Build Relationships Before You Need Them | Ronnie Cantin

What if your business relationships weren't built around what someone could send you? Ronnie Cantin joins Galen Hair to talk about one of the most important parts of growing a claims business: building genuine relationships before you need anything from someone. Ronnie's approach is simple. Get to know people. Help them. Stay in touch. Be honest. And don't make the relationship transactional. That philosophy has helped him build relationships throughout the property claims industry and expand his network well beyond Louisiana. In this episode, Ronnie and Galen discuss: Why trust is the foundation of referral relationships Building relationships before you need referrals How to network without immediately asking for business What to do during a slow hurricane season How Ronnie expanded his network outside Louisiana Why your hobbies and personality can actually help you network The difference between genuine relationships and transactional “fake love” Why telling someone “no” can sometimes build more trust than taking their business How AI could change relationship-based business development Why AI should support relationships instead of replacing them The big takeaway: Build the relationship first. The business can come later. 00:00 Intro: Relationships Are About More Than Business 01:08 Ronnie's Path Into Property Claims 03:23 Why Ronnie Started His Own Firm 04:38 Why Relationships Became the Focus 05:37 Trust Is the Foundation 06:22 How to Build Trust in a Competitive Industry 07:45 Going Deeper Than “Send Me Your Claims” 08:19 Building Relationships Before You Need Them 10:00 The Problem With Transactional Relationships 11:01 What to Do During a Slow Hurricane Season 12:46 Build the Infrastructure Before the Storm 14:28 Expanding a Network Beyond Your Home State 15:59 Why Real Relationships Create Referrals 17:01 Why Your Hobbies Matter in Business 20:11 Stop Selling Yourself and Start Telling the Story 21:18 Why Being a Straight Shooter Builds Trust 22:37 When Saying No Is the Right Business Decision 25:24 Will AI Change Relationship Building? 26:39 Don't Let AI Replace Your Salespeople 27:36 Ronnie's Definition of Leveling Up 28:00 Final Takeaway ____________________________________________ Insurance companies are in business to make money, not to spend money. The Level Up Claims podcast helps public adjusters, contractors, and attorneys understand the property insurance loss game and create a winning strategy to help homeowners recover from a disaster. And we're not stopping there. This podcast is also focused on helping business owners and entrepreneurs grow their companies through improvements in operations and processes through winning strategies. Host Galen Hair talks to industry experts and thought leaders to give you priceless insight so you can maximize your claims and grow your business to the next level. Links Apple: podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/level-up-claims/id1628586764 Spotify: open.spotify.com/show/65eQRFjS9MsbjaGPtYKhPq #Podcast #LevelUpClaims #InsuranceClaims #PublicAdjuster #contractor #attorney #roofer #lawyer #entrepreneur #marketing #operations #processes #mindset #improvement #storm #stormrestoration #claimsadjuster #propertyattorney