Relationships > Revenue: Why Networking Builds Your Business

What if the secret to growing your business isn’t more content, more ads, or more hustle—but more connection?

In this episode of Raising Hustle, we talk about why relationships—not just revenue—are the real foundation of sustainable growth. From casual DMs to coffee chats and referrals, this is a real, honest look at how human connection creates opportunities, visibility, and long-term success.

We explore:

• Shifting from transactional to relational networking
• How real conversations lead to aligned clients and referrals
• Online vs. offline connection (and why both matter)
• Building allies, not just contacts
• Why your next opportunity might be one conversation away

If you’ve been feeling isolated, stuck, or tired of doing everything alone, this episode is your reminder:
 you don’t have to scale by yourself.

People over performance—always. 💛

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This episode is sponsored by FM Bookkeeping 💛

FM Bookkeeping exists to empower business owners and give them peace of mind around their finances. We believe you deserve clarity, confidence, and support—without shame, judgment, or overwhelm.

Whether you’re behind, confused, or just tired of carrying the mental load of your numbers, FM Bookkeeping is here to help you feel grounded and in control again.

If you’re ready to stop stressing about your books and start feeling supported, visit:

👉 https://www.fmbookkeeping.com

Transcript

SPEAKER_00 0:03

Welcome to Raising Hustle, the unfiltered podcast for the moms who are building empires with babies on their hips and grits in their hearts. I'm your host, Mariel Fry, bookkeeper by trade, hustler by nature, and mama by choice. Around here we're raising kids, raising hell, and raising the bar. If you're tired of choosing between nap time and next level dreams, this is your space. Let's redefine what it means to have it all on our own damn terms. Hey hustlers and mamas. Welcome back to another episode of Raising Hustle, the podcast for bold entrepreneurs building meaningful businesses while raising families and raising the bar. Today we're diving into something that does not get enough credit in the world of business. What is that, you might ask? Networking and building relationships. When I first started my business, naturally you think perfect content, maybe some cold email pitches, and constant promotion. But what really grew my business and what kept it sustainable and soulful were the people I connected with. From casual DMs right on LinkedIn to local coffee chats, genuine human connection has brought me more referrals, aligned clients, emotional support, and even friendships have changed my life. So if you're feeling stuck, isolated, or overwhelmed trying to do all the things alone, this episode is your reminder that your next opportunity might be one conversation away. Number one, the mindset shift from transactional to relational. Now, let me be clear. Networking, networking, networking is everything. I tell this constantly, your network is your net worth. Let's be clear. Your network is your net worth. Because truthfully, yes, handing business cards is important. I before a child, I used to always have a pile of business cards where I'd go out and I would collect them, and then I would follow up on LinkedIn or depending on the person and email. Building that follow-through was everything. Because you want to be really genuine in how you have this relationship. I truly believe in giving. I believe in constantly meeting somebody and saying, well, how can I help you? Who's a good referral partner? Who's a good client? And trying to build those connections and really helping them. Because then people realize, oh my gosh, you're helping me so much. How can I help you? And that's how I really feel so aligned and how I grew my business tremendously. Because it really isn't just getting leads. I think we all have this idea we're going to meet somebody and they're going to just send us business. And that's really not how business works at all. Business works when you build relationships and you prove your value and you you're no trust and like factor 100%. And truthfully, it isn't just selling a service. I think if you have a business that's a need, like my business with bookkeeping, sure, it's a service that people need, maybe a little free to spend the money on, but they realize it is a need, especially the busier they get. But more importantly than that, you're building trust. You're building trust that someone is going to trust in you, whatever you're selling, that you're going to deliver the work that you promised that you would do. Number two, my own business growth story through networking. So when I started my business, I would network three, four days a week, constantly at networking events, lunches, coffee, whatever I could to get my name out there. And I just remember meeting people and constantly trying to give my all, my everything. And it was really hard. It was really hard. But there were some people I met that were incredible. And that led me to a client. And so I'm so grateful, especially for those early-on people who really trusted in me and believed in me. And now to the point where I have wonderful partnerships where they send me business and I don't even need to leave my house. It took me years to get to that point. But building my business through networking and growing my relationships and helping people, saying that I was going to do something and actually do it. I think a lot of times we say we're going to do something and we don't do it or we don't follow through. But when I say I'm going to do something, I'm, I promise you I'm going to do it. And I'm not perfect as much anymore, but I will always do my best to make the connection and follow through as much as possible. Because truthfully, one conversation could change your entire life. And I know it's happened to me multiple times where I've met someone and it's changed my life. I