[00:00:00] Speaker A: Success isn't given, it's earned. And earning it means becoming the person who deserves it. The bottom line is where we cut through the chaos to simplify success, uncovering the strategies, mindset and resilience it takes to win. Real stories, expert insights, and practical tools. Because the only way to the top.
[00:00:19] Speaker B: Is by putting in the work. This is the bottom line.
Welcome to the Bottom Line. I'm your host, Ryan Herpin. And today we're talking about a game changer in business relationships. Not just connections, not just networking, but real, authentic relationships that lead to long term success. It's easy to get caught up in transactions like closing deals, hitting quotas, chasing the next opportunity. But the truth is, business isn't just about what you sell. It's about the trust, credibility and value you bring to the people you serve. The strongest businesses aren't built on sales tactics. They're built on relationships. I know it sounds obvious, but you'd be surprised how quick we can lose that. And if you've ever wondered, why do some people seem to get endless referrals while others struggle? Or how do you turn contacts into long term partnerships? How about, what's the secret to earning trust and keeping it? If you've ever asked those questions or wondered these things, this episode is for you. But before we get into solutions, let's talk about the real problem.
So many people in business are focused on closing the next deal, hitting their numbers or getting the sale that they completely overlook the valuable asset that they have. And that is relationships. How often have you seen people burn bridges just to make a quick dollar? How often have you met someone who only reaches out when they need something?
We all know someone like that and we also know that's not sustainable in the way that we build success. The real question is, are you building your business on transactions or trust? If you're focused only on what you can get, your success will always be short term. But when you focus on the people, the partnerships and the value you bring, that's when the opportunities truly start to multiply and compound. That's why I'm excited to introduce our guest today. Someone who has built a career on the foundation of relationships and someone that I've had the privilege of getting to know over the past year, Mr. Ben Sinclair. He is a branch manager and senior loan officer with Highlands Residential Mortgage. Ben has built his career on trust, value and long game. Rather than that short term, just transactional basis. Ben, welcome to the show.
[00:02:57] Speaker C: Thank you, Ron. I'm happy to be here today.
[00:02:59] Speaker B: And I want to Dive right in, man. You've got a beautiful brain. I love the way you think on relationships, so I want to share that with the world. So let's get right to the bottom line. Why do you believe relationships are more valuable than transactions and business?
[00:03:14] Speaker C: Well, you know, it's a long game if you're going to have a career in something, you know, and it's, it's, it's, you're not really coached that way. When you get in, you're coached to hit your numbers, you know, move, jump, jump, jump, jump.
But I've been doing it long enough to where, you know, I've got some customers who've come back to me, you know, I've done five, six, seven loans for.
And just building relationships will sustain your business. It takes a little longer. You know, it's not a get rich quick scheme, but the relationship, like you said, builds the trust and, and it produces sustainability in any market. You know, anybody can do a ton of transactions. When, you know, like during the pandemic when rates were 3%, you know, they, it was, it was raining loans from the sky. Shortly thereafter, you know, the landscape changed and it got a little harder. And the same people who fed my family, you know, in 2005 through the, through the downturn in 8 and after that are the same ones now, you know, so, you know, relationships.
I've closed two loans in the past, I don't know, three months on relationships that I made in the credit union business before I even started, you know, doing mortgages. So, so those relay and you know, just out of the blue, I get a call from the president of a large credit union, Dallas Fort Worth. I did his loan and I just closed his daughter's loan.
[00:04:41] Speaker B: So that's a great example of, of how a relationship can also kind of branch into other opportunities. Like, like you said, he also did his daughter's loan. I mean, I don't, I wouldn't pass my kids off to somebody I don't trust and know at least to a certain degree. So that makes me wonder what separates a transactional business person from a relationship driven professional.
[00:05:03] Speaker C: I think, you know, it's just, it's kind of an attitude. You care if you care about people and you care about doing a good job, you know, like that. The guy at the credit. You did, man, he, we, we ended up, he was my boss and we ended up on a dear lease together. Then my dad came, you know, and that relationship developed through that. So it's not always through business. You know, some of it's you know, was personal, but it developed into a business relationship. But, you know, and people know, you know, customers know when they're a transaction, and they know when you care. You know, one of the things you do is you follow up with people and you don't sell them. You just call them and check on them. It's like, how are you doing, Ryan? How are the kids? You know, you keep notes, you take an interest in their family, what they're doing, you know, maybe who they like, you know, in sports, you know, and you, and you, and, you know, and you have a periodic, you know, check, you know, check in with them. And you never really ask for business. You just maintain the relationship. And, you know, like we said before, the scoreboard takes care of itself. The business comes so, you know, transactional.
It's easy to get in that mindset. But in the, over the long haul, you know, a good relationship wins out every time.
[00:06:17] Speaker B: I really like how you said that. And it really highlights how it's like an investment, just like any other kind of financial investment or time investment, you're investing in people and in the relationship. And, and the payout is trust and understanding. And, you know, in reality, something I like to think about, even with, with my consulting firm is there are so many other businesses out there and people that do what I do. But what sets me apart, it's, am I just someone you find on Google, or am I somebody that you ran into? We talked about cars or fishing or wrestling or something, and then you found out, oh, he also can help my business. Right. It's developing that relationship first that develops that trust. Right. So I want to ask, what's the biggest mistake people make when trying to build business relationships?
