When it comes to business development in professional services, Matt Dixon has spent decades decoding what actually works—and what doesn't. As a bestselling author and Founding Partner at DCM Insights, he's reshaped how companies think about sales. Now, with his new book The Activator Advantage, Matt turns his focus to the world of law, consulting, and other relationship-driven fields, where selling is often taboo—but still essential.

In this episode, Mary sits down with Matt to unpack what top-performing partners do differently—and why it has nothing to do with cocktail parties or golf outings. Based on a global study of 3,500 partners, his research reveals a powerful new playbook for growing client relationships that's grounded in thoughtfulness, generosity, and strategic action.

In this episode:

• The Five Partner Personas: From the Expert to the Confidant to the Activator, why most partners fall into outdated models—and what separates top performers.
• Why "Sales" Is a Dirty Word: Matt shares his story of getting cut off mid-presentation by a managing partner—and what it taught him about the legal mindset.
• What Clients Really Want: A direct line from clients themselves—what they wish partners would do more often, and why "waiting for the phone to ring" doesn't cut it anymore.
• The Power of Proactive Help: Why offering value before the invoice makes Activators so successful—and how it builds lasting loyalty.
• It's Not About Personality: Whether you're introverted or hate networking, this isn't about becoming someone else—it's about small shifts that make a big difference.
• The Role of the Firm: How BD and marketing teams can become activator enablers—and why leadership buy-in is key to scaling the model.

If you've ever felt allergic to the idea of selling—or struggled to connect with clients beyond the brief—this episode offers a fresh, practical, and inspiring blueprint for doing BD differently.

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