You need the right ones. This is how I approach LinkedIn. We're hosting The Civvie Connect in-person event next week for veterans in a specific area of Houston, so I ran a tight radius search around the event location and identified veterans who live or work nearby. 106 people. Then I reached out and invited them to join us. So far: → 55 accepted my connection request. 51.9% → 58 received a direct message → 35 replied. 60.3% Why? Because the outreach was relevant. I'm not trying to connect with everyone. I'm trying to connect with the right people for the right reason. In this case, I'm reaching out to veterans in their own community and inviting them to meet other veterans in their own backyard. That's how I've always approached LinkedIn. Meaningful connections. Thoughtful outreach. A reason to start the conversation. LinkedIn is a "social" network. I think sometimes we forget about the "social" part. For me, it's not about collecting connections. It's about creating them. And with The Civvie, we're taking those connections from online to real-life events where relationships can actually grow. One connection at a time.

We'll be sitting down tomorrow, Monday, Aug 17th at 8am CST, with fellow veteran entrepreneur @John Pogue for a conversation for the Veteran Business Community. John is a Navy veteran who has spent nearly 20 years in digital marketing, helping businesses better understand their customers, leverage technology, and grow. We're going to talk marketing, AI, automation, sales funnels, and what's actually working for small businesses right now. If you're trying to figure out how AI and digital marketing fit into your business, join us. Bring your questions. We'll get into it. Register here: https://www.linkedin.com/events/7494732274911834112

It’s not talent. It’s not even timing. It’s the ability to stay consistent after the inspiration fades. Inspiration is like a spark. It gets you moving. But it doesn’t keep you moving. Real momentum comes from structure, discipline, and showing up especially on the days you don’t feel like it. If you’re waiting to “feel ready” again -- you’ll be waiting forever. The people who finish? They build habits, not just hype. They don’t chase motivation. They create consistency.

We've all been there. ​ The prospect agrees to meet with you. ​ Then poof. You're ghosted. ​ Here's some phraseology I learned from Chris Voss that works surprisingly well when prospects ghost you. ​ Example for a proposal meeting: ​ "Have you passed on the proposal meeting?" ​ Other ways to say it: ​ "Have you put the proposal meeting on ice?" "Have you given up on the proposal meeting?" "Seems like you're putting the proposal meeting on the back burner." ​ The psychology? ​ People are hard-wired to have their actions be congruent with their words. Tell someone you'll pick them up at 6, show up at 7, and you feel bad. It's called cognitive dissonance. ​ When I use this tactic, I typically see a 35% response rate in about 5 minutes. ...And for the other 65%, you can follow up afterwards with this email: ---------------- Hey (Name), It looks like you decided to pass on our proposal meeting, which is not a problem at all. Based on your initial interest, it seems like I messed something up along the way. You're going to think this is a huge imposition, but would you be open to providing some feedback so I can improve? Did you think the price would be too high? Confused about our services? Did you get distracted binge-watching Game of Thrones? Either way, I know there’s lots of stuff competing for your time and attention. Thanks for giving us a look. Best, (Name) ---------------- ​ The best part? ​ If people don't respond, it's a gift. You now have time to spend with people who are motivated to speak with you. ​ Don't invest time with people who don't invest time with you.

One of my clients just got the thumbs up from VR&E for his business plan after our meeting with his counselor and her supervisor. He and I have been working together for 6+ months so he can launch his home-based dog training business. It has been a passion of his, and now the VA will pay for most of his start-up costs for dog crates, leashes, a bite suite, software and more. He spent 5 minutes thanking me yesterday for making his dream become a reality and for taking the extra time to help him put together the financials for what is needed for the purchasing manager at the VA. This is the reason I do what I do and why I love helping other veterans. This can change this guy's life. Don't give up on your dream. Surround yourself with people like the ones in this community that will lift you up and not put you down. Yes, you will get constructive criticism, but that is how you become successful. Remember, even pro athletes still have coaches.