[00:07:11] Speaker C: I don't, I think follow up is key. You don't get a great relationship in a day, you know, you, you, you, you, you. And you have to take an interest in people and, and, you know, and transactions are cold, relationships are warm.
And, and, and, and for me, you know, it was just, it was natural for me. Right. I got lucky in that, that I make friends easily. I talk to people. You know, I've picked up a loan in the grocery store line at Kroger before. Just visiting with the, with the lady in front of me, you know, and, you know, and it didn't start out as, hey, do you need a mortgage? You know, that's never going to be. That's not how you lead into it. Yeah, that would have been creepy. She said something funny. I laugh. We started talking. She asked me what I did. I gave her a business card. Didn't think about it. You know, three weeks. Three weeks later, I get a loan application from her. Now, that's the, you know, the short. The short game, you know, I've chased. You know, realtors are my main referral source, but I get a lot of business from, you know, people like you, Ryan, people like Willie at the credit union. I started out as an underwriter, so even those connections, other banking connections, you know, networking with people, it's. It's just a. It, you know, if you. If you never talk to them, ask after you close the deal. I mean, you already invested, you know, the time, the effort to get, you know, get them to the finish line, and. And they're going to buy again. You know, people are going to buy again. And I enjoy, you know, I've done. I've done borrowers from back in the days, kids, loans. You know, that's. That means I've been in the business too long. But. But those relationships, you know. You know. You know. You know how your parents are stupid when you're 20, but by the time you're 30, they're pretty smart. Well, you know, when they. And that's about the time they start buying houses, you know, and they asked mom and dad who they used, and I ended up getting a phone call and develop relationships with the kids and, you know, get stories, you know, about their parents that, you know, who I've known for 20 years. So it's. It's just a warm, fulfilling way to do business.
And if you just make it a natural part of your process, you know, and, And, and, and you. I mean, everyone doesn't work. It is sales, right? It's a numbers game, you know, so don't think you're gonna, you know, I mean, you know, I went out with a couple girls who didn't like me back in the day. Right, right.
But, but. But you. You. You just work at it, and you got to be genuine and you got to care about people and help whenever you can, whether that's with a loan or, you know, I had a whole bunch of friends when I flooded in. Harvey, come rip my. All the Sheetrock out of my house. And I didn't even know I had that about relationships. It had nothing to do with business. It was people helping me from the relationships I've built. And that was, you know, that was a very satisfying, humbling feeling that all these people wanted to come, you know, do something that would have taken me and my son, you know, two weeks. We Knocked it out in two days. So.
And it was all from relationships I built.
[00:10:13] Speaker B: I think that's a really good, good way to highlight some of those additional benefits and great aspects of building those relationships.
[00:10:22] Speaker C: Right?
[00:10:22] Speaker B: Yes. You know, we can talk all day about how relationships help business, but there's also that aspect of how relationships can help you in life in all different stages. Like, I remember, it's funny, when I first moved here from Michigan, I didn't really know anybody. I wasn't sure, you know, how I was going to build those relationships. I was going to find friends, that type of deal. Went to the gym, started going to the gym, made some friends there, and it turned into, oh, I needed to move. All of a sudden I've got all these volunteers that want to help me, got all these people that want to spend time with me, grow relationship with me, and they ended up turning into connections for me later even, and, or, even, you know, having my son, they show up to birthday parties, get him tons of gifts. So it helps. Outside of just business, there's so many different ways that relationships can, can, can truly benefit us. But I will say in business, consistently, like with what I do, if I build a relationship with you. Better yet, let me reframe that actually.
How could you trust me with your business if you don't know if I'm trustworthy? If you don't know, I'm a good steward of my business, of my finances, of my disciplines.
[00:11:29] Speaker C: Right.
[00:11:29] Speaker B: It's kind of the same thing when you really look at it. But I, I, I love where this conversation is going. I'm truly enjoying this and I've got so much more that I want to ask you. And I think this, this next, this next group of questions, if I was listening, I'd want to grab a pen and a pad because I want to dig a little bit deeper and get into some of the nitty gritty of what impacts this really has and how things can be changed overall based on these relationships we have. So don't go anywhere. We're going to be right back to pick more of Ben's beautiful brain and get to the bottom line of what relationships can do in business.
[00:12:26] Speaker A: Success isn't given.
[00:12:28] Speaker B: It's earned.
[00:12:29] Speaker A: And earning it means becoming the person who deserves it. The bottom line is where we cut through the chaos to simplify success, uncovering the strategies, mindset, and resilience it takes to win real stories, expert insights, and practical tools. Because the only way to the top.
[00:12:46] Speaker B: Is by putting in the work. This is the bottom line.
