Social Momentum and Networking (S4) S49 E4

Episode Transcript
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(00:24):
Well, hey guys, it is John Seymour here,
serial entrepreneur.
It is great to be with you on
Inspirations for Your Life this evening.
It is Tuesday, December 2nd, 2025, and it

(00:45):
is great to be with you, and we
have a fantastic, fantastic show for you.
So if you're new here, I want to
take the opportunity to say welcome, and thank
you for joining me.
If you're coming back, well, welcome back, and
thank you so much for joining me again.
I always appreciate people that enjoy the quality
of my content.
All right, guys, so if you have not

(01:07):
checked out BelieveMeAchieve.com, what are you waiting
for?
You can check that out after the show
is over at BelieveMeAchieve.com.
Get my short-form content, long-form content,
and so much else, including articles and lots
of different things.
So definitely, I think you're going to want
to check that out and see what's going

(01:28):
on, because there's a lot of great stuff
there that I think you guys will really,
I think you'll really enjoy.
All right, so without further ado, guys, I'm
going to go ahead and start the show.
Again, it is a privilege and pleasure to
be with all of you today, and so
let's just dive right in, all right?
So this whole week, we're talking about something

(01:51):
pretty interesting, and to think about that for
just a moment, I want to dive into
something called social momentum.
So social momentum is a cheat code.
The more you give, the more doors quietly
open for you.
By the way, this is John C.

(02:12):
Morley.
I'm a serial entrepreneur.
I'm an engineer, marketing specialist, video producer, podcast
host, coach, graduate student, and above all, a
passionate lifelong learner.
And today on Inspirations for Your Life, I'm
turning networking from awkward and transactional into simple,

(02:33):
daily micro moves that build relationships and unshakable
momentum.
Send a, quote-unquote, just checking in message
to someone.
Reach out to one person with no agenda
at all, just a quick, hey, thinking of
you, and how's everything going?
These light touches keep relationships warm, so opportunities

(02:56):
don't die in silence.
Comment meaningfully on one post, not just a
like.
Instead of mindlessly tapping like, leave a thoughtful
comment that adds value or insight for others.
People remember those who actually engage with their

(03:19):
ideas, not just their content.
I think that's something that a lot of
people forget about for some reason.
And so I want to share something with
you, and no pun intended here.
Share one helpful resource with a contact.
Send an article, video, or tool that generally
fits something they care about.

(03:39):
When you become a source of useful resources,
people naturally see you as valuable and plugged
in.
Ask someone, how can I support you this
week?
Nobody probably asks you that question.
This one question will put you ahead of
everyone else, and it instantly shifts you from

(04:03):
taker energy to giver energy.
Even if they ask for something small, you
positioned yourself as an ally in their success.
Congratulate someone on perhaps a recent win.
Message or comment to celebrate a promotion, launch,

(04:24):
award, or milestone.
Sharing a spotlight on others builds goodwill and
shows you're paying attention.
I think sometimes people, they do things because
they get caught in the moment, right?
They don't necessarily understand things.
They're going through the motions, okay?

(04:47):
They're going through the motions.
And by going through the motions, that's pretty
cool, right?
So join one conversation you'd normally skip.
If you'd universally be quiet in a group
chat, meetings, or events, intentionally join one of
those discussions.
A brief, thoughtful contribution can make you visible

(05:09):
in rooms where you were once invisible.
Introduce two people who should know each other.
Think of two contacts who could benefit from
connecting.
And make a short, respectful intro.
Great connectors are remembered and included when big

(05:33):
ideas and projects come around for fruition.
Share one small win publicly.
And again, it's not about boasting.
It's not about bragging.
It's about you doing something and then you
can celebrate it.
And when people see there's value, but they
also see that you're not trying to manipulate.

(05:55):
There was a lot of people do that,
right?
They try to manipulate you because they think
that they can get their way by manipulating
you.
I think that's an important thing to understand,
guys.
If we understand that, then I think your
life will be a lot easier for not
just you, but for people that are around

(06:16):
you, right?
I think those are very important things to
be aware of.
So again, share one small win publicly.
How about posting a quick win, completing a
project, hitting a milestone, or learning something new,
sharing progress?

(06:37):
Again, without bragging.
There's a difference between sharing and there's a
difference to rubbing in somebody's face.
That's what we call bragging.
And I think sometimes it makes some sense,
right?
And sometimes it doesn't.
So if that's the case, we can understand

(07:04):
what's happening, right?
And so the thing about it is people
sometimes don't understand how things work.

