How to build business allies

Hey there!

A while back, I met someone whose work instantly stood out. It was just… sharp.

The kind of work that makes you pause and go, “Oh, damn… they know their shit.”

But not in a pretentious way. You could feel the care she puts into her work.

Within seconds of discovering Molly, I wanted to hire her, and build a relationship with her (in a not-creepy-at-all way).

So I did something most people don’t. I followed the instinct. And what happened next turned into one of my favorite lessons about building real relationships in business.

I kept tabs on Molly’s work for a while. Read her posts. Watched how she positioned things. She was clearly in the arena, just like me.

Eventually, I reached out to start a real conversation. Business owner to business owner. One person hustling on the internet to another.

I asked about what she was working on. And when I realized we had a shared audience, I didn’t do the usual word vomit of “I’ll keep you in mind if someone needs help!” (Spoiler: never happens.)

Instead, I offered to share her work.

No hidden motive or sneaky follow-up ask. Just a clear, genuine offer: “You’re good at what you do, and more people should see it.”

She shared some stuff she was building.

I took it seriously. Followed up with a short email with ideas that challenged her thinking and offered a few resources & tools I thought could help. None of which involved me getting paid or receiving any gain whatsoever - which would have defeated the entire point.

That moment stuck with her.

This week - months later - she posted about it publicly.

She wrote a heartfelt story about how rare it is to be on the receiving end of thoughtful, agenda-free generosity.

It was the kind of post that affirmed my instincts about Molly.

It also made me blush a bit - which you’ll see in the comment I shared within the post. Her shoutout of me was lovely, unexpected, and appreciated. But what mattered more was the principle behind it…

Meaningful business relationships don’t start with a pitch or a follow-for-follow. They start with respect. And the bravery to go first. Something that’s getting harder and harder - especially when the other person is an AI agent.

Here’s what I’ve noticed: The people you actually want in your network, are the ones that remember your first acts of unconditional generosity.

And when it’s their turn to open a door, they will. And if they don’t, that’s OK, too.

For me, my best business relationships come from:

• Finding people whose work I genuinely respect

• Starting a conversation without pretending it’s not strategic

• Offering value before I need anything back

• Letting time do the compounding

Your takeaways
If you want to build strategic relationships that grow your business, here’s who to prioritize:

• They have a shared or complementary audience

• You can vouch for the quality of their work (bonus points if you’ve hired them)

• Their values or style align with yours

• You’d be happy to refer them (even if they never return the favor)

Reach out. Share something helpful about them. Ask how you can support what they’re building. Then let time do the rest.

P.S. Someone else who gives selfless shouts to her network is Stacy Eleczko. Another good egg I’m building a relationship with.

P.P.S. Happy Father’s Day to the other Dads reading along today. Here’s a pic of me being a Dad, and celebrating with mine.

Resources to help you grow your biz. Add yours by earning a shoutout or paying.

Considering today’s post, I’m dedicating this section to Molly Godfrey.

If you’re building a brand and audience on LinkedIn, start by following her there.

Then, jump into her newsletter for LinkedIn playbooks, storytelling tips, and content strategies that actually work.

📌 Want your work to spark the kind of praise that gets people talking?

The Offer Development Masterclass shows you how to design offers people are proud to share.

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