AE & Business Development Roles
You are the person who turns a potential relationship into real revenue. As an Account Executive (AE) in a business development role, you sit at the point where market opportunity, relationships, and execution meet—owning the later stages of the sales cycle and the growth of key accounts.
Why Account Executives Talk To Me
Most AEs I speak with are already closing deals and carrying quota. The questions they are asking themselves sound like:
- Am I building a real career path here, or just grinding out another quarter?
- Is there a better product, territory, or stage of company where my skills would have more leverage?
- How do I move from “just a closer” to a trusted partner for clients and a strategic voice inside my company?
My role is to connect your track record—deals, segments, ACVs, verticals—with growth‑stage companies and platforms where what you sell, who you sell to, and how you sell all line up.
What You Actually Do For The Business
Job descriptions say you “close deals.” In reality, strong AEs in business development roles:
- Own the full sales cycle from qualified opportunity through negotiation, close, and handoff or expansion.
- Run discovery to understand customer problems, then map solutions and ROI to specific stakeholders.
- Build and manage a pipeline, forecast accurately, and hit or beat revenue targets.
- Coordinate with SDR/BDR, marketing, product, and customer success so the buyer has a coherent experience.
- Grow existing accounts through upsell, cross‑sell, and multi‑threaded relationships.
You are measured not only by new logos, but by how reliably you turn potential into predictable revenue.
Example: AE In A Growth‑Stage B2B Company
Imagine a growth‑stage company selling a complex B2B solution—software, services, or a finance/fintech product—into mid‑market or enterprise accounts. Marketing and SDRs are generating interest, but the real work starts when the AE enters the picture.
A strong AE:
- Qualifies opportunities quickly and honestly, focusing their time where there is real budget, authority, need, and timing.
- Navigates multiple stakeholders—finance, operations, legal, compliance—to align on a compelling business case.
- Partners with technical or subject‑matter experts to run demos, pilots, and proofs of concept.
- Manages the buying process: proposals, negotiation, procurement, and legal, keeping momentum without burning goodwill.
- Sets up the implementation and customer success teams with clear context so the relationship starts strong.
For the company, you are the difference between “lots of interest” and a booked, referenceable customer.
AE vs BDR: Where You Sit In The Sales Cycle
Different organizations draw the line differently, but generally:
- BDR / SDR (Business Development / Sales Development) – Focus on top‑of‑funnel: research, outreach, qualifying leads, booking meetings. They create pipeline.
- Account Executive – Own mid‑to‑bottom funnel: discovery, solution mapping, demos, proposals, negotiation, and closing, plus often expansion and renewals. They convert pipeline into revenue.
I work with both. For AEs specifically, the key is matching your experience—deal sizes, cycles, verticals, and motion (transactional vs enterprise)—with the right sales environment.
Who This Path Is Usually Right For
AE / business development roles tend to fit people who:
- Like owning a number and being accountable for results.
- Enjoy building relationships and guiding prospects through complex decisions.
- Can balance process (CRM, forecasting, methodology) with creativity and resilience.
- Want to grow into senior AE, strategic/enterprise AE, sales leadership, or revenue leadership over time.
If that is you, the questions become: what do you want to sell, to whom, at what stage of company, and with what kind of support and upside?
What I Look At With You
When we talk, we look beyond just “quota attainment.” Together we dig into:
- Your current and past segments: SMB, mid‑market, enterprise; specific industries or verticals.
- Average deal sizes, sales cycles, and whether your motion is more transactional or consultative.
- How you work with BDRs, marketing, product, and CS, and what kind of culture helps you perform.
- Where you want to head: senior AE, key accounts, sales leadership, or a hybrid commercial role.
From there, I can point you toward roles and companies where your profile is not just “a fit,” but a clear advantage.
How We Can Work Together
If this sounds like you:
- Share your resume or LinkedIn, recent performance highlights (quota, attainment, notable wins), and the types of products and markets you prefer.
- If there is a live AE / Business Development role aligned with your background and goals, we will go into details.
- If not, I will keep you in mind for confidential searches and reach out when there is a sales environment that matches how you like to sell and grow.
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