Catherine Brown

Super Connector* Group Builder & Facilitator* Entrepreneur* Creator & teacher for The Good Humans Growth Network™ (You CAN sell more without the sleaze or cheese)

Entrepreneurs and business development professionals know that no lead generation tactic produces qualified leads better than a referral. Referrals become new clients 50-90% of the time! Because referrals are the easiest and least expensive path to your next client, I created an ecosystem of networking groups for B2B companies called The Good Humans Growth Network. Together our members refer business to one another into the middle market, so we can easily reach decision makers who want to speak with us. 

The GHGN offers structured meetings, along with two in-person conferences each year, hosted by B2B professionals. Members and sponsors develop meaningful relationships that lead to long-term growth. We focus not just on sales referrals, but ways to elevate your visibility. One-to-many opportunities help you tap into a broader market and more diverse networks.

Join a GHGN Grow Group (our version of B2B networking groups), where we increase our sales pipelines together. This way of building your business IS business development redefined. Visit https://theghgn.com for a complete list of Grow Groups or to learn about starting your own within our ecosystem.

If you're struggling with sales, purchase the Kindle or paperback of How Good Humans Sell at https://amzn.to/34odVaT and sign up for bi-weekly sales tips we'll send over email: https://newsletter.theghgn.com/signup

President

I am the president of the National Business Development Association (NBDA).

Business development professionals want a better path to sales success. We get it! We all want to sell like good humans. You don’t have to manipulate or coerce people to learn to set sales calls with hard-to-reach buyers.

NBDA believes you can figure it out. We will share with you all the good we know about business development so that you can close new clients confidently, without sacrificing integrity. You can be a successful sales professional who doesn’t manipulate people into buying something they don’t need. Through training in lead generation, B2B referrals, and qualifying NBDA has you covered.

With NBDA you can: Build your pipeline. Build your confidence. Build trust with prospects.

I’ve been reflecting lately on all the great things that kick in when you hit your 50s.

For one, you've lived enough life to realize that very few things are truly "black and white" anymore. You also get the amazing gift of truly knowing yourself—the good, the bad, and the preferences you no longer apologize for. (In my case? I don't like beer. Meh. I’ve tried many kinds, I promise.) 🍺 


This new clarity is part of why I'm having so much fun building The Good Humans Growth Network. I get to examine my old assumptions about how professional communities should be structured.

Take group size, for example. Every peer advisory or mastermind group I've paid for as a member had ten or more people. Every networking group I’ve joined up until now swears you needed fifteen people or more. 

In the case of peer advisory groups, the brand founders will argue the size requirements are for "diversity of opinion” for their members’ hot seat sessions. Or, in the networking groups, they ask, "You want MORE referrals, don't you?" Maybe not. 

I'm rethinking these numbers.

I'm inviting new groups to form within the GHGN that are allowed to start small. Much smaller than the industry norm. And guess what? Apparently, you prefer smaller groups too! Check out this recent LinkedIn poll, which shows that the preferred size for your professional communities is way, way under fifteen.  https://bit.ly/47Mff8Z

Starting in November, there are 5 new groups forming in the network that are a combination of peer advisory & referrals, organized around similarities among members. Are you a Saas founder in Pittsburgh? We’ve got a group for you. Are you part of a married couple who runs the family business together?  We’ve got a peer group for you. These new groups, as well as several others, will launch next year when they have the right group of dynamic, founding members. Not when they hit a requisite 15 people. 

If you’ve not found your ideal microcommunity, check out our "Join a Group" page at https://theghgn.com. 
Keep watching it because more communities are growing all the time.  


*******************************************************************************
Chris Colt The Challenge Champion™ Leo Bottary John Way Julie R. Jana Schey, PMP Shanté Smith-Daniels, MBA Wendy M Watson

B2B sales teams and entrepreneurs are struggling to find ways to reach a buyer who is busier and more distracted than ever. They know they need to be persistent but want to be considered a Good Human and not feel "too pushy." I have a framework to train you and your team to master the mindset and the process to create your best sales year ever. The most common industries who use my training services are professional services companies.  

