Referrals Done Right

Scott Grates
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The Secret to Creating Infinite Opportunities to Grow Your Small Business. Hosted by Scott Grates.

  1. #117 - You Have Nothing to Lose

    3 DAYS AGO

    #117 - You Have Nothing to Lose

    In this solo Thursday riff of Referrals Done Right, Scott tackles one of the biggest barriers to building relationships and growing a referral based business. Fear. More specifically, the fear of rejection that shows up when it is time to make a call, schedule a meeting, or reach out to someone new. Scott challenges RDR Nation to recognize that this fear is often rooted in ego. When we focus too much on how we might be perceived, we stop focusing on the person we are trying to help. To shift that mindset, Scott introduces a simple equation that reframes the entire situation. Zero minus zero equals zero. Before the call, visit, or outreach attempt, you have nothing. If the interaction does not go the way you hoped, you still have nothing. You did not lose anything. In fact, you gained experience and feedback that helps you grow. The lesson is simple but powerful. When you lead with a servant’s heart and focus outward instead of inward, the fear of rejection begins to lose its power  In this episode, you will learn: • Why fear in sales and networking is often rooted in ego • How shifting your focus from inward to outward changes your approach to relationships • The simple equation that reframes rejection and removes the fear of trying • Why failure is feedback and an essential part of growth • A practical challenge to push through fear and take action this week --- Scott Grates' Links: Referrals Done Right - https://www.referralsdoneright.org Referrals Done Right FB Group - https://www.facebook.com/groups/296359076662332 Scott Grates Website - https://www.scottgrates.com Love Living Local  - https://www.instagram.com/lovelivinglocal315 Scott's FB - https://www.facebook.com/scott.grates.1 Scott's - https://www.instagram.com/scottgrates TikTok - https://www.tiktok.com/@scott.grates

    6 min
  2. #116 - Brooke Koeninger • Sustainable Growth Starts with Financial Clarity

    6 DAYS AGO

    #116 - Brooke Koeninger • Sustainable Growth Starts with Financial Clarity

    In this episode of Referrals Done Right, Scott sits down with Brooke Koeninger, a fractional CFO and strategic finance partner who helps service based founders move from financial confusion to clarity. Brooke shares how her background in corporate finance, consulting, and growing up in an entrepreneurial family shaped the way she now serves small business owners. Her perspective is refreshing because it blends the rigor of big business thinking with the flexibility and speed that small business owners actually need. This conversation goes far beyond spreadsheets. Brooke and Scott dig into the deeper questions behind growth, profit, and sustainability. They talk about why more revenue does not always mean more freedom, why so many founders avoid their numbers, and why paying yourself needs to become a priority much earlier than most people think. If you are building a referral driven business and want your finances to support your life instead of consume it, this episode is packed with practical wisdom and honest perspective  We Cover: • Why scaling without clarity can create more complexity, less profit, and less freedom • The difference between top line revenue growth and true financial health • Why so many founders stay stuck in “financial fog” and how to move past it • What a fractional CFO actually does and how that support can help earlier than you think • Why paying yourself first is a mindset shift that can change both your business and your life --- Episode Markers: (0:00) - Show Start & Introduction (2:15) - Brooke's Background (5:30) - What is the Why? (11:20) - Financial Fog (20:30) - What is a Fractional CFO? (28:30) - Setting Smaller Goals & Micro Actions (32:25) - Mindset When You Can't Sell (42:00) - Leaking Energy (44:25) - Rapid Fire Questions  --- Brooke Koeninger's Links: Website - https://www.scalewithclarity.com Podcast - https://open.spotify.com/show/6emuG7ERBM4B6xWFOmlr2Q Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/brookekfinance Linkedin - https://www.linkedin.com/in/brooke-koeninger