talk about one of my referral partners, he's incredible. He just does tax. He's a tax attorney, but he runs his own tax firm, does not touch bookkeeping just as much as I don't touch tax. And we met at a speed networking event. And I swear stars aligned with us. We send business back and forth to each other all the time. And he's my soundboard too. When things get tough, we just we have that relationship where I trust him. And he needed me just as much as I needed him. And it was almost a match made in heaven when it comes to business. So that one relationship brought me so many clients. And to say I'm grateful is an understatement. So I just want you to know like showing up, like nobody's going to come to your door and bring you business. That's kind of a crazy thought. And if you think that, that might be a little crazy. But I just want to be very clear like, you have to go out and find the business. Business isn't always going to come to you, especially not in the beginning. And I think just getting out there in your community, depending where you live and just meeting people, right? Just being open-minded and meeting people. You really never know what's going to happen or where things are going to go. So I just encourage you to be open-minded the way I was. Number three, offline and online. Now, this is tricky. Depending where you live and what you do, sometimes online is where you have to be. Sometimes offline is better. So I think you need a presence in both, in my opinion, because as much as the online world is great and there's so many virtual networking groups and ways to connect and meet people and genuinely build genuine connections. There is something to be said about meeting people in person. And I make this a really good point. And I was talking to my parents about this about networking. And I have been trying to network in Florida because my parents are there. And it's great because I get to see them and I get to network. So it's a win-win. But the biggest thing is I try to follow up with people so people remember me and they see me. It's one thing to look at me on LinkedIn and my posts, and it's one thing to kind of connect via text. But there's something to be said about talking to somebody in person and getting their full attention, not being on a phone or not having anybody bother them. Like it's just you and that person building a relationship. And to me, that's everything. And that's why I'm very adamant to people to attend events, attend workshops, do coffee meetups, like whatever that looks like to you. And people network differently. I think we need to be very intentional with this because I've met people who are kind of introverted entrepreneurs. Just because they're an entrepreneur and they're successful doesn't mean they're going to the networking events to mingle with people. That's not everyone's cup of tea. I know I love doing that, but that's even not my cup of tea as much. I've shifted a bit. But I still love to meet people virtually. I still love to have coffee chats. I still love to go out. I like actually speed networking events. I find that I'm really quick with the connection and the follow-through. I can still build relationships and follow up if it's the right connection for me. So I think you have to be very intentional with what offline and online looks like for you. And it depends. I know photographers, they have to have some kind of Instagram or online presence so people can see their work in their portfolio. But for someone like me, I really focus on my referral partners and that's where LinkedIn comes into play. So it's good for I think the best example of this, right? Is I meet somebody in person. I follow up with an email and on LinkedIn, and we stay connected. And then we follow up maybe three months later, say, Hey, how are you? What's going on? Let's connect in person. Because you still can see them consistently online, but you're still able to meet them in person if you can. So I think it really depends on your business and how you feel aligned and what you're looking for. Because as long as you're building the relationship with somebody, that's really all that matters. And I think it's an energy and a connection. One of my mentors, I have never met her in person, but we connected online and she's one of the best people I've ever met. So it really depends. It depends on the alignment and how you relate to somebody. Number four, the power of online networking. Now, when it comes to being online, I do think LinkedIn and Instagram are incredible and groups of for real networking. Like I'd say, even the BI, even though that's in person, there are B and I groups that are online too. Because you want to be really genuine in this approach when connecting. I think I was so used to sales growing up, being like this sleazy car salesman. I never liked that. I always thought it was kind of weird or just super salesy and icky and not my MO. And so when I connect with people, I want it to be really genuine and really thoughtful. And I'm not perfect. I think when I connect meet someone at a networking event, right? Like one of my messages is let's say I meet Sally Smith at the Callaway event. And I reach out to Sally on LinkedIn and I say, Hey Sally, it was so good to meet you last night at the Callaway event. Really enjoy getting to know you. And I loved your purple earrings. Looking forward to connecting. You know, best Marielle. And that's such a simple message, but it's not sleazy, it's not salesy. It's just building a connection, a relationship. So I think we have to be super mindful of the relationships we build and building them online and just not trying to like overexert. Again, I always try to give more than I receive. And I'm always happy to say, hey, look at my LinkedIn, or if there's anyone you want to want to connect with, I'm happy to make the intro for you if I know them. I never want someone to feel like they can't reach out or they can't ask me something. I actually gained a client on LinkedIn recently. He