In Episode 114 of the Business Development Podcast, Patrick Gaskin, the visionary founder and CEO of Cardly, shares insights on how his company is revolutionizing personalized communication by merging the digital and physical realms. Through cutting-edge technology, Cardly is disrupting the traditional greeting card industry and offering businesses innovative ways to connect with their customers on a more personal level. Patrick's expertise shines as he discusses the power of cards in a...

In Episode 113 of the business development podcast, host Kelly Kennedy delves into the debate between active and passive marketing strategies, aiming to uncover which approach is most effective for businesses. Through engaging discussions and expert insights, Kelly highlights the key distinctions between active and passive marketing, emphasizing the importance of tailoring strategies to fit the unique goals and target audience of each business. Listeners are encouraged to consider a balanced...

In Episode 112 of the business development podcast, host Kelly Kennedy welcomes Jan Hnat, the seasoned entrepreneur behind Mango VA, to share his expertise on the strategic utilization of virtual assistants in business operations. Jan's journey from consumer sales to franchise ownership and B2B successes sets the stage for a dynamic discussion on the evolving role of virtual assistants in today's business landscape. Through insightful anecdotes and practical tips, Jan emphasizes the...

In Episode 111 of the Business Development Podcast, host Kelly Kennedy delves into a series of community questions for February 2024 that reflect the challenges and opportunities faced by sales and business development professionals. One key question raised by a listener pertains to the effectiveness of cold prospecting in the B2B market, particularly in the realm of software as a service companies. The discussion explores the evolving dynamics of sales strategies, highlighting the shift...

In Episode 110 of the Business Development Podcast, listeners are treated to a captivating continuation of the series on The Business Development Bank of Canada. Expert guest Jason Garner takes center stage to shed light on the crucial role of advisory services in fostering business growth. With over 25 years of experience and a passion for helping entrepreneurs succeed, Jason shares invaluable industry knowledge and practical tips to guide businesses towards achieving their goals. From...

In Episode 109 of The Business Development Podcast, host Kelly Kennedy discusses strategies to optimize business growth by identifying ideal customers. By understanding their product's or service's value proposition and the problems they solve, businesses can identify the best customers to target. Kennedy also emphasizes understanding the competitive landscape by evaluating how others are tackling the same issues, identifying the most effective competition area, and truly understanding where...

In episode 108 of The Business Development Podcast, the host, Kelly Kennedy, interviews Robert Lajoie, the Vice President of The Business Development Bank of Canada (BDC) Alberta North, Financing and Consulting Group. The discussion centers on the role BDC plays in supporting business growth and development across Canada, their unique approach towards working with entrepreneurs, the broad range of financial services they offer, and how they differ from traditional banks. Robert Lajoie also...

In this episode of the Business Development Podcast hosted by Kelly Kennedy, the focus is on delineating the essential attributes to seek in Business Development Representatives during the hiring process. Through a comprehensive breakdown of 10 key tips, Kennedy sheds light on the critical qualities that define top-performing individuals in this role. From emphasizing the significance of self-motivation and accountability to highlighting the value of proactive engagement in seeking new...

In Episode 106 of The Business Development Podcast, host Kelly Kennedy welcomes back serial entrepreneur Colin Harms to explore the concept of blue sky thinking and its profound influence on business success. Through engaging discussions and insightful anecdotes, Colin emphasizes the importance of maintaining a positive outlook on life and business, highlighting the need for adaptability and forward-thinking in an ever-evolving market landscape. Listeners are treated to a wealth of practical...

In Episode 105 of The Business Development Podcast, host Kelly Kennedy reflects on the importance of active listening and genuine human interaction in business development. He emphasizes the value of taking the time to understand the challenges and needs of potential clients before offering solutions, highlighting the impact of asking good questions and truly listening. Kennedy shares personal experiences and lessons learned, stressing the significance of respecting prospects' time and...

In episode 104 of The Business Development Podcast, host Kelly Kennedy and guest Connor Nichols share their personal journeys into the world of business development. Both individuals recount how they initially pursued different paths, only to find themselves unexpectedly drawn to business development. They reflect on the emotional and transformative nature of discovering their passion for the field, highlighting the pivotal role of personal connections and influential mentors in shaping their...

In this episode 103 of the Business Development Podcast, hosted by Kelly Kennedy, the focus is on strategies for the development and success of small businesses. Kelly emphasizes the value of time, resources and skills management in the running of a small business and shares valuable insights on business development. The episode features expert advice for the growth of small businesses, with discussions about practical daily tips for business owners and importance of active marketing...

In Episode 102 of The Business Development Podcast, host Kelly Kennedy engages in an enlightening conversation with Douglas Holt, the Associate VP of Investments at Alberta Innovates. Holt, with over 20 years of leadership experience spanning financial services, government, technology, and education sectors, shares valuable insights on pursuing smart growth strategies in the ever-evolving business landscape. He discusses the emergence of new markets and technologies, emphasizing the need for...

