Struggling with networking or cold outreach that feels awkward, pushy, or ineffective? You're not alone, and good news! There is a better way.

In this episode of The Biz Doctor®, award winning business advisor and consultant, Lauren Goldstein sits down with connection and relationship-building expert Michael Roderick to break down how to build genuine business connections, increase referrals, and grow your network without sleazy tactics or social anxiety.

Michael shares his proven framework for meaningful outreach that creates trust, sparks curiosity, and opens doors to partnerships and opportunities.

Unlock how to shift from transactional networking to authentic connection so you can confidently reach out, grow your business, and build influence —> even if you’re introverted or hate “traditional networking.”

It's time you got people talking about you when you're not in the room (in a good way!). 

Episode Highlights 00:52 — Why authentic networking matters in business growth

02:10 — Michael’s journey from teacher to Broadway producer + the power of reputation
04:15 — The “pendulum problem” in outreach 
06:45 — Why sparking curiosity is more powerful than chasing access
17:42 — The Disarm → Ask → Offer connection framework for high-trust outreach

Mic-Drop Quotes
 “Your network grows faster when people talk about you in rooms you’re not in.”
 “Access isn’t the problem ... interest is.”
 “Disarm first. Curiosity opens more doors than pressure ever will.”

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Meet your host. Lauren Goldstein is who 7- and 8-figure business owners call when they’re stuck in the weeds of success and need their business to truly run without them.

She is an award-winning business consultant and advisor.  As the founder of Golden Key Partnership, a boutique business consulting firm, she has spent the last decade behind the scenes of high-growth small businesses, fixing broken team dynamics, untangling operational chaos, and helping leaders reclaim their time and sanity.

Nicknamed The Biz Doctor® (how this podcast got it's name), Lauren doesn’t do surface-level advice. She diagnoses what is actually holding the business back, then builds custom strategies that create clarity, capacity, and a culture that scales.

Her work has helped some of the most respected small business owners build companies they actually enjoy running again. 

She’s been featured in Thrive Global, Huff Post, Authority Magazine and is a trusted expert to small business owners and Fortune 500 companies alike, such as Apple, Nike, and AT&T, among others.

For more from Lauren, and to learn more about her signature diagnostic framework or how she helps business owners have the freedom they started their business for, visit her website GoldenKeyPartnership.com.

You can also connect with her on Instagram or LinkedIn.

The Biz Doctor Podcast is produced by Story Studio Network.