Join Neil Barrow as he sits down with Andrea Pender, Director of Business Development at Carrco Group. Andrea shares her unique pivot from owning a photography studio for 12 years to leading BD in the rugged world of commercial construction.
They discuss the struggle of the "Seller-Doer" model in the AEC industry and how to train technical staff to embrace business development. Andrea breaks down her "Traveling Trophy" strategy - a brilliant way to gamify CRM usage for reluctant teams - and explains how she organizes her "Legacy Client" list to ensure retention. She also dives into the power of niche networking, sharing how she grew her "Ladies in CRE" breakfast into a high-value community.
Outline:
00:00 From photography to construction BD
02:30 The lunch that changed everything
04:30 The challenge of "Seller-Doers"
08:00 Defining Marketing vs. BD roles
16:20 Creating a formal strategic plan
21:40 "Paint 101" Lunch and Learns
26:00 Gamifying sales with a trophy
28:30 Organizing the "Legacy Client" list
34:00 Leading the "Ladies in CRE"
40:00 Stop going to every event
48:00 Dive deep into one committee
About the Guest:Andrea Pender is the Director of Business Development and Marketing at Carrco Group, a leading commercial painting and drywall firm. A former business owner and photographer, she now applies her creative background to the construction industry. She is also the Chair of the Women in Construction Committee at TEXO and a leader within the "Ladies in CRE" organization.
