Fractional business development
Growth, drawn from the source.
I help founder-led data and AI firms win new clients: getting in front of the right decision makers, and setting up a simple, steady way to find, follow up with and close new business, without the cost of a full-time hire.
25+ years helping companies win new clients at McKinsey & Co., Caserta Data, DAC Group and Infogroup/Data Axle
Sound familiar?
Most founder-led firms don't have a lead problem.
Every sale stops the selling. That's the dry-well cycle. White-glove business development keeps the well full while you do the work.
You're the only one selling.
Every new deal runs through the founder, so growth stops whenever you're busy delivering.
Growth has stalled at who you already know.
Referrals and partner programs built the firm, but there's no reliable way to reach the next tier of clients.
There's no system for follow-up.
Leads live in inboxes and memory. Follow-ups slip, and nobody knows which deals are really moving.
How it works
Relationships and systems, in one partner.
Most business development help is good at one or the other. You get both: someone who can open doors with senior decision makers, and a simple system that keeps new business coming in.
The relationships
Opening doors and moving deals forward
- Getting you in front of the decision makers you actually want
- A referral program that doesn't depend on luck
- First meetings and proposals, run with you or for you
- Warm introductions through a network built over 25+ years
The system
The system you keep
- A clear picture of your best clients and what to say to them
- One place to track every prospect and follow-up (like HubSpot)
- A simple step-by-step process so no lead slips through the cracks
- A quick weekly view of which deals are moving
AI does the legwork: research, first drafts and keeping your records current. I do the judgment, the relationships and the final say.
That's the difference from AI sales tools. A real person reviews every message, takes the first meeting, and brings 25+ years of knowing who's worth your time.
Packages
Start small. Scale when it works.
The goal is a repeatable new-business engine that doesn't depend on the founder alone. Every engagement is scoped to your firm, and any setup work is priced up front.
Ideal-client report
Who your best-fit buyers are and how to reach them, before we talk scope.
- Your best-fit buyers: industries, size and who signs
- 10–15 example companies that fit
- What to say to them first
Fractional BD
A fractional head of new business: the system set up first, then the outreach and meetings that fill it.
- Month 1: target list, message and HubSpot set up
- Months 2–3: outreach and first meetings with real prospects
- Every opportunity tracked, followed up and moving toward a close
Fractional BD, Deeper
Your fractional head of new business, running it day to day and building what lasts after.
- Runs new business day to day
- Builds the process others can run
- Can build and manage a small team
Who it's for
Founder-led data and AI firms, 5 to 75 people.
Small enough that the founder still does most of the selling. Large enough to invest in doing it better.
- Data engineering consultancies
- Analytics & BI firms
- AI services firms
- Databricks & Snowflake partners
- Product + services firms
- Firms serving regulated industries
About
Hi, I'm Greg Wells.
For 25+ years at McKinsey & Co., Caserta Data, DAC Group and Infogroup/Data Axle, I've helped companies win new clients: getting in front of the right decision makers, and setting up the systems that turn those first conversations into signed work.
Now I do the same for founder-led data and AI firms as a fractional partner, working side by side with the founder, in person or remotely, wherever your firm is based.
What colleagues say
In their words.
“He is adept at understanding complicated technology concepts and translating them into language that non-technical folks can understand.”
“A rare combination of drive, empathy and business maturity… fostering conversations and engaging with senior-level decision makers in enterprise organizations.”
“A thought leader and an idea generator that can roll up his sleeves and execute.”
Let's talk pipeline
A 30-minute conversation. No pitch deck.
Tell me a little about your firm and where growth feels stuck. If I'm not the right fit, I'll say so, and point you to someone who is.
Prefer to call? (402) 946-5660 · or email greg@pipewellpartners.com