How I Stop Deals From Dying After the First Good Meeting

Today on the podcast we are going to look at what to do after building rapport in business conversations. After building rapport in business relationships. Sorry, excuse me. OK, how do I explain this? OK, so rapport is the stage of a business relationship or a business conversation where you are speaking with someone, the person is sitting at the other end of the table, or it's a phone call. You're on one end of the phone call, the other person is on the other end of the phone call, or it's an e-mail.

You're on one side of the keyboard, the other person is on the other side of the keyboard. Or it's a WhatsApp message. You're on one side of the WhatsApp message, the other person is on the other side of the WhatsApp message. So at the stage of the conversation or at the stage of the business relationship where both of you start getting a sense of commonality, like, oh, OK, I'm like this guy or, yeah, this girl is like me.

Like, we understand each other. There's some sameness. We're now achieving some likeability in the relationship. Like, I can see that this guy's a human being or I can see that this baby's a human being. It might not be a bad relate, a bad idea to do business with this person after all. So all those feelings around commonality, around sameness, around likeability, that is what we call rapport. So you can see something that is really hard to define, but basically rapport is like you guys are vibing, I'm with you,

you're with me, I feel you, you feel me. That is rapport. So today on the podcast, we're going to look at some ideas around what to do after we have established rapport. Because on this podcast or other podcasts you've come across, I'm sure you've heard a lot about building rapport in business relationships. But sometimes we make the mistake of not telling you guys what comes next after building rapport. And the reason why is because I've been having a chat with someone who's a regular listener of the podcast.

In fact, my, I think my show is like #3 on her list for 2025. And she has a real life situation where she has built rapport with someone, but the conversation did not move forward. They did not take the next step. So if you're listening, I hope you understand me. Like, you get to that stage where you and the other person, you guys are cool. There's commonality. I understand you. We're the same. I like you with a vibe, with a flow, but then somehow the business does not move to that next step because all of us is money wire chasing.

So what's the point of me running around making friends up and down, building rapport with 50 people in a week, but at the end of the month, no money, my bank account zero. I didn't close one single sale. What's the point? So these are some of the things that we're going to be talking about today on the podcast. Now, if you like thinking about these things, if some of these things are your concern, how do you establish rapport?

How do you build rapport? How do you build relationships? How do you use that to close the sale? Then subscribe to the podcast on Spotify, YouTube, iTunes or any player of your choice because this is what I do here every single week, every other day. My name is Tavishima Ayede, I'm the host of the podcast. And if you'd love to connect with me, you can call send me a WhatsApp message or a text message on 08064662140. So let's continue now what to do after we have built rapport in this business relationship, in this particular conversation with this person that we're currently talking to, doing video call with or sending WhatsApp messages to after our poor, what comes next?

So like I said, today's episode is not theory. This one is live. So podcast listener, let's call her Usman down for you. Now, of course, some of you say Usman down for you. Is that not a guy's name? You're correct. It's a guy's name. And for those of you who studied history, you should remember who Usman down Photo is. However, I do not have permission of the listener to use her real name, but her real name rhymes with Usman down photo.

So I'm just going to keep on saying Usman down photo. So if you're listening to the podcast and you're wondering, ah, is it me? Yeah, it's you, especially if you're female and your name rhymes with Usman down photo. So every single time during this podcast episode, when I say Usman down photo, I'm referring to a girl, not a guy. So Guzman down for you. Now, the business that she's involved in is she sells construction software.

And by the way, this is one of the reasons why I love the podcast and I love my radio show because I reach out to Nigerians from different walks of life. Sometimes the way the country is going, everything seems bleak, but then people in my own situation, people are reaching out to me from different walks of life. I get to see how different people are moving and shaking, how people are making money, industries that are growing.

