The B Team Podcast
Talking all things Business, Bentonville, and Bourbon. Hosted by Josh Saffran, Matt Marrs, and Rob Nelson. New episodes every Thursday!
The B Team Podcast
Ep. 90 - Rewriting Belonging: Turning Isolation Into A Million-View Movement
A caramel-apple bourbon toast opens the door to a story that hits harder than cinnamon: growing up in a restrictive church, feeling unseen, and transforming that past into a mission to build belonging at scale. Our guest—known to thousands as “Queenie B”—breaks down how a simple idea became a million-view movement that helps singles connect and small businesses grow without buying ads.
We unpack the playbook behind Queenie Connects, the singles social group that ditched awkward first dates for low-pressure events and genuine conversation. The formula is refreshingly human: when you stop selling and start hosting, people relax, show up as themselves, and make real connections. That approach spilled into entrepreneurship with the NWA Networking Alliance—now rebranding to Hive Networking—a public Facebook group engineered for organic reach, authentic intros, and thoughtful moderation. In just five weeks: 6,300 members, one million views, and a long list of owners reporting viral posts and new customers.
You’ll hear why public groups amplify discovery, how moderation standards transform “ads” into stories people actually share, and why the hive metaphor matters: everyone contributes, everyone benefits. We talk sponsorships that feel like partnerships, virtual-first access for time-strapped founders, and the surprising power of giving comments before asking for clicks. From prom gowns for teens to collaborations with Fashion Week and cultural institutions, this is community-building as a growth engine—practical, generous, and wildly effective.
If you’re curious about organic marketing, authentic networking, and turning strangers into supporters, this conversation hands you the blueprint. Subscribe, share with a friend who runs a small business, and tell us: what authentic story are you ready to post next?
Welcome to the B Team Podcast. I am your host, Josh Saffron, with my co-host, Ms. and our permanent guest, Rob Nelson. We're here every week to talk to you about all things Bettonville, bourbon, and business. The B Team Podcast. Be here. Welcome to the B Team Podcast. I'm your host, Josh Saffron, with our permanent alternate. Permanent alternate. Jim, we don't have a co-host and we don't have permanent guests today. I'll tell you what, a lot of I'm feeling a lot of pressure today. I've always been like, you know, the third wheel, and really the fourth wheel that occasionally gets a third wheel uh seat at the table. Today I'm like sometimes you're like the spare time co-pilot today. I'm I'm I'm in the passenger seat. I'm with the map. I'm gonna make sure you make it.
SPEAKER_01:To be honest, I'm wondering if this is like a mutiny and he's trying to take over first wheel positions.
SPEAKER_00:I'm definitely not. Well, no, well, so we're almost finishing season two, and our co-host is nowhere to be found today, and our permanent guest is nowhere to be found. So we're interviewing, and and we're gonna talk about you because maybe you'll slide in and class up season three. Oh, wow. How excellent would that be? That would be amazing. Uh we're here every Thursday for all things business, Bettonville, and bourbon. Okay. And before we start, we always drink a little bit of bourbon.
SPEAKER_01:Okay.
SPEAKER_00:This is fireball, but not fireball fireball. This is the new Fireball Blazon Apple.
SPEAKER_01:Okay.
SPEAKER_00:Now, if you haven't tried this yet before, which I have not. I'm not a Fireball fan. Not a fan. But but No, um, I actually am. I'm actually a big fireball fan. Now, this has got a whole lot of apple pie taste. Okay. So normally we drink it out of the bottle, but I'm trying to try to class the biggest.
SPEAKER_01:I mean, we're classy folks, at least.
SPEAKER_00:Stay classy, say four or five.
unknown:Okay.
SPEAKER_01:Oh, smell that we smell that well.
SPEAKER_00:Holy moly apple.
SPEAKER_01:I actually think it smells flipping delicious. It's it to me, it smells like a caramel apple.
SPEAKER_00:Yes.
SPEAKER_01:Oh my god, that's good. Yeah.
SPEAKER_00:That's very good. I like that it's really good.
SPEAKER_01:It's not as spicy as the typical fireball. It's a little bit smoother.
SPEAKER_00:No, not nearly as much of the fire cinnamon thing. It's much as a couple of things. Yeah, no, it's also. Yes. Much, much better. Shout out to the case.
SPEAKER_01:I also want I want a candle that smells like this.
SPEAKER_00:Well, we're gonna get into because you're like into everything. Maybe you'll start a candle business.
SPEAKER_01:You know what? I'm one of those people that has ideas and I don't know how to do anything part way. I'm not very good at being like, let's just dip our toe in. I either like dive in head first or I don't bother.
SPEAKER_00:Well, we're diving in. I gotta be honest. I have not done the pre-read yet. Well, I'm gonna Josh usually, for those of you not familiar with the background of the podcast, Josh usually sends a four to five page pre-read for every guest.
SPEAKER_01:I gave her him two sentences.
SPEAKER_00:She did two. Well, in fairness, because we're gonna talk about your networking. Last night we hosted my networking event. So we'll talk, we talk a little bit about that because it's always all about made.
SPEAKER_01:Thanks for the invite.
SPEAKER_00:It was it's a huge charity event. We did we raised a hundred thousand dollars.
SPEAKER_01:Okay, so tell me what it was for.
SPEAKER_00:So we do a uh it's called uh Gents Giving. My wife and I own a barbershop called the Gents Place up here in Northwest Arkansas. And every year we partner with Dave Mars from the HG TV show Fixture the Fabulous, and we do a 140-person bourbon tasting steak and shrimp dinner.
SPEAKER_01:I saw photos. Okay.
SPEAKER_00:And last night we had an incredible turnout, high, high-level executives. I mean, and we raised a lot of money. Half the proceeds go to pancreatic cancer, and half goes to a veterans charity.
SPEAKER_01:And so pancreatic, I love that. Okay.
SPEAKER_00:It's amazing. So we'll have to get you involved with your influential status.
SPEAKER_01:Don't love pancreatic cancer. I let me be clear. Good clarification. Much better. Well done. Because that sounded terrible. I love rotten teeth decay, right? Yeah, no, I love that you're raising like that's something that could use a lot of awareness. Actually, I've taken care of patients that had pancreatic cancer. It is it's awful. It is. It's devastating. And raising um raising funds for something that's not as well known, not as common is that's fantastic. I love it.
