Most clinic owners think they’re networking. Jonathan Shearer explains why they’re wrong.

In this episode of No Appointment Necessary, Michael speaks with Jonathan Shearer, podiatrist and founder of Footsteps Clinic, about what networking actually looks like when it works. Not letters to GPs. Not one-off events. Not vague “being visible”.

They unpack why networking fails for most clinics, how trust is built through consistency and inconvenience, and why transactional thinking kills long-term results. Jonathan traces his approach back to selling fruit and veg as a teenager, where presentation, urgency and human connection decided whether stock sold or rotted. The same principles now underpin his referral networks across sports clubs, businesses and communities.

If you think networking “doesn’t work”, this episode explains exactly why.

Show Notes

Jonathan’s background

• Nearly 30 years in podiatry
• NHS training, then building a five-chair multidisciplinary clinic
• How early retail work shaped his focus on presentation and experience

Defining networking properly

• Networking as a sphere of influence, not an activity
• Why sending letters isn’t networking
• Visibility vs trust

Jonathan’s networking system

• Why it starts with team culture, not referrals
• Staff as the front-facing network
• Why owner-only networking becomes a bottleneck

How networking generates revenue

• Real examples from football, hockey and sports clubs
• Why inconvenience builds trust faster than pitches
• How free help led to hires, referrals and new services

The “free work” myth

• When free help works
• When it backfires
• Why forcing early ROI leads to bad decisions

Education as a lever

• Small talks that produced the biggest clients
• Why audience size doesn’t matter
• Effort and follow-up over format

Maintaining relationships

• Networking as “watering a plant”
• Why neglect kills results
• How Jonathan cuts parasitic relationships

Team-led networking

• Staff attending events and visiting businesses
• Why this needs PAYE or hybrid models
• Why associate-only models struggle

Tracking what works

• Offers and vouchers for offline attribution
• Why “vibes” aren’t metrics
• Measurement still matters

Cities vs towns

• Why networking works anywhere if executed properly
• Cities as opportunity-rich environments
• Affinity beats geography

Mindset

• Networking isn’t about being extroverted
• Fear of rejection is the real blocker
• Start small, repeat, build confidence

The 90-day reset

• What Jonathan would do in the first 90 days
• Visibility, relationships, talks and clubs
• Why something has to give

They finish on collaboration, why isolation fuels bad advice, and why real networking is about being known, trusted and useful over time.

What You’ll Learn

• Why most clinic owners misunderstand networking
• Transactional vs transformational relationships
• How trust is built through inconvenience
• When free help works and when it doesn’t
• How to turn teams into networking assets
• How to measure offline networking properly
• Why networking works in cities and towns
• What to prioritise in your first 90 days

Who This Episode Is For

Clinic owners who think networking “doesn’t work”.

Owners over-reliant on ads.

Clinicians who hate selling but want sustainable growth.

Guest Details

Jonathan Shearer

Podiatrist and founder