Welcome Back to the bottom line. I'm your host, Ryan Herpin, and joining me today is Mr. Ben Sinclair, a branch manager and senior loan officer with Highlands Residential Mortgage. I've had the privilege of getting to know Ben over the course of the last year of networking together, building a friendship, and just learning how we can help serve each other in our journeys in business.
And Ben, it's such an honor to have you here with us today. I'm excited to dive in and get some more of that beautiful information that you have to share.
[00:13:19] Speaker C: Awesome, man. I'm enjoying it as well. Ryan, this is, this is, this is great.
[00:13:23] Speaker B: So I want to get more into that nitty gritty and kind of, I want to focus on the topic of why relationships matter more than transactions. So I think it's going to be valid to kind of dive in. And let's start with the foundation. Why do you believe relationships are more valuable than transactions of business?
[00:13:42] Speaker C: Well, over my career of the past, you know, 20 plus years, I've just seen them, seen them help me. You know, I, I didn't have somebody like you, Ryan, who, who was guiding me through, you know, or coaching me through. I got into coaching later, but I mean, my first closer, when I was an underwriter, before I was originating the first loan, I cleared the clothes I sent down to her to close, and it didn't have a. I hadn't done a whole lot of underwriting. It didn't have an appraisal or survey. Right. Which is kind of important when you do a mortgage. And she called me up on the phone, you know, from downstairs and said some really nice things to me. And I took her to lunch like every day for the next 30 days. And she taught me the business, business.
And that bank got bought and sold and everything and kind of lost touch with Kim and, and bumped into her, you know, 10 years later and she was the regional sales director for a builder. And that previous relationship, you know, is still going on today, 10 years down the road, and it never started, had anything to do, to do with sales. So, you know, through, through, through, you know, examples like that. I just learned kind of through osmosis that, you know, the relationships kept me going, especially when it slows down. You know, mortgage is cyclical for sure. And, you know that sometimes we're rich and other times we're looking for the next deal. You know, it never seems like it's steady. It always seems like it's feast or famine. But I like that.
[00:15:05] Speaker B: I think the way that you put that actually is kind of gold, man, you just drop some solid gold there. Because just, just like before, you, you, you pinpointed kind of some of the. The beauty in how that relationship fans out and builds into something so much more over time. And it, to me, it struck the thought and kind of that mentality that I was taught early on was you don't buy from someone you don't know like and trust.
[00:15:29] Speaker C: Correct.
[00:15:29] Speaker B: Right. So once you have established that first makes it a whole lot easier to do business with somebody. So have you seen firsthand how strong relationships have led to more business opportunities for you outside of that early stage? Like even now?
[00:15:44] Speaker C: Sure, sure. I mean, the people I network with now, you know, I just, I just got referred by an insurance agent, a new title company connection. I've already got a, I've got a. I'm doing a class at a new real estate office I've never been in on April 15, you know, and that happened over the past week. And it's because of a great relationship with somebody I send a ton of business to, you know, you know, we refer our customers that everybody needs homeowners insurance. And she had sat down with the title company, you know, and, you know, and mentioned to me, and the lady said, yeah, I'd love to meet him. And you know, we've already, we're already, you know, we're already doing something together. And I haven't even met her face to face. It's just been phone conversations yet.
So, you know, the relationship, it keeps on giving. Right? Everybody. You can only have so many relationships. And if you want to grow your business, you know, each one of those persons has so many relationships. And that's the way you do it, right? If I can handle, you know, 200 relationships, you can handle 200 relationships. Well, you know, 200 times 200, that's how many potential relationships you have, and that's the way you've got to look at it.
And you know, you just, you spend the time and you don't really have to sell. I mean, you have to sell when you have a client, you know, and you're selling different loan programs and all that. But relationships is not selling. Relationships is getting to know people, finding out where they need help, where you can bring. Bring value to them, where they can bring value to you.
And, you know, and building on that and, you know, they're hot and cold. I mean, sometimes you've got one thing going with somebody that, you know, and then it kind of wanes. Like the story I told before about my closer, you know, I met. I reconnected with her after probably seven or eight years at a funeral, of all places.
[00:17:27] Speaker B: Wow.
[00:17:27] Speaker C: You know, because we had a mutual relationship with somebody who passed. And so that relationship brought us together and rekindled our relationship. So you just never know. Every opportunity, every person you meet is an opportunity. You have to. And you have to have that mindset. And I enjoy people. I'm curious about them, you know, I mean, like, your story is great. I've enjoyed talking to you, getting to know you, your background, where you come from. You know, I always like to talk to people who wrestle. That's great, man. You know, so. So. So. Because we didn't have that in Texas, right?
[00:17:58] Speaker A: Yeah.
[00:17:58] Speaker B: That's something that's still pretty young in Texas. You know, where I'm from, that's like run of the. Every rambunctious young man really wants to be in it.
[00:18:07] Speaker C: But.