found my LinkedIn page, he liked my energy and said, I really want to get to know you. And then now he's my client. So I do think there are ways to be genuine and real without selling and being icky, because I do think that can happen. I gained another client even recently from Google too. And he is now a wonderful client and a great person. So I'm really, I'm so mindful of how I show up online and how I connect with people because again, your relationships are gold and networking is your net worth. And I can't repeat that more and more. And I will probably repeat it till I'm blue in the face. Number five, building a circle of allies, not just clients. Now, I really believe in referrals and partnerships. It's how I grew my business tremendously. I couldn't have done it without my referral partners. And so every business is different. Let me be clear. For me as a bookkeeper, I do not touch payroll and I do not touch taxes. So when it comes to my clientele, I love to partner with CPAs or tax prepayers that do not do bookkeeping. They're wonderful referral partners to me because they don't want to touch what I do and I don't want to touch what they do. And we partner so well because I get their books in order, cleaned, organized, and then I send everything to the tax preparer and they're able to file the return rather quickly because everything's not a mess. Same with payroll. Payroll partners are always looking to send their clients to a good bookkeeper. So they want that relationship. Financial advisors to appoint and banks to appoint. But really anybody in the financial world is a good referral partner. Now, this depends on your business. I think if you are a wedding photographer, you want to be aligned with wedding planners and you want to be aligned with maybe officiants. Maybe you want to be aligned with catering halls or wedding venues. You want to build those relationships depending on the network that you're in and what you do. Because once you find your people, let me be clear. Once you're clear on who you are, what you do, what you serve, things of that nature in your audience, then you can find the right referral partners to connect with to build those relationships. Because chances are, right, people ask me all the time, who's a good CPA? Who's a good tax preparer? And I want to give them a good referral, just as much as someone wants to give me a referral. So we all are trying to help each other out and look good. So we all want to make sure that we're we're there. And I personally treat anybody who sends me a client. So if anybody does send me a client, I always give a little bit of a thank you, usually some kind of gift card to say, hey, I appreciate you. Your referral doesn't go unnoticed. And that's how I do it. Now everybody does it a little bit different, but for me, that's what feels right and what feels aligned. And I'm happy to do that because any client that closes with me, it's a win. So to say I'm eternally grateful is an understatement. Because truthfully, as number six goes, referrals are the best kind of marketing. Now I've recently invested in SEO and I'm excited. It's something I've wanted to do for years, but I was hesitant. I was nervous. I didn't know if this was something I wanted to do. But I'm very grateful I started with referrals because word of mouth in my industry is huge, huge, huge, huge. You're dealing with numbers, you're dealing with money. It's very personal. And referrals are everything because I love that my business has been just really referral-based. I've not really paid any ads or marketing or anything of that nature. I'm doing SEO now because I want to see how this works and how it goes because I have gained clients online, but I didn't do that year three in my business going into year four. So I think referrals are a wonderful way to grow your business. Cause especially people get to know you, they build a relationship with you, they like you, they want to send business your way. It's literally the best. And I love that. I love to be a resource. And that to me is when you get into the referral space and look, we all want clients, we all want to sell, we all want to make money. Let's be very clear. I don't, nobody goes into business not wanting to sell or make money. But I really genuinely believe in my heart of hearts that when it comes to referrals, you have to try to give as much as you possibly can. And eventually you do receive. It always comes back around. I believe in karma where good karma always comes back around to you. But I have to give too. I have to give and help other people. And it's something not that I have to do, but I want to do. I want to help other people succeed. I want to help other people thrive. Even in my space as a bookkeeper, there's clients that come to me that they're not a good fit, but I know another bookkeeper that would be better. So again, I'm super mindful of this. And I think when you are a good referral to someone and they refer you just as much as you refer them, it's a win-win for everybody. And that's just the circle of business. And it's amazing. So I love that. Number seven, what makes people want to refer you? So let's be clear. I talked about this recently at a speaking event. I spoke to a bunch of high schoolers, and I talked about really there's two different kinds of business owners. There's one that I consider the visionary, the people who created Uber or Airbnb or Microsoft or Apple. These people are visionaries. They're really thinking above and beyond. They're doing things that you couldn't even imagine or process as a normal human. But then there's everybody else. There's the business owner that, right, there's a thousand hairstylists, but why are they all successful? Because they all do something a little different. But it's a need and it's a demand and it's something that people are always going to want at the end of the day. Just as much as a car wash or a supermarket or a clothing store. But what makes them all different? What makes them unique? And