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Networking Without the Pitch: How to Grow Your Business Through Real Connection
12 Plays6 days ago
What if your belief in what's possible was shaped not just by talent—but by the evidence you gather by taking action and learning from the results?
In this episode, Robbie sits down with Shane Cullis, Membership Manager at the Burlington Chamber of Commerce, to explore how mindset, action, and community shape what's possible in life and business.
Some key themes are:
How expectation and realization build belief
The hidden power of networking (even if you're shy!)
Why showing up to connect—not to pitch—creates real growth
Overcoming imposter syndrome by focusing on helping others
The magic of small wins, clear targets, and being willing to start before you're ready
From stories about starting from scratch to the joy of helping others thrive, this episode is a reminder that possibility grows when we take action, lean into connection, and believe we belong in the room.
A message to you from Shane Cullis:
I have been floating around the Chamber world for most of my career. I was a member at a bunch of different Chambers. Throughout all that time I have managed to build up a rather large network. I am known for knowing people. I am also known for connecting the right ones with each other. That’s the real important part of what I do! I have worked directly for both the Burlington and Oakville Chambers. One thing I have learned, we are all the same in many ways. One big similarity, we’re all just trying to grow our businesses and support our families! Can we do it on our own, sure. Can we do it a lot quicker if we work together. Most definitely!! If you see me at an event, just come up to me and ask, do you know a _________. If the person you are looking for is in the room I will connect you. In other words, I help people with targeted networking. Best to get right to the folks you really want to meet. Feel free to contact me anytime!
Folks can contact me by email. shane@burlingtonchamber.com
We are getting many requests these days for help with managing stress and navigating all of the change happening around us. So, we are offering free Stress Management workshops, both in person at our training facility in Burlington, Ontario Canada, and online via Zoom. Learn more and register here: https://www.hypnosistrainingcanada.com/stress-management-workshop
Learn more about how Robbie Spier Miller’s coaching, training, consulting and speaking opportunities can help you enhance your personal and business performance here:
https://www.hypnosistrainingcanada.com
https://www.mindlinkconsulting.com
Social Media Handles:
@hypnosistrainingcanada
@robbiespiermiller
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Transcript
Building Authentic Connections
00:00:00
Speaker
he He told me the first six months I was going to the chambers was to not talk about the business. And I was like, okay, what do i talk about? He goes, just get to know people. And it was brilliant what he was doing. is He was taking the pitch style networking person out of me and it worked beautifully.
00:00:13
Speaker
It worked beautifully. I just got to get to know people. i got known as a giver. I mean, when you help somebody out, let's face it, most of the time they're going to remember that and they're going to do what they can to help you in return. So it's it's very, very true.
00:00:29
Speaker
Welcome to the Habit of Possibility podcast, the show about turning obstacles into opportunities. I'm your host, Robbie Spear-Miller. Today, Shane Cullis, the membership manager at the Burlington Chamber of Commerce, is joining us.
00:00:44
Speaker
Shane is a master networker, and he's going to share with us his insights on how to grow your business by building authentic connections with people and how to approach entrepreneurship and sales to create success.
00:00:58
Speaker
Before we begin, we have a special announcement. We have been having many requests these days for help with managing stress and navigating all the change happening around us. So we are offering free one-hour stress management workshops, both in person at our training facility in Burlington, Ontario, Canada, and online via Zoom.
00:01:19
Speaker
Check the link in the show description for more info and to register. Now, let's get started with the show.
The Power of Mindset and Mentorship
00:01:29
Speaker
Hello, everybody. This is Robbie Spear-Miller, the host of the Habit of Possibility podcast. And today i am here with Shane Cullis, who's the membership manager at the Burlington Chamber of Commerce.
00:01:40
Speaker
Thanks for having me. Yeah. yeah Intelligence and genius. That's not usually something I'm involved with, but let's do this. There are all kinds of... Right. Yeah. Yeah. So...
00:01:51
Speaker
So share a little bit about what your experience has been with this. Like, do you have some stories from your own life where you had experiences that gave you evidence that you were on the right path or that you really wanted something?
00:02:04
Speaker
ah Well, yeah, I mean, in my career, um I've been doing sales for 30 some odd years now. And there there certainly is something to, you know, getting in the mindset of knowing that you can do it. Partially it's, you know, if I've done it before, I know I can do it again kind of thing.
00:02:20
Speaker
and But I have found myself getting into, ah you know, struggles that go a little dry sometimes as far as bringing a new opportunities. um And one of the things that actually helps get me out of that is actually just thinking about the fact that I've done it before, can do it again.
00:02:32
Speaker
So today I'm going to go write a deal. And and oddly, that really does seem to work for me. So yeah, it's been there kind of a mantra I've had, mentor that i've had since I was in my early 20s. I had a great boss and mentor back then that kind of pointed me in the right direction. And Always talked about positive mindset. Sometime right now it's hard to be there, but if you can stay there, it's it's very helpful, absolutely.
Networking and Business Growth
00:02:52
Speaker
Yeah, and action's where it's at. And even if it doesn't go quite the way you want, when we take action, we learn from whatever happens and it it moves the agenda forward. Yeah.
00:03:02
Speaker
You know, I think all of it takes effort. um You know, if we're going you know if we're going to get good at our craft, we have to be out there practicing it every single day. um So, I mean, it's it's you know not just in my case where I'm trying to manifest that you know sales and opportunities for myself.
00:03:18
Speaker
um it like It takes a lot of effort, a lot of ah you know hunting and and gathering along the way to make sure, in my case, that my sales funnel is full so that I know I have more opportunities coming. um And that's what Scott Bridger and I, my counterpart at the Chamber, we spend most of our days focused on. um You know, it our job our job is to to get new members and grow the membership bigger we grow, ah the more opportunity there is for everybody. So we have to be out there every day hitting all different events and all this different stuff to actually be able to achieve the the kind of success we've been able to achieve for sure.
00:03:48
Speaker
Yeah, and that's a great model for people in business because I think a lot of people who are starting out in business haven't had to go through that. if they Maybe they were an employee or they did something else beforehand.
