READ ON PHILHSC.COM | READ TIME: 4 MINUTES | 13 AUGUST, 2025

Welcome to Partnership Wednesday #107 featuring ideas you can use to create partnerships faster, with less guesswork, and confidently close 6-figure deals.

Know someone who could use this edition? Share it with them here.

Have a tricky partnership question? Just reply to this email!

A LESSON TO BUILD ON

Krispy Kreme’s national rollout with McDonald’s in the US came to an end this week. Press releases celebrated a growth rocket until $28.9M in extra costs burned through the fuel. The customer experience was strong, but the economics never worked. The impact on McDonald’s operations was minimal, the same can’t be said for Krispy Kreme. Leaders often overestimate demand, underestimate complexity, and assume alignment will solve structural imbalances. It won’t. Before betting big, model the downside as rigorously as the upside. Know your break-even, your capacity constraints, and your red lines.

Leadership lesson: Partnerships amplify both strengths and weaknesses. And the longer you ignore misalignment, the more it compounds.

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AN ANSWER TO HELP YOU MOVE FASTER

Our business development efforts aren’t working out. What am I missing? I was asked this question from the crowd this week. Here’s my answer:

Business development isn’t broken but your team's habits might be.
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Most BD teams generally under-perform due to 12 quiet habits that slowly drain their effectiveness.
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Each one sounds logical.
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But left unchecked, they create a culture of noise, not deals.
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Here are 12 habits that kill BD and how to fix them:
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1. Chasing logos, not leverage
→ Fix: Score for potential, not popularity
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2. Saying yes to every introduction
→ Fix: Triage early. Qualify hard
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3. Waiting for perfect materials
→ Fix: Start with version 0.1 and refine in motion
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4. Mistaking updates for momentum
→ Fix: Prioritise outcomes over activity
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5. Over-dependence on one BD hero
→ Fix: Build a system, not a saviour
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6. No 'First Win' plan
→ Fix: Define a tangible, 6-month milestone for every deal before you sign
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7. Weak internal storytelling
→ Fix: Equip champions with simple, clear decks
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8. Long timelines, no urgency
→ Fix: Introduce decision gates and visible next steps
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9. Comping for revenue, not trust
→ Fix: Include partner health and multi-year value in incentives
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10. Operating in isolation
→ Fix: Sync weekly with Sales, Product, and Marketing
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11. Ignoring the off-ramp
→ Fix: Re-qualify stalled deals every quarter
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12. No post-mortem culture
→ Fix: Review what didn’t close and why
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Each habit looks small. But collectively they’re a silent growth killer.
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Fix them and you build a system that creates trust, scale, and momentum.
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​Remember this: Business development isn’t about being liked. It’s about being useful.

​Here’s an infographic that might help you navigate this topic further.​

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THIS WEEK'S MOMENT (Insight for your commute)

Is your partnership full of agreement—but lacking actual progress?

In this 6-minute episode:

• Learn how to detect the subtle signs of “agreement theatre” before it derails your strategy
• Get the exact language that signals real, engaged collaboration
• Walk away with 3 powerful questions to kickstart any new partnership the right way

Get every episode of the Partnership Playbook on your next commute or workout. Subscribe to the show on Apple Podcasts, Spotify and Youtube!

KNOW PEOPLE WHO FEEL STUCK?

Share this issue via text, social media, or email by copying and pasting this link:

​https://philhsc.com/partnership/13-august-2025

See you next Wednesday,

Phil Hayes-St Clair, Business Partnerships Expert & Coach

​Find me on LinkedIn or Book a 1:1 Call​

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