The first workshop was set for Friday afternoon, from 1:00 to 5:00 p.m.
The invitation was specific: “Business Development Foundations: From Strengths to Strategy.”
Anna arrived to find the same small conference room from the orientation. The six pilot associates were already seated. Susan stood at the front, with a woman Anna recognized beside her – Alexandra Bernstein, a corporate partner known for her client development work.
“Welcome,” Susan said. “Before we begin, I need to know how many of you have completed the Business Development Strengths Inventory.”
All six hands went up.
“Good, that’s where we’re starting,” Susan said.
Susan turned to the whiteboard and wrote one sentence:
You should be working on developing your business.
“This is what most firms tell mid-level associates. It’s vague, intimidating, and it assumes you know what ‘developing business’ means,” Susan said.
She paused.
Continuing, Susan said, “The Strengths Inventory you completed is designed to answer a different question: What business development assets do you already possess?”
Alexandra stepped forward. “Most associates think business development means cold-calling strangers or taking clients to expensive dinners. That’s not how it works, at least not at first.”
“Business development,” Alexandra continued, “is relationship-based. It begins with people who already know, trust, or share a connection with you. The Inventory helps you see those assets clearly.”
Susan moved to the side table and picked up a short stack of single-page worksheets. She passed them down the row. Anna looked at hers: Business Development Pair Worksheet. Three sections. Section A was labeled “Your BD Assets” with three fill-in boxes. Section B said “Partner-Identified Opportunity” in a shaded band. Section C, at the bottom, read “Your BD Action Commitment.” There was a note in small print: Bring this completed worksheet to the next workshop. “You’ll work in pairs. I want you to share three things from your Inventory:
- One expertise asset – an area where people already come to you for advice.
- One relationship asset – someone outside your practice group who knows and respects your work.
-
One natural strength – something about how you communicate or build relationships that comes naturally.”
“Then,” Susan said, “your partner will help you identify one actionable business development opportunity based on those assets. You have 20 minutes.”
Anna paired with Mei.
“You go first,” Mei said.
Anna pulled the worksheet toward her and opened her Inventory beside it. She filled in Section A before speaking—the three boxes were small but precise, and writing the answers down made them feel more real than just saying them.
Anna opened her Inventory. “Expertise: healthcare regulatory compliance. People in other practice groups ask me about HIPAA, Stark Law, and that kind of thing.”
“Relationship asset?”
“Kevin Patel,” Anna said. “He’s a litigation partner. We worked together on a qui tam case last year, and he still sends me questions about healthcare compliance.”
“Natural strength?”
Anna hesitated. “I’m good at explaining complex regulations in plain language. Clients appreciate that I don’t talk over their heads.”
Mei nodded and said, “Okay. Here’s an idea: Kevin probably has healthcare litigation clients who need regulatory advice. You could ask him to introduce you to one of them, not to make a sale, but to understand a regulatory issue they’re dealing with.”
Anna hadn’t considered that.
She slid the worksheet toward Mei. “Section B is yours,” she said.
“It’s low-risk, Kevin already trusts you. His clients need what you know. Moreover, you’re not selling; you’re helping. That’s true to who you are,” Mei added.
All of the pairs work together, helping each other to develop a business development action plan, and then Susan brings the group back together.
“What did you notice?” she asked.
Carlos spoke first. “Most of my BD assets already exist. I just wasn’t thinking of them as BD assets.”
“Exactly,” Alexandra said. “Business development isn’t about creating something from nothing. It’s about leveraging what you already have: your expertise, relationships, and natural strengths.”
Ben raised his hand. “But how do we actually do this without feeling like we’re selling?”
“You don’t sell,” Alexandra said. “You help. You provide value. You make introductions. You solve problems. If you do that consistently and genuinely, business development happens as a natural result.”
Next, Susan wrote on the whiteboard:
1. Identify Your Assets
Expertise, relationships, and natural strengths – what do you already bring to the table?
2. Activate Your Network
Connect with people who already know you. Provide value. Make introductions. Stay visible.
3. Build Credibility Through Thought Leadership
Write articles. Speak at events. Answer questions. Become known for something specific.
4. Track Your Activity
Business development is a long-term effort. Keep a record of who you’ve connected with, the value you’ve offered, and where potential opportunities might come up.
“This framework,” Susan said, “is how you turn the 15% Strategic Investment Time (SIT Time) into tangible business development activity. It’s structured, measurable, and it builds on what you already have.”
“Between now and the next workshop, I would like each of you to complete one business development action based on your Inventory. It could be:
• A coffee meeting with someone in your network\
• An article or blog post about your area of expertise\
• An introduction between two people who should know each other\
• Attending an industry event or joining a professional association.
The goal isn’t to generate a client, it’s to take one intentional action to build visibility and credibility. You’ll report back at the next peer learning circle,” Susan said.
“Before you leave,” Susan said, “turn to Section C on your worksheet. Write it down now. Not tonight, not on the way back to your office. Now. The action, the target date, and how it connects to your fifteen percent. That’s the commitment.”
As Anna left the workshop, she folded the worksheet in half and tucked it into her bag. Section C was filled out. She had written Kevin’s name in the Action box and a date two weeks later. She had never written a business development commitment before. It felt different from just thinking about it.
Business development had always felt like a vague, intimidating task—something others excelled at, and she didn’t. However, the Inventory made it clear and concrete.
She had expertise in healthcare regulatory compliance, a relationship with Kevin Patel, and the ability to clearly translate complex issues into understandable ideas.
Those weren’t just theoretical strengths; they were actual assets she could leverage.
For the first time, business development didn’t seem so elusive. Now, it feels like something she could already accomplish.
That night, Anna wrote an email to Kevin Patel:
Subject: Quick question about your healthcare litigation clients
Hi Kevin,
I’ve been thinking about the regulatory issues that arose in the qui tam case we worked on together. If any of your current healthcare clients are facing compliance questions (HIPAA, Stark, anti-kickback), I’d be happy to share insights or serve as a sounding board.
I would be happy to discuss this with you.
Best,\
Anna
She stared at it for a moment.
Then she hit send.
She didn’t know yet if David Chen would reply, but she had stopped waiting for permission to reach out.
That was something new.
The MSL Saga™, MLARD™, and the 85/15 Model™ are trademarks of Susan B. Silverman Consulting. The MSL Saga and all episodes © 2026 Susan B. Silverman Consulting. All rights reserved. Unauthorized reproduction or distribution is prohibited.
