The Network Build Grow Podcast: Relationships that Scale

Melissa Taylor
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  • Entrepreneurship
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“The Network Build Grow Podcast showcases the stories, insights, and strategies of business owners, entrepreneurs, and professionals from our community. Each episode dives into the ‘why’ behind their work, hard-won lessons from their journey, and actionable tips on how to authentically build relationships, expand their circle of influence, and create meaningful business connections. Our goal is to inspire, educate, and empower listeners to grow both personally and professionally through smarter, more intentional networking.”

  1. 5 days ago

    From NASA to Founder: Networking with Curiosity with Emily Furfaro

    In this episode of the Network Build Grow Podcast, host Melissa Taylor sits down with Emily Furfaro, founder of Dark Sky Creative Agency. After ten years at NASA, where she watched brilliant scientists struggle to communicate world-changing work, Emily left in 2025 to help business owners find their core message. One year in, she shares how she built her client base entirely on word of mouth, how she pushed herself into in-person networking, and why curiosity beats confidence when you're new to the room. Top Takeaways Start with the network you already have — Emily's first move was a LinkedIn post and virtual calls with former colleagues. Word of mouth is networking. Lead with curiosity, not the ask — Reaching out to old contacts to "learn how the commercial world differs" spreads awareness of your business without feeling salesy. Ask for introductions the low-pressure way — "Do you know anyone I could talk to to learn more?" works even when you're not naming a specific person. Listen more than you pitch — Mentors, SCORE advisors, and the person in front of you all teach you something if you stop reciting your 30-second speech. Quality over quantity — including coffees — Not every connection needs a follow-up meeting. Let how the conversation went decide who gets your energy. Follow up the next day — Connect on LinkedIn, send an email within 24 hours, and track it all (even a spreadsheet works until you're ready for a CRM). About Emily Furfaro Emily Furfaro is a digital strategy executive, communications leader, and co-founder of Dark Sky Creative Agency. She knows firsthand what it takes to communicate compellingly in complex, high-stakes environments, having spent a decade leading digital strategy for NASA Science before launching Dark Sky with three fellow senior NASA communicators. Now she works with businesses and organizations across industries to clarify their messaging, sharpen their brand, and turn their work into smart strategy and storytelling that drives real outcomes. Her work has earned Emmy and Webby Awards, main belt asteroid 188800 2005 WO62 was renamed "Emilyfurfaro" in honor of her contributions to science communication. Resources & Links 🌐 Network Build Grow Community: networkbuildgrow.com  🌌 Dark Sky Creative Agency — Messaging, web, social, video & PR for growing businesses www.darkskycreativeagency.com   Subscribe & Connect If this episode reminded you that networking starts with curiosity — not a perfect pitch — please subscribe, leave a review, and share it with a fellow entrepreneur, business owner, or anyone making the leap from a big organization to their own. 👉 Not yet part of our community? Visit networkbuildgrow.com to join us. 🔔 Subscribe for weekly conversations on networking, leadership, branding, and business growth  🌐 Join the Network Build Grow community at networkbuildgrow.com 🔔 Subscribe for weekly conversations on networking, leadership, branding, and business growth  🌐 Join the Network Build Grow community at networkbuildgrow.com