    52 min
  3. #115 - If Everything Is a Priority, Nothing Is

    5 MAR

    #115 - If Everything Is a Priority, Nothing Is

    In this solo episode of Referrals Done Right, Scott dives into one of the most common struggles entrepreneurs and sales professionals face: feeling busy all day but still feeling like nothing truly important got done. Inspired by conversations with newer agents and team members overwhelmed by endless to do lists, Scott shares a simple but powerful framework that has shaped his own productivity for more than a decade. Using the classic “Professor and the Jar” analogy, Scott explains how prioritization determines whether your day is productive or just chaotic. By focusing first on the big rocks, the most essential tasks that actually move the needle, you create clarity, conserve mental energy, and build momentum. When everything is labeled a priority, nothing actually is. This episode challenges you to rethink how you structure your day and offers a practical system you can implement immediately to take back control of your time and focus  In this episode, you will learn: • Why traditional to do lists create overwhelm and drain your mental energy • The difference between essential priorities, pebbles, and the “sand” of your day • How limiting yourself to three key priorities can dramatically improve productivity • Why cognitive energy is a limited resource and how to protect it • A simple framework for structuring your day so the most important work gets done first --- Scott Grates' Links: Referrals Done Right - https://www.referralsdoneright.org Referrals Done Right FB Group - https://www.facebook.com/groups/296359076662332 Scott Grates Website - https://www.scottgrates.com Love Living Local  - https://www.instagram.com/lovelivinglocal315 Scott's FB - https://www.facebook.com/scott.grates.1 Scott's - https://www.instagram.com/scottgrates TikTok - https://www.tiktok.com/@scott.grates

    12 min
  4. #114 - Building a Business That Actually Pays You with Jennifer Kok

    2 MAR

    #114 - Building a Business That Actually Pays You with Jennifer Kok

    In this episode of Referrals Done Right, Scott sits down with Jennifer Kok, entrepreneur, former bakery owner, franchise builder, and now business coach for creative entrepreneurs. Jennifer shares her raw and real journey from corporate life to opening a brick and mortar bakery, delivering her second daughter just days after opening the doors, and navigating the chaos of early entrepreneurship. What followed was 20 years of lessons in leadership, delegation, profit, and perseverance that ultimately led to a successful exit. Now through her Earn More Stress Less philosophy and Nine Pillar Blueprint, Jennifer helps business owners who have hit that three year plateau build strong foundations that support both revenue and life. This conversation goes deep into profit margins, delegation, hiring, money mindset, and the hidden leaks that quietly drain time and growth. If you are building a referral based business and want it to last, this episode is packed with clarity and practical wisdom  In this episode, you will learn: • Why revenue is a vanity number and profit is what truly matters • How to delegate without losing control of your culture • The hidden cost of avoidance in your sales and follow up process • Why strong foundations matter more than flashy growth • How to earn more without burning out in the process If you are three to five years into your business and wondering what is next, this conversation will help you stop reacting and start building with intention. --- Episode Markers: (0:00) - Show Start & Introduction --- Jennifer Kok's Links: Website - https://nextwavebusinesscoaching.com FB - https://www.facebook.com/nextwavewithjen Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/nextwavewithjen Linkedin - https://www.linkedin.com/in/jenniferowenskok