(07:24):
So they do something else, okay?
Maybe you're stuck because of something that's transpired
in the world.
Maybe.
And maybe you're just not sure which way
to go.

(07:46):
Inspire others.
And when you do this, it signals that
you're in motion.
Ask one thoughtful question in a meeting.
Come prepared with a question that shows, hey,
I'm engaged and I'm thinking.
The right question can position you as insightful,
not just present for the moment.

(08:08):
Follow up on an old email or a
lead.
Dig into your inbox and revive one conversation
that went cold.
Many opportunities aren't lost.
They're just waiting for a simple, intentional follow
-up.
Offer some feedback that is kind and specific.
If someone asks for input, skip the vague

(08:31):
comments like, it looks good.
And give one clear, constructive, insightful one.
Thoughtful feedback builds trust and deeper professional bonds.
Even if you don't like what the person's
doing, I think it's very important to realize
that that's the whole gist, right?

(08:56):
When we understand the whole gist, then we
can go from there.
We can do so much cool stuff.
But if we can't do that, then how
is it that we're able to move from
point A to point B?
Well, we're not.
We just get stagnant.
And then we're like, oh my gosh, what

(09:17):
am I supposed to do?
What am I supposed to say?
And so doing these things in a certain
way can literally help you.
And it can help you understand where you
are, where you're coming from, where you're going.
I think that's very, very important.

(09:37):
Does that make sense to everybody?
I mean, I'm hoping it does.
But I know that some people, they get
stuck.
They get stuck because of a feeling that
they suddenly run into.
They get stuck because, well, their energy gets
zapped.
People around them are takers and not givers

(10:00):
or not balancing both ways.
Attend one virtual or in-person event.
Show up somewhere new.
A meetup, webinar, chamber event.
Being in the room, the physical or the
virtual creates serendipity.

(10:21):
You can't get alone at your desk.
Now, there are events you can go to,
and then there are people that aren't going
to help you.
When you've experienced that, don't go back to
them.
We've all been in groups that maybe were
not as, let's say, forthcoming as they should

(10:43):
be.
If you get big, they want to be
around you.
But when you're small, they have no interest
in you.
That's selfish.
Practice your 10-second self-intro.

(11:04):
Do you know your 10-second self-intro?
Hi, I'm John C.
Morley, serial entrepreneur, engineer, video producer, marketing specialist,
keynote speaker, and a person that's passionate as
an engineer and a lifelong learner to help
you become a better version of yourself.
What is it that you want to learn

(11:25):
more about?
Pretty compelling, right?
Most people, hi, my name is John.
I sell this, this, this.
Or I'm Joe, and I work for a
sprinkler company.
And we put sprinkler systems in for half
the price of what many of the people
in the neighborhood do.

(11:46):
Yap, yap, yap, yap, yap, yap, yap.
Or hi, I'm Fred, and I work for
a tile company.
And I like coming to your house, and
I'd like to go ahead and tile your
kitchen and bathrooms, and I'll go ahead and
carpet one of your rooms for free.
No.
No, Fred.

(12:07):
Craft a simple, clear line about who you
are, what you do, so you never stumble
when someone asks.
But if you're trying to be pushy about
something, guess what, guys?
You're not going anywhere.
You are not going anywhere.

(12:31):
A confident intro helps people remember you and
what to send your way.
Reply to a message you've been ignoring.
And I know that sounds like something that
maybe, like, doesn't make sense.
But if it does fit you, then take

(12:52):
the message.
Pick one DM, an email or perhaps a
text, one that you've let sit for way
too long, and respond to it right now.
See, close the loops, and you'll reduce social
friction and show you respect the relationship.

(13:14):
I've had people that I text, right?
And you might say, what do you do?
This is a great question.
What do you do?
Oh, there's more to it than that, guys.
What do you do when a friend stops

(13:35):
using your business and won't return your calls
when they promise to spend more with you
on a verbal contract?
That's a tough one.

(14:00):
Nobody wants to be in that position.
When a friend stops using your business and
ghosts you after a verbal, I'll spend more
with you, promise, it hurts on two levels,
business and personal.
There are really three parts to handle here,
your outreach, your boundaries, and what you learn
for the next time.
Try one last clear, low-pressure check-in.