    From NASA to Founder: Networking with Curiosity with Emily Furfaro

  2. 1 Sept

    What Rescue Dogs Taught Her About Building a Network || Domenica Robbins

    In this raw, deeply human episode of the Network Build Grow Podcast, host Melissa Taylor sits down with Domenica Robbins, founder of Legacy Paws Rescue. After a car accident and brain injury ended her nursing career, Domenica bought five acres and started rescuing the dogs nobody else would take. A year and a half and seventeen dogs later, she realized passion alone wasn't going to make it outlive her and started networking for the very first time. Top Takeaways Doing it alone has a price — Financial, emotional, physical. The turning point was asking what it would take for the mission to outlive her: a team with the same integrity. Your first event fear is universal — She walked in expecting judgment and found humans. The person she was most scared to be judged by became the reason she stayed. Isolating businesses need networking most — She could stay on her five acres forever. Being involved is what keeps the burnout from winning. Show the middle, not just the before and after — Rescues post the shocking photo and the adoption photo. The healing in between is the part that actually matters. About Domenica Robbins Domenica Robbins is the Founder and Executive Director of Legacy Paws Rescue, a veteran-owned, no-kennel dog sanctuary on five acres in Catawba, NC. She spent her nursing career in psychiatry and addiction, showing up for the people most systems pass over. When a brain injury from a car accident ended that career, she finally gave a name to what she'd been doing her whole life... rescuing the castaways. Legacy Paws takes in dogs facing euthanasia for being misunderstood, rehabilitates them, and places them with intention, while working to prevent surrenders before they happen. She'll be the first to tell you she's learning as she goes, and that none of this works without a community of kindness, where people and pets rescue each other. Resources & Links 🌐 Network Build Grow Community: networkbuildgrow.com 🐾 Legacy Paws Rescue — Five-acre nonprofit rescuing misunderstood and at-risk dogs www.legacypawsrescue.org Subscribe & Connect If this episode reminded you that you don't have to build it alone — that asking for help is the strategy, not the surrender — please subscribe, leave a review, and share it with a founder, nonprofit leader, or anyone doing hard work in isolation. 👉 Not yet part of our community? Visit networkbuildgrow.com to join us. 🔔 Subscribe for weekly conversations on networking, leadership, branding, and business growth  🌐 Join the Network Build Grow community at networkbuildgrow.com 🔔 Subscribe for weekly conversations on networking, leadership, branding, and business growth  🌐 Join the Network Build Grow community at networkbuildgrow.com

    What Rescue Dogs Taught Her About Building a Network || Domenica Robbins

  3. 25 Aug

    Slow Down: The Case Against Rushing Travel and Networking with Jo Wise-Ames

    What if the reason you come home from vacation exhausted is that you never actually saw anything? And what if the same rushing that ruins a trip is exactly what's ruining your networking? In this warm, wandering episode of the Network Build Grow Podcast, host Melissa Taylor sits down with Jo Wise-Ames, speaker, storyteller, and founder of Wild and Free Journeys. After traveling slowly through more than 70 countries, Jo built a business around the opposite of the ten-day cram — and brings that same patient, curious approach to every room she walks into. Top Takeaways If you need a vacation from your vacation, you did it wrong — Five countries in five days is exhausting, and you're not really seeing any of them. Two days in London isn't England — See the landmarks, then get out to the villages, the country pubs, the narrow lanes of Devon and Cornwall. Step back from the Eiffel Tower and you'll find where Parisians actually get their coffee. Following the flag means missing the trip — In big tour groups, people watch the back of the person in front of them. Stand still in a square for two minutes and you'll see more than you would sprinting past Buckingham Palace. Influencers have flooded the hidden gems — When exact coordinates get posted, a tiny back alley with a great view over Porto turns into a queue. The upside is exposure; the downside is those local spots losing what made them worth finding. Slow travel reconnects you to your people, not just the place — Jo traveled with her teenage daughter for four months and had conversations they'd never have found time for at home. Stop asking "what do you do?" — Jo's opener is "what's the most interesting thing happening in your business right now?" It sparks something she can actually act on. Always say why you're connecting two people — A LinkedIn intro that just says "you two should know each other" leaves both parties fishing. Jo sets up a three-way chat, explains the fit, then steps out of the conversation. Watch the edges of the room — She looks for the person standing alone while everyone else clusters, and brings them in. It's the highest-value thing a member can do at an event. Don't expect results on day one — Nobody's booking a trip with a stranger. Build the relationship, book the one-to-ones, take good notes, then let it grow from there. About Jo Wise-Ames Jo Wise-Ames is a speaker, storyteller, and the founder of Wild and Free Journeys. After spending years traveling slowly through more than 70 countries, she discovered that the greatest gift of travel isn't simply seeing new places — it's reconnecting to ourselves. Today, Jo helps people slow down, see differently, stay curious, and reconnect with what matters most. Through her stories, photography, and experiences from around the world, she encourages us to look beyond the obvious and find possibility in unexpected places. Resources & Links 🌐 Network Build Grow Community: networkbuildgrow.com  ✈️ Wild and Free Journeys — Slow, small-group travel experiences: wildandfreejourneys.co Subscribe & Connect If this episode made you want to slow down — on your next trip and in your next networking room — please subscribe, leave a review, and share it with a fellow entrepreneur, business owner, or anyone who's ever come home more tired than they left. 👉 Not yet part of our community? Visit networkbuildgrow.com to join us. 🔔 Subscribe for weekly conversations on networking, leadership, branding, and business growth  🌐 Join the Network Build Grow community at networkbuildgrow.com 🔔 Subscribe for weekly conversations on networking, leadership, branding, and business growth  🌐 Join the Network Build Grow community at networkbuildgrow.com