[00:18:08] Speaker B: But while we're really kind of looking at this topic of why relationships matter more than transactions, it made me think of something that's a little bit outside of the box but valuable. You know, it's something I haven't really chewed on too much before, but in a transactional relationship, it's, you know, something goes wrong, it can completely tank all opportunities. It can cut off the possibility of developing a relationship, and, you know, you can obviously lose business that way. In your opinion, where do. How do building those relationships help when things go wrong? Like, let's say you make a mistake or you mess up or, you know, does that relationship give you some grace?
[00:18:46] Speaker C: It definitely gives you some grace. And it's a. You know, mortgages and real estate's unforgiving. It's very unforgiving business, you know, but if you've built up a relationship over time with somebody, you know, you've got some grace. You know, if it's. If it's the first transaction, you might be sunk. But. But, you know, if it's. If it's the 10th transaction and you. You've performed well in the previous nine, you know, you've got a shot, and you got to be transparent and upfront and set proper expectations. I mean, you can't quit doing your job just because of the relationship, you know, but. But that relationship helps, and you have a connection where you can talk to somebody, explain what happened.
You know, because we're human, we make mistakes, you know, I mean, you know, you know, we try to be perfect. That's what drives us crazy. But, you know, the relationship, a good, strong relationship can endure that. You know, there's ups and downs in the market, Rates change quick. There's all kinds of pitfalls when you run through a mortgage transaction, right.
And, you know, you're not just relying. I'm relying on appraisers, title companies, real estate agents, you know, buyers and sellers. So it's a lot of things to juggle, but every one of those people is a potential new relationship, you know, every time you get a transaction. So, you know, you've got, you know, you've got half a dozen relationships you can get on just about every transaction. So you can. A good relationship will, you know, will survive a mistake. You know, you can, you can push through that and get past it. And, you know, you might have to listen to them tell you about it for a little while, but. But you're still doing business with it.
[00:20:21] Speaker B: I. I think you brought up a really good point. You know, that relationship keeps humanity in the mix.
[00:20:26] Speaker C: Yes.
[00:20:26] Speaker B: When you really think about it, it's just like, I mean, my goodness, I've dealt with all sorts, different businesses and different kinds of deals, but even as a consumer, right, you know, I've had work done to my house where, you know, a contractor made a mistake, they messed something up, and, you know, it. It caused a problem. My wife was unhappy, it looked like crap or whatever it may have been at the time, but because I had built a relationship with that contractor, it was like, oh, dude, it's okay. Like, I get it. Mistakes happen. No big deal. You know, let's. Let's just make it right. And because of that relationship, that mistake didn't compromise my belief and trust in this person, in their business and in their work ethic. It just brought the humanity back out of, oh, yeah, I make mistakes too. But if it was someone that didn't care to have that relationship with me, it would have been hard to overlook the humanity aspects. It's like it feels very transactional. Feels like they're just trying to get my money instead of that connection. Right.
[00:21:22] Speaker C: And a transactional person might not have fixed the problem. And your relationship person does fix the problem, and it builds more respect in the relationship. Sometimes problems are opportunities, you know, or mistakes to show what you're made of.
You know, you call a real estate agent agent up and say, hey, we ordered the wrong appraisal. You know, you own it. You know that they appreciate the transparency you give them. You know, this is when we can get it fixed. This is how we're going to get it fixed. You know, they understand that mistakes happen too. And even with new relationships, you know, I've had a couple of those where the fact that we handled the problem correctly, you know, built on the relationship. So problems, you know, mistakes can be opportunities as well. You got, you know, and. And you got to have a glass half full, man. You know, it's. You got to believe in abundance, not scarcity, right? And those things all lead into, you know, relationship. And. And it. It starts before the workday for me. You know, you got to get your mind right. You got to read whatever it is to get, you know, that gets you at peace. You got, you know, with me, I've got to exercise, or I feel like a slug all day, you know, so. So those things all lead into the attitude. You need to build good relations, relationships, but it needs to be positive, happy. You need to call people by their name and, you know, you need to learn about them. I mean, you know, learn about them because people are interesting. I mean, you know, that's. That's the best part of my job, is the people.
[00:22:42] Speaker B: Hands down, man, I tell you, I feel like I should be taking notes right now. There's a few things you said that it's like, oh, man, like, I. I need to revisit that idea or I need to think about where I'm incorporating that, like you said. And one of the biggest pieces of just pure wisdom you just dropped there is sometimes problems and mistakes are opportunities to build an even stronger relationship. Sometimes a mistake turns into a way to show what you're made of, show your work ethic, show your compassion and care, and that can build even the strongest relationships. I mean, think of it like this, right?
You know, when we're teaching our children to do things, they make a mistake. It doesn't make us love them less or care less. It doesn't. Sometimes it makes us proud because it gives us the opportunity for them to learn. It gives them a chance to grow and to understand something new and to be prepared for the next big mistake or issue, Right? It's being human, right? I mean, we're not robots. Mistakes happen. We mess up. Sometimes we say the wrong thing. I've said the wrong thing plenty of times. I've definitely offended a boardroom before, and, you know, it bit me in the butt for a little bit, but after a while, they're like, oh, he's just really passionate.
[00:23:53] Speaker C: Yeah. A lot of things the hard way, right?
