Business Development

Sean Wilson has a strong background in identifying, developing and commercialising new opportunities, building strategic relationships and driving sustainable business growth.

He has proven ability to deliver business development outcomes across diverse industries including HR, technology and SaaS, healthcare, recruitment, retail, construction and building supply, media/advertising and professional services. As a CEO, COO, Commercial Director and National Sales & Marketing leader, Sean has consistently delivered revenue growth, expanded markets, developed high-value partnerships and built scalable sales and business development capabilities.

Throughout his career, Sean has developed and executed go-to-market strategies for start-ups, scale-ups, multi-million-dollar and billion-dollar organisations. He has led teams of up to 300+ people, managed P&Ls of up to $89M, developed major client relationships worth $1M+, and built partner networks of 300+ organisations including Telstra, ADP, IT resellers, industry associations, franchise groups, accountants and bookkeepers.

Combining extensive training and qualifications in marketing, sales, management and legal studies with executive and board experience, Sean brings strategic vision and practical commercial execution. He builds high-value relationships, identifies and develops new opportunities, solves complex commercial challenges and turns strategy into sustainable revenue and business growth.

Proven Track Record of Business Development

BetterHR

As CEO of BetterHR for 7+ years and COO for 4 years, Sean led the commercial, operational and technology development of a national HR and employment law SaaS and advisory business.

He helped stabilise and turn around the business, doubled revenue and gross profit, grew the platform to more than 60,000 users and increased share value by 150%+ in his first 2 years as CEO (from $16.71 in 2018 to $42.08 in 2020, with the share price remaining above the level inherited for more than six years).

He built long-term strategic relationships with organisations including Telstra, ADP Payroll, franchise groups and industry bodies, and developed a partner network of more than 300 organisations.

His work included new product development, channel expansion, strategic alliances, customer acquisition and retention, pricing, commercial strategy and technology-enabled growth.

Housing Industry Association

As National General Manager Sales & Marketing at the Housing Industry Association, Sean led company-wide commercial operations across 23 sites and more than 300 staff.

The role covered membership, training, events, retail, apprenticeships, publications, Home Ideas Centres, media and the national call centre, supporting more than 50,000 members across the Australian residential building industry.

He led a major national commercial transformation that helped reverse declining membership and revenue performance, while expanding training to more than 500 courses and 8,000 participants, apprentices to more than 600, and the retail network to more than 20 locations.

He also helped establish and commercialise Home Ideas Centres in Canberra and the Hunter, launched a new online marketplace and introduced changes to improve member engagement and commercial performance.

Sensis / Telstra

As National Sales Director at Sensis, Sean led commercial operations across several divisions of what was then a $1.8B+ advertising and technology business.

He progressed from Account Manager through senior sales roles to National Sales Director, taking responsibility for some of the organisation's largest and most complex client relationships.

He delivered more than 200% sales growth across his portfolios, grew major accounts to more than $1M and developed relationships with organisations including Sony, Visa, Mastercard and Hyundai.

He also established a new national government sales team responsible for more than 5,000 business and government accounts, including federal and ACT government departments, statutory authorities, foreign governments, embassies, consulates and parliamentarians.

The team delivered record sales and secured major contracts including work with the Department of Defence.

Sharing Minds

As Commercial Director at Sharing Minds, Sean was brought in to commercialise a new legal technology division.

He developed the go-to-market strategy, proposition, pricing, sales and marketing capability, partner strategy and commercial pipeline from the ground up.

Within six months, he generated more than $1M in banked revenue and grew the division to more than $2M in sales for the financial year. He also signed more than 1,200 licensed users and sold more than 1,600 professional services hours.

The role demonstrates his ability to take a new product or business proposition, establish the commercial model and turn it into a revenue-generating operation.

Venturely / Zonda

As Group COO at Venturely and Group CEO across Zonda Global, Zonda Care and Marine Seven, Sean led commercial strategy and business development across a $20M+ multi-entity portfolio spanning healthcare staffing and recruitment, NDIS services and marine sales and service.

