Insights from Ask the CFO with John Gies

In our most recent Ask the CFO session, I had the opportunity to sit down with John Gies, founder of Resonant Business Solutions, to talk about something most business owners rely on—but very few truly manage well:

Referrals.

Before we get into it, here’s where you can connect with John and learn more about his work:

• Website: https://johngies.com
• Company: https://resonantbusinesssolutions.com/
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/johnrgies/ (he’s very active there) 
• Referral Clarity Workshop: https://www.convergo.co/referral-clarity-workshop/

   

If you’re spending time networking and wondering why it’s not turning into consistent opportunities, this conversation is worth your time.

Most Businesses Rely on Referrals… But Don’t Build Them

What stood out to me right away is something I see all the time in my own work.

We systematize everything in our businesses:

• Finance
• Operations
• Delivery
• Marketing

But when it comes to referrals, we leave it to chance.

We meet people. We have conversations. We follow up occasionally. And we hope something comes from it.

That’s not a strategy—it’s randomness.

What John brought to the conversation, and what I’ve been thinking more about since, is that referrals can—and should—be treated like a system.

The Shift: From Networking to Intentional Relationships

A lot of us spend time “networking,” and if you’ve been in business long enough, you know how that goes.

You have ten conversations. Maybe one of them turns into something meaningful.

That’s just the math most of us accept.

But what if the issue isn’t the number of conversations—it’s the lack of structure behind them?

One of the biggest takeaways from this session is that we need to stop thinking about networking as volume and start thinking about it as design.

That starts with asking a better question:

Who are the right people to have in my network—and why?

Your Ideal Referral Partner Matters More Than You Think

Most business owners can describe their ideal client fairly well.

Far fewer can clearly describe their ideal referral partner.

That’s where things begin to fall apart.

John made a point that really stuck with me: a strong referral partner isn’t just someone who “knows people.” They need to have both fit and access.

• Fit means they are already in conversations related to the problems you solve
• Access means they regularly interact with your ideal client

If those two things aren’t there, referrals become occasional at best.

This also explains why some relationships feel good but never produce anything. There’s no alignment in the conversations that matter.

Relationships Drive Referrals—Not Meetings

One thing I shared during the session, and it’s something I’ve experienced repeatedly, is that referrals don’t come from a single conversation.

They come from familiarity over time.

I had someone reach out to me recently based on something they heard about me 18 months ago. At the time, they didn’t need what I do. When they did, they remembered.

That doesn’t happen by accident.

It happens because you stay present and you build real relationships.

That means going deeper than surface-level introductions. If I don’t understand exactly what someone does, how they help, and when to bring them into a conversation, I’m not going to refer them. And they’re not going to refer me.

Value First—Always

Another idea that came up, and one I agree with strongly, is that your network shouldn’t feel like a pipeline you’re trying to extract from.

It should feel like a place where you contribute.

That can look like:

• Making introductions
• Sharing resources
• Amplifying someone’s work
• Collaborating on something meaningful

When you consistently show up that way, something shifts. You’re no longer just “in someone’s network.” You’re someone they think of when something relevant comes up.

That’s where referrals actually start to become consistent.

The Piece Most of Us Avoid: Follow-Up

If I’m being honest, this is an area where I’ve had to improve.

It’s easy to have a great conversation and then move on to the next thing without any structure behind it.

One of the more practical ideas from the session was simple but effective:

Categorize your relationships.

• A-level: people you connect with monthly
• B-level: quarterly
• C-level: a couple times a year
• And some that you don’t need to continue with

Then put it on the calendar.

Because if it’s not scheduled, it’s not going to happen.

This is where referrals move from intention to execution.

Referrals Aren’t Just About New Business

There’s another angle here that I think gets overlooked.

Some of the most valuable relationships in my network don’t send me direct business.

They make me better at what I do.

When I can tell a client, “I know someone who can help with that,” and bring in the right person, I’m increasing the value I deliver without trying to do everything myself.

That’s a different level of service, and it’s one of the biggest benefits of building a strong network.

The Balance Between Serving and Selling

We also spent time talking about something that every business owner feels, whether they admit it or not.

There’s a tension between:

• Showing up to serve
• And needing to close business

If you push too hard, you lose trust. If you never move things forward, nothing happens.

The balance is in how you show up.

Good selling isn’t about pressure. It’s about understanding the problem clearly enough that when you offer a solution, it’s either a fit or it’s not.

That comes from listening—really listening—not just waiting for your turn to talk.

Don’t Underestimate the Human Side of This

One of the things I’ve come to appreciate more since starting my own business is how important community is.

When you’re not inside a larger organization, it’s easy to feel like you’re operating in a vacuum.

A strong network changes that.

You have people you trust, people who understand what you’re dealing with, and people you can rely on for perspective.

That’s not just helpful—it’s necessary.

Final Thought

If there’s one takeaway from this session, it’s this:

Referrals are too important to leave to chance.

Start small. Identify the right people. Be intentional about the relationship. Put a simple structure around how you stay connected.

You don’t need to overcomplicate it.

You just need to be consistent.

And if you do that, referrals stop being something you hope for—and start becoming something you can rely on.