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Business Development Startup Jobs in Michigan (NOW HIRING)

Director of Operations

Birmingham, MI ยท On-site

$80K - $130K/yr

Lead and manage a small, diverse team in a fast-paced, startup environment. * Oversee sales strategies and actively participate in business development, including cold calling. * Develop and ...

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Business Development Startup information

See Michigan salary details

$31.8K

$74.6K

$129.9K

How much do business development startup jobs pay per year?

As of Sep 14, 2026, the average yearly pay for business development startup in Michigan is $74,610.00, according to ZipRecruiter salary data. Most workers in this role earn between $53,200.00 and $87,200.00 per year, depending on experience, location, and employer.

What is a business development startup?

A Business Development Startup job focuses on identifying growth opportunities, building partnerships, and driving revenue for a new or early-stage company. Professionals in this role analyze market trends, create sales strategies, and develop relationships with clients, investors, or other stakeholders. They often work closely with product, marketing, and leadership teams to scale the business. The role requires strong communication, strategic thinking, and problem-solving skills.

What are the key skills and qualifications needed to thrive in business development at a startup?

To succeed in a Business Development Startup role, you need strong analytical abilities, market research skills, sales acumen, and ideally a background in business or entrepreneurship. Familiarity with CRM software, data analysis tools like Excel or Tableau, and project management platforms is common, though formal certifications are less emphasized than demonstrated results. Exceptional networking, adaptability, and persuasive communication are standout soft skills for building client relationships and navigating dynamic startup environments. These capabilities enable individuals to identify new opportunities, drive growth, and help startups achieve scalability in competitive markets.

What kinds of challenges might I face working in business development at a startup, and how can I prepare for them?

Business Development roles in startups often involve navigating uncertainty, adapting to rapidly changing markets, and prioritizing multiple growth initiatives with limited resources. You may encounter challenges such as establishing brand presence, building new partnerships from scratch, and frequently shifting strategies to respond to feedback or market conditions. To prepare, it's helpful to embrace flexibility, seek continuous learning, and proactively communicate with both internal teams and external stakeholders. Successful candidates often thrive in fast-paced environments and are comfortable taking calculated risks to drive company expansion.

What are the most commonly searched types of Business Development Startup jobs in Michigan?

The most popular types of Business Development Startup jobs in Michigan are:

What are popular job titles related to Business Development Startup jobs in Michigan?

For Business Development Startup jobs in Michigan, the most frequently searched job titles are:

Infographic showing various Business Development Startup job openings in Michigan as of August 2026, with employment types broken down into 1% As Needed, 76% Full Time, 21% Part Time, and 2% Contract. Highlights an 86% Physical, 3% Hybrid, and 11% Remote job distribution, with an average salary of $74,610 per year, or $35.9 per hour.

Business Development Representative (Ann Arbor, MI)

Ann Arbor, MI โ€ข On-site

Full-time

Re-posted 24 days ago


Job description

Company Mission:
Our mission is to remove friction from selling to the public sector.
Pursuit transforms how trillions in public-sector contracts are sought and awarded. We believe the best contractors should win contracts, not just the ones who are most deeply embedded. Pursuit AI scans millions of pages to identify opportunities for companies selling to the public sector. Our customers are companies who sell to the public sector, and we're selling more pipeline, revenue, and productivity to the GTM organization.
Our Culture:
At Pursuit, being a Pursuiter means doing work that actually matters-improving government for every citizen. We're an AI-first, top-investor-backed team that moves with urgency, thinks critically, and runs directly at conflict because the best ideas come from uncomfortable conversations. There's no daylight between our customers' success and ours, so you'll own high-impact projects that redefine public-sector engagement while working at the intersection of AI and growth. We're accountable to each other, ship fast (check our seasonal releases), and grow in dog years.
We're remote-first but gather regularly for company offsites because Zoom bonding only goes so far, and some of our best ideas happen over tacos in Mexico or wherever we land next. If you want to build something genuinely innovative while simplifying what others overcomplicate, you've found your people!
Our Values:
Our values define how we work, innovate, and connect with our customers and partners.
  • Customer Focus: There is no daylight between our customers' success and our own success.
  • Critical Thinking: Break issues down into their atomic units. Focus on what matters; simplify. What's right, not who's right. Be honest with yourself. We openly acknowledge when we're wrong, and improve.
  • Act with Urgency: Do it now. Shorten cycle times. If a decision is reversible, be 51% sure and pick one.
  • Run at Conflict: We're comfortable having uncomfortable conversations; we disagree with ideas while respecting the humans.
  • Accountability: We do what we say and give our maximum effort, and we expect that from everyone on our team. How we do one thing is how we do anything.
  • Think Long Term: Choose the best answer in the long run. Do not take shortcuts.
Who You Are:
We're hiring a Business Development Representative (BDR) who wants to break into tech sales at a company where the mission actually matters. You don't need a traditional sales background - you need drive, curiosity, and the resilience to do hard things consistently. You'll be the first voice prospects hear from Pursuit, working on-site in Ann Arbor, MI, and reporting directly to the Director of Business Development.
What You'll Do:
Outbound Prospecting & Pipeline Generation
  • Execute high-volume outbound outreach (cold calls, emails, LinkedIn) to generate qualified pipeline for the AE team
  • Leverage AI-powered tools daily for prospecting, account research, and message personalization

Discovery & Qualification
  • Conduct discovery conversations with public-sector decision-makers to understand their procurement challenges and qualify fit
  • Route qualified opportunities to Account Executives with thorough context and next steps

CRM Hygiene & Personal Development
  • Maintain accurate, real-time activity and pipeline data in HubSpot
  • Participate in weekly coaching sessions, call reviews, and skills training designed to accelerate your path to a closing role within 12-18 months
What You'll Bring:
  • 0-2 years of professional experience - sales experience is a plus but not required
  • A track record of doing something hard and sticking with it: team captain, side hustle, self-taught skill, demanding job - show us commitment in any form
  • Strong verbal and written communication across phone, video, email, and Slack
  • Coachability - you take feedback quickly, not defensively
  • Curiosity over script-following: you ask "why" before "how"
Nice To Haves:
  • Familiarity with CRM tools (HubSpot, Salesforce, etc.)
  • Exposure to SaaS, govtech, or public-sector sales environments
  • Experience using AI tools for research, writing, or workflow automation
  • Prior SDR/BDR internship or inside sales experience
Why Join Pursuit?:
Work with proven founders affecting trillions in government contracts. Ground floor opportunity to; shape the company, not just your role. When you're old and dying, make sure you worked on something that really mattered.
  • Do Your life's work: Our mission is to improve government, benefitting every citizen
  • AI-First: Work at the intersection of AI, programmatic marketing, and data-driven growth
  • Backed by top investors: Join a highly ambitious, well-funded startup
  • Driving Innovation in Public-Sector Engagement: Own and execute innovative, high-impact projects that redefine how businesses engage with public-sector opportunities
  • Personal Growth: You'll be challenged every day; your growth will come in dog years