100 Cups MicroPod

Referrals are great. In fact, referrals are one of the best ways to build a business. But what happens when referrals become your only source of business? In this episode, Jason talks about a contractor friend who has built a successful business almost entirely through referrals. The problem? Most of those referrals come from companies that hire him for training, which means he's constantly travel...

Sometimes great customer service is as simple as letting someone know there's a human on the other end. We're a dog family, and keeping a couple of our dogs groomed is a regular project. We've tried several sets of clippers, but we found a pair from One Is All that we really liked. They're quiet, cordless, rechargeable, don't get hot, and work really well. Then I needed replacement blades. I order...

Sometimes a new process feels harder than it should. We recently bought my father-in-law a set of hearing aids. They seemed simple enough, but within a few days he had lost one, struggled with the case, and was frustrated trying to figure out how everything worked. And I realized something: he wasn't failing. He was learning. That same thing happens in business. A new process, a new system, a new...

Trust isn’t built in one big moment. It’s built through the small things we do consistently over time. In this episode, Jason Elkins talks about what it really takes to build relationships where people know, like, and trust you. It’s not about having the perfect presentation, the lowest price, or the most impressive list of features. It starts with listening. Jason shares why questions beat assump...

How do you turn a coffee meeting into a real relationship? For me, it starts with listening. I've found that the best way to make connections is to listen about 70% of the time and talk about 30%. That sounds simple, but good listening gives people room to tell you what's really happening in their world — what they're working on, what's keeping them up at night, and where you might actually be abl...

A lot of client relationships don’t fall apart because the work isn’t good. Sometimes they fall apart because the client stops seeing the value. Early in my business, I learned this the hard way. I could bring in new clients, but I noticed something happening. They would come in, we would work together for a while, and then they would disappear. The missing piece? I wasn’t consistently showing the...

What happens when your biggest client suddenly disappears? A friend called me frustrated after one of his anchor clients told him they loved everything he was doing, but budget constraints meant they were ending the contract. I understood his frustration. I've been on the other side of those calls. But it also reminded me of something I've learned over the years: there is no such thing as an ancho...

Have you ever stayed quiet because you didn't want to interrupt someone? A few years ago, I was producing a podcast on an entertainer coach bus with a legendary musician as the guest. The conversation was incredible. The stories, the songwriting, the music business — I was completely locked in. Then the artist picked up his guitar. And my stomach dropped. Through my headphones, I could hear the au...

Do you know your client's pet peeves? I had a client who cared a lot about being on time. I didn't. Sure, I knew being late wasn't ideal, but I figured I made up for it. I'd stay late, overdeliver, and give the client whatever they needed. Then he pulled me aside. He told me being late was such a big deal that he normally wouldn't work with someone who did it. He liked me and wanted to keep workin...

How many priorities can you actually have at one time? A friend of mine, Josh, has a lot going on. He runs two nonprofits, has a consulting business, a big family, and somehow still makes time for the relationships that matter to him. One day I was sitting in his office when an old client called with a new project. It sounded like good work from somebody he already knew. Josh turned it down. I was...

Sometimes the most important conversation happens before the meeting even starts. After getting invited back by a former client, I found myself catching up with employees we'd worked alongside years earlier. We talked about family, celebrated milestones, and heard honest perspectives about what had changed inside the company. By the time the meeting began, we understood far more than any agenda co...

Sometimes the conditions aren't ideal. The deadline is tight. The client is waiting. The weather is miserable. The solution isn't elegant. You still have to get the work done. This episode started with a memory of one of my early mentors finishing a client proposal on the way to the airport because the work couldn't wait. That memory came back to me while I was sweating through a weekend project a...

Every new business relationship begins with an invisible question. Are we on the same side of the table? I've been working with a lot of contractors during our recent move, and I've noticed how small gestures can completely change the tone of a relationship. A handshake. A bottle of water. Telling someone they have "refrigerator rights." Those simple moments communicate something bigger than hospi...

Anxiety has a way of trapping us in the same conversation over and over. A client hasn't called back. A project has stalled. A decision feels bigger every time we think about it. Before long, our minds are running laps without getting anywhere. This week I share a story from my friend Terrence, whose journey through burnout, loss, and recovery gave me one of the most practical ways I've ever heard...

We recently packed up and left the Nashville area for a mid-century modern home in the country where three generations of our family now live under one roof. The house has a sunken living room, four dogs, and plenty of stories already. But the biggest surprise hasn't been the move itself. It's been the people. From Home Depot to Walmart to the local fence company, we've been met with simple kindne...

Building a business comes with highs and lows. Sometimes all it takes is one conversation to remind you that you're on the right path. In this episode, I share two moments that have stayed with me for years. One came from a friend who offered a few encouraging words when I needed them most. The other was a conversation with a business owner who discovered that building relationships is a lot more...

Every year around my birthday, I take some time to reset. I look back at the first half of the year, think about where I'm headed, and remember one of the luckiest moments of my life. It all started on a first date, a Fourth of July party, and a sparkler. One unexpected step turned into a story my wife and I still laugh about today. Looking back, that moment reminds me of something much bigger. Si...

Fear doesn't usually announce itself. Sometimes it sounds like worst-case scenarios. Sometimes it looks like procrastination, perfectionism, or hesitation. And sometimes it starts with something that happens in your business that sends your mind racing. Recently, two clients put their contracts on pause in the same week. My first reaction wasn't calm confidence. It was fear. But after slowing down...

Want a business superpower that doesn't get talked about nearly enough? Learn how to tell a great story. Stories help people understand who you are, what you believe, and why you do what you do. They make your marketing more memorable, your onboarding more effective, and your sales conversations more persuasive. In this episode, I share why storytelling matters more than ever, how I use my own 100...

Most people think business development starts when someone asks for a proposal. I think it starts much earlier. In this episode, I share two simple ideas that have been working well in my business lately: what I call "the push" and "the energy transfer." The push is bringing someone a thoughtful idea before they ever ask for it. Not because you're trying to sell them something, but because you kno...

Family vacations, holiday gatherings, and reunions have a way of bringing old dynamics back to the surface. In this episode, Jason shares a simple communication strategy that can help reduce conflict and strengthen relationships during those moments. Instead of feeling obligated to agree, disagree, or debate every opinion that comes your way, he explores the power of acknowledgement. By helping pe...

A simple termite inspection turned into a powerful reminder about trust, communication, and modern sales. In this episode, Jason shares an experience with an inspector who led with worst-case scenarios before taking time to understand the situation. What followed was a lesson that extends far beyond crawl spaces and repair estimates. Whether you're in sales, service, leadership, or simply trying t...

Some relationships seem to grow stronger with every passing year while others slowly fade away. Why? In this episode, Jason reflects on a conversation with a friend that led him to consider what creates lasting connection. Through stories about parenting, clients, networking, and everyday interactions, he explores practical ways to invest in other people's worlds. From learning what matters to the...

Most breakthroughs look sudden from the outside, but they’re usually built on years of unseen effort. In this episode, Jason reflects on a deck project that seemed stalled until the final pieces came together almost overnight. That experience sparked a deeper conversation about business, relationships, and growth. Through stories of a coffee roaster building a dream facility, website projects that...

Not every great mastermind needs an outside expert to create value. In this episode, Jason shares what actually makes a guest speaker memorable—and why the best guests don’t try to dominate the room. From showing up prepared to bringing positive energy and creating real conversation, he explains how thoughtful guests elevate the experience instead of turning it into a promotion. Jason also reflect...