????**“The Real ROI: Relationships Over Everything”**
By Marques Ogden
“Strong relationships yield strong results.” – Marques Ogden
When I transitioned from the NFL into the business world, I had to learn fast: relationships are the currency. They either grow your wealth or drain it.
When I lost my 8-figure construction business, I didn’t just lose money — I lost relationships I hadn’t nurtured. Contacts I hadn’t followed up with. Opportunities I didn’t see because I wasn’t looking through the lens of connecting.
Let’s talk about what real networking means.
???? Business Isn’t About Who You Know — It’s About Who Trusts You
Research from Harvard Business Review shows that trust-based relationships in Business are more predictive of long-term success than sales strategy alone. Sixty-five percent of B2B deals originate from warm connections.
Still, too many people fall into these patterns:
???? The Relationship Traps That Hold You Back:
You meet someone and never follow up.
You forget important dates or milestones.
You only reach out when you need something.
When we treat people like tools instead of teammates, they sense it. And we lose credibility, connection, and opportunity.
So what do successful leaders do differently?
???? Relationship Habits That Generate Real ROI:
Follow up within 24 hours of a new connection with a short, sincere message.
It could be a LinkedIn request, a voice memo, or an email that says, “Great to meet you — here’s how I’d love to stay connected.”
Offer value before asking for anything.
Can you make an introduction for them? Can you promote their work? Can you celebrate their win? Start there.
Celebrate people consistently.
A birthday text. A LinkedIn comment. A “just checking in” message. These are the little things that build enormous trust.
???? Key Takeaway:
Relationships are living things. If you don’t feed them, they wither. If you nurture them, they thrive — and so do you.
Your challenge this week:
???? Reconnect with someone you haven’t spoken to in months.
Not to sell. Not to ask. Just to say, “You’ve been on my mind.”
Because at the end of the day, your biggest wins won’t come from your pitch deck — they’ll come from your people.