00:04:01
Speaker
They might not have been through that process of, you know, I think of it like planting lots of seeds. And some of them will grow and come to beautiful fruition and some of them won't. And to be willing to accept that as a way of life. And and so that's really true no matter what kind of business you have.
00:04:20
Speaker
Oh, yeah, yeah. And I mean, well, so last year we saw a big rush of folks that were coming out of their corporate life and wanting to do their own thing. And ah and quite often those are the folks you're talking about that really have never done networking or have never had to hunt themselves.
00:04:33
Speaker
And and ah so they they it's new to them and they're a bit like a deer in the headlights at some of our events and all that stuff. um Now, personally, I love seeing those people though, because it's really fun watching them come out of their shells when they do get there. so Yeah, I agree. And I coach a lot of business people, especially established businesses, but many, many people who are new to owning their own business.
00:04:55
Speaker
And something challenging is that when they work full time for another business and they get a regular paycheck, there's a lot of security and stability in that. and And they're not really reacting to what's actually happening in the world because they're used to getting that regular paycheck.
00:05:10
Speaker
So if there's a snowstorm and nobody shows up because of the snowstorm, they still get paid. Whereas if you own a small business or a bigger business, um that there is there's an an immediate response to whatever's happening, and whether it's you know forces of nature or otherwise. So we need to be proactive. Oh, yeah. Yeah. You see this a lot with... ah financial advisors that are stepping out of a bank and starting their own business. you know You know, when you're at the banks, you're fed the whole time and then they have to step out and do it themselves. And it and it's so fun watching them out of ads because you'll see them in the corner on their phones and all that stuff. and It's like, no, no, come with me.
00:05:46
Speaker
you know Get them introduced to the right people so they see how it all works. And I mean, it doesn't take long. Once you see it working and and, you know, you see the benefits coming in, it actually gets much, much easier to do.
00:05:57
Speaker
It's true. Yeah. And, you know, I can speak to that personally because I used to be really, really, really shy before I started my business. And so I had to really decide that I was going to go out and talk to people and it wasn't easy.
00:06:11
Speaker
But now it now it's easy because I've done it so much. But I i really re relate to that. um And so, you know, and I help lots of people learn how to do that better with what we do here.
00:06:22
Speaker
um But the thing I find really inspiring is seeing people who do grow through this and realize this can just be part of everyday life. And it's a great deal. And they can even enjoy it Oh yeah. might but It's one of the best parts about it is like you get to watch your own if it' yourre own business. You get to watch your own passion, your own baby gets to grow and you get to have fun doing it.
00:06:44
Speaker
Very important. I mean, the more fun this stuff is, the more we want to do it and that and the faster we can grow our businesses. But you see it all the time. I've been doing this for 17 years now with the the chambers, both with Oakville for many years now with Burlington.
00:06:55
Speaker
And so I'm in a lucky spot where I actually get to see folks that you know I met that long ago and watch what their businesses have turned into in the different directions they've gone throughout the years. And it's just a really cool experience to watch these folks just kind of either come out of their shelves or have this business just take off. like i I have a million businesses coming to my mind right now that I've i watched that you know this happen with over the years. And it's a really cool experience.
00:07:19
Speaker
Yeah, and I would add to that, that what's really interesting about being part of the business community is you get to know people who run all kinds of businesses and from walks of life, maybe you wouldn't have met otherwise. And that's really interesting. I think it adds to your life.
00:07:35
Speaker
Oh, yes, it absolutely does. um People are interesting and we all have different stories. We have different backgrounds. um And it's it's I love the one on one conversations because that's where I get to hear all the more fun stuff. Yes, we always talk a little bit about the business, but usually with the one on one conversations, that's where you're actually learning about the other side of the person, you know, so how they actually run the business. Sure. but also a little bit about themselves, because let's face it, typically if we've connected with somebody we like. We tend to be a bit more open and we will share more personal stories.
00:08:04
Speaker
which is also very, very interesting. um And when you learn more personal stuff about each other, and actually helps you build each, ah help each other grow as far as your business is going and actually also in your personal lives too. Yeah. And some of these people become your actual friends over time. That happens too. Oh yeah. lot. Yeah.
00:08:20
Speaker
Yeah. It's, it's awesome. I have people that I met, I started my business 19 years ago and I was part of some networking groups at that time. And there are people I still know and do business with to this day from that time. And, and you know, it's like you're part of the community. oh yeah. yeah and We also never know when it's going to come back to you, too. um One of my favorite stories to tell is um I had a friend of mine that, i you know, I'd known her for 10 years.
00:08:47
Speaker
ah We'd never done a lick of business between the two of us. um But we just got together for a coffee to catch up. And i um was just starting with one of the chambers. And um she said, you know what, I'm going to introduce you to my to my neighbor. He owns a restaurant. I'm like, oh, very cool. That's nice. And restaurant restaurants are great for chambers because they're events based for us and all that stuff.
00:09:05
Speaker
um Turned out the fellow owned 27 restaurants. So was wee bit of a bigger opportunity than I thought I was going in for. So you never know what's going to come out of it or when something is going to come out of it. It can be years down the road.
00:09:17
Speaker
It's true. And even to just be open because you never know also who the person you're talking to knows and what what kinds of connections they have or how they
The Giver's Gain Philosophy
00:09:27
Speaker
might offer to help you. yeah So sometimes people surprise you. And I think that openness, some people are like overly selective when they're connecting with the business community. yeah and then they miss out on on certain opportunities. that's it Yeah.
00:09:42
Speaker
it's not always about who's in the room. It's about who they know. yeah like i have a a great example for this, which is I'm part of both the Burlington and Oakville Dads groups, and I do their golf tournaments, and I will always randomly join a foursome. And the one time i ended up sitting with a guy who was the president of a a business of 500 individuals, I had no idea. I was chatting with him all at the whole day. And at the very end of the round, we just he just asked me what I did, and I told him, and then he told me what he did.