SPEAKER_00:And we we've been doing it for a long time and community and networking, that's what we're all about. And then all of a sudden, in comes you, out of complete left field. So Queenie B, Queenie B, I've introduced you to her, can you need to be? She's got almost 6,000 followers on uh on Facebook. How many followers do you have on Facebook, John? About 60. How many does the B Team podcast have? About six. Six, six, sixty, and six thousand. So founder, CEO of Queenie Connects, which was a dating thing at Warren.
SPEAKER_01:Okay, yeah.
SPEAKER_00:So hold on before I'm gonna go through and then Net NOA networking alliance. So she's got all kinds of stuff going on. And before I put you off, so when you and I started the networking, because we're old, it was like, hey, you work at Sam's Club, let's go out and do a charity event. She's taken networking like to a whole different thing.
SPEAKER_01:Yeah, I'm trying to do different. I'm we're going for different. Yeah. So a little bit of my background. So I'm a nurse practitioner by trade. I work at body balance. So I'm doing like, you know, the Botox, the fillers, the weight loss, all that stuff.
SPEAKER_00:So that's my none of those things that you need, things that we need.
SPEAKER_01:Oh no, I have no Botox in my face. Of course.
SPEAKER_00:She looks 100% natural.
SPEAKER_01:Um, so yeah, so I work at Body Balance, fantastic um business. Yeah.
SPEAKER_00:Um where's body balance?
SPEAKER_01:Uh so it's in Fayeville. Oh. Yeah, but we do concierge services, so we'll come to you. Um so yeah, fantastic. If you don't want to come to the clinic to get your Botox, let's do it on the DL. We'll come to you. So it's fantastic. But okay, so yeah, so I I work at body balance. I'm a nurse practitioner. I've been in medicine for well, let's say that I've been in medicine since I was in my 20s, so like 10 years ago.
SPEAKER_00:So like uh I was gonna say five.
SPEAKER_01:Yeah, thank you. Thank you. For a hot minute. Um, but I am a person with uh my background, which you know, I said that I was gonna shock you. So here's my attempt. And maybe I'll fail.
SPEAKER_00:Dumrol. Be shock.
SPEAKER_01:So I was raised in a cult.
SPEAKER_00:I'm shocked.
SPEAKER_01:That is not what you expected me to say, is it? No. So yeah, I mean, some say it's a pseudo-cult, some say it's a legit cult, I guess it's a matter of opinion. But yeah, I was raised in a situation where I was extremely sheltered. So I was homeschooled, we lived in the country. Um, so um, if you have heard of the all too famous in our area Duggars, oh yeah, not a dugger. I never heard of that, but um raised in a similar situation, um, with a lot of sort of restriction. Children are to be seen and not heard, um, women are to stay in the home, men are to make the financial decisions a lot.
SPEAKER_00:I like housing your house. Some specifically, yes.
SPEAKER_01:Yes, yeah.
SPEAKER_00:Shout out to Corey Show. Yeah, so we kill me for his thing, somewhat, yes.
SPEAKER_01:And you know, my my parents were great, loving. I was always safe. I was uh um, but yeah, a lot, a lot of isolation growing up. Um, really, really tremendous isolation. And so um, you know, we went to church on Sundays and we went to town on on Wednesdays and went to the grocery store and stuff, but yeah, not a lot of room for Was that in Arkansas?
SPEAKER_00:Yes, it would have to be, right? The Duggars are relatively I I must say I've never seen an episode. What's their show called?
SPEAKER_01:Um well, it's not on anymore. I think it was it was called like 19 kids accounting, then it was 20 kids accounting, then it was Okay.
SPEAKER_00:I've never seen it, but I've heard of the Doug.
SPEAKER_01:So so the Duggars uh were uh members of something called IBLP. Uh my my parents weren't actually members of IBLP, but we went into a church that was really strongly affiliated, so it's complicated. But IBLP. So uh Institute of Basic Life Principles, which was overseen by Bill Gothard. Bill Gothard um has been um in some trouble for uh inappropriate uh what's the word with the teenage girls. Uh said a lot of lot of uh allegations made against him, but uh so that's been dissolved. Um but that's how I was raised. So going back to so that's how I was raised. So very sort of isolated and growing up in a situation where I didn't really believe that women weren't supposed to have educations and control of the finances. Like I was trying to swallow with Neo, was it the red pill or the blue pill? But I never really could. I never could believe it, all the things I was being told. But I tried hard. So it wasn't until I was probably 30 that I sort of started making the really complicated um disentangling of what do I truly believe and what do I truly want to be a part of, and um left left the call, left the church, and it was hard. That's how shocking it was. Shocking. And my story is waxing poetic. I'll I'll I'll speed it up. But yeah, left the church. Uh, but but I think sort of because of the way I was raised and because of that sort of isolated background, I've always had a very big heart for building of community, for helping people to feel like they belong, that they're part of something, that they're cherished, they're important. That's really big for me. And so I've started a couple organizations. One of them is a nonprofit called Gownsational, where we get uh prom gowns from your closet or formal gowns from your closet into the hands of underprivileged teens. Uh work a lot with DHS and teens that could never afford expensive gowns, but they're just sitting in someone's closet. So, and then um I started a singles group called Queenie Connects. And then most recently, as a small business owner, I sort of just noticed the lack of support um that small business owners sort of had as we're grinding and we're working so hard and we're trying to, you know, make our um make people believe in our our product, whatever that is. And so I started a networking group. So that's when we get to where I met you.
SPEAKER_00:Yep. Yeah.
SPEAKER_01:Yeah. So um I started the networking group. I sort of At least new, right?
SPEAKER_00:New-ish.
SPEAKER_01:Yeah. So I sort of had an event in uh uh September 23rd. We had uh it was like I'll do a singles networking thing, and then someone um convinced me that you don't this is gonna be big. I don't think you want to do just singles. So on October 2nd or 3rd, like of this year, like of this ago? So five weeks ago.
SPEAKER_00:Jeez.
