I Hope This Email Finds You Well

In this episode of I Hope This Email Finds You Well, Neil Barrow sits down with Tony Banks, the Director of Private Equity Services at RSM, to unpack what it actually takes to build a bulletproof, decades-long career in Business Development.Tony shares his incredible, non-linear journey to the top of the private equity space, proving that you don't need an MBA or a technical finance background to build a legendary corporate network. He reveals how he landed a million-dollar contract for the Atlanta Olympics using a payphone outside a Waffle House, how he survived an insane 23-interview gauntlet at Goldman Sachs, and why volunteering for the "grunt work" of stamping parking tickets completely transformed his trajectory. At the core of his 30-year success is one profoundly simple piece of advice: "Do stuff, and stuff happens." Inside This Episode:The "Do Stuff" Philosophy: Why proactive, relentless action is the only way to build a reputation that lasts for decades.The Waffle House Deal: How a stack of quarters and a payphone led to a massive Olympic contract.The Non-Expert Advantage: Why not being the technical practitioner allows you to be the ultimate "connector" and add massive value to Centers of Influence.The Parking Ticket Playbook: Why swallowing your pride to do menial networking tasks puts you face-to-face with the biggest players in your industry.Extreme Intentionality: How Tony structures his week, manages his pipeline, and aligns with firm partners to uncover hidden opportunities.Chapters:00:00:00 – The $1M Olympic Deal from a Waffle House Payphone00:04:11 – Breaking Into the Industry Without a Finance Degree00:07:43 – The Consultative Mindset: Building Trust Instead of Pitching00:13:38 – Targeting Foundations to Build a High-Net-Worth Network00:16:34 – The "Connector" Superpower: Winning Deals Without Technical Jargon00:20:45 – Surviving 23 Interviews at Goldman Sachs00:27:17 – Becoming the "Face of the Firm" in Professional Services00:35:15 – Stamping Parking Tickets: The Ultimate Networking Hack00:38:20 – The "Do Stuff" Philosophy: The Secret to a 30-Year Reputation00:46:11 – How to Stay Relentlessly Intentional and Create Opportunity DailyAbout the Guest:Tony Banks is the Director of Private Equity Services at RSM. With a 30-year career spanning manufacturing, Goldman Sachs, and top-tier accounting firms, Tony has built a legendary reputation as one of the premier relationship-builders and connectors in the private equity space.

In this episode of I Hope This Email Finds You Well, Neil Barrow sits down with Danielle Reynolds, the Business Development Leader at Whitley Penn, to unpack one of the biggest misconceptions in professional services: the idea that you need to be a technical expert to win high-value corporate deals.Transitioning from campus recruiting into a premier business development role, Danielle shares why not being a CPA is actually her biggest advantage. Without the burden of technical jargon, she explains how she builds deeper trust, asks better big-picture questions, and positions herself as an invaluable "connector" for her prospects. Danielle also breaks down her highly structured pipeline strategies, including how to build a frictionless inbound web-lead process, the 365-day rule for reviving "closed-lost" proposals, and why her firm hired a dedicated associate to run outbound campaigns.Chapters:00:00:35 – Intro: Welcome Danielle Reynolds00:01:34 – From Campus Recruiting to Leading Business Development00:06:06 – Why Selling to Interns is Exactly Like B2B Sales00:10:40 – The Non-Expert Advantage: Why Not Being a CPA is a Superpower00:14:30 – Building a "Go-Giver" Network and Asking for Intros00:21:24 – The Ultimate Question to Ask Every Single Prospect00:24:40 – Delegating Outbound: Hiring a Dedicated BD Associate00:26:07 – Stop Wasting Web Leads: Rebuilding the Inbound Pipeline00:35:03 – The 30-Minute Discovery Playbook for Frictionless Intake00:46:04 – The 365-Day Rule: How to Revive "Closed-Lost" Deals00:49:23 – Using Intent Data to Find Prospects Actively Searching for You00:51:28 – LinkedIn Strategy: Finding New CFOs and Getting Warm Intros00:58:28 – Why BD and Marketing Must Be Strictly Aligned01:02:19 – Final Thoughts: The Crucial Balance of Confidence and Humility

