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

Stop Guessing: How Reality Capture Improves Construction Productivity
January 20, 2026

Construction projects lose time and money when teams rely on assumptions. Someone says a section is “done,” another trade arrives, and then problems appear: wrong levels, missing openings, clashing services, or unfinished areas. That leads to rework, delays, and arguments. Reality capture helps because it replaces opinions with clear evidence. Reality capture means using tools…

Read More
Human Trafficking
National Human Trafficking Prevention Month
January 20, 2026

School Safety Today podcast, presented by Raptor Technologies. In this episode of School Safety Today, host Dr. Amy Grosso speaks with Kelly Brickl, a trainer with SPEAK UP, in recognition of National Human Trafficking Prevention Month. During the conversation, Brickl shares data, real-world warning signs, and explains how age-appropriate, research-based prevention curricula can empower…

Read More
college
A One-Year College Alternative: How Pega6 Is Preparing to Train AI-First, Job-Ready Talent
January 19, 2026

The traditional four-year college model is facing growing pressure as rising tuition, shifting labor market demands, and new technological realities expose gaps between education and employment outcomes. Confidence in the traditional college pathway is eroding among parents, students, and employers as rising costs and persistent skills gaps collide with the reality that many new…

Read More
radio
Where Experience Meets the Extreme: John F5VHQ at the World’s Most Isolated Radio Outpost
January 16, 2026

For some operators, Bouvet Island is the final frontier. For John (F5VHQ), it is a challenge that stands apart even after decades of DXpedition experience. A veteran of more than twenty years in the field and Vice President of the Clipperton DX Club, John joins the multinational 3Y0K team with both experience and conviction….

Read More