6d ago

You Might Be Repelling Referrals

Sometimes the biggest threats to a referral-based business aren't market conditions, competition, or lead generation challenges. Sometimes it's the way we show up in conversations. In this episode, I share a candid story about a recent interaction with a business owner that sparked an important reminder: if you want to build a business on trust, relationships, and referrals, you can't afford to act like a jerk.

6 min

Jun 12

By Referral Doesn't Mean Not Calling

Get your Referral Score in 2 minutes and grab a free copy of The Upstream Model here: https://builtonreferrals.com/referralscore Call reluctance is one of the biggest hidden killers of a referral-based business. In this episode, we break down why relationship-driven entrepreneurs, real estate agents, and service professionals avoid outreach calls — and how to build a referral business through authentic relationships instead of cold prospecting. Today, we are tackling one of the biggest hidden struggles in relationship-based business: call reluctance. So many entrepreneurs, agents, and service professionals say they want a referral-based business… yet still avoid picking up the phone to connect with the very people already in their world. If you are a relationship-driven professional struggling to stay consistent with outreach and want to grow your business without feeling pushy or salesy, you are in the right place. • The Referral Business Lie: Why most people misunderstand what it actually takes to grow through referrals. • Warm Outreach vs Cold Prospecting: The mindset shift that makes relationship-building feel natural again. • The “Calling to Get” Problem: Why heart-centered professionals resist sales calls without even realizing it. • Trust Beyond Social Media: Why comments and likes will never replace real conversations. • My Call Reluctance Breakthrough: The unexpected shift that completely changed my approach to outreach.

9 min

Jun 12

Your Networking Strategy Is Broken | Here's Why

Many networking events feel like a waste of your time, and you're not alone in thinking that. This video addresses the four fatal flaws of typical networking events and provides practical networking tips. We'll show you how to truly make the most of your time and effort, ensuring you're building valuable connections and mastering how to network at events.

7 min

Jun 12

The Upstream Model Framework That Changes Everything

Today, we are tackling a foundational question: can you scale a massive business built entirely on relationships? Or are you stuck constantly chasing new, cold leads? Many entrepreneurs fall into the trap of believing that growing big requires a massive advertising budget. In this episode, Justin and Amy shatter that myth. They reveal how an initial failure with $30,000 billboard ads sparked a revelation about the true power of your network, and how the "Servrepreneur" mindset is the ultimate catalyst for scaling a legacy business. If you are a service professional tired of the transactional grind and ready to build a transformational business that feeds itself, you are in the right place. What You Will Discover: - The Billboard Blunder: Why spending $30,000 dollars on ads failed to generate referrals from past clients, and the crucial lesson learned about what truly drives repeat business. - The Servrepreneur Mindset: The massive difference between an entrepreneur focused on taking, and a "Servrepreneur" whose primary goal is to authentically give and serve. - The Go-Giver Advantage: Why the most successful people are often "givers" who intentionally surround themselves with other "givers" to create unstoppable momentum and avoid being taken advantage of. - The Upstream Model in Action: How connecting with professionals who serve your ideal client before you do (like architectural designers or interior designers) allows you to tap into entirely new networks. - Scaling Synergy: The specific framework used to build a referral-based business where everyone wins, dramatically lowering the cost of acquiring a client while increasing their lifetime value. Get Your Referral Score Are you capturing the referral opportunities that are already within reach, or are you letting them slip through the cracks? Take two minutes. You'll get a referral score out of 100. Quick steps to improve and we'll send you a copy of the upstream model, both a digital copy and an audio version. Go to https://builtonreferrals.com/referralscore/

16 min

Jun 12

The 3-Question Framework That Makes People Instantly Trust You

Today, we are tackling the currency that matters most in a world full of AI and automation: trust. Building deep, instant rapport with a new connection isn't about delivering the perfect elevator pitch or talking endlessly about yourself. In fact, the fastest way to become the most interesting person in the room is to be the most interested person in the room. This episode reveals the exact three-question framework you need to get people talking, build immediate trust, and position yourself as a valuable connector. If you want to skip the awkward small talk and start having meaningful, opportunity-creating conversations, you are in the right place. Plus, we have a very special, "amazing" guest co-host for this one! What You Will Discover The Rapport Rule: Why true connection isn't about what you say, but what you can get the other person to say. Question 1 (The Focus Filter) Question 2 (The Bragging Right) Question 3 (The Ultimate Value-Add) Meet Maisie: A special appearance by my youngest daughter (and why she definitely deserves a dirty Dr. Pepper after her podcast debut). Get Your Referral Score Are you capturing the referral opportunities that are already within reach, or are you letting them slip through the cracks? Take two minutes. At builtonreferrals.com/referralscore, you'll get a referral score out of 100. Quick steps to improve and we'll send you a copy of the upstream model, both a digital copy and an audio version. Go to builtonreferrals.com/referralscore.

