Read Davis on Producing - Time To Get Great at Business Development

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By Mo Bunnell

Mo asks Read Davis: When was the moment you decided to get great at business development? You can learn to compete and life is about competition in Read’s mind.

Mo asks Read Davis: When was the moment you decided to get great at business development?

  • You can learn to compete and life is about competition in Read’s mind. There isn’t always a winner and loser in every situation, but measuring success is based on the scoreboard you’re looking at.
  • As Read moved into his career out of college, his scoreboard changed. One fateful night while working alongside the CFO and the General Manager, they gave him a piece of advice that changed the way he thought about business.
  • If you really want success and to own your career, you have to think about being in the business of the business. For Read, that meant selling and having an impact on the growth of the business.
  • Sales and business development transcend everything. It gives you a skill that can be transferred anywhere and if you can get comfortable being uncomfortable you will always be able to find a job.
  • Being successful in production is a long-game grind. You have to do the time and the work to get the snowball rolling. Relationships are built over time and the most successful salespeople are relationship-oriented.
  • There is a numbers game in every business. Sales and relationships are about solving problems, and the more people you meet and get to know the more opportunities you have to make a sale.
  • You need to invest in the process for it to be able to pay off.