And it's things like these that keep me hopeful about Nigeria because I can see that even though we're not happy with the politicians, I will not happy with the way the country is on the ground. Boys and girls are moving things, they're doing things. Five years ago, before I started this podcast, if you had asked me to talk about industries, businesses that are moving in Nigeria, never would I have thought construction software,

it never would have crossed my mind. So yes, there are people on ground like Guzman Danfodio who are doing big things in the construction industry. So my brothers and sisters, I know that Nigeria is hot right now. Bob, continue to hustle, go to make a way. Let's let's hang in there. By the way, I'm I'm not saying don't Jack back. If anybody wants to Jack by and the opportunity comes up, you know, by by all means, you know,

move on, move to the land of milk and honey. By any which way, whether you Jack back or whether you stay go to go to do it for you. All right. So we have defined rapport now as the stage in the conversation or the stage in the relationship where we are vibing. There's a certain level of commonality. The person thinks I'm a reasonable somebody. I feel like they're reasonable somebody. We feel like we're the same. We like each other.

So the conversation is, is, is, is flowing. It's good. Now we have to answer the question, is rapport essential for closing deals? Because some people will say rapport, you people are wasting time and here's a trick. Rapport, is it essential? Maybe, maybe not. But The thing is where there is rapport, it definitely facilitates business relationships. It helps to smooth things over. Think of rapport like like cream. If you wake up in the morning,

you know Rob cream, even if it's Hammer tan, you know, is it essential? Like if you know Rob cream, you know, yeah, your skin will look ashes, but still you will move. So rapport is like cream. Use it because you will facilitate. It will make things go down smooth with a business relationship or a boy is not a waste of time. The reason why I'm putting this is I'm saying this is because there are times when you try to build rapport and you fail, but you still close the deal.

So when that happens, don't come and say rapport is not important. It is because rapport is like cream. It's like nice cream. Or think of rapport like I'll let you know, think of rapport like I'll describe it. Now let's say like Fanta. Because yesterday or day before I said I spoke about Meshai eating Indo Meshai. So if you go to a Meshai and then you buy suya like 10K, then you buy Indo mie maybe 2 packs. I'll be like, OK, maybe like that's three K.

Then you now buy eggs, you want them to fry the egg for you. Let's say you buy like 8 eggs, let them fry out the whole 8 eggs and you now mix everything together, the suya plus the indoor meat plus the fried egg. So as you're eating everything now, you now want buy one or a bowl that's Fanta chilled bottle of Fanta, one liter so that Fanta that you use to wash everything down. That's rapport and let me move on before I confuse some people.

So anyway, where was I? So rapport, yes, it facilitates business relationships and it helps things to go down smooth, right? But it's not as if you don't have rapport, the deal is not going to work. But however, there are times when if you don't achieve rapport, you can definitely slow a deal down. So we should always be trying to build rapport in conversations and business relationships. So she'd always be trying to talk to the other person, find out about the other person, make some small talk and then point out areas of commonality.

I said it yesterday on the podcast that for me, I always use names and school because you know, why Niger and at least in my own generation anyway, there was this thing about which school you went to. Did you go to UNILAC? Did you go to Abu? Did you go to E Fair? Did you go to University of Ibadan? Did you go to last Botech? Did you You know we had that thing going on in my in my own generation. So what's the thing? And that's never failed that I

enter into somebody's office and I see that person went to owe you. I just say great affair. The guy would look at me and smile and then he would stretch his hand. He would say great. And the next thing is you say what set and they'll say, ah 2007. The girl now laugh 2007, me a lefty fair in 1986, I said 1986 and then from there we'll start talking, you know, so it hasn't filled me yet names and school. But I'm not saying that that's what you guys should do.

I'm not saying that that's my own basic lazy approach. But either way, we should be trying to achieve rapport and conversations. So the context where we're discussing all these things is there's a podcast listener, Usman Dhanfodio, she's been chatting with the prospect and she has been able to build rapport adequately because they spoke about life interests, her life interests, the guy's life interest, very good. They spoke about work stress,

which is normal cause in Nigeria, everybody is stressed. So the guy I talk about in work stress, she might, she mentioned her own work stress, very good, very normal. And the guy is interested in power bikes and stuff like that. And, you know, they were chatting and, you know, very good Joss, you know, everything is smooth, just rapport. So she built good rapport. However, remember I said at the beginning of the podcast episode that sometimes we talk about rapport and we either overplayed its significance or we don't properly teach you guys who are listening how to best deploy rapport in business situations.