(14:22):
Send one final message, text or email, something
like, hey, hope all's well.
I've noticed things went quiet on the project
side.
Totally okay if plans change, no hard feelings,
but it would help me a lot to
know where things stand so I can plan
my schedule and business.
Can you let me know if you still
see us working together or if you decided

(14:43):
to go another direction?
This gives them an easy out while still
respecting your time and asking for clarity.
Many businesses' coaches suggest a closing-the-loop
style message for unresponsive clients to either re
-engage them or give you closure.
Decide if it's worth pushing the verbal contract.

(15:05):
In many places, verbal contracts can be legally
enforceable if you show there was a clear
offer, acceptance, and exchange of value, but they're
hard, emotional, and often expensive to prove.
When friends, lawyers, well, they warn that informal

(15:26):
handshake-style agreements are one of the fastest
ways to damage both the business and the
relationship, which is why they recommend written terms
if you ever wanted to pursue it seriously.
Unless there's a lot of money involved, it's
usually not worth going legal.
Instead, you treat it as a painful but
powerful business lesson.

(15:48):
Protect your energy and business going forward.
If they still don't respond after the last
message, stop chasing.
Continue to call and text only drains your
energy and signals you'll tolerate being disrespected as
a vendor.
Quietly move them from friend-client to no
longer as an active client.
Adjust your pipeline and put your focus on

(16:09):
people who show up, pay, and communicate.
For the future, get promises in writing, even
a simple email or short agreement, whenever money,
time, or capacity is involved.
Treat friends as clients once business is on
the table.
Clear scope, pricing, timelines, and expectations.

(16:31):
Have a mental rule.
No more counting on verbal.
I'll give you more business soon as real
revenue until it's booked and it's confirmed.
Emotionally separate your worth from their behavior.
Their ghosting says more about their communication style
and integrity than about your value as a

(16:52):
pro.
You can choose to leave the door cracked
open personally.
If they'll ever apologize and want to talk,
I'll decide then.
Without letting them occupy your head or your
focus and your forecast.
If you'd like a specific closing the loop
message that matches your tone, there are other

(17:15):
things you could do like, hey, you know,
I was just hoping, you know, we could
get together for coffee.
So one might be, you know, hey, you
know, I've sent emails and a certified mail
and now I'm handing you this letter and

(17:37):
hoping you will read it and we can
get together for a coffee soon to discuss.
And then what do you do if they
ignore you?

(17:59):
What do you do if they ignore you?
I think it burns a lot of our
time, a lot of our energy, right?
When you email somebody, you sent something certified
and even handed a letter to the person,
you've already gone above and beyond.
At that point, the next step is to

(18:19):
protect your dignity, your time, and your business.
Use one last calm face saving message.
If you're going to hand them a letter
and speak, something like this works.
Hey, I sent a few messages and a
letter because I value both our friendship and
the work we've done together.
I'd really appreciate the chance to sit down
for a quick coffee, clear the air, understand

(18:40):
where things stand.
If you're open to that, please let me
know what day works for you in the
next week or two.
Then you stop, don't chase past this.
If they ignore you after that, do you
know what you do?

(19:00):
And it's not an easy thing, guys.
You take their silence as a decision.
No reply is a reply.
I think that's a hard one for a
lot of people to digest.

(19:22):
I think that's something that a lot of
people, for whatever reason, they just kind of
like, they get all bent out of shape,
right?
And, you know, maybe it's for a few

(19:44):
thousand dollars, maybe it's for $10,000.
Even though that money might seem like everything
to you, the amount of time, the amount
of effort, and knowing how that person or
the organization treated you.

(20:05):
Or the typical one is when they use,
you know, some college kid or somebody who
claims to be an expert there, but they've
only been there like a few months.
And suddenly you find out they're the ones
that make all the decisions.
And then when you go back to talk
to them, they don't seem to want to

(20:28):
talk to you.
That's hard, guys.
It's extremely hard.
I think if you can understand that whole
piece, then maybe you'd be able to realize

(20:49):
that sometimes, just sometimes, these things go away
that we don't want them to go, right?
I'm not saying that you have to go
that way, but when somebody ignores you to

(21:09):
a point that, you know, they just, what
would that do to you?
Does it make you angry?
Does it make you just say hi?
I think it just gets me to go
from being overly friendly to just being cordial.

(21:34):
And when they ask for something in the
future, don't help them.
Don't help them.
I mean this, guys.
I mean this with my whole mind.
If you handle this in this kind of
manner, you're going to find that you don't

(21:59):
need to chase people.
You don't need to chase people.
Maybe you're saying to myself, John, I don't
know what to do.
So you can use one last calm, face
-saving message.

