The Accidental Conversation

In college, I studied media production and was obsessed with learning how to tell compelling stories. I absorbed everything I could, attending film festivals, interning, and going to every seminar possible. One day, I found myself in a room with Ralph Winter, the legendary producer behind the Star Trek and X-Men film series. For a college kid in Indiana, this was a big deal.

Normally, I was not a bold person. But that day, I felt audacious. I had recently adopted the mantra, “What’s the worst that can happen? They say no!”

So, after his talk, as students lined up to speak with him, I joined the queue. With every step forward, I gathered my nerve, psyching myself up to ask a life-changing question.

When my turn finally came, I blurted it out. “Mister Winter. I loved hearing you speak. Would you consider mentoring me?”

I still cringe just thinking about it. The look on his face—a polite, but weary turn of the head. He’d clearly been asked this a thousand times. Who was I to him? He didn’t know me from Adam. I hadn’t offered a single ounce of value or even tried to build a sliver of rapport. I just jumped straight to a massive ask.

He kindly suggested I find someone I know more personally for something so significant. And he was 100% right. I had treated a relationship like a transaction. My attempt to force a connection fell completely flat because it was missing the most crucial ingredient: a genuine conversation.

What if Connection Came Before the 'Ask'?

That moment was my "aha!" moment. It taught me a profound lesson that extends far beyond a college seminar and applies directly to how we, as experts in professional services, try to connect with our ideal clients.

So many founders I speak with feel this same friction. You have a powerful, unique process—a form of "trapped" intellectual property you've honed over years. Yet when it comes to marketing it, you feel stuck in the "delivery trap," and every attempt to communicate your value feels as awkward as my ask to Mr. Winter. You're told to create "campaigns," but it feels unnatural.

The reason it feels wrong is because it is wrong for you. Your genius isn't in broadcasting; it's in advising, guiding, and connecting. Your marketing should reflect that.

How Can My Marketing Feel More Like a Real Conversation?

Our core belief is simple: The most fulfilling and effective marketing is an extension of the real conversations you have with people you genuinely want to help.

Craft conversations, not campaigns.

So, how do you do it? Start with one simple, powerful technique:

The "This Reminded Me of You" Share

• Concept: Find an article, podcast, or resource that you believe would genuinely help your ideal clients. Share it on your platform (like LinkedIn) with a simple, personal note.

• Why it Works: This is the digital equivalent of texting a helpful link to a friend. It’s an act of generosity that demonstrates you're thinking about their problems outside of a sales context. It builds trust and positions you as a valuable resource, not just a service provider. You’re starting a conversation by offering value first.

• Application: Imagine finding a great Harvard Business Review article on strategic planning. You could share it with a caption like, "Read this insightful piece this morning on creating a clear vision for your team. This really resonated with me, and I thought it might help some of you who are working to articulate your value and lead with more clarity."

What's the First Step I Can Take Today?

Let’s start with a quick authenticity audit. Look at your social media profiles right now. Do they read like a public bulletin board—announcements, service offerings, calls to action? Or do they feel like a personal, inviting space where a conversation is waiting to happen?

Your next step is a simple mindset shift. Every time you go to post or write an email, ask yourself: "Am I crafting a campaign, or am I starting a conversation?"

This small change is the first step toward building a marketing system that feels less like a chore and more like a genuine extension of your expertise. It's about codifying your genius in a way that allows you to have more of the conversations you love and attract the exact clients you're meant to serve.

If you’re ready to stop forcing connections and start building a system that turns your complex process into clear, compelling conversations, I can help.