So it is nice that even though this is business, you're talking to somebody about their life interests and maybe we'll talk about work stress and we also talk about some of their hobbies or something. But you'd always remember that rapport is a dicey thing because sometimes you can get too much rapport and be talking on a personal, personal level. And then you guys lose sight of the fact that, you know, no money. We define like this is business.

Like there's a whole point to this conversation, like I didn't come here just to make friends. So everyone in the great affair example that I just gave you, that was back when I was in my wedding photography days. I was trying to close one deal for total end of year party and I was able to get some introductions according to the guy's office. I think the guy was, I can't remember his his office. Anyway, when I entered, I saw the placard and I say great affair.

The guy look at me, he smiled, he stretched his hand, he said great. And then we started talking. If after 45 minutes me and him got lost in how is the faculty? Is Doctor Popola still there? What are things going on? Is cultism still an issue, blah blah blah. You know, if after 45 minutes we're still on that whole level, we will lose track. I as a sales professional have to be able to guide the conversation. Like I'm not here to make a friend.

The money I defined so after building rapport, I still have to bring it back to the business solution that is on ground so that we can start discussing this end of year party. So at some point in the relationship in the conversation I have to be able to jump off from great Eva and slide into oh Sir, it's been nice catching up blah blah blah. You know this this this that that that wish I not to waste your time. You know, actually the main reason why I'm here is because you know, for this end of year party, I've spoken to Bola, I've spoken to Beaudo and I've spoken to Ola Gunju.

And actually the next step in the process is that you need to be the one that will authorize the social. And so and so that's the reason why I'm here to find out what are the criteria that I need to meet so that we can push this through. You see, so you build rapport, but remember, rapport should not be unconnected to the business solution, to the business proposition that you have on the table. So if you sell construction software and you're talking to somebody, you've spoken about life, interests, work, stress,

power bike, you need a convenient jump off point so that you can hop off back to the business solution to the business proposition that you have on the table. Because if you overdo it, you not get to that situation where you are that nice guy or you are that nice girl and you are that friendly somebody and everybody likes you, but this thing is going nowhere. Or if there's a problem, they don't have the heart to tell you.

Or if they're not interested, they don't have the liver to tell you because they don't want to break your heart because you're a nice person. So the way Tom Hopkins put it, Tom Hopkins is an American sales trainer. He's been in game since like 1974 or so. Some of you say, ah, the guy don't hold. Look, that that doesn't matter. Most important thing is whether the principles still apply today. Even today I heard somebody say that, look, this is not 1984.

Like, what does 1984 have to do with anything? Does the business principle still apply today in 2025 or not? Let's stop getting carried away with this Outdated, outdated, outdated. Like no sales marketing is a system. The subject matter of the system is human beings. Human beings are still the same in 1974 or 1984 or 2025. Ain't nothing changed. Yes, digital is now around. It just means we have more options. It doesn't mean that anything substantially has changed.

So if your favorite guru, your favorite business book or your favorite source of information or your favorite whatever around marketing and business and sales, even if it is from 1964, continue to read this thing and ask yourself, does the principle apply today or how can we apply these principles today? Bam, that's all you need. So the fact now that I'm quoting Tom Hopkins, who started this thing in 1974, do not discount Tom Hopkins because he's been in the game since 1974.

There's nothing that says that those of us who started in, you know, 1990 something are better than those who started in 1970 something. So please, let's remove this. Let's stop all this rubbish. I see these debates happening online and I don't even know how people engage in all these debates. Does the principle apply today? How can we apply the principle today? That's the only question you need to ask yourself, so long as we're talking about sales and marketing.

You were talking about medicine. OK, And that's a different thing. Medicine, surgical techniques have changed. And, you know, on and on and on and on. But I'm talking about for sales and marketing. Don't worry about when the thing was written. So what Tom Hopkins says is you just build rapport enough to establish commonality, then move. So for me, oh, interesting name, gritty, fair. Oh, you have two kids as well? Oh, same here.

