Are you leading important client relationships and also on the hook for growing them? The growth part can seem mysterious, but it doesn't have to be!
Business development expert Mo Bunnell will take you inside the minds of some of the most interesting thought leaders in the world, applying their insights to growth skills. You'll learn proven processes to implement modern techniques.
You'll learn how to measure their impact. And, everything will be based in authenticity, always having the client's best interest in mind. No shower required.
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Détails sur Real Relationships Real Revenue - Audio Edition | Invest in Relationships to Build Your Business and Your Career, podcast de Mo Bunnell | CEO and Founder of Bunnell Idea Group | Author of Give to Grow
The Annual Life Review: How to Reset Your Life Once a Year with Bestselling Author Tiago Forte
Saison 5 · Épisode 144
mardi 3 novembre 2026 • Durée 01:01:13
What if the most valuable thing you did all year was stop and look at your life? In this episode, I sit down with Tiago Forte, author of Life in Perspective and creator of the Building a Second Brain method. Tiago has had a huge impact on how I work and live, and we use this conversation to walk through the annual life review, a ritual I've done for years and he has now turned into a book.
We talk about why modern work has stripped away the natural off season, and what happens when years blur together. Tiago breaks down his ARC framework: appreciate the past, reflect on the present, and create the future. We get into the traps to avoid, the role your environment plays in your mindset, and how to turn big ideas into weekly behaviors you can track. I also share a personal story about a decision that shifted how I see myself and how I show up.
Topics We Cover in This Episode:
Why every professional needs an off season, and what happens without one
The three D's of life: drift, driven, and design
Why the best time to gain perspective isn't during a crisis
The easiest cheat code for changing your mindset
Why planning your life is an emotional exercise before it's an analytical one
How a single weekly number can reveal what really matters to you
Two emotions high achievers tend to avoid, and what they can teach you
The question that can show whether your projects and your priorities actually fit together
If you've ever wondered whether your life is moving in the direction you want, this conversation gives you a way to find out.
The Science of Being Ultra Productive with Author Dr. Christian Poensgen
Saison 5 · Épisode 143
mardi 20 octobre 2026 • Durée 48:51
What if the secret to getting more done has less to do with working harder and more to do with how you focus, handle stress, and rest? In this episode, I sit down with Dr. Christian Poensgen, executive coach and co-author of Ultra Productive with Eric Partaker, to look at productivity through a much wider lens. Christian did his PhD on the interplay between stress and performance, and he applies the research to the moments our audience faces every day: preparing for a pitch, following up with a client who went quiet, and protecting time to think when the calendar never stops filling up.
We talk about why so few of us ever reach real deep focus, how to work the edges of the day to carve out that time, and what it looks like to choose what you'll fail at so you can succeed at what matters. Christian explains the difference between stress and anxiety, why each calls for a different response, and a simple breathing technique to use minutes before a high-stakes meeting. We also get into sleep, why seven hours isn't the whole story, and what a rainmaker's ideal day could look like from start to finish.
Topics We Cover in This Episode:
The 60 to 90 minute daily habit that can double what you get done
Why a 5 to 9 mindset doesn't mean waking up at 5 a.m.
What it means to choose what you'll fail at each day
The hidden cost of replying within five minutes
How stress and anxiety differ, and why it matters before a big pitch
Three questions that take the sting out of waiting on a client's reply
Why seven hours of sleep can still leave you running on empty
What a high-performing relationship builder's ideal day looks like
If you've been living in back-to-back meetings with no room to think, tune in to learn how to protect your focus, use stress to your advantage, and treat rest as part of the job.
10 Signs You're the Bottleneck in Your Own Business with Leadership Strategist Darrell Vesterfelt
Saison 5 · Épisode 142
mardi 6 octobre 2026 • Durée 45:07
What if the habits that made you successful are now holding you back? I sit down with Darrell Vesterfelt to unpack 10 signs you may be the bottleneck in your own growth, from struggling to delegate and feeling guilty about rest to having a packed calendar while your most important work remains unfinished.
We dig into what's underneath these patterns, including fear, identity, and the systems we create around ourselves. We also talk about recovery, creating space for meaningful work, and why getting better results may have less to do with working harder and more to do with changing how you work.
Topics We Cover in This Episode:
The 10 signs you may be the bottleneck
Why success can eventually become a constraint
What's really behind resistance to delegation
Why recovery matters for high performers
What your calendar may be telling you
How to make room for your most important work
Why small experiments can create meaningful change
When the system you're using needs to change
If you're working harder but not getting the results you want, this conversation will give you a new way to look at what's getting in the way. Tune in and see which patterns might be showing up in your own work.
Why People Buy: Creating Pull Instead of Pushing with Author Rob Snyder
Saison 5 · Épisode 141
mardi 22 septembre 2026 • Durée 42:29
What if selling got easier when you stopped trying so hard to sell? In this episode, I'm joined by Rob Snyder, creator of the PULL framework, to explore a different approach to business development. Instead of pushing products and services toward clients, we talk about creating the conditions where people naturally pull your solution toward them. Rob breaks down the four pieces of PULL and explains why a client having a problem does not necessarily mean they have a reason to buy.
