The Business Development Podcast

A family construction company tripled its revenue in one year. Behind the growth, the owners were still carrying the business themselves. He was leading in the field. She was handling payroll, scheduling and the administrative work. They hired Laina Neudorf to help, but when they understood the work required to change how the business operated, they walked away from the engagement. They had become so busy running the business that they couldn’t make room to improve it.
In Episode 371 of The Business Development Podcast, Kelly Kennedy speaks with Laina Neudorf, Founder and Success Strategist at LPT Success Solutions, about navigating the messy middle of business ownership. Drawing on nearly two decades of experience across industrial construction, oil and gas, and software operations, Laina explains why more revenue, another hire or a new system may not solve the problem an owner is facing. They discuss recognizing bottlenecks, questioning familiar habits, making room for change and understanding what success looks like beyond the numbers. Kelly also shares how Foxx’s cancer diagnosis forced him to reassess his business activities, revealing that some things he thought were essential could stop while the business kept moving.
What You’ll Learn
How to recognize the messy middle, when an established business still depends too heavily on its owner.
Why understanding the root cause of a problem matters before hiring, expanding or spending more on marketing.
How a not-to-do list can help you identify activities that no longer deserve your time.
What asking “What would break if I stepped away for two weeks?” can reveal about your business.
How to introduce changes in stages, measure their impact and transfer decision responsibility to your team.
Why your next business decision should reflect both the company’s needs and the life you want to build.

Chapters
00:00 Will more growth solve your problems?
01:08 Introducing Laina Neudorf
04:10 From industrial construction to software operations
05:22 Why projects succeed and how to navigate change
07:23 Understanding problems versus symptoms
07:53 Making the leap into entrepreneurship
10:07 Family, ambition and redefining success
12:17 Kelly’s experience balancing business and Foxx’s treatment
13:50 Rethinking work-life balance
15:22 What is the messy middle?
17:18 Can you build a business and the life you want?
18:29 Burnout and the value of a not-to-do list
19:53 Questioning the habits that keep you busy
21:08 Affording help and exploring fractional support
22:43 What happens when you stop doing everything?
24:25 The two-week absence test
25:57 Why growth isn’t always the answer
26:59 A construction company’s cautionary growth story
28:36 Understanding your business before the next big decision
30:45 Making changes without disrupting everything
32:22 Recognizing the owner as the bottleneck
33:15 Sharing responsibility and deciding what to delegate
33:51 The Business Diagnostic and a 90-day plan
35:22 Getting support to implement change
36:05 Who Laina works with
36:43 Profit, pressure and knowing when to ask for help
37:40 Connecting with Laina
Connect with Laina Neudorf
Laina helps owner-operators understand their business before deciding what comes next. Through LPT Success Solutions, her Business Diagnostic examines business performance alongside the owner’s goals, helping establish priorities and a practical 90-day plan. She also offers fractional and contract support for owners who want help implementing those changes.
Website: https://launchpeaktranscend.com/
Business Diagnostic: https://go.launchpeaktranscend.com/diagnostic-info
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/laina-neudorf/
Explore Laina’s three ebooks: Where the Hell Is My Profit?, Shouldn’t This Be Easier By Now? and Where Do I Go From Here?
https://go.launchpeaktranscend.com/book-trilogy-2
Support Foxx and Our Family
Our one year old son Foxx is currently fighting cancer. If you are able to donate or share our GoFundMe, our family would be incredibly grateful.
https://www.gofundme.com/f/support-shelby-kelly-during-foxxs-fight-against-cancer
Thank You to Our Sponsors
Thank you to Colin Harms and our title sponsor, Hypervac Technologies, for your steadfast support of The Business Development Podcast. We are also grateful to Hyperfab for helping us continue to bring these conversations to listeners.
Hypervac Technologies builds professional duct cleaning equipment, including duct trucks, portable vacuums and tools for contractors in the field.
https://hypervac.com/
Hyperfab provides custom fabrication and specialized solutions for industrial applications.
https://hyperfab.ca/
Join The Catalyst Club Community
The Catalyst Club brings business development leaders, entrepreneurs, executives and senior professionals together for live sessions, recorded conversations and practical support.
https://www.kellykennedyofficial.com/thecatalystclub
If you know a business owner who is busier than ever but wondering why things aren’t getting easier, share this episode with them. Follow The Business Development Podcast for more honest conversations about what it takes to build and lead.
Mentioned in this episode:
Hypervac - Revolution Vacuums