In Episode 101 of The Business Development Podcast, host Kelly Kennedy delves into the challenging topic of unhealthy habits among business development specialists. Reflecting on his own experiences, Kennedy aims to raise awareness about these habits and emphasizes the importance of recognizing and addressing them to improve professional growth. He highlights the need for consistency in following a structured process and encourages veterans in the industry to share their knowledge and skills...

Milestone Episode 100 of The Business Development Podcast is a celebration of the journey that Kelly Kennedy and his team have taken to reach this significant milestone. The episode features Kelly, along with his two most important team members, Shelby Hobbs and Cole Chorney, reflecting on the past 100 episodes and discussing what the future holds for the podcast. Throughout the episode, they express their gratitude to the expert guests who have shared their business development advice, tips,...

In Episode 99 of The Business Development Podcast, host Kelly Kennedy expresses gratitude to the listeners for their unwavering support throughout the journey. With a sense of disbelief at reaching this milestone, Kennedy acknowledges the encouragement received from the audience and emphasizes the impact of the show on their lives. Reflecting on the remarkable growth of the podcast, Kennedy credits the listeners for the show's success and teases an exciting upcoming 100th episode....

In Episode 98 of The Business Development Podcast, CEO of atWork Office Furniture, Rodney Lover, discusses the importance of setting and reflecting on goals. He emphasizes the value of writing down both big and small goals, as well as documenting wins throughout the year to maintain a positive focus. The conversation also delves into the significance of gratitude and celebrating achievements, highlighting the need to balance ambition with appreciation for current accomplishments....

In Episode 97 of The Business Development Podcast, Kelly expresses his gratitude to Dan Balaban, CEO and executive chair at Greengate Power, for sharing insights into large-scale renewable solar wind projects. Kennedy discusses the value of maximizing travel time by listening to audiobooks, drawing from his own experience of extensive driving for business meetings. He emphasizes the importance of staying committed to finishing audiobooks within a reasonable time frame and advises against...

In Episode 96 of The Business Development Podcast, host Kelly Kennedy interviews Dan Balaban, the Executive Chair and CEO of Greengate Power. Dan shares his entrepreneurial journey, from writing a million lines of code in his one-bedroom apartment to successfully launching Greengate. He discusses the company's vision to prove the viability of large-scale renewables in Canada, particularly in Alberta, and the challenges and successes they encountered along the way. Despite being a relatively...

Episode 95 of The Business Development Podcast, hosted by Kelly Kennedy, is centered around the theme of positivity. In this episode, Kennedy expresses his gratitude to the listeners, sponsors, and expert guests who have supported the show's journey thus far. He highlights the importance of positivity in personal and professional growth, emphasizing that adopting a positive mindset can lead to transformative changes in one's life. Kennedy also shares his own experience of initially doubting...

In Episode 94 of The Business Development Podcast, host Kelly Kennedy interviews Ben Spangl, a renowned mindset and performance coach, entrepreneur, podcaster, and professional speaker. As they celebrate the new year in 2024, Ben shares his personal journey and the commitment it takes to host a podcast, highlighting the dedication and effort involved. He reflects on his initial hesitation to start a podcast and how personal development played a crucial role in his life. Ben's insights and...

Episode 93 of The Business Development Podcast, hosted by Kelly Kennedy, focused on setting business development resolutions for the year 2024. Kennedy expressed his gratitude to the listeners and reiterated his commitment to continue providing valuable content throughout the upcoming year. He emphasized the importance of implementing CRM systems and encouraged those who hadn't done so to catch up by listening to previous episodes on CRMs. Kennedy also highlighted the significance of...

In Episode 92 of The Business Development Podcast with Kelly Kennedy and Tash Jefferies, the focus is on accelerator programs and their importance in the startup ecosystem. Tash Jefferies, an experienced mentor in accelerator programs, shares her journey and passion for helping founders through these programs. She discusses the various aspects and benefits of accelerator programs, including mentorship, fundraising, and acquiring customers. Tash emphasizes the need for creativity in running...

In episode 91 of The Business Development Podcast, host Kelly Kennedy addresses community questions and provides valuable insight on various topics. He emphasizes the importance of speaking to the challenges faced by clients and the value that businesses can provide to solve those challenges. Kelly encourages listeners to consistently implement and stick to business development processes to improve their skills. He also announces that the podcast has been submitted for the Webby Awards and...

Episode 90 of The Business Development Podcast features Ruthann Weeks, the founder of Harmony in The Workplace. The episode focuses on topics of diversity, inclusion, and mental health in the workplace. Ruthann shares her personal experiences and the lessons she has learned throughout her career, including the challenges she faced and how she overcame them. She emphasizes the importance of taking a pause, considering different perspectives, and being trauma-informed in order to build strong...