His responsibilities included identifying new markets and opportunities, developing go-to-market strategies, building scalable sales processes, developing strategic relationships, winning new clients and supporting acquisition integration.

Across the portfolio, he delivered double-digit revenue growth, transformed Zonda Global from losses to 34% gross profit, delivered 12-month strategic and operational targets in half the planned timeframe and integrated five acquisitions.

At Marine Seven, he developed new marine partnerships, expanded into new markets and created new consumer channels including Boat Search.

Kolling Foundation

As CEO & Managing Director of the Kolling Foundation, Sean led a medical research foundation supporting more than 200 doctors and scientists across the Royal North Shore Hospital campus and Kolling Institute.

He was appointed at a time when the organisation needed to reset its operating model, strengthen governance and improve commercial performance.

He delivered seven-figure revenue growth, achieved 12-month strategic and operational targets in half the planned timeframe, launched the $100M Kolling Building and attracted high-profile new partners.

The role required relationship development across healthcare, government, philanthropy, research and corporate stakeholders.

ColorTile / Japan Ceramics

As Director of Sales & Marketing, Sean led a multi-million-dollar sales and marketing operation spanning retail showrooms, trade customers, project builders and major projects.

He delivered double-digit growth while expanding the commercial proposition, including helping establish a new tiling installations division, developing a bathroom products range and launching an online marketplace.

ITBIZ

As Founder and CEO of ITBIZ, Sean built an IT services business from scratch, developing the proposition, winning customers, building the team and creating the operating capability required to scale.

He ultimately led the business through a successful sale, providing first-hand experience of building commercial value from the ground up and translating that value into an exit.

Business Development Capability

Sean's business development experience includes:

• Identifying and developing new markets, customers and revenue opportunities

• Developing and executing go-to-market strategies

• Commercialising new products, services and technology

• Building strategic partnerships and distribution channels

• Developing major client and stakeholder relationships

• New business acquisition and complex B2B and B2G sales

• Sales strategy, pipeline management and sales performance

• Pricing and commercial strategy

• Product-market positioning and proposition development

• Partner programs and channel development

• Customer acquisition, retention and expansion

• Account management and major client relationships

• Building scalable sales and business development processes

• M&A, acquisition integration and post-acquisition growth

• Building and leading high-performance sales teams

• Using data and commercial insights to identify opportunities and improve performance

• Working across strategy, marketing, sales, operations, technology and finance to deliver commercial outcomes

Commercial Development Across Different Markets

Sean has experience developing commercial opportunities across:

• B2B, B2G and B2C markets

• SaaS and technology businesses

• Professional and business services

• HR, recruitment and workforce services

• Healthcare and NDIS

• Retail and consumer markets

• Construction and building supply

• Media, advertising and publishing

• Membership and industry organisations

• Government and public-sector markets

• Not-for-profit and community organisations

Awards & Honours for Business Growth, Sales & Sales Management

• Commendation for Growth (Sales & Profit), Zonda Care

• Commendation for Growth (Sales & Profit), Zonda Global

• Commendation for Growth ($M+), Kolling Foundation Board of Directors

• Commendation for Growth (10,000+ new members), HIA

• CEO Club Award (Record Sales), Sensis, multiple years

• Pinnacle Award for National Service Excellence, Sensis

• National Sales Person Award ($M+ sale), Sensis

• No. 1 Sales Award, 231% to target, Sensis

• No. 1 Sales Award, 366% to target, Sensis

• And more

Business Development Philosophy

Sean believes effective business development is about more than generating leads or closing sales. It is about understanding the organisation's strategy, identifying where genuine value can be created, developing the right proposition and building relationships that deliver sustainable outcomes for both the organisation and its customers or partners.

His approach combines strategic thinking with hands-on execution. He is comfortable developing the strategy, identifying the opportunity, opening the relationship, developing the proposition, negotiating the deal and working with the team to deliver the outcome.

His track record demonstrates an ability to move from strategy to execution, build relationships at senior levels, develop new commercial opportunities and turn those opportunities into measurable revenue, growth and value.