The Business Development Podcast

In Episode 329 of The Business Development Podcast, Kelly Kennedy sits down with Nausheen I. Chen, 3x TEDx speaker and Fortune 500 communication coach, to unpack why so many capable leaders struggle when it’s time to speak. From the fight, flight, or freeze response to the pressure of being seen and judged, Nausheen explains what’s really happening in your brain when you feel nervous, lose your words, or freeze under pressure. This episode breaks down the psychology behind communication and why even highly successful professionals can sound flat, robotic, or disconnected when it matters most.
More importantly, Nausheen reveals the shift that changes everything. Public speaking isn’t about confidence, it’s about focus. When you stop trying to perform and start focusing on delivering value, the pressure disappears and your ability to connect skyrockets. If you want to communicate with more clarity, presence, and authority in meetings, presentations, or content, this episode gives you the mindset and tools to finally take control.

Connect with Nausheen I. Chen and learn more about her work:
Website: https://www.speaking.coach
Speak as a Leader Podcast: https://open.spotify.com/show/5QTpeh8l5ow8y72rtr8np2
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@nausheenichen
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nausheenichen/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nausheen.speaking.coach/
Email: [email protected]

Key Takeaways:
You don’t freeze because you lack confidence, you freeze because your brain thinks you’re under threat.
Public speaking fear is a primal response, not a personal weakness, and it can be trained.
The biggest shift in communication is moving from performing to delivering value.
When you focus on the audience instead of yourself, pressure drops and clarity rises.
Confidence is not something you’re born with, it’s built through repetition, self-talk, and preparation.
Your voice, energy, and body language are the three levers that determine how your message lands.
Most people fail in communication because they focus too much on what to say and not how it’s delivered.
Memorizing scripts creates pressure and increases the chance of freezing, speaking naturally creates connection.
Exposure and repetition reduce fear, but only if you review and learn from each performance.
The goal isn’t to impress people, it’s to make their time feel valuable, and everything changes when you do.

Sponsor Shoutouts
This episode of The Business Development Podcast is proudly supported by Hypervac Technologies, a leader in hydro excavation equipment helping contractors excavate safer, faster, and more efficiently across North America.
Alongside Hypervac, Hyperfab delivers custom-built fabrication solutions designed for durability, performance, and real-world industrial application.
🌐 https://www.hypervac.com
🌐 https://www.hyperfab.ca
This episode is also proudly supported by Thunder Bay Hydraulics Inc., specializing in hydraulic manufacturing, repair, and systems integration across Canada.
Alongside them, Atlas Elite Lifts delivers high-end lift solutions for luxury homes, condos, dealerships, and elite garage spaces, with systems that are truly Bat Cave Ready.
🌐 https://www.thunderbayhydraulics.com
🌐 https://www.atlaselitelifts.com
If you enjoy the show, please take a moment to support these incredible companies who make conversations like this possible. 🎸⭐
Join The Catalyst Club
If you enjoy conversations like this and want to connect with entrepreneurs, leaders, and business builders focused on real growth, join us inside The Catalyst Club.
🌐 https://www.kellykennedyofficial.com/thecatalystclub
Mentioned in this episode:
Hyperfab Midroll

In Episode 328 of The Business Development Podcast, Kelly Kennedy sits down with sales strategist Trystan Keller to break down why so many businesses are struggling to convert effort into real revenue. Trystan shares his journey from early challenges to building high-performing sales teams, and delivers a direct, no-nonsense perspective on the disconnect between marketing, sales, and business development. At the core of the conversation is a powerful truth: most companies are trying to scale before they’ve truly understood their customer or validated what actually drives buying decisions.
Together, they explore how to uncover the real emotional drivers behind a purchase, why asking better questions is the foundation of effective sales, and why “marketing is just word of mouth amplified.” The episode also highlights Trystan’s work with Messed Up Mondays, an Edmonton-based initiative built around honest conversations about failure and growth. This conversation is a clear reminder that before investing in marketing or chasing scale, businesses must first earn trust, understand their audience deeply, and build real human connections that lead to long-term success.
To connect with Trystan Keller and learn more about his work, including his Edmonton-based event series Messed Up Mondays, visit:
🌐 https://messedupmondays.com/
Messed Up Mondays is a growing community where entrepreneurs come together to share real business mistakes, lessons learned, and the realities of building something meaningful.

