, like, maybe the other 366 00:24:06,540 --> 00:24:11,520 person initiates it, but, yeah, right. So just kind of have some 367 00:24:11,520 --> 00:24:13,800 kind of system so that you make sure you stay in touch with 368 00:24:13,800 --> 00:24:16,200 those 24 people on a regular basis. 369 00:24:16,800 --> 00:24:21,200 Janice Porter: That's nice. That's nice. I think there used 370 00:24:21,200 --> 00:24:26,000 to be a, um, an insurance guy that I met networking years ago. 371 00:24:26,120 --> 00:24:29,240 And, I mean, I didn't need his services. I already was taken 372 00:24:29,240 --> 00:24:32,240 care of with, you know, my family and whatever. But um, 373 00:24:32,480 --> 00:24:35,360 every three months he would call me and leave a message if I 374 00:24:35,360 --> 00:24:38,000 wasn't there just to say hi, just to see because it wasn't 375 00:24:38,000 --> 00:24:41,200 just about me, it was maybe I knew somebody, and it keeps him 376 00:24:41,260 --> 00:24:45,820 top of mind. And eventually he came on my card sending service 377 00:24:45,820 --> 00:24:49,480 and did that as well with people, which was fun, but, but, 378 00:24:49,480 --> 00:24:52,600 yeah, I agree. I think that's important to stay connected and 379 00:24:52,600 --> 00:24:58,720 to because the especially if you're in a business that 380 00:24:59,500 --> 00:25:05,100 you're. Really going to have a transaction with your client 381 00:25:05,100 --> 00:25:09,300 once a year, or maybe less, like a realtor, right? Or a mortgage 382 00:25:09,300 --> 00:25:13,080 broker, you have to stay in front of them, because they're 383 00:25:13,080 --> 00:25:15,420 the people that are going to have referrals for you or you 384 00:25:15,420 --> 00:25:18,240 may have for them, so it's to their advantage to stay in touch 385 00:25:18,240 --> 00:25:18,540 too. 386 00:25:19,380 --> 00:25:20,480 Unknown: Yeah. Yeah. 387 00:25:24,020 --> 00:25:27,560 Janice Porter: Do you tell me how? Okay, I'm a new client. I'm 388 00:25:27,560 --> 00:25:33,140 I'm, I'm transitioning from my corporate job, and I have an 389 00:25:33,140 --> 00:25:36,560 idea. When they come to you, do they have an idea for a 390 00:25:36,560 --> 00:25:39,860 business, or have they already started their businesses? And 391 00:25:39,860 --> 00:25:41,020 where do you start with them? 392 00:25:42,160 --> 00:25:46,900 David Shriner-Cahn: Well, for the most part, I invite them to 393 00:25:46,900 --> 00:25:47,920 join our community, 394 00:25:48,400 --> 00:25:50,680 Janice Porter: because you have an online community or an in 395 00:25:50,680 --> 00:25:50,980 person. 396 00:25:51,640 --> 00:25:54,160 David Shriner-Cahn: Well, it's interesting. We started three 397 00:25:54,160 --> 00:25:59,380 years ago as an online community, which actually was a 398 00:25:59,860 --> 00:26:07,560 pivot on two groups, one of which had been in person, and 399 00:26:07,560 --> 00:26:10,920 one of which was was only online. Okay, right. So I sort 400 00:26:10,920 --> 00:26:16,020 of combined the concepts and invited more people to join, 401 00:26:17,880 --> 00:26:20,540 yeah. So primarily, I invite people to join the community. 