JAR Podcast Solutions gave two producers the same topic. One used AI to build a podcast from the ground up. The other drew on her own travel experiences. When the team shared the finished pieces with a small test audience of about 100 people, Jennifer Moss says 99 preferred the human story. The difference was in the experience behind the words.
In Episode 370 of The Business Development Podcast, Kelly Kennedy speaks with Jennifer Moss, co-founder and Chief Creative Officer of JAR Podcast Solutions, about the future of podcasting and why human connection remains at its centre. Drawing on her experience with CBC Radio, the National Film Board of Canada and teaching at UBC, Jen explores how brands can create shows people actually want to hear. They discuss choosing between audio and video, using AI without losing your voice, measuring success beyond downloads, and finding listeners through relevant podcast partnerships. Jen also explains why the best starting point is understanding who your show serves and what you want it to accomplish.
What You’ll Learn
How to choose between audio and video based on your story, audience and resources.
Why defining your podcast’s job, audience and intended result helps guide creative decisions.
How consumption rate and audience engagement can tell you more than download counts alone.
Where AI can support production and why lived experience still matters in storytelling.
How to interpret listener drop-off and improve your show without overreacting to one episode.
Why consistent publishing, cross-promotion and relevant podcast advertising matter for audience growth.

Chapters
00:00 Why a download alone doesn’t mean success
01:09 Introducing Jennifer Moss
05:33 From childhood storytelling to a career in audio
09:33 Building JAR and rethinking branded podcasts
12:05 How audio and video create different kinds of connection
14:09 YouTube, discovery and the next generation of listeners
16:57 Choosing the right format for your audience and budget
21:33 Defining what success means for your podcast
23:01 Measuring impact beyond downloads
27:25 AI tools and the value of human connection
29:49 Fact-checking and protecting your content
32:36 Keeping your own voice in the creative process
33:29 JAR’s human versus AI podcast experiment
36:52 Why the person behind the story matters
39:00 Personal stories and creative possibilities for branded podcasts
42:32 Analytics, consumption and understanding listener drop-off
46:28 Setting realistic expectations for audience growth
49:26 Cross-promotion and advertising on other podcasts
51:18 Relationships and pitching Apple’s editorial team
53:58 How JAR Podcast Solutions helps brands build shows
57:42 Reaching people who are ready to listen
58:48 Award-winning shows and creative impact
01:01:07 Connecting with Jennifer
Connect with Jennifer Moss
Jennifer helps brands and creators develop podcasts through strategy, storytelling, production and audience growth. Through JAR Podcast Solutions, she works with organizations to find the conversations they are best positioned to lead and create content that serves their listeners.
Website: https://jarpodcasts.com/
Email: jen@jarpodcasts.com
Learn more about Jen: https://jarpodcasts.com/staff/jen-moss/
Support Foxx and Our Family
Our one year old son Foxx is currently fighting cancer. If you are able to donate or share our GoFundMe, our family would be incredibly grateful.
https://www.gofundme.com/f/support-shelby-kelly-during-foxxs-fight-against-cancer
Thank You to Our Sponsors
Thank you to Colin Harms and our title sponsor, Hypervac Technologies, for your steadfast support of The Business Development Podcast. We are also grateful to Hyperfab for helping us continue to bring these conversations to listeners.
Hypervac Technologies builds professional duct cleaning equipment, including duct trucks, portable vacuums and tools for contractors in the field.
https://hypervac.com/
Hyperfab provides custom fabrication and specialized solutions for industrial applications.
https://hyperfab.ca/
Join The Catalyst Club Community
The Catalyst Club brings business development leaders, entrepreneurs, executives and senior professionals together for live sessions, recorded conversations and practical support.
https://www.kellykennedyofficial.com/thecatalystclub
If you know someone building a podcast or considering one for their business, share this episode with them. Follow The Business Development Podcast for more honest conversations about what it takes to build and lead.
Mentioned in this episode:
Hypervac - Revolution Vacuums

The day after surviving the Miracle on the Hudson, Dave Sanderson walked into his office to let his company know he was alive. His manager’s first question was, “You’re going to Michigan next week, right?” Dave had survived a plane crash. Now he was questioning the career he had built.
In Episode 369 of The Business Development Podcast, Kelly Kennedy speaks with Dave about surviving US Airways Flight 1549, helping fellow passengers escape, and the preparation that helped him act under extraordinary pressure. Drawing on his sales career and years working with Tony Robbins, Dave explains how to lead without a title, manage your response to uncertainty, and choose your best next step when you cannot control the outcome. He also shares how surviving the crash pushed him to reconsider his definition of success and begin finding a way out of the golden handcuffs.
What You’ll Learn
How leadership can begin with taking responsibility before anyone gives you authority.
How your focus, internal dialogue and physical state influence your response to pressure.
Why choosing the best next step can help you act when you cannot solve the whole problem.
How anticipation and resourcefulness help you support a team when circumstances change.
Why Dave measures freedom through time, money, mission and relationships.
How mentors helped Dave move from a successful sales career into speaking and entrepreneurship.