Solopreneurs and small sales teams, check out my weekly Come & Go group coaching at www.extraboldsales.com. Larger teams, I'd be delighted to take you through the How Good Humans Sell modules for sales training. See the Bootcamp links on my site. 

As an extension of my passion for business development, I also lead referral groups.

Need a speaker for your next conference or annual training event? Contact me at catherine@extraboldsales.com and let's talk. 

Find me as @extraboldsales on other platforms.

Check out my podcast, Conversations with Good Humans at howgoodhumanssell.com.

Purchase the Kindle or paperback book of How Good Humans Sell at https://amzn.to/34odVaT

Super Connector* Microcommunity Builder* Chief Encouragement Officer* Biz Dev Expert* I created The Good Humans Growth Network®* We teach how partnerships with other humans will get you all you want in business.

Ready to Find Your People? Let's Talk Specifics. 💡

If you wish you had more strong relationships with people who move your business forward through their counsel and generous referrals, then it's time to stop collecting business cards. You're going to need to curate your circle and get much, much more specific. 


Last week, while teaching the Community Builders' Challenge, we discussed the first steps to take to form a peer advisory or referral group. 

I noticed something interesting: Many of us hesitate when it comes to getting really specific about who we want to spend quality time with. It's easy to keep the door wide open. I think we do this because deep down, we're afraid that if we define our ideal members too closely, we might not find them... or worse, they won't want to join us!

But here’s the secret I saw play out as people got clear over the course of the week. 

Specificity equals value. 

The people who took the brave step to clearly define their ideal peer—the exact individuals who could challenge and support their growth—got the maximum benefit from the class.

So, let me ask you...If you could build that perfect, high-impact group that meets once or twice a month, who would be in it? 

Who are the exact people whose wisdom you can’t afford to live without right now? 

Jason Lee The Good Humans Growth Network Chris Colt The Challenge Champion™ STORY22 B2BSalesMagic John Way Rich Hall Alyssa McGinn Bryan Steele


**************************************************************************

If you missed this training and you'd like to be notified when we offer it again, join the waitlist for when I teach again in Q1 2026: https://lnkd.in/g5AMGs2H

Do you have a work friend who is a coach to you, a seller & recruiter FOR you, wise counsel, an open ear who is ready to offer both empathy and needed truth? 


It amazes me how you can have so many KINDS relationships with just one person. I'm so blessed to have friends in the professional space who have my back.

Entrepreneurs need people like my friend, Kourtney Street. 

She's a professional coach. 
An operations consultant extraordinaire.
A chaplain to a professional soccer team.
A spouse, mother, friend, daughter. 
And now a multi-time entrepreneur. 

Meet Kourtney. If you don't know her, start following her.
She and her husband, Rich, are building big things. 

Kourtney is at most of our events with The Good Humans Growth Network and you can also find her at https://lnkd.in/gNspRiR4

If you know her too, feel free to drop a comment on something you appreciate about her. 



**************************************************************************
If you do not have a Kourtney in your life, get one! Join our email list to always hear of our in-person gatherings, so you connect with generous entrepreneurs. https://lnkd.in/gMtbiq2v

We are planning for next year!  
This week we open tickets for The Good Humans Growth Network's spring conference in late February at the Texas coast. 🌞 ⛱️ 

📅  February 25-27, 2026 
San Luis Resort Spa & Conference Center
Galveston, TX 


There are 70 tickets left and here's how we release them:

1. To members first. If you're a member of one of the #peeradvisory groups or #referral groups in the network, you have access to tickets at a discounted price starting November 12, 2025. Watch your email. 

2. Waitlist opens a few days later. If you've gone to the trouble to tell me you want to attend our next conference, then I want to honor you by early notice. Click the link below or in the comments to get the email. 