so when I talk about my bookkeeping business, there's nothing different that I do from another bookkeeper. But it could be the way I package and the my value add and how I sell myself. Because for me, I really believe my biggest value add is the communication. I'm being professional. I am there for my clients. My clients know that they can reach out to me. Um, look, I do have boundaries as to when I answer, but I've systemized and automated a lot of the process to make things really simple and easy to do. Um, I want someone to come to me and be a really easy transition to work with me and my team. And I want really to people to know, like when they come to me, it's going to be an easy process. I want, especially from a referral partner, right? If a referral partner is sending me a client and they're talking me up, I have to make sure I'm on my A game. I am treating them like gold and like royalty. I'm giving them all the bells and whistles and I'm doing everything I can to make sure that they're satisfied. Then it's a reflection back on my referral partner too. Because then they look good, that they're sending business to someone else who is doing an incredible job for them. So, really, the biggest thing I would say as well when it comes to my referral partners, I really like refine this. And one of the biggest things I do is any referral partner that continues to send me business, I try to meet up with them every two to three months. Why? You want to stay relevant, you want to stay consistent, you want to get in front of their face. We have distractions up galore, we're busy with clients and bogged down with work. But if you can get in front of their face even just for an hour, it makes the world of a difference to continue and to be top of mind. And that's what I do. I did it recently with a referral partner where I met up with him, and every two months we meet up, not around tax time, but rest of the year. And he sent me a client like a week before, and I she closed with me and it was amazing. So you always have to be top of mind. And as hard as that is sometimes to go out and look, I have a little, it doesn't make it easy. I will always make the time for people who send me business. There, they're and you you should, right? For anybody who is continually sending you business, figure out a way to make the time to see them. It's the biggest thank you that you can do. And I'm sure they would do the same for you if you sent them a ton of business as well. Number eight, going into this, making networking a priority as a mom and busy entrepreneur. I know I mentioned this just a second ago, but I really, really try to make the time to meet up with people. And it's hard. It's hard. This is a hard balance. I don't tell you this is easy. But look, I've integrated my life. I recently went out and met one of my clients where he's got a daughter, probably seven, eight months older than my son. And I met his wife and we met at a park for an hour. Now the kids run around and play. And we got to get to know each other, say hello, and just chat. And we got to really get to know each other on a more personal level. And it was amazing. So you can do that when you own a business, which I think people forget. Some of your meetings don't have to be this dressed up, button-down, perfect picture meeting. And this wasn't necessarily a meeting meeting, but this was a way to connect with my client on a deeper level. And I bring my son to a bunch of client meetings I did when he was little, little, just doing consulting meetings and just getting to know people. It was amazing. And I still do try to go out with him because I feel like if I'm able to, why wouldn't I? And so I really try to make time when I have a babysitter and I do have to go out. I really make sure my time is worth it and I make sure the person I'm meeting is worth it. And a lot of times I take phone calls. Let me be honest. Taking a phone call is way easier. If I put my AirPods in, I can run around with my son and I can take a call and it's not distracting either one. So you really have to create a new normal for yourself and a new life that is very unconventional. And look, my husband and I, we are a team where if my husband's able to be home, I say, hey, babe, can you be home by four o'clock? I'm going to a networking event. And that helps me save money on babysitting. And I don't feel mom guilt or shame around this because at the end of the day, I'm home with my son all day. And if I want to go out and my son's going to go to bed at five, six o'clock, I don't feel any guilt around that because he's sleeping. And I get to go out and get dressed up and talk to adults and have a good time. So I've done that a bunch and I've loved that where I've gone out to dinner with referral partners, I've gone out with a client, whatever it is. I really make it work because I want to make it work. And look, I've had to cancel things sometimes. I it's just like I'm busy or my husband can't get home or something happens, and it's not that I want to cancel, it's just my season of life is a little bit different now. I can't just go out all the time. I can't run around like I used to. Things have to be a bit more calculated and planned. But it doesn't mean I'm not going to make time for people. So I really want to make that clear. Number nine, networking isn't about popularity. It's truly about alignment. Well, Avey, we'll go into this because I think we think networking and a lot of people think of it as a numbers game. We think, oh, let me collect all the business cards. Let me meet as many people as I can. And that just really isn't how it works. I think it depends. I love speed networking because you can meet a lot of people in a short amount of time and you kind of know pretty quickly if you vibe with someone or not. And then you follow up. But I think when we go into a group, first of all, I think it's very intimidating to go and network in a group of people that you have no idea. I always joked I had liquid courage where I