The role of Business Development is not for the faint of heart. When starting out in a BD role most of us were never provided with a “how-to” manual for success. This is probably due to leadership believing we had adequate technical and related professional knowledge or the right personality to figure it out for ourselves.
In recent times, the adage of “everybody is in BD” has become a ringing mantra around the globe. Many individuals who have never been accountable for BD are now required to contribute to revenue generation and participate in their organization’s Business Development process. As such, there should be a halfway house for professionals between full-time BD commitment and BD support roles.
If you find yourself in this situation, it’s okay to give Business Development a try. You will learn a lot about yourself, other people, your company’s products/services and the problems your capabilities solve. You will also acquire a great deal of related business and money knowledge. Some people use the role of BD to test themselves personally and professionally. It’s a good halfway house between thinking like an employee and learning the thinking of an entrepreneur.
In our workshops, we share that learning Business Development is a great way to develop an “intrepreneurial” mindset. With this thinking, many of our graduates take on new BD positions within their organization and completely restart their careers.
Taking on the role of Business Development is an excellent halfway house to a more independent financial future and security.