Let me ask a question that’s been bouncing around in my head tonight:

What really separates a successful business from a wildly successful one?

Most people think the answer is more leads, better marketing, or closing more jobs. And yeah, those things matter. But what if the real difference isn’t in what you do, but in how you build?

Let me explain.

The Growth Trap No One Talks About

Here’s how most businesses grow:

You start it. You do everything, sales, marketing, operations, production, accounting, customer service.

You hustle your face off.

Then, if you’re good at what you do, people start buying. And now you’ve got a new problem: you’re busy. So what do you do?

You start hiring where you feel the most overwhelmed.

And naturally, you offload the stuff you hate, usually admin tasks or sales if you’re not wired that way.

But here’s where the first trap happens: you hire for sales, but you don’t understand it. You don’t build a process. You don’t lead it. You just hand it off and hope.

That never ends well.

The Most Common Mistake Businesses Make When Money Gets Tight

Not long ago, I was hired by a large restoration company, one you’ve probably heard of, to build a full business development division from scratch. We were making real progress. But before we could even complete a year, the rug got pulled.

Why?

Funding.

When businesses struggle, the first thing they cut is sales and marketing.

Let that sink in: The first thing they cut is the only thing that creates revenue.

And all those efforts we had built? That momentum, the leads, the systems?

They now belong to a competitor.

The Unlock: Build a Business Development Company

This got me thinking.

What if, instead of hiring one salesperson or one marketing assistant, you built an entirely separate business inside your business — whose sole focus is to generate revenue?

I’m talking about building a Business Development Company. A dedicated unit, team, or even legal entity that’s responsible for sales, marketing, follow-up, and client acquisition.

Why does this work?

Because you’re not just delegating sales, you’re giving it the respect and infrastructure it deserves.

You hire someone to lead it, someone who doesn’t just clock in, but who owns it.

Maybe they get a cut of the profits.

Maybe they become a partner in this new venture.

Their job? Build the machine that drives your company’s growth.

Your job? Deliver the best product or service possible.

That’s it.

What Would It Cost to Build One? Let’s Run the Math.

Here’s a simple rule of thumb:
Spend at least 5% of your revenue on marketing. If you include sales, aim for 10%.

Let’s say your business is doing $500,000 in annual revenue.

That means you’ve got $50,000 to fund this Business Development Company.

With the right partner, you could:

• Hire someone entrepreneurial who wants to build something.
• Structure their pay with a base + performance incentives.
• Give them autonomy and budget to scale, with clarity around results.

Now your revenue engine becomes its own business. And as they grow it, you get to focus on what you do best.

The Long-Term Play: Scale Beyond Your Own Brand

And here’s where it gets even more powerful.

Once your sales and marketing machine is humming, your business development team can begin serving other small businesses in complementary industries. You can create a network. Sell through one shared infrastructure. Offer fractional services or build new recurring revenue streams.

Now, instead of just being a business owner, you’re a partner in multiple growing revenue engines, all because you built one the right way.

Don’t Just Run a Business, Build One That Grows Itself

If you’re still trying to manage sales, quote jobs, juggle marketing, and close deals while also handling the product or service… you’re going to burn out or plateau.

But if you build a Business Development Company, you create separation.

You create focus.
You create scale.
You create something that doesn’t need you in every conversation to grow.

Real business owners don’t just do the work.
They build the engine that gets the work.

Stop hiring salespeople. Start building sales companies.

SML

If you’re serious about building a business development platform that actually drives revenue and not just burns budgets, I’d love to connect.

Whether you’re starting from scratch or looking to optimize what you’ve already built, I can help you create a custom strategy that includes: developing a full go-to-market plan, managing and selecting the right vendors, building a high-converting intake process, and leveraging AI to scale smarter.

As a Fractional Chief Sales & Marketing Officer (CSMO), I also help structure compensation plans, establish clear KPIs, align your sales and marketing teams, and ensure every dollar spent is tied to measurable ROI. If you're ready to stop guessing and start growing, reach out and let’s build something that lasts.

E-Mail me at sean@tierlevel.com to schedule a consult call today.

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