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Networking Unleashed: Building Profitable Connections. An Interview with Andrew Bolton and Michael Forman

Writer's picture: mforman521mforman521



📍 Hello and welcome to Networking Unleashed: Building Profitable Connections.


🎙️ *“Welcome to the show, folks! I’m your host, Michael A. Forman, and you’re listening to the podcast where networking is more than just awkward handshakes and bad coffee—it’s an art and a talent. But here’s the twist: it’s an art and talent you can actually learn. Yes even if you're the person hiding in a corner at every event, pretending to check emails, networking isn't just a nice skill to have. It's a game changer. When you're good at it, you'll wonder why you didn't start sooner. More connections, more opportunities, more profits, It's like unlocking a cheat code for life. So whether you're in life whether you're the life of the party, or let me just stay at home and type, got something for you. So stick around. Let's turn those small circumstances into big wins. I am very fortunate. I've got a guest. His name is Andrew Bolton and Andrew the CEO of TechGrowth. He's an entrepreneur passionate about simplifying for seniors and small businesses with a background in sales. And academia, he thrives on solve challenges, building innovative solutions. work is an adventurer and Harley enthusiast. And I noticed your, your coffee cup, your mug is a Harley Davidson. Here we go. You know, you're talking about small businesses and seniors. Now I come from the mortgage world. reverse mortgages. I have a certain place in my soul for seniors, they seem to be left out of just about everything. So I'm very happy to to hear all that, but let's just start.


So Andrew, why don't you introduce yourself?


Good afternoon. My name is Andrew founder of Tech Rescue LLC. In simplest terms, it's a 24 hour customer support helpline for tech services. We cover everything from Bluetooth to connectivity to TVs. Tablets, phones, we're branching into cybersecurity, which has its own legal and technical issues that we need to navigate around, but we help seniors when basically they need help.


We got here my father walked into the kitchen one night with my mother and I having a conversation and asked, how do you forward an email? Now, most of us are somewhat technically sound. And to hear that kind of question is. startling in its own way. And I, Explained it to him. And later on, I showed him we went back to his office and I showed him and I was laughing and having coffee, which I am a caffeine addict with my mother.


And I said, you know, there's gotta be, there's gotta be a service out there that you could just call up, you know, because we have Uber Eats, we have DoorDash, we've got Uber itself. We've got all these apps, all these things that. Make life convenient. How is there nothing like this? And she looked at me and said, is there?


And I said, I don't know. So I picked up my phone and we searched and it wasn't. And she asked a very interesting question. How would we do it? And I didn't have an answer. I said, let me get back to you. And sure enough. I don't know if anybody else can relate, but our refrigerator is stainless steel and it turned into a whiteboard and a few weeks later this is the business card I carry, which we'll get into in terms of networking.


And that's how we started. And we've grown in ways that I didn't expect it would be so receptive in this market, but that also indicates that there really is this vacuum. And if we look at technology over the past, let's just say five, 10 years, we're talking about generations that unfortunately are dying off the great generation from the early 1920s up until just the middle of world war two.


So like the 1943s, if we think about time in history from 1920 to 2025, we went from the typewriter. Which was an advanced concept for my grandmother. My grandmother in the depression, was typing letters for businesses, for money to now this they've completely had an entire world change.


How many times over for them? So yeah, they need some help,


I remember in 1991, I was in Desert Storm and I was in a hut with a few other tech sergeants that I was part of, and I got a phone call from my father in law. How does he do this? And I got a call from my mother. How does she do this with a PC? You know, and so I know exactly what you're talking about. And this is going back quite a few years, but it's the same. And today they're just as lost because the technology advanced so fast that they couldn't keep up with it. So I understand that. But let me ask you a question. Just thinking about your journey when you started. To right now to how you got here, what was your journey?


Oh, the journey from the refrigerator to here was. Just sending out massive emails, asking questions, going door to door. My grandmother was in a retirement community, not too far from my mother. And I just went around just asking questions, you know, what are your troubles? You know, I had to get the information.