3. General admission for remaining tickets starts after members and waitlist is notified. 


Why join? 
Perhaps you've heard about the gorgeous friendships formed in the GHGN, where people walk one another into new client relationships? 
Just last week I spoke with one woman who attended our Sell Well conference this September. She has bought services from 3 people from the conference, and she's closed one client of her own, just so far. This is just one of the many, many stories I hear every week of how good humans are connecting and doing work together. 

GROW '26 is titled, "Destination YOU." This is our 5th conference and it's designed for lots of strategic, thoughtful networking plus an emphasis on personal development. Hope to see you there! 


Join the waitlist to hear when tickets open: https://lnkd.in/g6M2Z3cd


********************************************************************************
Thomas Chenault Tracy Davison Pamela Berner Wesleyne Whittaker Melissa Rueschhoff Nicole Morris Roberto Mejia Rohit V. John Lane Vinay Raman Jana Schey, PMP Wendy M Watson Steve Torres Patricia Brooks Chris Colt M. Tre Gonzalez RaSheem Barnett Larry McVade Dr. Carly Speranza, ACC Kelley Troia Rhonda Cummings Sheryl Chacko, ACC Ina McGuinness

Entrepreneurship requires patience, because things usually don't happen the way we envision. 


In the last few weeks I led my first marketing challenge with Chris Colt. 
For 5 days I taught business owners understand how they can build their own microcommunity that'll grow their own referrals.  

Some of the people who joined me for the week are people I met that week.  Others were people I have known for over 25 yrs. 


Some people who decided to build groups in the The Good Humans Growth Network I have known for years. Some I've known for months. 


I can never predict who will be interested in building with me, in attending a conference with The Good Humans Growth Network, in strengthening our relationship. Every day is full of surprises! 


Today is #FollowupFriday. On Fridays we take some time to review the emails that have fallen low in our box. We revisit the referrals we forgot to follow up with, and we reach out to the leads that are colder than we'd like. We persist. 

Pick up the phone or make a video and ask how that person is doing. 
Who knows why they didn't move forward last time ?
Their reasons might be different than you think. 
Be brave. 
Because selling like a good human requires you to give and serve and not be selfish. Learning to be a good seller will teach you patience. 

Keep going. 

I'd love to hear about your own surprises in business development. Things often don't go as we predict... 




Laura Street Kelly Sjol Brooke Greening Scott Greening Dave Seligsohn Justin McCullough Rick Handley Dominique Glanville Theresa Benvenuto PharmD, MBA, CCP Lauren Jones Wesleyne Whittaker Ellen Williams Bryan Steele

I have a new banner on my LI profile.

Our 3rd annual GROW conference is capped at 100 tickets to provide a highly-curated referral partner-building experience. Feb 25-27th in TX. 

Join us if you're a small business who sells b2b to the mid-market. 
It's worth flying to the TX beach in February for this experience if you love referral partners. 💙

It's late afternoon Thursday November 6th in U.S. time zone. 
I feel like it should be Friday!

Who else has packed in so much goodness to 3 days that they feel it should be the weekend already? 😅 

Tell me what you're most proud of so far this week.

I'm wrapping up which new leaders are building referral and peer advisory groups in The Good Humans Growth Network starting next week. (This comes after last week's Community Builders' Challenge with Chris Colt The Challenge Champion™.) 


What about you? What are you most proud of this week so far? 

 
******************************************************************************
To never miss another one of our events, sign up for our emails at https://lnkd.in/gMtbiq2v

Half the tickets to this event are already sold and it's February 25-27th on the TX coast. 🌅 🌞 🕶️ 

In The Good Humans Growth Network we are betting on PEOPLE for our business' success. It's still true that who you know is more important than what you know. AND we love to help you meet the right people to help you scale your small business. If you are a small business that sells to mid-market, the room is full of future referral partners for you.  Join us 


https://lnkd.in/g9D68Wyw

You know where you want your business to go.

