🏗️ Become a Better BD: 10 Tools to Master to Become Indispensable
- Greenternships
- Sep 17
- 7 min read
The Key to Success: Knowing Your WHY
In Start With Why, Simon Sinek explains that the most successful businesses and individuals don’t just focus on what they do or how they do it—but on why they do it. The WHY is the deeper purpose that drives them, rooted in a genuine desire to serve and connect with people. Businesses that start with WHY don’t just aim to be the best; they inspire loyalty and trust by making their customers and employees feel valued on a human level. When challenges arise, remembering your WHY—the reason you do what you do beyond profit or success—is what keeps you motivated and allows you to inspire others to believe in your mission.
No matter your profession—whether you’re an employee, an entrepreneur, a teacher, or even a part-time stay-at-home parent—understanding your WHY is crucial. Business development is not just about sales and networking; it’s about positioning yourself effectively, building trust, and offering value. The ability to present yourself well, communicate your purpose, and cultivate strong relationships can unlock doors in any career. Mastering business development skills will empower you to navigate opportunities, drive impact, and create lasting professional success.
As an aspiring business developer, your WHY should be at the heart of your approach. Your mission isn’t just to sell or network—it’s to create meaningful relationships, provide value, and help businesses grow with authenticity and purpose. By mastering this mindset, you’ll set yourself apart in the competitive world of business development.
Presence
Know you exist, and have presence where people can reach you. Own up to your gifts, talents, and experience to identify how you fill the gaps that you can monetize. Presence is not just being visible—it’s showing up consistently in a way that feels authentic and accessible to your audience.
Where do you want to be visible? How do you want people to first encounter you? What channels or communities naturally align with your work?
⭐ 21st Century pre-requisites
Keep your profile updated to build credibility and showcase your professional journey. Your LinkedIn presence is essential for networking, attracting opportunities, and staying relevant in your industry. Click expand to see an example.
👇🏼Example
https://www.linkedin.com/in/mariabiancavega/
Just, plain, old mine. Not the best, but there's no guessing what I do for work, what i love about it, and where we may have crossed paths in the world.
📧 Gmail & Google Suite
Mastering Google Docs, Forms, and Sheets helps automate tasks, manage contacts, and streamline collaboration. Google Calendar and Keep will keep you organized and ensure no opportunity slips through the cracks.
👇🏼Example
If you apply for an internship with us, and have successfully nailed the interview, you'll be directed to fill out this form as the first step to Visa application once your internship has been confirmed. This form connects automatically Google Sheets where responses are displayed in Excel format.
🫴🏻 What you offer the world
Whether it’s a product, service, a course, or a consulting offer, define what you bring to the table. Understanding your product or expertise is the foundation of your business development journey.
👇🏼Example
International internships in Bali, and beyond! Book a call today and make an impact.
Identity
What values would you like your business to represent? How would you like others to feel when they percieve your offer? What makes you different, not better, than others who offer the same or similar things? How does that relate to what your specific audience needs?
⭐ Branding basics
🎨 Canva
Create professional visuals for branding, marketing materials, and presentations without needing a designer. Stand out with eye-catching graphics that reinforce our brand identity.
👇🏼Example
Check out our FAQs in Story format, on our Instagram made on Canva :) Thanks Viola!
📅 Calendly
Automate appointment scheduling to save time and eliminate the back-and-forth of finding available slots. Ideal for meetings, consultations, and client calls.
👇🏼 Example
calendly.com/greenternships Know someone else who would like to hire interns through Greenternships? We'd be more than happy to chat with them!
🧑🏻🚀 ChatGPT
Whether for research, content generation, or brainstorming ideas, AI-powered assistance like ChatGPT can enhance productivity and creativity in business development.
👇🏼 Example
Here's how we look for universities to partner with and plan our route for a Euro-trip. Nothing replaces real human input though, like what we're doing now as I am typing : )
We simplify how we share multiple links by having a single landing page with all our essential resources.
👇🏼 Example
https://linktr.ee/greenternships Bung it into your instagram profile, and clearly direct visitors to get started on the applyication process !
🩳 Bit.ly
Shorten, track, and customize URLs to improve click-through rates and monitor engagement on our shared links.
👇🏼 Example
bit.ly/mbvportfolio Build your personal portfolio by putting everything all into one place. Projects, news clippings, Youtube film projects and Behance graphic design links all in here !
