10 Rules to Make 2026 the Year Your Community Changes Everything

In 2026, community isn't just a buzzword, it's the game changer.

But with so many circles to join, how do you find the ones that truly move you forward?

Today, we're breaking down exactly how to choose, how to show up, and how to make 2026 the year your community changes everything for you.

Stick with us.

You are not going to want to miss this episode.

The great Mark Cuban happens over years and years.

Value is measured in the total upside of a business relationship, not by how much you squeezed out in any one deal.

And we couldn't agree more.

This is the Business Development Podcast based in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada and broadcasting to the world.

You'll get expert business development advice, tips and experiences and you'll hear interviews with business owners, CEOs and business development reps. You'll get actionable advice on how to grow business brought to you by Capital Business Development, CapitalBD CA let's do it.

Welcome to the Business Development Podcast.

And now your expert host, Kelly Kennedy.

Hello, welcome to episode 297 of the Business Development Podcast and today is all about what's coming in 2026.

As you guys already know, every year on this show I like to take the pulse of where business, social media and just the world in general seems to be going.

For those of you who have been on this journey with me for a while, today's show might not be as big of a surprise for you, but for some of you it might just be.

But either way, a shift is happening and 2026 is going to shake things up in an absolutely incredible way.

I want to start today's show by announcing a new show that I am absolutely excited to be kicking off in 2026.

It brings me incredible pleasure to announce to you all.

I used to work there.

Finally a place to come and tell all the stories that stuck with you from your working life.

The inspiring, the terrifying, the hilarious, the amazing, the paranormal and everything in between.

I love stories and I believe that they are the most important way as humans that we can connect and share our journeys and I cannot wait to hear yours in 2026.

If you have a story from your working life that the world needs to hear, I want to hear from you.

You can express interest and share a brief overview of your story by emailing.

HR used to work there.com that's H R. I used to work there.com our submissions are one of three types.

Full name, first name only or anonymous to protect the privacy of our storytellers.

I used to work there the Stories We Never Forget is coming in 2026 and I cannot wait to hear all your incredible stories.

Make sure to follow us on LinkedIn and Instagram to keep up and celebrate the launch with us.

And remember, if you or someone you know has an amazing work story, please tell them about us and submit your stories once again to HR.

Used to work there.com also I am totally excited to announce that enrollment for my next Business Development Mastery Accelerator.

The Architects class is now open and our next class starts on January 20, 2026.

You can learn more and secure your spot at www.kellykennedyofficial.com.

six weeks to a process that puts you ahead in 2026 guaranteed.

I think we can all agree that 2023 was the year of AI.

AI tools exploded onto the scene.

ChatGPT, Gemini and large Language Model was the phrase of the year.

I was already six months into this very show when I tried ChatGPT for the very first time.

And all I knew was it was going to change everything.

And from that moment every guest wanted to talk about it.

It was here I realized something about this very show.

I interview roughly 52 guests every single year across a variety of industries and over that time the trends for the year seem to reveal themselves.

When you have multiple people from various industries talking about the same things, it's like you can see the Future.

And while 2023 was dominated primarily by AI and automation talk, as we started heading into 2024, the conversations started to shift again.

Leaders like Nat Berman, Liz Ryan, Marcus Chan and many more were talking all about authenticity and specifically about the power of personal branding.

And while I'm almost embarrassed to say that I had no idea that building a personal brand was actually what was happen, it was blatantly obvious.

By the end of that year I was not only building my personal brand, but that 2024 was absolutely going to be the year that personal branding became a non negotiable in business for executives, entrepreneurs, thought leaders and anybody making a difference moving forward.

By 2025, another shift was becoming very evident.

The AI revolution was dominating social media.

AI generated content was convenient and everybody had embraced it.

But there was a problem.

A big problem.

Real people were not connecting with the perfectly curated content.

Turns out, humans are not perfect.

We make mistakes, we misspell things, we stutter.

And it turns out that our imperfections are actually part of what make us human and make it easier to connect with other people.

In a world of AI and robots, real human posts and videos were standing out because of the flood of polished AI content.