Join Neil Barrow for a one-of-a-kind episode featuring a mother-daughter Business Development duo: Kelly (a 25-year BD executive in professional services) and Molly (who is 18 months into her BD/Investor Relations career at a financial services firm).In this episode, we bridge the generational gap to uncover the timeless truths of generating high-value conversations. Kelly shares her journey from grinding out 45 cold calls a day in wholesale lending to navigating complex, matrixed professional service deals with the C-suite. Molly reveals how she leverages modern tactics - like direct LinkedIn DMs and 2:00 AM emails - to secure meetings with executives decades her senior. We also dive into overcoming the "head trash" of cold calling, why a "high motor" is the ultimate hiring metric, and why taking career risks early on is essential for massive growth.Outline:00:00:44 Intro: Neil Barrow welcomes Kelly and Molly Krohn to discuss their BD experiences.00:01:34 How Kelly got her start 25 years ago making 45 cold calls a day in wholesale lending.00:06:32 Overcoming "head trash" and the internal conflict of picking up the phone.00:09:10 Navigating the 2008 crash and transitioning to C-level treasury sales.00:14:28 Molly on translating technical jargon and building confidence as a young professional.00:19:40 The three-sentence rule: Why long emails fail and how to build curiosity instead.00:28:10 Why you must ask for referrals and use professional persistence to build influence.00:38:02 Hiring for BD: Why consistency and a "high motor" are the most crucial traits.00:43:58 Balancing internal and external responsibilities and setting proper expectations.00:46:16 Context switching: How Molly structures her week across marketing, follow-ups, and outreach.00:53:48 The major differences between traditional sales and matrixed professional services BD.01:06:04 Trusting your intuition and the importance of authenticity in outreach.01:09:59 Kelly’s current "Greenfield" strategy: Combining direct outreach with internal detective work.01:17:45 Molly’s strategy for landing meetings through LinkedIn DMs and late-night emails.01:23:05 Final thoughts: Overcoming the fear of cold calling and the importance of taking bold career risks.

In this episode of I Hope This Email Finds You Well, Neil Barrow sits down with Todd Arritola, Chief Business Development Officer at Winstead, to discuss his 30-year journey through the evolution of professional services BD. Starting in the mid-90s at a Big 6 accounting firm and transitioning into Big Law, Todd shares the tactical shifts necessary to move a firm from a siloed "Lone Ranger" culture to a collaborative, revenue-generating powerhouse.Todd breaks down why the cliché "What's keeping you up at night?" question immediately flags you as an amateur salesperson, and how to approach discovery calls with a distinct point of view instead. They also dive into the power of experiential networking (like M&A roundtables), the critical role of "Pitch Captains" in pre-meeting prep, and why aligning your firm by Industry rather than Practice Group is the ultimate key to landing enterprise clients.Outline:00:00:00 Intro: Tracking BD in the Mid-90s at a Big 6 Accounting Firm00:05:43 Wearing all the hats in a Dot-Com startup00:08:14 Why making assumptions on discovery calls kills your credibility00:09:30 Stop asking "What's keeping you up at night?" (The cliché trap)00:12:53 The "Lone Ranger" Problem: Partners selling in silos00:14:49 Rethinking Key Account Management and cross-selling00:21:35 Balancing individual personality with BD expectations00:31:35 Experiential BD: Winning work through M&A roundtables00:37:55 Becoming the Chief Business Development Officer at Winstead00:43:00 Going to Market Together: Industry vs. Practice Group00:51:16 The role of the "Pitch Captain" and pre-meeting prep00:59:08 2026 Strategy: Content, Lateral Integration, and Internal BD TrainingAbout the Guest:Todd Arritola is the Chief Business Development Officer at Winstead, a leading national law firm. With three decades of experience spanning Big 6 accounting, dot-com startups, M&A deal strategy, and Big Law, he specializes in building collaborative, industry-focused business development cultures that drive sustainable growth.