[00:23:55] Speaker B: Yeah.
[00:23:56] Speaker C: Yes.
[00:23:56] Speaker B: I mean, especially as an athlete, you know, you learn.
[00:23:59] Speaker C: Oh, yeah.
[00:24:00] Speaker B: Especially in the relationship sense. Just like in. In any kind of sport, you know, you've got to have good relationships with your team. Otherwise, that guy's not going to block for you.
[00:24:07] Speaker C: Right?
[00:24:07] Speaker B: That's going to be a big problem.
[00:24:09] Speaker C: And coaches have to tell you, you know, tell you hard things, you know, like, you know, you're screwing this up, man. You know, you need. You need to. You need to do better. I mean, you know, you got to have a good enough relationship to handle that. That negative criticism, you know, which I'm not sure they all cared, but I.
[00:24:24] Speaker B: Don'T know about you, man. I'm. I'm loving this conversation. I. I'm excited that we get to continue this for. For another few big, major questions that are going to be really impactful. So everyone that's watching, don't go anywhere. If you haven't grabbed that pen and pad yet, you need to do that, because we're going to be right back to dive into that bottom line and figure out more about the value of these relationships with Mr. Ben Sinclair.
[00:25:03] Speaker A: Success isn't given.
[00:25:05] Speaker B: It's earned.
[00:25:06] Speaker A: And earning it means becoming the person who deserves it. The bottom line is where we cut through the chaos to simplify success, Uncovering the strategies, mindset, and resilience it takes to win. Real stories, expert insights, and practical tools. Because the only way to the top.
[00:25:23] Speaker B: Is by putting in the work. This is the bottom line.
We are back on the bottom line. I'm Ryan Herpin, the host of this wonderful show where we can make a difference together. Today I'm being visited by Ben. He is a good friend of mine, and he's got tons of experience on the values of relationships and how that's really helped him. So, Ben, now that we've talked about why relationships matter, let's talk about how to build them. A lot of people struggle with making real connections. What advice could you give to someone who wants to build stronger, more authentic relationships in business?
[00:26:00] Speaker C: You know, I think you. You just. You have to be friendly and open. It's a little uncomfortable. You know, meeting. Meeting strangers is not. Not everybody's, you know, I mean, when I walk into a room of realtors I've never met, I still get nervous, you know, and, you know, and every business thing I've read or said or done is when you're, you know, when you're out of your comfort zone, you're doing the right thing, right? And it does get easier over time. Some people are natural fit, but you just be genuine and curious about people, take an interest in them.
I mean, there's. I would say, the. The amount of people that I've talked to that I don't have something in common when after a three or four minute conversation is probably, I can probably count on Both hands over 20 year career. Wow. If you start talking to somebody, you know, they're either from somewhere, they know somebody, you know, they, you know, they're an Astros fan. I mean, whatever it is, you know, there's some kind of common ground to build from.
And then, you know, and, and it's just a conversation. Right. Okay. If you don't ever talk to him again, well, it's not a relationship, but the follow up is key, right? The follow up is key, man. It's, it's, it's, you know, spoken from a salesperson, you know, the easiest things to do are the hardest things to do. Right. The discipline to, you know, to write down their contact information, remember their name, you know, always, you know, always, always use people's name in conversation or email or text, you know, you know, don't just send him a random text, say, ryan, this is, you know, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, you know, but use your name and follow up. And if you can, break bread, coffee, you know, lunch, you know, you know, some of them, you know, I will go to the golf course. You can't, you can't comment on my game. But, but I can poke the ball around the, around the course a little bit, you know, and I'm. You. I told you I have a fishing problem. And that's not for everybody, but, but I've got a few great relationships with a builder and a couple of real estate agents who, you know, love to fish. And that's, you know, on the boat, it's just you and them. It's no cell phone. You know, you can get in those kind of situation, and that's kind of the advanced end of it. But it all starts with a conversation being curious, friendly, you know, open to anybody. You just never know. Like I said it earlier, every person you meet is an opportunity, you know, and, and, and relationships, good ones, you know, once you get a good relationship, sometimes, you know, you might go a year and. Yeah. Once it's become established and, you know, real estate agents come in and out of the market, families, you know, have issues and, and, you know, and people have to. I'm in the stage where a lot of people, you know, disappear because they're taking care of an elderly parent, parents, parent for a while, you know, and you're like, man, I hadn't talked to him in two years. You call them, you can help out, you know, touch base with them, social media, Even though I've been drug into it, you know, I started before it, you know, it's a great way to see what's going on with people just to keep up. You know, people post stuff that gives you clues about what's going on in their life.
[00:29:09] Speaker B: But it sounds like there's some consistencies. Yeah, it sounds like a couple of the consistencies would be having a genuine interest. I mean, actually caring. I mean, you know, there's a lot of people out there that'll fake just about anything to get what they want. But.
[00:29:23] Speaker C: Right.
