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Speech Transcript

Unknown Speaker  0:00  

Hey this is Wendy cavalry’s a massive connector and she suffer a loss of share with fears, net connections. And if you really want to learn how to level up your life you should be listening to the time to sign today podcast with my friend Scott Ferguson.

Unknown Speaker  0:13  

Time to shine today podcast squatted a Scott Ferguson and I have the opportunity to interview my homegirl Wendy coverley. She is the she runs several different groups and four different counties have a networking group called Sarah Smith, and I relocated from Michigan to Florida and if I still lived in Michigan, I would definitely be a part of the series my family. Wendy is the ultimate go giver. She’s always helping people. She always expresses her passion and celebrates the passions of others. And I cannot wait to bring you this fantastic conversation with Wendy. We spoke about a month ago and right now we’re kind of rolling out of our COVID Time and she’s able to kind of get back out there and network a little bit. And I know that that makes her very happy although during the COVID time, her networking actually increased because people were looking for ways to connect. So without further ado, make sure you break out your notebook sit back, relax, because here comes my friend Wendy coverley

Unknown Speaker  1:25  

Hey Tom, two signs today Farsi squatted Scott Ferguson and I am blessed to have a home girl here from the mitten Michigan. You know, I’ve kind of made my way track about almost seven years ago to South Florida but my roots are always in the Metro Detroit area in my friend, Wendy, Kimberly, Kimberly, Kimberly, can you

Unknown Speaker  1:46  

map really terribly Okay,

Unknown Speaker  1:48  

Matt, I know I asked you before but I just want to make sure that I’m bringing on Wendy on and she is a she is the professional connector. Hundred percent go giver. Fantastic lady she is the chief referral officers that CR o of the Cirrus net connections professionally facilitate referral teams for six years she has helped small businesses grow their word of mouth referral sales by teaching and encouraging them to build a professional networks with other businesses using a give to get velocity which we talk about all the time here on time to shine today. And Wendy please come on. Introduce yourself. But first, what’s the emoji you use the most?

Unknown Speaker  2:32  

The emoji I use the most is probably the heart because I love when people express their passion or their celebration of other people

Unknown Speaker  2:43  

love that. How about your favorite color?

Unknown Speaker  2:46  

My favorite color is green. Because this is this time of year it’s my favorite time of year. May June in Michigan, you know the lilacs are coming out. The flowers are blooming the green The trees are starting to fall out. That beautiful shade of green on that new the new leaves off

Unknown Speaker  3:04  

of this car and you could write a book how you just described my hometown with me, me I’m a fall guy, you know, like the autumn time but spring is right and green is perfect for you. When is your color wheel also for if you want to wear it. So that’s fantastic. So here’s a little bit of origins of Wendy, where do we start and take us into when you started CS Cirrus net connections.

Unknown Speaker  3:27  

So well the origins of Wendy is, in one form or another most of my adult life I have done self employed jobs, right? direct sales, you know, agents, sales, quotes, all that kind of kind of good stuff. And I’m sure we’ll talk a little bit later about the wonderful failures along the way. So a few years ago, about around 2010 I decided that obviously I was not meant to be self employed. I needed to take that safe job to go get that nine to five Monday through clock in clock out weekends and holidays off safe job and within two years it was it was killing me it really was just not me I I was doing work for teammates that weren’t doing their work and and I’m getting my work done in four hours but I have to stay for eight hours and there’s a problem here. Why can’t we find a solution because big corporation is more interested in than just that grind instead of that, that upgrade. And and I have to say maybe I was really lucky that I actually unintentionally butted heads with my boss, and she was writing me up for spurt for asking for help. I asked her for help. She told me I didn’t handle it correctly, and wrote me up and you know God bless her that moment in time reminded me that I am an at will employ you and I choose not to be here. And I I quit right I went and found another job back in sales because I am just happiest when I am under my own steam. When my when I get rewarded for my effort that is put out there. The more I do, the more I get, the less I do, the less I get that I love that that you know that system. And I ended up as a credit card salesperson. And I had had previous experience with chambers with another job I used to own vending years ago. And so when I became a credit card processor, I immediately jumped into chambers, so local chambers, and in the local chambers, I’ve met someone who said if you’re looking for work, you should come to my Sears met team with me. And I did that. At my very first meeting. I chased facilitator that team around with a credit card because I wanted in that group about seven months later. I was massively failing as a credit card processor because I am I’m not a hunter. I am a farmer.

