#020: A Dinner That Sealed a Deal + Podcasting Secrets to Grow Your Brand

What’s one conversation that changed the way you do business?

This week, I sat down with two gents who’ve mastered the art of connection—Drew Donaldson and Josh Klemons.

Drew shares a dinner that flipped his view on sales (spoiler: it wasn’t about the deal), while Josh reveals how podcasting can open doors and grow your brand.

These chats on Conversations That Grow and Podjunction are packed with lessons you can use today—let’s dive in 👇

Spotlight #1: Conversations That Grow
The Dinner That Rewrote the Rules of Business

Drew Donaldson, founder of GroHaus, takes us back to his early NYC days, working under studio legend Kip Kaplan. At 22, Drew joins Kip for dinner with an HGTV exec at Rare—a five-star burger joint.

Drew braces for a pitch. But Kip bans all business talk. Instead, he bonds over motorcycles and stories, making the exec laugh till dessert.

The result? The deal closes days later—not on numbers, but on trust.

Drew’s big lesson? Relationships trump transactions.
He’s since built a 100% success-rate sales system by letting clients vent first—no pitch until he’s listened really well.

🎯Mic-Drop Moment: “The dinner wasn’t about the deal - it was about the relationship.”

🎙️Why he’d slay a podcast: Drew’s got the rare combo of clarity and heart. Every story has a takeaway … and it sticks!

Spotlight #2: Podjunction
Podcasting as Your Ultimate Growth Hack

Josh Klemons, digital strategist and founder of Reverbal Communications, hosts two podcasts:

• Step Up Your Social (10-min evergreen tips like “3 Types of Facebook Audiences”)

• Hello Merge Tag (deep dives into politics and social media)

Josh doesn’t just record—he repurposes like a pro. Every episode becomes:

• A blog

• A transcript

• Social content

• An SEO boost

• A networking opportunity

And it works. He’s interviewed influencers with 3 billion+ annual views, and his name stays top-of-mind in his niche.

⏱️ Hurdle? Each episode takes over 4 hours to produce. Each episode takes over 4 hours to produce.

💥 Payoff? More leads, stronger relationships, and a well-known voice in a very specific space.

🔥 Steal This Move: Turn every episode into a blog with a landing page (like stepupyoursocial.com).

💡 Pro Tip: Don’t chase millions—be known deeply in your niche, not just widely.

Sadaf’s Playbook: Your Growth Nugget
Here’s my take: Drew reminds us that listening builds trust faster than any pitch.
Josh shows that podcasting is more than content—it’s your authority engine.

So, what if growth isn’t just strategy—but conversation?

Pick one person this week to connect with deeply—grab a burger or book a podcast guest. Watch what opens up. 

The full scoop’s waiting—tune in 🎧

🎙️🎙️🎙️

Your Turn!
What’s your game-changing conversation—or dream podcast guest?

Hit reply—I’ll shout out the best next week (or maybe even feature you on the show!)

Or cast your vote:

Cheers,
Sadaf