Alexander Taub - Pitching and Closing

I never thought Id read a book that not only explains how nuanced BD can be, but also actually gives you what you need to take teams big and small to grow their business through partnership. Impressive, and fun to read.

Paul Murphy, CEO of Dots and Partner at Betaworks

Pitching & Closing is a must-read not only for those in business development but also for founders, CEOs, and anyone who interacts with potential clients or partners. Ill be quoting from this book for longer than I care to admit.

Walker Williams, CEO of Teespring

In my experience, business development is a critical set of skills whether youre starting a company, running for public office, or making a sale. Pitching & Closing is a seminal guide to everything you want to know about how to build great partnerships.

Reshma Saujani, Founder of Girls Who Code

Biz dev is a little like jet propulsion: everyone knows its important to soar but most dont really understand how it works. Alex and Ellen have done us all an incredible service with this concise, actionable guide to successful business development. A must-read for anyone moving into the field.

Kathryn Minshew, CEO of The Muse

This book is a must-read for anyone in the business of transforming professional relationships into powerful strategic partnerships.

Adam Bain, President of Global Revenue at Twitter

Pitching & Closing does a phenomenal job of giving you a seat in the room during some of the biggest business development deals of late. Taub and DaSilva leverage experts to provide additional context for their concepts, and they do so to great effect. Anyone who reads this book will come away with a deep understanding of business development in the world of startups.

Dylan Smith, CFO of Box

Pitching & Closing is a definitive guide to partnerships for the next generation of entrepreneurs and business leaders. This book alone will help you master the skills needed to succeed in pitching your ideas.

Adam Braun, Founder and CEO of Pencils of Promise

Taub and DaSilva offer a guided road map on how to be successful in business development. From developing genuine relationships through networking to pitching deals with a win-win mentality, Pitching & Closing offers a step-by-step model on how to forge valuable partnerships, create lasting vision, and grow your company.

This book gives an honest and insightful look at the delicate and complex handling of business development and guides readers on how to turn good ideas into great partnerships.

Kyle Kelly, Business Development & Analysis at Zappos.com

Alex Taub and Ellen DaSilva have written the bible for business development in startup landa well-researched, easily accessible accounting of best practices and tips of the trade from the people who are leaders in opening and closing deals that define some of the most exciting new companies on the landscape.

Laurie Racine, Board Member, Creative Commons

Alex and Ellen have written a very valuable and readable book, both for those looking to enter the business development world or those seeking to improve their skills, as well as the general reader looking to understand what it takes to succeed. Theres something for everyone in Pitching and Closing!

Daniel Freedman, SVP Apploi and co-author of New York Times bestseller, The Black Banners.

Copyright 2014 by Alex Taub and Ellen DaSilva. All rights reserved. Except as permitted under the United States Copyright Act of 1976, no part of this publication may be reproduced or distributed in any form or by any means, or stored in a data base or retrieval system, without the prior written permission of the publisher.

ISBN: 978-0-07-182515-3

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Alex: To my beautiful wife, Liz. Thank you for being understanding during this hectic book-writing time. Without your love and support, this book would not have happened. I love you.

To my parents, Hindy and Ruby Taub: thank you for putting up with me and giving me just enough wiggle room to pursue my passions.

Ellen: To my supportive and loving family: Russell, Peggy, Emily, and Nancy. Your enthusiasm has been the guiding light throughout this project. To David, for opening my eyes to the world of tech. I am so grateful for all your love and encouragement.

Part 1
Business Development

Part 2
Introduction to Partnerships

Part 3
Pitching and Closing

Part 4
Best Practices: Preparation and Execution

Part 5