402 00:26:20,540 --> 00:26:29,180 Because what I find, especially for solopreneurs, you know, yes, 403 00:26:29,180 --> 00:26:33,320 I can help them, but I find that there's more magic that happens 404 00:26:33,320 --> 00:26:38,420 when they're in a room full of peers. And it's not just me 405 00:26:38,420 --> 00:26:42,760 having that problem exactly, you know, I've been around the block 406 00:26:43,000 --> 00:26:48,400 a bit, and, and, and I've been working with this, this 407 00:26:48,400 --> 00:26:55,120 audience, for a long time. So, you know, I have a pretty good 408 00:26:55,420 --> 00:27:00,100 sense of where all the pitfalls are. So, you know, I can ask 409 00:27:00,160 --> 00:27:05,280 good, targeted questions, which is my preferred method of trying 410 00:27:05,280 --> 00:27:12,660 to be helpful, but facilitating a conversation that I think 411 00:27:12,660 --> 00:27:17,820 really can impact where somebody's challenged, I find Is 412 00:27:18,180 --> 00:27:25,520 it can be really kind of like the golden nugget and and that's 413 00:27:25,520 --> 00:27:28,580 where the magic happens. I try to encourage people just to join 414 00:27:28,580 --> 00:27:32,000 the community, and honestly, it's way more affordable than 415 00:27:32,000 --> 00:27:34,640 working one on one with me anyway, but I think it's 416 00:27:34,640 --> 00:27:35,900 honestly, I think it's better 417 00:27:36,920 --> 00:27:39,200 Janice Porter: Well, I think that there's definitely 418 00:27:39,200 --> 00:27:45,100 something to be said around magic or the power of numbers, 419 00:27:45,100 --> 00:27:48,400 and people seeing that they're not the only one having this 420 00:27:48,400 --> 00:27:52,120 problem. They see that they can connect with somebody who's 421 00:27:52,120 --> 00:27:54,640 going through what they're going through, maybe to become 422 00:27:55,480 --> 00:27:59,920 accountability partners. Maybe they're able to practice things 423 00:28:00,160 --> 00:28:02,880 with each other. So I think that's, that's probably a great 424 00:28:02,880 --> 00:28:10,080 idea. Do you also, I imagine, though, that there's, there's a 425 00:28:10,080 --> 00:28:12,420 percentage of those people that they want to work with you 426 00:28:12,720 --> 00:28:13,920 individually, right? 427 00:28:16,380 --> 00:28:18,600 David Shriner-Cahn: Or not a whole lot, they get most of what 428 00:28:18,600 --> 00:28:20,480 they need from the community. Okay, 429 00:28:20,480 --> 00:28:25,760 Janice Porter: so, okay, so your podcast is also a place that 430 00:28:25,760 --> 00:28:30,860 people can learn from, right? Yes, and so your audience for 431 00:28:30,860 --> 00:28:33,560 your podcast smashing the you've got more than one podcast, 432 00:28:33,560 --> 00:28:35,900 though, right? Well, 433 00:28:35,960 --> 00:28:37,880 David Shriner-Cahn: I was learning, I was running a second 434 00:28:37,880 --> 00:28:44,260 podcast for about three years called going solo. I found over 435 00:28:44,260 --> 00:28:47,080 time, initially, I've been podcasting for a long time, I 436 00:28:47,080 --> 00:28:51,760 started smashing the plateau in 2014 when long before you could 437 00:28:51,760 --> 00:28:54,940 do zoom. So we didn't do it. We didn't do anything on video. We 438 00:28:54,940 --> 00:28:59,560 were lucky if we could get a decent audio to do a podcast. 