Fifteen years is a long time. New house, different routine, different stage of life. Last week, after working overseas and moving suburbs, I thought it would be nice to resurrect an old Friday night tradition, curry from my favourite Indian takeaway. The counter looked the same, the smell was the same and to my surprise, even the owner was the same.

As I walked through the door, the owner, with a look of surprise on his face said, “Paul, right?”

Fifteen years had passed. No appointments, no database, no LinkedIn connection, no reminders popping up on a screen. Just a bloke behind a counter who remembered me.

When I used to come in every Friday, I never just ordered and left. I’d ask how business was going. I’d ask about his family. I’d remember what he told me and pick up the conversation next time. I wasn’t in a rush. I was genuinely interested in him as a person, not just as someone cooking my dinner. Those moments weren’t long or dramatic. They were small, ordinary conversations. But they were real, and that’s what people remember.

Being memorable isn’t about being loud or clever. It’s about how you make people feel over time. It’s about being genuine and present. When you take the time to listen, to care, and to see the person in front of you, it leaves an impression that lasts far longer than any clever pitch ever could and those small, repeated interactions quietly added up.

This is exactly how strong referral relationships are built too.

In business, we often overcomplicate memorability. We work on pitches, taglines, content, and tactics, hoping to be remembered. But most people remember clarity, consistency, kindness, and follow-through. They remember the people who show up the same way, week after week.

At LocalRecommend.com.au, our referral groups meet weekly for a reason. Real trust doesn’t come from a one-off coffee or a quick introduction. It comes from showing up consistently, having genuine conversations, learning about each other’s families, businesses, challenges, and wins. Over time, those repeated interactions turn into confidence — the kind of confidence where you’re happy to put your name next to someone else’s.

Fifteen years later, a simple moment in a takeaway was a powerful reminder that when you slow down, ask better questions, and genuinely care about people, the result is something powerful. Lifelong relationships aren’t built in a single interaction. They’re built one week at a time.