The Business Development Podcast

• The Listener Who Transformed His Life Through Business Development with Lucas Benjamin Schmidt

  Episode 293 follows the remarkable journey of Lucas Benjamin Schmidt, a biochemist from Germany who discovered business development by accident and transformed his entire life because of it. Lucas found The Business Development Podcast in late 2023, listened to every episode within days, and immediately applied the principles by treating himself like a product, crafting a value proposition, creating marketing materials, and proactively reaching out to companies. His curiosity and willingness to take action opened doors he never expected, including a chance encounter at a diagnostics conference that led to a role in business development inside a German engineering and technology company undergoing major transformation.In one of the most inspiring listener stories ever shared on the show, Lucas walks through how leaving the lab for business development unlocked new opportunities, reshaped how he understands people and problems, and sparked a deeper curiosity that now drives his career. From mastering human connection to blending science with strategy, Lucas proves that anyone, no matter their background, can rewrite their future by embracing flexibility, stepping outside their comfort zone, and acting on what they learn. His story shows the power of taking a leap when opportunity shows up and the impact one podcast can make when the right listener decides to bet on themselves.Key Takeaways: 1. Curiosity opens doors when you follow it instead of ignoring it.2. Acting on ideas beats waiting for permission every time.3. Treat yourself like a product and opportunities appear where you never expected.4. Human connection is the real differentiator in business development.5. Flexibility creates momentum while rigidity holds you back.6. You can always return to your old field, so take bigger swings now.7. Skills from past careers become superpowers in BD when you apply them creatively.8. Consistency turns luck into predictable outcomes.9. Learning psychology helps you communicate better with everyone, including yourself.10. Business development rewires how you see the world and reveals possibilities everywhere.If you listen to The Business Development Podcast, you belong in The Catalyst Club.🔥Join a private community of entrepreneurs, founders, and business development leaders committed to growth, accountability, and bold action.👉 Step in at www.kellykennedyofficial.com/thecatalystclub

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• How to Explode Your LinkedIn Growth in 2026 with Sam Swirsky

  Episode 292 takes you inside a powerful conversation with LinkedIn strategist Sam Swirsky, where Kelly uncovers what truly drives explosive growth on the world’s leading business platform in 2026. Sam shares his journey from blue collar beginnings to becoming one of LinkedIn’s most respected creators and strategists, breaking down the mindset and methods that helped him build massive influence. He reveals why clarity, consistency, instructional content, and authentic video now outperform everything else and explains how creators can stand out in a feed flooded with AI and noise.Together, Kelly and Sam dig into what most people misunderstand about LinkedIn, why comments are quickly becoming the new content, and how to transform your profile into a powerful engine for opportunity. Sam opens the curtain on the frameworks he uses with top creators, including the systems that generate millions of impressions and create deeply engaged communities. For anyone ready to grow their presence, their business, or their personal brand, Episode 292 delivers a masterclass in building real visibility, real influence, and real momentum in 2026.If you’d like to book an introduction with Sam Swirsky, you can connect with him here: https://zcal.co/samswirsky/30minKey Takeaways:1. LinkedIn growth in 2026 comes from clarity, not volume, and creators who simplify their message win.2. Comments are becoming the new content and strategic engagement outperforms blindly posting every day.3. Instructional posts build the fastest trust because they prove you actually know what you're talking about.4. Authentic video is the strongest differentiator in a feed flooded with AI-generated content.5. You don’t need more posts, you need better ones that solve real problems for your audience.6. Long-term consistency beats virality and Sam’s 10-year mindset is the real blueprint behind sustained growth.7. Your profile must clearly state what you do and how people can work with you or you’ll lose opportunities.8. The algorithm rewards creators who mix content types and show up in multiple ways, not just text-only posting.9. Community building is the hidden multiplier because people follow people who make them feel seen.10. LinkedIn success is a skill set, not luck, and anyone can grow if they commit to learning the fundamentals.If you listen to The Business Development Podcast, you belong in The Catalyst Club.🔥Join a private community of entrepreneurs, founders, and business development leaders committed to growth, accountability, and bold action.👉 Step in at www.kellykennedyofficial.com/thecatalystclub

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• You Are Going to Be OK and 10 Tips Will Help You Keep the Faith