439 00:29:00,340 --> 00:29:04,320 But anyway, so I started smashing the plateau. It was 440 00:29:04,320 --> 00:29:12,660 more of a general business success podcast, and the theme 441 00:29:12,720 --> 00:29:15,780 was, what does it take to generate long term success? It 442 00:29:15,780 --> 00:29:20,340 was really about not the quick wins. It wasn't about startups, 443 00:29:20,340 --> 00:29:23,420 because there were a lot of podcasts in those days about 444 00:29:23,420 --> 00:29:27,320 startups that were very popular. And I'm like, most people don't 445 00:29:27,380 --> 00:29:30,980 spend much time in a startup. Most people spend time running 446 00:29:30,980 --> 00:29:34,580 the business, doing sort of the non sexy part of it, and that's 447 00:29:34,580 --> 00:29:39,620 what that's what's hard, yes. So that was the focus, and then 448 00:29:41,300 --> 00:29:44,320 going solo was specifically about the transition from 449 00:29:44,320 --> 00:29:49,420 corporate to entrepreneurship, and over time, the two podcasts 450 00:29:49,420 --> 00:29:53,740 became very similar. Okay, so I decided, yeah, I don't really 451 00:29:53,740 --> 00:29:58,180 need to let me sunset going solo and continue smashing the 452 00:29:58,180 --> 00:30:01,260 plateau. And we'll actually, we'll. Talk about going solo, un 453 00:30:01,260 --> 00:30:02,160 smashing the plateau, 454 00:30:03,240 --> 00:30:08,100 Janice Porter: sounds good. So when you're not working, what 455 00:30:08,100 --> 00:30:08,640 are you doing? 456 00:30:10,560 --> 00:30:14,760 David Shriner-Cahn: Try to spend time with family. I'm in New 457 00:30:14,760 --> 00:30:17,880 York, so we have, we have a lot of culture here. So yes, you do. 458 00:30:17,940 --> 00:30:20,600 Yeah, we go to the Philharmonic and the theater. 459 00:30:21,560 --> 00:30:24,140 Janice Porter: Yeah, I wish I could. I love the New York 460 00:30:24,140 --> 00:30:30,500 theater. It's fantastic. Do you read? And when you read, do you 461 00:30:30,500 --> 00:30:35,060 read a real book, or do you read online or audible? Or how do you 462 00:30:35,060 --> 00:30:38,120 read? And do you read business books or books for pleasure? 463 00:30:39,019 --> 00:30:42,159 David Shriner-Cahn: So I my preferred method of reading is 464 00:30:42,159 --> 00:30:45,939 paper. Okay, yeah, you know, maybe it's because that's when I 465 00:30:45,939 --> 00:30:49,839 grew up, that's how you learned how to read. Was on paper. And I 466 00:30:49,839 --> 00:30:53,499 can read. I can read much faster and get a better sense of, like, 467 00:30:53,559 --> 00:30:56,559 of a book, if I can hold it and sort of, you know, skim through 468 00:30:56,559 --> 00:31:01,919 it. And, yeah, anyway, so I like paper. I prefer non fiction. I 469 00:31:01,919 --> 00:31:07,739 do read a lot of business books, but I also like, I like 470 00:31:07,739 --> 00:31:12,959 biographies. I like, I like things also that involve 471 00:31:13,379 --> 00:31:14,219 politics. 472 00:31:14,700 --> 00:31:17,640 Janice Porter: Oh, okay, something I try not to talk 473 00:31:17,640 --> 00:31:19,080 about on podcasts. But, yeah, I 474 00:31:19,080 --> 00:31:21,080 David Shriner-Cahn: try not to talk about it either. And I knew 475 00:31:21,080 --> 00:31:23,660 you were going to ask about books, I was thinking, do I want 476 00:31:23,660 --> 00:31:26,540 to mention, do I want to mention something political or not? But 477 00:31:26,600 --> 00:31:29,780 Janice Porter: no, listen, I mean, we've all become junkies 478 00:31:29,780 --> 00:31:36,560 of CNN and MSNBC or Fox, if that's our our leaning. I had to 479 00:31:36,560 --> 00:31:41,680 put them all out there in here, just to see what's going on down 480 00:31:41,680 --> 00:31:45,820 there all the time, right? So, so I get it, it's everywhere 481 00:31:45,820 --> 00:31:48,040 today and every day, yeah? 482 00:31:48,040 --> 00:31:49,540 David Shriner-Cahn: So I don't, I don't watch any of those 483 00:31:49,540 --> 00:31:53,740 things. We actually, we don't have broadcast television 484 00:31:53,740 --> 00:31:57,640 anymore. Oh, that's cool. Yeah, we cut the cord a while ago 485 00:31:57,640 --> 00:32:01,020 realizing we didn't really watch it very much, yeah? And we 486 00:32:01,020 --> 00:32:03,660 thought we and it got to be super expensive, and it's just, 487 00:32:03,660 --> 00:32:10,440 it's 25% commercials. So we cut that. Didn't miss it. And I also 488 00:32:10,920 --> 00:32:17,400 started going on a news diet around 2017 because I found it 489 00:32:17,400 --> 00:32:21,980 was just causing too much stress. Yeah, I do read The New 490 00:32:21,980 --> 00:32:23,720 York Times. So I, 491 00:32:23,780 --> 00:32:25,700 Janice Porter: once in a while, treat myself to the New York 492 00:32:25,700 --> 00:32:30,200 Times, which cost me $12 here on a Sunday, the weekend edition, 493 00:32:30,260 --> 00:32:32,960 and then I just savor it for the next two or three days. 494 00:32:33,680 --> 00:32:36,140 David Shriner-Cahn: Yeah, these two times I read online. I read 495 00:32:36,140 --> 00:32:36,980 that. I see I don't 496 00:32:37,040 --> 00:32:39,740 Janice Porter: like that. I want to read the paper, so and I like 497 00:32:39,740 --> 00:32:41,260 to do the crossword puzzles. So that's 498 00:32:41,740 --> 00:32:43,420 David Shriner-Cahn: Yeah, I used to read. I used to read the New 499 00:32:43,420 --> 00:32:48,940 York Times religiously. When I had a job as an employee, I 500 00:32:48,940 --> 00:32:53,260 commuted on the subway. Yeah, I had an hour commute each way, so 501 00:32:53,260 --> 00:32:55,840 it was enough to read it. Oh yeah, hire new york times every 502 00:32:55,840 --> 00:32:56,200 single 503 00:32:56,200 --> 00:32:58,480 Janice Porter: day. Oh my goodness, yeah. I just whenever 504 00:32:58,480 --> 00:33:02,520 I go out in the car, I have a podcast in my on in my car. So 505 00:33:02,520 --> 00:33:05,940 that's what I do now. One last piece of business advice. If 506 00:33:05,940 --> 00:33:09,180 someone is making the leap from corporate to business for 507 00:33:09,180 --> 00:33:12,840 themselves today, what's one relationship building tip that 508 00:33:12,840 --> 00:33:15,300 you would focus have them focus on first, 509 00:33:19,560 --> 00:33:21,080 David Shriner-Cahn: get to know some people that are good at 510 00:33:21,080 --> 00:33:26,600 selling, good at selling in a way that you don't find icky, 511 00:33:26,960 --> 00:33:27,500 right, 512 00:33:27,620 --> 00:33:29,840 Janice Porter: right relationship. What like? 513 00:33:29,840 --> 00:33:36,080 Relationships, selling, social selling. That's good advice. I 514 00:33:36,080 --> 00:33:40,160 actually think so. Yeah, it's interesting, because some people 515 00:33:40,160 --> 00:33:43,600 say, Oh, I don't sell. I'm just sharing this with you, right? 516 00:33:43,600 --> 00:33:47,200 No, we're all selling. We're all selling if we're interested. 517 00:33:47,320 --> 00:33:47,800 Although, 518 00:33:47,800 --> 00:33:49,660 David Shriner-Cahn: I mean, I think about, like, the main 519 00:33:49,660 --> 00:33:54,160 thing that I'm selling right now is, is community membership. I 520 00:33:54,160 --> 00:33:58,480 try to think about it like I'm inviting you to participate if 521 00:33:58,480 --> 00:33:59,620 you think it would be a fit. 522 00:34:00,640 --> 00:34:02,700 Janice Porter: I like that, yeah. And you don't know, unless 523 00:34:02,700 --> 00:34:04,020 you come and check 