In this episode, we begin Part IV of The Trust Premium—the final part of the book, where we move from understanding trust to applying it through a structured process. I read Chapter 17, which introduces the Trust Premium Process, a three-phase framework designed to help you identify whether your industry rewards trust, how much of a premium customers are willing to pay, and how to target the segments that value it most. You’ll learn how to survey your industry, assess your current trust position, and prepare to build new trust-building habits that will raise your value, retention, and referrals. If trust is a differentiator, this is how you make it work for you.

What makes a customer trust you before they’ve even met you? In this episode, I read Chapter 16 of The Trust Premium and explore the final behavior in Part III of the book: transferrable trust. You’ll learn how trust flows into and out of customer relationships through Reviews, References, Recommendations, and Reputation—the Four Rs. We’ll talk about how to ethically build outbound trust, how prospective customers interpret it as inbound trust, and how to avoid common missteps that damage credibility. This is where trust gets passed—not just earned—and it’s a critical part of how you grow your influence and your business.

I know—it’s been over two months since my last episode. I’ve been buried in writing a textbook and workbook called Is it Really a Great Idea? That’s where I’ve been. And in this episode, I’ll share what happened during those two months, how the book came together, and why it became a textbook—not just another business book.

This will be the only time I talk about it here, because I’m launching a second podcast focused entirely on idea evaluation and entrepreneurship.

Starting now, this podcast will come out every other week. The new podcast will release on the alternating weeks. And yes—I’ll be back next episode to finish the last four chapters of The Trust Premium.

Thanks for sticking with me. Let’s catch up.