Key Takeaways:
Marketing only works when it amplifies something real. If nobody is already talking about your business, marketing has very little to build on.
Sales and marketing are not the same job. Marketing gets attention, while sales turns that attention into action and revenue.
Most businesses try to scale too early. They push ads and content before they truly understand their customer or why people buy.
The first step to selling better is talking to more people. Real conversations reveal what customers actually care about far faster than guessing.
Customers do not buy products for surface-level reasons. They buy because of deeper emotional drivers tied to identity, confidence, security, and meaning.
Better questions lead to better sales. If you can ask questions that help people understand themselves more clearly, you can uncover what really moves them to act.
Word of mouth has to be earned. You earn it by delivering value, getting results, and creating experiences people actually want to talk about.
Validation should come before big marketing spend. Get people in a room, test the offer, gather feedback, and use that proof before trying to scale it.
Business development, marketing, and sales each play different roles. Confusing them causes companies to miss the critical steps between awareness and conversion.
Authenticity is becoming more valuable, not less. As AI-generated content increases, real human connection, direct communication, and honest insight will stand out even more.

Sponsor Highlights
This episode of The Business Development Podcast is proudly supported by our 2026 Title Sponsor, Hypervac Technologies. Hypervac designs and manufactures industry-leading hydro excavation equipment used across North America to help contractors excavate safer, faster, and more efficiently.
Alongside Hypervac Technologies, Hyperfab delivers custom-built fabrication solutions designed for performance, durability, and real-world industrial application.
🌐 www.hypervac.com
🌐 www.hyperfab.ca
This episode is also proudly supported by our 2026 Roadblock Sponsor, Thunder Bay Hydraulics Inc. Thunder Bay Hydraulics specializes in hydraulic manufacturing, repair, and systems integration supporting industries across Canada.
Alongside Thunder Bay Hydraulics, Atlas Elite Lifts delivers premium automotive lift solutions for high-end homes, luxury condos, dealerships, and elite garage spaces, with lift systems so cool they are Bat Cave Ready.
🌐 www.thunderbayhydraulics.com
🌐 www.atlaselitelifts.com
If you enjoy the show, please take a moment to give these leaders and their companies some love for supporting the podcast and helping us continue bringing powerful conversations like this to the business community. 🎸⭐
Join The Catalyst Club Community
If you enjoy conversations like this and want to connect with other entrepreneurs, leaders, and business builders who are focused on real growth, I invite you to join us inside The Catalyst Club Community.
🌐 www.kellykennedyofficial.com/thecatalystclub
Mentioned in this episode:
Hyperfab Midroll

Episode 327 of The Business Development Podcast features Joel Zeff, a nationally recognized speaker, humorist, and work culture expert who has spent more than 25 years helping organizations build stronger teams and better leaders. In this conversation, Joel shares how losing his job became one of the most defining moments of his life when he walked out with a harmonica he did not even know how to play and used that moment to choose energy, humor, and resilience over defeat. That story becomes the gateway into a much bigger conversation about leadership, mindset, and why fun is not something extra at work, it is often the very thing that helps people stay engaged, adaptable, and ready to perform at a higher level.
Throughout the episode, Joel breaks down why celebrating small wins matters more than most leaders realize, how positive support creates momentum, and why staying in the game is one of the most important choices any professional can make. We also explore public speaking, confidence, workplace culture, embracing change, and how leaders can create environments where people feel energized instead of drained.
Learn more about Joel Zeff:
https://www.joelzeff.com/
https://www.linkedin.com/in/joelzeff/
Get Joel’s book, Make the Right Choice:
https://www.amazon.ca/Make-Right-Choice-Passion-Elevate/dp/1394278950
Business Development Podcast listeners can also access Joel’s special offer, a free chapter on change, directly through his website.
Just Mention the Show.
Key Takeaways:
Fun is not a distraction, it is a competitive advantage that drives energy, engagement, and performance.
Celebrating small wins consistently builds momentum and fuels long-term success more than waiting for big milestones.
Staying in the game is the most important decision you can make, because quitting guarantees failure while persistence keeps opportunity alive.
Confidence does not come from perfect outcomes, it comes from choosing how you show up in difficult moments.
Leaders create culture by giving people ownership and supporting them, not by demanding passion without building the foundation for it.
Positive support multiplies performance, when people feel encouraged they take more risks, produce more, and grow faster.
Most people do not fear public speaking, they fear making mistakes, and learning to embrace imperfection unlocks confidence.
Fun looks different for everyone, the key is identifying what energizes you and leaning into it consistently.
Your response to setbacks defines your trajectory more than the setback itself, mindset is the difference between collapse and growth.
The best leaders bring humanity into their work by creating environments where people feel safe, valued, and motivated to contribute.