00:10:09
Speaker
The two weeks later I was at and the other dad's tournament and the same thing happened, except it was a much larger company of 1100 members. And he was actually the decision maker that I actually needed to speak to. So you just, you never know who you're talking to. You never who know who you're sitting with.
00:10:23
Speaker
um And of course we ah never know who for whoo folks know. So it's a, yeah, you really should take some time to get to know folks one-to-one. Yeah. This is where we learn. It's not, the events are great for getting you introduced to each other and figuring out, you know, the right people to meet and all that jive, but you really learn.
00:10:39
Speaker
about each other when you're doing stuff like this. Yeah, and ultimately we're just people. So no matter how big small the company is, it's just connecting with people that makes the difference. Absolutely, it is. Yeah.
00:10:51
Speaker
You know, one of my really old, my oldest friend that I'm still friends with, she had a job in marketing and for a career that was very impressive and never had a problem getting a job. She was employed for...
00:11:06
Speaker
I'm going to say three decades straight. And every time that a job ended or she wanted to switch, she'd just find another one. And but within the last year or so, she got laid off for the first time in her life.
00:11:17
Speaker
And so she started to do networking. And she said she'd never considered that before, but it led to her writing a really interesting collaborative article with somebody she met through networking. And it led to you know some job interviews and consulting opportunities. And so she started to really appreciate the value of it. And what one of the things I found is that when you connect with people and it's the right fit, things can happen really fast because it's the right fit. So you just move forward and and you never know when that's going to happen.
00:11:51
Speaker
Yeah, it's you and you also don't know which direction it's going to go in. It was last year or of the year before, I connected two friends of mine, own business networking friends, but friends, friends now for sure. um And you know they're creatives and they you know they do web design and and stuff like that and content and all that stuff.
00:12:08
Speaker
And they've gone in a totally different direction. They have actually just looked at at launched a children's book series, which called Story A. I'm saying I don't care. um And it just sounds like an amazing story. It's this customized story that for children,
00:12:20
Speaker
You just, you don't, I never would have expected something like that to come out of that relationship, but it's comical and in they're, you know, they're in funding stage right now and it's going to take off. I'm certain of it. So. Yeah, the creative energy. You never know what's going to come from it.
00:12:33
Speaker
Yeah. yeah For those of you who might be shy about networking or, you know, some people think they're bothering people. So even though they they like people or they might not be shy people, they worry that if they approach people or start a conversation that people don't want to talk to them. And the thing that really helped me change this, because I used to definitely do this,
00:12:53
Speaker
was I started to focus on what was you know what could I do to help others. And so i wasn't I wasn't making it about me, so how could I connect with people? How could I make them more comfortable?
00:13:05
Speaker
And what could I offer them? And when I look at it that way, it's it's a lot easier to connect. And then you see you're giving value because a lot of people are relieved. Somebody's talking to them, they feel welcome.
00:13:18
Speaker
Maybe you are offering them something of value and they're going, wow, thank God I met you or thank God you can introduce me to this person or that person. yeah So there's a discovery happening through that as well.
00:13:30
Speaker
Yeah, well, some people are going to smile at this, but giver's gain is real. It is a very, very true like It's actually how I did it and how I kind of built myself up. um My old boss, when I was at Intelligent Office, he he told me the first six months I was going to the chambers was to not talk about the business. And I was like, okay, what do i talk about? He goes, just get to know people.
00:13:49
Speaker
And it was brilliant what he was doing is he was taking the, you know, the more pitch style networking person out of me. And it worked beautifully. It worked beautifully. I just got to get to know people. i got known as a giver, ah which I mean, when you help somebody out, let's face it, most of the time they're going to remember that and they're going to do what they can to help you in return. So it's it's very, very true.
00:14:09
Speaker
Um, you know, if you, if you go to the table with the intent of helping other people, they will help you in return. I've experienced this. I've seen so many of our members experience this. Um, and they, one of the greatest things that we're super proud of at our events is the feel of them.
00:14:23
Speaker
Um, you know, sometimes you see a closed circle conversation going on and you feel, Oh, I probably shouldn't interrupt. That'd be rude. That's not the case at our events. That's just another spot for you to go to go chat and and get to know folks. I mean, we've really he's Burlington, right? So I think our all of our events, whether it's, you know, my chamber stuff or any of the other events that I run, they're all reflective of the Burlington community, which is a, you know, you watch what all these other groups do ah in the community and you see it's there's very much a family feel to it, um which is great because it just makes it all that much more fun to be a part of.
00:14:54
Speaker
Yeah, for sure. And when you go out of your way to help somebody, generally, people really remember that they appreciate it, they remember it, because not when very many people do that. so And when you really are curious and interested in them, they it makes an imp impact because they feel seen and appreciated by you. So it's got to be genuine, of course.
00:15:15
Speaker
um Sometimes people need to learn how to get their own fears or discomforts out of the way or self-consciousness.
Overcoming Imposter Syndrome
00:15:21
Speaker
and I was doing a talk the other day and and one of the questions at the end was, how do you get people over imposter syndrome?
00:15:30
Speaker
And so I was talking about how imposter syndrome, which if people don't know what it is, it's when people who are generally very successful are always worried that somebody is going to find out that they aren't really very capable after all, or they're going to find out that they messed something up. And they're always on edge about that and fearful and stressed and worried. And they feel like they need to keep achieving and achieving and achieving to avoid that. It's a very common thing with high achievers. Mm-hmm.
00:15:57
Speaker
And so I was talking about how that the way to shift that is to realize it's not about us because imposter syndrome is about fear that we're not okay. and we're really just here to help others, no matter what kind of business you're in or whether you're a parent or a community member, no matter what you do.
00:16:17
Speaker
somehow we're all here to give to others or to the community. you know And so, the more we put our awareness there, the easier it is to stay connected and focused on what we can give.
00:16:30
Speaker
and And so, we you know in in hypnosis, we talk about how the the word hypnosis, the the guy who named it, his name was Dr. James Braid. And he regretted naming it hypnosis because hypnos means sleep and hypnosis isn't sleep.