would drink because I would be so nervous to go in a room. But at least if I had a drink, I had a little bit of confidence to get a little loose and talk to some people. It doesn't mean get drunk. It just means to have some liquid courage. And especially in the beginning, you just talk to everybody. And there's nothing wrong with that. But once you realize your business and who you're aligned with, then you know you don't need like thousands of contacts. You just need a few. Quality over quantity is truly everything. I would rather have five good referral partners than a hundred whatevers because those referral partners I have continually think of me to send me business. And that to me means more to me than anything else. Because truthfully, you're aligned. You know you're aligned when you find your people. Who you connect with, who you align with, who you can refer back and forth, and who treat you well just as much as you treat them well. Because truthfully, when I started my business, I connected with a lot of different people. And I'm grateful for those times. But there were some people that really made me tired and drained me and I was exhausted and I hated it. But I want you to know like you can let go of those connections and not in like a buy see you later. It's just you don't have to talk to them or give them as much energy as you used to, especially now that I'm a mom, my boundaries are even less and I don't just align with anybody. I don't want to talk to just anyone. Like if you can't meet me the day and time we say we're gonna meet, it's just not gonna happen. And I don't mean that in a bad way, but my priorities have shifted, my life has shifted, I've changed, and I don't really have time for the nonsense anymore. And so I really focus on the quality of the person and not as much of quantity. I don't need a hundred people. That's not gonna work and I don't really have time for it. And last but not least, your net worth grows when you grow with people. This is everything. I joke your network is your net worth, but I believe that in my heart and my soul to a T. Because now that I've aligned myself with the right referral partners, there's so much collaboration and growth along the way and friendships and laughs and tears with all my referral partners. I really have like a genuine relationship with them and connection with them. And there's continual conversation all the time. And the conversation will look be about a client, but then it's like, how are you? What's going on in your life? And we celebrate the wins and we cry about the sad and everything in between, but we're like there for each other. And these people have made my life so much better in that sense. Like entrepreneurship is one of the loneliest roads you could take. Borderline, like motherhood. It could be very, very lonely. But I've been able to meet my people who have helped me feel so much better because there's been times I literally threw the towel and I said, screw this, I'm not bothering with this. And or I don't want to do my business anymore. I'm just not happy. And then I'd call a referral partner. I'd be like, I don't like this client. This is not going well. I want to stop my business. They're like, no, you're smart, you're good. Like this client like isn't aligned. This isn't working, like it's not you. And that's okay. And to have that reassurance makes me feel a hundred times freaking better. And to say I'm grateful for that is truly an understatement. Because I think the reality is, is we all feel down. We all feel sad. We all feel upset. I remember in school you get a bad grade, you think, oh, shoot, like I could have done better. Or maybe you showed up a little late to work and you think, like I was stuck in traffic or something happened or whatever. I was running late. We all feel awkward and we feel nervous. But when we surround ourselves with really good people who lift us up and make us better, I do the same. I have one of my referral partners, I remember we spoke in the summer, and he was feeling really down about clients and just things weren't closing. And I said, look, this is a weird time. It's summer, people are on vacation, no one's thinking about money. I said I promise you, like, you're gonna close deals, you're gonna win business, like it's gonna be okay. And it was like a month later, like, I needed that same pep talk to myself, and he gave that to me. And I'm literally so grateful. And so, what I would encourage each and every one of you listening to this podcast, when I say your network is your net worth, it's everything. And build the connections, build the relationships, continue to put yourself out there because you really are only one conversation away from something extraordinary and beautiful because the relationships you build and the connections you keep are everything. And I can say that because it's really helped my business a lot. And so let's do just a very quick recap here. You do not have to scale alone as an entrepreneur, you don't have to go viral to even grow. You don't have to cold DM your way to a burnout, you can build a thriving business through real human connection. Relationships are your business foundation, they're your visibility, they're your support system, they're your secret sauce. So today I challenge you. Reach out to someone, DM, set up a 20-minute coffee chat, tap or message someone who helped you grow or feel aligned. Let that be the first step back into alignment and connection. And stay tuned, because in the next coming episodes, I hope to put out, I'm diving into how powerful referral partnerships that truly work for you and your business model. Until next time, keep raising hustle. And remember, people over performance, always and forever. This is just the beginning. Subscribe now to Raising Hustle and get ready for raw stories, real talk, and unapologetic ambition. We're showing up messy, loud, and all in. Because success doesn't wait for quiet. Let's raise our voices, our businesses, and our babies together.