I had to do a market test. I had to understand the market that I was trying to penetrate. No multi million dollar deal is going to be done by a tweet. It's not going to happen. You have to go out and meet the people. You have to go out and shake hands.


You have to go out and introduce yourself and ask the questions directly to your consumer. Yes, technology has made business and reaching out to the world astronomically easier, right? I can send a message to somebody directly right now in Singapore. But is that as effective as, you know, you see somebody and, Hey, excuse me, can I just get 30 seconds?


It's not I have to tell you, ever since the pandemic it has gotten worse by tenfold everybody thinks they can do business by the cell phone by zoom, but you lose that personal touch You lose that feeling the vibe of the room feeling the vibe of the person you are missing out on so much


The authenticity. It's the authenticity that we're missing. How good ever since the pandemic, all right, let's all go back. Let's all go back in time. When we look at. The psychological studies from, you know, Boston medical and the New England medical, you know, the New England journal of medicine, the amount of depression, anxiety, loneliness, fatigue, all of these symptoms, all of these things that people were experiencing was from isolationism and how good do you all, every, all of your audience will remember how good did it feel to get out and see sunshine?


How? Good. Did it get out to go to a coffee shop, to the diner, to the deli. Remember, opening day at Yankee stadium was packed. There is something about human nature that we want to be around one another. We want to be together.


The pandemic proved it.


I go on a stage, I do a workshop for a company. I do this all across the country. And what I say is how many 20 somethings, how many 30 somethings are there in the audience? And raise your hand. And I tell them what I'm about to say to you is Greek because you never heard of it. And the 40 something, the 50 something, yeah, they heard of it, but not really doing it and it's really, you know, networking has a mantra. If they know you like you and trust you, they're going to do business with you. Okay. And the trust factor that's crucial in networking. And with that in mind how do you establish and maintain an authentic relationship fellow professionals,


That's a really good question because today's day and age, we've had so many things happen over the past 15 years, the MeToo movement the rise of the LBGTQ communities the corporate push of diversity, you know, diversify what is the acronym, D E I, diversify And


inclusion,


I feel bad for a lot of people working in companies because we are so enthralled with how the message gets across that


instead of the message itself,




So when we're trying to establish authenticity, you know, our authentic self. You know, when I was starting off in my first set of careers, I would send, you know, birthday cards, flowers to secretaries balloons, chocolates. I was a young stockbroker for the audience, you know, when I was coming up, going for my series seven.


So when I finally passed, you had to do everything, everything and everything, you know, to get through the door, so flowers, birthday cards candies You know, whatever it might've been, whatever inside baseball tip you had for that secretary for that doctor or that, you know, executive, you're playing the, you're playing it best that you can in today's world, that message now can be construed.


So we have this problem with authenticity. What I would say is this. When you don't know ask, there's nothing wrong with asking like, Hey, maybe would this be okay? Can you do this? Can we do that? Is it going to take more time? Yeah. Is it gonna, hinder production? But with today's day and age, you have to lean on the side of caution and grant you the pendulum is slowly coming back.


But my advice is the first one through the wall is always the bloodiest. So don't be the first one.


It is, and people really are more afraid. To talk, to speak up, to actually physically go out there and network because they're afraid to say the wrong thing.


That's the problem.


so that it kind of ties your hands behind your back it says, all right, go out and network, but don't network just network. And you're like, you have to figure out, you have to really kind of find your way. It's going to get better. And I believe that it'll get better in the next year or two, it will. Really show you to do, what not to do. And as far as what you can do in the workplace, I think things are easing up a little bit, but networking is still, it's still tops.


So with that, I would, I, this is the approach I take. The best bit of advice I got in sales was I'm not selling you. I'm vetting you. I'm not trying to sell you. Somebody walks into a Cadillac dealership. They want a Cadillac or they're thinking about a Cadillac. I'm not going to the person on the street and trying to sell them and escalate.


