Carrying the Torch: The Power of Giftology with Sara Hardwick

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Aug 25, 2025

Sara Hardwick, a Community Relationship Strategist at GIFT∙OLOGY, shares insights on the legacy of generosity in business. She discusses how to honor the memory of Giftology founder John Ruhlin through intentional acts of kindness. Sara highlights the 'return on relationships' philosophy and dives into the art of meaningful gifting, explaining how personalized gifts can enhance connections with clients. Additionally, she shares personal anecdotes about her upcoming wedding, emphasizing how love and community play a role in their mission.

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INSIGHT

Relationships Outperform Marketing

Sara emphasizes relationships can achieve what traditional marketing cannot and can be operationalized.
She frames gifting as part of a repeatable system to drive referrals and retention.

ANECDOTE

Persistent, Personal Follow-Up Wins

Jon and Sara recall debates about what makes a gift personal and John’s persistence connecting with people, even via FaceTime from his car.
Those small, persistent relational acts often converted skeptics into loyal friends.

ADVICE

Carve Five Minutes For Relationship Work

Do love and serve your employees and their inner circles to mirror Giftology's impact.
Carve out five minutes weekly to do a small favor and build meaningful relational momentum.

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On this episode of The Jon Gordon Podcast, I sit down with Sara Hardwick from Giftology to dive deep into the legacy of our great friend and Giftology founder, John Ruhlin. Sara opens up about how the Giftology team has carried on John's mission of generosity, relationship-building, and faith following his unexpected passing. We explore the powerful "return on relationships" philosophy that made John's approach to gifting and human connection so unique, how intentional generosity can transform your business and personal life, and what it looks like to truly honor someone's legacy. Sara shares behind-the-scenes stories, how Giftology helps leaders and entrepreneurs grow through strategic gift-giving, and practical ways you can bring more heart and impact to your work.

About Sara,

Sara Hardwick is a dynamic force in the realm of relationship strategy and business development, serving as the Community Relationship Strategist at GIFT∙OLOGY. With a passion for nurturing meaningful connections, Sara leads the R.I.C.H. Relationship Society, an educational membership designed to revolutionize referral-based business practices. Her journey into this role began while still in college at The University of North Carolina when she built the internet's largest gifting community where she put into practice her innate ability to blend savvy communication with operationalized gift-giving. This early success laid the foundation for Sara's trajectory, focusing on unlocking loyalty in clients, employees, and referral partnerships through the power of generosity and strategic relationship-building.

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