Chapters
00:00 Surviving a plane crash and returning to work
01:17 Introducing Dave Sanderson
02:52 Dave’s early life and entrepreneurial beginnings
04:17 An unexpected mentor and a promise to pass on his lessons
06:47 Working with Tony Robbins and learning through proximity
08:44 The four freedoms Dave realized he was missing
10:29 Surviving the Miracle on the Hudson
15:04 Leading without authority
17:25 Managing your state under pressure
22:01 Choosing your best next step
23:31 Why anticipation matters in leadership
26:54 Acting despite fear
29:37 Resourcefulness, decisions and improving your processes
31:46 Leaving the golden handcuffs behind
35:38 Building a speaking and coaching career
39:04 Connecting with Dave
Connect with Dave Sanderson
Dave works with leaders and organizations through speaking, coaching and advisory work focused on resilience, decision-making and leadership under pressure.
Website: https://davesandersonspeaks.com/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/hiredavesanderson/
Explore Dave’s books, including Moments Matter and From Turmoil to Triumph, and his Moments Matter magazine:
https://davesandersonspeaks.com/books/
Support Foxx and Our Family
Our one year old son Foxx is currently fighting cancer. If you are able to donate or share our GoFundMe, our family would be incredibly grateful.
https://www.gofundme.com/f/support-shelby-kelly-during-foxxs-fight-against-cancer
Thank You to Our Sponsors
Thank you to Colin Harms and our title sponsor, Hypervac Technologies, for your steadfast support of The Business Development Podcast. We are also grateful to Hyperfab for helping us continue to bring these conversations to listeners.
Hypervac Technologies builds professional duct cleaning equipment, including duct trucks, portable vacuums and tools for contractors in the field.
https://hypervac.com/
Hyperfab provides custom fabrication and specialized solutions for industrial applications.
https://hyperfab.ca/
Join The Catalyst Club Community
The Catalyst Club brings business development leaders, entrepreneurs, executives and senior professionals together for live sessions, recorded conversations and practical support.
https://www.kellykennedyofficial.com/thecatalystclub
If Dave’s story made you think of someone facing a difficult decision, share this episode with them. Follow The Business Development Podcast for more honest conversations about what it takes to build and lead.
Mentioned in this episode:
Hypervac - Revolution Vacuums

Ten weeks after Trevor Muir became CEO of Surepoint Group, the bank swept $400,000 from the company’s account and froze its line of credit. Surepoint could not make payroll. Trevor had already turned down the job twice. Now he had to decide what to tell the people whose livelihoods depended on the company.
In Episode 368 of The Business Development Podcast, Kelly Kennedy speaks with Trevor about telling his team the truth, asking employees and vendors for help, and rebuilding a company around the principle of caring for people. Trevor also shares how a period of depression changed the way he led, why Surepoint’s leaders gave up part of their pay during the pandemic, and what inspired his Someday to Today initiative.
Content note: This episode includes a discussion of depression and suicidal thoughts.
Chapters
00:00 Trevor’s story and introduction
05:05 Growing up on an Alberta farm
17:27 Building Surepoint with nine friends
20:43 Why Trevor turned down the CEO role
25:29 The bank freeze and the threat to payroll
27:49 Trevor’s personal crisis and decision to seek help
34:39 Learning to care for himself, too
40:41 Rebuilding Surepoint through honesty
46:54 The pandemic puts “We Care” to the test
55:29 Surepoint’s growth after the pandemic
59:18 The meaning behind Someday to Today
1:08:38 What Trevor is doing next
Key Takeaways
Trevor took the CEO role because he felt responsible to the people who had believed in Surepoint.
When the company faced possible collapse, he told employees how serious the situation was and asked for their help.
Seeking help during a personal crisis changed Trevor’s understanding of vulnerability and leadership.
During the pandemic, Surepoint’s leaders accepted substantial pay cuts as part of a plan to support the wider team.
Trevor believes caring for people helped Surepoint rebuild its culture and grow.
Someday to Today is a reminder to make time for the people and experiences that matter while we can.

