The Business Development Podcast

Episode 340 of The Business Development Podcast features a powerful conversation with Manja Horner, founder of Boost LD, on the hidden skilled trades crisis happening across North America. As experienced tradespeople retire, companies are losing decades of knowledge, systems, instincts, and expertise that were never properly documented or passed down. Kelly and Manja dive deep into workforce development, retention, onboarding, leadership, and why the future of the trades depends on capturing and transferring knowledge before it disappears forever.This episode also explores how AI is changing the future of workforce training and why companies need to rethink how they develop people. From building internal “YouTube style” knowledge systems to creating better onboarding and career development processes, Manja shares practical strategies that can dramatically improve retention, performance, and long-term growth. If you lead a company with people in the field, this episode will completely change the way you think about training and the future of business. Key Takeaways:Skilled trades companies are not just facing a labour shortage, they are facing a knowledge transfer crisis.When experienced tradespeople retire without documenting what they know, decades of wisdom can disappear forever.Training is not just information sharing, it requires practice, feedback, repetition, and measurable behaviour change.Companies need to stop relying on informal “watch and learn” systems if they want consistent performance.AI can help companies capture, organize, and retrieve internal knowledge faster than ever before.Every company should be building its own internal knowledge library so employees can learn how things are done properly.Retention starts with better onboarding, stronger culture, and real career conversations.Skilled workers need more than pay to stay, they need growth paths, leadership, recognition, and purpose.The future of workforce development will blend technology, live coaching, field-based learning, and structured practice.Companies that invest in training now will reduce risk, improve quality, retain better people, and build a stronger competitive advantage.Check Out Boost LD & Follow Manja HornerIf this conversation resonated with you, make sure to connect with Manja Horner and learn more about the incredible work happening at Boost LD.🔹 Website:Boost LD🔹 LinkedIn:Manja Horner on LinkedIn🎸 Sponsor Shoutouts: Thank You Colin Harms & Jamie Crozier for your steadfast support of The Business Development Podcast! 🫶The Business Development Podcast is proudly supported by Hypervac Technologies, Hyperfab, Thunder Bay Hydraulics Inc, and Atlas Elite Lifts. 🎸⭐🔹 Hypervac Technologies: North America’s leader in vacuum truck manufacturing, building high performance hydrovac and industrial vacuum trucks designed for the toughest field conditions. www.hypervac.com🔹 Hyperfab: The custom fabrication division of Hypervac, delivering engineered solutions and specialized builds tailored to demanding industrial applications. www.hyperfab.ca🔹 Thunder Bay Hydraulics Inc: A trusted provider of hydraulic cylinder repair and manufacturing, supporting industries like mining, forestry, and construction with reliable, high quality service. www.thunderbayhydraulics.com🔹 Atlas Elite Lifts: A premium supplier of automotive lift systems, focused on performance, safety, and long term reliability for shops and garages. www.atlaselitelifts.comJoin The Catalyst Club Community If you are serious about growth, leadership, and surrounding yourself with high level thinkers, The Catalyst Club is where you need to be.Join us here: www.kellykennedyofficial.com/thecatalystclubMentioned in this episode:Hyperfab Midroll

Episode 339 of The Business Development Podcast breaks down The Ten Follow Up Rule, Kelly Kennedy’s personal standard for building real pipeline through consistent, disciplined business development. Kelly shares why most sales and BD professionals stop far too early, how fear of rejection and lack of structure kill opportunities, and why every qualified prospect deserves at least ten follow-ups before being disqualified.Through real stories, including the time it took thirty follow-ups to book a major mining meeting, Kelly shows that success in business development is rarely about talent alone. It comes from weekly execution, CRM discipline, clear next steps, performance tracking, and the willingness to keep showing up long after most people quit.Key Takeaways: Most salespeople quit the follow-up process far too early to ever see real results.Consistent weekly follow-up is one of the biggest separators between