    Slow Down: The Case Against Rushing Travel and Networking with Jo Wise-Ames

  4. 18 Aug

    Stop Selling. Start Listening. Let AI Handle the Rest with Deb Hanson

    In this practical, myth-busting episode of the Network Build Grow Podcast, host Melissa Taylor sits down with Deb Hanson of Zen Advisors, who helps small business owners, entrepreneurs, and nonprofits adopt AI without the jargon, the overwhelm, or the fear. Deb shares the exact system she uses to turn a stack of cards into a working CRM and why none of it replaces the human part of the relationship. Top Takeaways AI won't take your job but a bad process will still sink you — Deb points to research suggesting AI will be used by roughly 70% of businesses, without taking over 70% of the business. Amplify a broken process and you just fail faster. 85% of people haven't even tried AI — That's not a threat, it's a doorway. If you're already curious, you're ahead of most of your competitors. Relationships are not a numbers game — Show up consistently, ask how you can contribute, follow up. The relationship comes before the business conversation, every time. Stop trying to sell. Start listening — When you understand someone's actual problem, you can solve it. Solve it and the referrals come on their own — even if the solution is an introduction to someone else. Let AI do the part you hate — Photograph the cards, upload them, let AI build the spreadsheet, drop it into your CRM (Deb uses GoHighLevel). No CRM? A spreadsheet is fine,  just put it somewhere you'll actually find it. Best advice for anyone new to networking: just go — You don't need a perfect pitch. Show up and smile. Everybody gets energy from a smile, and once you cross the threshold, the hard part's over. About Deb Hanson Deb Hanson is the founder of Zien Advisors, an AI advisory and training consultancy based in Charlotte, NC. She helps small business owners, solopreneurs, and nonprofits cut through the noise and actually put AI to work - through workshops, one-on-one training, and automation builds. Her mission is simple: make AI accessible to the organizations that need it most, without the jargon or the overwhelm. Resources & Links 🌐 Network Build Grow Community: networkbuildgrow.com  🧠 Zen Advisors — AI adoption, training, and speaking for small businesses and nonprofits: zienadvisors.com   Subscribe & Connect If this episode gave you a reason to finally deal with that pile of business cards — and permission to use AI without losing the human part of your network — please subscribe, leave a review, and share it with a fellow entrepreneur, business owner, or anyone still afraid to type their first prompt. 👉 Not yet part of our community? Visit networkbuildgrow.com to join us. 🔔 Subscribe for weekly conversations on networking, leadership, branding, and business growth  🌐 Join the Network Build Grow community at networkbuildgrow.com

    Stop Selling. Start Listening. Let AI Handle the Rest with Deb Hanson

  5. 11 Aug

    Networking Is Improv, stop Running a Script || Dayna Gowen

    What if the reason your networking feels flat is that you're running a script nobody asked for? And what if the skill that fixes it isn't a better elevator pitch  It's learning to listen like an improviser? In this energizing episode of the Network Build Grow Podcast, host Melissa Taylor sits down with Dayna Gowen, founder of Improvly Speaking, recovering nervous speaker, and self-described "long-form content girly." After ten-plus years in corporate, a coast-to-coast move, and a whole lot of terrible presentations, Dayna has a simple thesis: conversations aren't scripted, so stop treating them like they are. Top Takeaways Prepare fully, then release the notes — Toastmasters made her polished; improv made her dynamic. The difference is being with the audience instead of behind your slides. A check-the-box sales presentation loses the client — If you never ask "how does this relate to your work?", they're checking email while you talk. Make it a conversation, not a one-way speech. Measure the right thing — Her guiding question isn't "how many people did I meet?" It's did I meet a cool person, and did I leave lit up or drained? Follow up whenever you follow up — Two days, a week, a month: it's not too late. She's honest that systems are her struggle point, but personal beats polished — long emails, handwritten notes, no AI. Listening is your superpower — Less is more. Give people space to talk and they'll remember feeling seen, which is the only thing networking is actually for. About Dayna Gowen Dayna Gowen is the founder of Improvly Speaking, where she helps nervous speakers find the fun and joy in public speaking. After more than a decade in the corporate world — and a public speaking fear intense enough to involve real tears — she used Toastmasters to become polished and improv to become dynamic. She now works with professionals, leaders, and sales teams on getting out of their heads and out of judgment mode so they can bring a playful, genuine energy to any room, from a full auditorium to a Tuesday morning team meeting. She built the business as a side hustle for three and a half years in Los Angeles before moving to Charlotte in August 2025 and going all in. Her mantra word for 2025 was discovery; for 2026, it's possibilities. Resources & Links 🌐 Network Build Grow Community: networkbuildgrow.com  🎤 Improvly Speaking — Speaker coaching and improv-based training for presentations, meetings, and sales conversations with Dayna Gowen https://www.improvlyspeaking.com/ Subscribe & Connect If this episode made you want to close the notes app, ask a better question, and actually listen — please subscribe, leave a review, and share it with a fellow entrepreneur, business owner, or anyone who still opens with "so what do you do?" 👉 Not yet part of our community? Visit networkbuildgrow.com to join us. 🔔 Subscribe for weekly conversations on networking, leadership, branding, and business growth  🌐 Join the Network Build Grow community at networkbuildgrow.com 🔔 Subscribe for weekly conversations on networking, leadership, branding, and business growth  🌐 Join the Network Build Grow community at networkbuildgrow.com

