Being good at the work is not the same as knowing how to run the business.

In part two of Cindi Baldi’s conversation with Kelly Kennedy, founder of Capital Business Development and host of The Business Development Podcast, the discussion moves from podcasting as business development to the realities of entrepreneurship.

They talk through the pricing mistake that sinks most new businesses, the mental gymnastics of going from employee to business owner, and the role of community and generosity in building a business that lasts.

Kelly's rule for service-based businesses is simple: figure out how to be profitable on day one, and start by pricing yourself at what the market charges, not below it.

If you are building a business around your expertise or thinking about leaving employment to start your own company, this episode brings key lessons on making entrepreneurship feasible.

Episode Highlights

• Why version one of your business probably will not be perfect
• The mindset shift from employee to entrepreneur
• Why $30 an hour as a business owner is not the same as $30 an hour as an employee
• How pricing can signal quality before a client ever works with you
• Why community, referrals, and reputation matter more than most marketing
• How generosity can create long-term business value

Watch Part 1 here

About Kelly Kennedy:

Kelly Kennedy is a Canadian business development strategist, founder of Capital Business Development, and host of The Business Development Podcast, a globally recognized show with over 300 episodes and listeners in more than 150 countries.

He is also the creator of The Catalyst Club, a private community for leaders focused on connection and results, and the host of I Used To Work There podcast. With nearly two decades in sales and business development, Kelly helps entrepreneurs, executives, and sales professionals turn strategy into consistent revenue through proven business development systems.

Connect with Kelly:

Linkedin | Instagram

https://www.linkedin.com/in/kellykennedyofficial/, https://www.instagram.com/thebusinessdevelopmentpodcast

The Catalyst Club Community: www.kellykennedyofficial.com/thecatalystclub

The Business Development Podcast: www.businessdevelopmentpodcast.ca

I Used To Work There: www.iusedtoworkthere.com

Watch This Episode on YouTube: https://youtu.be/Rvc0cXRvizM

Get your copy of The Uncertainty Playbook: 14 Strategies for Work Success in a Chaotic World here.

→ Use code PLAYBOOK20 for 20% off.

Get Science-Backed Insights and Exclusive Perks Straight to Your Inbox:

→ Sign up for our newsletter and get a FREE chapter of The Uncertainty Playbook.

Want to Go Deeper? Check Out Our Recommended Reading:

• Burg, Bob and John David Mann. The Go-Giver, Portfolio, 2015, https://a.co/d/05zaxTPw
• Gerber, Michael E. The E-Myth Revisited: Why Most Small Businesses Don't Work and What to Do About It, Harper Business, 1995, https://a.co/d/01cwxszb

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Employee complaints are often a sign of organizational health. The more dangerous signal may be when people stop complaining altogether.

Complaints often come from people who care deeply about the organization and want it to improve. The challenge for leaders is distinguishing those committed truth-tellers from the person who will remain unhappy no matter what.

In this episode, Cindi Baldi and Geoffrey Tumlin introduce two types of complainers: the “heartbroken lover,” who speaks up because they care, and the chronic scrooge who is never satisfied. They explore how a small number of negative employees can disproportionately influence a team, how leaders can respond without promising to fix everything, and a simple management tactic that turns complaints into ownership.

Whether you manage people or you’re the employee who keeps raising an issue and hearing nothing back, this episode will change how you think about the next complaint that lands on your desk.

Episode Highlights:

• Why complainers are often your most engaged employees, not your biggest problem
• How to distinguish a productive complaint from one that will never end
• What the research reveals about how one unhappy employee can influence 25% of an organization
• The simple question that can turn a complainer into a problem-solver
• Why silence may be the real warning sign inside an organization
• How leaders accidentally train employees to stop speaking up

Watch This Episode on YouTube: https://youtu.be/VjZTIo4RpiA

Get your copy of The Uncertainty Playbook: 14 Strategies for Work Success in a Chaotic World here.

→ Use code PLAYBOOK20 for 20% off.

Get Science-Backed Insights and Exclusive Perks Straight to Your Inbox:

→ Sign up for our newsletter and get a FREE chapter of The Uncertainty Playbook.

Want to Go Deeper? Check Out Our Recommended Reading:

• Goldsmith, Marshall, and Mark Reiter. What Got You Here Won't Get You There: How Successful People Become Even More Successful. Hyperion, 2007. https://www.hachettebookgroup.com/titles/marshall-goldsmith/what-got-you-here-wont-get-you-there/9781401301309/
• Felps, Will, Terence R. Mitchell, and Eliza Byington. "How, When, and Why Bad Apples Spoil the Barrel: Negative Group Members and Dysfunctional Groups." Research in Organizational Behavior, vol. 27, 2006, pp. 175–222. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0191308506270059

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Why do great entrepreneurs sometimes struggle to become great leaders?

Entrepreneurs tend to be comfortable with risk. They chase ideas, trust their instincts, and see opportunities other people miss. That is often exactly what it takes to get a company off the ground. But once employees, customers, systems, and growth enter the picture, the job changes.

In this episode, Cindi Baldi talks with best-selling author and small-business expert Steve Strauss about one of the hardest transitions in entrepreneurship: going from founder to leader.

They explore what separates great entrepreneurs from great managers, how a founder’s personality can shape company culture for years, why some startups become unnecessarily chaotic, and why successful founders need people around them who complement their weaknesses. Steve shares stories from entrepreneurs including Tommy Hilfiger, Martha Stewart, and Walt Disney to show how risk, partnerships, and management decisions can determine whether a business grows or stalls.

They discuss what good bosses do differently, what leaders should be careful about outsourcing to AI, and why uncertainty may actually make this one of the most exciting times to build something new.

Episode Highlights:

• How a person’s tolerance for risk and uncertainty shapes their career choices
• Why the skills that make someone a great founder can make leadership harder
• How a founder’s personality becomes embedded in company culture
• What the most successful franchise owners do differently as leaders
• The billboard stunt that helped turn Tommy Hilfiger into a household name
• Why most family businesses don't survive a third generation, and the one that did
• What Walt Disney, Martha Stewart, and other iconic entrepreneurs understood about complementary partnerships
• Why this is the best time to start a new business and resources to help

Watch This Episode on YouTube: https://youtu.be/NJiNn3MKCo4

About Steve Strauss:

Steve Strauss is the country's leading small business expert. A non-practicing attorney and author of 18 books, including the bestselling Small Business Bible, Steve is also an in-demand speaker and brand ambassador.

Connect with Steve:

Website | Newsletter: Notes to An Entrepreneur | Latest book

*Bonus resource: Find a free mentor: https://www.score.org/

Get your copy of The Uncertainty Playbook: 14 Strategies for Work Success in a Chaotic World here.

→ Use code PLAYBOOK20 for 20% off.

Get Science-Backed Insights and Exclusive Perks Straight to Your Inbox:

→ Sign up for our newsletter and get a FREE chapter of The Uncertainty Playbook.

Want to Go Deeper? Check Out Our Recommended Reading:

• Stanford Seed. “It Starts With You: Evolving Your Leadership as Your Company Grows,” Stanford Graduate School of Business, 28 Sep. 2022, https://www.gsb.stanford.edu/insights/it-starts-you-evolving-your-leadership-your-company-grows
• Zook, Chris. “Founder-Led Companies Outperform the Rest – Here’s Why,” Harvard Business Review, 24 Mar. 2016, https://hbr.org/2016/03/founder-led-companies-outperform-the-rest-heres-why

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