2025 turned out to be the year we could just be our messy, authentic selves and not just shine, but dominate the social media space.

In 2025, the year of authentic human connection was born.

People started showing up as themselves.

People first, business second.

And now I'm going to make my prediction for 2026.

See, 2026 is going to be the year of the community.

Because people don't just want connections anymore, they want belonging.

The business world is changing and it's being driven by authentic human connection.

But this time, inside community.

Seven months ago, I launched my community, the Catalyst Club.

And I found that over and over again on the show, leaders were showing up, being vulnerable and sharing how lonely it was at the top.

It happened so often and across so many industries that it was impossible for me to ignore.

Initially, the Catalyst Club was going to be a connection spot for my students.

But I noticed something magical happening in my accelerator courses.

Students were sharing the shit along with the good, and they were being met with understanding, peer support and encouragement.

There were tears, laughs, smiles, and, you guessed it, acceptance and support.

This was it.

This was the moment that I realized how community was going to change everything.

Leaders needed a place that is private, that they could be surrounded by people who actually get it, other leaders, a place that they could be vulnerable and not taken advantage of.

And most of all, that they could get support when they needed it.

The Catalyst Club was born and it continues to exceed my expectations month over month.

73 members in under seven months.

That says it all.

In 2026, communities are going mainstream.

And with so many to choose from, we need to choose one that's going to support all of our goals and needs.

So I wanted to take today guys and give you guys tips to help you choose your communities in 2026.

My prediction is that basically by the end of 2026, nearly everybody in executive and leadership positions are going to be part of one community or another.

Which means we all have some difficult choices ahead of us.

And while I've spent the last seven months running my community, I've learned a few things along the way that I hope can help you in your choices as you choose the communities that work best for you.

So here are 10 tips to help you choose your community in 2026 and beyond.

Number one, choose a community that reflects the future version of you, not just the current one.

If you hop in a room and it looks exactly like you today, it won't stretch you tomorrow.

Ask yourself, do I feel slightly uncomfortable in a Good way.

If that's the case, that is growth calling.

Number two, make sure the values align deeply with who you are.

A community is not about skills, it's about DNA.

Ask yourself, do these people believe what I believe about business, growth and integrity?

Do they align with my values?

If the answer is no, run like hell.

Number three, look for active participation, not passive members.

You don't want a graveyard of ghost profiles.

You don't.

You want people who show up.

When you join a community, check for comments, engagement, what events they have, past and present.

Real conversations wins, being shared, members helping other members.

Activity equals life.

Number four, choose communities where the leaders are actually present.

If the founder is absent, the community eventually dies.

Ask yourself, is the leader in the trenches with their people?

Presence is leadership and absence is decline.

See, I'm active in nearly every single event inside the Catalyst Club.

And frankly, I'm learning just as much from our members as they are learning from me and the other fellow members.

You need to be part of a community that pushes you no matter what level you are at.

Number five, pick the community that makes you feel both safe and challenged.

The best rooms give you permission to be human, while also pushing you to be excellent.

Ask yourself, can I be honest here?

And if I am, will they lift me up?

Number six, Ensure the community creates opportunities, not just conversations.

Talk is cheap, impact is not.

Look for collaboration, referrals, meetings and connections, hot seats, accountability, introductions, shared wins.

Remember, a great community becomes an opportunity engine for everybody involved.

Number seven, evaluate the diversity of perspective, not demographics.

Perspective.

You need a room where some people are ahead of you, some people are beside you, and some people are learning from you.

This is an ecosystem that absolutely fuels momentum and helps every member involved.

8.

Look for structure, not chaos.

A thriving community has intentional design.

You should see regular events, rituals, themes, accountability, clear rules.

Structure creates safety and consistency creates trust.

Number nine, choose a community where you feel seen.

This is the most underrated factor.

Ask yourself, when I speak, do people respond?

Do I feel visible here?

Am I acknowledged or ignored?

A community that does not see you cannot grow you.

Number 10, choose the community that energizes you.

If you leave calls drained, this is the wrong tribe.

