Ep.94: Why Networking Is Broken (And What To Do Instead) - Scott MacGregor

Scott MacGregor is the Publisher & Editor-In-Chief, Outlier Magazine, Founder, The Outlier Project, Founder & CEO, SomethingNew LLC, 4x Author of the “Standing O!” Series and Record 8x Winner of the American Business Award for Innovation.

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Quick Episode Summary:

In this episode, Scott MacGregor shares his journey as an entrepreneur and the founder of the Outlier Project, a community dedicated to making a positive impact. He discusses the importance of recognizing opportunities, building meaningful connections, and embracing the duality of life. 

Scott emphasizes that every day is a special occasion and encourages listeners to show up differently to achieve success. 

He also shares insights on how to navigate life's challenges and the significance of living authentically.
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🌟 Torch Takeaways:

• Your potential isn’t fixed at birth—it’s shaped by the choices you make every day.
• Variety is the spice of life; burst your own bubble and seek out people with different backgrounds.
• Regret stings more than risk. Don’t give others veto power over your dreams.
• Take the stairs—there’s no elevator to success!

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Chapters:

00:00 Encounter with Barry Manilow

05:37 "Impact Over Accolades"

08:47 "Success: Choice Over Talent"

10:37 Embrace Creative Freedom

13:40 Launching Successful Magazine Instinctively

18:53 "Building Genuine Relationships"

23:12 Personalized Welcome Surprise

25:53 Eclectic Community of Outliers

28:36 "Podcast: Sharing Diverse Stories"

31:04 Curiosity About Life Choices

33:50 "Choosing New Paths After Retirement"

37:39 Building Connections Beyond Interviews

41:41 "Building Genuine Relationships"

Transcript

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Scott MacGregor is the Publisher & Editor-In-Chief, Outlier Magazine, Founder, The Outlier Project, Founder & CEO, SomethingNew LLC, 4x Author of the “Standing O!” Series and Record 8x Winner of the American Business Award for Innovation.

-

Quick Episode Summary:

In this episode, Scott MacGregor shares his journey as an entrepreneur and the founder of the Outlier Project, a community dedicated to making a positive impact. He discusses the importance of recognizing opportunities, building meaningful connections, and embracing the duality of life. 

Scott emphasizes that every day is a special occasion and encourages listeners to show up differently to achieve success. 

He also shares insights on how to navigate life's challenges and the significance of living authentically.
-

🌟 Torch Takeaways:

• Your potential isn’t fixed at birth—it’s shaped by the choices you make every day.
• Variety is the spice of life; burst your own bubble and seek out people with different backgrounds.
• Regret stings more than risk. Don’t give others veto power over your dreams.
• Take the stairs—there’s no elevator to success!

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Scott's Resources:

➡︎ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/macgregorscott/ 

➡︎ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/outliermagazineofficial/ 

➡︎ Outlier Magazine: https://outlier-magazine.myflodesk.com/signup 

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Episode Mentions:

Barry Manilow

Michelle ‘MACE’ Curran

Micky Ward

Michael Jordan

Steve Jobs

Dick Vermeil

Bo Jackson

Nate Boyer

Merging Vets and Players

Jon Macaskill

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Quote to open episode:

“There is no elevator to success, you have to take the stairs.”- Zig Ziglar 

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Chapters:

00:00 Encounter with Barry Manilow

05:37 "Impact Over Accolades"

08:47 "Success: Choice Over Talent"

10:37 Embrace Creative Freedom

13:40 Launching Successful Magazine Instinctively

18:53 "Building Genuine Relationships"

23:12 Personalized Welcome Surprise

25:53 Eclectic Community of Outliers

28:36 "Podcast: Sharing Diverse Stories"

31:04 Curiosity About Life Choices

33:50 "Choosing New Paths After Retirement"

37:39 Building Connections Beyond Interviews

41:41 "Building Genuine Relationships"

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Here’s a full summary of the "Passing The Torch" podcast episode featuring Scott MacGregor:

In this episode, Martin Foster welcomes Scott MacGregor—publisher and editor in chief of Outlier Magazine, founder of the Outlier Project, CEO of Something New LLC, four-time author, and record eight-time winner of the American Business Award for innovation. The conversation kicks off with fun anecdotes, including Scott’s rare sick days (only five in 35 years!) and late-night drinks with Barry Manilow in Las Vegas. Scott also shares about taking boxing lessons with legendary fighter Micky Ward as part of the Outlier Project’s World Outlier Week Challenge.

The core of the episode revolves around Scott’s passion for building platforms—like the Outlier Project and Outlier Magazine—that empower others and foster a global, eclectic community of 750+ members across 35 countries. He emphasizes the importance of making an impact over chasing accolades, highlighting that real legacy is built on touching lives rather than accumulating titles or awards.

Scott offers actionable advice on:

• Embracing adversity as a gift,
• Recognizing the limitless possibilities each person holds,
• Stepping into the unknown without needing all the answers upfront,
• Building genuine, lasting relationships based on friendship, trust, and support rather than transactional networking.

He debunks the myth that success is “reserved” for those born with certain privileges, arguing instead that extraordinary lives are the result of intentional choices, curiosity, and breaking out of one’s professional or social bubbles.

Throughout, Scott shares personal philosophies—like viewing every day as a special occasion and making bold, sometimes unconventional choices. Listeners are encouraged to celebrate daily victories and continuously pour into others’ lives, with real-world stories illustrating how the Outlier Project has transformed his own sense of purpose and fun.

The episode wraps with lighter questions about sports, party conversations, and personal mottos, as well as heartfelt exchanges around living life intentionally, avoiding regret, and the value of staying in touch to build true friendships.

Key takeaway: Scott MacGregor’s story is a powerful reminder to ditch ordinary for extraordinary, focus on impact over image, and always invest in authentic relationships—because, as he puts it, “every day is a special occasion.”

Perfect for listeners seeking inspiration to make bold choices, lead with heart, and connect deeply in both work and life.