But how often do you pause to assess where you are... and who’s coming with you?

If you're a B2B founder, consultant, or service provider who wants clarity (and partners) in referral strategy, leadership, and your next season of growth, GROW 2026 was designed with you in mind.

📍 February 25–27, 2026
📍 Galveston, TX | San Luis Resort, Spa & Conference Center

This B2B event brings together good humans who lead with integrity, build deep relationships, and want to get better at both.

✅ Real conversations 
✅ Referral-led networking
✅ Sessions that start with you: your goals, your clarity, your next right steps

We’re capping registration this year to make space for more intentional connections. 

If you’ve ever left a conference with a stack of business cards but no real relationships, you’ll find the opposite here.

🎯 Theme: Destination YOU
Because to reach your goals, you need to know where you're starting from and who can walk the path with you to where you want to go.

👀 If this resonates: Visit https://lnkd.in/g_Zcx-Vt to get details and register.

#GROW2026 #B2B #ReferralNetworking #ValuesBasedSelling #BusinessDevelopment #GoodHumans
Catherine Brown John Way Pandora Elisabeth Hodges
photo: 📸 Kitty Bird

Founders miss opportunities to grow in revenue and in impact when they see somewhat similar business as competitors. 


In my experience, in the SMB world there aren't many people you want to view as a "competitor." Many, many times you can collaborate, creating NEW THINGS by taking the time to get to know each other. 

Today's Lunch & Learn in Houston through Silver Fox Advisors is an example of such a collaboration. 

CV Rao, Rick Handley, and Jason Rorie, AIGP, CISSP-ISSMP, CCSP, CMMC-LCCA all met through one of the referral communities in The Good Humans Growth Network. We should commend them! Not only did they have a vision of the more impactful products and services they could provide the world through their collaboration, they are now serving their clients better. Instead of always leading with single services each of them provides, they now offer joint products that include effective technology support through managed IT services, cybersecurity remediation and protection, and proactive compliance assessments... all to the clients' benefit. 💙 

If you don't have collaborative professional friends like this, give our events like the upcoming GROW conference a try. You won't believe how expansive the thinking is that will open up new opportunities for you in 1.5 days. I've seen it happen over and over again now! 

Links to GROW '26 in comments below. 



Tech Collaborative Sarah Sears Justin McCullough

🚨 Think your business is too small for cybercriminals? Think again.
If you use Microsoft 365, Apple devices, online backups, or store client data—you’re already on their radar.
Join us for a power-packed 60-minute Lunch & Learn with top cybersecurity experts who will give you the essentials—no jargon, no scare tactics, no overkill:
 💻 CV Rao – Lotus TechPros
 💻 Philippe Flichy – Cykur
 💻 Rick Handley – Digital Self-Defense
 💻 Jason Rorie, CISSP-ISSMP, CISA, CMMC-LCCA – Triad InfoSec
 💻 Rich Hall – Rich Hall Group
💡 Perfect for solo advisors, tech-savvy founders, and business owners preparing for growth or sale.
 ⚙️ Walk away with real-world strategies to protect your business—without hiring a full-time CISO.
🍽️ Lunch & Learn: Cybersecurity for Small Business Owners
 📅 Thursday, November 20th | 🕛 11:00 AM – 1:00 PM
👉 Don’t wait until it’s too late—secure your spot today!
https://lnkd.in/gwBuwFrg

Tell me if you want to have a chat about what it was like for me to work with Chris Colt OR if you want an intro b/c you are thinking of doing your own marketing challenge. 

He can teach you the process!

Activating Coaches, Consultants & Experts 🚀To Launch Fun Virtual Events That Fill Up And Convert Clients For Your Business 👉🏻 So You Grow with Intention, Cashflow & Freedom 🏆 Grab Masterclass Replay ⬇️

“I’m an experienced seller and marketer… and I could have figured this out on my own. But I’m really glad I didn’t.” — Catherine Brown

Thanks to an introduction from Scott Ballard, I had the chance to guide Catherine through her first 5-day challenge: The Community Builder Challenge.