Unknown Speaker  6:07  

When it comes to sales like to cultivate things I like to cultivate, I like to take

Unknown Speaker  6:11  

care of my clients, and so on and so forth. And yeah, February of 2014, I quit credit card processing, and started my first serious met team. Okay. Six years later, I have seven teams in four different counties. And I’ve just continued to grow and expand my my offerings as as a professional connector for b2b and helping businesses. Yeah.

Unknown Speaker  6:41  

Is your as an evolution of what we call three letter word A, B, and I. So evolution of that, which I’m not going to lie as part of pretty much anything I did. Oh, yeah. Back in the early 2000s, late 90s. So tell us what is the part of the evolution what what what did you Guys evolutionized from the V and I kind of concept what’s difficult?

Unknown Speaker  7:05  

Well, first of all, the it’s not what you know, it’s who you know, is as old as time. And, and word of mouth referrals. is, you know, I’m sure there was a man in ancient Greece that said, Hey, do you know good stone Carver? I want to bust with my wife. Oh, that is not new. So but what has happened over the last 2030 years is the the creation of social media, the creation of websites, the creation of email, and word of mouth sales and building relationships with other professionals is even more important now than it was. But yet, most people don’t have time to take on an additional workload that comes with a traditional referral group. most traditional referral groups include chairs, committees, boards, paperwork, and you have a job already. You have a job that pays your bills. So that’s that’s the evolution, that’s the primary most obvious difference that sets yourself apart from other traditional referral groups is our teams are professionally facilitated by people who are passionate about your success. We take care of the paperwork, we run the meetings, we take care of the meetings and have a team of facilitators that runs it for them. So you’re not picking from the people that are in the group that have jobs, like you’re still putting food on the table for their families. So let me ask you something. What is the thing that people misunderstand about referral groups the most? they misunderstand that it’s not about what you’re going to get right away. It’s about what you’re going to give. And another very large misunderstanding that I thought of this morning, is people judge other professions by what they what they can get from it, instead of realizing that it’s not just about who is going to refer you it’s about who is Going to be an asset to your clients. You want to build value with your existing clients, you don’t want to just offer them a product you also want to be a problem solver for them. And the way you do that is by having a quiver of professionals at your back that you can call on. Oh, your plumbing is your house is flooded. What do you want to say to your client? That sucks? Right got a guy?

Unknown Speaker  9:26  

Right I love that. So with regards to like the my listeners out there like this will drop probably as we’re moving into phase two of the this podcast will come out as we probably interface to have coming out of COVID but we’re in day like 9650 at least it feels like somewhere around there. Can I ask you are you guys taking a hit with dues and stuff like that with regards to serious net? And how are you handling that?

Unknown Speaker  9:52  

Each facilitator is independent. That’s one of the things that attracted me to the Cirrus net system is facilitators Our licensees net franchisees, so we have access to the system and we can run it the way we choose. I am unique inside the Cirrus net system in the fact that this is my full time profession. Most facilitators have a job and you see are set to grow their personal networks. I have not missed a step. I was already in the process of figuring out a way to allow my members who were choosing to stay isolated to still stay connected. When the stay at home motor, Michigan came down, I was ready. My teams have not missed a meeting. We have not missed a step. My membership has grown.

Unknown Speaker  10:39  

People are looking for looking for stuff and connecting. They’re looking to connect. I love that. Yes. And in addition,

Unknown Speaker  10:47  

you’re welcome. And in addition to that, I stepped up my personal offerings. I promise my clients consistency, support and encouragement. I encourage them to be advocates for each other. So how can do less. So we have actually, in addition to our regular referral meetings, which are not every week, I’ve offered workshops on subjects that are valuable to them. And I’ve offered masterminds so they could access their own team to say, this is what I’m facing right now. What can I do? Because I don’t want my members to feel helpless. I don’t want them to feel isolated. I don’t want them to feel like a victim. And I know that if we stay together, we’re going to build a bridge over this together and we’re going to come out on the other side, maybe in a better position, because other professionals stopped.