    38 min
  5. #113 - The Language That Limits You

    26 FEB

    #113 - The Language That Limits You

    In this solo Thursday riff of Referrals Done Right, Scott gets personal about something he has struggled with for years: self-deprecating humor and the identity statements we casually speak over ourselves. What started as a simple joke about needing to get back to the gym turned into a powerful realization about how our brains do not process sarcasm the way we think they do. When we repeatedly say things like “I’m bad with money,” “I’m disorganized,” or “I’m not good at networking,” we are not being funny. We are reinforcing identity. Scott breaks down a small but transformational shift. Replace “I am” statements with “I have a tendency” or “I am working on it… yet.” It is a subtle change in language that can dramatically impact how you show up in sales, leadership, and relationship building. If you are constantly selling yourself limiting beliefs, how can you confidently ask for referrals? This episode is a mindset reset and a challenge to clean up the language you use with yourself. In this episode, you’ll learn: • Why your brain doesn’t distinguish between humor and identity statements • How “I am” language can quietly sabotage your confidence and growth • The power of adding one simple word: “yet” • Why the way you talk to yourself affects how you show up in referrals • A practical language shift you can implement immediately this week RDR Nation, this one’s simple, but not easy. Pay attention to the story you’re telling yourself. Then rewrite it. --- Scott Grates' Links: Referrals Done Right - https://www.referralsdoneright.org Referrals Done Right FB Group - https://www.facebook.com/groups/296359076662332 Scott Grates Website - https://www.scottgrates.com Love Living Local  - https://www.instagram.com/lovelivinglocal315 Scott's FB - https://www.facebook.com/scott.grates.1 Scott's - https://www.instagram.com/scottgrates TikTok - https://www.tiktok.com/@scott.grates

    7 min
  6. #112 - Integrity is the Ultimate Referral Strategy with Andrew Cambria

    23 FEB

    #112 - Integrity is the Ultimate Referral Strategy with Andrew Cambria

    In this episode of Referrals Done Right, Scott sits down with Andrew Cambria, agency owner, father of three and deeply rooted community leader serving Cicero and Camillus. Andrew shares the unlikely path that led him into insurance, including a failed deli venture on Long Island and how that early failure shaped his approach to planning, leadership and long-term thinking. What emerges is a powerful conversation about integrity, culture and why trust is the real product in a commoditized industry  Andrew’s role as a father and his support of local autism causes deeply shape the integrity and empathy behind his agency. He talks about bringing fun and authenticity into uncomfortable conversations, educating families before claims ever happen and the importance of telling the truth, even when it’s not what clients want to hear. This is an episode about legacy, service and building a referral-based business rooted in real relationships. We Cover: • How early business failure shaped Andrew’s disciplined, goal-driven approach • Why storytelling builds more trust than “selling” ever will • How to balance serious financial conversations with a human, approachable culture • The role community involvement plays in long-term referral growth • Why honesty and ownership are non-negotiables in a trust-based business If referrals are built on reputation, Andrew Cambria is a reminder that the best marketing strategy is simple: be real, serve well, and leave people better than you found them. --- Episode Markers: (0:00) - Show Start & Introduction (1:00) - What Inspired Andrew? (2:00) - Surprises & Learning From Failure (4:00) - Standing Out in the Industry (5:15) - Educating & Building Trust (7:30) - Uncomfortable Conversations (9:00) - Family & Business (11:15) - Problem with 15 Minutes or Less (13:00) - Accountability & Community (14:30) - Early Supporters (16:45) - Welcoming New Businesses (20:30) - Charitable Work & Local Autism Organizations (25:00) - Legacy (26:55) - Insurance Misconceptions --- Andrew Cambria's Links: Website - https://andrewcambria.com FB - https://www.facebook.com/TheCambriaAgency Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/andrewcambria

    30 min
  7. #111 - The Scar Experiment

    19 FEB

    #111 - The Scar Experiment

    In this powerful solo episode of Referrals Done Right, Scott unpacks a fascinating psychology experiment from Dartmouth College that reveals just how much our beliefs shape our reality. Participants who thought they had a visible facial scar believed they were being judged, avoided, and treated differently — even though the scar had been secretly removed before their interactions began. The only place the “flaw” existed was in their own minds  Scott connects this insight directly to business, referrals, and leadership. How often do we walk into conversations believing we’re not polished enough, not experienced enough, or not worthy of the room? When we carry that invisible “scar,” we interpret neutral reactions as rejection and shrink ourselves before anyone else does. This episode challenges RDR Nation to examine the stories they’re telling themselves — and to step into rooms with confidence rooted in internal control, not imagined judgment. You’ll learn: • How a simple psychology experiment exposes the power of self-perception • Why expecting rejection creates the very tension you’re trying to avoid • The difference between living with an external vs. internal locus of control • How invisible “scars” show up in referral conversations and business growth • A practical mindset shift to change your posture, energy, and results immediately If you’ve ever felt like you didn’t belong in the room, this episode is your reminder that maybe there was never a scar at all. --- Scott Grates' Links: Referrals Done Right - https://www.referralsdoneright.org Referrals Done Right FB Group - https://www.facebook.com/groups/296359076662332 Scott Grates Website - https://www.scottgrates.com Love Living Local  - https://www.instagram.com/lovelivinglocal315 Scott's FB - https://www.facebook.com/scott.grates.1 Scott's - https://www.instagram.com/scottgrates TikTok - https://www.tiktok.com/@scott.grates