[00:29:24] Speaker B: The key isn't acting. The key is just be authentic, be real, be genuine, actually care. I mean, that's, that's, that's what does it for me. I mean, I've dealt with a lot of people that, you know, they pretended pretty well that they cared, but you could feel the difference. Right? Like, now you've got me fired up. I want to pack up a cooler and join you on the boat. Get some. I mean, shoot. That's what I'm talking. That's the kind of relationship building I'm looking for.
[00:29:48] Speaker C: Right?
[00:29:48] Speaker B: I mean, that takes the business out of it. Just makes it fun.
[00:29:51] Speaker C: It does, it does. And it's all about the business comes. You know, we talked about it before. If you put in the work, the scoreboard will take care of yourself. I still remember Coach Morgan just pounding that into us, you know, and I, and as an athlete, I based a lot of my early career just on team and sport and the lessons I learned doing that. But it's applicable from anything. You can take it, turn it into business.
And, and like I said, I enjoy people, you know, new people are great, you know, and, and it has sustained my career, like I said, especially when, when times get tough, you know, and, and, and, and there's not as many transactions out there. The relationships will, will keep you going.
So, so I've always, you know, and I don't sell, you know, in my relationships, you know. You know, if you call up a realtor and say, how's it going, Ryan? You know, if you got anybody you can send me, man, that's a huge turn off.
[00:30:49] Speaker B: Yeah, definitely.
[00:30:50] Speaker C: They know what you do, they know where you work, you know, they've known for a long time.
And I don't, I know if I care about them that they'll, they'll take care of me and I'll take care of them. So, so it's just like I said, I never was taught that. It just kind of happened.
[00:31:06] Speaker B: I like the way that you put that. But like with all this talk on building relationships, all the strategies there, all the inner workings of doing that. I'm curious because this is something that I think a lot of my clients that I've dealt with still kind of struggling. It's, how do you balance those business relationships with your personal boundaries?
[00:31:28] Speaker C: You know, you have to respect people's time. It's a case by case basis. Right, right. You know, you, you, some, some people want to go deeper, some people want to, you know, keep it, keep it more on the business side. And you, you develop a feel and for what's, what's appropriate and, and, but you always respect people's time.
You know, you set clear expectations up front. If you're working on a project or a loan, you know, maybe, you know, a lot of times you can set, you know, you're working with a new person, you know, you, you, you prove yourself, do it, do the transaction well and then have the coffee. Right. You know, you've already, you've already, you know, if you, if you pulled it off successfully, they're probably going to say yes, you know, and, and you know, you got to have a little bit of a, of a, of a cocky attitude, you know, you know, to know me is to love me. Right? That doesn't always work. But, but you got to go into it positive. And, and, you know, and, and, and like I said, everybody's not a fit. You know, some of them, some of them, you know, it is sales, it is a numbers game. But, but you just, you'll know who you warm up to. There's certain, certain ones where, you know, it's just a lot of fun and you know, and I've met people when their kids were, before they got into school and I've been to their weddings, their graduations, and you know, and I never set out to do that, but I got to be the relationship. Got to the point that I was on the list when, you know, when their kid got married or when their kid graduated and just developed out of those relationships. And, and the whole time we're doing business, I've got relationships with realtors that have retired and they still call me, you know, and, you know, and it's like, man, I can't get off the phone, but I hadn't talked to him and ends up being a 30 minute conversation. And I love that.
[00:33:17] Speaker B: You know, that's funny. That's funny. I think there was some extreme value in that because just like before, I'm going to use that word Again, highlight. You've highlighted some of the major benefits of focusing on building those relationships. I know in my life, Great example, the first opportunity I had to become a published author, right. I never saw myself as a writer. I just wasn't. I never thought it was my thing until I was introduced to somebody that I've looked up to for many, many years. A few people actually. Mr. Jim Brit, Jim Loose and Les Brown. These are people. I've read their book books, I've watched their videos, I've listened to their speeches, seminars, keynotes. And then because of one of my relationships, they, they introduced me to Mr. Jim Britt. And that for me was like, whoa, like, how, how is this even possible? Like, you know, I haven't gotten you any clients, I haven't closed any deals with you. It was, it was the relationship. It did more for me than just, you know, closing a deal with them. It introduced me to somebody that gave me the opportunity to become a published author with big names. So it's like you highlighting that is, you know, you didn't think you'd be in a position where you're going to their kids weddings and things. It just happened because the relationship naturally evolved into that. I think there's serious value in being the kind of guy that you are that ends up being at someone's kids weddings.
[00:34:36] Speaker C: It's almost like some of them are like an out of body experience. It's like I don't even feel like I deserve the business because I haven't really, you know, I made the relationship, but I really didn't touch talk that much about mortgages and I got the deals before, you know, and of course, you know, it's business. You got to perform, right? You got to get the deal done correctly and all that. But, but some of them, I remember going, man, you know, it's just, how did this happen? And it was just from being friendly, learning about people. You know, I, I'm gonna have fun. You know, if you're, if you're one of those people that doesn't want to have a good time during a business transaction, I'm going to be serious and professional. Professional. I mean, I get that. But I'm, if I'm gonna have a good time, I mean, I only get to do it once and I'm gonna enjoy it. Right?
