I have build and helped build three multi-million dollar companies, and regularly train and coach companies to grow profits, sales and marketing capacities.

A teacher and writer, I've recently been invited to work on an urban redevelopment project here in Italy. The project I proposed is converting public buildings currently being decommissioned into housing for students and residences for 55+, both urgent much-sought needs that here in Italy is still largely unexplored. My difficulty and need is finding investors and venture capital abroad. Can anyone suggest how to help in a) suggesting the one book that is essential reading for business development; b) finding venture capital! Thank you. LM

As the matter fact the Plan Ahead—Prepare for a New Situation is really good skill for BD this could be accomplished with the a good team preparation-participations,becuase every company source of strength lies in its peple.

Business Development is BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT

Business Development is the heart of all functions carried out in the organizations.If Organization is not growing it is dying. Therefore for growth of any organization business has to grow, sales has to increase, Profit has to meet the expectation of stakeholders. So there may be separate department of business development but the functioning of that department must involve all other departments of organization.

A good business development professional needs to develop trust in the marketplace. It is very difficult to do that when they are not supported by their own team. This trust is built by the market feeling confident that the BD person's promises can be kept, and that they are a facilitator for all sides, not just a meeting coordinator.

Couldn't agree more. Business development is one of those mystery areas. Partly because different organizations define business development differently and partly because the needed soft and analytical skills necessary to be truly successful are so diverse. While the individual leading the Business Development effort needs to be very capable in all aspects of your business, nothing will get done if you don't have an integrated organization prepared to support business development's efforts. If you are lucky this is a top down mandate and each functional group is on board...but often times it isn't and it is up to the business developer to work to create the necessary relationships internally to get the job done. Great comments Nwomack!

Business Development requires a team effort, internally & externally. Everyone in the organization has to share the same beliefs in order for the company mission to be successful.