If you leave calls buzzing, this is home.

Energy is data and your body will know before your brain does.

Now, joining a community on its own is simply not enough.

Community is a two way street.

You can join a community and still get absolutely nothing from it.

Let me repeat that.

You can join a community and get absolutely nothing from it.

If you don't show up Lean in and participate.

Here are five bonus tips to help you get the most from your chosen community in 20, 26 and beyond.

Number one, show up consistently, even when you don't feel like it.

Especially when you don't feel like it.

Growth does not happen from the sidelines, it happens in the room.

If the community has calls, attend them.

If it has discussions, join them.

If it has challenges, participate.

And if you have to miss something, catch the replay.

Presence is greater than perfection.

Number two, give value before you ask for value.

The most influential people in a community, they're not the loudest, they are the most helpful.

Ask yourself, how can I help somebody today?

When you pour into a room, the room pours back into you.

10x number three, share your wins and your struggles.

A community can't help you if it doesn't know where you're at.

Be honest, be seen, be human.

Growth comes from vulnerability and opportunity comes from visibility.

Guys, I can't even tell you how crazy important this is.

I see some members of the Catalyst club community getting 100 times more than some other members.

And you know what they're doing?

They're simply participating.

They're joining the conversation, they're asking questions.

They're being vulnerable and they are getting the support they need.

They are going to grow 10x a hundredx faster than other people who do not choose to do that.

The biggest piece of advice I can give to any of you guys joining communities, participate in them.

Get active in them.

Join the conversations.

Trust me, that is going to massively, massively increase the value proposition for, for you.

Number four, build relationships, not just connections.

A community isn't a directory, it's a tribe.

DM people jump onto intro calls, follow member content, celebrate their wins, or if you're in Catalyst Club, do a rockstar.

One to one, your network is being built one relationship at a time.

Number five, use the community as an accountability engineer.

Don't just join it, activate yourself.

Tell the community your goals.

Set deadlines.

Ask to be held accountable.

Let people challenge you to rise higher.

You grow fastest when other people expect you to.

Inside the Catalyst Club, we do something called move the needle every single Monday.

And it's Simply sharing between five and 10 things that if you did them, would move the needle for you or your business that week.

And that simple act of declaring what you're going to do exponentially increases your odds of accomplishing it.

Accountability is powerful.

Find ways to hold yourself accountable and get support while doing it.

It's, it's a great way to win together.

A community can open doors for you, but you still have to walk through them.

2026 guys, is going to be the year of Community.

Make sure you choose the best options for you.

If you resonated with this episode, I would love to invite you to join us inside the Catalyst Club.

With four to five virtual events, monthly Catalyst GPT and a back catalog of events and lessons to catch up on, we have something for everybody.

Visit www.kelly kennedyofficial.com to join our international community of leaders and reach out to me on LinkedIn if you have any questions.

I'm always open to help and support you in making a good decision for yourself.

Regardless of what community you choose, 2026 is going to be an absolutely incredible year.

I can feel it in my bones.

Guys.

Embrace community this year and I think you'll be surprised with what happens Shout Outs this week Carmen LaBelle, Colin Harms, Vajayan Swaminathan, Ross Hewart, Mike Bull, Colin Fegnan, Janice Baskin, Reza Analou, Gary Noseworthy, Pamela Staples, Matthew Amoyet, Brad Perry, Tony Gray, Brandon Fuchs, Amin Samji, Chloe Wu, Kori Seller, Erin Haberman, Tanya Z, Megan Ralston, Austin Knopp, Lena Neudorf, Tatiana Zamettalina, Lauren Graf and Susan Paseka.

Until next time, you've been listening to the Business Development Podcast and we will catch you on the flip side.

This has been the Business Development Podcast with Kelly Kennedy.

Kelly has 15 years in sales and business development experience within the Alberta oil and gas industry and founded his own business development firm in 2020.

His passion and his specialization is in customer relationship generation and business development.

The show is brought to you by Capital Business Development, your business development specialists.

For more, we invite you to the website at www.capitalbd.ca.

see you next time on the Big Business Development Podcast.