Business development creates long-term value through relationships, markets, and customers rather than short-term sales. It identifies partnerships that leverage revenue, distribution, or products rather than direct sales. Successful deals require proactive management and support across the organization. The right business developer engages resources to meet partnership goals. Hiring should match a person's skills to the company's product stage. Business development progresses from scouting opportunities to testing assumptions to scaling validated approaches. Deals should drive strategic goals rather than short-term momentum. Assessing opportunities by revenue, users, or markets helps gain team support. Legal agreements protect against risks while ideas become products and revenue.