[00:35:20] Speaker B: I think that's a good point. I mean, it's, it's, you know, it's case by case basis, right? You know, you, you kind of work with how people feel. But man, this, this has been A very informative conversation. There's been a lot of really good, I mean, some really major bits of wisdom that you've dropped in. There's some, some gold that I wish I was taking notes. I probably should have been. But where, where can our viewers, where can our listeners, where can everybody find you? How can they connect with you if they want to have a mortgage person that they can trust and build a.
[00:35:49] Speaker C: Relationship with, you know, they can reach out via my phone which is, you know, I've had that number since, oh, since 96 713-412-3709. You can get me at find me
[email protected] you can also give me, find me on Facebook and LinkedIn. LinkedIn's the forum I've been on the longest and soon to be on Instagram and YouTube. I've got, somebody has talked me into that. I haven't done it yet but you know, it's coming, it's coming. You know, you know, I work for a big, a fairly good sized mortgage banker. You know, we, we close loans in 14 days, you know, and would love to talk to anybody, whether you're in real estate or you're looking to buy your next home or you're thinking about refinancing or you need to get cash out, you know, anything like that. I love to have conversations and would be, be happy to, you know, help you in any way that I could.
[00:36:52] Speaker B: Thank you, Ben. It's been an absolute honor having you on the show. I, I love, love, love talking to people like you, especially in topics like this of building relationships. And if there's one thing that I can say we can all take away from the conversation with you, it's relationships are much more important than we all think. So don't go anywhere. Once again, we're going to be right back and I'm going to focus on some of my philosophies in this topic. We'll be right back on the bottom.
[00:37:37] Speaker A: Success isn't given, it's earned. And earning it means becoming the person who deserves it. The bottom line is where we cut through the chaos to simplify success. Uncovering the strategies, mindset and resilience it takes to win. Real stories, expert insights and practical tools. Because the only way to the top.
[00:37:57] Speaker B: Is by putting in the work. This is the bottom line.
We are back again on the Bottom line with your host, Ryan Herben. Today we focused very heavily on the value of relationships in business and the impact of good, strong relationships and what they can have in your life and Business.
And it's been a powerful conversation. If today's focus has shown us anything, it's that success in business isn't just about making sales. It's about earning trust, building credibility and creating value over time. And I think it's really easy to overlook what the word value means. A lot of the time we focus on it. We could think of financial value, right? That's the easiest correlation to the word value. But I think value so much deeper than that value can be anything in life that has a positive outcome, right? There's some kind of value. Even the negative things in life have some value. And that can be the lessons you learn. But I, I think the most valuable things we have in business, in life are the relationships we've built, right? A lot of us have heard this saying, you can't take camel through the eye of a needle, right? You know, you can't take all this with you when you go. You can't take finances, gold, money, whatever with you when you go. But the memories, those are left behind, the impact of the people around you, that's left behind. Those types of things ripple. So to focus a little bit more on what I believe and what I like to think of in this topic of relationships and business is first and foremost is trust over transactions. People buy from who they trust. A strong relationship builds credibility, leading to repeat business and referrals. It's not just about closing one deal. It's about leaving a good enough impression that can turn into many, many more deals, many, many more opportunities, more relationships, more networking, long term growth versus that short term gain. This is pretty much a hot topic with a lot of my clients and that's how to be more strategic. You know, it's easy to get caught up in the financial demand of your business in the right now, right here, right now. But the truth is we're always going to find a way to overcome, to move forward, to struggle along, if that's what it means. But how do you play that strategic angle for the long term gain? It's just like you plant one seed a day for 10 years, you're going to end up at some point having more than enough to eat, right? But if you're constantly planting a seed and then waiting for it to grow, to chop it down and eat it, now you've got all this gap in time between when you can eat again, right? It's that consistent push towards the future and investing now to reap a reward later. There's a saying that I like to think about reaping is reserved for those who sow. If you don't plant in the spring, you don't harvest in the fall. So a transactional mindset focuses on immediate profit, while a relationship driven approach creates sustained success.
And like I said, it correlates into pretty much every aspect of life. But referrals and opportunities come from relationships.
It's more than just like I said before closing the deal, the stronger your network, the more doors open for new business partners and collaborations.
In my life, all of my success, all of my growth, all of my gain, every accomplishment is because of the relationships I've built and the focus in those relationships. You know, we can go back to a few different sayings, you know, that are as old as time itself. But just like it takes a village, right? We talk about that a lot when it comes to raising our kids. But it takes a village to be successful, to grow, to build a successful business, to make a true impact.
And that's true. And I can see that very clearly in my own life because every relationship I've had, I have grown from it. I have learned from it. I've had something that has been enlightened self interest where I give everything I can to them and the receiving from them is automatic. It's a philosophy I like to live by. If you give 100% and expect nothing in return, the receiving is automatic. Especially when it comes to people in relationships, when you give everything you can to help somebody without the expectation of receiving from them, they just want to go out of the way and help you. For me, and I brought this up and, you know, early with Mr. Ben Sinclair, and that is because of my relationships. I became a co author with authors and speakers that I've looked up to for years because of my relationships. I was featured on different shows because of my relationships. I was given the opportunity to have my own show.