Join Neil Barrow for a masterclass on organizational alignment with Julianna Brooks, Director of Business Development and Strategy for Bradford Commercial. Julianna shares her unique career trajectory from analyzing financial data to becoming the crucial bridge between corporate boardrooms and boots-on-the-ground revenue generators.In this episode, Julianna outlines a clear playbook for managing the massive disconnect that happens when executives set aggressive growth mandates without understanding market realities. She breaks down how to translate boardroom expectations into actionable daily metrics, how to establish a "bullpen" to guide first-year team members, and how business development professionals can effectively manage up by becoming the ultimate market feedback loop for leadership.Outline:00:00:00 Intro: From financial analyst to corporate strategy00:03:16 Following the money to understand client decisions00:08:05 The massive disconnect between the board and the frontline team00:12:09 Why the easiest clients are actually losing you money00:14:29 Why an "action orientation" beats the best territory00:19:50 Delivering a 50-page strategy vs. picking up the phone00:21:56 How to recover from a botched cold call and win the deal00:28:03 The 5-minute research limit and calendar time-blocking00:35:08 Defining your firm's identity to attract the right clients00:42:03 Setting the goal to become a Top 10 property management firm00:48:15 "The Bullpen": Coaching first-year brokers through burnout00:57:30 Managing up: Using BD as the firm's market feedback loopAbout the Guest:Julianna Brooks is the Director of Business Development and Strategy at Bradford Commercial Real Estate Services. With a background in FP&A and corporate strategy across the oil & gas and tech sectors, she specializes in aligning executive growth goals with realistic, boots-on-the-ground business development execution.

Join Neil Barrow as he sits down with Erica Lappo, Director of Business Development at Barnes & Thornburg. In this episode, Erica breaks down the massive mindset shift required to move from high-volume, transactional selling (like payroll) to relationship-driven business development in professional services.They discuss why "asking for the signature" too early kills consulting deals, how to maintain a "high motor" without being pushy, and the specific strategies Erica used to land a $1M referral win. Erica also shares her playbook for transitioning into a "pure origination" role, building a 5-year business plan, and protecting her delivery team by firing bad clients.Outline:00:00 Intro: Erica Lappo’s background01:30 The Paychex grind: 75 calls/week04:11 Transactional mindset vs. relationship mindset06:45 Moving up-market to the C-Suite10:29 The shift: Collaboration over quotas14:48 Mistake: Asking for signatures too early19:37 Anatomy of a $1M referral win23:04 Protecting the team from bad clients26:00 Defining the "Pure Origination" role30:19 The 15-20 meetings/week routine33:12 Asking "Who should I know?"38:53 Creating niche networking groups from scratchAbout the Guest:Erica Lappo is the Director of Business Development at Barnes & Thornburg, leading origination efforts for the firm’s Dallas office. With a background spanning high-volume sales at Paychex to strategic consulting BD at Bridgepoint, she specializes in building deep referral networks with private equity firms, investment banks, and COIs.

Join Neil Barrow as he sits down with Andrea Pender, Director of Business Development at Carrco Group. Andrea shares her unique pivot from owning a photography studio for 12 years to leading BD in the rugged world of commercial construction.They discuss the struggle of the "Seller-Doer" model in the AEC industry and how to train technical staff to embrace business development. Andrea breaks down her "Traveling Trophy" strategy - a brilliant way to gamify CRM usage for reluctant teams - and explains how she organizes her "Legacy Client" list to ensure retention. She also dives into the power of niche networking, sharing how she grew her "Ladies in CRE" breakfast into a high-value community.Outline:00:00 From photography to construction BD02:30 The lunch that changed everything04:30 The challenge of "Seller-Doers"08:00 Defining Marketing vs. BD roles16:20 Creating a formal strategic plan21:40 "Paint 101" Lunch and Learns26:00 Gamifying sales with a trophy28:30 Organizing the "Legacy Client" list34:00 Leading the "Ladies in CRE"40:00 Stop going to every event48:00 Dive deep into one committeeAbout the Guest:Andrea Pender is the Director of Business Development and Marketing at Carrco Group, a leading commercial painting and drywall firm. A former business owner and photographer, she now applies her creative background to the construction industry. She is also the Chair of the Women in Construction Committee at TEXO and a leader within the "Ladies in CRE" organization.

