Most people network the way they were taught: collect business cards, pitch what you do, and wait for the business to roll in. It doesn't work anymore.
If you're grinding through events and still hearing crickets, the problem usually isn't you — it's the spray-and-pray playbook.
In this episode of The Leader's Mindset, Jason LeDuc sits down with Sarah Hubbard — author of The Intentional Networker and a 15-year residential mortgage lender who rebuilt her business from $60,000 in debt to 85%+ referral-driven — to break down what real networking looks like when you lead with value instead of an agenda.
Sarah shares her MAPP framework, the one question that instantly surfaces what someone actually needs, and why purposeful follow-through — not more events — is where trust and revenue are really built.
💡 Who should watch this episode
Sarah's perspective in this episode is great for:
- Entrepreneurs and small business owners who grow through referrals
- Sales professionals tired of transactional, low-return networking
- Introverts who dread events and think networking "isn't for them"
- Young leaders who want to build relationships that compound over years
🤔 What you will learn:
- Why "spray and pray, hustle harder, get your name out there" networking has stopped working
- The difference between networking and "card-stabbing" — and why the second one leaves money on the table
- The MAPP framework: Mindset & intention, Authentic presence, Precise messaging, and Purposeful follow-through
- The one "magic question" that pulls out what a person actually needs: "If I were to be of value to you, what would that look like?"
- Why follow-through — not more events — is where trust and money are built
- The real networking timeline (know, like, trust, refer) and how to shorten the two-year grind
- How to spot the "right rooms" — and why the free ones can cost you more in the long run
- Why deleting the words "just following up" will make your outreach actually land
🔑 Practical ideas you can use this week
1) Ask the magic question in your next conversation: "If I were to be of value to you, what would that look like?" — then stop talking and listen.
2) Sort your contacts simply — A, B, C, or no designation — and follow up on a cadence that matches each tier, not a mass email blast.
3) Kill the phrase "just following up." Lead with something specific and personal instead.
4) Before your next event, put your phone on Do Not Disturb and commit to being fully present for one to two hours.
💬 Question for you:
Where does your networking break down most — starting conversations, asking for what you need, or following through afterward?
If you got value from this episode, subscribe for more practical conversations on leadership, performance, and building relationships that actually grow your business. And share this with someone who's grinding through networking events and not seeing the return.
Onward and Upward! 🚀
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How to reach Sarah Hubbard:
Website: https://sarah-hubbard.com/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sarah-hubbard-flannery/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sarahannflann/
How to reach Jason LeDuc:
Email: [email protected]
Website: https://www.leducleadership.com/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jason-leduc-3469823/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/leducleadership
