Why Real Relationships Are the Secret to Growing Your Business with Mo Bunnell

This week, I talk with my friend Mo Bunnell, founder of GrowBIG and the Bunnell Idea Group, which offers one of the most in-depth, relationship-driven trainings on sales and business development. Mo is the author of Give to Grow, a book I recommend to anyone interested in learning business development with a values-centered approach. We start by diving into Mo’s personal life, his deep commitment to family, and the strength of his marriage. In the second half, Mo shares his unique business development framework, applying it to my business in ways that make it practical and actionable. Mo’s insights reveal how success, when rooted in genuine connection, transforms careers and lives. I hope you enjoy this conversation with one of the kindest, most relationship-driven people I know. Let’s get to it!

In this episode:

(00:00) - Intro
(03:32) - How Mo ended up tied to a donkey in the Colorado mountains
(09:22) - Reflecting on 32 years of marriage
(12:41) - The power of writing down goals
(16:13) - Case study: Pursuing a dream home
(24:45) - Parenting and the importance of family rituals
(34:59) - Celebrating achievements and friendships
(37:21) - The role of community and friendship
(39:26) - Building a sense of belonging
(40:00) - The Breckenridge and Mashup experience
(41:01) - Creating and hosting events
(49:28) - Writing, publishing, and becoming an author
(01:03:35) - Applying the Give to Grow framework
(01:11:52) - The five lies we tell ourselves
(01:14:31) - Overcoming the lies and setting goals
(01:19:35) - Designing a buy-in process
(01:22:14) - Identifying and engaging with clients
(01:24:49) - The power of specialization
(01:30:37) - Creating scalable systems
(01:38:37) - Mo's beautiful future
(01:40:23) - Who Mo is becoming

Key Takeaways

Design Your Life for Best Results: Mo emphasizes the importance of designing life consciously rather than drifting through it. He describes three approaches—drifting, being driven, and designing—and advocates for life by design, where values and priorities are actively aligned, allowing you to stay balanced and achieve long-term fulfillment.
Family and Rituals are Cornerstones: Mo and his wife have cultivated a strong family life by building annual and monthly rituals, such as an annual family “movie” that showcases memories from the year. These rituals reinforce family connections, create lasting memories, and help keep family central when life is busy.
Written Goals Create Clarity and Focus: Writing down life goals, even aspirational ones, brings clarity and accountability. Mo shares how writing a 10-year vision for his life led him to not only meet but exceed those goals, demonstrating the power of written intention to keep long-term priorities front and center.
Community is Fuel for Excellence: Reflecting on his own experiences, Mo highlights the value of community and intentional friendships. Building connections and maintaining meaningful relationships, both professionally and personally, provide support, inspiration, and a sense of belonging that enhance life’s richness.
Balance Achievement and Well-being: While many professionals can be driven in one area, Mo advocates for a more integrated approach that balances personal and professional life, including family, health, and personal growth. This approach leads to a more fulfilling and well-rounded life, avoiding the sacrifices often seen in single-focused ambition.

Quotes

“Driven mode is great for short-term success but usually comes at the cost of something important, like family or health. Design mode is about balance.” ~ Mo Bunnell

“A friend of mine, Max, said this at a conference: without community, we're a commodity. And I just thought that was really profound, and in a few words summarizes this thing I believe in.” ~ Mo Bunnell

“I think the world is tired of sales books that sort of center everybody on themselves. I think the world needs a book around having a relationship-centric approach, meaning I'm going to help people. I'm going to do it at every chance I can, but it's going to happen to help me achieve my goals as well.” ~ Mo Bunnell

“If anybody says,” I'm good at a bunch of things”, you're good at nothing. Nobody can remember more than one or two things. The law of positioning basically says the more narrow your position, the more power, leverage, and impact it has on people.” ~ Mo Bunnell

Links