Infrastructure
The backbone of any business is how well it runs behind the scenes. Strong operations, clear processes, and reliable systems create a foundation that supports everything else you do. Good infrastructure frees up time, reduces stress, and allows you to focus on creativity and value, instead of constantly putting out fires. The stronger your setup, the more space you have to grow with intention.
What systems do you already use, and which feel messy or fragile? How can your infrastructure better support your long-term vision? Where could clarity or structure help you reclaim energy?
⭐ Operations, CRM, & automation
📋Notion
The ultimate tool for project management, knowledge organization, and team collaboration. Keep track of deals, tasks, and client information effortlessly.
👇🏼 Example
Here is an article co-writ by ChatGPT on Permaculture Principles, drawing similarities to Balinese Hinduism and discovering each of the principles within the context of Scripture. This adaptability proves that there are always better ways to do business, with a more spiritual framework that doesn't place material gain as the main priority and purpose.
🤖 AI Agent
Automate and optimize content calendar creation, from blogs to proposals, making business development efforts more efficient.
👇🏼 Example
Some AI Generated content, for an AI generated Content-Calendar paired with AI-generated SEO for your blog ! *inception
👇🏼 Example
🗣️ Lihat.Ai
A smart engagement platform that automates connections on Instagram through keyword triggers. It creates landing pages, sets up responses such as links, videos, or posts, and automatically sends direct messages when certain keywords appear in comments—turning social activity into organized traffic, leads, or sales with less manual effort.
👇🏻 Example
Click the button below to be taken to New Tribe Bali (Canggu)'s instagram profile.
Comment "SCHEDULE" on any post, to know church service times!
📊 Airtable
A flexible web-based platform that combines the simplicity of a spreadsheet with the power of a database. It allows users to organize, link, and visualize information in customizable ways—whether through tables, calendars, galleries, or kanban views—making it especially useful for managing projects, research, or collaborative workflows.
👇🏻 Example
Check out our school's alumni database here, automated from a form.
Growth
Sales and marketing are about more than visibility—they’re about meaningful connection. True growth comes from building trust, reaching the right people, and communicating clearly why your work matters. It’s not just about scaling numbers but about expanding impact in a way that remains aligned with your core identity and presence. Growth is the process of inviting others into your story and showing them how they can be a part of it.
Who exactly do you want to reach, and why? What makes people want to stay connected once they find you? How can your growth feel natural and aligned rather than forced?
⭐ Sales & marketing
📎Craftman AI
Automate FAQs, customer support, and chatbots to enhance engagement without spending hours responding manually.
👇🏻 Example
🦸🏻♂️ PostHero
Generate engaging LinkedIn posts with AI to build our thought leadership and attract new business opportunities.
👇🏻 Example
We made a thing! This article highlights "The hidden impact of your internship in Bali, in Asia, in the World". The choice is yours.
A powerful tool for lead generation, email outreach, and contact database management to help scale our business connections effectively.
📋TrySetter
Automate your lead engagement by instantly responding to inquiries and scheduling appointments through AI-powered WhatsApp interactions. This tool ensures immediate client engagement, reducing lead drop-off rates and increasing conversion opportunities.
👇🏻 Example
🗣️Tolt
Streamline affiliate and referral program platform designed for SaaS startups. It provides a branded affiliate portal, performance tracking, and automated payouts in one place—making it easier to launch and manage affiliate programs with consistency and clarity.
🌟BONUS : Go fully digital ! Become a remote business owner
⭐ AI Learning Platform
🎓 Eduqat
An all-in-one education platform that combines course creation, student management, and AI-powered learning. It supports the design of courses, assessment tracking, and audience growth, while automating much of the administration so more focus can be placed on teaching and learning.
There you have it, some of the tools we use at HQ, suggested by our fellow digital nomad and business owner friends who might just be our next supervisors some day. Whether or not we are part of a company, non-profit organisation or starting our own as we go, these tools could save time, money, and maximise our team’s capacity to reach each milestone.
By upskilling and becoming comfortable using these platforms, we don’t just grow professionally—we gain the confidence to bring our own ideas and passion projects to life. When we tap into our God-given talents, interests, and creativity, we’re better equipped to serve others and offer meaningful solutions. No matter our background or current path, every step toward mastery is a step toward building something greater. Let’s stay curious, stay committed, and use these tools not just to work better—but to do good in the world.
Comments