SPEAKER_01:So five weeks ago, I started a networking Facebook group. I called it the NWA Networking Alliance. And I actually started it one day at night. You know, some of the best things are when you're drinking a glass of wine late at night and you're like, oh, sorry, networking group. And then I went to bed and I kind of forgot about it. And two days later I came and we had like 400 members. I was like, I didn't even tell anyone I was starting this. How do we have 400 members already? And so yeah, I started building it up. That was five weeks ago. As of today, we have um 6,300 members in the networking group. We have um, as of last night, one million group views. We have um, I want to say a half a dozen members that have posted small business owners that have posted an intro in the group page that has gotten 50, 75, 100 greater than 50,000 views, and probably two dozen that have greater than 20,000 views.
SPEAKER_00:And is this centered up in Northwest Arkansas specifically? Is it broader than that?
SPEAKER_01:So it's called NWA Networking Alliance. It's a public group, so I'm not necessarily approving or disapproving, disproving, approving people. So anyone can join, but it's I mean, we haven't done any advertising whatsoever other than talking about.
SPEAKER_00:It's amazing. Like I posted on this, so I kept hitting me on Facebook. I'm seeing it and seeing it, seeing it. I was starting to know some of the people on there because some of these things typically are younger 20 is people, and I'm like, I it's the thing to talk about. Yeah, I started seeing them like, I know that person, I know that person. So three days ago, four days ago, I put something about the B Team podcast, and I had a picture of the podcast that said, Hey, this is what we do. The amount of people that liked, responded, and then DM'd me on this page. Okay. And I was like, and and like it was good quality people. So this business and this business and this business is all that because we've been finding finding the right people to come in here, and this group has incredible reach. I was like floored and I'm shocked. I'm I mean, a million future guests, it sounds like guests. We're not gonna have a tough time filling guest seats anymore if I'm telling you learning to back.
SPEAKER_01:I mean, just think about one million views in five weeks, guys.
SPEAKER_00:What was like did you boost anything? Did you push anything?
SPEAKER_01:Is it all zero dollars and zero cents? I have done this. It is completely organic.
SPEAKER_00:How did it go so fast? Like, do you have any thoughts behind that? I mean, other than fact that you're amazing. There you go.
SPEAKER_01:Well, so I I know I I've started you like the singles group and I had a a a mom's uh single mom's group. Um so I kind of know a little bit what it takes to make a Facebook group work. I understand some things that I think that people don't. Um and I have implemented those here and and it and it worked uh obviously very well. Um part of it is because it is a public group. Okay, so when you have a private group, only people that are in the group can see any of the posts, can see that anyone's posting in it. This is a public group.
SPEAKER_00:That's why I kept showing up on my feed.
SPEAKER_01:So even though you're not in the group, you're seeing the group because your friends are commenting on it. Now, this comes with downsides, right? Because if it's public, I'm not stopping people from joining, which means if someone from overseas is a spam bot, they have a way to get in.
SPEAKER_00:So there's a there's negatives associated but also anybody can comment and say whatever they want, which you can then pull off, right, as the advanced.
SPEAKER_01:Yes, I can remove stuff, yeah. But um, so there's negatives associated with it, but the positives associated with having a public group are like you said, I'm not even in this group, but I'm see I keep seeing these posts. The same thing if you see memes that are popular, like Facebook is gonna recommend things that they think that you're um interested in, and Facebook thought you're interested in networking groups, so it was showing these things to you, and that's how we've reached that many groups. So even if you post an intro in the group, everyone in the group is gonna see it, but so many other people are as well. And it's gonna make them want to join the group. Does that make sense?
SPEAKER_00:Yeah, it's great. Before we go further here, I want to talk about the dating one because that's still active as well. That's a that's a that's a that's queenie connects. Is that what it's called?
SPEAKER_01:Yeah, so it's called Queenie Connects. It's uh so I I say this, and so it is a it's the singles social group, not a dating group.
SPEAKER_00:Okay, thank you for clarifying.
SPEAKER_01:Now, let me be let me be abundantly clear. When you get a bunch of singles together, guess what happens? Like a lot of dating. But actually, the purpose of it is not to be a dating group. We don't do matchmaking, we don't do speed dating, none of that. This is about singles that are in the same phase. Because we know, as for instance, small business owners, how powerful it is to connect with other people that are in that have something big in common with you. Like we both small business owners, for instance. We both have kids that play soccer, we know whatever it is. Same thing for singles. Like it's great to sort of um socialize with other people that are single. It it was mainly people 35 plus, so a lot of them had been through divorces. And it's it's very soothing and comforting to hang out with other people that have been where you are, you know, if you're struggling or if you're thriving at either way.
SPEAKER_00:So Jim and I, I won't dwell too much on this, but Jim and I, Jim and I were divorced 10 years ago. 10 years ago. We were probably in our mid- early mid-40s at the time. Yes.
SPEAKER_01:And but you have a podcast together.
SPEAKER_00:Well, again, I am just a fourth wheel that occasionally.
SPEAKER_01:Oh, you weren't married to each other.
SPEAKER_00:No, no, no.
SPEAKER_01:Oh, sorry, sorry, no.
SPEAKER_00:We were no no we were not married. He said we were married 10 years ago. Married not to each other. For those at home, Jim and I have beautiful lives. Nothing wrong with that lifestyle, but Jim and I have- I was not picking up on any of that. I will back that up. Well, I do love him. Watch the spinning.
SPEAKER_01:I do love Jim. Okay.
SPEAKER_00:But that's as far as it goes. We don't even get to the first base.
SPEAKER_01:You were just simultaneously divorced from every peak.
SPEAKER_00:Correct. Okay. And and we were in our early 40s, best of friends, and dating here. We're like, like, how do you how do you date? Like, well, I know this girl. Oh, well, there's six single guys, and all the single guys know her, so you can't date her. Yeah. And I was like, had this been here when I was single, maybe I'm Oh my gosh.
SPEAKER_01:It was, it has been tremendously successful. I want to say, so it's been a little over a year. I think we've had eight, eight couples engaged or married. That's incredible.
SPEAKER_00:Endless. In a year?
SPEAKER_01:Oh, yes. Yeah. Because there's something. So I have a lot of um weaknesses. I mean, the list is just a little bit more. Let's start a weekly.
SPEAKER_00:Yeah. Jim has more than me.
