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In this episode of Enabling B2B Buying with Charles Bernard, we explore building trust and reputation in crisis communication with Kelly Stepno, Senior Leader at APCO, a global advocacy and advisory firm. Throughout her career, Kelly has spent her entire career in consulting, helping major organizations navigate crisis, litigation communication, and high-stakes reputation challenges.

Although she never planned to work in sales, Kelly explains how consulting placed her at the center of buying and selling. Over time, she learned that winning trust during crisis is not about pitching. Instead, it starts with listening closely, understanding leadership responsibilities, and helping solve real problems.

As a result, Kelly shares how the volatility of today’s environment has intensified pressure for both buyers and sellers, and why honesty, active listening, and relationship-building are now more important than ever. She also discusses how building trust and reputation in crisis communication shape every interaction, from crisis response to long-term advisory work.

• Kelly’s path from crisis communication to C-suite reputation work
• How active listening builds trust and clarity with clients
• Why relationships outperform transactional selling
• How to challenge RFPs with honest guidance
• The long runway from first meeting to partnership
• How teamwork and “phone a friend” strengthen conversations
• Why in-person connection creates deeper trust
• How leaders coach emerging professionals to sell through service
• What motivates Kelly in complex, high-pressure environments

• APCO Worldwide
• Crisis communication and reputation frameworks
• C-suite and KPI alignment strategies

There are two ways you can listen to this podcast. You can click the play button at the top of this page, or listen from your mobile device’s podcast player through Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, YouTube, or your preferred player of choice.

You can watch full episodes on our YouTube channel: Criteria for Success.

If you have questions you would like answered by our guests or experts, share them with us on LinkedIn or email your questions to info@collavia.com.

To learn more about Charles Bernard’s book Enabling Buying in a World of Selling, visit enablingbuying.com.

Looking for more episodes? Check out the full podcast collection right here: https://collavia.com/blog/

The post Kelly Stepno on Building Trust and Reputation in Crisis Communication appeared first on Collavia.