The Network Build Grow Podcast: Relationships that Scale

What if you could launch a business in the middle of a pandemic, no events, no handshakes, no clients and grow it into year six on nothing more than three genuine conversations a week? And what if the nervous-looking person in the back of the room is actually the best networker there? In this warm, down-to-earth episode of the Network Build Grow Podcast , host Melissa Taylor sits down with Bonnie...

What if the loudest person in the room is doing networking completely wrong and the quiet one smiling in the corner is the one building a real business? And what if "working the room" is exactly the habit that's leaving you drained and empty-handed? In this grounded, refreshing episode of the Network Build Grow Podcast, host Melissa Taylor sits down with Tami Robinson, certified yog...

Ever come home from a networking event having met thirty people and wondered if a single one of them will ever matter? What if the secret isn't working the whole room, but having two or three real conversations and letting trust do the rest? In this heartfelt episode of the Network Build Grow Podcast, host Melissa Taylor sits down with Fernanda Brasileiro — a 20-year supply chain leadership v...

What do you do when you've spent years working remotely and suddenly realize you have no professional network and your new business depends on building one fast? And how do you turn a hallway conversation into a client without ever sounding salesy? In this practical episode of the Network Build Grow Podcast, host Melissa Taylor sits down with Courtney Lucas, founder of Steel Talent Solutions,...

What if your next big client isn't waiting at a networking event, but on the other end of a relationship you've quietly tended for years? And what if the most disruptive question you can ask in a crowded room isn't "What do you do?"  but "What do you do for fun?" In this warm and wide-ranging episode of the Network Build Grow Podcast, host Melissa Taylor sits dow...

What if the thing holding back your financial future isn't how much you earn or what you invest in — but the fact that no one ever taught you the why behind your money? And what if the same goes for your business — the secret to growth isn't working a room harder, but building genuine relationships on your own terms? In this warm and practical episode of the Network Build Grow Podcast, h...

What if the biggest thing standing between you and your next level of success isn't your strategy, your budget, or your connections — but the way you think? In this energizing episode of the Network Build Grow Podcast , host Melissa Taylor sits down with Anthony DeNino , founder of CORe, mental performance consultant, and keynote speaker, for a conversation that bridges two powerful worlds: t...

What if the clutter in your home and the noise in your life are the very things standing between you and your next level? In this powerhouse episode of the Network Build Grow Podcast , host Melissa Taylor sits down with Lianne Hofer — TEDx speaker, two-time international best-selling author, and one of the most sought-after declutter experts for high-achieving women — for a conversation that is eq...

What separates professionals who consistently win business from those who don't? According to Dana Klein, it rarely comes down to the product — it comes down to the relationship. In this episode of the Network Build Grow Podcast , host Melissa Taylor sits down with Dana Klein, founder of Klein Strategies and a 35-year veteran of financial services, to unpack the science and psychology behind...

What if networking wasn't something you do, but something you are ? In this episode of the Network Build Grow Podcast , host Melissa Taylor sits down with Josh Simpson, a business development advisor at HETO and two-term mayor of Rietville, South Carolina. Josh brings a uniquely layered perspective on networking, community service, and business growth — and shares the frameworks that have fue...

Jess Moore didn't walk into her first networking event with a polished pitch and a stack of business cards. She walked in with a brand new wardrobe she'd just bought because she hadn't been in the business world long enough to know what people even wore. That moment of showing up scared anyway? That's the whole episode. In this conversation, host Melissa Taylor sits down with J...

Most people walk into a networking event trying to collect as many business cards as possible. Cara Truitt walks in looking for one person. In this episode, Melissa Taylor sits down with Cara Truitt, TEDx Sugar Creek Women Founder, keynote speaker, corporate trainer, and self-described neurodivergent brain running a million miles a minute, to talk about why the way most of us network is actually g...

Most people think communications strategy is about press releases and media placements. Get the coverage, pat yourself on the back, move on. Barry Finkelstein has spent 30 years watching that playbook fail — and building something far more durable. Barry is the Founding Principal of Truth Advisors LLC, a consultancy that helps mid-sized companies navigate seismic change — mergers and acquisitions,...

