Business Development

My first book wasn’t supposed to change the trajectory of my business—or my life. It was meant to help my clients. What I didn’t fully anticipate was how powerful a book could be as a business asset. That first book quickly became more than thought leadership—it became leverage. I could directly attribute new business to it, including a $40,000...

Serial entrepreneur and author James Kademan is challenging agency owners to rethink their growth trajectories for 2026. In a recent interview on Agency Rainmaker TV with host Henry DeVries, Kademan, founder of Draw In Customers Business Coaching and Calls On Call, outlined a strategic framework that moves beyond traditional lead generation....

Smart agency owners and strategic consultants leverage their books with gratitude for more referrals. Referrals make a difference. You want to be the person they refer others to. Lacking that attitude of gratitude may be causing you to lose out on right-fit C-suite clients. “If you deal with CEOs and other C-suite people, a sophisticated and...

In an era defined by big data, real-time metrics, and AI-driven insights, business leaders often assume that spreadsheets and charts are the ultimate drivers of decision-making. We lean hard on analytics and dashboards, believing that the person with the most data wins. But here’s the thing. Across boardrooms and conference stages, it’s still...

Like David squaring off against Goliath, small agencies often face industry giants with nothing but sharp strategy and fearless determination. In a CB Insights study of 111 failed start-ups, 14 percent failed because they didn’t have the right team in place. Another 19 percent had a flawed business model, which is an example of lacking...

Speaking isn’t just about transferring information. It’s also about connecting, inspiring, and leading. Your ideas, your vision, and your work all have the potential to make a significant impact, but only if your message hits home and sticks with your audience long after you have spoken. Poor communication increases employee turnover, decreases...

Why should agency owners worry about marketing? The answer is simple: To make payroll. That means the money to pay the most important person in the world, which is you, and then to your team. First, let’s define terms. By marketing we mean the process of generating new client leads and then converting those leads into clients. This is also known...

If you are in the business of selling your expertise, your best business asset is your opt-in email list. This is the list of prospects who have raised their hands and said they would welcome more information about your services and you. With these names and addresses you can further the conversation with these prospects. That is better than...