00:16:46
Speaker
And he wanted to rename it monoideism, which is means a single idea or obsession. So, the idea is that we are all always obsessed with something.
00:16:56
Speaker
and And so, with hypnosis, we're learning to choose to have the freedom to choose what what we're obsessed with so it can be towards an outcome we actually want. And so when we're really focused in this way, we can be obsessed in a healthy way with connecting, with looking for how we can help people.
00:17:17
Speaker
And when we're doing that, then we we the the self-consciousness drops away. and so And I've done this myself and I've helped many, many people discover how to do that.
00:17:28
Speaker
If you just take that idea and you start to picture that, it it may help you a lot. I think a lot of us kind of go through bouts with imposter syndrome um for sure. Absolutely. And I know I have throughout my career many times.
00:17:43
Speaker
um Actually, one example of it was actually the very first time when I was chairing the breakfast committee for the Oakville Chamber. And the very first time I had to get up and deliver the whole entire opening and and host the the event was,
00:17:55
Speaker
um I performed on stage for many years doing comedy, so I really don't have a problem being on stage. But when then I had to get up in front of business people and I had to do a professional talk, I had never been so nervous in my life. And I've done some pretty silly stuff on stage.
00:18:09
Speaker
So it was really strange to feel that kind of nerve, those nerves come in and questioning my abilities to do it. And it was really funny, actually. I ran through what was supposed to be about 15 minutes of speaking.
00:18:20
Speaker
ah I ran through most of it in about three minutes. And the president of the chamber at the time stopped me halfway partway through and it and kind of calmed me down a bit, which was so helpful because I would have been done the entire breakfast in about five minutes. So ah yeah it's funny when it creeps in. But, you know, you know his calming voice at that moment kind of brought me back and reminded me that, oh, yeah, wait, hold on. You do know how to do this. You've been doing this for a long time. You're fine.
00:18:43
Speaker
And then the rest of the breakfast and most most since have but have gone pretty well. so Right. So even sometimes if you're a seasoned speaker or a networker, sometimes we have life stages that shift how we feel about it or and biochemical changes or whatever. um So it's really good to ah remind ourselves of that focus before we go to events like this so that we're clear about why are we there? What what matters? What's the priority? Yeah. yeah actually I actually had a moment of it very recently. There was another performer in the room and my head went, oh no.
00:19:19
Speaker
Oh no. She'll know when I when i mess up. Oh no. She'll tell everybody. Right? You'll never live it down. a Moment of panic right as I started speaking, but I managed to bury it and got through it. So, yeah. yeah Yeah.
00:19:33
Speaker
And some people, when that happens, they and and in nothing bad happens, they can create a story in their mind imagining something bad happened or being really hard on themselves about it. And that just makes it worse because it's harder to learn and do it better next time if we're really hard on ourselves. Mm-hmm.
00:19:51
Speaker
So, so ah you know, a sense of humor about the whole thing is good. Yeah, I have a bit of a self-deprecating sense of humor, and there is a reason for It pretty much exactly what you just said. so it's That's the way i get through it. Well, that one's done. Let's go to the next one.
00:20:11
Speaker
Yeah. Whether it's also, you know, I i had a client once and she she was um from a background where the emphasis was more on the the group or the community than on the individual. And so she was struggling with this because she was being pressured by her family to sacrifice what she wanted for the family instead of doing what she wanted. And in our culture, people generally prioritize what they want. right We're not as community oriented that way.
00:20:37
Speaker
And I think there's a real sweet spot here. Sometimes we take what we want or our self-consciousness like way too far and it's not useful. And sometimes we take giving to others too far. I bet you can relate to that, Shane. Because you're one of those people who gives to everybody.
00:20:55
Speaker
I may have have been told I have an overactive need to help before that may have come up in a conversation. yall Maybe. That's possible. Same guy who put me on the right track, too.
00:21:07
Speaker
So yeah, no, i it's, it is one of those things. yeah I think it's, I mean, part of the reason we do that stuff though is because you actually do get pure joy out of it, you know, is, is, is being able to helpful. And that's, it's one of the great things about what I do for a living is I actually spend my days helping people. So ah it's a pretty cool experience and it does feel good.
00:21:25
Speaker
Yeah, for sure it does. And, you know, in my experience, the sweet spot has been being able to give to others and also take care of yourself so ah you can see yourself as one of the people you give to. That it's not just them or you, it's them and you. You have to think about number one.
00:21:42
Speaker
I always, I used to, I used to, like pretty much hate that statement. Cause I mean, i have a daughter, i have family and I would always put them above myself and all that stuff. But you know, there's the analogy with the, with the airplanes, when the things drop, if you don't put your for so yours on first, you might not be able to help the person beside you.
00:22:00
Speaker
um So, i mean, we do have to think about ourselves that, you know, for sure. um But it's just nice when we get to kind of help others. Well, helping, you know, number one, I guess, yeah at the same time. So yeah, you really want it to all fit together. But yeah a lot of people do take that really far. We have many, many clients and students who come here for help for exactly that reason, because they're really struggling to ah handle their life because they can get really caught up in giving too much. And sometimes they even
00:22:32
Speaker
do it to ignore the things they need to change about them, because it's a lot easier to notice what other people need or help them and then instead of noticing what we need to change and actually changing it.
00:22:45
Speaker
Yeah. We're all very good at giving advice. We're just not good at listening to ourselves when we know we should be doing something differently. Yeah. Yeah, absolutely. Yeah.
Supporting New Members at the Chamber
00:22:56
Speaker
So are there some examples of what you do at the chamber to make sure that when people join or become active in the chamber that you give them evidence that it's worth it?
00:23:07
Speaker
Oh, yeah, absolutely. I think one of the big things that we bring to the table is we help our members do much more targeted membering um sorry targeted networking. um You know, it's great. I mean, our our rooms have 200 plus people in them.
00:23:21
Speaker
and So it's it's hard for a new person to walk in because they don't know anybody. um And that's where I come in and my ambassador team comes in. And that's where like all those folks come in because what we do is we actively look for the deer in the headlights or that person is standing by so by themselves and we get to know them and we actually take them to the people they need to meet.
