Which means most people arrive at the most important commercial conversation of their career with far less runway than they think they have.
This episode covers the eleventh of the 12 key indicators of partnership readiness: Business Case. This is the commercial half of the argument for making you up, and it is not something you put together over a weekend. It covers what your partners are actually buying, why growth is not the same thing as winning more work, and the evidence gap that sinks strong candidates.
In this episode you will learn:
The two persuasive questions your Business Case has to answer that no spreadsheet answers for you
The other levers, apart from winning more revenue, that you can pull to make your business case more attractive to your partners
How to look at your practice process by process to find the opportunities you are currently missing
How to build a one-page Talk Sheet, and why it is the most useful thing you will do for your Business Case
Take the Partnership Readiness Assessment
Free to complete, 10 to 15 minutes, and gives you a personalised report across all 12 key indicators. Take the assessment here.
Buy Poised for Partnership
To buy a copy of Poised for Partnership, click here.
What help is out there for you to progress your career in the professions?
The Progress to Partner Academy is curated by key indicator. If Business Case is where you need to focus, you’ll find everything in one place.
The course to start with is How to Create a Cast-Iron Business Case for Partner. This on-demand course takes you step by step through:
Building a Business Plan for your practice using the STAGe model
Working out the critical moves that will grow your practice profitably and sustainably
Adapting that plan into a Business Case for partnership
Answering the ‘Why me’ and ‘Why now’ questions your partners will be weighing up
Pitching your Business Case to your partners
You’ll also find resources to help you build your Business Case, including:
Guide to creating a cast-iron business case
Deck to Pitch your Business Case for Partner
Putting Pen to Paper to start your business case
How to Successfully Pitch your Business Case
Identifying the Right Business Case for You and Your Partners
These resources will help you:
Move from having a collection of clients to growing a practice your firm cannot afford to lose
Think commercially about profit, not just revenue
Build the evidence base your partners need before they will back you
Get your Business Case simple enough that other partners can sell it for you
Walk into your Partner Panel Interview with a case you can pitch in minutes
If Business Case is where you need to focus, this section of Progress to Partner will help you build the commercial argument that makes saying yes to you the obvious decision.
Use code PODCAST10 for 10% off annual membership. Click here to join.
Books mentioned
Poised for Partnership by Heather Townsend - https://amzn.to/3ETEYk3
How to Make Partner and Still Have a Life by Heather Townsend and Jo Larbie - https://amzn.to/4iLxugM
Also mentioned
Susan Heaton-Wright, founder of Superstar Communicator, on Ding Dong words (covered in episode 9)
