Business Development Intern (MBA), Home Services
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What you'll do
- Independently map the local service-provider landscape in an assigned category or geography (e.g., HVAC in a specific metro): merchant density, acquisition channels, and competitive platforms (Angi, Thumbtack, Yelp, etc.)
- Build your own scoring framework to size the opportunity and decide which merchant categories or neighborhoods to go after first
- Build your own target list and figure out the smartest way to reach each one — no inherited leads, no playbook handed to you
- Introduce Nearby.ai and pitch the value proposition to local business owners, handling objections yourself
- Build and maintain a pipeline in a CRM or spreadsheet with real discipline: stage, next step, expected close
- Treat outreach as a live experiment — test channels, messaging, and timing, and double down on what the data says is working
- Analyze outreach and conversion data to identify what's working and quantify results (contacts made, response rates, conversion rates)
- Turn merchant feedback into structured insight that could shape Nearby.ai's value proposition or onboarding process
- Build a simple business case (expected partners signed, revenue impact) to justify where to focus next
- Independently draft outreach scripts, pitch decks, and partnership proposals tailored to each merchant type
- Lead onboarding conversations through to close
- Recommend improvements to the onboarding process based on what you hear from merchants
What they're looking for
- Currently pursuing an MBA (or equivalent graduate business program), ideally with prior experience in consulting, sales, BD, or a startup
- Comfortable being fully self-directed — you build the plan, not just execute someone else's
- Strong quantitative and analytical skills; genuinely comfortable working in spreadsheets and data
- Excellent written and verbal communication, with the confidence to pick up the phone, knock on a door, and negotiate directly with small-business owners
- High tolerance for ambiguity and rejection — energized by 0-to-1, hands-on work, and comfortable inventing your own approach as you go
Summarised by NextRaise from the employer’s description, which follows in full below.
Full description from employer
About NewsBreak
Founded in 2015, NewsBreak is the Content Intelligence platform shaping the future content economy. With over 40 million monthly active users, our flagship platform delivers highly personalized local news and information powered by advanced AI, recommendation systems, and adtech.
Recognized by Fast Company as #32 on the Top Workplaces for Innovators, we're proud to be Great Place to Work® certified and home to a dynamic team of technologists, product innovators, and business leaders who are passionate about solving meaningful challenges at scale.
Together, we reached unicorn status in 2021, and we remain committed to continuing this high-growth trajectory with the right team to fulfill our mission: building the infrastructure layer for content intelligence.
If you’re inspired to dream big, innovate fast, and make a difference, we’d love to hear from you! For more information, visit www.newsbreak.com/about
About Nearby.ai
Nearby.ai is a home services platform that connects homeowners with trusted local service providers — plumbers, electricians, cleaners, landscapers, HVAC technicians, and more. We're building the merchant network that makes that matching possible, and we're looking for a scrappy, resourceful intern who's excited to build a piece of that network from scratch.
About the Role
We're looking for an MBA-level Business Development & Strategy Intern to own a merchant-acquisition initiative end-to-end — from market research and territory selection, through self-sourced outreach and negotiation, to data-driven analysis and a final recommendation to leadership.
This isn't a role where you follow a script someone else wrote. You'll get a market, a goal, and a blank page — and it's on you to figure out the smartest way to win it. You'll be measured on real business outcomes: partners signed, pipeline built, insight generated — not just activity.
What You'll Own, End to End
Market and Territory Strategy
- Independently map the local service-provider landscape in an assigned category or geography (e.g., HVAC in a specific metro): merchant density, acquisition channels, and competitive platforms (Angi, Thumbtack, Yelp, etc.)
- Build your own scoring framework to size the opportunity and decide which merchant categories or neighborhoods to go after first
Self-Sourced Outreach and Pipeline Development
- Build your own target list and figure out the smartest way to reach each one — no inherited leads, no playbook handed to you
- Introduce Nearby.ai and pitch the value proposition to local business owners, handling objections yourself
- Build and maintain a pipeline in a CRM or spreadsheet with real discipline: stage, next step, expected close
- Treat outreach as a live experiment — test channels, messaging, and timing, and double down on what the data says is working
Analysis and Business Case Development
- Analyze outreach and conversion data to identify what's working and quantify results (contacts made, response rates, conversion rates)
- Turn merchant feedback into structured insight that could shape Nearby.ai's value proposition or onboarding process
- Build a simple business case (expected partners signed, revenue impact) to justify where to focus next
Solutioning and Partnership Development
- Independently draft outreach scripts, pitch decks, and partnership proposals tailored to each merchant type
- Lead onboarding conversations through to close
- Recommend improvements to the onboarding process based on what you hear from merchants
Reporting and Recommendations
- Report weekly on outreach metrics and pipeline, framed as insights and next steps, not just raw counts
- Deliver a final presentation to the team: your market analysis, results, and a recommended go-forward strategy for merchant acquisition
Who You Are
- Currently pursuing an MBA (or equivalent graduate business program), ideally with prior experience in consulting, sales, BD, or a startup
- Comfortable being fully self-directed — you build the plan, not just execute someone else's
- Strong quantitative and analytical skills; genuinely comfortable working in spreadsheets and data
- Excellent written and verbal communication, with the confidence to pick up the phone, knock on a door, and negotiate directly with small-business owners
- High tolerance for ambiguity and rejection — energized by 0-to-1, hands-on work, and comfortable inventing your own approach as you go
Details
- Type: Internship, 20–40 hrs/week
- Duration: 3–6 months
- Location: Remote
- Compensation: Paid, $40-60 hourly
Why Join Nearby.ai
- Own a real merchant-acquisition initiative from research through close — a rare level of end-to-end ownership for an internship
- Learn the full cycle of partnership development at an early-stage company where your work directly impacts growth
- Build a portfolio of quantified business impact (partners signed, pipeline built, market analysis delivered) — highly relevant for post-MBA BD, strategy, or general management roles
- Potential to convert to a full-time role based on performance
Company
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