Stacie Benes
Stacie has 15 years experience successfully selling professional services for accounting firms in the WDC area. Though her sales career began selling for both IBM and Wang Labs, Stacie moved into professional services sales when she joined Ernst & Young. At the Reznick Group, Stacie was the firm's first national director of sales. Currently, she is client relationship director at Pricewater- houseCoopers in the Washington Metro office with responsibility for the area's tax practice. In her spare time, Stacie, an accomplished equestrian, rides regularly and announces at hunter & jumper shows. She has served on the Board of Visitors at Children's National Medical Center since 1994 and on the Board's Executive Committee since 2008.
1. You’ve been referred to as a “biz dev queen” in Bisnow. What does a “biz dev queen” actually do?
Okay, so the “biz dev queen” probably has too much exposure and is in too many places <laughter>. I think what they’re getting at is that I appreciate the benefit of the face-to-face meeting. I’m genuinely interested in talking and listening to business people in our community about their passion which is often their company or business. I work for the largest accounting firm in the world, PwC, and represent an enormous talent pool and I’m always on the look-out for a way to help a business person achieve his/her goals. It doesn’t have to be a PwC service, and I may not always have the answer, but I’m going to help in any way that I can and make it all about them.
2. As the economy fluctuates, existing clients are jewels in the crown. As a client relationship executive, what’s the gold-standard in developing clients
Always have the needs of the client, prospect or target on top-of-mind. It’s 100% what the client needs. You need to be vigilant and constantly on the look-out at ways to help them achieve their goals. Is it an article in the paper? Is it an introduction to someone? Is it a specific tax idea that could bring benefit? Think constantly about the client or target and stay in touch with them. It’s all about them.
3. How do you develop a strategic networking plan?
Washington is a great market and there are so many events, you could be out every evening and at breakfast and lunch events every day of the week. You really need to pick and choose your space and what aligns to your industry. You want to select the locations and venues to meet people and help them in some way. You want to be known to understand the challenges of the executive within that field. Sometimes it can be lighter. There’s a group of professional women who have a wine tasting every quarter and I meet mover/shaker women who are great to know both personally and professionally.
4. What advice do you give to professionals when they walk into an event and don’t know a single person?
Whenever I do “Networking 101″ training with younger staff, that’s one of the first topics they ask and I address. When you walk into a 300 person event and don’t recognize a soul, what do you do rather than run out the door? It can be daunting. I will look for somebody who is standing by him/her self and who, hopefully, looks approachable. I will gravitate to them like a heat-seeking missile and introduce myself. After the initial introductions, I will ask about them. How long have you been with your company? What is your role there? Next thing, we’re in a conversation. If you go with colleagues, you don’t want to be glued together at the hip but you may want to be on the look-out for one another to make introductions to others.
5. As an accomplished equestrian, is there any correlation between training horses and developing new clients?
Yes, there is! You have to come to an understanding and come to an agreement that you want to work together. Neither people nor horses want to be spoken to in a harsh, dictorial or arrogant fashion. You may want give more in the beginning but you’ll get what you want in the end . . . be it horse or man. You have to thank and praise them. Give a lot of care and attention to their every need . . . be it horse, client, or man. They want to know that you bring something of value. Also, have some fun, too.
