This contract-based Business Development role focuses on identifying opportunities, building relationships, and expanding market presence in Los Angeles and Southern California through a blend of sales, marketing, and project-management activities, with coordination to headquarters to convert leads into wholesale accounts.
Overview
As a Business Development Contractor, you will drive strategic growth by spotting new opportunities, cultivating client relationships, and broadening our market footprint. The position leverages your expertise in sales, marketing, and project management to influence outcomes through effective negotiations and targeted outreach, contributing to the future direction of the business in a fast-paced environment.
Responsibilities
- Identify and nurture qualified sales opportunities across Los Angeles and Southern California, targeting specialty retailers; Asian premium grocery and lifestyle stores; tea, coffee, wellness, and gourmet food retailers; hotels, restaurants, cafés, and hospitality groups; corporate gifting clients; and local distributors or wholesale partners.
- Maintain a robust pipeline with detailed contact information, identified decision makers, deal status, next steps, and estimated order value.
- Engage prospects through email, phone, LinkedIn, in-person visits, local networking, and buyer introductions.
- Present product information, wholesale terms, sample options, and opening-order models to prospective channel partners.
- Coordinate with headquarters and the U.S. operations team on samples, pricing and discount approvals, buyer questions, product catalogues and sales materials, and order follow-up.
- Support the conversion of qualified leads into paid orders, active accounts, and repeat business.
- Provide concise weekly updates on pipeline progress, buyer feedback, market trends, objections, and competitive observations.
- Represent the brands professionally and consistently within the local market.
Requirements
- Minimum of 3 years in business development, wholesale sales, retail channel development, distributor sales, CPG, food and beverage, lifestyle products, gifting, or hospitality sales.
- Based in Los Angeles or the broader Southern California region.
- Ability to independently generate leads and convert opportunities.
- Strong communication skills and disciplined follow-up habits.
- Comfortable working on a contractor and commission-linked basis.
- Capability to track pipeline activity clearly and transparently.
Technologies
Technologies used: LinkedIn
Success Metrics
The contractor will be evaluated primarily on commercial results.
Pay
USD 50,000 - USD 120,000 per year
Work Location
Hybrid remote in Los Angeles, CA 90012
