Join Neil Barrow, host of I Hope This Email Finds You Well, after his podcast with Chad Corley, Senior Relationship Manager at Armanino.

They discussed the internal and external components of business development, including tracking referral sources, building networks, and setting your firm up for success in private equity and accounting.

Welcome to the Strategies and Tactics Edition, where Neil unpacks:

• How to approach BD when you’re new to a firm
• Building a 30/60/90 (or 60/120/180) day plan that works
• Understanding your firm’s best clients and where they come from
• Internal BD: meeting partners, understanding services, and analyzing the client base
• External BD: identifying referral sources, setting meetings, and joining the right associations
• Setting activity goals, like 10 meetings a week, to fill your calendar and grow your network
• Organizing your plan and getting leadership buy-in before you “go attack”
• Staying consistent with tools like CRMs or Monday.com to manage deal flow and activity

Takeaway: Before you rush into networking and meetings, get organized. Know your firm, know your best clients, and know where your deals come from. Build a plan, get buy-in, and then attack, because consistency beats chaos every time.

About your host, Neil Barrow:

Neil Barrow is the founder of Enabled BD, a consultancy that helps businesses build no-fluff, repeatable business development systems. With over 15 years of experience in sales, business development, and consulting, Neil has guided firms and leadership teams through the challenges of building the machine that drives growth.

Known for his straightforward approach and practical playbooks, Neil launched the I Hope This Email Finds You Well Podcast to share the conversations he wishes he’d heard earlier in his career, insights from people who’ve done the work, made the mistakes, and found better ways to win.

When he’s not recording, you’ll find him dadding and working with firms on BD!

Connect with Neil:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/neilbarrowdfw

Website: https://enabledbd.com

Join Neil Barrow, host of IHTEFYW, after his podcast with Emily Ackerman, Director of Business Development for the Southwest at Bennett Thrasher.

They covered the qualities of a successful business development professional, including: having a high motor, LinkedIn tips, managing your referral networks, and the #1 tip for new BD folks.

Welcome to the Strategies and Tactics edition where Neil unpacks:

Authenticity

Mindset

• Professional vs friends
• This is the best way to build authentic relationships
• Takeaway - show your real personality to attract the right people into your orbit because not everyone is going to like you

Orbit

• Identifying referral relationships that can be friends - core nucleus - meet 1x quarter 1x1
• Moving those relationships to friends through events and common interests - concerts, music, food
• Driving referrals through friendship

Winning new business

• Qualifying through vibes
• If they are a client of a friend, they will probably get along with you
• Clients becoming long term relationships

Join Neil Barrow, host of I Hope This Email Finds You Well, as he chats with Chad Corley, Senior Relationship Manager at Armanino. They dig into the internal and external components of business development — from tracking and nurturing referral sources to building relationships that create lasting deal flow.

In this episode, you’ll hear about:

• How Chad approaches building and tracking referral sources to stay intentional about where deals come from.
• The importance of caring about internal partners and setting them up for success before going to market.
• His “go-giver” mindset and how giving referrals can generate even more inbound opportunities. And the #1 tip for new BDs: how to organize your week to add real value.

Whether you’re new to business development or a seasoned pro, this conversation offers practical strategies and real stories from the trenches.

Takeaway — Building a strong BD foundation isn’t about home runs. It’s about hitting singles consistently — knowing yourself, understanding your firm, and staying organized so you can generate results that compound over time.

About your host, Neil Barrow:

Neil Barrow is the founder of Enabled BD, a consultancy that helps businesses build no-fluff, repeatable business development systems. With over 15 years of experience in sales, business development, and consulting, Neil has guided firms and leadership teams through the challenges of building the machine that drives growth.

Known for his straightforward approach and practical playbooks, Neil launched the I Hope This Email Finds You Well Podcast to share the conversations he wishes he’d heard earlier in his career — insights from people who’ve done the work, made the mistakes, and found better ways to win.

When he’s not recording, you’ll find him dadding and working with firms on BD!

About the guest, Chad Corley:

Chad Corley leads the Southwest business development efforts for Armanino. With over a decade of experience in sales, he’s built his career on developing strong relationships across the finance and accounting industries. Chad has a proven record of understanding how Armanino’s services align with organizational needs — helping clients and partners succeed while expanding relationships that drive measurable growth.

A connector at heart, Chad thrives on collaboration, curiosity, and consistency. He believes that great business development is rooted in genuine relationships and clear processes. His ability to balance both makes him a standout in the professional services space.

Connect with our guest on:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/chadcorley14/

Join Neil Barrow, host of I Hope This Email Finds You Well, as he kicks off the podcast with a deep dive into why BD professionals need both clarity in their role and community with peers.

Neil shares lessons from 15+ years in sales and business development, explaining the difference between origination and enablement in BD, how leadership and culture shape your role, and why so many BD pros feel like they’re operating in a vacuum.

This episode sets the foundation for the series — real conversations with professionals in the trenches, sharing strategies and stories that will help elevate the business development profession.

Strategies and tactics edition:

• Origination vs. Enablement — the two core BD paths
• Clarity — understanding your role, responsibilities, and leadership’s expectations
• Community — why BD pros need peers who “get it” and how to find them
• Takeaway — BD isn’t about posturing; it’s about real conversations, shared stories, and building each other up

About your host, Neil Barrow: Neil Barrow is the founder of Enabled BD, a consultancy that helps businesses build no-fluff, repeatable business development systems. With over 15 years of experience in sales, business development, and consulting, Neil has guided firms and leadership teams through the challenges of building the machine that drives growth.

Known for his straightforward approach and practical playbooks, Neil launched the I Hope This Email Finds You Well Podcast to share the conversations he wishes he’d heard earlier in his career — insights from people who’ve done the work, made the mistakes, and found better ways to win.

When he’s not recording, you’ll find him dadding and working with firms on BD!

Connect with Neil: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/neilbarrowdfw Website: https://enabledbd.com