Day in the life of a
Business Development Executive
Tackling all things origination, our Business Development Executive, Howard Sturgeon runs us through a day in his role, including his pre and post work activities.
Morning
Get up and go
I’m not naturally a morning person, but my commitment to coaching collegiate soccer means I am out of bed and onto the soccer field by 6am. Spending an intense hour and a half with the team in a high-energy environment serves as the perfect morning warm-up.
By 8 a.m., I’m recharged and ready to dive into my fast-paced, people-focused work. And, of course, no morning is complete without a cup of English breakfast tea, brewed using my preferred Yorkshire Tea bags, which is the perfect fuel to kick-start a day.
Work begins
Most days begin by checking my Google Calendar, which is my key to staying organised. I put all my tasks, reminders and meetings in here so I don’t forget anything.
My workday primarily involves engaging with introducers from banks, ABL and factor firms, accountants, and corporate attorney houses. We tend to discuss market trends, various business opportunities, and deal flow.
Today, in particular, I fielded several early morning calls about our recently launched USDA bridge loan product, explaining how our offering can bring value to USDA lenders and their clients.
Lunch
Lunch breaks vary, but today I headed to Vic & Anthony’s Steakhouse in Downtown Houston for the SFNet’s Private Equity Luncheon. At this event, I had the opportunity to connect with industry experts, introducing both myself and Growth Lending to the Secured Finance Network professionals in Houston.
Afternoon
Catching up with colleagues and partners
My afternoons typically revolve around calls. Internally, I catch up with our Senior Vice President of Sales, Keith Kirkland, to ensure that we’re on the same page regarding the deals in our pipeline and aligned on our strategic approach. I also regularly touch base with our marketing team to discuss campaigns, web leads, and external communications.
This afternoon, I caught up on the calls and emails I had missed while at the lunch event. I also managed to schedule a couple of additional meetings with USDA lenders and caught up with a broker I’m currently collaborating with on an invoice finance deal.
Credit paper preparation
As the day winds down, I dedicated time to putting the finishing touches on a credit paper I’ve been working on to finalize a selective invoice finance deal.
Last tasks of the day
Before logging off, I like to prepare my to-do list for the next day, especially if I have a number of early morning meetings on the horizon.
Evening
Onto the green for golf
After a busy day I enjoy getting outdoors and this evening I went for a quick round of golf with a couple of friends before the sun went down. Unless you are good at golf, which I’m not, I wouldn’t say this is a fantastic way to wind down, but we had fun nonetheless!
