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Education




PRESENTER
Bonnie Shepherd
Senior Vice President
Transportation Practice Leader

BREAKOUT | TUESDAY, 3:00 - 4:00 PM PDT

BD Breakdown: Building Strategy, Metrics, and Culture for Growth

Business development in AEC is often misunderstood. While it’s frequently associated with networking or relationship building, effective BD is a strategic discipline grounded in market intelligence, disciplined pursuit selection, measurable performance metrics, and strong collaboration across marketing, technical leaders, and client-facing teams. This session breaks down the business behind business development, offering a clear look at how high-performing firms structure their BD efforts, prioritize the right opportunities, and align marketing and BD around shared growth goals. Attendees will gain practical insight into building a more intentional approach to BD, from identifying and tracking the right pursuits to strengthening client relationships that lead to repeat work. Through real-world examples and lessons learned, this session highlights how marketers and BD professionals can work together to support a firm-wide culture of business development and drive sustainable growth.

Learner outcomes
  1. Understand the strategic role business development plays in driving growth within AEC firms and how it differs from traditional sales models.
  2. Identify meaningful metrics such as pursuit selection, hit rates, and pipeline tracking that help evaluate BD performance and guide strategic decision-making.
  3. Discover practical ways marketing and business development teams can align efforts around messaging, pursuits, and client relationships to support long-term growth.