The Network Build Grow Podcast: Relationships that Scale

“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.”

The Network Build Grow Podcast: Relationships that Scale is a business podcast hosted by Melissa Taylor, with 60 episodes on record and a Required Pod Score of 80.

Melissa Taylor hosts The Network Build Grow Podcast: Relationships that Scale, a business show with 60 episodes published.

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  The Network Build Grow Podcast: Relationships that Scale

  Networking for a Cause: Building Win-Win Partnerships with Ashley Nydish

  Oct 5, 202619 min

  What if the best thing you can bring to a networking event isn't a product or a pitch, but a cause people want to be part of? And what if the connections that grow your mission come from simply showing up and having real conversations, not from prospecting? In this heartfelt episode of the Network Build Grow Podcast , host Melissa Taylor sits down with Ashley Nydish of Bags of Hope . This Mecklenburg County nonprofit provides weekend food bags for K–12 students facing food insecurity. What started in 2012 as a hands-on church backpack ministry now feeds 950 students every week across 34 schools, with 10 more on a waitlist. Ashley shares how word of mouth, a good reputation, and a relationship-first mindset grew Bags of Hope. She also explains why a nonprofit still has to think and network like a business, and how to build win-win partnerships when you have no product to sell. Top Takeaways Networking is relationship-building, not prospecting. Ashley skips the "what can I get out of this room today?" mindset. She looks for like-minded people and asks how they can help each other. Start with the circle you already have. Bags of Hope first reached out to the schools her own kids attended. Those were her contacts, and that's where the growth began. Word of mouth is your best marketing. Counselors, social workers, and principals kept telling each other about Bags of Hope. The nonprofit hasn't had to reach out to a single school since before COVID. Be confident and be yourself. Small talk is fine. Once your first conversation is going, the next introduction comes naturally. Try several groups before you commit. Every room has its own vibe, like walking onto a college campus. Give each one a real chance before deciding where you fit. About Ashley Nydish Ashley Nydish leads Bags of Hope, a nonprofit serving students across Mecklenburg County, with reach into Cabarrus and Iredell Counties. Born and raised in Charlotte, Ashley grew up hearing her mom, a local schoolteacher, worry about students who were struggling. She was raised in a family that valued volunteering and giving back. In 2012 she helped launch a backpack program at her church. In 2017 it joined forces with two other church programs and became Bags of Hope, a nonprofit. That step let it pursue grant and foundation funding and serve far more students. Ashley runs the organization lean so that donated dollars go straight to the students and families it serves. Resources & Links Network Build Grow Community: networkbuildgrow.com Bags of Hope provides weekend food bags for K–12 students facing food insecurity: https://www.bagsofhopelkn.com Contact Ashley: ashley@bagsofhopelkn.com Subscribe & Connect If this episode reminded you that networking is about people, not pitches, please subscribe, leave a review, and share it with a fellow entrepreneur, nonprofit leader, or anyone looking for a mission to support. A cause can open doors, and win-win partnerships can change a community. 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

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  The Network Build Grow Podcast: Relationships that Scale

  Stop Treating Everyone Like a Prospect with Lisa Gifford

  Sep 28, 202614 min

  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

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  The Network Build Grow Podcast: Relationships that Scale

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

  Sep 21, 202622 min

  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

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  The Network Build Grow Podcast: Relationships that Scale

  From NASA to Founder: Networking with Curiosity with Emily Furfaro

  Sep 7, 202622 min

  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

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  The Network Build Grow Podcast: Relationships that Scale

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

  Aug 17, 202627 min

  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

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