In this Strategies & Tactics edition, Neil Barrow distills the single most important takeaway from his conversation with Kate Hall: The shift from "Employee" to "Owner."Neil challenges every business development professional to stop waiting for permission and start treating their territory, network, and pipeline as their own personal business. He breaks down exactly what "Thinking Like an Owner" looks like in practice - from refusing to let leadership dictate your success, to adopting the "Break Glass in Case of Emergency" mindset that forces you to take extreme ownership of client outcomes.Outline:00:00 Strategies & Tactics: The Kate Hall recap00:45 The "Break Glass" Strategy (Taking extreme ownership)02:00 Why "doing whatever it takes" is an owner trait03:00 Scheduling your outbound call block (The owner's discipline)04:00 Reviewing your losses to fix your business05:45 The 2 non-negotiables: High Motor & Point of View07:00 Drive = Mastery + Purpose + Impact07:50 "This Is My Business" (The entrepreneurial mindset)09:00 Creating clients for life by reinforcing credentials10:45 The 2026 Challenge: Pick up the phoneAbout the Guest (Featured in this Analysis):Kate Hall is a Business Development Principal at Embark. She transitioned from Big 4 accounting to recruiting and finally to high-level business development, helping her firm achieve 12x growth through a relentless "entrepreneurial" work ethic and a "fire extinguisher" service philosophy.

In this episode, Kate Hall, Business Development Principal at Embark, joins Neil and breaks down her unconventional path from a Big 4 accountant to a high-volume recruiter, and finally to a top-tier business development leader helping drive Embark’s massive 12x growth over five years.They discuss the gritty reality of building a network from scratch, why "doing the work" is the only networking hack that matters, and the critical difference between being a "hunter" and a "farmer" in professional services. Kate also shares her "Fire Extinguisher" philosophy: how to position yourself as the first call clients make when things go wrong, even if you aren't the one fixing the problem.Outline:00:00 From Big 4 to recruiting05:12 Running away from accounting roles10:45 The reality of 100 daily calls16:20 Realizing recruiting is actually sales22:15 Winning a massive deal28:30 Transitioning to Embark before COVID32:10 Pivoting strategy during the pandemic36:45 Delivering value to your firm40:15 Managing different sales performance buckets43:50 The Fire Extinguisher business philosophy46:30 Scaling 12x through strategic farmingAbout the Guest:Kate Hall is a Business Development Principal at Embark, a new kind of business advisory firm. Starting her career in audit at KPMG, she pivoted to recruiting where she honed her sales skills before joining Embark as employee #100. She has since helped the firm expand across multiple markets by combining deep industry knowledge with a relentless "high motor" work ethic.

Join Neil Barrow for this Strategies & Tactics edition as he unpacks key takeaways from his conversation with Alissa Kolm. Neil dives deep into two specific areas: defining what it actually means to "add value" and the mechanics of the old-school, but highly effective, "drop-in" strategy.Neil breaks down the "3 I's" framework for cultivating new relationships (Invites, Insights, Introductions) and shares his own war stories from his ADP days about mapping out drop routes. He challenges listeners to stop overcomplicating outreach and start using simple, low-friction tactics like joint COI calls and cookie drops to crack open doors that emails can't.Outline: • 00:00 Cultivating relationships with the 3 I's • 01:25 Defining value as a connector • 02:07 The strategy of joint COI calls • 03:02 Executing old school drop-in tactics • 04:25 Planning joint drop-off days • 05:49 Cold outreach to build referral networks • 06:46 Invites, Insights, and Introductions deep dive • 08:40 Creating accountability with calendar blocking • 10:06 Summary of practical BD tacticsAbout the Guest (Featured in this Analysis): Alissa Kolm is a Business Development professional and Relationship Manager who specializes in activity-based selling. She built her career by launching new markets from scratch, leveraging high-volume activity and strategic partnerships with COIs to drive long-term growth.