They came in for a reason. Now I need to find out, are you a Cadillac? A willing, able, and a qualified buyer. So when we're networking, what you're asking yourself is this, is this person, somebody that is. Useful in my network. You're not trying to sell yourself. You're not trying to put forth anything, take the step back, take the reverse mindset, and then ask the questions of, is this person good for my network?


Take that mentality and you'll have a little bit easier time because you're not worrying about what you're going to say to this person, you're vetting the person. So when you feel like there's this awkward pushback, you say, all right, Hey, it was really nice to meet you. I'm going to go grab a drink or, you know, I'm going to keep working my way.




People love to buy, they love to buy, but they hate to be sold to. Okay. So you keep that in mind. And really what you hit on is really very important because what I talk about when I go into a networking event. I say, you know, have the person talk, have them talk about themselves, about their, what they do for a living. Talk about their family. I use form, F O R M. It's family, recreation, and a message where you can get the same level them talk. then what, and if you, as soon as you figure out that, yes, there's a person that, I want to be part of, you say, you know, something, I like you, I like do, can I make you more successful? How can I be a great referral source for you?


The value add.


The values, right? So now the, the most important thing is, you know, I used to go out to networking events and get a shoe box full of business cards out the window, You come back with 15, 20 business cards. you've done your job, but the thing is on the back of the business card, you were down the date, the function and something you spoke about.


So it reminds you, but that is the most important thing. Let me ask you a question now that we're going into networking type events. They can be overwhelming. What tips do you have the most out of conferences, seminars, or just industry events?


This is going to be something everybody's heard, but it's useful. Number one plan. What are we trying to accomplish here? Because yes, there are lots of events. There's a lot of Christmas parties, a lot of new year's eve parties, a lot of events that people can go to. First off, what is it that you're trying to accomplish?


Are you trying to make a sale? Well, making a sale at a networking event is very rare I mean, you're talking about meeting the right person at the right time, at the right moment that has all the qualifying questions answered and they're ready to go, like the budget's already been set.


It's been already valid. You know, the team has signed off on it. Hearing, what are their businesses like right now, right?


For example, in the state of New Jersey, roofing business is in trouble. Big trouble right now. We've had almost three and a half, four months of a drought. You're not going to replace your roof if you don't have any leaks and you're not going to have any leaks if you don't have any rain. So you have a whole group of roofers that are talking to plumbers.


Who are talking to contractors, who are talking to bricklayers, who are talking to electricians and plumbers, and everybody's networking and trying to say, Hey, listen, I got nothing. Well, that's all right. I heard that, Hey, let me see if I can get you the number.


That's networking in its real time form. And If you apply that to yourself, you might find yourself going down a profitable rabbit hole, but you're not going to get there unless you stand there and have the conversations.


You're not going to catch any fish if you don't put your line out in the water.


Correct, so with all that being said, do you feel are the most common challenges and what have you done to overcome them? Absolutely. Absolutely.


I'm gonna be fortunate. I'll take, I'll take credit where credit's due. I am the, I think at the age of 35 going on 36, I think we were the last of the generation of being thrown outside by our parents on Saturdays. This device right here has been the greatest and worst invention since the history of mankind.


You go to a gym and all you do is see people staring at their screens. Nobody's engaging. Nobody's talking to one another. The biggest challenge that I face in my business in what I'm trying to do is. Navigate through noise. But what I think listeners who are in your podcast are probably facing is the fear of getting behind the shield because this is a shield.


Absolutely.


You can't be afraid of it.


Absolutely.


The person that is not afraid to shake as many hands and bounce around the event is going to be 10 times more likely to be the most successful person in a company, because what's the worst that somebody is going to say to you. No.


Okay.


You


They said, no,


You don't know unless you try.


If an event has 30 people, one person said, no, you still have 98 percent of the entire population to go through. You have 29 more left to go. Even if you were to take a 10 percent average, that's three. And then you go less than that.


