Suzanne Roberts, Principal of UnifyingSolutions, is a seasoned coach, author, facilitator, and speaker, with over five decades of experience in guiding organizations and individuals toward transformative change. Since 1979, she has worked with a diverse range of corporations, businesses, and non-profits, specializing in leadership development, cultural competence, and organizational resilience.

She provides training and facilitation in The Great Reconnection™ and Consulting, helping individuals and teams cultivate vibrant, purposeful, and liberated lives and cultures.

The Great Reconnection™ Coaching is more than just a coaching method—it’s a transformative pathway designed to help you reclaim YOU and step into your authentic power. Through this process, you’ll align with your deepest self, unshackled from the weight of external pressures and societal expectations.

In this episode, Jess and Suzanne discuss:

Being in a "trust recession" and why authentic online sharing builds the kind of connection that leads to real business relationships. Suzanne shares why vulnerability paired with a pathway forward is what moves people to reach out.

How Suzanne launched her podcast in May 2024 for the sheer fun of it and has already reached 35 countries and 2,600 downloads, interviewing guests weekly with a monthly wisdom drop segment called Wisdom Drops.

The unique pre-interview ritual Suzanne uses with every guest: a centering breath, a moment of presence, and an intention set together before recording begins. Jess shares why this was unlike anything she has experienced in hundreds of podcast appearances.

Why there is no amount of strategy and tactics that will sustainably grow your business if your nervous system is dysregulated, and what it looks like to build a culture that is expansive rather than driven by pressure and burnout.

Suzanne's 50-year evolution as a coach, from organizational development and team leadership to somatic work at the Strozzi Institute, to nervous system resets with a literal massage table in her office.

Research Suzanne is now pursuing after discovering that leaders are spending 60 to 85 percent of their day in disconnection and often cannot identify their own signal to reconnect.

Connect with Suzanne Roberts at https://unifyingsolutions.com/

Book your Discovery Call with Jess at https://interviewconnections.com/call

In over 13 years of podcast experience, Jessica has never seen a marketing agency do what Deanna and Ashley are doing with their podcast. Ducks Unplugged isn't just a show about marketing; it's a living, breathing reflection of who Blue Duck Agency is and what it feels like to work with them.

About our guests

Deanna Dolecki is president of Blue Duck Agency, a boutique female-founded marketing agency. A Gen X professional with over 25 years in marketing, Deanna leads with strategy, flexibility, and a refusal to take herself too seriously. Ashley Ruggeri is a senior marketing executive and millennial mom with over 15 years of experience building results-driven programs. Together, they run Blue Duck and co-host Ducks Unplugged, a show as authentic as the agency itself.

What we cover

• Why Deanna and Ashley launched a podcast to differentiate in an industry where agencies all sell the same things
• The insight that changed how Jess sees their show: it's not that the podcast shaped their culture, it's that it mirrors it
• How their low-prep, bullet-point-only approach produces more authentic (and more entertaining) episodes than scripted content ever could
• The basement studio story and why a corner of Ashley's son's toy room beats a professional studio
• Their production process: batching four episodes per shoot, a dedicated producer named Cindy, and a director who has mastered the angles
• Why their ideal clients watch the podcast before ever getting on a call and what that means for their sales cycle
• The dream client Deanna is absolutely going after (hint: it involves online dating)

About Blue Duck Agency

Blue Duck is a full-service, results-based marketing agency specializing in acquisition, retention, and loyalty programs — with deep expertise in membership and subscription businesses. Every client works directly with senior staff. No hand-offs, no junior teams running your account.

Subscribe to Ducks Unplugged on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@DucksUnplugged

Ready to leverage podcast guesting to attract dream clients? Schedule a call with Jessica now at http://interviewconnections.com/call

Episode Description:

Podcast guesting is one of the most powerful networking strategies available to coaches today, but are you making the most of the time before and after the recording? In this episode, Jessica sits down with networking expert, speaker, and podcast host Michael Forman to talk about how to network with a servant's heart, turn pre-show conversations into lasting business relationships, and why a simple handwritten thank you note might be the highest-ROI move in your entire marketing strategy.

What you'll learn in this episode:

• Why the best networkers lead with giving, not getting, and how to bring that mindset into every podcast conversation
• The "gold nugget" question to ask a podcast host that immediately sets you apart from every other guest
• How to make a host feel comfortable and truly seen during your pre- and post-show chats
• Why handwritten thank you notes have a 100% open rate (and how to actually get someone's mailing address)
• The simple follow-up sequence that keeps you top of mind without being pushy
• When to use a CRM vs. staying personal with your top 50 contacts
• Tips from Michael's new book, From Airwaves to Income, on monetizing your podcast

Connect with Michael: michaelaforman.com

Ready to turn podcast interviews into dream clients? Book a call at interviewconnections.com/call