How old are yours? Wow, interesting. OK, God bless. Also, may he grant us the grace and give us permission so we can able to train our family. And then I move on quickly bro, not to take your time. This is the Coco. This is the main reason why I'm here. And then straight to business. So rapport should never be unconnected from the business solution that we are discussing here today, the business proposition. So establish rapport quickly and then eventually move back to business, start doing qualification and discovery.

Qualification and discovery is the stage of the business relationship where you ask questions about the person and questions about the problem. So for those of you who are involved in selling construction software, after you talk life interest, how is Madame Power by, you know, picking this, this, this that that that, you know, get straight down to business and then next thing is qualification and discovery. You now start flowing with the person.

You know. What kind of construction projects do you guys have on time have on ground? Oh, I thought you guys specialize in this. Is that the case? OK, what kind of timelines do you guys work with? OK, which big projects you guys commonly have on ground? So to manage all these constructs yourself, what kind of software have you guys been using? OK, you're not using software now. Manuel Udiranam OK, explain how. OK, have a project manager.

You are using charts and whatever and this system, is it working for you? Is it causing problem? No. Eventually get into the lapses that they have with the current problem. It is from there that in your mind you're now coming up with solutions. We are now coming up with packages that are OK, This guy now the silver package, rare good Salem or the Jubilee package or the golden package or the Level 3 package or do whatever.

You understand what I'm saying? So it's from asking them all these questions, qualification and discovery questions about the person, questions about the problem, questions about the opportunity, questions about the vision, questions about the goal in your head. That's how you now start thinking OK, OK, OK, this is the solution this is the solution, this is the solution. So she did a good job because the next step now was that we're going to introduce her to the head of project.

And then that was the problem. That's where everything just look because. She did good building rapport and they agreed that we suppose introduce you to head of project so they will continue this conversation. And then that's where the scene just went quiet. We didn't go forward, we didn't go backward, we didn't go to the left, we didn't go to the right. We're just quiet. Everything in limbo. And of course, I'm sure that this is something that salespeople are familiar with.

No matter the business, whether it's events, whether it's construction, where there is architecture, we're all familiar with that feeling. You go in, everything is cool. You go back home, your wife says, how's the meetings are? The meeting was wonderful. I met a bunch of guys, you know, blah, blah, blah. If you're boys. So, so, so you know, our meeting was good. And then two weeks later I'm wondering like, what's happening now?

Progress. I'm not making backward. I'm not going, where am I? I don't even know. So all familiar with it. So what we're supposed to do next after rapport, we slide into qualification and discovery. We now the thing we're supposed to do next is we try and gain advancements. Advancements are when at the current meeting. Oh, sorry, I just set an alarm in case you heard the BB, it's 20 minutes. I don't want this podcast to go too long.

So at this current meeting, as you're currently sending WhatsApp message to this person back and forth, or if it's a phone call now that you're on the phone or if you're in the person's office, like when I was in totals office trying to get that end of year contract, by the way, the end of year contract. I think I didn't get you to, I don't believe the thing that killed the deal because when I came in there I was, you know,

when you're young now you'll be feeling too. All I said you'll be feeling too proud. So I was feeling like, you know, fine boy, educated boy, because as I entered inside I saw that all of them great effect, great effect. So that's what I was doing healing everybody up and down. Great effect, great effect because all of them were a few people. I was making my way in the organization, but I was only talking to your guy, your orgasm.

I didn't realize that there was one secretary who was very powerful, but because she was just a common secretary as normal at the end of the day, lo and behold, secretary, she was one that was in charge of planning committee. I say hey, say don't be well a day and of course she was waiting for me. She knew that see this guy, the four fine boy. I'll be great if I be greeting all the other people that are educated because me, I'm not educated.

She was waiting for me after I finish all the organs. She's the 1 and I met in front. She's one that's now responsible for signing the check or more. She humbled me, she put me in my place. Another person collected that deliberate I need from that contract at all. After I had told all my guys that don't worry, this is a done deal. I've been to the office, I went to a headquarter, I've seen everybody. I'm cool with everybody.

