Business development is one of the most critical — and least systematically taught — skills in professional life. For Black executives building careers and companies, mastering it can be the difference between sustained growth and perpetual struggle.

Business Development Is Relationship Development

Strip away all the tactics and strategies, and business development is fundamentally about building genuine relationships in which you become a trusted resource. The transactions follow naturally when the relationships are real.

The Business Development System

Build a Target List

Identify 20 to 30 people or organizations you want to develop relationships with over the next 12 months. Be strategic: think about who would create the most meaningful opportunities for your career or company.

Create Regular Touch Points

One interaction does not build a relationship. Develop a system for regular, value-adding contact: sharing relevant articles, making introductions, inviting people to events, providing free insights from your expertise.

Follow Through Relentlessly

The most common business development failure is inconsistent follow-through. Develop a tracking system — a simple spreadsheet or CRM — and commit to never letting a promising relationship go cold.

Ask for the Meeting

The biggest missed opportunity in business development is failing to ask for the next step. When a relationship has warmed sufficiently, ask directly for the meeting, the introduction, or the opportunity.

The Long View

Business development results come slowly and then all at once. The relationships you cultivate diligently for two to three years create deal flow, opportunities, and referrals that compound for decades.