average and exceptional business development professionals.Fear of rejection causes more lost opportunities than lack of skill.Buyers are usually overwhelmed and distracted, not intentionally ignoring you.A CRM is not just a contact database. It is your business development execution engine.If there is no defined next step, there is no real opportunity.Strong follow-up comes from clarity and structure, not confidence alone.Emotional avoidance often disguises itself as “being busy” with lower-value work.Tracking outreach, meetings, opportunities, and new contacts weekly creates accountability and long-term improvement.The professionals who stay in the game through follow-up number ten consistently create more opportunities than the people who stop after one or two attempts.Sponsor MentionsA huge thank you to Colin Harms and Jamie Crozier for their steadfast support of The Business Development Podcast.The Business Development Podcast is proudly supported by Hypervac Technologies, Hyperfab, Thunder Bay Hydraulics Inc., and Atlas Elite Lifts.Hypervac TechnologiesNorth America’s leader in vacuum truck manufacturing, building high-performance hydrovac and industrial vacuum trucks for the toughest field conditions.www.hypervac.comHyperfabThe custom fabrication division of Hypervac, delivering engineered solutions and specialized builds for demanding industrial applications.www.hyperfab.caThunder Bay Hydraulics Inc.A trusted provider of hydraulic cylinder repair and manufacturing, supporting mining, forestry, construction, and industrial operations with reliable, high-quality service.www.thunderbayhydraulics.comAtlas Elite LiftsA premium supplier of automotive lift systems focused on performance, safety, and long-term reliability for shops and garages.www.atlaselitelifts.comJoin The Catalyst Club CommunityIf you are serious about growth, leadership, and surrounding yourself with high-level thinkers, The Catalyst Club is where you need to be.Join us here: www.kellykennedyofficial.com/thecatalystclubStatistics referenced in this episode were sourced from the following article by MarketsandMarkets:“Why Sales Reps Stop Following Up and How to Fix It”https://www.marketsandmarkets.com/AI-sales/why-sales-reps-stop-following-up-how-to-fix-itMentioned in this episode:Hyperfab Midroll

In Episode 338 of The Business Development Podcast, Kelly Kennedy sits down with Charlotte Lloyd to break down one of the biggest misconceptions in modern business development: that content alone will bring you clients. With over 20 years in B2B sales and millions in closed revenue, Charlotte shares how LinkedIn is often misunderstood as a content platform when in reality, it’s a conversation platform. She explains why most entrepreneurs struggle to convert attention into revenue, and how the real opportunity lies in starting meaningful, intentional conversations with the people already engaging with your brand.This episode dives deep into practical client acquisition strategies, including how to structure your LinkedIn profile for conversion, how to identify warm prospects, and how to use direct messaging without sounding salesy. Charlotte introduces her SPICE framework for building authentic, high-converting conversations and emphasizes the importance of prioritizing sales activity over perfectionism. If you’ve been posting consistently but not seeing results, this conversation will shift your perspective and give you a clear path to turning visibility into real business growth.Connect with Charlotte Lloyd on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/charlottelloydsales/If you’re ready to take action on what you heard in this episode, check out the Client Acquisition Club: https://www.thecharlottelloyd.com/clientacquisitionclubKey Takeaways: Content builds awareness, but conversations are what actually turn attention into paying clients.Most entrepreneurs don’t have a content problem, they have a lack of consistent, intentional outreach.The people most likely to buy are already watching you, they’re just not engaging publicly.Rejection is part of the game, and learning to handle it is a requirement for building a real business.Your LinkedIn profile should clearly show who you help, how you help them, and the outcome they can expect.You don’t need a website to start, you need clients first, because clients define your real business.Generic, copy and paste messaging kills trust, while personalized conversations create real opportunities.You only need a small number of high quality conversations each day to consistently win new business.Most business owners ignore the warmest opportunities sitting in their existing network.Sales is not about pressure, it’s about understanding the problem, guiding the conversation, and helping the right people move forward.