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Focus on the right relationships for better business results.

When it comes to business development, professionals often struggle not from a lack of opportunities but from not knowing where to focus their attention. With countless LinkedIn connections and cluttered CRM databases, the question remains: “What is the best use of my time?” The Short List provides a clear, actionable guide to identifying key contacts and nurturing those relationships into career catalysts. Featuring a step-by-step plan with easy-to-use exercises, it’s perfect for both newcomers and seasoned rainmakers.

Streamline your networking and elevate your results with this indispensable guide from David Ackert, co-founder and CEO of PipelinePlus and renowned business development thought leader. Foreword authored by Dr. Heidi K. Gardner.

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The Short List Named Gold Winner of the 2025 Nonfiction Book Awards!

We’re thrilled to share that The Short List: How to Drive Business Development by Focusing on the People Who Matter Most has been named the Gold Winner of the 2025 Nonfiction Book Awards!

A heartfelt thank-you to the Nonfiction Authors Association for this honor, and to our readers for embracing the book’s message and putting it into action in your own lives and work.

Award badge for Nonfiction Book Awards with a gold seal labeled 'GOLD WINNER' and 'NON FICTION BOOK AWARDS,' alongside the cover of a book titled 'THE SHORT LIST' by David Ackert, with the subtitle 'How to Drive Business Development by Focusing on the People Who Matter Most'

Resources from The Short List

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Short Takes from The Short List

Watch David Ackert discuss key concepts from The Short List in exclusive video clips, offering insights to deepen your understanding of business development strategies.

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Praise for The Short List

Explore endorsements from readers and experts who praise The Short List for its practical guidance and impact on business development.

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Presentations from The Short List

Discover keynotes, seminars, and workshops that draw directly from the methods and knowledge shared in The Short List.

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Downloadable Worksheets

Download free tools and worksheets from The Short List to help you apply essential strategies and take actionable steps toward advancing your business development goals.

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Book David Ackert for Your Event or Retreat

Book David Ackert for your next company event or retreat to inspire your team with powerful insights and strategies from The Short List.

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PipelinePlus TRACKER

See how PipelinePlus TRACKER helps you manage your Short List and put the strategies from The Short List book into action.

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Meet the Author:
David Ackert

David is Co-Founder and CEO of Ackert, Inc. and its subsidiary, PipelinePlus. He is a highly regarded business development thought leader. Over the past two decades, David has pioneered revenue acceleration programs for hundreds of professional services firms around the globe.

He is the founder of several technology platforms including the PipelinePlus software suite. His programs are winners of “Your Honor Awards” in both the U.S. and Canada and have been featured in NLJ’s “Technologies on the Rise.” David regularly keynotes at partner retreats and speaks at industry conferences. He also serves as a guest lecturer at USC’s Marshall School of Business, Carnegie Mellon University, and at the UCLA School of Law.

David is the bestselling author of The Short List: How to Drive Business Development by Focusing on the People Who Matter Most, published by Greenleaf. The book is a Gold Winner of the 2025 Nonfiction Book Award. His work has been published and quoted across several business books and media over the years, including the Los Angeles Times, the National Review, the Daily Journal, the Wall Street Journal, Above the Law, Attorney at Work, The Recorder, and the Los Angeles Business Journal. His Market Leaders Podcast has won several JD Supra Reader’s Choice Awards.

David volunteers as a Big Brother with the Big Brothers and Sisters program in Los Angeles. He is also the co-founder of Voices in Harmony, a mentoring organization that has worked with at-risk youth around the globe. He co-produced and appeared in the documentary film, “After Kony: Staging Hope,” chronicling mentoring programs he helped to design and facilitate for former child soldiers in Northern Uganda. The film was used as part of an awareness-raising campaign that raised millions of dollars for health and education in underserved Ugandan communities. David’s charitable work earned the “Difference Maker” award from one of his alma maters, Ithaca College.

David holds a master’s in psychology and is a Fellow at the College of Law Practice Management.

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Listen to David Ackert Bring The Short List to Life in This Audiobook Sample

Listen to the full audiobook on Audible, Spotify, and Libro.fm!

Concepts from The Short List

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