    Networking Is Improv, stop Running a Script || Dayna Gowen

  6. 4 Aug

    Networking Isn't About You, It's About Them | Lu Tandazo

    In this candid, energizing episode of the Network Build Grow Podcast, host Melissa Taylor sits down with Lu Tandazo, founder of Dream Into Success, speaker, and coach who helps business owners navigate imposter syndrome, self-doubt, and people-pleasing through life and business transitions. A self-described introvert who once had to be paid to attend a networking event, Lu shares the identity work and mindset shifts that turned networking from something she dreaded into her biggest source of growth. Top Takeaways Networking is not about you — The discomfort comes from self-focus; get curious about the other person and it stops being about how you're coming across. Two or three real conversations is a successful event — Networking is relationship building, not a numbers game. Your goals demand a new version of you — Bolder decisions, different choices, a different circle. Comfort destroys success. Collaborate with different skill sets, not competing ones — Look for people who bring value you can't, then create events and experiences together that are worth more than either of you alone. Follow up at the right speed — Same-day text for a potential client, within three days for a strategic alliance. About Lu Tandazo Lu Tandazo is the founder of Dream Into Success, born out of her own story of using personal development to transform her personal and professional life. She works with business owners and professionals on confidence, imposter syndrome, self-doubt, and people-pleasing — helping them navigate life transitions and grow into the next version of themselves. Believing that most of us stop at the dream because fear gets in the way, Lu serves as the guide who helps clients turn that dream into something real. She works one-on-one and in small groups capped at eight, and also hosts collaborative events with other experts. Resources & Links 🌐 Network Build Grow Community: networkbuildgrow.com ✨ Dream Into Success — Coaching on confidence, imposter syndrome & becoming your next version (one-on-one and small groups) https://www.dreamintosuccessnow.com/ 📧 Reach Lu directly: lu@dreamintosuccessnow.com Subscribe & Connect If this episode gave you a new way to walk into a room curious instead of self-conscious, building relationships instead of collecting cards. Please subscribe, leave a review, and share it with a fellow entrepreneur, business owner, or anyone who's been quietly avoiding the next networking event. 👉 Not yet part of our community? Visit networkbuildgrow.com to join us. 🔔 Subscribe for weekly conversations on networking, leadership, branding, and business growth  🌐 Join the Network Build Grow community at networkbuildgrow.com 🔔 Subscribe for weekly conversations on networking, leadership, branding, and business growth  🌐 Join the Network Build Grow community at networkbuildgrow.com

    Networking Isn't About You, It's About Them | Lu Tandazo

  7. 28 Jul

    Networking Is Not Working: The CPA Who Builds Relationships, Not Transactions | Ragi Riad