  Episode 291 is a raw, honest, and deeply human exploration of what it means to trust the journey when life throws you curveballs. Kelly opens up about one of the wildest days of his entrepreneurial year — a morning that began with a gut-punch message from a major client and immediately shifted into two of the biggest interviews of 2025 with Jake Gold and Douglas Conant. Instead of spiraling, he leaned into faith, asked for guidance, and watched the entire day unfold in ways that reminded him that the universe, God, fate — whatever you believe — often steps in right when you need it most. This episode blends storytelling, vulnerability, and spiritual grounding in a way that only Kelly can deliver.From unexpected opportunities to the quiet clarity that followed, Kelly uses his experience to reflect on how life’s toughest moments often reveal the most important truths. He walks listeners through ten powerful lessons that anchor resilience, belief, and the ability to keep moving forward even when the road feels uncertain. Episode 291 is a reminder that doors close to redirect you, that your path is unfolding exactly as it should, and that no matter how chaotic things feel, you are going to be OK. If you need perspective, reassurance, or a spark of hope heading into the new year, this is an episode you’ll want to save and revisit.Key Takeaways: 1. You’re going to be OK even when things look their worst because nothing stays bad forever.2. Your biggest personal growth comes from your hardest moments because pressure creates strength.3. The universe has your back and the right opportunities show up when you need them most.4. You are enough and even the challenges that feel impossible are within your ability to overcome.5. You have a purpose and you’re allowed to change direction whenever your path shifts.6. You are unique and your gifts are yours alone which is your real competitive advantage.7. There is no such thing as failure, only choices, lessons, and redirection.8. Your community matters because the people around you will either lift you up or pull you down.9. Authenticity wins and being your true self is the most powerful advantage you have.10. Don’t lose your humanity because in a world filled with AI and noise, being human is your superpower.If you listen to The Business Development Podcast, you belong in The Catalyst Club.🔥Join a private community of entrepreneurs, founders, and business development leaders committed to growth, accountability, and bold action.👉 Step in at www.kellykennedyofficial.com/thecatalystclub

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• The Future of Food, Freedom, and Human Resilience with Jim Gale

  What would you do if you sold your company and had every opportunity to step back, but instead chose to build a vision aimed at changing the future of how communities thrive? In Episode 290, Kelly sits down with returning guest Jim Gale to explore his mission to transform the way families, schools, neighborhoods, and even nations think about food and long-term resilience. Jim shares how he turned barren land into a fully off-grid, self-sustaining ecosystem and why regenerative design is becoming essential as the cost of living climbs and global systems show increasing strain. His perspective blends entrepreneurship, sustainability, and practical action in a way that challenges traditional thinking.Jim also dives into the rapid global expansion of Food Forest Abundance, now active in more than 50 countries, and outlines how simple, scalable systems are helping households reduce dependency and create real security. From community-supported agriculture to working with local leaders, churches, and schools, he breaks down how abundance can be built anywhere with the right mindset and the right structures. This episode offers a grounded, forward-looking conversation on resilience, leadership, and the future of sustainable living.Key Takeaways: 1. Jim chose purpose over comfort, redirecting his life into a mission that supports long-term human resilience.2. Even barren land can become a thriving ecosystem with the right regenerative design principles.3. Rising costs and system strain are pushing more people to explore self-sufficiency and local abundance.4. Simple food systems can dramatically reduce household pressure and create real security.5. Schools, churches, and community groups are powerful entry points for widespread change.6. Food Forest Abundance is now active in more than 50 countries, proving the model works at scale.7. Creating even a small amount of your own food increases stability and reduces dependency.8. Community-supported agriculture models offer education, daily nutrition, and long-term resilience.9. Awareness and visibility are essential, as many people have never considered growing their own food.10. Abundance works best when shared; real resilience comes from communities growing and supporting each other.If you listen to The Business Development Podcast, you belong in The Catalyst Club.🔥Join a private community of entrepreneurs, founders, and business development leaders committed to growth, accountability, and bold action.👉 Step in at www.kellykennedyofficial.com/thecatalystclub

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• The Tools Change, Humanity Doesn’t

  In this powerful Remembrance Day episode, Kelly Kennedy reflects on the legacy of his grandfather, a man shaped by courage, humility, and service, and explores the timeless truths that still define human connection today. Through the lens of personal history and Dale Carnegie’s century-old wisdom, Kelly reminds us that while our tools have evolved from typewriters to smartphones, from face-to-face meetings to AI, the fundamentals of who we are have not. Our desire for understanding, empathy, belonging, and trust remains unchanged, and those who remember how to connect on a deeply human level will always lead the way.This episode bridges the past and present, showing that in business and life, success is never about the newest technology, it’s about mastering the oldest skill in the world: authentic human connection. Drawing from history, psychology, and lived experience, Kelly offers timeless lessons that prove our humanity isn’t a weakness in the digital age, it’s our greatest advantage.Key Takeaways: 1. The tools we use will always evolve, but the fundamentals of human connection never change.2. Technology can enhance communication, but it can’t replace genuine empathy or trust.3. Authentic relationships are built on listening, understanding, and caring — not automation.4. Success in business still comes down to people choosing people they like and believe in.5. The wisdom of the past remains relevant because human nature hasn’t changed.6. Dale Carnegie’s teachings on kindness, respect, and curiosity are more powerful now than ever.7. Human connection is the greatest differentiator in a world filled with noise and competition.8. To move forward, we must remember and honor the lessons that brought us here.9. Leadership is not about control or efficiency, it’s about humanity and connection.10. In every era — past, present, or future — our greatest advantage will always be being human.If you listen to The Business Development Podcast, you belong in The Catalyst Club.🔥Join a private community of entrepreneurs, founders, and business development leaders committed to growth, accountability, and bold action.👉 Step in at www.kellykennedyofficial.com/thecatalystclub

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