Networking Unleashed: Building Profitable Connections. An Interview with Sanna Phillips and Michael A Forman
- mforman521
- Jun 16
- 12 min read
📍 I have a guest who is all about networking. She has her own podcast. So lemme just start by saying that she is besides being a dynamic podcast host, she's an entrepreneur and an advocate for resilience in business. Now, before I butcher the rest of her background, let me introduce Ana and let her take it away.
Sanna, how are you? Good morning, Michael. It's so good to be here. Thanks for having me on your podcast. I'm doing well. I'm up in Colorado right now. That's good. So you want to tell us a little bit about your background at all, or I. I'll be glad to do that. I come from a background of business and honestly worked in a cubicle for about 15 years, and once I got out of that cubicle and realized that you could go and meet people and shake hands and network I, I really took hold of that.
And for the last 10 years I've been running a business. We took it quite rapidly, but steady growth to we're right at about a million now. And so that was a big achievement from about 15,000 annually, 10 years ago. And through that, I've done that through networking, being good to people. That sounds like a great start and a great way to continue with all of your networking.
But let's let's start with your story. What was your first aha moment when you realized the true power of networking? I went to a chamber meeting and sitting in the chamber meeting it felt like people were in their same spots, same crowd. They were with the same four people. I could just tell this being in the room.
Someone came up to me and said, hi, how are you? And it was just so personable. So it changed everything for me. And then at that point she introduced me to BNI, which is a networking group internationally known. And from there I really worked on getting my crowd and then those people being able to refer and it just helping your business.
Because you're the person that knows who to go to. So people start valuing you for more than what I'd normally do, which is install physical security. People would start coming up to me for, Hey, do you know somebody that works on gutters? Do you have a pressure washer? So I saw the value in that. That's very good. And being that person that, that referral source, they're not afraid to talk to you. They're saying, oh she'll just introduce me to somebody who will be able to help me. And being that person is always the most important piece of the puzzle. In your journey, what has been the most meaningful connection you've made and what made it stand out?
Just recently got back from Oklahoma where I did a entrepreneurial documentary series that airs on Amazon Prime. That was for, it was all about networking. I. I would say that's life changing when you compete. About 60,000 people applied and about a hundred got selected. So to go into an incubator type environment where you're competing and working with people and realizing that these people are actually my team and my friends, and then you're networking.
If you're networking across the world across the United States, definitely. So I would say that's probably been my most meaningful, although every interaction you have is meaningful. It's because you never know who you're talking to and you never know who their network is. So you might be talking to somebody on a local level, but he may know somebody who he will want to introduce you to and get you on a national stage.
So you never know. So that's very good. How would you differentiate between transactional networking and building genuine long lasting relationships? I'm more about building relationships because when I come into someone's home to, or their business to look at security, I'm thinking about them on a personal level and I'm thinking about their safety.
So it's much more meaningful to me than than just a transaction. I would say I was at, my business partner's, life coach, we went to a dinner there one night. This was recently, and the person's talking about has no idea really what we do so much. We're just talking, we're just getting to know one another.
And this person was late to the party. And quick conversation. And the next thing I know. Within the month we're installing quite a extensive gate system at their house. So I would say, and I care about that, it's not, oh, I wanna meet this person because I'm gonna install a gate at their property.
He was complaining in the conversation of the bane of my existence is that gate that runs on solar power at my front entrance. And I was like, I can solve that problem for you. And so that felt great and it felt more like every time someone comes to us with. A problem that we can provide a solution for.
I feel like in our sit, in our work, we have an entire storyline for them and we get to know them and we want to be the call that they make if something is aggravating to them or they need to increase their security. So I would say honestly, I'm not interested in transactional type business at all.
I'm more in the relationship business. First thing, one thing you said is that you are a problem solver. Okay? That's the number one goal. To be an a, a good networker. I also have found that as of since the pandemic, before the pandemic people were very transactional. There are very like building up their customer list.
But afterwards, with the advent of Zoom coming into, its own. Thing and everybody talking on their cell phones. People forgot how to speak with one another. They forgot how to communicate and through after the pandemic, they forgot how to do all this. So now we're into the realm of building relationships, not just customers.
So that's a huge difference, and that's what I go all around talking about. But it's not transactional anymore. It's what you feel. And that relationship that you're building. What it's always paying attention to everything that's going on around you when you're talking to that person.
And even if I go and install, we work in a lot of HOAs with our security business. And even if I go install an access panel in a pool room, when I leave that pool room, it's gonna be neater and cleaner. I wasn't there just to do that. I was there to make that a better place. And when I work with someone, I want to make them better as well.
Absolutely. And by that you said it so perfectly, you listen to everything because you have to listen to the people and not hear them. And it's very difficult to say. But if you listen to them, and here's the kicker, you pause after they are talking because that little pause tells them that you were listening to them.
Tells them that you were paying attention and you respond to whatever they said, and that you don't come up with the next thing that you have to say. You're responding to what they said. So it's very important. What are some key habits or daily practices you follow to keep your network warm and active?
And when even when you're not networking.
Question Michael. I like to reach out to people as they come across my mind. So people will often tell me in, in networking meetings, sometimes people will read something that I sent to them because it was on a day where they didn't feel inspired and they might have received a text and it's warm, it's genuine, it's honestly what's on my heart.
So I feel like. Anyone that is in my reach is very important and they're in my reach for a reason. So I'm constantly, thinking about them, wishing them well in my daily practice of life. And if they come across my mind in a specific way of you should tell them this, I make sure to do that. Because that, that, that's your inner voice saying, you know what, I should really reach out to the person because you don't know what they're all about, what they're doing.