Unknown Speaker  11:37  

They did. They did shift like i think i i was going back in your story to 2010 we were coming out of a time where I admit was my biggest fail is like I was printing money in Michigan with regards to real estate. Now I my billboards up and down to 70 to 75 there, someone 996 when I thought it was never gonna die in I really had to shift and pivot. But one thing I promised myself in 2009 and 10 was they will, I will never be unprepared. And this is something no one can really be prepared for. But I always set up my company to be prepared. It sounds like with you saying it’s growing, you set it up the right way and and kind of a go giver mentality to grow it. So which I thank you for that so much. So, Wendy, you start this in? I believe I have it down right here, right in 2014. Was Sarah’s neck neck,

Unknown Speaker  12:28  

right? Yes. Yep. That was when I started my first team. Yeah.

Unknown Speaker  12:32  

So if you’re growing this and you have, how many in how many counties

Unknown Speaker  12:36  

is seven teams in four different counties? Beautiful. So is that a win? Oh, yes, please. Oh, actually, it’s Genesee Livingston, Washington Ah,

Unknown Speaker  12:46  

and Oakland. Oh, wow. You know what’s funny is that maybe it was in 2014. I have a friend of mine. His name is Chris symbolic. He’s with more. Oh my god. I know Crystal bowlegs. He kept on saying I still was I told nobody is moving to Florida. Right. And he’s like, Hey, man, I just joined this. In Arbor. They already have a real estate agent but you know, you can come out there she’s looking at open so we almost met. That’s like so so he’s a good friend of mine and we keep in touch and we’re always texting back and forth. You know, regarding baseball stuff so if you see on Tom, you’re you came on my show, which is That’s funny. That’s when I’m, but anyways, so you’ve opened, you know, these seven different groups in four different counties. Mm hmm. What is the big the big thing that Wendy wants to accomplish?

Unknown Speaker  13:38  

The big thing Wendy wants to accomplish? Well, I worked that into my tagline. So my tagline is referrals is my business and your success is my passion. I want business owners professionals to to not just be connected but to realize that networks don’t happen overnight. You know, it’s something that takes time. But yet when you do it right, you have this network of people that you can count on and and you want people to know you as a professional, not as a real estate agent, not as a mortgage person. Because when you switch careers, you want your network to stay loyal to you, sir, that no matter what you do, I’m going to refer you because I know the quality of person you

Unknown Speaker  14:34  

are you want to be big though, what would you want to grow this into nationwide? Eventually? What are you thinking, Wendy? That’s what we do your time to shine today is we’re all about we don’t want anybody to feel like they have no one. That’s right. You know,

Unknown Speaker  14:47  

absolutely fine.

Unknown Speaker  14:49  

Absolutely. Your vision in say 2025 Where are you?

Unknown Speaker  14:54  

My my personal vision is is I want to build my own personal brand is Wendy Really, so that I can help other businesses stay motivated, see the potential, see the steps that they can be taking the value of taking those instincts for yourself and apply them to using it to others. And I want to provide those thoughts, those services to them. And also give them an opportunity to practice what I preach so they can come join a team and and get that and if down the road, I get opportunities to expand outside of Michigan.

Unknown Speaker  15:33  

I’m not gonna turn those down. I love it. You know, you already have the credibility backing you by building what you’ve built in six years or five and a half years, you know, so that’s, that’s fantastic. So let’s get in our DeLorean with Marty McFly right now. Okay, back and talk to the 22 year old Wendy and what kind of knowledge nuggets are you dropping on her with what you know now about what she’s about to go through.

Unknown Speaker  15:57  

It’s kind of ironic that you say that because 20 two year old Wendy actually had what she thought was the worst experience of her life. It just came out of just ended college. I was working in a political campaign. And it was the worst, worst experience of my life. I know your listeners will nod when I say this, I was working for a boss, not a leader. And he destroyed my ego, my personal self respect, I truly believed I was incapable of doing anything. Right. So if I could go back in time right now and talk to myself at 22 I would probably tell her that that was the best thing that ever happened because that created the I gotta work for myself. Pass.

Unknown Speaker  16:42  

Gotcha. Oh,

Unknown Speaker  16:43  

yes. So hey, so yeah, I think that nugget would be

Unknown Speaker  16:51  

about like, Oh, god, this. Just keep going. Right. Yes.

