
Conversations Where Business Development Meets Real-World Strategy
The Market Leaders Podcast
Join David Ackert, Founder of PipelinePlus, as he uncovers actionable insights from top performers in professional services. Each episode delivers concrete lessons you can apply immediately—whether you're growing a firm or advancing your career.
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Ep.96 - Cultivating Client Trust: The Intersection of Law, Sales, and BD with Guest Sian Story
David Ackert interviews Sian Story, General Counsel at Vendavo, about her unique career journey. Sian shares how she started in tax law in the UK and eventually moved to Silicon Valley, where she worked at Osborne Clarke advising U.S. companies on European law. Unlike most in-house counsel, she took on a dual role that combined legal work with business development, giving her valuable experience in building client relationships and understanding the business development process from both sides of the table.
Ep.92 - Leveraging Thought Leadership and Data-Driven Strategies in BD with guest Adrian Lürssen
David Ackert explores business development in the digital age with guest Adrian Lürssen. Adrian is Co-Founder and VP Strategic Development at JD Supra, a leading online publishing and targeted content distributor, empowering professionals to showcase their expertise, gain media attention, and establish authority in their respective fields.
Ep.91 - Navigating Constructive Pushback: Strategies for Legal Business Development with Robin Davidson and Matt Plavnick
David Ackert welcomes special guests Robin D. Davidson, Head of Business Development and Communications at Boies Schiller, and Matt Plavnick, Director of Client Development at Wheeler Trigg O’Donnell. They engage in a conversation centered around the concept of “constructive pushback” in legal business development and its challenges.
Ep.86 - Exploring Business Development Synergies Across Industries” with Diane Paoletta
David Ackert welcomes special guest Diane Paoletta, Director of Marketing at Phillips Nizer. Diane has had a dynamic career, spearheading marketing and business development efforts at multiple professional services firms – from accounting to consulting to legal. David and Diane explore the similarities and differences in applying business development principles and tactics at professional services firms across different industries.
Ep.85 - Show Me You Know Me: How to Win Business through Human Connections in the Age of AI with Samantha McKenna
David Ackert welcomes special guest Samantha McKenna, founder of #samsales Consulting, for an insightful conversation centered around creating, leveraging, and maintaining relationships in a hyper-personalized way – by showing them that you truly know them.
Ep.78 - "Setting New Partners Up for Success" with Amanda Bruno & Debra Hare
A rising tide raises all boats. In this episode of the Market Leaders Podcast, David Ackert, with guests Morgan Lewis’ Chief Business Development Officer Amanda Bruno and Director of Business Development Coaching and Training Debra Hare, unpack how this sentiment is at the core of the firm’s BD ethos.
Ep.76 - "A Go-to-Market Strategy by Industry" with Mike Mellor
Mike Mellor, Chief Marketing and Business Development Officer at Pryor Cashman LLP was a recent guest on the Market Leaders Podcast. Pryor Cashman has approximately 200 attorneys and three offices, primarily in the media centers of Miami, Los Angeles, and New York. Mike has been in legal marketing for about 10 years and prior to that was in financial services.
Ep.73 - "Cultivating a BD Mindset with Associates" with Katie Munroe
In this week’s episode of the Market Leaders Podcast, Katie Munroe, Chief Marketing Officer at Zuckerman Spaeder LLP, describes how she championed an expansion of the firm’s business development efforts to include partners and associates.
Ep.72 - "Making an Impact in the Short-Term" with Maggie Garden
In this episode of the Market Leaders Podcast, Maggie Garden, Director of Business Development at Shipman & Goodwin LLP, discusses how she’s positively impacted Shipman’s BD culture just 3 months after stepping into her new role.
Ep.70 - "How to Successfully Interview for Future Rainmakers & Business Developers" with Eva Wisnik
Over the past 26 years, Eva has trained Partners at 88 law firms on how to interview legal talent. The art of assessing talent and selling top candidates on the firm are crucial skills in today’s competitive job market. Tune in to hear Eva share her thoughts.
Ep.68 - "How to Effectively Establish and Nurture Referral Partnerships" with Steve Martini & Lawrence Braun
Imagine being friends with someone for years, and referring millions of dollars back and forth between each other’s businesses. In this episode Steve Martini (MST, CPA | Partner at Withum) and Larry Braun (Partner at Sheppard Mullin) talk with David Ackert about their referral partner relationship and share how they’ve done just that. Tune in to learn the importance of building connections, how to build a professional network and nurture it well, and how to leverage referral partnerships to build your book of business.
Ep.61 - "Integrating Talent Strategy with Business Development" with Brittaney Schmidt
Join David Ackert as he interviews Brittaney Schmidt, Chief Talent Officer at Vorys, Sater, Seymour and Pease, in this episode of the Market Leaders Podcast.