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Building Genuine Connections in the AI Era: With Ed Forteau
This episode provides a refreshing, practical approach that focuses on daily micro-improvements and authentic conversation.
Jung Kim
July 15, 2025
If you're tired of feeling like sales is a game of numbers and manipulation, today's episode will completely transform your approach.
Jung sits down with Ed Forteau, author of "No More Cringe" and creator of the "Genuine Connection" method for sales, to explore how authentic human connection remains the cornerstone of effective business relationships—even as AI transforms the landscape.
You can watch the full video in Youtube
Ed shares his 30+ years of wisdom on moving beyond old-school sales tactics to create meaningful relationships that naturally lead to business growth. This conversation feels like getting advice from your most experienced mentor who finally gives you permission to sell in a way that feels good.
If you've ever:
Felt uncomfortable with traditional sales techniques
Wondered how AI is changing the sales landscape
Struggled to build genuine connections at scale
Tried "going viral" but found it unsustainable
Felt overwhelmed by all the digital marketing "shoulds"
Ed's "three pillars" framework - comfort, trust, and confidence - offers a timeless foundation that AI can enhance but never replace. You'll learn why one meaningful conversation per day, improved by just 1% each time, is the sustainable path to business growth that feels aligned with your values.
3 Key Opinions from Ed
1. Conversation is the foundation of sales
"Sales is about conversation, especially in B2B. Most people aren't going to buy what you have to sell, especially if you're selling it for any significant amount without a conversation happening." (43:42)
Ed emphasizes that despite all the technological advances and marketing automation, the fundamental need for human dialogue remains unchanged. His approach centers on creating opportunities for genuine conversation rather than broadcasting messages. This represents a significant shift from volume-based outreach to quality-based connection.
2. Trust remains essential despite technological change
"The need for trust, the power of empathy, the importance of listening, those are timeless qualities... You have to have comfort, trust, and confidence. So people have to be comfortable with you. They have to trust you. And they have to have the confidence that you're actually going to deliver what you say you're going to deliver." (15:23)
Ed's "three pillars" framework provides a timeless foundation for sales that technology can enhance but never replace. He argues that regardless of how sophisticated AI becomes, these human elements remain the deciding factors in business relationships. Without them, no amount of technological assistance will close deals consistently.
3. Commenting beats posting for business growth
"Posting establishes authority. But if you're counting on it to make sales, it's a losing game. It's a very low probability effort. You're much better off commenting on other people's posts." (35:02)
In a counterintuitive twist, Ed revealed that he's had more success with thoughtful comments than original content. He shared a story about receiving 1,500+ impressions on a comment when some struggle to get 500 on their posts. The strategy works because it's more targeted - you're engaging directly with people already interested in a topic, rather than hoping the right audience finds your content.
3 Key Questions Answered
1. Is AI really changing everything in sales?
"I see AI shifting the tempo of business where it handles repetitive tasks and speeds up the process, but at the cost of warmth. So I see this widening gap of efficiency and connection and clients just really crave relevance and resonance. And the people that are winning when they're using AI are using AI to assist them in creating more human space and interaction, not replacing it with AI." (04:01)
Ed's perspective offers a balanced view of AI's impact. Rather than seeing AI as either salvation or threat, he positions it as a tool that creates space for more meaningful human interaction when used correctly. The key is understanding where efficiency matters and where human warmth is irreplaceable.
2. What task will you never delegate to AI?
"Listening with empathy, that's 100% human." (49:28)
While AI can help summarize conversations and track details, Ed maintains that genuine empathetic listening remains uniquely human. He explains that AI can enhance this process by capturing details we might miss, allowing us to focus more completely on the person speaking rather than taking notes. This creates a virtuous cycle where technology helps us be more present and human.
3. What advice do you have for entrepreneurs feeling overwhelmed by AI?
"We're looking for one conversation a day and looking to improve that by 1% every day. So it's really the slight edge. It seems like it's a small thing to do... But if you apply the atomic habits of improving 1%, then you're gonna get there so much faster. You have the compounding of that single action." (51:12)
Ed draws on principles from "The Slight Edge" and "Atomic Habits" to create a sustainable approach to business growth. Rather than chasing viral content or implementing complex systems, he advocates for consistent small improvements that compound over time. This approach has proven successful with all his clients, providing a realistic alternative to the "overnight success" myth.
In a particularly revealing moment, Ed shared his experience with a viral post that received over 4,000 likes and 600 comments:
"It was exhausting trying to reply to the comments and I thought I don't want to do this very often. In fact, I don't want to do it again, quite frankly." (54:10)
This honest assessment challenges the common aspiration for viral content, highlighting how the pursuit of visibility can actually undermine relationship-building. Ed noted that many potential leads were lost because he couldn't follow up effectively while managing the flood of comments.
Looking Forward
Ed is launching the Genuine Connection Alliance, a community designed to help entrepreneurs grow through trust, collaboration, and connection rather than manipulation and marketing tactics. This initiative embodies his philosophy that business growth comes through relationship rather than transaction.
As AI continues transforming business, this conversation reminds us that technology works best when it enhances our humanity rather than replacing it. The future belongs to those who use AI as a co-pilot, not those who try to automate away the human elements that ultimately drive business decisions.
Want to learn more? Follow Ed on LinkedIn and subscribe to his newsletters: Business Rainmaker and Strategic Ally Method.
🔥 Ready to Exit The Hamster Wheel?
This program is offered for free - driven by Jung Kim (CEO & Co-founder Klipy) and Russell Gapasin (Growth Lead @ Klipy) for SMB service business owners that use Klipy CRM.
If you ever want to slot in a quick 30-minute chat with me, you can use this link to book a time:
To sustainable growth,
Jung
Jung Kim
Co-founder & CEO of Klipy
klipycrm.com
The Zero-Admin Sales CRM for Service Businesses