In this motivational business talk, Raphael Djine stresses that a leader’s success hinges on an intentional inner circle composed of people with real influence. He argues that influence can provide essential resources, emotional support, counsel, and doors that would otherwise remain closed. Djine illustrates his point with personal anecdotes: a simple acquaintance secured him a $50,000 line of credit; a secretary connected him directly to a powerful bishop, leading to a deal; and a young contact in Africa introduced him to governors, heads of state, and first ladies. He expands the concept to suggest that entrepreneurs should know key figures such as governors, bankers, and political power‑brokers in any market they operate. Djine also recommends practical steps for cultivating such a circle—being purposeful about who you invite, traveling together annually to strengthen bonds, and ensuring the circle includes not just wealth or intelligence but genuine influence. The talk ends with a call to reflect on one’s current inner circle and to actively build a network of influential allies.
Chapters
Hey, my friend, I know you are doing so, so well. Hey, I'm so excited about what we are doing now, how to build your inner circle. Every great leader, every great businessman, every champion have a really good surrounding, and you cannot— there's no way you can take your business lightly because your business is never going to go grow bigger than you. So if you have a great inner circle You have the resource you need. You have an emotional place to go and draw, you know, energy there. Place to go and draw, you know, replenish your emotion there. Place to go and learn from wise people. Place to go and, you know, get people that can give you counsel that you need. And what I want to talk to you about today is, actually a people with influence. In order to build your inner circle, you must have people with influence. Trust me, influence is so, so strong and powerful at the point that if you are a Christian today, we believe because somebody with influence went and negotiated a tomb that no one ever used it. to put the Lord Jesus. That's why nobody can question the resurrection of the Lord Jesus, right? That's the power of influence. I remember when I started my business, I mean, way back in Georgia, I have a young lady, very, very, very, very simple lady. I mean, I saw her as a simple person, but one day I was telling her, Her name was actually— it's actually Cherie Gray. I told her, Cherie, I, I need— if I have $50,000, my business is going to boom. Back then, I mean, I was doing business in a minivan. I didn't even have a truck. She said— she said, oh, hmm, let me call my friend at the bank. And then she picked up her phone and called a friend, talked to the friend for about 3 minutes, and then hung up my phone and asked me— No, put the phone on hold. Hold the phone like this and say, what are you doing tomorrow? I said, I'm not doing anything. She said, okay, tomorrow, 10 o'clock, you go and see my friend. I said, yes. She went back on the phone and said, okay, set up the appointment tomorrow at 10 o'clock. I walked to the bank. And she told me exactly what to bring to the bank. I walked to the bank and walked out with a $50,000 line of credit. Wow. That's the power of influence. I could have never had this. I knew my credit was not the best, but it's because this person that I was able to get that first $50,000 line of credit. I went and started buying truck, and then the rest is history. People will take you where you have never been. I remember when I have— we was doing The New Norm in the US. I wanted to set up with Bishop J. I mean, you have to go to his secretary. Bishop J is one of the powerful businessmen and ministers here in the United States. And when I meet Jenke, one of his assistants, he said, oh no, let me— and I was talking about— he said, let me put Bishop on the phone. He picked his phone and called Bishop and gave me the phone. Bishop, hey, talk to my friend. That was it. And I was on the phone with Bishop. I introduced myself and asked him for his ability and nailed my deal. The power of influence. You must surround yourself and be around influential people, people that can take you to places that you could never, ever, ever go alone. Matter of fact, if you want to grow, if you want your business to grow, if you want to be introduced to certain type of people, If you want, you know, to break some barrier, you need influential people. That's why my question is, within your inner circle, if you do business in a nation, do you know the governor? Do you know someone, the banker? Do you know someone, the shaker of the nation? Do you know someone, the powerful politician? Do you know some I mean, sometimes you even have to know some people on the street in order to survive in certain areas. Influence is very important. In our inner circle, we surround ourselves with people with influence, people that can open doors, people that can take you to other people. When I make a trip in Africa, I met a young— I had a young man. He introduced me to the governor of the bank. He introduced me to the head of state of Guinea, even though they just overthrew him. He introduced me to the first lady in Senegal. He entered. If I had more time, I was gonna have appointment and meet the head of state in France. All these people, I didn't have the contact. I didn't know them. But one person. Can take you very, very high, and wherever he elevates you, you can also go from there to wherever you are going. That's why your inner circle—you must be so intentional of bringing people of influence in it. Matter of fact, in Alit, I met a young lady. She introduced me to the president of Nigeria. One person, take me to this person, take me to that person, take me to that person. And I may feel like, man, I have authority there. I'm connected with these great powerful people, but it's because of an influential young lady. So when you make your inner circle, make sure you not just have people with money. You not just have people with resources, you don't just have smart people, but you have people with influence. People that you can borrow the name to go to the bank and walk out with the check. People that can take you— just the name can take you where you could never go alone. How are you building your inner circle? Do you have one? Are you part of one? Very strong inner circle. You have to make sure you do it. Matter of fact, we have one in Ireland. I have one around me. Now I'm deciding to make sure the people from my inner circle, we travel at least once a year. That could be to meet in Dubai. That could be to go to Mexico. That could be to just go to another part of Europe, to Russia. and just experience life. Whatever you do, make sure you get so intentional about building and surround yourself with people of influence, people that can protect you, people that can push you, people that can introduce you, and people that can show you a way. with the influence. See you tomorrow.