Now I'm looking at relationships that are leading me to TEDx talks and other speaking opportunities and then new book Relationships, Everything can grow, but it takes that intentional investment, and I think that's a key word, intention. Intentional. We can build relationships out of obligation, but intentionally being curious and charismatic and concern for others can make a big difference.
But if we break it down to a really simple point, people do business with people, not companies. Behind every decision is a personal relationship that humanizes business and makes it more memorable.
It's the most important aspect.
If everything that we had to do in life was connected to a couple clicks, which a lot of it's going that way, we're going to lose the desire, the connection to a business, you lose customer loyalty when you take the personal connection out of it. I've seen that happen time and time again. A lot of people like to focus on automation. A lot of what I do for my clients is automate the process, make things simple, easy. But my one non negotiable is I do not take the humanity out of the business. The people make the business, not the other way around. If you take the personal aspect out of the business, you're going to lose the attraction, the appeal of the relationship with your customers. And it really breaks it down to relationships create loyalty. A customer who feels valued will stay with you even if competitors offer lower prices. And like Mr. Ben Sinclair had highlighted several times, he's gotten a lot of repeat business just because they know him, they like him, they laughed at his jokes, they've had a drink with him, they've gone to events with him. It's the same way with me and, and someone that I work with on a pretty regular basis, someone I've had on the show before, Mr. Nick Baker, he brought up a really good point one time during lunch and it kind of helped change my perspective on things. And he said he's not in the business of finances, he's in the business of relationships. Because when he builds a relationship, that's when he gets a customer. He doesn't sell before he has a relationship. So something that has become a very major point for me and my clients is focus on relationship before sales. It's extremely, extremely important. And stronger relationships mean less selling. And that's the point I'm getting to with that. When you prioritize relationships, your network naturally becomes your salesforce, reducing the need for like constant pitching, honestly, joining networking groups, joining forums, you know, getting out and about, going to happy hours and different events. When you build relationships with people, they want to sell on your behalf, you become relevant in their mind. They think about you, your services, what you've done for them, the type of person you are, and that's what sells. So for me and in my business, cold calls, not a win. Typical marketing strategies, not a win. Because I'm trying to provide a service to entrepreneurs, business owners, a lot of the time that are, that have a lot of pride, sometimes the ego gets in the way and it's like, oh, they built this without having help. Why would they need help now? Why would they consider it? It's this essentially invincibility fable. Oh, I can't fail, I won't fail. I'm gonna Find a way. It doesn't always happen that way. So building those relationships gives. It breaks down those walls and allows that connection to happen to where it's not. The focus isn't, oh, you need me to help you. You need the help. No, it's, I'm here, I can help you because it's what I do, it's what I value. And I don't look down on you because you need the help. That's the value of a relationship. And it becomes this thing where when people see your genuine interest in them and relationships, they want to sell on your behalf. They refer you, they'll recommend you to people they care about, the people they know, their clients, because they know you have a genuine heart and it's benefited their life. So why wouldn't it benefit the people they refer you to? So authenticity wins every time. People can tell when you're being genuine. A real connection builds trust faster than any sales tactic. And early in my career, I didn't want to believe that. I didn't want to think that was the thing. I thought, okay, I'm gonna buy these books, watch these videos. I'm gonna learn how to have every perfect sales angle. That's not a thing. It doesn't work that way.
If you're trying to build something long term and successful, you have to really focus on relationships and authenticity. You have to be genuine. Then emotional connections drive the decisions. People don't always remember what you say, but they remember how you make them feel. A strong relationship influences buying decisions.
I think about this a lot. It's not about what I say a lot of the time. It's about how you feel, how what I say might make you feel that helps you remember me as someone who is a speaker and is aspiring to become a much bigger, more successful speaker, I understand that how I say it could be all the difference. It's not always what I say. It's how I say. It's how you connect with it. It's how you feel it that helps you remember it. So be intentional with your communication. It's how relationships are formed. If you show a genuine curiosity, you're more likely going to build a stronger relationship.
So here's like, if we're looking at this from a bigger angle, here's the bottom line. People do business with people they trust. The stronger your relationships, the more opportunities come your way, whether it's referrals, partnerships, or repeat business. So here's my challenge to you. Look at your business relationships right now. Are you truly adding value to the people you work with? Or are you just focusing on what you can like, what you can gain? Shift your mindset from transactions to trust and watch how your business transforms. As Zig Ziglar once said, you can have everything in life you want if you will just help enough other people get what they want. A lot of power in that. Focus on relationships first and success will follow. Give everything you've got to the people around you. What you get back is automatic.
So take this to heart, think about this, because this can be the turning point that impacts your bottom line. Thank you for joining us on the Bottom Line. Again, I'm Ryan Herpin, reminding you that success isn't given, it's earned. See you next time.
[00:49:50] Speaker C: This has been a NOW Media Networks feature presentation. All rights reserved.