For five days straight, 40–50 people showed up live.

And Catherine showed up just as strong.
She delivered real value.
 She answered tough questions.
  She created breakthroughs.
   (And yes — I can’t wait to share some of the testimonials from attendees.)

People walked away with clarity on what kind of community is right for them.

And many chose to continue inside her newly launched offering within The Good Humans Growth Network

To everyone who joined us last month — thank you. You made the experience what it was. We’ll be back in 2026 with even more.

PS- 
I get told all the time that “AI is going to replace you.”

I’m not worried.

AI isn’t my competitor — it’s a tool.

What I actually bring to the table is the experience of 200+ challenges and virtual events done in the real world, with real entrepreneurs.

AI just helps me deliver those results faster.

If you’re planning a challenge or virtual event in 2026 and want it done right, drop “2026” in the comments or DM me. I’ll point you in the right direction.

Attention The Good Humans Growth Network community and all friends & followers. 

People whom I love love Brooke Greening's sales training. 
Note this masterclass happening tomorrow, Tue, the 25th of November. ⬇️

Win B2B Sales—Without the "Act" | Client results: 30%+ growth year on year | 4-week Small Group B2B Sales Accelerator Lab $997 | Creator of SERVICE Sales Framework

In counseling, we offer direction and hope.
Why can’t sales conversations be like that too?

I don’t believe sales has to feel pushy or performative.
It can feel like leadership.
It can feel like service.
It can even feel good.

With a master’s in counseling and 20+ years in sales, I’ve seen that what actually moves people forward is structure, and genuine connection — not perfect pitches.

That’s why I created the SERVICE Sales Framework — a repeatable, human-first way to lead sales conversations that work without abandoning your integrity.

I’m teaching it inside my FREE 90-minute masterclass:
Double Your Revenue with Authentic Sales Conversations
🗓 Tuesday, November 25
⏰ 2:30 PM Eastern

We’ll cover:
✅ The 70/30 rule for guiding (not dominating) the conversation
✅ The real reason people stall out — and how to keep momentum
✅ How to spot hidden opportunities in your current leads

✨ If you want to sell with more confidence and less second-guessing — this is for you.

📍Link to register is in the comments.

My friend Bryan Steele is holding a webinar tomorrow about how to create a podcast. Come ask him your questions.

Done-For-You Podcast Production for Service Business Founders | Build Authority, Shorten Sales Cycles & Offload Content Creation | Podcast Wizard | Founder @ Forge Podcast Co.

Have you ever tried launching your own 𝗽𝗼𝗱𝗰𝗮𝘀𝘁?

Where do you 𝗯𝗲𝗴𝗶𝗻?

What do you 𝗰𝗮𝗹𝗹 𝗶𝘁?

What do you 𝘁𝗮𝗹𝗸 𝗮𝗯𝗼𝘂𝘁?

Launching something new is always going to be scary or intimidating, but it doesn’t have to be.

𝗧𝗼𝗺𝗼𝗿𝗿𝗼𝘄, I’m hosting my first ever podcast workshop. There, we are going to help every attendee reveal their own “𝗣𝗼𝗱𝗰𝗮𝘀𝘁 𝗖𝗹𝗮𝗿𝗶𝘁𝘆 𝗦𝘁𝗮𝘁𝗲𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁.” This is the guiding star for everything you build around a podcast.

So if you want to bounce some ideas off of me and some other amazing guests, come join us and spend some time thinking about what could be possible with your own podcast.

How much does it cost? Oh yeah, it’s 𝗙𝗥𝗘𝗘!

Click the link in the comments!

Lee Gray Catherine Brown Justin McCullough Alex Kuhn Alyssa McGinn Amber Dunn Elleigh Peters

Happy Friday- my #followupfriday request is for you to take my poll if you haven't yet. 

