Here is a suitable title for the blog post: **"Stop Selling, Start Serving: The 'Make a Friend' Method for Building a Faith-Driven Business Through Kingdom Networking"**

# Kingdom Networking and Servant Leadership: How the "Make a Friend" Method Builds a Business That Lasts Most entrepreneurs walk into a networking event with one thing on their mind: leads. They scan the room for the right title, the right budget, the right opportunity. And somewhere in the process, the human on the other side of the conversation gets reduced to a potential transaction. If that approach has ever left you feeling hollow — or worse, ineffective — you are not alone. There is a better way to build influence in the marketplace, and it does not require a pushy pitch or a polished sales script. It requires something far more countercultural: genuine service. This article unpacks a Kingdom networking framework built on servant leadership, biblical stewardship, and the kind of legacy thinking that outlasts any single sale. The ideas explored here come directly from a powerful conversation with entrepreneur Cheryl Cobbin on the *Conquer with Chris* podcast episode, **"Kingdom Networking: Stop Selling and Start Serving (The 'Make a Friend' Method)."** If you want to go deeper after reading, that episode is available to listen to or watch in full — and it is absolutely worth your time. Whether you are a mompreneur stepping into your calling, a solopreneur trying to create financial margin in a tough economy, or a faith-driven business owner who wants to build something that honors God and blesses others, what follows is the blueprint. --- ## The "Make a Friend" Method: A Kingdom Networking Strategy That Actually Works The world's networking model is transactional by design. It asks, consciously or not, *"What can this person do for me?"* Cheryl Cobbin flips that question entirely. Her approach to Kingdom networking starts with a different posture: *"How can I serve this person or connect them to someone who can?"* She calls it the "Make a Friend" Method, and it is disarmingly simple. When Cheryl enters a new conversation, her goal is not to close a deal. It is to listen. She looks for common ground, asks about the other person's story, and pays attention to where she might add value — even if that value has nothing to do with her own business. As she puts it, *"I try to make a friend. I find something that there's maybe a commonality… and if not, you know what, at least I've made a friend."* This is not a soft or naive strategy. It is a Kingdom mindset applied to the marketplace. It is grounded in a biblical truth that host Chris Coler frames plainly: *"The greatest among you is the one who serves the most."* When you internalize that principle, the entire energy of how you build relationships and grow a business shifts. Here is what the "Make a Friend" Method looks like in practice: - **Listen first.** Ask about the other person's journey, their goals, and their current challenges before you ever mention what you do. - **Connect generously.** If you cannot directly help, think of someone in your network who can and make the introduction. Become a connector, not just a closer. - **Trust the long game.** Influence follows relationship. A genuine connection made today often becomes a referral, a partnership, or a loyal client months down the road. - **Release the outcome.** As Chris asks in the episode, how do you stay attached to the input — showing up, serving, giving — but not the outcome? That level of freedom comes from trusting that God honors faithfulness, not just hustle. This is what separates Kingdom networking from conventional networking. It is not a tactic. It is a way of operating in the marketplace that reflects your values every single time. --- ## Seven Kingdom Business Insights That Will Change How You Work ### 1. Servant Leadership Is a Competitive Advantage In an economy flooded with noise, genuine service is rare and therefore powerful. Cheryl grew up with a posture of serving others, and she has carried that into her business life. When you lead with what you can give rather than what you can get, you build trust faster, attract better clients, and develop a reputation that no advertising budget can replicate. **Practical example:** Before your next sales call or discovery conversation, write down one resource, connection, or piece of advice you can offer the other person — completely free, with no strings attached. Lead with that. ### 2. A Kingdom Mindset Starts Before the Workday Does Cheryl is intentional about setting her mindset every single morning. Her routine