(22:19):
If you're going to hand them the letter,
like I said, hey, I've sent a few
messages and a letter because I value both
our friendship and the work we've done together.
I'd really appreciate a chance to sit down
for a quick coffee to clean the air.
Then you stop.
If they ignore you, take the silence, as
I said, as no reply is a reply.

(22:40):
Internally move them into the no longer a
client folder.
Stop initiating business conversations and stop building plans
that depend on them.
Your energy is better invested in clients and
partners who respect communication boundaries.
How to handle it emotionally and practically?
Remind yourself, I handled this professionally and respectfully.

(23:01):
I gave them every chance to respond.
Their avoidance is about their conflict style, not
my worth.
Remember, any expectations of future work or spending
from your forecast.
Tighten your policies.
No more verbal promises anymore or handshakes.
If they show up later, eventually reach out.
You can decide your boundaries then.

(23:23):
You might say, hey, happy to reconnect personally,
but for business, I now use written agreements
and deposits, so we're both clear and protected.
If the ghosting cut deep, you're also allowed
to simply be polite, but distant.
When somebody ghosts you, that's a way that

(23:47):
they just don't want to go further anymore.
Sometimes you think somebody's your friend or to
help you, when what you find out is
they're nothing but a big phony.
And that can be the hardest thing that
you learn.
They might be the most popular person around,

(24:11):
but they play people.
Say thank you to a mentor or supporter
and send a quick note acknowledging someone who
helped you recently or long ago.
Gratitude deepens relationships and often reopens powerful connections,
but when the other side doesn't want to

(24:32):
reciprocate, you can't burn energy on that.
Offer to help without expecting anything back.
Let someone know if you ever need help
with X.
Feel free to reach out.
Offering genuine, no strings attached help makes your
network stronger and more loyal.
Share a lesson you recently learned.

(24:54):
Post or tell someone practical lessons you picked
up from a win or a failure.
People connect fast with honest, useful stories.
They make your expertise relatable.
I think that's an important one to realize.
Celebrate someone else's success as if it's yours.

(25:14):
Go beyond politeness.
Amplify their achievement.
Share their post or call it out in
a room acting like someone else's win is
also a win for the community.
This will make you magnetic, a high caliber
person, and someone that's highly respected.
Ask someone about their goals, not just their

(25:36):
job.
What are you working toward this year?
Goes way deeper than what do you do.
Goals reveal where people are headed and where
you might be able to support them.
Turn the small, real talk with one deeper
question.
Instead of stopping at weather and weekends, gently

(26:01):
ask a deeper question like, what's something you're
excited about right now?
One step deeper can turn forgettable interactions to
real connections.
Respond with curiosity instead of defensiveness.
When someone questions you or gives feedback, ask,

(26:23):
tell me more about how you see it.
Instead of shutting down, curiosity strengthens trust and
shows emotional maturity.
Be the first to say hello in a
room, whether it's a networking event or a
Zoom call.
Be the one who breaks the ice.
That simple, hi, everyone, I'm, that energy will

(26:47):
make you memorable and approachable.
Leave one positive review or testimonial.
Write a kind, honest review for a person,
business, podcast, or service you value.
People praise others and it's powerful with relationships
and this deposit that costs you only a

(27:11):
few minutes can pay you back infinitely in
life.
Share someone's work on your platform.
Post their article, video, project, tag them with
genuine compliment.
And when you help others gain visibility, they
rarely forget it.

(27:31):
Connect with one person outside your industry, reach
beyond your usual circle, different field, background, or
even age group.
Diverse networks are more creative, more resilient, and
where your biggest opportunities will come from.
Update one part of your professional profile.

(27:53):
Refresh your headline, photo, or about section so
it reflects who you are now.
A sharp profile works for you 24-7
even when you are asleep.
So join or interact in one online community
post, comment, or introduce yourself in a group
aligned with your interests or goals.

(28:13):
Showing up consistently in one community can lead
to long-term friendships and clients.
And end a conversation with a clear next
step if needed.
I'm John C.
Morley, serial entrepreneur.
Be sure to check out believemeachieve.com for
more of my amazing, inspiring creations.
I'll catch you real soon, everyone.
And remember, don't let people disempower you.

(28:36):
Use it as a lesson so you can
be better in the future.

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