SPEAKER_01:I have a couple of strengths, and and understanding what makes people comfortable in group settings and makes people comfortable connecting is sort of one of my strengths. My dad was the same way. And um so yeah, so doing these group events where there's no pressure, it's not a date, it's not a dating group. This is a social group. You show up with zero expectations. You don't have to put on your finest, you don't have to impress anyone. I mean, the idea of dating apps, for instance, are fundamentally flawed because first off, it's all about their photo. That's problem number one, right? You're making you're making every assumption based on their photo, which may or may not be accurate. But in an in-p, and then you go on a first date where there's so much pressure. I've got to impress this girl, I've got to impress this guy, I've got to be on my best behavior. Who's gonna pay? Are we gonna go to the next place? What if they're not enjoying it? This is just a group setting. You just show up and you hang out with friends. It's the way that we all met our people the first time around, and it's so much more effective than awkward first blind dates. Yeah.
SPEAKER_00:I gotta be honest. So my wife Corey, Jenna, we shout out to Corey. She was single for 10 years in Northwest Arkansas before we met each other about nine years ago when we were married a little over eight years ago. Um, and she, I'm just grateful this didn't exist 15 years ago because it sounds like it would be an easier way. She said dating in this area was very difficult. Oh, it was you know, we met e we met each other through work.
SPEAKER_01:Yeah.
SPEAKER_00:But if we hadn't and she had been on a side like this, she probably would have found someone far better than me.
SPEAKER_01:Well, you know, I'll you know, I'll tell you, it it does make a difference. And and he knows this. Um, but I am I am my own success story. So in the group, I met a a wonderful man named Michael. Um, I met him as yeah, the shout out, Michael. Michael Michael, yeah. And and he knows this, so I'm not telling any secrets. I had swiped left. He does not take good selfies. Bless his heart. And when you're judging someone, you know, really based upon a photo where he's not worrying, he was not worrying about the angles or the lighting or whatever. Because he's a guy. Yeah, especially the guys. Yeah, the women, we like do the opposite, where it's like, okay, she doesn't look like this because she made herself look yeah with the filters. But and I I I had swipe left. And so um then when I met him in person, it was so different. And so yeah, I met him at his first event, which incidentally, uh, you know, I started the group under the pseudonym Queenie B, knew it. Uh no one knew that Becky was Queenie B. I sort of didn't want any attention, the irony of that. Um, I didn't want any attention, so I started under the pseudonym Queenie B. So Becky would go to events, but Becky didn't want the pressure of being Queenie B. So I met him as Becky. He didn't know who I was, no one did at the time. And um we started Becky is Queenie B.
SPEAKER_00:Yeah, now we got a big thing. I'm like, all right, all right.
SPEAKER_01:Yeah, you're following the one at all. Becky is my name, yeah. And so um I hadn't come out publicly yet. And then um, so yeah, I met him and we started dating for a time. And then um eventually I I told him we've been dating a month or two, I think. And then I was like, I have a secret.
SPEAKER_00:So he's like, I have a secret for you. Yeah. You have a kid, are you by do you like?
SPEAKER_01:No, no, I'm actually Queenie B is the secret. Like I'm actually the one who started the group that we met in. And he's like, Wait, what?
SPEAKER_00:That was funny. All right, question. Yeah. How'd you come up with the name Queenie B?
SPEAKER_01:Yeah, you know, if I'd known, I I probably would have chosen a different name. So uh another, I was it sitting in bed late at night with a glass of wine. I'm like, this dating app sucks. I'd broken up with the guy who would say, This sucks. I'm gonna start a dating group. I'm not a day group. Look at me. What I'm gonna do.
SPEAKER_00:Just set a dating group to show a social.
SPEAKER_01:I'm gonna start a social group of singles. And so I started this group, and I was like, Well, I want to start, I don't want, and you know, but I didn't think anyone would care. I mean, how many businesses do you take advantage of their product? You have no idea who created this. I don't know who created Aquafina. And so I thought, well, I'm gonna start this group, Queenie Connect.
SPEAKER_00:Talk about the Aquafina.
SPEAKER_01:Yeah, the name of the group was not Queenie Connects at the time, it was NWA Desirable Singles, which is a horrible name, but whatever. And uh I know. And then um Queenie B was running it, but I thought no one's gonna know who I am, no one's gonna care. Well, I guess because it was a mystery, it became like, ooh, who's the girl like that's running the group and commenting on posts? We don't know who she is, and it became sort of a mystery. And so Queenie, Queenie's character, the character of Queenie became very big, very fast. I actually did Queenie B because my name's Becky, B-E, right? So that's the B part.
SPEAKER_00:Okay.
SPEAKER_01:But the Queen part is because I was a mystery, I was actually thinking of a chessboard, and the queen's the only one that can move in any direction, right? That's true. No one knows who the queen is, so I wanted to call myself the queen. Facebook wouldn't let me. I tried to call myself queen. Yeah, anyway. So I ended up with Queenie B, and then it was the queen of the chessboard.
SPEAKER_00:Now, does does any all these new people, do they know you as Becky? Do people know you was Queenie B?
SPEAKER_01:People call me Queenie B.
SPEAKER_00:So crazy.
SPEAKER_01:Yeah, so I'm my profile's getting a lot of attention, and um, they know me as Queenie B, but I answered both. I always say, call me whatever you want, just don't call me late for dinner.
SPEAKER_00:Now, do you have a Queenie B page at a Becky page? Like do you go, yeah. Okay.
SPEAKER_01:So I have like a public Queenie B page, a profile on Instagram and and Facebook and LinkedIn, and then I have a private, you know, Becky page, which where I push the photos of my kiddos, and it's just close friends.
SPEAKER_00:All right. So you and Michael met on this social.
SPEAKER_01:Yeah. So we met at his it was the the group was only a month old. I met him, um, and we've been together ever since.
SPEAKER_00:So what does he feel about you know meeting Becky and getting to know her better, but also uh dating Queenie B, who's running this site.
SPEAKER_01:You know, it's a lot, and there's a lot of people that couldn't put up with it. There's there's been you know some negativity anytime you get attention, you get negativity, I think, sadly, and there's been a lot, but he's just remained steadfast.
SPEAKER_00:And what's the negativity that you've gotten?