6 min

Jun 3

The $100K Mistake Every Agent Makes With Their Database

Today, we are tackling a massive blind spot that most service professionals do not even realize they have: their database. If you are treating your CRM like a digital Tupperware container for storing names and numbers, you are thinking way too small. This episode is a complete paradigm shift designed to help you transform your database from a passive list of contacts into a highly strategic relationship map. If you are ready to stop dripping on people and start opening portals to entirely new networks, you are in the right place. What You Will Discover The Tupperware Trap: Why using your CRM as a mere storage container is a missed opportunity, and how top professionals use it to track trust, influence, and proximity instead. Portals vs. Prospects: How to stop looking for your next single transaction and start identifying the contacts who have their own databases of hundreds of your ideal clients. Access Over Affection: Why focusing solely on the people who like you will not scale your business, and why you must prioritize relationships with upstream partners who have real access. The Upstream Advantage: How professionals like CPAs, attorneys, and financial advisors sit at the perfect intersection of trust and timing for your future clients. Automate for Memory, Not Connection: The exact way to use CRM tools to remind you when to show up, without accidentally outsourcing your most valuable human relationships. Get Your Referral Score Are you capturing the referral opportunities that are already within reach, or are you letting them slip through the cracks? Take two minutes. At builtonreferrals.com/referralscore, you'll get a referral score out of 100. Quick steps to improve and we'll send you a copy of the upstream model, both a digital copy and an audio version. Go to builtonreferrals.com/referralscore.

15 min

Jun 3

Promote Yourself by Promoting Others

Today, we are tackling a common struggle for relationship-based professionals: the cringe-inducing feeling of self-promotion. If you naturally prefer asking questions over talking about yourself, forced self-promotion can feel completely out of alignment. But what if you could market your business effectively without ever having to beat your own chest? This episode reveals a brilliant workaround: promoting yourself by becoming the ultimate connector and promoting other people. If you are tired of feeling like you are constantly building a statue of yourself and want a more authentic way to grow, you are in the right place. What You Will Discover - The Self-Promotion Trap: Why talking about yourself feels awkward for relationship-builders. - The Hidden Demand: Why the fact that your clients are already asking you for recommendations—like plumbers, accountants, or roofers—is your biggest untapped marketing asset. - The Preemptive Pivot: How to stop waiting to be asked and proactively offer a curated list of providers to instantly boost your value. - The Homeowner Concierge Strategy: Creative ways to use your professional network to stand out at open houses, in listing presentations, and during client onboarding. - Content Creation Made Easy: How to stop stressing over what to post by interviewing your 35 to 70 professional partners and turning their expertise into your digital content. Get Your Referral Score Are you capturing the referral opportunities that are already within reach, or are you letting them slip through the cracks? Take two minutes. At builtonreferrals.com/referralscore, you'll get a referral score out of 100. Quick steps to improve and we'll send you a copy of the upstream model, both a digital copy and an audio version. Go to builtonreferrals.com/referralscore.