Don't worry, this one is a done deal. All of us are planning our Christmas on top of that money that woman showed me anyway. So now for me, that's a lesson in humility. That's when I learned that as I'm entering inside and I'm networking with people, I should be greeting everybody secretary. Now, if I see secretary, I will greet secretary. Well, if I see all guy who will do a great effort, whenever I see secretary, I also greet the secretary very well.

Because sometimes you don't know who's holding your, you know, you don't know who's holding access to the bag. Where was I? So that's how I ended. I didn't I didn't get a contract, I didn't pay me due to date. It needs to reverse me online. So where was I? Now advancements. So in this current conversation, now you're talking to somebody. The person is here at the desk, you are here on the chair, you know, across the desk.

You were talking. Advancement just means you secure a date or you secure an advance, a commitment. But The thing is, you secure it now, now, now as we are talking now, now, now or as we are typing now, now, now as we are on the phone now, now, now, secure that date, secure that commitment, secure that next meeting now. Because if you end this call and say you secure it later, very, very, I say on to the ghost mode. If the meeting finishes and the person says, oh, you give me a lot to think about, you know what, give me a couple of days.

Let me think about it, I'll get back to you. Forget it. You enter ghost mode. If you do not secure and agree that this is all we're doing next, forget it. Chances are you entering into ghost mode. So after rapport, you calm down. Back to the business conversation we do qualification and discovery. Advancements is the next thing after advancements close, close is when you try to get the person to take action. So excuse me, I'm recovering from a code.

So in this case, now construction software, you've been talking to this guy, you've built rapport, you've spoken about the business case, you have agreed that the next thing is for you to be introduced, introduced to the head of project securing advancement. Now in this date, in this way is you're trying to secure a date, you're trying to use questions just to narrow it down. So OK, Yeah, that's good. I'm excited. I'd love to talk to the head of projects.

How soon do you think he would be available for a meeting? You have asked the question. How soon do you think could be available for a meeting? You're trying to use questions to narrow it down. If you leave that meeting, you say, Oh yes, tradition to the head of project and you say, oh, thank you very much. I'll be looking forward to that. I'll wait until I hear from you. You're going to ghost mode. The the other guy you're talking to, he has other priorities on his plate.

It's not his job to help you make money. So he won't even if he wants to. You know, things happen now. You finish with the call. He receives a call from his wife. Two of them start to quarrel. Maybe the the child is sick or there's something else that is on his table that is tied directly to his seller or to his bonus. You know your own agenda will fall by the wayside. It's just normal. It's not like he's being wicked.

It's just normal. He's just being human. So don't stand up and say I, I, I look forward to hearing from you. Don't. You can ask a question. How soon will your project be available? We say, oh, I'm not sure. I heard that they're currently in Lagos, they're doing the current AGM meeting, blah blah blah. He said oh OK, yeah, OK, AGM, OK, that means it's going to be unavailable for the next 3 or 4 weeks. Yeah, 4 weeks sounds about right.

He said, oh OK, well it's currently 6th of December. OK, so does that mean I can call you in the new in the new year, maybe like by January 7th to find out how far the AGM meeting and whether the head of project is back? The guy will say, Oh yeah, sure. That sounds, that sounds, that sounds good. Sounds just about right. I know Hannah, no problem. Oh, by the way, can I have your phone number please so I can call or if you have the phone number because you need more options.

OK, can I get your personal work e-mail just in case I try calling and I don't get through so I can send you an e-mail reminder. So in this case, excuse me, you have not gotten an advancement per SE, but you can see that you have tried to get advancement, you have tried to narrow things down because you asked one question, how soon will head of project be available? There's another approach. This is my own typical approach,

but everybody likes it. For me, I like to take charge and suggest. So somebody says, OK, yeah, I think I can introduce you to Hedgerow Project. I'll say fantastic, I'm going to be back in Abuja next week Tuesday. I can swing by here at 10 AM. Does that work for you guys? So that's my own approach. I will suggest it. I don't like throwing things to other people because I mean who knows, you don't lose track of the whole process.

So me, I prefer to suggest if I'm too forward, they will tap me down, they will slow me down. So for those of you who don't like to be too forward and how soon will project manager be available before me, I prefer to suggest I'm free next week Tuesday. Does that work for you? Another question to try and secure advancements. They say, OK, we're going to introduce you to head of project. Oh, fantastic, That's very good.