SPEAKER_01:As Queenie B, well, um uh w you name it. There's you know Haters gonna hate. Haters gonna hate. Yep. And and people that see you being successful, you know, if your podcast goes viral, people are going to behate or hate you for that.
SPEAKER_00:No worries there, buddy. But there's a honour. Well, Queenie B may gets the twenty view. Maybe you might get the 20 viewers.
SPEAKER_01:So there's a there's a variety of reasons, and I don't try not to focus on that all of that. But yeah, there's just people that get removed from the group. So, like if people came in and they were being inappropriate or being over, you know, making other people uncomfortable or any number of things, right? You're the bad guy. I would remove them, then they would get mad, and usually when they're removed, it's because they're unstable people, right? When they're unstable people, they get removed some from something they're enjoying, they get a little bit aggressive.
SPEAKER_00:And you hate to say this, but some people are single because so yeah.
SPEAKER_01:So some people are single for a reason, right? And so when you remove them, they don't like it. And those are the ones that tend to be the squeakiest wheels.
SPEAKER_00:So how do you make the transition from social singles to business?
SPEAKER_01:Well, so Queenie had gotten a a bit of a name for herself as a singles um con a connector of singles and was pretty successful at that, to be honest. Like my events single, I was very it was singles between these ages that live in Washington or Benton County. So that was my criteria. I was very strict on who was allowed in the group. If you are two feet out of Washington or Benton County, you do not qualify. Uh, you know, if you're outside of this age range, um 22 to 64.
SPEAKER_00:So this was more this was a private group. This wasn't everyone.
SPEAKER_01:This was a private group, no, so uh participant. No, yeah. So, you know, I would deny a lot of people, and most of them because they didn't live in Washington or Benton County. But I wanted it to be like, you know, if you're meeting your friends, I want us to all live next to each other. And so most of the people I declined were because they were not in the area, but or they were outside the age range. But yeah, so I was doing events and you know, I had an event at Top Golf in in July just for singles, and we had 150, I think.
SPEAKER_00:Wow. Um and then no cost attends. Topgolf is dominating giving them. I'm sure they had to pay to play the.
SPEAKER_01:Uh so with Top Golf, it's uh oh my gosh. Uh first off, Hats Off's Top Golf, Jeff at Top Golf. Please, I love him. We've done events there, they have been incredibly podcast. You know, you you think of these big franchises, though, they're not gonna care about me. Well, they were s gracious, they were kind, they were accommodating. So we would pay, like we had to guarantee that we were gonna pay this many much, okay, right? But we were doing there on weekdays too, like a Tuesday night or whatever. So yeah, I mean, they were great, and then but we I did events all over the place. You know, I did events at Goat Lab or or uh The Bend or you know, mermaids, any number of places. So I tried to use locally, but then locally owned venues we got bigger and bigger, and I couldn't find any big enough. So then we eventually ended up at Talk Off. So yeah, that's where I did my event in um September, which is a singles networking event, and then it it was very successful, like I said. And someone's like, you know, you really need to open the door to more than singles for this networking. Uh well, Michael was one of the ones that gave me that advice, and I was like, you know, I'm thinking about it. I'm gonna give it a go.
SPEAKER_00:I don't blame Michael for steering away from being in the singles, I guess because that makes sense.
SPEAKER_01:Yeah, I mean, yeah.
SPEAKER_00:Only because he wants to spend time with you now.
SPEAKER_01:So so you know, I got some of this advice, and I kind of ruminated, and then finally, you know, apparently I agreed because I made this networking group and then five weeks later. NWA networking alliance.
SPEAKER_00:So it has nothing to do with the Queenie B stuff.
SPEAKER_01:No, so it's not associated. I tell people, you know, there's the trunk of the tree, it's queenie bee, and then there's gown stational, which is my prom gown. Getting the prom non nonprofit, then there's the you know, queenie connects, which is the singles group, and then now is the the newest branch of the tree, is the um the networking alliance, but none of them, I don't expect any of the networking people to wear prom gowns. I don't expect any of the singles people to, you know, re-roof my house. So um yeah, completely separately, but under my umbrella, I guess.
SPEAKER_00:So the question everybody wants to know is how are you able to are you able to make money on this, or is there a way you to to make yourself more financially stable through this operation? Um are you doing it all for goodwill? Like how how are you profiting from this uh personally?
SPEAKER_01:Yeah. Well, you know, when I started Gauntastic, when I started the singles group, when I started the networking alliance, the goal was never, you know, I'm a nurse practitioner, but I mean I have a stable career. I didn't need to create a new way to make money. I I can make money. I'm a you know so that was not originally the goal. What I have learned, and then with Queenie Connects, I never made any money. Uh um it was a subscription group. Yeah, well, I had a little subscription that people have to bae because I had overhead costs. It was like twelve to fifteen dollars a month. Um, but um I didn't make money uh uh under Queenie Connects. Um the thing with the networking alliance is that it it has expanded so incredibly much, so incredibly quickly that it's gonna be impossible for it to not bring in, you know, I uh you know, uh so I'm working on sponsorship. You should because it's it now could it could be a full-time job for three to four people for five weeks.
SPEAKER_00:But you bec but you're now an influencer, right? You're you're meeting tons of people. You met you. Your brand is growing so rapidly. But like the BNI and those types of things, like this is a you're familiar with the BNI, it's the Oh, shout out to B and I.
SPEAKER_01:Oh my gosh. Mob, CRN. I've I've been to a couple of those networking events. They are doing a lot of very right.
SPEAKER_00:But you are but I I I've been to BNI events. It's like a a local marketing thing where you meet every week, you pay a fee, and then like the local plumbers introducing you to the local barbershop is introducing you to the event. All referrals, yeah. Which is very cool. It it I don't want to say it's antiquated because it's very it's very present. Like it's the old school way of doing it. Yes, and what you're doing here is you've got this social media following where I again my friend put on there and I'm watching and the the business coming in and the referrals, so at some point you should be able to capitalize upon it. There's nothing wrong with that, right? You should be able to to make some money.
