The Executive Edge podcast guest this week is Scott Grates, a best-selling American author, podcast host, entrepreneur, TEDx speaker and successful coach for small business owners.

Based in upstate New York, Scott tells the story of how he, after humble beginnings, was the first in his family to graduate university before forging a successful business career.

After working initially in the real estate business, he changed tack after the economic crisis of 2008 and started an insurance agency with, as he admits, “no experience”.

Driven by an entrepreneurial spirit that carries over to this day, Scott dismisses the notion of overnight success.

Instead, Scott shares how he invested time and energy into building the insurance agency, putting considerable emphasis on building and nurturing relationships, one day at a time.

For Scott, the “connection economy” is paramount and his business mindset is not “sales”. Instead, he believes that it is building meaningful connections and nurturing relationships that leads to better business opportunities and ultimately success.

Now, on the back of a number of successful businesses, Scott recently published Referrals Done Right .

As Scott says, “Every small business owner is on the hunt for more customers.

In the book, Scott outlines how he built a solid, successful business through relationships and person branding in his community and shares his four-part methodology known as the Infinite Referral Advantage.

For Scott, this comes from turning your existing network into your most valuable marketing tool.

Throughout the show, Scott gives an insight into the kind of mindset needed to succeed.

Quoting boxing legend Muhammad Ali, he reminds us that “You don’t lose if you get knocked down; you lose if you stay down.”

It’s not all business

A father of three, Scott has also written a book for teens, which he discusses on the show, “Essential F-Words for Teens: The 117 Things You Need to Know Before Graduation.

It was originally written for his son Tyler in his senior year of high school and aims to help teens:

• Make strategic and effective decisions at various turning points
• Create a compelling vision for the future
• Increase self-awareness and self-confidence
• Embrace failures and recognize future opportunities at every moment

Scott’s creative approach to the challenges of life, whether in business or family, is an engaging listen.

To learn more about Scott’s approach to business, check out the Referrals Done Right podcast that is a splendid complement to his book.