What time frame do you have in mind? You throw it to the person, we're asking questions, we're using questions, we're trying to narrow things down. We're trying to secure a date. We're trying to secure a commitment so that by the time I leave here, we have agreed in principle that the next step is I'm coming back here on so so so date or I'm calling you at so so so date, or we are meeting at XYZ place at so so so date.

But either way, I'm trying to narrow something down. Other questions. OK, we'll introduce you to the hydro project. Oh, fantastic. I'd like that. I'm looking forward to that. Are there any pressing projects you guys have around have on ground that we should be planning around? You can see that I'm asking questions around time frames because I'm trying to secure a date. I'm trying to secure a commitment. I'm trying to narrow things down.

Do not leave that meeting. See, I'm repeating this thing because even though anyway, there's no need to offlog it. No need to offlog it. Just know that if you're here, I will be in touch. If you're here, I'll get back to you. If you're here, e-mail me a proposal or whatever. Don't be surprised that you enter into ghost mode and that even though you built good rapport talking about his life, talking about his power back,

talking about his work stress, talking about his family issues, don't be surprised if the thing does not move forward for excuse me. So that is what we do after we build rapport in business from rapport, we step off back to the business solution, the business proposition on ground. We do qualification and discovery, then we agree on the next step. But we don't leave it hanging, try and narrow it down. We're trying to secure an advancement.

We try to secure a date or commitment on the calendar. Excuse me, I'm recovering from a cold. That's why I'm sniffing up and down like this. All right, So even though this is what we do after we've established rapport, it now got me thinking because it's also a mistake that lots of people make. And Usman, Usman down for you. By the way, remember whenever I say Usman down for you, I'm talking about a lady. Her name is Usman down for you.

So she's in the construction software space. So this episode is about her. So Usman, Usman down for you. There's something I've told you before about single threading because there's one time Usman Dhanfolio and I were talking and I wanted to see how you know her playbook. OK, so what's the plan? When you enter an account, what do you say? Who do you look for? Who do you talk to? Well, let's look at it live. Now this particular account, who are you talking to?

And then she showed me everything, showed me the GAS profile on LinkedIn. But the problem was it was only one guy and I told her I was man, not be So what do you mean? I said no, be so. What you're doing is called single threading in sales, single threading. What we should be doing in sales is multi threading or those of you who are Americans, multi multi threading. We should not be doing single thread, single threading, multi threading.

This is just what it means. It just means how many viable conversations are you having in that account? How many good relationships, how many options do you have in that account? How many different routes do you have in that account? You cannot be trying to sell to one business in a business, to business space and you only have one point of contact in a business. It is a cardinal sin as far as sales and marketing is concerned.

If I'm trying to secure a deal with Dangote today, I cannot rest on the fact that it is only the PA's number that I have. I will get the PA's number. I will get down with his daughter's number. I will get down with his driver's number. I would look the number of the the amount of numbers I will get. It will surprise you because that's that's a good account. There's money on the line. I will not be single threaded when it comes to trying to collect money from that Gotti.

Multiple opportunities, multi threading. You can't be selling into an account and you only have one viable conversation. It is a scene. When it comes to business, it is a scene. So Usman, now for you. I suspect this is also another one of these situations where you are also single threaded. We should be having multiple conversations going on at the same time. So it is good that you've gotten through to this guy. You build rapport.

He says they're now going to talk to head of project. Apart from head of project, you should also be doing some runs to see how you can get connected to financial controller within this organization. Remember, she's into construction software. So I'm sticking to people who are in construction software in the construction space. Well, I'm guessing that these are the kind of people who are in construction space. So for those of you in construction, if I say a name that is not correct, you know,

forgive me, but you understand the spirit of where I'm heading. I'm assuming that a construction company do have financial controller. So while you are pursuing this head of project, also have one or two runs inside the company. See how you can be gaining access to financial controller then since it is construction software now software where they sell, you should also have one or two connect so that you might be talking to the CTO, the chief technology officer, or you're introduced to the chief technology officer or chief tech officer or head of IT or whatever.