00:23:40
Speaker
So, you know, just a quick one. I know every financial advisor wants to meet every accountant, real ah mortgage brokers want to meet financial advisors. um All the different contractors out there want to meet each other because they can support each other.
00:23:51
Speaker
um with their customers, but also in many other ways. So I just try and help our members build referral sources. And the goal is that every single member that comes to an event is going to walk out with two to three connections with the right people and that they're going to meet with one-on-one, because that's really what we're going to learn about each other and how we can support each other. So, yeah. Yeah, we are actively connecting our members, ah both at events and also in between events as well. I think I probably make three to five connections a day right now.
00:24:19
Speaker
So and and it is all about getting folks to the right people. you You know, it's wonderful. We get to make a lot of really great friends doing this stuff. and But we do have to build our businesses. We are here to make money when we're doing this stuff.
00:24:31
Speaker
So you do need to get to the right people. And again, that's where we come in and make sure that's happening. Yeah, awesome. And this is a great example because it's I think the the Burlington Chamber is doing a beautiful job of that. Not every organization does, not everybody lives in a community with that type of opportunity.
00:24:49
Speaker
And we can create that opportunity for ourselves. hu In a way, if there isn't somebody facilitating, there's more space for us to become the facilitator of that just naturally. Somebody doesn't need to give you the title.
00:25:02
Speaker
And I've met people over the years who've been awesome at that. They just take on that role unofficially. Oh, yeah, yeah. And it's it's amazing. And and the the response people have is like, wow, that person really just wants to help me. and And they' they it feels really good so it feels great in the you know to have that experience.
00:25:23
Speaker
I really want to encourage people, first of all, if you are in a situation where networking will help you to really have fun with it and and learn how to get better and better at it. And if you need help and resources, you can ask.
00:25:37
Speaker
um And then on top of that, to look at how you are building things in general and set things up so that you have some data to go on. So Shane was just talking about meeting three to five new connections a day.
00:25:52
Speaker
So he's got a metric and Shane, you know whether or not you've met those three to five new connections a day. Yeah, it's three to five connections I make for other people. I need a lot more than that on most days. So cool.
00:26:05
Speaker
So you know exactly what the target is and you know whether or not you reached it. I'm sure every day you do. But if you didn't, you would know. And so it it it things can't go too far off the rails because you're aware and you have something to measure it with. Mm-hmm.
00:26:21
Speaker
And I think a lot of people, especially newer business people, don't create that kind of setup for themselves. And then they're kind of taking shots in the dark and there isn't enough structure or feedback. So they don't know, are am I on track? What do I need to learn?
00:26:37
Speaker
They don't really have enough feedback around that because they're missing the metrics. And they don't, well, they may not have the experience with it. So they don't know to they don't know that they need to set goals and targets and all that stuff. And that's where coaches come in um to really provide that support. um Because you do need to have daily targets, daily goals, weekly, monthly, yearly targets and all that stuff. Because it just kind of gives you a what gives you target?
00:26:59
Speaker
Gives you something to aim at. um and so i mean we you know In sales, we ah we're very target driven, so we know exactly how many calls we need to make, how many events we need to do you know to achieve our end goal, which in my case is new members coming on. and um so yeah we're We're very keen on on keeping ah aware of what we need to be doing on a daily basis.
00:27:21
Speaker
yeah Yeah. Yeah. So um cultivating a real respect for that and building that structure into your life will serve all the business owners really well. If you don't have it yet or you're not, some people have it and they just forget about it or they blow it off or they don't meet their first target and then get frustrated and don't believe it's possible.
00:27:42
Speaker
So I think it's the small achievable wins matters. Yeah. We have to be realistic about our targets. ah You know, I mean, I mean, there's, So I've got my work targets, but then I've got my own personal targets.
00:27:55
Speaker
So my work targets will be less than my personal targets. I always try to, you know, overachieve when it comes to my personal targets. um And, you know, I'm lucky I quite often hit them. But if I don't, I get to don't get too fussed about it because i' I've done it before. i'll know what it i'll know I know I'll do it again. It's just that month it didn't happen. Oh, well, on to the next month.
00:28:14
Speaker
And you learn from it, right? You can look at it and say, hmm, what didn't I do here? Were there outside factors? And what can I do to make that better? Oh, I usually know what I did when I didn't hit target.
00:28:26
Speaker
Well, some people don't know. So that's good. You have the self-awareness and you're willing to look at it. Some people find it really uncomfortable. They just don't want admit it. They don't want to blame themselves. Yeah, or they just don't want to know. So the willingness to see what's actually happening and and level with ourselves about it does help because then we can do something about you Well, you have to hold yourself accountable.
00:28:49
Speaker
I mean, it is what it is. And, you know, if you struggle to hold yourself accountable, again, this is another spot that coaches are great for because there is accountability when you're meeting with a coach. There's accountability groups. And if, you know, if you struggle with accountability, I was just looking at some, if you need it information on accountability groups, I have lots.
00:29:06
Speaker
But there's lots of ways to, you know, to, to make sure that you're keeping on track, even if you aren't good at doing it yourself. Yeah, absolutely. Yeah.
Balancing Help and Financial Success
00:29:14
Speaker
So Shane, have you in your career, was there over a time where you felt like you just wanted to make it about the people and you didn't care about money or sales? Or did you have a time like that in your career?
00:29:25
Speaker
I work for a nonprofit. but What do you think? Yes. There's a reason why I'm asking this question. I sense that this was true. No, I'm joking. When you make it more, it just for me, it's just so much more fun when I make it more about others. And, you know, luckily I tend to get the financial return on that.
00:29:48
Speaker
um But yeah, no, I mean, it's... It's just more fun when you make it about others. It's easier when you make it about others because it does come back if you are genuine about it.
00:29:59
Speaker
Right. I mean, we can all we're we're adults here. We can all read when somebody you know, putting on a putting on a show for us. um I mean, the genuine people are the ones that deliver after the fact, you know, hey, I'm going to do this for you. This is a really important piece to networking, folks.