Sponsor Highlights
This episode of The Business Development Podcast is proudly supported by our 2026 Title Sponsor, Hypervac Technologies. Hypervac designs and manufactures industry-leading hydro excavation equipment used across North America to help contractors excavate safer, faster, and more efficiently.
Alongside Hypervac Technologies, Hyperfab delivers custom-built fabrication solutions designed for performance, durability, and real-world industrial application.
🌐 www.hypervac.com
🌐 www.hyperfab.ca
This episode is also proudly supported by our 2026 Roadblock Sponsor, Thunder Bay Hydraulics Inc. Thunder Bay Hydraulics specializes in hydraulic manufacturing, repair, and systems integration supporting industries across Canada.
Alongside Thunder Bay Hydraulics, Atlas Elite Lifts delivers premium automotive lift solutions for high-end homes, luxury condos, dealerships, and elite garage spaces, with lift systems so cool they are Bat Cave Ready.
🌐 www.thunderbayhydraulics.com
🌐 www.atlaselitelifts.com
If you enjoy the show, please take a moment to give these leaders and their companies some love for supporting the podcast and helping us continue bringing powerful conversations like this to the business community. 🎸⭐
Join The Catalyst Club Community
If you enjoy conversations like this and want to connect with other entrepreneurs, leaders, and business builders who are focused on real growth, I invite you to join us inside The Catalyst Club Community.
🌐 www.kellykennedyofficial.com/thecatalystclub
Mentioned in this episode:
Hyperfab Midroll

Episode 326 of The Business Development Podcast features Chris Yeung, one of Edmonton’s most recognized business leaders, as he shares the defining moments that reshaped his life, career, and perspective on success. From building momentum in business development and entrepreneurship to facing the very real possibility of losing everything, Chris opens up about the pressure, the setbacks, and the moment he was forced to confront his ego and ask for help. What followed was not a quick fix, but a complete reset that changed how he approaches business, leadership, and life.
Now serving as Executive Director of Edmonton Destination Marketing Hotels, Chris has rebuilt with intention, combining creativity, strategy, and personal brand to create new opportunities and impact. In this episode, we explore the realities of entrepreneurship, the growing importance of personal branding, and how professionals can stand out in an increasingly competitive world. Chris shares practical insights on overcoming fear, showing up authentically, and turning hard lessons into forward momentum, leaving listeners with a clear takeaway: real growth happens when you are willing to evolve, connect, and ask for help when it matters most.
Key Takeaways:
Success can unravel quickly, and when it does, the real test is how you respond, not how you got there.
Waiting too long to ask for help can make a hard situation worse, while early conversations can open unexpected solutions.
Ego is often the biggest barrier to growth, especially when you are used to being the one who has it all figured out.
Financial pressure affects every part of your life, and protecting your stability is just as important as chasing opportunity.
Your personal brand is what differentiates you in a crowded market where everyone is technically competent.
You do not need a massive audience to win, you just need to connect with the right people consistently.
Creativity is a powerful advantage in business, especially when you can take ideas from concept to execution.
The best opportunities are often the ones you did not plan for but were open enough to pursue.
Speaking directly to one person, not an audience, is the key to becoming more natural and effective on video.
Real growth happens when you pause, reflect, and align your work with what genuinely drives and excites you.

