When you help someone through a health issue, positively impact someone's personal wealth, or take a sincere interest in their children, you engender life-bonding loyalty.

In business, we often say that your best customers are the customers you have now. In other words, your most successful sales leads come from the selling you've already done.

When you help someone through a health issue, positively impact someone's personal wealth, or take a sincere interest in their children, you engender life-bonding loyalty.

You won't build relationships unless you let your guard down

We have a tendency to romanticize independence. Most business literature still views autonomy as a virtue, as though communication, teamwork, and cooperation were lesser values.

Our careers aren't paths so much as landscapes that are navigated. We're free agents, entrepreneurs, intrapreneurs -- each with our own unique brand.

Start finding future clients before you have anything to sell them. Get to know these people as friends, not potential customers.