7 min

Jun 3

How I Use AI to Be More Relevant and Valuable in Relationships

Following up on our previous conversation about the dangers of outsourcing your connections to robots, today we are tackling the right way to use technology. If you knew everything about a prospect before walking into a room, you could add unique, hyper-relevant value from the very first handshake. But doing that kind of deep research manually takes hours. This episode reveals how to practically apply AI to do your back-office prep, so you can be a rockstar in the front office. If you are ready to stop winging your meetings and want to show up as the most insightful person in the room, you are in the right place. What You Will Discover - The Pre-Meeting AI Hack: How to use the "Ask Gemini" feature right inside your Chrome browser to instantly gather deep intelligence on a prospect's career and industry. - The Wells Fargo Playbook: A real-life breakdown of how to use AI to position yourself perfectly with high-level executives, turning a potentially intimidating meeting into a strategic partnership. - Winging It vs. Winning It: Why showing up just to "chit-chat" and pass out business cards is where average people play—and how to instantly elevate your conversations with targeted relevance. - Social Media Intelligence: How to point AI at a prospective client's Instagram or LinkedIn profile to generate highly specific, actionable ideas for them before you even say hello. - From Tool to Team: Why you need to stop acting like an AI user and step into the role of an AI manager to amplify your human relationships. Get Your Referral Score Are you capturing the opportunities already within your reach, or are they slipping through the cracks? Take two minutes to find out where your business currently stands. Get your score out of 100, receive quick steps to improve, and grab a free digital and audio copy of my book, The Upstream Model. Test your business here: https://builtonreferrals.com/referralscore/

12 min

May 8

Ep 003 Why Your Business Breakthrough Doesn't Require More Tech | It Requires Better Relationships

Today, we are tackling a feeling we all know too well: the grind. If you feel like you are pushing a boulder uphill to get your business to the next level, it might be time to stop forcing it and find your alignment. There is a lot of noise telling you to automate everything and integrate endless new tech tools, but what if your greatest breakthrough requires leaning into the relationship-building talents you already possess? This episode is a reminder that success doesn't always have to be this hard. If you are tired of doing it all yourself and want to discover the power of a "quantum leap," you are in the right place. What You Will Discover - The High Jump Epiphany: A powerful story about why shifting from what you’ve always done (the grind) to what aligns with your natural talents can create unexpected, overnight success. - The Myth of the Hard Way: Why we mistakenly believe that endless struggle is the only path to growth, and how to spot when you are simply running the wrong race. - The Ultimate Door Opener: Why curating the right network and collaborating with bright people will take you further and faster than trying to build a business in isolation. - Collaboration vs. Automation: The massive difference between spending a week setting up a new tech tool to act like you, versus simply taking a real person out for coffee. - Back to Basics: How to stop chasing every shiny new bell and whistle and get back to the timeless foundation of cultivating meaningful, human connections. Get Your Referral Score Are you capturing the opportunities already within your reach, or are they slipping through the cracks? Take two minutes to find out where your business currently stands. Get your score out of 100, receive quick steps to improve, and grab a free digital and audio copy of my book, The Upstream Model. Test your business here: https://builtonreferrals.com/referralscore/

6 min

Apr 21

Ep 002 Don't Let AI Replace This With Your Clients

Today, we are tackling a modern dilemma: how do you integrate AI into a relationship-based business without destroying the very trust you’ve built? There are endless shiny new tools promising to automate your client interactions, but outsourcing human connection is a fast track to losing it. This episode serves as a reality check on when to leverage AI and when to keep things profoundly human. If you want to use technology to enhance your relationships rather than replace them, you are in the right place. What You Will Discover Things vs. People: Why you should automate your back-office tasks to be efficient, but never try to be "efficient" with your front-office relationships. The Robot Call Reality Check: A cautionary tale of what happens when you try to use an AI agent to gather personal client data like birthdays and anniversaries. The Ultimate AI Filter: The one critical question you need to ask yourself before implementing any new bell, whistle, or shiny AI object into your business. The Spouse Analogy: Why outsourcing your relationship-building to a robot is just as disastrous in business as it would be in a marriage. Modern Tools, Timeless Core: How to build a modern business that uses cutting-edge technology to make you more insightful, present, and valuable when you are face-to-face with your clients. Get Your Referral Score Are you capturing the opportunities already within your reach, or are they slipping through the cracks? Take two minutes to find out where your business currently stands. Get your score out of 100, receive quick steps to improve, and grab a free digital and audio copy of my book, The Upstream Model. Test your business here: https://builtonreferrals.com/referralscore/ Episode Timestamps: 00:00 AI and Relationships 00:12 The AI Call Story 00:46 Efficient Not With People 01:56 Why Robot Calls Fail 03:04 Referral Score Break 03:39 Modern Tools Timeless Core 04:16 Back Office vs Front Office 04:58 Run Every Tool Filter 05:33 Spouse Analogy Reality Check 05:57 People First Closing 06:15 Final Sign Off