SPEAKER_01:Yeah, I mean, I think I think the the the big thing, and you know, I keep going back to it's only been five weeks, and people are saying, What's this? And what's and I'm like, I gotta build some structure, I've gotta build some, you know, organization. I'm I'm I'm assembling a board of advisors. Um but yes, I mean the goal is that eventually this would be sustainable. Um I I'm super, super, and and I've said it a thousand times, I'll keep saying it. I I want any collaborations I do as Queenie, any collaborations I do with the networking group to be beneficial to both parties. I'm super honed in on that. So I do have sponsors. As a matter of fact, you're about to have on your podcast Stu's Clean Cooking. Yes. He's gonna be well, uh yeah, this is three weeks from now, right? He's gonna be my title sponsor for the next event. So it just so happens that you're he was in the group page and went semi-viral. He's one of the ones that got uh well over 50,000 views and so um brought a lot of attention to him. And he's like, I'm so grateful. Like you brought so much attention to my brand, and all I did was post an intro in your group. And I've had uh so many people that have messaged me that and be like, you've doubled my bottom line simply by me posting an intro in your group page.
SPEAKER_00:This is fantastic because once our podcast gets somehow associated with Oh no, he posted an intro.
SPEAKER_01:Yeah. Yeah, you got decent traction.
SPEAKER_00:Huge traction.
SPEAKER_01:Yeah, I could tell you, I could tell you right now exactly how many views your post got.
SPEAKER_00:So if we become I mean, if we become crazy popular, she's about to be our next one.
SPEAKER_01:So so you know, it's worked so beautifully well at at creating traction for people that even though all they did was post a free post on a group page, it it actually helped their business, which is what I want. Because here's the thing some of these are tiny businesses. Businesses with z zero marketing budget. Yep. They posted my group page and now maybe they go viral, get 50,000 views, and it's fantastic. I love that.
SPEAKER_00:Yes. And so like I own a local barbershop called the Jens Place. Shout out. Have to always shout myself out.
SPEAKER_01:Okay, Jen's Place. Is that I feel like that's by Krabbies.
SPEAKER_00:Yeah, it's not the one by Krabbies.
SPEAKER_01:Oh, okay. Let's be clear.
SPEAKER_00:It's Louis Barbershop. They do a good job. It's not the one by Krabbies. So we we're on Walden next to um where Smashburg used to be, where Jimmy Johns is first watch. Yeah. And then we just opened about a month ago on the Walmart campus, and we built a networking speakeasy into the barbershop. So it's a super cool spot. Stop that. Super cool. So I'm gonna post on your site at some point.
SPEAKER_01:Yeah.
SPEAKER_00:However, when we opened and we've been open, it was like, all right, what do you want to do? Well, let's advertise in the movie theater. That was terrible. Airport. Airport we didn't spend a lot of money advertising at the airport. And these are old traditional ways of marketing your brand. And what you're doing is you're moving into the out of the stone age, into, into the whole new world.
SPEAKER_01:Yeah, well, and that is part of everything's virtual. How can we make networking virtual? And someone's like, Well, I think we should just do one big Zoom call. And I'm like, You're thinking small. I want to think big. I want to create a space where you can meet and network virtually for free, which kind of sounds crazy. But thanks to, you know, whatever you want to say about Mark Zuckerberg, he created something un unbelievably wonderful or uh in many ways unbelievably wonderful. And that's what our goal is. Your marketing budget is zero. Your spare time is zero. Uh, you can't go to a marketing, uh networking event at nine o'clock in the morning because you're freaking working at nine o'clock in the morning. You're working hard at that time of day. So how can I create a space where you can still network without having to be anywhere at a certain time? That's my goal. And so that's why it was so important that we can get views on these posts. And um, it it's working. I mean, as evidenced by the fact that one month after we opened the group page, we had our first meetup and 300 attendees.
SPEAKER_00:But that's insane. I mean, I don't know if you're gonna give yourself enough credit. I mean, you do you deserve a lot of credit. That's insane those those that's insane. That typically takes six to twelve months to get that kind of traction.
SPEAKER_01:Yeah, I am beyond grateful and and and I'll take some credit, but what I also need to do is give a lot of credit because while Queenie B is the face of the brand, by no means is this just me. Whether it's, you know, Beth Franklin from Pretty and Inc. is doing all of the approvals of the post. We are getting gosh, 50 posts submitted a day, and we're denying probably about half.
SPEAKER_00:So how many people she denied our post? How many people are on your team then? Because uh I again not knowing anything going into this, I figured you were just saying, all right, yes, all right, no, but clearly you have other people involved.
SPEAKER_01:Oh yeah, I can't. How many people are involved? Uh well, so uh we have a couple moderators. Uh Beth, you know, Beth is the one that does uh most of the moderating, though actually Lindsay Sabatini at Body Balance, who is that I work with and other nurse practitioners, she's she's working in that. Uh I'm bringing her on in that field as well. Um, and then we have yeah, like my bookkeeper's been helping. And these are all volunteers, by the way. So, you know, I tell people don't get please don't get upset at those that are denying the posts because they're going through potentially a hundred posts a day.
SPEAKER_00:Beth shit can my post. But she said it in a nice way she was, hey, she said, Hey, you that I'm not gonna approve this until you do this, this, this, this. Okay. And I just had to check, I had to put a picture on. All she said is you need a picture. Here's the trick of of me, the podcast. So me, mad Rob. So here's this right here.
SPEAKER_01:Well, here's the thing. Which was great. I know what will get you seen and what will get you ignored. My goal, what is best for my business, is that your post is seen. So what Beth does beautifully and puts so much time and effort is into it, is she tells you how to get your post seen. She was nice and pleasant. Will get 10 times, 20 times, 50 times the traction of an ad. And and the statistics behind that is Dan Klaus from um Hub of Hope uh was telling me about this. He also owns Natural State Brewery, but he was telling me this the average American is subjected to five to ten thousand ads a day. Here's one, here's one, here's one, you know, like there's ads everywhere. And so our mind is now sort of glazing over those ads. We see so many of them are feats. So what Beth white noise? It's white noise. So what Beth is doing is saying, Don't give me an ad, give me you. Give me your authentic heart because those are the ones I can show you every post that has gone viral in my page. Every single one of them was simply a normal person talking from the heart. It was never none of them were here's an ad, look at it and buy from me. Because that's not what networking is, right? That's selling. What we're doing is networking, which is let's boost each other. So, like I'm gonna go in there and I'm gonna talk to you on your post and say, wow, you're this is great. I love what you're doing. And then you'll go and do it for me, and we're boosting each other. So that's what I'm big on.