Then these things also have implications for how the company is run. So I also think if you can talk to one or two people to see how you can be ushered into head of operations office is good. Then also if you have one or two contacts in procurement or accounting is also good if this connection head of project is the only thing that you're hanging on. Hi Guzman, you're in a dicey situation. Very, very dicey. So this is the reason why when it comes to sales and marketing,

especially B to B, business to business, all these big, big deals where everything is 1,000,000 millions, millions, you know, you close. In fact, that's the kind of sector I like. In the whole year, you only close 2 deals, but because each of the deals are worth, you know, several hundreds of millions and then your own Commission is 5% or something. By the time the commissioner hits your account, you smile. You go home.

Your wife says, why are you such in a good mood? You open your banking app. You show her. All of you smile and say, babe, you know what? We haven't seen your brother in Washington, DC in a while. Let's start looking at tickets. So that's the kind of one that I like. Big, big money, good money. My children are asking me when are we going to travel? This uncle save it. That's my brother, He's in Coventry. I told him countdown first.

I'm trying to make some money here. When the money is set, we'll travel, don't worry. And money never reached yet. So this is the kind of thing that I like. So when you're in this kind of situation, big, big, big, big, big. If we're doing hundreds and hundreds of millions or you're charging in dollars, you should not be single threaded, please. 2-3 people, 4-5 In fact, let me not give you a number, as many people as necessary.

So back to my total example. I was multi threaded. I knew somebody in procurement, I knew somebody in accounting. The person that brought me in was one of my classmates. She was in legal and compliance. I knew many people. The place that I messed up is I didn't find out how they make decisions, whether there's a committee that is involved, how they select vendors. I didn't do any of that research. I just assumed he's my classmate that brought me in everybody's gratifier.

I'm a correct guy, I'm a fine boy. I'm connecting up and down. I smell nice, I look good, skin is fresh, pot belly. Looking around, looking large, I'm in control. I didn't realize that I also had to be multi threaded to include secretary who is the head of the committee. So Usman down for you please. Please don't tell me you are single threaded on this one. I beg do not tell me you're single threaded if you're single threaded as much as you're now trying to revive the conversation with this guy to see how you can get introduced to the head of project, we also need to go back and come up with a plan for how will not be single threaded into this account.

I've mentioned some people now, financial controller, CTO, chief technology officer or head of IT, head of operations, pure comment. There are other ways that we can enter this thing. Yoruba people say that there are many ways to the market. That is the idea. We're trying to get to the market and Yoruba people say there are many ways to the market. Let us try and keep as many of these conversations, many of these relationships, many of these routes.

Let's try and keep as many of them as open as possible. That's the goal. So if we do this right, hopefully at the end of the year when the deal close, OK, we're already in December, so it's too late. This is the one all close this year. This one is now 2026 matter. So hopefully we do a good job and it's hundreds of millions. You collect your 10%, you go back home. Your husband says, ah, my dear, I will see you smile like this in a while.

Why are you smiling? You show him the banking app. Your husband will smile too and everything will be all right. So that's it. That's what to do. That is what we're supposed to do after we build rapport in business conversations and after we build rapport in business relationships. So if you're listening to this and you're in the bind, just like Guzman down for you, here are some ideas. Take them, apply them, do some more research and please reach out to me.

That's why I give my contact details at the beginning and at the end of every episode. You can find me on LinkedIn. My name is Tavishima Ayedi, I'm the host of the podcast. If you want to connect question query or you want us to collaborate because me, I'm all about that money. Anything that you're doing, there's money that's involved. You want to bring me on board, We can make this money. Call your boy. I told you my children are asking me when are we going to show on Crusivia and I told them calm down, money never reach.

Hook your boy up so that me too, I can travel. Is it fair that you listen to this podcast and you're traveling to Seychelles, San Tropez, Washington DC, Australia, just the tore up and down and then your boy that is helping you. I'm still here in Abuja, not traveling anywhere. Is it fair call your boy, hook me up. The phone number is 08064662140, so reach out. And yeah, that's it for today. So thanks for listening. I'll catch you all some other time.