In the race to grow a business or build personal relationships, it’s easy to fixate on speed… more followers, more leads, more visibility. But real influence isn’t measured in acceleration alone. It’s measured in depth… how deeply you connect, how much trust you earn, and how consistently you show up. Because when you’re building something personal, whether you’re a consultant, creator, entrepreneur, or executive, your relationships are your brand.
ROR: The Value of Human Currency: RETURN ON RELATIONSHIP (ROR) is the value gained from genuine connection. Unlike ROI, which tracks dollars and conversions, ROR reflects loyalty, advocacy, and long-term trust—assets no algorithm can replicate. When people trust you, they refer you to others. When they feel seen by you, they support you. When they believe in your voice, they amplify it.
ROR isn’t just a philosophy… it’s a business advantage.
Beyond “Grow Fast and Break Things”: The old tech-world motto “Move fast and break things” doesn’t translate well to people. If you break trust, by chasing shortcuts, overpromising, or prioritizing numbers over people, you may win attention, but you’ll lose credibility. Your name, your word, and your intent matter. And while growth is exciting, depth is enduring.
Grow Fast, But Connect Deeper: Let this be your new mantra:
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Grow fast in creativity, content, and courage… but connect deeper in empathy, generosity, and intention.
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Expand your reach… but nurture the relationships behind it.
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Build your brand… but lead with your values.
You don’t need to scale like a tech giant. You just need to scale trust. Because trust travels. And trust refers. REAL trumps PERFECT every time… because REAL creates TRUST.
RETURN ON RELATIONSHIP as Your Compass: When you prioritize RETURN ON RELATIONSHIP, you’re building more than a business, you’re building a reputation, a legacy, a tribe. You’re not just trying to be seen, you’re trying to be remembered. Not just for what you did, but for how you made people feel along the way. A Brand is what a business/person does, a Reputation is what people Remember and Share.
Yes, grow fast…. but never at the expense of connection. Because the most sustainable form of growth, personal or professional, is built not on clicks or likes, but on relationships. And Return on Relationship is the ROI that truly compounds.
Relationships are like muscle tissue, the more you engage them, the stronger and more valuable they become.