The Network Build Grow Podcast: Relationships that Scale

Melissa Taylor
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  • Entrepreneurship

“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. 5d ago

    Stop Treating Everyone Like a Prospect with Lisa Gifford

    What if the person you're pitching at a networking event isn't a prospect at all, at least not yet? And what if your best networking move has nothing to do with your own business? In this warm and practical episode of the Network Build Grow Podcast, host Melissa Taylor sits down with Lisa Gifford, a non-legal estate planning educator and the founder of Signature Line Legacy Partners. Lisa went to law school, built her own estate plan, and found out how confusing and expensive the process is for everyday families. She shares how networking led her to her key business partner, why she connects people even when there's nothing in it for her, and why the best relationships are a long game. Top Takeaways Not everyone is a prospect right now — The most common mistake Lisa sees is trying to sell immediately. People have different needs at different times, so get to know them first. Ask "What brings you here?" — Skip "What do you do?" and the weather talk. This one question opens a real conversation. Take it offline — When someone could be a good fit, don't take over their time at the event. Follow up later, point back to something they said, and suggest coffee or a Zoom call. Everything is networking — Opportunities come up at lunch, on the sidelines of a kids' soccer game, and anywhere else people talk. They aren't limited to business events. Play the long game — Like estate planning, networking has layers. A connection might not pay off for you today, but it could help someone else down the road. About Lisa Gifford Lisa Gifford is the founder of Signature Line Legacy Partners and a non-legal estate planning educator. She helps families move from intention to execution through estate planning education, document facilitation, notarization, and trust-funding support. By making straightforward estate planning more understandable and approachable, Lisa helps families get their houses in order before their "what-ifs" become their loved ones' "now what." Her guiding belief is simple: your family will either inherit peace from you or inherit problems, and her mission is to help them inherit peace. Resources & Links 🌐 Network Build Grow Community: networkbuildgrow.com 📜 Signature Line Legacy Partners — Estate planning education, document facilitation, notarization, and trust-funding support: https://signaturelinelegacypartners.com Subscribe & Connect If this episode reminded you that networking is about relationships, not quick sales, please subscribe, leave a review, and share it with a fellow entrepreneur, business owner, or anyone who needs a nudge to get their estate plan in order. 👉 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

    Stop Treating Everyone Like a Prospect with Lisa Gifford

  2. Sep 22

    Calm the Chaos: Networking as a Brand-New Founder with Leann Coleman-Waters

    In this candid episode of the Network Build Grow Podcast, host Melissa Taylor sits down with Leann Coleman-Waters, founder of LCW Advisory Group and a fractional Chief of Staff who spent two decades leading marketing and communications teams in corporate before going out on her own this year. Leann calls her work "calming the chaos" — and she's been living her own version of it. She walks through her first months as a new founder: how she went from decision to open doors in about a month, why she said yes to every room at first, and how she figured out which ones were actually hers. Top Takeaways Decision to doors in one month — Once she committed, she moved fast. A career coach pushing her to "just post it" and a strong support system to sanity-check her messaging accelerated everything. Your messaging will change, that's the point — She sounds completely different now than when she launched. The repetition and trial-and-error of networking is what sharpened it. Go to everything at first, then narrow hard — Several events a month early on wasn't about collecting contacts. It was reconnaissance: learning which rooms felt genuine and which didn't. You'll usually know after one visit — If a group clearly isn't a fit, she doesn't force a second try. If it's just uncertain, two or three visits is fair before calling it. One quality connection is a successful event — Ask her what a good night looks like and the number is one. Depth of trust beats volume every time. Trade some coffees for 15-minute Zooms — After months of in-person lunches, she's moving first meetings online to protect her time — and it works, as long as you come with real questions and a genuine desire to help. About Leann Coleman-Waters Leann Coleman-Waters is the Founder of LCW Advisory Group and a fractional Chief of Staff who helps small and midsize businesses navigate growth, change, and organizational complexity with clarity and confidence. With more than two decades of experience in strategic communications, operations, and organizational transformation, she brings a rare blend of analytical insight and human-centered leadership. She describes her work simply as "calming the chaos" — stepping in as the right hand for owners who are stretched too thin, typically in businesses of five to twenty-five people, though she also supports solo operators who need high-level strategy to reach the next level. Through her advisory practice, Leann partners with leaders to strengthen communication, align teams, and build the systems that support sustainable, meaningful progress. She's based in Fort Mill, in the greater Charlotte area. Resources & Links 🌐 Network Build Grow Community: networkbuildgrow.com 💼 LCW Advisory Group — Fractional Chief of Staff services for small and midsize businesses: https://lcwadvisorygroup.com Subscribe & Connect If this episode gave you permission to start before you feel ready — to walk into the room as yourself, skip the rehearsed pitch, and stop measuring success by how many hands you shook — please subscribe, leave a review, and share it with a founder in their first year. 👉 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