🎸 Sponsor Shoutouts: Thank you Colin Harms and Jamie Crozier for your steadfast support of The Business Development Podcast! 🫶The Business Development Podcast is proudly supported by Hypervac Technologies, Hyperfab, Thunder Bay Hydraulics Inc, and Atlas Elite Autolifts Inc. 🎸⭐Hypervac Technologies: North America’s leader in vacuum truck manufacturing. www.hypervac.comHyperfab: The custom fabrication division of Hypervac. www.hyperfab.caThunder Bay Hydraulics Inc: Hydraulic cylinder repair and manufacturing for mining, forestry, and construction. www.thunderbayhydraulics.comAtlas Elite Autolifts Inc.: Premium automotive lift systems for shops and garages. www.atlaselitelifts.comJoin The Catalyst Club Community: www.kellykennedyofficial.com/thecatalystclubMentioned in this episode:Hyperfab Midroll

Episode 337 of The Business Development Podcast features a powerful and timely conversation with Brianna Solberg of the Canadian Federation of Independent Business, diving deep into what is now being called Canada’s “Entrepreneurial Drought.” Backed by real data, the episode uncovers a troubling reality: more businesses are closing than opening in Canada for six consecutive quarters, marking the worst startup activity outside of the pandemic. Together, Kelly and Brianna break down the mounting pressures facing small and medium-sized businesses, including rising costs, labor shortages, declining consumer demand, and a growing sense that entrepreneurship in Canada is becoming increasingly unsustainable.But this conversation goes far beyond economics. Kelly and Brianna explore the deeper, long-term implications of this trend, highlighting how the decline of small business threatens the very fabric of Canadian communities. From lost local jobs and reduced economic circulation to the erosion of vibrant main streets and community identity, the impact is far-reaching. The episode also outlines potential solutions, including reducing the cost of doing business, cutting regulatory red tape, and addressing labor market challenges, while calling for greater awareness, advocacy, and action from both business owners and policymakers.Key Takeaways: Canada is facing an entrepreneurial drought, with more businesses closing than opening for six consecutive quarters.Small and medium-sized businesses are not a side issue in Canada. They make up 99% of all businesses and employ around 60% of private sector workers.When small businesses struggle, communities struggle with them.The decline of entrepreneurship is not just an economic problem. It affects jobs, local identity, opportunity, and community vibrancy.Many business owners are working harder than ever just to survive, not thrive.Rising costs, payroll burdens, taxes, insurance, rent, and utilities are making it harder for businesses to grow.Labour shortages remain a major barrier, especially for small businesses that cannot easily absorb hiring challenges.Red tape takes time, money, and energy away from actually running and growing a business.Internal trade barriers are holding Canada back from becoming a true national economic union.Business owners need to speak up, get involved, and add their voices to organizations advocating for real change.Connect with Brianna SolbergConnect with Brianna on LinkedIn:https://www.linkedin.com/in/brianna-solberg/Join the Canadian Federation of Independent BusinessIf you are a business owner in Canada, your voice matters now more than ever.The CFIB represents over 100,000 small and medium-sized businesses across the country, advocating for better policy, lower costs, and a stronger future for entrepreneurs.Join here:https://www.cfib-fcei.ca/en/membership-benefitsSponsor Mentions🎸 Sponsor Shoutouts: Thank you Colin Harms and Jamie Crozier for your steadfast support of The Business Development Podcast! 🫶The Business Development Podcast is proudly supported by Hypervac Technologies, Hyperfab, Thunder Bay Hydraulics Inc, and Atlas Elite Lifts. 🎸⭐🔹 Hypervac Technologies: North America’s leader in vacuum truck manufacturing, building high performance hydrovac and industrial vacuum trucks designed for the toughest field conditions.www.hypervac.com🔹 Hyperfab: The custom fabrication division of Hypervac, delivering engineered solutions and specialized builds tailored to demanding industrial applications.www.hyperfab.ca🔹 Thunder Bay Hydraulics Inc: A trusted provider of hydraulic cylinder repair and manufacturing, supporting industries like mining, forestry, and construction with reliable, high quality service.www.thunderbayhydraulics.com🔹 Atlas Elite Lifts: A premium supplier of automotive lift systems, focused on performance, safety, and long term reliability for shops and garages.www.atlaselitelifts.comJoin The Catalyst Club CommunityIf you are serious about growth, leadership, and surrounding yourself with high level thinkers, The Catalyst Club is where you need to be.Join us here:www.kellykennedyofficial.com/thecatalystclubMentioned in this episode:Hyperfab Midroll