But I have found more times than not, when I get the inkling to call somebody or text somebody or email somebody that I haven't thought of for a while, it always comes back to me and says, oh, you know what? I'm glad you called me, or, I'm glad you texted me because I have this problem. So it all works out.
So it's very good to, to go with your gut, so to speak and just, network that way. Can you share a time when a connection you invested in paid off years later in an unexpected way?
I would say that's definitely through BNI. I was in BNI and then when I took a break from BNI wasn't as active. My business, your business just gets so busy that sometimes you have to take a step back and BNI was very understanding about that, but the people of my chapter would call and check on me at least yearly, and then I thought, oh, I'm sure they're just, wanting me to get active again.
But however, it wasn't time. I knew it wasn't time. I was so busy growing my business. So then when I did come back to the group to help grow the group, the connections there were foundational and it was I'm a cheerleader at heart, so it was if you were building the biggest stunt and you're already on top and you don't know how you got there.
That group of people, and that is from years of that group of people investing in me. And then I constantly, the people that are in your reach, you're constantly giving business to, because you know them, you trust them. So of course you're going to refer that person, and I believe that. Foundation through all of those years definitely came around when I got active with that group again, and it's been very meaningful and profound to my business.
The people that you meet in BNI, I've been friendly with the people in, I met in BNI 4, 5, 6 years ago, and even though I stopped with BNI, I'm still friendly with most of those people. And now a lot of them are in my chamber. Okay. So I see them constantly, but I always refer to them.
If I know somebody that needs their help, I'll, of course I'll reach out to them and put them together. So those are very good relationships that you've kindled and that you flame, that you fan the flames and that you make them into true relationships. So that BNI is great that way. What role has vulnerability and auth authenticity played in the way that you build professional relationships?
I wouldn't do anything without vulnerability. I would say I probably although professionally try to keep my heart leading in everything, and I feel that is being true to who I am, which is authenticity. I believe that in the industry where I am in security and biometrics and then doing a podcast, everything is about being creative, finding a solution, and often thinking outside the box.
And if you're not true to who you are, and you can't do that. So I feel like it's not just a formula, it's often you're creating that formula yourself. I think that you have to really know yourself to be able to do that and do it successfully with confidence. I truly believe what you just said, and what I feel is that if you are not authentic, you are not true to yourself and you, if you are not, if you are that way, when you go to a networking event and you go to another networking event, let's say three months, and you see the same people, you can't remember.
What you said to them if you weren't telling them from the heart, if you weren't authentic. And they'll say, this isn't what he said three months ago. So which one do I believe? So I just believe in being yourself, being authentic, and as you say, be that good referral source. Because whenever they look at you, they'll say, you know what?
Sana is the person who I want to call. I need a roofer, but I know she doesn't do it. But I know her and respect her enough where she's not gonna lead me down the wrong path. So that's very good. In today's fast paced digital first world, how do you make networking efforts more intentional with and being less overwhelming?
I feel like consistency is extremely important. You gotta show up and you've gotta be there. As well as you've gotta have your technology stack for your business so that if you hand your card to someone, you, they scan your qr or they look you up. You need to be looking like you're open on every platform that you have and.
What advice would you give someone who feels like they don't have a strong network or don't know where to start?
Just show up and smile. Okay. I get that a lot. I get the light. And what you said before was the consistency. So when you're showing up and smiling and you're being the authentic self, of course, but that consistency factor, so whatever you're doing, whatever you're showing up, whatever, do it consistently.
And I don't mean like for a week or two, consistent, because you really can't tell anything for at least six months. So you have to be Right, consistent and what, yeah more than meeting the person, of course is the follow up and the follow up is much more key than even meeting them.
Okay. Who has been a ment a networking mentor for you and what did they teach you that stuck. The people that have been mentoring network or networking mentors to me have been the people that are very consistent. They're gonna be there. The leaders in the groups, and I would say the people that show up to give more.
They're really there to greet you and talk about your business and what's going on with you. And then they become such a pillar in a group that, of course, you just know that they're a financial advisor, although they've not really spoken about it that much because they're asking about what you're doing.
So I feel that is always the people that I gravitate to and that I take lessons and notes on. Absolutely. Because the art of networking is to give, not to receive. It's to see what they are, help what way you can help them with, and really, one thing that I say to a new person is, how can I make you more successful?
How can I be a good referral source for you? And that usually blows your mind. And they don't say, I don't even know what you do yet. And that's because I've gotten everything from them. So that's very good. And let's bring this around full circle. Okay. Looking ahead, how do you see networking evolving and what can we all do now to future per future proof?
Our connections? I think living in a, a forward technology world, we are already there. I feel like it's not just going to church is networking. Everything has combined and I. Everyone wants to be not just a business card, it's a personal story. They wanna know your story. And I feel like that is where personal brand it's, you've gotta be all of it.
And I think that is, I think that's where we are and where we're going is more. Just being more personable and finding that it's not just a business that you're calling it's your neighbor. And so I think that care is where we'll continue to go. Okay. Santa I I have to tell you that this was still very nice, very good.
I could probably talk to you for another two hours, all about your business and everything else. I have a large security background, so I'm very interested in what you do. But that's not our topic for today. Santa, how could somebody get hold of you if they wanted to get hold of you? I am on LinkedIn under Santa Phillips, and then I also, my business website is Blue sky systems llc.com.
And then this season I'm doing producing the podcast called the Mika Show, where it's people just like yourself, Michael, that I find interesting, something neat about them. And so I just sit down and interview them and. Find out what goes on in their head and what are they like at five o'clock in the morning, that sort of thing.
So it's a very personable podcast, but it's all centered around business. Very good. Very good. S thank you so much for coming on. This was, I still had a great time and hopefully I'll talk to you soon. Yeah, thank you Michael. It was great. You're welcome
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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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