SPEAKER_00:So this is topical, because you you you started with the social single site, the single social site. Josh and I have actually talked about starting a social site for people happier in their second marriages. So what advice would you give Josh and I if we were starting such a group on By the way, we have never talked about this. But but but I'm I'm drawn up everything.
SPEAKER_01:Okay, so is the second marriage the ticket? Because some people say it's the worst. Okay.
SPEAKER_00:No, no, no. Did you learn your lesson? Yes, we learned a lot. A lot. Yeah, we've actually talked about that. So that's why we feel like we could teach people who are looking for that second marriage what to look for, gaps to fill, things like that. But but in people who are in the again, let's say we're starting it tomorrow. What are the things we'd need to keep in mind to say to make it as as virable as he wants to start a competitive site for you? Yeah. This isn't competitive, it's for people out centered. She's got singles beat.
SPEAKER_01:Yeah.
SPEAKER_00:That's true.
SPEAKER_01:So I mean, you you have to think about this is the what I think about, not what I want you to see, what you want to see. And there's a big difference in there. And so what I'm thinking about as I'm approving and declining posts is what do you want to see as the consumer, not what do I want you to see? Because I want you to see an ad. But that's not what you want to see. You see thousands of them. And so that is what I would say I would focus on. Make posts that people are interested in, that get people that they want to respond to, ask questions that they want to respond to, uh, ask for opinions that that they can easily respond to, stuff like that makes a big difference.
SPEAKER_00:Second marriage night at Top Golf. That'd be amazing.
SPEAKER_01:Dude, that write that down. Write it down. Second marriage night. Yeah, I think that was my idea.
SPEAKER_00:This is your next thing. You're already gonna move on to the next thing because you move so quickly. What what is next after you're you're doing a name change?
SPEAKER_01:Is that so oh yeah, I'm glad you brought that up. Yeah. So, you know, when I created this name, what I didn't take into account is whether it's trademarked somewhere or not, because you know, so yeah, there's a networking alliance, I think in Virginia or West Virginia. So um, but also I feel like the name Network. Surely not.
SPEAKER_00:It this must be a network within their own family, of course.
SPEAKER_01:Yeah, so I'm I uh I am I don't know if it's burdened or blessed with one of those creative minds that just is constantly coming up with ideas. So my ideas are endless. Um, but yes, back to the name. I'm sorry. Um so yes, we're changing the name, partly because I I want the name to invoke the sense of community and um collaboration. Collaboration as much as anything. Like, don't come in here to sell, come in here to boost others, and I promise you that we'll sell far more than coming in here to post an ad. Um so yeah, we're coming up with a new name. And so what we've decided on is it's gonna be Hive Networking. Hive. So yeah, Hive Networking.
SPEAKER_00:What's the backstory?
SPEAKER_01:Well, um, so think about a hive. Like everyone's contributing. The hive is nothing as a single cell, but uh, you know, a single hexagon. But if they all work together and they collaborate with one another, it's best smart.
SPEAKER_00:Is this a B team exclusive announcement? Are we like breaking news here?
SPEAKER_01:This is gonna go bro.
SPEAKER_00:Is this the first time it's been said anywhere or has it been said?
SPEAKER_01:So actually, I just recorded a video. So uh uh Brittany with Colab Design is working with me on my logo. It's uh we're working on it still, it's gorgeous. And um, she and I have been working on this name, and it's a name that we're gonna announce probably before this podcast comes out. I'm sorry. But yeah, so it's Hive Network. Well, and it's a little it's a little nod to to Queenie B, right? So but the Hive. I love the idea of smart. I love the idea of just the idea of the collaboration. Everyone's equal, everyone is um working hard to boost everyone else in a hive, right? It's not a single, and I and I really want these small businesses because we have so many businesses. You and you're one of them. I'm one of them. Uh Carla's one of them. So many small business owners that are just grinding all alone. They don't have support, they don't have mentors, they are just trying to make it work. So, what I want to do is create a space, not where we're selling to each other, but we're boosting and collaborating with one another.
SPEAKER_00:And you've said that multiple times, and I think it's really important because people will think this is a spot to advertise my business. And you will get the advertising on the back end just by being a good person and a good steward and networking, yeah. Commenting on people's posts, commenting as your business. Oh, let me check this person's business.
SPEAKER_01:I tell people, I tell people, look, the the algorithm will reward good behavior. And what it sees as good behavior is you're commenting and boosting other people's posts, that means that your posts will be boosted and commented and reacted to when you make it. So it's a give and take. If if you're never commenting and reacting, you're not gonna get it back. So it's a it's a give, give, and then you shall receive type situation. But also just the spirit of these are hardworking, other they're in the same position I am. And I want to boost them because I want them to succeed. I want them to feel like they have support, you know?
SPEAKER_00:Before we wrap up, um, can you tell us I'm putting you on the spot, give us a fun, funny story. In the last five weeks, you've I met so-and-so, and you can't believe what this has done for my business relationship, my personal raiser. Or I introduced this person to this person, like give us a great anecdote from something that's actually transpired in such a short time.
SPEAKER_01:Um gosh, what would be an anecdote? She knows most of the stories. Um, well, I so I'm currently in talks to, I'm really excited about this, to collaborate with um, oh gosh, I'm getting her name wrong. Ashley from NWA Fashion Week. Um, a collaboration that a year ago I could never have even dreamed of. But we are going to work together to find ways to boost each other. Um Incredible. Yeah, Fashion Week. That's a big deal here. Torres from um Betonville Fashion Week. So yeah, that's never that's a collaboration I would never have.
SPEAKER_00:So they reached out to you through the site and said, So yeah, I ran into Ashley.
SPEAKER_01:She's like, Oh my god, I've been following you. And I'm like, E NW Fashion Week. You've been following you, like so honored. And so yeah, yeah. Well, and and um, and another one would be um Crystal Bridges and the the event team for Crystal Bridges and the Momentary actually reached out and would like me to um throw an event for them.
SPEAKER_00:And you've been a five weeks like that, like that just it's blowing up so quickly.
