Business Development Intern (MBA), Home Services

What you'd 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

What they want

• 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

What you get

• 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