We also talk about how to listen for what clients are actually trying to accomplish, why customer feedback does not always predict buying behavior, and how Rob uses the framework with real businesses and his own AI offering. We even apply the PULL framework to one of my own potential offers. If you're trying to grow your business without constantly feeling like you have to convince people to buy, this conversation offers a completely different way to think about sales.
Topics We Cover in This Episode:
Why having a problem doesn't always create a reason to buy
The four conditions that create PULL
What you may be missing when prospects agree but don't buy
How to listen for what clients are actually trying to accomplish
Why customer feedback can be misleading
How to be proactive without becoming pushy
Why Rob recommends selling an offer before fully building it
The question that can reveal what someone would actually pay to solve
Tune in to rethink the way you approach sales, business development, and creating demand for what you offer.
How to Develop a Follow-Up Mindset and Stop Procrastinating with Leadership Speaker Jon Acuff
Saison 5 · Épisode 140
mardi 8 septembre 2026 • Durée 52:14
What if procrastination is costing you business? In this episode, I sit down with Jon Acuff to unpack why smart, capable professionals procrastinate on the things that actually grow their businesses, especially follow-up, relationship building, and business development. We talk about the four traps that keep us stuck, why procrastination isn't just about getting started, and how even quitting can become something we put off.
Jon also shares practical strategies for getting out of your own way, including his "CEO of follow-up" mindset, the power of the Golden Hour, and why shifting from selling to serving can completely change how you approach relationships. We also dig into knowing what to stop doing, choosing the right platforms for your business, and building relationships that lead to long-term revenue.
Topics We Cover in This Episode:
Why your biggest competition might actually be yourself
The hidden ways procrastination shows up in business
Why follow-up gets harder after rejection
How to use your "Golden Hour"
When quitting is actually the right move
Why serving can make selling easier
How to focus on the platforms that actually matter
What it takes to turn relationships into revenue
If you've ever known exactly what you should be doing but still found yourself putting it off, this episode is for you. Tune in and find out what's really getting in your way.
How to Package Your Expertise So Clients Choose You with CEO Creator Amanda Northcutt
Saison 5 · Épisode 139
mardi 25 août 2026 • Durée 47:46
What if the expertise you've spent decades building could become the engine for more predictable revenue, stronger positioning, and better-fit clients? In this episode, I sit down with Amanda Northcutt, founder and CEO of Level Up Creators, to unpack why so many experts struggle with inconsistent lead flow even when they are exceptional at what they do.
We talk about the "expert trap," why being great at the work is not enough to consistently win the work you actually want, and how personal branding, a clearly defined methodology, and a deep understanding of your ideal client can change the way people see and choose you. Amanda also shares how to extract the expertise that has become second nature, turn it into a repeatable methodology, and use AI to help uncover and codify what may otherwise be difficult to articulate.
Topics We Cover in This Episode:
Why being exceptionally good at your work can actually make it harder to explain what you do
The missing piece between expertise and predictable, recurring revenue
How to uncover the methodology hiding inside your own experience
Why your personal brand may matter more to the buying decision than your company name
What a product ladder can look like, even when you think you only have one service to sell
How to make it easier for the right prospects to say yes
Why the language your clients use may be more valuable than the language you use to describe your work
How AI can help turn years of expertise and conversations into usable intellectual property
If you're an expert, consultant, professional services provider, or business leader who wants to become easier to find, easier to understand, and easier to hire, this is a conversation you don't want to skip.
Resources Mentioned:
Why Most Change Efforts Fail and What to Do Instead with Transformation Expert Kristy Ellmer
Saison 5 · Épisode 138
mardi 11 août 2026 • Durée 45:44
I'm excited to sit down with Kristy Ellmer, a senior leader at Boston Consulting Group and co-author of How Change Really Works, to talk about what it actually takes to lead meaningful change inside organizations. Rather than relying on intuition or management trends, Kristy explains how years of research in behavioral science, neuroscience, and real-world transformations led to seven practical principles for increasing the odds of success. We explore why so many change efforts stall, why getting genuine agreement matters more than quick consensus, and how leaders can create the conditions for lasting progress instead of temporary compliance.
Our conversation also moves beyond strategy into the human side of transformation. We discuss why people are more likely to embrace change when they have ownership in shaping it, how leaders can encourage productive disagreement without slowing momentum, and why stories often inspire action more effectively than metrics alone. Whether you're leading a company, managing a team, or guiding clients through change, these ideas offer practical ways to think differently about how people commit to new directions and sustain them over time.
Topics We Cover in This Episode:
Why "false alignment" creates more problems than open disagreement
How to know when your team is truly aligned before moving forward
A simple exercise that exposes hidden assumptions in leadership meetings
What the "IKEA Effect" teaches us about ownership and commitment
Why involving more people doesn't always slow a transformation down
How stories and symbols can motivate people in ways data alone cannot
The role of healthy debate in building stronger decisions and better execution
Why successful change is often about designing the process, not just setting the goal
If you're responsible for leading change or influencing others through uncertainty, I think you'll find this conversation incredibly helpful.
