Business Development Intern (MBA), Home Services

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

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