How to Build Sustainable Relationships in Business

While the world of business continues to change and evolve, one thing remains the same. Success depends greatly on relationships. No matter your industry or role, you can’t achieve your goals without building relationships. Cathy Feil O’Donnell, a long-time media sales account executive, offered her perspective on how people are doing business today.

O’Donnell is a long-time colleague and friend of co-host Crumpton.  She met him years ago while in radio sales, and they had an immediate connection. It started with a cold call. “When I started in radio sales, I was given a phone book and told to go at it. I just didn’t have any fear. I love meeting people and have always been passionate about wanting to help someone,” she recalled.

The sentiment that sales and business, in general, is about wanting to help others succeed is shared by the hosts as well. Empowering others and making customers the hero is the hallmark of any great sales leader. O’Donnell said, “It’s important to support and listen to customers, be humble, and help them brand their business, so they get the ROI they deserve.”

O’Donnell believes in being kind and caring, no matter if she’s talking to a prospective customer or her friends at the grocery store. “Connecting is what it’s all about,” she commented.

In these times, where a pandemic is impacting business health as well as the physical and emotional well-being of so many, O’Donnell is sensitive to the fact that many can’t afford to advertise right now. That doesn’t stop her from building the relationship and wanting to be a “light” for all those she encounters. This demeanor serves her well as a person and a successful businesswoman.

Make sure to follow along for more episodes of Straight Outta Crumpton!

Straight Outta Crumpton with Greg Crumpton

Follow us on social media for the latest updates in B2B!

Image

Latest

military
Just Thinking… About Applying Military Discipline and Decision-Making to Entrepreneurial Growth with Kris Groves
December 17, 2025

Career transitions rarely follow a straight line—especially for people coming out of the military. For many veterans, the challenge isn’t discipline or work ethic, but figuring out how deeply technical, high-stakes experience translates into civilian industries that speak a very different language. As more service members step into entrepreneurship, the real question becomes less about…

Read More
Hiring
Hiring Rewired: Human Intelligence in the AI-Driven Job Market
December 16, 2025

As artificial intelligence continues to reshape recruiting—from resume screening and job descriptions to candidate sourcing and interview workflows—the hiring process has become faster, more automated, and increasingly complex. According to the World Economic Forum, approximately 88% of companies now use some form of AI to filter or rank job applications, signaling how deeply embedded automation…

Read More
Expanding Monitoring in Acute Care and Beyond
Expanding Monitoring in Acute Care and Beyond
December 16, 2025

As hospitals look beyond the ICU to improve outcomes across the entire continuum of care, a key question emerges: how do you expand patient monitoring without overwhelming clinicians with more alarms, more noise, and more work? This episode—part three of a five-part Health and Life Sciences at the Edge series exploring The Future of…

Read More
mindset
Rob Paylor’s Mindset Masterclass After a Life-Changing Rugby Injury: Rise, Recover, and Redefine What’s Possible
December 16, 2025

Every year, an estimated 17,000 Americans suffer spinal cord injuries, many of which permanently alter the course of their lives.. For former collegiate rugby player Rob Paylor, a devastating injury left him paralyzed from the shoulders down. Doctors told him he would never walk or move his hands again. But instead of accepting that fate,…

Read More