That's two phone calls. You go less than that a half. That's one. That's one meeting out of those 30 people. You got one meeting that one meeting, maybe a sale, but you got to play the odds and statistics. And guess what? This is not going to build you favor. It's not.


a distraction. That's a distraction. And another thing that I say when I'm up on a stage is, okay, who's got their phone out? And of course, you know, 98 percent of the people raised their hand. said, who has it on? And you can have the sound all the way down, but who has the phone? On or are you looking at it?


And half the people raised our hands. I said, you have in your hands the number one distraction for networking. have to put the phone away and give the person you're speaking to 100 percent of your attention.


Yeah.


if you have a cell phone out and it goes off and you look at it, well, now you don't, you haven't given him a hundred percent of your attention. You've given him 95%. Okay. So let me ask you a question. What tip would you give for somebody looking to improve networking or sales skills? I


I'm not going to take credit for this. The best piece of advice that I got. Was from a gentleman named Mark Barato. He was one of my first bosses He told me to date and flirt with your client. What I mean by that is this For all those who are married or engaged you found your significant other you wooed your significant other and you've kept your significant other It's no different than business when you're sitting at a restaurant table And you're on a date and your date takes out their phone going back to the cell phone.


How does that make you feel? You're spending however much money and in the city of New York for anybody who's there. We all know how much a dinner out with our wives costs. It's a $300 to $400 dinner.


I'm from New York.


So if you're spending $300 to $400 on a dinner, Would you or would you not want that person to be fully paying attention to you having, you know, a nice robust conversation and having this, this relationship flow? Of course you would. So why would you not give that same type of effort to a possible client?


Because going back to our conversation in the beginning, authenticity, when you show your clients, when you show the people that you are trying to. Get something from that to you at this moment, there is nothing more important than them. They will feel that. They will respect that. And they in turn will reciprocate that.


In today's new world of business, the companies and the people that will be successful are the people who take that extra step. When companies are creating AI chatbots, AI call centers, AI persons to deal with our customers. Why do you think tech rescue only uses real people?


Why do you think tech rescue refuses to use chatbots? No mazes, no chatbots, no robot calls. You get a real person. Why? Because when you need help, You pick up the phone, you call Tech Rescue, you will get help from a real person. That's authenticity because when you're in that city,


somebody from within the country.


Our call center is in South Carolina. We run 24 hours a day. We're expanding to Canada and Mexico, so we're dealing with French and Spanish, what makes us successful is because when somebody is in need, we've all been there when your insurance policy lapses or you're on the side of the road or whatever it might be, you call up and you get one for English to for Spanish and then you have to go.


Yes. No. Yes. Customer service. How long did you spend on the phone? When you just want somebody to come and help now That sentiment is exactly what your clients are looking for when there is a problem Are you going to get them? Or are they going to get your robots? Are they going to get the navigation, the push around?


How do you think your client is going to feel? How do you think your client prospect is going to take that when the moment game day kickoff, that moment comes. When you said all the things you needed to say to them and the final test comes now


Exactly.


can give anything to anybody to answer your question is be authentic?


And get and treat your prospects and your clients the same exact way That you would treat your spouse the person that you gave all your attention to how successful was that?


Yeah, I listen, I agree 100%. I've been married for 36 years, so I know exactly what you're talking about. Let me,


Don't get me wrong. It's work.


It's great. Listen, of everything you said, me one takeaway that my audience can use. One takeaway.


Stop being so scared.


Okay.


I've walked into call centers. I've walked into trading firms this young generation and the ones just behind me, we've given them participation trophies, and unfortunately we haven't done anything to prepare them from the real world.


The real world is mean, ugly, nasty, people say mean things to you on the phone, people don't want to talk to you, you're taking up time, you're taking up resources, you're taking up whatever. You're gonna be told no. And, If you're on the phone and you do a phone business, you're going to hear some really mean, really, really disgusting things.


