Mo asks Brian Caffarelli: What is your personal definition of business development? Brian likes to think of business development as the art and science of guiding the buyer through their journey to an informed and confident decision. Just because you know the science, that doesn't mean you'll be great at business development. It's equal parts the art of empathy and flexibility, and science of habits and communication. Mountain climbing guides are great metaphors for business development. Really good salespeople are helping people reach their own personal summit and get what they need to experience from the mountain. The defining characteristic of a guide is the ability to inspire trust. Trust comes before the sale. You need to be able to see ahead of corners for your buyers, and to challenge their thinking where appropriate. The challenge for the guide is in focusing on what the buyer needs over their own needs. Work on the skills and behaviors that inspire trust in you and live your life with integrity so you are worthy of that trust. Study why people buy, because that is going to be your biggest point of leverage for creating a great buying experience. Mentioned in this Episode: GrowBIGPlaybook.com brian.caffarelli@stsconsulting.com linkedin.com/in/briancaffarelli