Join Neil Barrow as he chats with Alissa Kolm, a seasoned Relationship Manager who built her career by launching into a brand new market with zero existing network. In this episode, Alissa shares the gritty details of how she went from "casting a wide net" to building a highly targeted referral engine using CPAs and bankers.They dive into practical, low-friction tactics that actually open doors—like bringing competitors to prospect meetings and the "cookie drop" strategy to make cold calls less awkward. Alissa also breaks down why activity-based metrics (inputs) are far more critical than revenue goals (outputs) when you are starting out, and how to organize your week to ensure you never drop the ball on a lead.Outline: 00:00 Starting BD in a new market 01:42 Choosing sales over accounting routes 02:40 Identifying key referral partner buckets 03:33 Casting a wide networking net 04:54 Adding value with no clients 06:16 Being a connector for others 07:11 The strategy of joint calls 08:43 Doing drop-ins with partners 10:25 Focusing on activity-based metrics 12:17 Planting seeds for long-term wins 14:07 Cold calling strategies in 2025 16:32 A multi-year win story 18:29 Organizing with calendars and CRMsAbout the Guest: Alissa Kolm is a Business Development professional and Relationship Manager. She launched her career by building the Fort Worth market for NowCFO from the ground up before transitioning into commercial banking. She specializes in activity-based selling and leveraging COI (Center of Influence) relationships to drive long-term growth.

Join Neil Barrow for this Strategies & Tactics edition as he unpacks key takeaways from his conversation with Chad Corley. Neil answers the most common question for new BD professionals: "What should I actually be doing day-to-day when I start a new role?"Neil outlines a clear, step-by-step playbook for the first 30, 60, and 90 days. He explains why you must prioritize "internal business development" before ever leaving the building, how to reverse-engineer your firm’s best clients to find your target referral sources, and why setting a goal of 10 meetings a week is the fastest way to build a functional network.Outline: 00:00 Strategies & Tactics intro 01:30 Why internal BD comes first 03:00 Analyzing where top clients originated 04:45 Finding where your referral sources hang out 05:30 The "10 Meetings a Week" goal 06:00 The most powerful networking question to ask 06:45 Building your 90-day external game plan 07:45 Focusing on inputs versus revenue outputs 09:00 Organizing your attack plan 10:15 Avoiding the "aimless networking" trapAbout the Guest (Featured in this Analysis): Chad Corley is a Senior Relationship Manager at Armanino. He specializes in bridging the gap between sales enablement and origination, helping firms leverage internal data and partner relationships to build predictable deal flow in the private equity and accounting space.

Join Neil Barrow as he chats with Chad Corley, Senior Relationship Manager at Armanino. They dig into the internal and external components of business development - from tracking and nurturing referral sources to building relationships that create lasting deal flow.Chad shares his unique journey from software sales to investment banking, and finally to a top 25 accounting firm. He breaks down the difference between "sales enablement" (helping partners win) and "origination" (hunting new business), and why successful BD pros must master both. They also discuss the "Hittin' Singles" mindset - ignoring the home runs to focus on consistent, daily activity that compounds over time.Outline: 00:00 From software sales to investment banking 03:15 Identifying your top referral sources 06:40 Transitioning to a large accounting firm 09:10 Building your personal vs. firm brand 12:20 Sales Enablement: Helping partners win 16:45 Managing inbound leads with a CRM 20:30 The "Speed to Lead" advantage 24:10 Asking the right discovery questions 28:00 Connecting partners to Private Equity 33:50 Weekly routine: Hitting singles every dayAbout the Guest: Chad Corley is a Senior Relationship Manager at Armanino, one of the top 25 accounting and consulting firms in the nation. With over a decade of experience spanning software, startups, and investment banking, Chad specializes in Private Equity relationships and sales enablement, helping partners and internal teams drive growth through strategic connections.