    8 min
  8. #110 - Stop Doing Business Alone with Success Circle

    16 FEB

    #110 - Stop Doing Business Alone with Success Circle

    In this energizing episode of Referrals Done Right, Scott and Kelly Grates sit down with Christine Spiak and Tricia Sticca, co-founders of Success Circle — a membership community for women solopreneurs in the Mohawk Valley. What started as two coaches sharing office space has grown into a powerful movement built on collaboration over competition, vulnerability over ego, and action over perfection. At its core, Success Circle exists to help women stop doing business alone and start building with intention, clarity, and confidence. Christine and Tricia share how creating safe, supportive spaces — from Coffee Connections to their Accelerator Membership — is helping women step out of isolation, combat burnout, and take meaningful action in their businesses. This conversation isn’t just about networking; it’s about integration, identity, and building a ripple effect that strengthens families, businesses, and the entire Mohawk Valley community  We Cover: • Why collaboration over competition is the heartbeat of Success Circle’s mission • How small “weekly ones” and intentional baby steps create real momentum • What makes a safe space powerful for vulnerable conversations and growth • Why community-based coaching hits differently than national, one-size-fits-all programs • The long-term vision to impact one million women — starting right here in the Mohawk Valley --- Episode Markers: (0:00) - Show Start & Introduction (1:00) - What Is Success Circle? (2:10) - How Two Coaches Joined Forces to Build a Movement (3:35) - Creating a Culture of Support & Safety for Women (6:35) - Who Can Join? Membership Tiers & What They Include (8:35) - Being the Catalyst for New Ideas & First-Time Founders (9:30) - Coffee Connections: What to Expect (10:55) - Why Women-Only Spaces Matter in Business Networking (13:30) - How the Talking Stick Changes the Game (14:00) - Blending Leadership Coaching with Financial Clarity (15:30) - What Members Get from the Accelerator Program (17:05) - The Summer Connection Series – Real-Time Problem Solving (19:20) - Action Over Perfection: Baby Steps & Momentum (21:40) - Weekly Wins & The Power of Small Victories (23:30) - Long-Term Vision: Franchise, Foundation & Global Impact (25:00) - July 17th Workshop at SUNY Poly – Collaboration in Action (26:30) - Advice for Women Feeling Burnt Out or Stuck (27:30) - Seasons of Life & Redefining Success (28:05) - Why One-Size-Fits-All Coaching Doesn’t Work (31:15) - Rapid Fire: Biz Besties, Mantras & Local Favorites (34:50) - One Thing Every Woman Entrepreneur Should Know (36:30) - Final Thoughts – Be Present, Be Real, Be in the Circle --- Success Circle's Links: Website - https://www.successcircle.biz FB - https://www.facebook.com/SuccessCircleCommunityNY Linkedin - https://www.linkedin.com/company/success-circle-community Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/success_circle_community

    39 min
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About

The Secret to Creating Infinite Opportunities to Grow Your Small Business. Hosted by Scott Grates.

Information

  • Creator
    Scott Grates
  • Years Active
    2024 - 2026
  • Episodes
    117
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © 2026 Referrals Done Right
  • Show Website
    Referrals Done Right

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