I'm speaking, teaching, and listening on the subject of community sizes. 

I'd love to have over 100 votes. Will you answer real quick for me before this poll closes? 



The Good Humans Growth Network Nicole Morris Dealflow Exchange The Flex Collective Dominique Glanville Dana Casto Laura Street Carolyn Boddington B2BSalesMagic Cassie Egli Lisa McGuire, Ed.S.(for your followers/friends) Ashley Cadis 📸 Kitty Bird Andrea Waltz

It feels odd to be someone who loves the 10X is Easier Than 2X concepts so much (grow! scale!! get bigger!!! 🚀 ) and ALSO be a person who is becoming biased toward the benefits of smaller communities of people.

So many peer advisory and referral communities require a certain start up number before they begin to meet.  Usually 10, 12, or 15 people. 
The argument for these numbers is so members have enough minds in the room that you can be assured of the group's benefits. 

I've begun to think it's because leaders are playing the law of averages. 
"If I have X number, Y percent of people will do what we're expecting them to do." 

Hmmm. That seems messed up. 


What about you?  What is your favorite size community you've ever joined? 



The Good Humans Growth Network National Business Development Association (NBDA) Chris Colt The Challenge Champion™ B2BSalesMagic Wichita Professional Advisors Kourtney Street Doug Thorpe Michel Privé, CSL Rich Hall CV Rao Lawrence F. Hackney CPA Alyssa McGinn Theresa Benvenuto PharmD, MBA, CCP

Would you take my survey? I'd love to get over 100 responses. 🎁 

The answers have been so interesting to me!

Today, Friday Nov 21st is the final day for Good Human Growth Network members to get reduced pricing on our GROW conference next February. 

There are 59 seats left as of this morning. 

Check your email if you're in one of our peer advisory & referral communities in the network. 

*********************************************************************************
B2BSalesMagic Cassie Egli Erika Bryant Lisa McGuire, Ed.S. Dealflow Exchange Wichita Professional Advisors The Flex Collective Dave Seligsohn Rick Handley National Business Development Association (NBDA) Tech Collaborative

Members of GHGN Grow Groups, check your email! Today is the last day to get your member discount on GROW 2026 tickets. Don't procrastinate... We'd love to see you there! https://lnkd.in/g_Zcx-Vt

#GROW2026 #GoodHumans

Catherine Brown Alyssa McGinn Lisa McGuire, Ed.S. John Way Erika Bryant Rich Hall Carl Bowden, MBA Jeremiah Shaw, MAOL, ACC Dave Seligsohn Justin McCullough 

📸 Kitty Bird

taplio

Catherine Brown's Linkedin Analytics

Catherine Brown

Performance ScoreCatherine Brown's LinkedIn Performance

What is Catherine talking about?

Catherine Brown's Best Posts (last 30 days)

Ready to grow your LinkedIn presence?

taplio

.css-6ytdur{background-image:linear-gradient(284deg, rgba(39, 43, 72, 1) 0%, rgba(33, 47, 183, 1) 100%);color:transparent;-webkit-background-clip:text;background-clip:text;}Catherine Brown's Linkedin Analytics

Catherine Brown

Performance Score.css-goub6s{font-size:var(--chakra-fontSizes-md);font-weight:500;color:var(--chakra-colors-gray-600);display:block;margin-top:var(--chakra-space-1);}Catherine Brown's LinkedIn Performance

What is Catherine talking about?

Catherine Brown's Best Posts .css-1emoo84{font-size:var(--chakra-fontSizes-md);font-weight:400;color:var(--chakra-colors-gray-600);}(last 30 days)

Ready to grow your LinkedIn presence?

Catherine Brown's Linkedin Analytics

Performance ScoreCatherine Brown's LinkedIn Performance

Catherine Brown's Best Posts (last 30 days)