Ep. 186 How Real Connection Creates Unexpected Opportunities In Business And Podcasting

What happens when a guest who's been interviewed dozens of times looks you in the eye and says, 'I've never shared that before'? Olivia reveals the moment that reminded her why authentic connection trumps perfect questions every single time. From celebrities to business leaders, she's heard this line more than she can count, and it's taught her something powerful about creating spaces where people feel truly seen and heard. This isn't about having the best equipment or the most polished interview style-it's about showing up with presence and curiosity that gives others permission to drop their walls.

Discover how Olivia went from a high school student watching TED talks to giving her own TEDx presentation eight weeks after being discovered through her podcast. She shares the three-step framework she uses to build genuine connections that drive real growth, including why she had to end a close friendship to create space for relationships that truly aligned with her values. You'll learn why connection is a muscle that gets stronger with intentional practice, and how leading with authenticity over highlight reels creates opportunities you never saw coming.


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Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:07):
Hello, everyone, Welcome to Achieving Success with Olivia Hacken. I'm
your host, Olivia Hackin. Each week, we will discuss the
role map of achieving your personal and professional success. In
these solo episodes, I pulled back the current No'm podcasting
entrepreneurship and personal success. You'll hear the strategies I use,

(00:29):
the lessons I've learned, and the honest stories that shaped
me so you can build not just a successful podcast,
but a business and life you're proud of. The other day,
I wrapped up a podcast interview that honestly left me speechless.
I guess someone who has been interviewed dozens of times

(00:50):
looked at me and said, you know, I've never shared
that before. I've heard that line more times than I
can count. Celebrity, these business leaders, everyday professionals all saying
the same thing. I feel safe here, And to me,
that's the greatest compliment a host can ever receive, and

(01:11):
it really hits hard every single time I hear it,
because that's what real connection is. It's not about having
the perfect question, the biggest gasp, or the best equipment.
It's about creating a space where people feel seen, heard
and understood. Sometimes my episodes have felt like therapy sesson sessions,

(01:38):
not just for my guests but for me too, because
when we're willing to show up as humans as we
all are, that's when all the walls come down. Connection
isn't a isn't created through perfection. It's created through presence.

(01:59):
When you show up authentically, you give others permission to
do the same. One of my favorite things about podcasting
is seeing how far the ripple of the ripple effect
of connection reaches. I've had listeners reach out to me
and say, I'm not in this guest industry, but this

(02:21):
episode hit me right when I needed it. One person
told me they never met anyone in the military, but
after hearing an episode about transition from service to civilian life,
it helped them navigate their own career, massive change they
were going through. That's the power of connection. It transcends titles, industries,

(02:46):
and experiences. And it's not just in podcasting. It's the
same in business. When you build relationships based on trust, curiosity,
and not not transit transactions, you open doors that metrics
just cannot measure. Never underestimate the quiet reach of your

(03:11):
work when you lead with intention, your words, and actions
will find the people who need them most, even if
you never know it. And that's something that sits with
me all the time, is that I know daily people
are listening to my podcast because I see the numbers
that never reach out to me, that never connect with me,

(03:35):
but they're listening and it's helping them. If I if
you had to tell me, and you talk to me
in high school, Olivia, that one day she'd be giving
a TEDx talk, she would have laughed, and trust me,
she would have laughed at you hard. Back in school,
I took business classes all four years of high school.

(03:55):
Shout out to mister Wolf, who made me fall in
love with business even more than I already loved it.
We watched ted talks that dissected them and I remember thinking,
what these people are really changing the world. I never
imagine I'd be one of them. That'st roadward and my
podcast had been out for less than a year when

(04:19):
someone organizing a TEDx event in Dallas reached out to me.
They listened to my show, connected with my guests, and said,
we have one spot left on the stage and we
think it's yours. Eight weeks later, I was standing on
that stage giving a talk about fear, voice, and power,
and if you want to check it out, it's called

(04:41):
defeating your biggest enemy You. That moment changed everything for me,
not just because of the talk itself, but because it
reminded me of this truth. Connection creates opportunity. You never
know who's listening, who's watching, or who's talk about you
in rooms you don't even know exists. Be intentional with

(05:05):
how you show up. Every interaction, every episode, every conversation
is a seed, and some grow into opportunities far beyond
what you can imagine. People often tell me that my
superpower is making others feel seen and feel heard, And

(05:26):
while that's flattering, I think it's something we can all
do if we slow down long enough to listen. To
truly connect, you have to be curious. You have to
care about what's not being said as well as how
something is being said. That's something my friends, mentors, and

(05:48):
clients have taught me. Take my friend Scott Ferguson, hosts
of Time to Shine podcasts. We check on each other
very often, celebrating winds, calling each other out, and joking around.
One day, I teased him for actually being home for
ones instead of traveling because If you know Scott, he's