Unknown Speaker  16:57  

Go

Unknown Speaker  16:58  

forward.

Unknown Speaker  17:00  

Feel free that’s right I love this we see here when you let’s remove our cell phone or laptop our How about you know let’s Let’s wear this another one that I take it my good friend Casey hastens way. You are one of the first colonists on Mars.

Unknown Speaker  17:18  

Okay,

Unknown Speaker  17:18  

what three things are you taking with you take three things. Well, three nouns will say nouns. Yeah, people places or things, you know, okay.

Unknown Speaker  17:29  

Um, I’m taking I’m taking my garden. I love to garden. I love to work in my yard.

Unknown Speaker  17:37  

I’m taking I’m taking my pets.

Unknown Speaker  17:39  

Okay,

Unknown Speaker  17:40  

you know, I have

Unknown Speaker  17:43  

my fur i do i have a dog and I have two cats. And technically a couple goldfish. So this is a Yeah.

Unknown Speaker  17:50  

And and I’m taking my nieces and nephews,

Unknown Speaker  17:53  

not just for the child labor but because they make me

Unknown Speaker  17:57  

happy.

Unknown Speaker  17:58  

They make me happy and they make Me want to go take them to have experiences. Gotcha.

Unknown Speaker  18:05  

Hey, what what book they’ve you ever read? It’s really just totally blown your mind.

Unknown Speaker  18:11  

It’s It’s a classic, almost to the point where it’s cliche, but practically my entire business is based off of How to Win Friends and Influence. Oh,

Unknown Speaker  18:21  

yes. I mean

Unknown Speaker  18:25  

I have not I have not. But that whole you will make more friends in two months caring about their problems than two years trying to get them to care about yours. That’s just to get right in a nutshell,

Unknown Speaker  18:39  

right? I wanna I want you to read Also, if you haven’t already, Bob Berg’s the go giver. It’s phenomenal. It’s a business parable and he’s actually neighbor here in Jupiter, Florida think he just went over like 20 million copies. fantastic book, but it’s from the same premise of that. That’s that’s amazing that you’d said it. So let me ask you something. it time to shine today we always talk about the dash. And I want to know how your dash will remember remembered how you want your dash remembered in the dash is your that little area between your life date and your death date. So what’s that headline say for your dash How do you want that dash remember

Unknown Speaker  19:22  

she never stopped doing it her way.

Unknown Speaker  19:26  

Love it. Key the Frank Sinatra yes acro yeah Love it. Love it. Yeah. I mean it her way in the service of others about that. Absolutely. Absolutely. You know, you got to leave that legacy behind us. Yeah.

Unknown Speaker  19:42  

I love so Wendy. What’s your definition of a life well lived.

Unknown Speaker  19:45  

My definition of a wife Haifa lived. I thought about this yesterday and I can’t remember exactly. But I think it’s a I think it’s a life where you had the the freedom to make the choices and the positive effects that you leave in your wake. So let’s say that again, as I’m writing it down, I cut the positive effects of leaving your wake. But yeah, that the the freedom to make your own choices and the positive effects you leave in your wake FX,

Unknown Speaker  20:20  

you leave in your wig

Unknown Speaker  20:24  

and the freedom to make your own choices. I love that. That is definitely a fantastic life well lived. So we’re gonna move into our level of lightning round. All right, okay. And I always say, we could probably talk you know, 1520 minutes a topic. You have five seconds since you’ve studied this and you’ve listened to our show. Thank you for doing that. You know the rule. So no, allow. We’re saying comes to your head. Right. Okay, other than your own website, and of course, time to shine today. calm. That’s our shameless plug. What website Do you like to go to to level up?

Unknown Speaker  21:03  

Not a website. It’s a podcast and it’s so you’re in sales,

Unknown Speaker  21:07  

or you’re in sales. Okay,

Unknown Speaker  21:08  

so you’re in sales question mark. Yeah, I love it.

Unknown Speaker  21:12  

Awesome. Awesome. So, share one of your personal habits that contributes to your success.

Unknown Speaker  21:19  

I talk out loud all the time. I basically have come to realize I verbally journal

Unknown Speaker  21:25  

verbally journal. I love it.

Unknown Speaker  21:26  

Yes, I’m saying

Unknown Speaker  21:28  

thoughts how to say it. It brings me to another thought. I talk out loud all the time.