Learn more about Chris Yeung:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/chris-yh-yeung/
https://chrisyeung.co/
Learn more about Edmonton Destination Marketing Hotels:
https://edmh.ca/

Sponsor Highlights
This episode of The Business Development Podcast is proudly supported by our 2026 Title Sponsor, Hypervac Technologies. Hypervac designs and manufactures industry-leading hydro excavation equipment used across North America to help contractors excavate safer, faster, and more efficiently.
Alongside Hypervac Technologies, Hyperfab delivers custom-built fabrication solutions designed for performance, durability, and real-world industrial application.
🌐 www.hypervac.com
🌐 www.hyperfab.ca
This episode is also proudly supported by our 2026 Roadblock Sponsor, Thunder Bay Hydraulics Inc. Thunder Bay Hydraulics specializes in hydraulic manufacturing, repair, and systems integration supporting industries across Canada.
Alongside Thunder Bay Hydraulics, Atlas Elite Lifts delivers premium automotive lift solutions for high-end homes, luxury condos, dealerships, and elite garage spaces, with lift systems so cool they are Bat Cave Ready.
🌐 www.thunderbayhydraulics.com
🌐 www.atlaselitelifts.com
If you enjoy the show, please take a moment to give these leaders and their companies some love for supporting the podcast and helping us continue bringing powerful conversations like this to the business community. 🎸⭐

Join The Catalyst Club Community
If you enjoy conversations like this and want to connect with other entrepreneurs, leaders, and business builders who are focused on real growth, I invite you to join us inside The Catalyst Club Community.
🌐 www.kellykennedyofficial.com
Mentioned in this episode:
Hyperfab Midroll

Episode 325 is a powerful conversation with Jodi Barrett that explores the gap between mental strength and physical capacity. As high performers, many of us pride ourselves on pushing through challenges, staying disciplined, and showing up no matter what. But as Jodi shares through her own experience, there comes a point where the body starts to push back. What looks like strength on the outside can hide fatigue, disconnection, and a system that is no longer able to support the pace of life we are trying to maintain.
This episode dives into what it really means to rebuild from that point. Jodi breaks down the role of nervous system regulation, sustainable strength, and reconnecting with your body in a way that supports long-term performance. It is not about doing more, it is about doing the right things consistently. For anyone who has been running on empty while trying to maintain a high level of output, this conversation offers a grounded and practical path back to energy, resilience, and true strength.
Get in touch with Jodi Barrett
🌐 https://kbstronger.com
📸 https://www.instagram.com/kbstronger/
💼 https://www.linkedin.com/in/jodi-barrett-kbstronger/
✉️ [email protected]

Key Takeaways:
Mental toughness can mask physical burnout, but eventually your body forces the conversation you have been avoiding.
Strength is not just about how much you can push, it is about how well your body can support consistency over time.
Most people do not change until the discomfort becomes too big to ignore, but waiting that long comes at a cost.
Nervous system regulation is a foundation of performance, not a wellness add-on.
If everything feels heavy, it is often a signal that your system is overloaded, not that you need to push harder.
Sustainable progress comes from doing the right things consistently, not from extreme bursts of effort.
Rebuilding strength requires reconnecting with your body, not fighting against it.
High performance is limited by physical capacity, no matter how strong your mindset is.
Slowing down and simplifying your approach can actually accelerate long-term results.
True strength is the ability to show up fully in your life, not just grind through it.

Sponsor Highlights
This episode of The Business Development Podcast is proudly supported by our 2026 Title Sponsor, Hypervac Technologies. Hypervac designs and manufactures industry-leading hydro excavation equipment used across North America to help contractors excavate safer, faster, and more efficiently.
Alongside Hypervac Technologies, Hyperfab delivers custom-built fabrication solutions designed for performance, durability, and real-world industrial application.
🌐 www.hypervac.com
🌐 www.hyperfab.ca
This episode is also proudly supported by our 2026 Roadblock Sponsor, Thunder Bay Hydraulics Inc. Thunder Bay Hydraulics specializes in hydraulic manufacturing, repair, and systems integration supporting industries across Canada.
Alongside Thunder Bay Hydraulics, Atlas Elite Lifts delivers premium automotive lift solutions for high-end homes, luxury condos, dealerships, and elite garage spaces, with lift systems so cool they are Bat Cave Ready.
🌐 www.thunderbayhydraulics.com
🌐 www.atlaselitelifts.com

Join The Catalyst Club
If you enjoy conversations like this and want to go deeper, I invite you to join us inside The Catalyst Club. This is a private community of entrepreneurs, leaders, and business builders focused on real growth, real conversations, and real connection.
Inside, we host live sessions, workshops, and open discussions designed to help you move forward with clarity and confidence alongside people who are doing the same.
🌐 www.kellykennedyofficial.com/thecatalystclub
Mentioned in this episode:
Hyperfab Midroll