    Calm the Chaos: Networking as a Brand-New Founder with Leann Coleman-Waters

  3. Sep 15

    Networking Lessons from 30 Years of Acting with Brian Lafontaine

    In this funny, refreshingly honest episode of the Network Build Grow Podcast, host Melissa Taylor sits down with Brian Lafontaine — screen actor, voiceover artist, improviser, MC, public speaking coach, and creator of Speak Easy in Charlotte. After three decades of auditions, sets, and the question every actor lives with ("is today the last time my phone rings?"), Brian rebuilt his business around teaching other people to speak. He brings a performer's ear to networking: listen first, get genuinely curious, and never let a conversation turn into two monologues. Top Takeaways The skill set transfers — most people just can't see it. Brian spent 30 years convinced his acting career had no application outside entertainment. One conversation with his sister-in-law changed that. Presence, intention, and reading a room are business skills. "What do you do?" turns dialogue into two monologues — He never opens with it. He leads with something personal instead: an accent, an earring, anything that tells him who the person actually is. The part you hide is the part that sets you apart — Most speakers bury their humor and personality as "not professional." That's usually the exact thing that would make them memorable. Different rooms serve different purposes — Some rooms are full of clients. Some teach you how to run a business. Some just have people you genuinely like. Knowing which is which saves a lot of frustration. About Brian Lafontaine Actor. Speaker. Coach. Be Seen. Be Heard. Be Unforgettable. Brian Lafontaine has spent over 30 years as a professional actor, with roles in Ozark, Stranger Things, Outer Banks, The Hate U Give, Homeland, Nashville, and The Vampire Diaries. He's played doctors, dads, and dudes with dark secrets. But his real superpower is helping people communicate with clarity, confidence, and authenticity — on a stage, in a boardroom, or on Zoom with the camera off. As a public speaking coach and event host, Brian brings a blend of performance training, storytelling mastery, and deeply human insight to individuals, teams, and companies. His style is playful, inspiring, and no-nonsense, with a healthy dose of humor and heart. He's also the creator and host of Speak Easy, a live event series in Charlotte for speakers who want to practice being seen in a new way. Brian helps people stop "presenting" and start connecting. Because your message matters — but only if people believe you when you say it. Everyone has a story, and everyone's story is worth hearing. Resources & Links 🌐 Network Build Grow Community: networkbuildgrow.com 🎙️ Brian Lafontaine — Public speaking coach and event host: brianlafontaine.com 🥃 Speak Easy — Live event series for speakers, first Monday of every month at VisArt Video, Charlotte Subscribe & Connect If this episode gave you permission to stop pitching and start actually talking to people — to get curious, find your rooms, and let your personality do the work — please subscribe, leave a review, and share it with a fellow entrepreneur, business owner, or anyone who has ever frozen up at "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 Lessons from 30 Years of Acting with Brian Lafontaine

  4. Sep 8

    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

  5. Sep 1

    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

  6. Aug 25

    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

  7. Aug 18

    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

  8. Aug 11

    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
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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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