Why New Business Hires Don’t Last and What to Do About It

We hear this from professional services leaders all the time: “We thought we found the right person, but a year later, we were right back where we started.”

According to our survey reports:

nearly 60% of internal new business hires don’t make it past two years.

And a bit more concerning?

35% don’t even last a full year.

One firm leader told us that finding the right new business person felt like “getting lucky once in a while.”

But it’s not just luck. There are clear patterns behind why so many of these hires fail, and even clearer ways to avoid repeating the same mistakes.

Why Most Internal New Business Hires Fall Short

There’s rarely a single reason a new business hire does not work out, but several warning signs showed up again and again in our research:

• Many candidates have experience selling products or services, and each require different skills.

• Firms often set unrealistic expectations without providing real support or structure.

• Some hires are expected to build lists, develop messaging, and run outreach entirely on their own.

• Outreach is inconsistent or poorly targeted, which leads to missed opportunities and frustration.

• And in some cases, the role is simply set up to fail from the start.

One respondent put it bluntly: “We basically set it and forgot it.”

If You’re Hiring for New Business, Be Ruthlessly Specific

This is not a role you can afford to fill halfway.

If you plan to bring someone in-house to drive new business, here are four critical things to look for.

1) Services and Product Experience Are Separate Skills

To be fair, there are those that can of course do both, but selling services is very different from selling a product.

Neither are easy, but with a services sell, you’re not offering something someone can test or try first. You’re selling ideas, outcomes, and trust.

Candidates without real experience in services often underestimate how consultative and nuanced the process needs to be.

2) Job Hopping Can Raise Questions

It is true that business development and sales professionals tend to move around more than most roles, especially today.

Still, a consistent pattern of short tenures should be looked at carefully.

Building a healthy pipeline takes time.

If someone hasn’t shown staying power, you risk hitting reset before they ever have a chance to make a real impact.

3) They Should Know How to Write Compelling Outreach

Ask them to write a short email to a hypothetical prospect without using AI, to start.

Can they make it specific, relevant, and persuasive?

Outreach is the front line of your new business effort.

If they can’t clearly communicate your value in writing, they may not be ready to represent your firm.

Even at this early stage, they should be able to articulate what makes you different and why it matters.

4) They Should Ask Smart Questions and Plenty of Them

Strong new business professionals are naturally curious.

They should want to understand your positioning, your challenges, and your goals.

If a candidate shows up without thoughtful questions, or doesn’t dig deeper as the conversation unfolds, that can be a sign of weak preparation or low engagement.

Hiring the Right Person Is Only the First Step

Even the best hire will struggle without structure, support, and active leadership involvement.

Do not set it and forget it.

Build regular check-ins into your process.

Start weekly, then move to biweekly or monthly as things take shape.

Stay accessible and make it clear you’re available for collaboration and guidance, not just for reviewing numbers at the end of the quarter.

Ultimately, treat it like a partnership.

When leadership stays involved, new business efforts tend to be more focused, more consistent, and more successful.

Final Thought

If hiring an internal new business leader is the path you’re choosing, be intentional at every step.

From vetting and interviewing to onboarding and ongoing support, success depends on much more than finding a strong resume.

New business is hard, but it doesn’t have to be a coin toss.