In episode 336 of The Business Development Podcast, Kelly sits down with Andrew Z. Brown, a leading authority in B2B referral marketing, strategic alliances, and sales acceleration, to unpack a powerful truth most businesses overlook. Your biggest deals are not coming from cold outreach, ads, or chasing leads. They are coming from referrals. Andrew explains how a well timed and well informed referral can move a prospect from the top of the funnel to the bottom, often eliminating competitors entirely from the conversation.Together, they break down why most companies treat referrals like luck instead of building a system around them, and how that mindset is costing them their most valuable opportunities. From the dangers of the “hope and dream” approach to the structure of a managed referral program, this episode shows how to turn referrals into a predictable, intentional, and scalable growth strategy that drives real results.Key Takeaways: Your biggest deals often come from referrals, but most businesses leave them completely unmanaged.Referrals are not luck. They can be built into a predictable, intentional revenue system.A strong referral can move a prospect from the top of the funnel to the bottom faster than almost any other strategy.Hope is not a referral strategy. Waiting for people to send business is not the same as managing referrals.A referral source needs three things to be effective: skill, opportunity, and willingness.Your current customers are not always your best referral sources. Professional colleagues, former clients, suppliers, and strategic partners may be stronger.Referral sources are putting their reputation on the line, so they need to trust you deeply before referring you.The “half-assed” referral approach can damage relationships when people are used without context, support, or respect.Fewer high-quality referral sources can outperform a large, unfocused channel program.Managed referrals work best when you support your referral sources, make them feel valued, and help them succeed.Connect with Andrew Z. Brown:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/andrewzbrown/Email: [email protected] has also generously offered 10 free copies of his book, Get Referred, to listeners of The Business Development Podcast. Just DM Kelly Kennedy on LinkedIn and he will pass your name and address along to Andrew.Free resource:Andrew also offered access to his Get Referral Ready webinar, designed to help you understand whether your business is ready to build a managed referral program.Watch it here: https://www.getreferred.biz/get-referral-ready-registrationGet the book:If this episode opened your eyes to the power of referrals, Andrew’s book Get Referred is the next step. It breaks down how to turn referrals from random opportunities into a structured, intentional, and predictable business development system.Get the book here: https://www.getreferred.biz/get-referred-the-book🎸 Sponsor Shoutouts: Thank You Colin Harms & Jamie Crozier for your steadfast support of The Business Development Podcast! 🫶The Business Development Podcast is proudly supported by Hypervac Technologies, Hyperfab, Thunder Bay Hydraulics Inc, and Atlas Elite Lifts. 🎸⭐🔹 Hypervac Technologies: North America’s leader in vacuum truck manufacturing, building high performance hydrovac and industrial vacuum trucks designed for the toughest field conditions. www.hypervac.com🔹 Hyperfab: The custom fabrication division of Hypervac, delivering engineered solutions and specialized builds tailored to demanding industrial applications. www.hyperfab.ca🔹 Thunder Bay Hydraulics Inc: A trusted provider of hydraulic cylinder repair and manufacturing, supporting industries like mining, forestry, and construction with reliable, high quality service. www.thunderbayhydraulics.com🔹 Atlas Elite Lifts: A premium supplier of automotive lift systems, focused on performance, safety, and long term reliability for shops and garages. www.atlaselitelifts.comJoin The Catalyst Club Community If you are serious about growth, leadership, and surrounding yourself with high level thinkers, The Catalyst Club is where you need to be.Join us here: www.kellykennedyofficial.com/thecatalystclubMentioned in this episode:Hyperfab Midroll