00:30:12
Speaker
If you say you're going to do something, do it. If you say you're going to connect, do oneon one on ones, do it. Put it in your calendar, make it happen um because that helps back up, you know, the the the for the other person anyway, yeah yeah get the feeling of how genuine you are.
00:30:26
Speaker
Yeah, yeah. All right. And Shane, I'm asking you this question because I have come across lots of people starting out in business who want to ignore the whole money part of things or they feel uncomfortable asking for payments or their whole relationship with that. They think like maybe it's a spiritual thing and they just want it to magically happen.
00:30:48
Speaker
And in my experience, when people pay for something, they value it more. And they also are more accountable because they they they're they're invested in it. So it helps people when they pay for things. Yep.
00:31:02
Speaker
And I think it's really important to be as, you know, for me, i my job is also helping people. That's why I do what I do. um You know, yes, I happen to get paid for it. And and it is important that people pay because it helps them be more successful.
00:31:18
Speaker
Yeah. um So it's all a package, just like ah giving to others and giving to yourself is all a package. Giving to others and them appreciating it with payment is also part of a package.
00:31:32
Speaker
And you just trust that it's going to come together. It's not so direct because sometimes you do things and people don't pay or you'll go out of your way way more than you get compensated. And other times it's totally the opposite.
00:31:45
Speaker
And so it's like a whole direction. It's a package of ah experiences that's happening. Yeah. it's yeah um So it's one and the nice things that came ah you know out of that masky stay at home time we went through a little while ago was I think people came out of that understanding
Local Business Support Post-Pandemic
00:32:03
Speaker
and that we really need to support local. We really need to support these local businesses and get out there.
00:32:08
Speaker
And you know it's not about getting deals from people. You can't. like We all need to survive. so we have to charge. you know at proper rates and not devalue our our brand or our services at the same time, um you know you're you're paying for quality service. You're paying because you know that the person you're working with is trusted.
00:32:25
Speaker
That's what you're paying for. It's, you know, that you know they're going into the to ah to deliver on on what they've promised you. It's not about getting deals. I mean, hey, if we can help each other out, sure, that's awesome and all that. But it it is about ah the deliverables at the end.
00:32:40
Speaker
um I was junior salesperson for a company and they weren't allowing me to focus on any of the big bigger commercial opportunities. I would always go to the more senior folks, but I kept landing the opportunities and getting the doors open and then they would take it away from me.
00:32:54
Speaker
So one day I just asked them, I'm like, can I just follow this one all the way through? um And it was actually back when I was in the energy industry and you know i had approached one of the radio stations about just taking over one of their towers, just one tower. That's all I wanted. So I took an entirely different approach than what other folks had seen.
00:33:10
Speaker
And then we ended up after a few months, we had the entire radio stations, all of their towers across Ontario. So it actually became a really big opportunity very quite quite quickly, actually.
00:33:21
Speaker
um so it was kind of a cool achievement. And that was something I did when I was in my early 20s. And it really kind of changed Certainly at that company, how people looked at me as far as a salesperson go, I was no longer the kid anymore. I you know i had the ability to go after the big stuff.
00:33:36
Speaker
It took a lot of effort and um it actually also took um a shoulder to lean on from one of my mentors at that company. He kind of helped set me up. I knew I was in not over my head, but I knew it was a big opportunity. I didn't want
The Role of Mentorship in Success
00:33:47
Speaker
to mess it up. So I met with my mentor at the time and i think I met with him three times before I went in to close the deal and he kind of you know helped me massage the wording I was using and whatnot. and set me up for success. So it was really great. So mentors are very valuable people. They're very, very, very valuable. I hope every one of you has one. If not, get one.
00:34:05
Speaker
Yes, I agree. Yeah, it's a great shortcut to success because you can learn from their mistakes. Right, they've been there, done it, and yeah, they can steer you in the right direction, absolutely. yeah Yeah, well, that must have felt pretty awesome for you to get that win. And so you showed yourself what you could do, right? You gave yourself evidence, you gave but other people evidence. yeah And I bet your view of your skills changed after that experience.
00:34:32
Speaker
Well, yes, especially after I saw the commission check on that one. ha Now we're all curious about how to go past. It's okay. You don't have to tell us. Well, I'm not going to.
00:34:43
Speaker
So what drove you to, like you came up with this idea, what would you say was like the thing that attracted you to really pursue this? To pursue? That deal.
00:34:54
Speaker
Oh, to pursue that deal. that was... you It was me trying to prove myself. It really was because I kept getting nicknamed the kid early on in my career. um And although that was the first one. Oh, no, that was actually, sorry, it was my second job that that happened.
00:35:07
Speaker
And I got nicknamed the kid at both of them because I was... ah If you know me, you know I'm not quiet. I'm a little loud. and um and And I was always pretty good at sales, luckily enough.
00:35:18
Speaker
um I always understood that it's about relationships. So I come from a big family. I have nine brothers, stepbrothers and brothers and all that stuff. So I mean, I'm you know used to supporting other folks.
00:35:29
Speaker
So I guess what attracted me to to go after that was it was, that was about proving myself. That really was about proving myself. I was, a you know being considered a junior is fine when you're you know yeah when you're younger, but when you get keep getting nicknamed the kid, i really wanted to get away from that because that was kind of, in my mind, in my my head, that was pulled to me back because they looked at me as a junior. They weren't allowing me to go after the bigger opportunities.
00:35:54
Speaker
um And actually, luckily, I had established a good relationship with the vice president at that time. And he's the one ah who actually kind of pushed it forward and gave me that opportunity to go after it. um So, you know, when I got there and we managed to, we got the deal and all that stuff and we and and we got our success out of that, um i was no I wasn't a kid anymore.
00:36:13
Speaker
um I didn't get looked at that. They realized, oh, wait, he actually can close just like, you you know, the the seniors who have been here doing this forever. So it was it was a nice little personal achievement. I'll say that.