524 00:34:04,020 --> 00:34:05,880 David Shriner-Cahn: it out, you don't know, right? So, yeah. So 525 00:34:05,880 --> 00:34:09,060 we invite people to come and visit a session or two to get a 526 00:34:09,060 --> 00:34:12,600 sense of who some of the other members are. And, you know, do 527 00:34:12,600 --> 00:34:15,300 they think it would be helpful for them? And how often do you 528 00:34:15,300 --> 00:34:19,320 meet? We have live sessions every week. Okay, it's a week, 529 00:34:19,800 --> 00:34:22,940 Janice Porter: okay. Do you record them, like the people who 530 00:34:23,060 --> 00:34:26,180 who then pay for the community, or do they pay for the 531 00:34:26,180 --> 00:34:26,780 community? 532 00:34:28,220 --> 00:34:31,760 David Shriner-Cahn: So visitors who, you know don't, don't need 533 00:34:31,760 --> 00:34:35,780 to pay for a session or two, but Right? Yeah, it is members. It's 534 00:34:35,780 --> 00:34:39,320 paid membership, and we do record the session. So if 535 00:34:39,320 --> 00:34:45,100 they're right, if there's a topic that you you want, you 536 00:34:45,100 --> 00:34:47,740 want to learn about, and you couldn't attend the session, you 537 00:34:47,740 --> 00:34:49,600 could watch the recording. That's cool. 538 00:34:49,720 --> 00:34:52,660 Janice Porter: Yeah, interesting. Do you also network 539 00:34:52,660 --> 00:34:55,300 in those sessions? Do you get people to introduce themselves 540 00:34:55,300 --> 00:34:55,720 or not? 541 00:34:56,979 --> 00:34:59,259 David Shriner-Cahn: Yeah, and it depends also how many people we 542 00:34:59,259 --> 00:35:04,319 have, right? Um, it depends on kind of the the style of the 543 00:35:04,319 --> 00:35:08,639 session. So some sessions, for example, we have members or 544 00:35:08,639 --> 00:35:11,519 sometimes guests that will lead, lead something that's a learning 545 00:35:11,519 --> 00:35:15,719 session, and it might be almost like a class where there, there 546 00:35:15,719 --> 00:35:20,779 isn't a lot of it's a lot of teaching and and not really so 547 00:35:20,779 --> 00:35:23,959 much opportunity for people to introduce themselves. So that 548 00:35:23,959 --> 00:35:27,499 happens with some of them. I would say the relationship 549 00:35:27,499 --> 00:35:30,619 building is a big part of what happens. And then, you know, 550 00:35:30,619 --> 00:35:35,839 people on their own will meet one on one online. And then you 551 00:35:35,839 --> 00:35:38,779 know, I mentioned that it was intended to be an online 552 00:35:38,839 --> 00:35:42,879 community, but you never know what members are going to want 553 00:35:42,879 --> 00:35:48,039 to do. So we're based in New York. My Network is more New 554 00:35:48,039 --> 00:35:53,619 York kind of centric than other places. Just because I'm here, 555 00:35:56,080 --> 00:35:57,580 Janice Porter: time zones make and 556 00:35:57,940 --> 00:36:00,960 David Shriner-Cahn: time zones make a difference. One of our 557 00:36:00,960 --> 00:36:03,840 members, who's in Atlanta, was going to be coming to New York 558 00:36:03,840 --> 00:36:07,260 to speak at a conference. Got in touch with a New York member, 559 00:36:07,260 --> 00:36:10,560 and they talked about getting together for lunch, and they 560 00:36:10,560 --> 00:36:13,260 said, Oh, maybe we should reach out to some other people in the 561 00:36:13,260 --> 00:36:17,760 community, see who might want to come. It kind of snowballed, and 562 00:36:17,760 --> 00:36:22,280 it turned into a like, three quarter day session, fantastic. 