Connect with Trevor Muir
Trevor works with leaders and organizations through speaking, coaching and advisory work.
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/trevor-muir-b7231356/
Support Foxx and Our Family
Our one year old son Foxx is currently fighting cancer. If you are able to donate or share our GoFundMe, our family would be incredibly grateful.
https://www.gofundme.com/f/support-shelby-kelly-during-foxxs-fight-against-cancer
Thank You to Our Sponsors
Thank you to Colin Harms for your steadfast support of The Business Development Podcast. We are also grateful to Hypervac Technologies and Hyperfab for helping us continue to bring these conversations to listeners.
Hypervac Technologies builds professional duct cleaning equipment, including duct trucks, portable vacuums and tools for contractors in the field.
https://hypervac.com/
Hyperfab provides custom fabrication and specialized solutions for industrial applications.
https://hyperfab.ca/
Join The Catalyst Club Community
The Catalyst Club brings business development leaders, entrepreneurs, executives and senior professionals together for live sessions, recorded conversations and practical support. Trevor is part of this community and brings the same openness to its conversations that you hear in this episode.
https://www.kellykennedyofficial.com/thecatalystclub
If Trevor’s story stayed with you, follow The Business Development Podcast for more conversations with leaders who speak honestly about what it takes to build and lead.
Mentioned in this episode:
Hypervac - Revolution Vacuums

What if the people closest to the work understand what needs to change better than the leaders making the decisions? In Episode 367 of The Business Development Podcast, Kelly Kennedy sits down with Karli Grove, founder of Kantency Consulting, organizational change strategist, speaker and workshop facilitator, to explore why meaningful transformation rarely begins with immediate action. Karli shares her journey from growing up in small town Alberta and building experience across insurance, community organizations and local leadership to buying a one way ticket to New Zealand, living from a campervan and eventually creating a business devoted to helping organizations navigate change more intentionally.
Karli explains why organizations often become overwhelmed by what appear to be thousands of different problems when many of them originate from the same underlying issue. She shares how her Step 0 approach helps leaders pause, step back and map the entire system before deciding what needs to change. Kelly and Karli also discuss the dangers of top down decision making, why employees resist changes they were never invited to understand and what leaders can learn from the people closest to the work. As Karli explains, if you want to understand where waste exists inside an organization, sometimes the first person you should speak with is the janitor.
The conversation also examines the importance of shared language, continuous feedback and human connection during periods of uncertainty. Karli introduces her Water Cycle Framework, which uses familiar images such as storm clouds, rivers and waterfalls to help teams communicate the scale, pressure and emotional reality of change. She explains why feedback should be gathered throughout the entire process rather than only at the end, how involving employees during the brainstorming stage creates stronger buy in and why the rise of artificial intelligence may ultimately make genuine human connection even more valuable. Karli also shares how Kantency supports leaders and organizations through speaking, facilitation, coaching and immersive mapping.
Key Takeaways:
Resistance to change is often a response to being blindsided, excluded or ignored rather than a rejection of change itself.
If implementing change is Step 1, Step 0 is the pause required to understand the complete system before taking action.
Organizations may appear to have thousands of different problems when many are different expressions of the same root issue.
The people closest to the work often possess critical information that leadership cannot see from the top.
Leaders make better decisions when they involve employees during the brainstorming process rather than after the decision has already been made.
Shared language helps teams recognize when they are discussing the same issue from different perspectives.
Metaphors can communicate the scale, pressure and emotion of change more effectively than conventional business language.
Feedback should be collected throughout the entire change cycle because waiting until the end means missing the information needed to adjust.
Loyalty inside a smaller organization can be powerful but fragile because leadership decisions feel deeply personal to employees.
As technology becomes increasingly available, authentic human connection, empathy and in person experiences may become even more valuable.

Connect with Karli Grove
Learn more about Karli Grove and Kantency Consulting, explore the Step 0 approach and discover how Karli helps leaders and organizations map the bigger picture, strengthen communication and navigate change with greater clarity and confidence.
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/karligrove
Kantency Consulting: https://kantency.com
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCGtWcw78iQvqjc0mdViZotQ
Support Foxx and Our Family
Our one year old son Foxx is currently fighting cancer, and our family is navigating a tremendous amount of uncertainty in the weeks and months ahead. If you are able to donate or simply share our GoFundMe with your network, we would be incredibly grateful for your support.
❤️ Donate to Support Foxx and Our Family
🎸 Sponsor Shoutouts: Thank you Colin Harms for your steadfast support of The Business Development Podcast! 🫶
The Business Development Podcast is proudly supported by Hypervac Technologies and Hyperfab. 🎸⭐
🔹 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
Join The Catalyst Club Community
The Catalyst Club is so much more than a community. It is a growth platform for business development leaders, entrepreneurs, executives and senior professionals who want to sharpen their mindset, expand their leadership and learn directly from people who have been there.
Members get immediate access to more than 40 recorded Catalyst Sessions from incredible experts like Nausheen Chen, Carmen Leibel, Pia Silva, Joel Zeff, Wayne Lee and many more, along with weekly live sessions, growth conversations and practical business development support from Kelly Kennedy and other leaders.
If you are serious about growth, leadership, business development and surrounding yourself with people who are committed to becoming better, The Catalyst Club is where you need to be.
Learn more here: www.kellykennedyofficial.com/thecatalystclub
Mentioned in this episode:
Hypervac - Revolution Vacuums