Unknown Speaker  21:33  

Beautiful. What’s the best leveling up advice you’ve ever receive?

Unknown Speaker  21:37  

put yourself out there more people need to see you.

Unknown Speaker  21:40  

Oh, love that. Love that. What’s your if you could be one age for the rest of your life? What would it be?

Unknown Speaker  21:47  

physically or mentally? Either?

Unknown Speaker  21:50  

Physically 33 mentally right now,

Unknown Speaker  21:52  

right now. I know everyone’s insane right now. That what they’ve learned what movie that you’ve ever watched. influenced you the most?

Unknown Speaker  22:03  

Let’s go. Come on Wendy. So you’ve listened to the show so I’m throwing bars

Unknown Speaker  22:09  

I know that’s weird to say.

Unknown Speaker  22:12  

But I’m 48 years old so like Star Wars those like kindergarten going and watching it all day long. They’re rebels baby I love that. So what is your favorite charity or in or organization you like to give your time and or money to.

Unknown Speaker  22:25  

There’s actually two I participate with regularly one is called Clara’s hope out of the Genesee County area they support foster and adoptive families ongoing support after and and sparrows house in Washington County. They provide Independent Living homes for mentally challenged adults. Fantastic.

Unknown Speaker  22:47  

Yeah, he’s so much. All right, then what is the best decade in music 6070s 80s and 90s.

Unknown Speaker  22:53  

You know what, I’m going to have to go with ETS because those bombs come back on and I’m just like, Oh, I know every word

Unknown Speaker  23:00  

Hear big hair don’t care right? Love that walk like an Egyptian the bangles. Come on. I love it. I love it. So how can we find you Wendy

Unknown Speaker  23:10  

you can find me out on Instagram On Facebook and on LinkedIn at Sarah Smith’s connections with a very weird spelling so people need to check that out in the show notes people and I’ll make sure that I spell it out on the introduction into the when this comes on which you have already heard the introduction but that’s okay to me personally on LinkedIn and the organization that I am licensed with at WWE Cirrus net.com

Unknown Speaker  23:37  

you can see it right there behind her. You can see it there in the poster. And then my my wall of insanity. We all have them trust me if I didn’t have this virtual background you’d see mine too. So leave us with one last parting piece of leveling up advice, Knowledge Nugget you want to drop on the time to shine today, listeners You want them to internalize and take with them.

Unknown Speaker  24:03  

At some point in every conversation you have the words how can I help you should come out your mouth.

Unknown Speaker  24:08  

Wow. Did you hear that slap? How can I help you should come out of your mouth in almost every in every conversation that you have. Wendy is well she’s a good friend of mine but she always reminds me it’s not what you give or what you get. It’s always what you give. Always be an advocate for others. Referrals is our business and your success is her passion. You tell her younger self to never stop doing what she’s doing. Always if you’re going to fail, fail forward and always do things in the service of others. In her her definition of life, the lives of freedom, make choices, the policy that affects you leave in your wake, which is fantastic. And again, always go back to how you can help somebody and Wendy is the ultimate goal giver. She levels up her health she levels up her wealth, few levels. everything she’s she’s so humble. She’s so nice. She’s so kind. She has a Midwestern vibrance and smile, even the wake of that weather up there and everything that’s going on. And Wendy, thank you so much for coming on. We’re so blessed. And you’re part of our squad now. So you’re excited to be I’m excited to be Thank you so much. Awesome. Thanks, Randy. Thanks, Scott. Hey, thanks so much for listening to this episode of time to shine today podcast, probably brought to you by southern New Jersey real estate real estate excellence who can be reached at 561-249-7266 and online at www dot Sutter in Nugent comm if you’re a business owner or professional who would like to be interviewed on time to shine today, please visit time to shine today comm slash guests. If you liked this episode, please subscribe on Apple podcasts, Google podcasts, Stitcher, Spotify, I Heart Radio or wherever you get your podcasts. There’s a link in the show notes to our website. Also there you will see our recommended resources. We hope that you will support our show by supporting them. If you like what you’ve been listening to, it’d be great if you could just give us a five star rating until your friends have subscribed while you’re at it. I’m your host, Scott Ferguson. And until next time, let’s level up. It’s our time to shine

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