Yeah. I remember when I was just starting in the mortgage business,


Oh yeah.


had those sheets and sheets of people, names and numbers and everything. And all I was trying to do is get answer from somebody besides a no click, you know, and from hundred people or 150 people that I called every day. If I got two, I was lucky. So that I know exactly what you're talking about.


I was just going to say when we were learning how to do it, it was a hundred dials a day. 500 a week is 2000 a month. 2000 a month is 24, 000 leads in a year you're going to tell me every call makes you a little bit sharper.


That's fine. 500 attempts every single week, 2000 attempts every month. You're going to tell me over the course of one year at 24, 000 times at bat, you're telling me that you're not going to get good. You're telling me that you're not going to get better.


Listen, practice, practice, and networking is like


It's practice.


You want to get better than good because you want to be able to communicate like us.


Yeah.


to start somewhere. And I always suggest by taking a networking event and put it on your calendar. You should go to at least two a month. Okay. And just keep going to networking events until you get better,


I got another, I got another one. Go to a bar, sports bar, whatever bar you like, and have a conversation with somebody because realistically what makes the best successful businessmen, I've read their books is you're not selling, you're having a conversation, you're asking questions. The person knows what they want.


They just don't know how to get there. It's your job to walk them through that process. That's sales. You're not selling. You're walking them through. They're there for a reason. Somebody clicked on your website for a reason. Somebody asked for information for a reason. They may not be ready now. They may not be buying right now, but guess what?


Five months, three months, six months, whatever it might be. If you're authentic and you have the conversation, Hey, Paul, Mike, it's Andrew, I know we talked about six months ago. Hey, listen, just checking in, calling up to see how things are going. How's the wife? Because you had an authentic conversation. Hey, did your kid, ever make the team?


Take notes, put it on your CRM, did Chris ever make the team? He tried, he figured out he didn't like it. He went with baseball. Can't go wrong with baseball. Now you're having a conversation, maybe five, 10 minutes.


Hey, listen, I got to run. Listen, why don't I send it over to you? Take a little look at it again. I'll call you next week. See if you have any questions. Everybody has their own style and their own authenticity. You got to figure out what's yours to answer your question. What I can leave everybody with is don't be afraid.


The worst that you're going to get is no. And every no is closer to a yes. That's it. That's as simple as it gets.


Talk to you for another hour, easy, because everything you're talking about is what I talk about in workshops, in on stage, on things like that. Everything you're talking about, but I can also, can extend it out another hour because there are so many things. Okay, but yeah, at a third year for our podcast. okay, Andrew, somebody from the audience would like to get hold of you and learn all about tech rescue. can they get hold of you?


you can reach us at www. techrescue. io, or you can go to help at techrescue. io that we can get all of our messages there for them. It's been a pleasure. I had a fantastic opportunity.


And if you ever want to discuss more, I'd be more than happy to share some insights and bring along people that I've met along my journey that can give their testimony to, you know, what made them successful, because That's what networking is all about, building relationships and leaning on those relationships.


That's another aspect of this, is that successful people did not do it alone. That is the most important thing I think everybody needs to understand. Nobody, Ever climbed the mountain alone. There was always people around them.


That's fantastic. Very insightful. Andrew, like I said, I can talk to you for another hour.


Okay, Andrew, then I will talk to you in a little while.


Thank you so much.


Andrew Bolton

201-264-1678

All Listeners will be given a Code : "Unleashed" will receive 1/2 off our monthly subscription for 3 months


Any website you wish to share with the audience?

Any social media links you wish to share with the audience?

@TechRescuelllc @techrescuellc And on Facebook



Michael is a business networking expert specializing in enhancing professionals' networking and communication skills to drive profitability. As a leading authority in this field, he is highly sought after for his dynamic presentations and workshops. His extensive experience has consistently led to significant improvements in corporate profitability by empowering individuals and organizations to connect more effectively and efficiently.

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Michael Forman.

Michael demystifies networking across various settings, from one-on-one interactions to large-scale professional gatherings, ensuring you make the most of every opportunity.

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