00:36:23
Speaker
Yeah, good. so So they actually did you a big favor by calling you the kit. Yeah, looking back on it, yes, I suppose. no i Yeah, I might not have. You're right. It was a i might have been the push that I needed to actually prove myself at a higher level. so Yeah. yeah Yeah. You know, for me, I've been doing this this work where I help people achieve their potential or their goals.
00:36:46
Speaker
And I've been doing this for almost 20 years now. And one of the things I've observed after seeing thousands of people is that a lot of what the role people are playing in life or where they're depends on what they imagine is possible for them, which is why I call this podcast, The Habit of Possibility, because it really changes things. So it's not necessarily how smart they are how many talents they have.
00:37:10
Speaker
um And even who they know, if they don't see themselves as capable of doing certain things, they're less likely to go for it. And so building this this structure of giving yourself evidence that you can do things, even if it's in small steps, helps build towards the next thing. Like I know some people who come from families where they're the first one who graduated from college or university.
00:37:33
Speaker
And so to their family, they're like, wow, you did it. But to other families, everybody does it. So it's no big deal. But that the people from the other families, you know the chances of those people graduating are way higher because they believe they can do it because everybody does. Yeah, because everybody in the family does it. So there's power to who you sort who you're surrounded by. So yeah if you don't come from a background like that or you know maybe you feel insecure about certain things,
00:38:00
Speaker
um And things like imposter syndrome come from that. Maybe you have high achieving parents who also had imposter syndrome. So you grew up looking at things that way.
00:38:11
Speaker
um The more that we really focus on giving ourselves this evidence, the more the insecurities drop away. you definitely want to surround yourself with the right people. um The folks you surround yourself, they reflect on you, right? you know So if you're surrounding yourself with people that are negative all the time, it's going to bring you down quite a bit. um like Over the years, I've been really trying to focus on you know getting away from folks that are constantly negative because they will bring me down. i mean I buzz when I'm in a room, a real positive room full of energy. Like I speed up and it gets actually a little little ridiculous. Yeah, I know. I'm into breakfast a little bit. Yeah. um
00:38:50
Speaker
But I mean, unfortunately with me, the same happens if I'm in a room that's got a lot of negativity. It'll pull me down. um So I really, really spent time, you know, kind of curating the friends that I hang around with on a regular basis, my closest group.
00:39:02
Speaker
um which is quite large now because I mean, most of the chamber members are my friends now too. So, um but I do, I make sure I spend my time with people who just, it's not always bad. It's not always, you know, you have to listen to, you know, you like be somebody's shoulder to cry and be there for them. Absolutely. one a hundred percent. That's a wonderful thing to be able to do.
00:39:22
Speaker
and But when they, the folks are always negative and they're always down, like they might need This person right here, maybe make that suggestion. and Yes, I do have lots of people with that.
00:39:34
Speaker
But I think what you're saying is that there's a certain attitude you have about life, and then there's the things we go through in life. And some people, their attitude is such that everything's negative, so maybe nothing really bad's happening, and they're making a big deal out of it. And other people, huge...
00:39:51
Speaker
challenging things are happening and they just know how to interact with it in a really resourceful way. Yeah. Yeah. And you know how we look at it from a hypnosis point of view is we have hypnotists all around us all the time. So our friends, our family, the people we spend most time with, they're having ah hypnotic suggestibility on our subconscious minds. It's just the way it is. We're all going in and out of hypnosis all the time. It happens just like breathing.
00:40:17
Speaker
So if you know that, the more you're surrounded by people who look at things ah in a way that's more about possibility, the more likely that you will look at things that way. Absolutely.
Surrounding Yourself with Positivity
00:40:28
Speaker
And they'll give you responses to what's happening that will help you go in that direction.
00:40:34
Speaker
Oh, yeah. um I mean, there's so much value and in being around positive, successful people, um just the different the different doors that get opened when you're you're with those people, because they're also much more likely to genuinely try and help you, too.
00:40:47
Speaker
Yes. Folks who, in my just my experience, that are really always stuck in the negative mindset. They tend to be only thinking about themselves. um And I mean, doesn't make bad people, not at all.
00:41:00
Speaker
They just need some guidance, maybe me need some help. And if you can help with it that, it's fantastic. Awesome. um But we we just got to, you know, keep a level of balance up here for ourselves so that we can do what we want to do as far as whether helping people or, you know, growing our businesses or whatever that may be.
00:41:13
Speaker
Yeah, we need to stay focused on future outcomes. And I think people get themselves in trouble when they get too focused on the negative things that happened from the past or their fears about what might go wrong, which is what imposter syndrome is all about. People are afraid of what might go wrong. And when they're focused there and they're obsessed with that, then they're missing the things that can go right. Yeah, use what use what went wrong to make the next time better.
00:41:41
Speaker
Yeah, yeah. Yeah, you know, Shane, so way back from when I was in my early 20s, I had wanted to start a business, but for many years I didn't. But I had these ideas and I would ask for advice. But at one point I went to this small business advisory group and they were retired business people who gave people advice on starting business.
00:42:00
Speaker
And so I came to them with my idea and and they said to me, that looks really hard. Why don't you go work for the consulate? They wanted me to make go be like a secretary. So what did I do I did get a job, not at the consulate. I got a job typing medical letters, like medical transcription, because i was really good at that. And i really regret it because even if I had failed when 22, even if I'd failed at that, I would have learned a ton. And I would have also discovered what it's like to be a business owner. At the time, it was a mystery to me. And so I would see other people succeed. And, you know, just wasn't quite sure what was happening behind the scenes because I had never done it before. And I don't come from that type of family.
00:42:44
Speaker
um But once you've done it, you're like, okay, I get how it works. And it's it's not such a, it looks more doable and achievable. Yeah. Well, even your, your most financially successful people out there, um you'll see a lot of them speaking now and doing speaking opportunities. And the one that's one real common thread with all of them is, or with the majority of them is that they, they talk about how they failed so many times to get to where they, you know, they've, they've gotten to.