SPEAKER_01:I mean, well, I think some of it, and maybe they were following me when I was just doing singles, but a lot of it's related to the networking, yes. That's when things just sort of exploded. So yeah, it's wonderful.
SPEAKER_00:When Bobby's over here, we bring in high quality guests. Yeah. So so when people want so when people want to find out more about the groups, is it go on to Facebook?
SPEAKER_01:Yeah, well, Brittany's working, uh Brittany from Colab Design is working on a website for me. So again, it's been five weeks. So she's working on a website for me, Jamie from Outsource Bookkeeping. Like we've been doing uh like getting LLCs and stuff um in order because I don't know how to do these things. Um really, and so um it right now it's a Facebook page and an Instagram page or a Facebook group, I'm sorry, and an Instagram page. So NWA Networking Alliance soon to be hive networking.
SPEAKER_00:Formally broken here on the podcast.
SPEAKER_01:Yeah, formally known as NWA Networking Alliance. So so yeah, that's how you find us. And and um soon we'll have TikTok and LinkedIn and stuff, but for now it's Facebook and Instagram.
SPEAKER_00:Incredible. And we found our through this networking alliance. I mean, just Lee, you found it. Well, I mean, I knew you wouldn't have added any value from that guest to know. And I what percentage of the guests that have been on the podcast have been found by you versus anybody else? Nine eight. No, it can't be 98. Right, nine.
SPEAKER_01:Well, okay, but let me ask you. Okay, so talking about, so talking about this is a term I recently used, so watch me be very proud as I say this because uh, you know, I'm in medicine. I'm not has not been a business person. So your ROI. Ooh, return on investment. Yeah, so you invested in making a post in my group page.
SPEAKER_00:Yep.
SPEAKER_01:What would be what do you would you say has been your return on that?
SPEAKER_00:Um so we're in season two, and so we're probably 80 or 90 episodes in. And I know a lot of people, but I don't know that many people. And my co-hosts and Permanent Guest, they're amazing, but they don't help. Shout out to those two who don't do anything but be here and amazing. I do very little also. So it's like, all right, well, I'm trying to find other cool businesses, but I don't, you know, I could I literally have been knocking on doors, going to bars and restaurants, hey, do you want to be on our podcast? We're too busy. So all of a sudden I got like 30 inbound messages of people saying, I want to be on your podcast. Now, of the 30, not every one of them is something that's a good thing. That you're aware of it. But immediately uh between you and Stu from Stu's Clean Clicking, I'm like, just like that. We have two people that are interested in and my inbox is filled with tons of people that are gonna want to come on the podcast.
SPEAKER_01:I mean, the the list the ROI is huge. Hey, listen, I can post another thing that I really love to do is I love to help you know help out. I can give you so many people that would be honored to be on this podcast. I somehow in the last year I have met just some incredible minds. And um, yeah, I would love to help you find new people. I think I can do that.
SPEAKER_00:This might get our followers up above 20. Potentially.
SPEAKER_01:Well, she's like, Can we change it to the Q team podcast?
SPEAKER_00:No, we can't.
SPEAKER_01:Oh, the Queenie B. The Queenie B. Okay, can you just add an E right there?
SPEAKER_00:There you go. E? I will I will say this this podcast could have gone down a very different road. I I I hesitate to even bring it up. Uh-oh.
SPEAKER_01:Uh-oh.
SPEAKER_00:So I've I've mentioned a couple of times to my wife, Gore. Yes. We are this isn't this is a big step for me, Josh. Uh-oh. We are we're we're potter heads. We like the Harry Potter movies, we enjoy them. I didn't know where this was going. Yeah, we're fans, we're fans of the Potter movies. We have two dogs. Luna, for those of you from the and Crook. Oh from the Fantastic Beasts movie, which is like a Josh, you wouldn't want to.
SPEAKER_01:Yeah, Queenie. It's so The Blonde, right?
SPEAKER_00:That's that's why I was curious why why the the name and the chess beast makes a lot of sense, but I was I was curious if it was gonna be a Harry Potter. I had no idea where this was going. I but it but you know, you're comparing Queenie B to the Queenie, the dog, and it's like, is that gonna insult somebody? Is she gonna be able to do that?
SPEAKER_01:Yeah, most people assume that it's Queen B, which now I'm leaning into the B thing, but yeah, most people but it's B E, but yeah. So yeah. Well, I'll tell you what, I can let's get you some followers.
SPEAKER_00:I love it. There you go. Well, and he's we we do have a good group. We have a good followers here. It's we have um, yeah, we do we do.
SPEAKER_01:Yeah, for in in reality, how many how many listeners apologize do you have? Um like all jokes aside, I feel you're being super humble, but we do well.
SPEAKER_00:They they don't share the metrics with us, but in fairness, like Matt Mars, um, he's part of the he's on normally he's here. He's part of uh his brother Dave's on HGTV Fiction a Fabulous Show. So he's got a pretty good following. And I'm I've I've been around the community forever. Jim is a super funny guy, and Rob is Rob. Rob has no value. Rob has no value. So so typically Rob, if anybody is the mayor of Benville, yes. So we we're giving ourselves grief that we say we don't have followers. We have a we have a pretty good following. It's not at the level that you have, but you'll start to see. I mean, it's uh and we have Dave Mars has been on, JD Mars has been on, and Blakeman's been on. Like we have a we had a good group of people that have been on the podcast. Now we have you.
SPEAKER_01:Well, thank you. Oh God, putting me in the same category as those is very I'm very humbled. But yeah, I mean, but here's what I know is that you've worked hard for it. Like you have you you are gr just like so many businesses, my group, you are grinding, and people say, Oh, all you're doing is filming a podcast, and you put it out. No, no, no.
SPEAKER_00:But we're doing what you're doing. We are we are here to help other businesses network. Like that's what we're doing. And we're having people meet other people. We're doing it in a different medium than you are.
SPEAKER_01:Yeah. Well, hey, I will I can I can literally give me a pen and paper. I can write down the name of 50 people that I think you would be honored to have on your podcast, and they probably would love to do it. So please send them to jump on me to be one of your favorites.
SPEAKER_00:Well, we're honored that you've been here today. Thank you. Thank you so much for coming on. Uh yeah, continue to send up.
SPEAKER_01:Oh my goodness, yes. Cheers. Thank you.