Join Neil Barrow for this Strategies & Tactics edition as he unpacks the key takeaways from his conversation with Emily Ackerman. Neil dives into the concept of "unapologetic authenticity" and why wearing a "professional mask" is actually hurting your ability to close deals.Neil breaks down how to integrate your personal obsessions (whether it’s heavy metal music, barbecue, or faith) into your professional brand to attract your true "orbit" of referral partners. He challenges listeners to stop trying to be buttoned-up and start using their personality as a filter to qualify clients and deepen relationships faster.Outline:00:00 Intro to Strategies & Tactics edition00:52 Recap of Emily Ackerman’s authenticity01:45 The danger of the "Professional Mask"03:30 Integrating personal interests into business05:15 Turning referral sources into friends07:00 Qualifying prospective clients using "vibes"08:45 Summary: Be unapologetically authentic10:00 Challenge: Find your core nucleusAbout the Guest (Featured in this Analysis):Emily Ackerman is the Director of Business Development for the Southwest region at Bennett Thrasher. Known as the "Queen of BD," she leverages her competitive nature and authentic personality to dominate her market and build deep, lasting referral networks.

Join Neil Barrow as he sits down with Emily Ackerman, Director of Business Development for the Southwest at Bennett Thrasher. Known in the DFW area as the "Queen of BD," Emily shares how she channels a lifelong competitive drive into a high-motor career that leaves competitors looking lazy.They discuss her unique approach to staying "famous" in her market so she is the first call when a deal goes south, and her refusal to be stiff or corporate. Emily breaks down her specific, time-saving tactics like "holding court" at coffee shops and her legendary "I'm Sorry Beers" drop-off strategy that turned a cold prospect into a major client.Outline:00:00 Fueling success through childhood competitiveness02:27 Using social media to dominate competitors04:30 Finding the edge before others do06:51 Being a matchmaker, not a salesperson09:41 Overcoming LinkedIn "ick" and head trash12:51 Treating business development like modern dating15:10 Winning big with "I'm Sorry Beers"20:05 Structuring the week by beverage type21:00 Saving time by "Holding Court"23:34 Managing your "Nucleus" referral partners25:27 Using "vibes" to qualify partners27:53 The power of unapologetic authenticityAbout the Guest:Emily Ackerman is the Director of Business Development for the Southwest region at Bennett Thrasher. With a background in media sales and accounting BD, she is known for her high-energy approach, her ability to connect people, and for being unapologetically herself in a corporate world.

Join Neil Barrow, host of I Hope This Email Finds You Well, as he kicks off the podcast with a deep dive into why BD professionals need both clarity in their role and community with peers. Neil shares lessons from 15+ years in sales and business development, explaining the difference between "origination" and "enablement" in BD, how leadership and culture shape your role, and why so many BD pros feel like they are operating in a vacuum.This episode sets the foundation for the series: real conversations with professionals in the trenches, sharing strategies and stories that will help elevate the business development profession.Outline:00:00 Escaping the business development vacuum01:15 From ADP sales to accounting growth02:31 Defining origination versus enablement roles03:46 Navigating the doer-seller model challenges04:30 Why BD roles lack internal clarity05:00 Finding community in a lonely role06:14 Interviews versus strategies and tactics07:28 Building a community to elevate BDAbout the Host:Neil Barrow is the founder of Enabled BD, a consultancy that helps businesses build no-fluff, repeatable business development systems. With over 15 years of experience in sales, business development, and consulting, Neil has guided firms and leadership teams through the challenges of building the machine that drives growth.