563 00:36:22,760 --> 00:36:25,880 And then, and the member, who was in Atlanta, ended up having 564 00:36:25,880 --> 00:36:29,960 to cancel coming to the conference, so, right? He was 565 00:36:29,960 --> 00:36:32,120 bummed that he didn't get to meet all these people, so that 566 00:36:32,120 --> 00:36:34,280 all the rest of them were, like, from, like, New York, New 567 00:36:34,280 --> 00:36:38,720 Jersey, they were all local and and they really liked what? And 568 00:36:38,780 --> 00:36:42,160 the members led the whole thing, like I had very little to do 569 00:36:42,160 --> 00:36:47,920 with it, yeah, and it worked so well, they all wanted to do it 570 00:36:47,920 --> 00:36:51,520 again, so we did another one in January, and now we're playing 571 00:36:51,520 --> 00:36:55,900 another one from late spring. So that's very cool. Not, not what 572 00:36:55,900 --> 00:36:59,860 I had intended when part of this community. But you never know 573 00:36:59,980 --> 00:37:00,300 that's 574 00:37:00,300 --> 00:37:02,700 Janice Porter: right, that's a good lesson in itself. Well, 575 00:37:02,700 --> 00:37:05,700 this has been great. Thank you so much. I think that, you know, 576 00:37:05,700 --> 00:37:10,260 we align so much in in our thoughts around being business 577 00:37:10,260 --> 00:37:13,080 owners and the importance of relationships. I believe that 578 00:37:13,080 --> 00:37:16,320 relationships are at the heart of every successful business, 579 00:37:16,500 --> 00:37:20,040 whether you're leveraging old ones or creating new ones. So I 580 00:37:20,040 --> 00:37:22,940 thank you for sharing your insights on how corporate 581 00:37:22,940 --> 00:37:25,880 professionals can use their connections or build fresh ones 582 00:37:25,880 --> 00:37:29,180 to find success as entrepreneurs. If people want to 583 00:37:29,180 --> 00:37:32,480 learn more, where can they find you? David, I'm going to put it 584 00:37:32,480 --> 00:37:33,920 in the show notes, of course, 585 00:37:34,220 --> 00:37:39,140 David Shriner-Cahn: smashing the plateau.com and on LinkedIn. I'm 586 00:37:39,140 --> 00:37:41,740 the only David Shriner con in the world. Mm, hmm. 587 00:37:41,800 --> 00:37:45,940 Janice Porter: Okay. And smashing the Plateau has a tab 588 00:37:45,940 --> 00:37:49,660 for your your podcast as well, and I encourage my guest, my 589 00:37:50,140 --> 00:37:54,820 audience, to go listen to your podcast if they're at all 590 00:37:54,820 --> 00:37:58,840 interested in that transition piece and and what you do there, 591 00:37:58,840 --> 00:38:01,500 I'm going to be looking into your community and checking that 592 00:38:01,500 --> 00:38:05,460 out. Thank you again for being here. Thank you to my audience 593 00:38:05,460 --> 00:38:10,680 for being here and for being a loyal audience, who, of whom I 594 00:38:10,680 --> 00:38:14,940 appreciate my I've just completed my 300th episode, and 595 00:38:14,940 --> 00:38:18,840 I'm kind of in awe of myself this week, because it just got I 596 00:38:18,840 --> 00:38:21,680 just recorded. It comes out. It'll be out by the time this 597 00:38:21,680 --> 00:38:25,400 comes out, but this is just after So again, remember to 598 00:38:25,400 --> 00:38:31,700 always sorry. Remember to stay connected and be remembered. And 599 00:38:31,700 --> 00:38:35,360 I would just add that I think relationships rule in business. 600 00:38:35,900 --> 00:38:39,800 Thank you, Janice. My pleasure.