Business development mentoring
Tired of waiting for referrals? Ready to get better work from existing clients and strategically target new ones
We help you move clients up the design ladder and find prospects who actually need what you offer
Even the best studios struggle with new business
You know you need more sustained, strategic growth. But when you try to implement what you’ve learned, reality hits:
- it’s challenging self-identifying your onlyness – what makes you distinct from other creatives
- it’s tough to get existing clients to see you as strategic, not just a supplier
- it’s hard to identify prospects that actually need my specific skills
- it’s tricky to build and maintain practical cash flow forecasts
- it’s overwhelming to detangle the hiring vs outsourcing decisions.
Mentoring helps you develop both existing client relationships and new prospect strategies that actually work. Better than that, we can work alongside to help implement and embed changes.
One problem, two perspectives
We know what it’s like to be stuck on the new business rat race.
We’ve run a design studio and we know business development and new business development can suck the life out of the sturdiest of creatives. That’s where the support of two mentors makes it easier.
Greg has spent his career in new business for creative businesses. He brings strategic thinking: design maturity frameworks, competitive positioning, and systematic approaches to client development. He helps you move clients up the design ladder to higher-value work.
Carol focuses on the relationship side: how to deepen existing client trust and build credibility with new prospects. She helps you have confident conversations about strategic value.
Together, we’re trusted creative industry advisors who help you develop intentional growth strategies for both existing and new clients.
Some of the topics business development mentoring often includes
Existing client development
- moving clients up the design ladder
- positioning yourself as a strategic partner
- identifying opportunities for higher-value projects.
Targeting new clients
- finding prospects who need your specific skills
- LinkedIn strategies to build genuine relationships
- moving beyond referrals to proactive outreach
Strategic positioning
- differentiating yourself from other designers
- value-based conversations that clients accept
- building systems for consistent growth
Maintaining momentum
- implementing practical systems
- balancing content creation with paid work
- assessing the value of marketing channels
Two ways you can work with us…
For a specific, pressing issue or challenge:
Issue-based mentoring
$500 + GST per session
Got a specific challenge? Book a focused session to pick our brains about a specific aspect of your business. Use us to clarify your thinking or test a hypothesis around client positioning, prospect targeting, or a specific growth strategy.
This is a one hour zoom session.
Issue-based mentoring works for unexpected challenges. It’s particularly valuable for small teams wanting a sounding board for tough decisions. Recent sessions have included discussing whether a venture is viable; talking about benchmarks and what peers may have done in the same situation and harvesting our opinion about what makes for a good capability document.
Perfect for:
✅ solo operators wanting to a second opinion
✅ partners wanting a ‘devils advocate’
✅ industry leaders wanting to understand the bigger picture
✅ designers with a specific pricing or client issue
✅ creatives wanting to test a hypothesis
✅ business owners with a specific question
Book a call … we can usually find the time to talk within a few days.
1
To embed lasting, positive change
Consider the Business of Design program
$2,000 + GST per month
The 3-month Business of Design program is a minimum of 3 months commitment, focused on creating lasting, positive change. It combines monthly mentoring sessions with practical tools and ongoing support.
A three-month commitment means we’ve time to
- fully assess and audit to uncover the complete problem
- discuss, plan and roadmap a solution based on your needs, business and clients
- work alongside you sharing tools and frameworks to help implement the change needed.
The Business of Design program is perfect for:
✅ freelancers wanting to move to a micro-business operation
✅ designers wanting better work from existing clients
✅ studio owners ready to move beyond referrals
✅ creative directors planning strategic growth in a specific sector
✅ designers unsure how to move clients up the design ladder
✅ partners wanting clarity and sound documentation
✅ start-ups who want to set industry benchmarks
✅ those wanting to embed a regular reporting system
✅ agencies wanting to be healthier and happier.
Not quite ready?
We get that, but this might be of interest.
We write a weekly article about managing a design agency
Each week we share research and thoughts about the business of design. We discuss the topics we’ve covered in mentoring, just in a less specific, more generic way. It’s free, all you have to do is subscribe. The archive of articles is here.
