If you have the chance to spend any amount of time in the Austin, TX business community you’re going to hear the name, Josh Baer. There’s no doubt about it. That’s because Josh has made it a goal to not only BE integrally connected to what’s going on in the Austin business community, he’s also made it his aim to be one of the primary connectors of that community. That means Josh works hard at meeting people, connecting them to each other, and adding the right kind of value to those he comes into contact with. This recorded conversation reveals why Josh sees building relationships in the business community as a vital part of what he does and uncovers some of the practical ways he goes about doing that. I’d love for you to meet and learn from Josh, so be sure you listen.

Why building relationships in the business community matters.

No matter where you live or what sort of business you are in there are others who live there who are into the same kinds of things. Maybe they don’t do exactly what you do but they do something that is at least connected in some way. Can you see how getting connected with those people will do nothing but help you and them? That’s one of the foundational beliefs that a guy like Josh Baer has. It’s what motivates him to eagerly reach out to new entrepreneurs in his community (Austin, TX) and it’s those business connections that have made him a valuable asset to so many. In this conversation Josh shares how he’s become the go-to guy for business relationships in the Austin area and gives some tips for how you can do the same thing.

How building community can foster strategic business relationships.

One of the most powerful things Josh Baer has done to foster community among entrepreneurs and founders in the Austin, TX community is to create both the space and the opportunity for those people to meet, network, share their experiences, and open the doors to possible joint venture and partnership possibilities. He’s done that through intentionally building relationships himself and by becoming the guy who helps others do the same thing. Josh is a master at doing that kind of thing and I wanted to dig into the goals and strategies he has for doing it, in this conversation. I encourage you to take a few minutes to learn from a guy who’s doing relationships and doing them well.

How do you break away from what is urgent to foster important relationships?

There’s no magic formula for keeping up with the important relationships in your life. You’ve simply got to schedule it into your routine. Josh Baer is a pro at keeping relationships flowing and alive and he emphasizes the importance of building routines that make it happen day in and day out. He uses a handful of tools, including Contactually to make it automated, but in the end, it requires the personal commitment and thoughtfulness that any relationship demands. In this conversation Josh shares the mindsets that help him stick to his relationship nurturing routine as a non-negotiable, so be sure you take the time to listen.

A simple hack to build relationships using your email autoresponder.

As we wrapped up our conversation I asked Josh Baer for his one piece of advice regarding how someone who wants to begin fostering meaningful relationships can do so. His response was not what I expected. Josh uses his email autoresponder in a way I’ve never heard of before. Instead of waiting to use it as a vacation auto-reply or as a way to warn people that he may never respond, Josh uses it as a way to invite further, specific interaction with those people who have just reached out to him. If you want to know how he sets it up and what kind of things he includes in that first autoresponder you can hear Josh explain it himself, on this episode of Real Relationships.

Outline of this great episode

• [0:34] I’d like to introduce you to my friend, Josh Baer..
• [1:52] Why Josh focuses so much on connecting people to each other.
• [5:07] How Josh learned that who you know is more important than what you know.
• [9:41] Is there a difference between building community and building relationships?
• [11:20] What is a people broker and how does it factor into building community?
• [13:22] How Josh breaks away from the tyranny of the now to nurture relationships.
• [15:59] The simplest thing anyone can do to build relationships.
• [18:18] One connection that made a huge impact on Josh’s life.
• [19:15] The things Josh needs from you right now.
• [20:24] The one key piece of advice Josh wants you to know.

Resources & Links mentioned in this episode

• www.CapitolFactory.com
• Other Inbox
• Appsumo
• WP Engine
• Trilogy Software
• http://www.Twitter.com/JoshuaBaer