6 min

Apr 14

Ep 001 How to Build a Trust-Driven Business with Referrals

Today, we are tackling a crucial question: is a referral-based model actually the right fit for you? There is a lot of noise out there pushing transactional, lead-based strategies as the only way to grow. While attention certainly matters, trust moves you much further and faster. This episode is designed as a litmus test to help you discover if your professional DNA is wired for long-term relationships and compounding growth. If you are tired of renting attention and want to own your growth engine, you are in the right place. What You Will DiscoverAttention vs. Trust: Why capturing eyeballs means nothing without the credibility to back it up.The Power of Borrowed Trust: The massive difference between starting from zero with a cold lead and transferring belief through a warm introduction.Four Key Growth Signs: Clear indicators that your business should be driven by relationships instead of expensive ads.Modernizing Word-of-Mouth: How to use the right systems and technology to make referrals proactive rather than passive.Scaling Beyond Your Sphere: Strategies to leverage ecosystems of professional partners, not just your immediate friends and family.Get Your Referral ScoreAre you capturing the opportunities already within your reach, or are they slipping through the cracks? Take two minutes to find out where your business currently stands. Get your score out of 100, receive quick steps to improve, and grab a free digital and audio copy of my book, The Upstream Model. Test your business here: builtonreferrals.com/referralscore Episode Timestamps00:00 - Is a referral business right for your DNA?02:49 - The Attention Economy vs. The Trust Economy04:23 - Test your business with the Referral Score06:29 - Leads vs. Referrals: Why borrowed trust wins09:21 - Modern systems for a timeless foundation11:21 - Four clear signs you need a referral strategy17:09 - Building a resilient, compound growth engine19:15 - Does earning trust actually take too long?21:05 - Growing a scalable network beyond your immediate sphere22:42 - Final recap and episode close

26 min

Season 1 Trailer

Introductory Episode: From Think Bigger to Built On Referrals | What's Next

Welcome to the Built On Referrals podcast! I’m your host, Justin Stoddart, and I am absolutely thrilled to share this brand-new project with you. Whether you’re joining me from my nine years hosting the Think Bigger Real Estate Podcast, you've read my book The Upstream Model, or you’re brand new to my world—thank you for being here. I am extremely excited about what we are going to build together. What is Built On Referrals?I believe very strongly that it’s not enough to just have a successful business; you also need to have a significant life. The best way to achieve both—and to positively impact the most people, especially those at home—is through a relationship-based business built on trust and reputation. While doing business based on relationships might seem "old-fashioned," it is still the most tried and true method out there. Especially in a world full of noise and fake trends, being someone people can genuinely trust matters more than ever. But we aren't going backward—we are building forward. This podcast is all about taking that timeless foundation and equipping it for the modern, fast-moving world. We’ll be diving deep into: Trust & Value: How to genuinely connect with clients and referral sources.Relationship Strategy: Maintaining and deepening connections in a digital age.Modern Tools: The technology, trends, and referral ecosystems shaping client expectations today.Who is this for?This show is purpose-built for professionals who primarily serve homeowners—including real estate agents, estate planners, and financial professionals. However, if you are in any relationship-driven business, you will find massive value here to help you build something durable, modern, and worth talking about. What to Expect:Bite-Sized Tactics (Weekly): Short, 5- to 10-minute solo episodes designed for you to digest quickly and put into action immediately.Bonus Expert Spotlights (Monthly): Deep dive interviews with industry professionals who have mastered a specific skill you need to know about.Hit subscribe and get ready to receive value like you've never experienced before. It’s time to build a modern business on a timeless foundation. Let's go!

4 min

Built on Referrals

Episodes

You Might Be Repelling Referrals

By Referral Doesn't Mean Not Calling

Your Networking Strategy Is Broken | Here's Why

The Upstream Model Framework That Changes Everything

The 3-Question Framework That Makes People Instantly Trust You

The $100K Mistake Every Agent Makes With Their Database

Promote Yourself by Promoting Others

How I Use AI to Be More Relevant and Valuable in Relationships

Ep 003 Why Your Business Breakthrough Doesn't Require More Tech | It Requires Better Relationships

Ep 002 Don't Let AI Replace This With Your Clients

Ep 001 How to Build a Trust-Driven Business with Referrals

Introductory Episode: From Think Bigger to Built On Referrals | What's Next

Trailer

Introductory Episode: From Think Bigger to Built On Referrals | What's Next

Ratings & Reviews

About

Information

You Might Also Like