00:43:09
Speaker
um They just learned from each one of those experiences. You don't dwell on on it. You don't, you know, keep it stuck in your head. You got to learn from it. Like learn from yesterday, learn from yesterday, do better tomorrow kind of thing.
00:43:19
Speaker
Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. So the people with imposter syndrome, they're worried somebody is going to find out people you're talking about. They actually are willing to share the things that didn't go well and show them as learning experiences. And it's a very different way of interacting with life.
00:43:36
Speaker
Oh yeah, absolutely. It is. Um, Hey, every day, if you're not learning, then you might've wasted your day. All right. Every day, every day has is full of learning moments. yeah Um, I,
00:43:48
Speaker
I've been doing this for 30 years and I'm still getting caught off guard, whether it's by something new that, you know, a new 20 something salesperson is saying and going in a different direction or, you know, it's a 60 something salesperson and they just say things differently than I do, whatever it may be. There's so many opportunities to learn and and get better at our craft and get better at, you know,
00:44:08
Speaker
Well, everything. You can always be better. Yeah. Always. Yeah. One thing that I've observed recently is that when I was younger, I called but the era that I'm talking about BC, which stands for before children. So before I had my kids, I did a lot of traveling. i went to many countries in the world, sometimes by myself, sometimes with other people.
00:44:28
Speaker
And i loved it. I loved just being somewhere new and having that adventure. And since I built my business and had my kids and now my kids are teenagers and they're pretty independent, I have more freedom to travel and I have done some traveling. And I've come to appreciate that a lot of the adventure that I get from travel, I actually get through my work because It's so I'm learning all the time, which is an adventure. And I'm meeting different people all the time, which is also an adventure. So I don't, I can have that every day. Yeah.
Learning from Failures and Career Transitions
00:45:01
Speaker
Wait, couldn't you just like hypnotize me into thinking like I'm on a beach or something right now? I can. Because I could use that because that ain't happening anytime soon. and So I could just... that's That's easy, Shane. It's one of the easiest things we can do. And by the way, while I'm on that beach, I look like Brad Pitt, so we're putting that out there too. Okay, cool. We'll have to hypnotize everybody looking at you.
00:45:24
Speaker
Yeah. Yeah. Awesome. And so I think that framing this as an adventure and helping people learn how to have fun with it may be helpful because I've met many people who yeah they love going on a trip for adventure, but in their everyday life, they're too ah they're too into security or safety or following the rules.
00:45:46
Speaker
And so they they don't want to step, you know, put their foot out and try something new or or stretch themselves. And to me, that's where all the juice says You always need another mountain to climb.
00:45:59
Speaker
You always need a new challenge, right? A new experience somehow. And i see business that way. it's Oh, it is. i um I saw so many new members last year that were actually half in, one half in, you know, building their business, which isn't ideal. You'd rather be all in on either building your business or, you know, working at the job that you're at.
00:46:19
Speaker
and But it's a nice sort of way to actually, kind of transition that, you know, a friend of mine who is my osteopath, I'm going to see be seeing in about 30 minutes, um you know, she was a police officer and wanted to change and do something else. And she kind of did them at the same time. So she was able to transition and she has now a full time osteopath just opened her own center. Her grand opening is tomorrow. So i mean, she's really kind of taken a step up, but she she allowed herself to be able to baby step it while still having some of the protection of the job.
00:46:47
Speaker
um And, you know, allowing herself to get out and do it was it was networking that really kind of helped her kind of boost quickly enough to um after a much shorter period time than she thought, you know, launch the business fully. So Right. So she was giving herself the evidence that she could make enough money doing it before she left the stability of her job, which is great. and And many, many of our hypnosis clinics start that way where people stay at their full-time job.
00:47:14
Speaker
We also have we help people with other kinds of businesses who transition that way. and And I think it's super important when you're starting a business because you don't want to be worried about money. you want to And if you're if you're not having your basic needs met, it's natural to be worried about it.
00:47:29
Speaker
So you want to have all of that taken care of, if possible, in some other way so that you can genuinely be there for the people and give value. and And that's really how businesses grow beautifully.
00:47:40
Speaker
Yeah, yeah. It's just, it's a much more comfortable way to do it. so And i've seen I saw a lot of businesses, new businesses start up that way last year. And I watched so many of them switch into becoming full time because it grew a little bit faster than they thought it was going to, which is, it's always great to see.
00:47:55
Speaker
So, you know. Yeah, for sure. Yeah, it's inspiring. i love I love seeing people show themselves they can do what they didn't really think they could do. that's
The Power of Positive Energy
00:48:04
Speaker
It's cool. You know, that's where all the juice is. Yeah. Oh, it's very, very cool.
00:48:07
Speaker
um I mean, the osteopath, Sarah was telling me that to she just never expected it to go this way. Not this fast. i like It ramped up so fast. And I can think of a bunch of other businesses right off the top of my head that you know, had a very, very similar experience. and You know, they got out there, they got out meeting people and they, and they watched the businesses grow.
00:48:27
Speaker
um And also extremely positive people. i'm going to point that out too. Extremely positive people. I think that was a big, big help for, for, for her and for the, some, a couple of the others that I'm thinking of right now. So, yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Because people are attracted to positive people, right? They're attracted to that energy. Yeah. So,
00:48:45
Speaker
Oh yeah, I for sure am. um It's kind of my stick. Yeah, smiling's a good thing. You can reach St. Cullis at burlingtonchamber.com.
00:49:00
Speaker
Join us for our free one hour stress management workshops. Go to the link in the show description to register. And if you're interested in connecting with me and learning more about personal and business coaching, consulting and training opportunities, go to mindlinkconsulting.com or hypnosistrainingcanada.com and schedule your free consultation.
00:49:22
Speaker
Let us know what you think of the show. Reach out to us at mindlinkconsulting.com. And if you like the show, please rate and review us so other people can find us too. Thanks so much for tuning in.
00:49:34
Speaker
I'm Robbie Spearmiller, the host of the Habit of Possibility podcast. Tune in next time to learn more about how you can turn obstacles into opportunities and make the most of your life and career.