Most people treat networking like a transaction. Meet someone, hand them a card, wait for something to happen. Then wonder why nothing does. JJ Highshaw played a completely different game.  JJ is Vice President of Bergman Brothers Staffing, a national agency now doing $15–20 million a year, GSA-certified to staff on any military base in the country, with operations across the U.S. and a 7-day comm...

Jason Otte , franchise owner of Instant Imprints in Charlotte, NC, and Greenville, SC, has grown a business where 65% of all orders are repeat business, his top 20 customers every single one came through networking, and one email to his chamber of commerce list produced 40 appointment requests in under an hour. In this episode of the Network Build Grow Podcast , Jason breaks down exactly how he di...

Most small businesses post on social media and then… nothing. No replies to DMs. No engagement with referral partners. No strategy. Just shouting into the void. In this episode of the Network Build Grow Podcast , host Melissa Taylor sits down with Jackie Benjamin , founder of We Assist Marketing and outbound social media management expert to break down how home service businesses (HVAC, plumbers,...

What if you could apply the same customer experience secrets that made Disney a multi-billion dollar company … to your carpet cleaning business? Your coaching practice? Your service-based business? In this episode of the Network Build Grow Podcast , host Melissa Taylor sits down with Vance Morris, former Disney executive turned customer experience consultant, speaker, and authoR to break down exac...

What does it actually take to network with intention, not just collect business cards, but build relationships that fuel real business growth? In this episode of the Network Build Grow Podcast, host Melissa Taylor sits down with Eleni Gates, founder of Gates Hospitality Group, a strategic communications firm rooted in a hospitality mindset What You'll Learn in This Episode •       Why intenti...

Episode Description In this episode of Network Build Grow, Sage Harper, founder of Apollo Marketing, joins host Melissa Taylor to share 11 years of hard-won lessons in SEO, AI-driven search, and — most importantly — the power of authentic networking. If you've ever wondered why your network dried up after a life change, or how to stay top of mind without being transactional, this episode deli...

Episode Description Small medical practices are drowning in chaos, and Sarah Clark is the "chaos and sludge wrangler" they didn't know they needed. As a fractional practice administrator, Sarah helps physicians turn overwhelm into operational excellence by focusing on the "4 P's": People, Patients, Processes, and Paperwork. In this conversation, Sarah shares how netwo...

In this powerful conversation, Tony Caldwell shares his remarkable journey from a 27-year military career to becoming an executive advisor and coach. Tony opens up about the profound loss of purpose many veterans experience after leaving service and how he rediscovered his mission by helping business leaders increase their impact. This episode is packed with practical networking wisdom, including...

John Bradford shares 35 years of networking wisdom from the event industry. Learn why being genuine beats being salesy, the 24-hour follow-up rule, and how to build relationships that naturally lead to business without the hard sell. Discover how to build a successful career through authentic networking with John Bradford, Director of Sales at Station West, who has spent 35 years mastering relatio...

Learn proven networking strategies from ITEX's Maria Stone on building valuable business relationships, effective follow-up techniques, and turning connections into clients. Discover why quality beats quantity and how to organize your network for maximum ROI. Master the art of business networking with proven strategies that actually work. In this episode of Network Build Grow, host Melissa Ta...

In this episode of the Network Build Grow Podcast , host Melissa Taylor interviews John Sanchez, Managing Partner of FPA Group and a communication coach for finance professionals. John shares how developing strong communication skills transformed his career from a technical financial analyst to a sought-after speaker and trainer. They discuss the importance of consistent networking, avoiding the f...

In this episode of the Network Build Grow Podcast , host Melissa Taylor sits down with Corrine Brown , known as The Fresh Expert , to talk about how relationship-based networking builds real business growth without aggressive selling. Corrine shares how she grew a thriving Tupperware business by focusing on community, personal branding, and authentic connections , not pitches. From standing out at...