    What if the biggest networking mistake isn't talking too much, but talking too little? And what if the connection you've been chasing for two years is just one ten-minute conversation away? In this episode of the Network Build Grow Podcast, host Melissa Taylor sits down with Ragi Riad, CPA and founder of Riad CPA PC. Ragi moved from Egypt to the States alone at nineteen and rebuilt his career from his garage after a layoff. Today he's a behavioral tax strategist who serves as an advocate, coach, and mentor helping business owners gain clarity and confidence in their finances. Top Takeaways Be an advocate, not a transactional CPA — understand the "why" behind every dollar you spend. One relationship beats two years of cold outreach — one Network Build Grow member made a connection in ten minutes that years of emails couldn't. The three networking mistakes — selling too hard, talking too much, and the one nobody mentions: talking too little. Give without expecting anything in return — Ragi books free insight sessions monthly, knowing most may never become clients. Networking can become "not working" — be intentional, pick the right rooms, and follow up on every card you collect. Play the long game — one fifteen-minute discovery call became a client two years later. Stay in touch. About Ragi Riad Ragi Riad is a CPA, behavioral tax strategist, and founder of Riad CPA PC. His philosophy: be intentional about every connection, stay humble, and ask, "How can I impact and bless someone today?" Surround yourself with leaders who push you forward success takes time, commitment, and discipline. 📊 Riad CPA PC: https://www.riadcpa.com 🌐 Join the community: networkbuildgrow.com 🔔 Subscribe for weekly conversations on networking, leadership, branding, and business growth. 🔔 Subscribe for weekly conversations on networking, leadership, branding, and business growth  🌐 Join the Network Build Grow community at networkbuildgrow.com

    Networking Is Not Working: The CPA Who Builds Relationships, Not Transactions | Ragi Riad

  8. 21 Jul

    How to Build a Six-Figure Business with Networking and AI | Alison Simmons

    What if the best business manager you could hire isn't a person at all and costs about as much as a streaming subscription? And what if you could build a six-figure business with zero traditional marketing, from an RV, while raising five kids? In this high-energy episode of the Network Build Grow Podcast, host Melissa Taylor sits down with Alison Simmons, founder of Lead Smarter Co. A former high school math teacher and mom of five, Alison went from stay-at-home side-hustler to online business manager to AI strategist all while her family sold everything they owned and traveled the country in an RV. Today she teaches entrepreneurs how to use AI as a strategic thought partner, not just a content creator, and how to build "AI employees" inside Notion that run your business for around twenty-four dollars a month. Top Takeaways AI is a strategic partner, not a content creator — Alison hit a breaking point managing four clients' businesses and turned AI into a true thinking partner for strategy and systems, not just Instagram captions and brainstorming. Hire "AI employees" instead of an expensive business manager — Her whole model now: build your AI-powered business inside Notion, where a full team of AI assistants costs about twenty-four dollars a month. Networking — not marketing — built her six-figure business — In two and a half years, one networking group spread her name across four hundred members and keeps the introductions flowing. Traditional marketing? Zero. Measure your networking ROI — Great people aren't enough. If six months go by without a single introduction, insight, or dollar that moves your business forward, it's not the right room — no matter how much you like the people. About Alison Simmons Alison Simmons is the founder of Lead Smarter Co, where she teaches entrepreneurs and business owners how to run their businesses with AI instead of hiring an expensive online business manager. A former high school math teacher and mom of five, Alison spent fifteen years as a serial side-hustler before launching her freelance and online business management career — then sold everything, moved her family into an RV, and built her business on the road. Today she offers a twelve-week program, one-on-one coaching, and VIP intensives, with a special focus on building AI-powered systems inside Notion. Her next mission: bringing practical AI education to high schools and colleges so the next generation graduates ready to amplify — not lose — their creativity. Resources & Links 🌐 Network Build Grow Community: networkbuildgrow.com 🤖 Lead Smarter Co — AI-powered business management programs, one-on-one coaching, and VIP days. [www.leadsmarterco.com](http://www.leadsmarterco.com) Subscribe & Connect If this episode showed you what's possible when you pair real relationships with smart systems — building a business through genuine connections and letting AI handle the busywork — please subscribe, leave a review, and share it with a fellow entrepreneur or business owner who's still doing everything the hard way. 👉 Not yet part of our community? Visit networkbuildgrow.com to join us. 🔔 Subscribe for weekly conversations on networking, leadership, branding, and business growth 🌐 Join the Network Build Grow community at networkbuildgrow.com 🔔 Subscribe for weekly conversations on networking, leadership, branding, and business growth  🌐 Join the Network Build Grow community at networkbuildgrow.com

    How to Build a Six-Figure Business with Networking and AI | Alison Simmons
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“The Network Build Grow Podcast showcases the stories, insights, and strategies of business owners, entrepreneurs, and professionals from our community. Each episode dives into the ‘why’ behind their work, hard-won lessons from their journey, and actionable tips on how to authentically build relationships, expand their circle of influence, and create meaningful business connections. Our goal is to inspire, educate, and empower listeners to grow both personally and professionally through smarter, more intentional networking.”

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