Business Development Intern (MBA), Home Services

About the role

Nearby.ai is a home services platform that connects homeowners with trusted local service providers — plumbers, electricians, cleaners, landscapers, HVAC technicians, and more. We're building the merchant network that makes that matching possible, and we're looking for a scrappy, resourceful intern who's excited to build a piece of that network from scratch.

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.

Responsibilities

• 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.
• Build a scoring framework to size the opportunity and prioritize merchant categories or neighborhoods.
• Create a target list and devise outreach tactics; introduce Nearby.ai and pitch the value proposition to local business owners, handling objections.
• Maintain a pipeline in a CRM or spreadsheet with discipline: stage, next step, expected close.
• Test channels, messaging, and timing; double down on what the data shows works.
• Analyze outreach and conversion data (contacts made, response rates, conversion rates) and turn merchant feedback into structured insight.
• Develop a simple business case (expected partners signed, revenue impact) to guide next steps.
• Draft outreach scripts, pitch decks, and partnership proposals tailored to each merchant type.
• Lead onboarding conversations through to close and recommend improvements based on merchant feedback.
• Report weekly on outreach metrics and pipeline, framing insights and next steps.
• Deliver a final presentation: market analysis, results, and a recommended go‑forward strategy for merchant acquisition.

Requirements

• Currently pursuing an MBA (or equivalent graduate business program).
• Prior experience in consulting, sales, business development, or a startup is ideal.
• 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 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.

Skills

• Market research and territory analysis.
• Self‑sourced outreach and pipeline development.
• Data analysis and business case creation.
• Script and pitch‑deck development.
• Partnership negotiation and onboarding.
• CRM/spreadsheet pipeline management.
• Weekly reporting and insight generation.

Benefits

• 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.

Pay

Paid internship at $40‑60 per hour.

Schedule

Internship, 20–40 hours per week; duration 3–6 months; remote.