Start of the Deal

Start of the Deal

Scott Pollack on Business Development & Partnerships

Lawyers and BD

There is an endless sea of lawyer jokes on the internet, but here is my favorite: "How many lawyer jokes are there, anyway? Only three. The rest are true stories."  Lawyers may be an easy target for corny jokes, but they are also an unheralded ally to Business Developers. I've…

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You Own Your Relationships. Your Company Rents Them.

A professional carpenter brings his own tools to the job.  They are an investment and carefully maintaining them is what assures they last beyond just the job and for as long as a career. The tools of Business Development are relationships - professionals in BD know how to build and…

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Hurry Up and Wait

When I was a young cub in my first job at Dow Chemical, the sales leadership had a phrase they were fond of saying: hurry up and wait.  While it may have originated as a joke, we meant it literally: we were expected to show up to a customer’s office…

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Why, hello there.

I'm Scott Pollack.

I’m an entrepreneur, a bestselling author, and a teacher. I focus on the intersection of Startups + Big Companies.

I am currently the Founder & CEO of Firneo. Previously, I was VP of Business Development for WeWork, Head of Business Development for SumAll, and before that I spent a long time in a variety of BD, partnerships, and product roles at American Express. Earlier in my career I also managed distribution partnerships for Dow Chemical, ran an interactive social cooking events company called Hot Pot Culinary Events. I started out as a Java developer in the late ’90s dot-com era.

My Company

A complete introduction to business development and how deals get done.

My Company

My Company

Biz Dev 101: A Workshop on How Deals Get Done

Firneo

Firneo is a learning commnity for the next generation of Partnerships, BD, and Ecosystem leaders

My Course

A complete introduction to business development and how deals get done.

My Course 

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My Book

What, Exactly, Is Business Development: A Primer on How Deals Get Done

Business Development is not just a sexy job title – it’s a growth tool for companies. The only problem is, everyone expects you to learn “how to do BD” on the job. You can spend years figuring out what makes for successful partnerships, or you can learn a proven framework for thinking about and pursuing business development opportunities from a renowned expert. “What, Exactly, Is Business Development” provides exactly that.

Over a 15+ year career, spanning companies ranging from American Express to WeWork, Scott Pollack has made all the mistakes, learned all the lessons, and has figured out the right way to do Business Development. He’s taught hundreds of students in live workshops across the world, and now he’s bringing those lessons to you in this book.

Firneo

Excel in your BD & Partnerships career

YOU’RE NOT ALONE

Guidance, support, & resources

You didn’t study BD in school. No one handed you a playbook when you took this job. With Firneo, you can get the guidance and support you need from peers and mentors who understand the work you do.

FIRNEO is a professional community for Business Development & Partnerships professionals

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