The King of Building Trust
What one 32-minute conversation taught me about why trust still beats tactics in B2B.
Since the day I met Todd Bollenbach, he’s been one of those people everyone seems to know. In Entrepreneurs’ Organization (EO), he’s the guy who can connect anyone to anyone; a true maven. But the longer I’ve known him, the more I’ve realized that this isn’t just a social skill. It’s his superpower.
It’s what allowed him to build and sell a thriving B2B company in an industry where relationships drive everything. So when I found myself navigating the B2B world with my newer business, Trinity Builder Solutions, I asked Todd for help. He sat down with me, and what followed was a 32-minute masterclass on trust, the kind that makes you rethink how business really works.
Here are my four takeaways from my time with Todd. For the full interview, check it out on YouTube. It’s a great watch.
Lesson 1: B2B Still Means “People to People”
I came into a commercial subcontracting business thinking it meant systems, proposals, and low bids. It turns out those things are just table stakes. Todd told me, “Scott, in B2B, people don’t buy from companies, they buy from humans they already trust.”
He explained how his IT firm grew by focusing not on marketing funnels, but on relationships. Every client came from years of showing up: calls returned quickly, advice given freely, and always doing what he said he’d do.
When he said that, I realized how many B2B companies hide behind process. They think they’re being professional when they’re actually just being invisible. Todd’s business won because he refused to play that game. He stayed visible, personal, and reliable.
Lesson 2: Relationships Age Like Assets
One thing Todd said hit me hard: “Every relationship compounds. But only if you keep depositing.”
He treats his network like most of us treat our retirement accounts: consistent contributions over time. Quick check-ins, introductions that expect nothing in return, supporting the causes his customers care about, and small gestures of help.
I’ve watched him do it for years in EO. He doesn’t “work the room.” He builds bridges. When his company was growing, those bridges became the pipeline, not through flashy marketing, but because when something broke, his phone was the one that rang.
He told me, “If you do the right thing for long enough, business has a funny way of showing up.”
Lesson 3: Price Isn’t the Real Differentiator
Todd chuckled when I told him how often my B2B work comes down to pricing. “Yeah,” he said, “that’s how every rookie starts.” Ouch!
He explained that once trust is built, price becomes secondary. In his words, “When people know you’ll take care of them, they stop shopping you.”
Think about that. We spend so much time trying to optimize our bids when we could be optimizing trust. He said his best customers never asked for the lowest price; they asked, “Can you get it done, and will it go smoothly?”
That’s what they were really buying: peace of mind.
Lesson 4: There’s No Shortcut to Reputation
Towards the end of our time together, Todd said something I’ll never forget: “You can’t automate reputation.”
We live in a world obsessed with scaling: AI, automation, lead systems. Todd built his company by doing the opposite: staying hands-on, remembering names, sending personal texts, and showing up to shake hands.
That’s the kind of thing you can’t fake. And it’s precisely why he became the “go-to” guy in his market. Everyone trusted him, not because of his logo, but because of his word.
Wrap Up:
As we wrapped up, I told Todd it felt like I’d just taken a crash course in old-school business fundamentals. He smiled and said, “There’s nothing old-school about it. People just forgot.”
He’s right.
In B2B, relationships don’t scale easily, but they do sustain indefinitely. And when your entire business model depends on trust, that’s not a liability. It’s a moat.
For me, those 32 minutes reframed how I think about growth. Competitive bids and top-notch systems are essential, but they’re not what people remember. People remember how you made them feel.
And that’s what Todd, the King of Building Trust (my moniker, not his!), does better than anyone I know.
Thanks for reading this post. I appreciate you. In return, please share this with those you know who may be interested.
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Things I've Enjoyed Lately: I’ve read Never Eat Alone by Keith Ferrazzi at least three times. It’s one of those books that sounds cliché until you realize it perfectly describes people like Todd: the kind of connector who treats generosity as a long-term business strategy. Worth a revisit if you’re trying to grow a network the right way.
The reason we hired you in 2010 was because we trusted that you meant what you promised. Your bid was not the lowest, and although we could have gone with a lower bid, we chose you. Contractors are known for breaking promises and cutting corners in several areas. Throughout our several renovations, you proved yourself worthy. Were there bumps aling the way? Yep but you handled them and all worked out in the end. So, you knew this concept in 2010 when you truly were a rookie. It's great to watch you continue to grow!