The Science of Influence and Relationship Building with Author Dr. Robert Cialdini
Saison 5 · Épisode 137
mardi 28 juillet 2026 • Durée 17:29
In this episode, I sit down with Dr. Robert Cialdini, one of the world's foremost researchers on influence and the bestselling author of Influence, to discuss what actually builds trust in relationship-driven business development. Rather than focusing on persuasion tactics, we explore the small, practical behaviors that help experts create stronger client relationships over time—from expressing genuine affinity and finding authentic points of connection to using language that reinforces partnership instead of distance.
We also talk about why human connection often matters more than demonstrating expertise alone. Dr. Cialdini shares research-backed examples on asking for advice instead of opinions, making communication feel more personal, framing conversations around shared goals, and even how admitting a past mistake can strengthen credibility.
Topics We Cover in This Episode:
Why the principles of liking and unity are foundational to lasting client relationships
A simple language shift that turns critics into collaborators
How to find authentic common ground without forcing rapport
Why humanizing your communication can be more persuasive than emphasizing credentials
What Warren Buffett's shareholder letters teach about building trust
How acknowledging a past mistake can make future recommendations more credible
When framing outcomes as potential losses can be more motivating than highlighting gains
Practical ways to make emails, conversations, and client interactions feel more personal
If you're looking for practical ways to strengthen trust, communicate more effectively, and build relationships that last, I think you'll find plenty to take away from this conversation.
Resources Mentioned:
The Navy SEAL Approach to Uncertainty with Author Rich Diviney
Saison 5 · Épisode 136
mardi 14 juillet 2026 • Durée 40:35
In this episode, I sit down with former Navy SEAL, leadership expert, and bestselling author Rich Diviney to explore what it really means to perform well in uncertain environments. Drawing from the ideas in his book Masters of Uncertainty, Rich explains why chasing peak performance can actually be the wrong goal for most people and why learning to perform optimally in unpredictable situations matters far more.
We discuss how uncertainty affects decision-making, motivation, relationships, and business development, and how small shifts in focus can help us make progress even when outcomes feel unclear.
If you're leading a business, growing relationships, managing a team, or simply trying to navigate a challenging season, this conversation offers practical ways to stay focused and effective when certainty is nowhere to be found.
Topics We Cover in This Episode:
Why optimal performance is often more useful than peak performance
How uncertainty creates stress and what your brain is looking for in difficult situations
The Duration, Pathway, Outcome (DPO) framework and how it can reduce overwhelm
Why breaking goals into smaller horizons can improve motivation and follow-through
How fear, uncertainty, and anxiety interact and what helps reduce their impact
What attributes reveal about how people show up under pressure
How high-performing teams adapt leadership responsibilities in real time
Why trust depends on more than competence and consistency alone
If you're looking for practical ways to navigate uncertainty with more confidence, clarity, and resilience, this episode is for you.
Resources Mentioned:
Listen to Secrets to Thriving Under Pressure with Author and Retired Navy SEAL, Rich Diviney:
Navigating Power, Visibility, and Influence at Work with Executive Coach Melody Wilding
Saison 5 · Épisode 135
mardi 30 juin 2026 • Durée 45:30
In this episode, I sit down with Melody Wilding to talk about a skill that has become increasingly important in today's matrixed organizations: managing up. But not in the traditional sense of simply keeping your boss informed. We explore what it really means to build influence with decision-makers, stakeholders, and leaders whose priorities, communication styles, and levels of involvement may be very different from your day-to-day contacts. Whether you're navigating internal relationships or working with complex clients, Melody shares practical frameworks for creating alignment, building trust, and increasing your impact without feeling political or inauthentic.
We also discuss how to identify the people who truly influence outcomes, make the most of limited access to senior leaders, and communicate your value in ways that resonate with decision-makers.
Topics We Cover in This Episode:
Why "managing up" means much more than managing your relationship with a direct supervisor
How to identify the stakeholders who have the greatest influence over key decisions
A simple power-mapping framework for navigating complex organizations
Better questions to ask when trying to understand what decision-makers truly care about
How to communicate updates in ways that highlight business impact instead of activity
The role curiosity plays in creating meaningful networking opportunities
Why involving others in the process often creates stronger buy-in than presenting a polished solution
How to use brief interactions with senior leaders to build stronger long-term relationships
If you enjoy conversations about influence, business development, leadership, and relationship-building, I think you'll find a lot to consider in this discussion. Be sure to subscribe so you don't miss future episodes, and if you found this conversation valuable, please share it with a colleague or friend who would enjoy it as well.
Resources Mentioned:
Preorder Ultra Productive and get 9 free infographics plus a free seat in the Ultra Productive Accelerator: ultraproductive.com
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