Why Relationships Matter......

This morning I woke up, thanked God for another day with my wife and son and checked my phone. I received a notification from LinkedIn. I had just surpassed 5,000 connections. Wait, what?

As a national serial connector, I understand how easy it could be to focus on just the bottom line, using sales as the key indicator of the business’s health. Like any business developer naturally would, I wanted to close the deal and see my efforts thrive. However, my results would not succeed on my hard work alone; it takes a dedicated team of resident experts, business partners and dedicated customers to find that success.

During the ups and downs of being an intentional road warrior, one important thing I have learned is that agreements are only as good as the people who sign them. And when it comes down to it, the relationships I’ve cultivated, fostered and maintained over the course of my 25 year career, not the sales aspect alone, are ultimately what brings me true joy.

While it may sound obvious, this simple reminder is critical. As someone who has strived to "do the right thing", mentors and leaders have often reminded me that I should never hold my product/service and its success above the people who built it. I have found that when I have put people first, I continue to build respect and trust in my relationships. And when you truly earn that respect, the sales and success will follow. Create loyalty because you'll need it. There were times in my career when corporate reductions occurred and I inevitably fell on challenging times, especially when I was a young husband, father and man. And courtesy of the pandemic in July 2020, I, along with 32 million other Americans experienced job loss. That built in trust, through relationships, saved me.

As I have mentioned in the past, my relationships have lasted beyond the business. I’ve worked for a handful of companies and even started one, and like many others, I have made mistakes and learned the hard way. However, it’s what you learn and use from those mistakes that makes the difference. Even at times when things seem most dire, you never give up, and you do anything you can to pull it through. However, you never want to sacrifice important relationships in the process.

While business opportunities come and go, the people who helped you will still be there. If you fracture that trust, it can follow you on to the next venture. The last thing you want is a reputation of being untrustworthy, inconsistent or disrespectful. On the other hand, preserving those relationships even when you fail can jump-start your next opportunity.

Whether you’d like to believe it or not, business IS personal. When I am in a meeting, I am keenly aware that my character represents the character of my business. Because of this, it’s important to keep your values close and remind yourself of what’s most important.

October 6th, 2021, I completely pivoted away from 20+ years in the group purchasing/procurement services/customized distribution & supply chain world and stepped into a role as VP, National Commercial Accounts with Commonwealth Land Title Insurance Company, a member of the Fidelity National Financial (FNF) family of companies and the nation’s largest title insurance group. I know, right?!? Today, I strive hard to bring consistent energy, encouragement and a positive outlook to everything I do. This attitude, I have found, can be infectious, rippling from the top of the organization to every associate and (prospective) client I encounter. With one conversation at a time, the character you bring to work can transform the perception and culture of your business.?

On January 10, 2008, my first connection belonged to Mark Jesness, a golf apparel rep at Straight Down Clothing Company from San Luis Obispo, CA. Today, February 16, 2022, my most recent connection was Kathryn Burton Gray, fellow University of Arizona graduate and Founding Partner at Seniors Capital, LLC from Laguna Beach, CA. I authentically say thank you to them and the 4,998 peers and friends I've met along the way.

Respectfully,

Shane