(06:11):
an amazing speaker, and he's traveling almost every week of
the year, and he laughed at me and said, you're
busting my chops, are you? That's connection, honesty and human
and humor and care. It's also in those moments with
clients when they realize that the small changes we've made

(06:33):
together are actually moving mountains. When I can hear their
excitement through the phone, that joy and their voice is everything.
It shows me that what I'm doing is not only
making an impact, but empowering them as well. Connection is
about being present, paying attention, and letting people know they

(06:59):
matter because we all matter. Connection thrives on consistency and care,
check in follow up, celebrate wins. Don't underestimate the impact
of showing up when it's inconvenient. Let's be honest. We
live in a world that rewards noise. Every scroll, every story,

(07:22):
every post is all about highlight reels from what I
really call aless moments. It's easy to fall into the
trap of thinking everyone else has it figured out, but
what we don't see are the late nights, the doubts,
the behind the scene chaos, the real stuff that makes

(07:44):
the highlight reels and those aless moments even possible. That's
what frustrates me most about the digital world, how easy
it is to confuse visibility with connection. But here's what
gives me hope. Every time I record an episode, have
a real conversation, or hear from a listener who says

(08:06):
I felt that, it's proof that authenticity still matters. For me.
That sometimes looks like navigating unpredictable days. When my boyfriend
gets a call and gets called away with the coast guard,
my schedule flips upside down more than sometimes I think
he even realizes because I don't talk about it that much,

(08:29):
but I've learned to be honest about it. Someone will
ask me, how is your day going, and I'll say, honestly,
it's been mild. I'm grateful to be here right now.
Because connection isn't about perfection. It's about presence. Lead with honesty,
not a performance. People connect with your truth, not your

(08:52):
highlight will or your a liss moment. If you want
to build genuine connection that drive royal growth in your business,
in your podcast, or in your life, here are three
steps you can start practicing right now, like today, And
I want you to start practicing them today. The first

(09:14):
is listen to understand, not to reply. Ask questions that
make people think, be curious. Real connection starts when people
feel understood. The second is be generous without keeping score,
give value, share resources, refer opportunities without expecting something in return.

(09:36):
Relationships grow in trust, not in transactions. Protect your energy
is number three. Connection doesn't mean saying yes to everyone
and trust me. I used to be on that mind
path of I have to say yes to everyone and
every opportunity when I was working in professional sports, when

(09:58):
I was working in core for it, and even when
I started my own business, no one to release relationships
that no longer in line, even friendships. Space creates room
for new, authentic connections to enter. And when I was deciding,
even on a personal side, some friendships to end, did

(10:19):
I outgrow them? Were there negativity really affecting my day
to day how I thought not just about the friendship
and how I had to show up for them, but
also about that spilling into my business. It got to
a point where I had a very close friend and
I had to say, listen, this is like we are

(10:42):
not in the same space anymore. We have grown and
that is okay, but you know, you have to be
honest in those moments. And by doing that, like I mentioned,
you create space for new, authentic connections to enter. So
I then ended up really bring up my mind, not

(11:02):
feeling pressure, not feeling awkward every time I reached out
to that person or talked to that person or tried
to hang out with that and I entered doors for
friendships and connections that not just align with my business
because that friend was not anywhere in my business. They
were a very big supporter of what I was doing,

(11:25):
and but we could just be who we were. However,
my new friends, we have a lot of things in common.
We are each other's cheerleaders, we are the one checking
in on each other, and it's no longer one way street.
And so for me, it gave me the ability to

(11:45):
say okay. Not only did I say okay, I need
to cut ties, but it also made me realize what
kind of friendships, how I wanted people to reciprocate how
I was showing up for them and have them show
up for me. And it really did allow space for

(12:07):
others to enter. And in fact, because that negativity was
gone and my mind was cleared, it allowed me to
show up in business and in podcasting better. It made
me feel less stressed and it allowed even more people
to enter. Instead of a one for one, it was
like a five verse one. So my mini challenge for

(12:28):
you this week is reach out to three people personally
or professionally and connect with them. Do not have an agenda,
not to pitch, not to sell, just to check in,
ask how they're doing, celebrate their wins, offer encouragement. Then
notice how that energy starts to connect and come back

(12:51):
to you in ways you didn't even expect. Connection is
a muscle. The more intentionally you use it, the stronger
your network, brand and relationships become. In this episode, if
this episode resonated with you, I want to hear from you,
share your story, your connections, your moments of authenticity, and

(13:14):
let's keep this conversation going. You can reach out to
me directly through the links in the description. And if
you're ready to grow your podcast, your business, or your
personal brand through real strategy and genuine connection, let's work together.
Because when you leave with connection, you don't just grow
your numbers, you grow your impact. I'm Olivia Akin, and

(13:37):
this is achieving success with Olivia Acin until next time.
Stay curious, stay human, and stay connected.