Business Development for Startups
Review

Learn the Art and Science of Business Development and Strategic Partnerships

Easy
  • Last updated 14/06/2025
by Scott Britton

What you'll learn ? Overview

We spent considerable time examining Business Development for Startups, taught by Scott Britton, and here's what we discovered. This entry-level course targets founders and professionals in SaaS or tech startups who need to quickly acquire business development skills. The curriculum promises to cover everything from cold outreach to closing deals, all packaged in about 4-5 hours of video content.

Scott Britton brings legitimate credentials to the table, he's created other courses like "Cold Email Mastery" and "Productivity Hacks for the Busy Entrepreneur" on Udemy. The course curriculum tackles core topics including business development strategy, cold emailing, cold calling, pitching, selling, closing deals, building networks, managing partners, and generating leads.

What caught our attention immediately was the course's age. Last updated in 2017, we're looking at material that's nearly 8 years old in a field that evolves rapidly. While fundamental BD principles remain constant, the tactical landscape, especially around digital outreach and SaaS-specific strategies, has transformed significantly since then.

The course positions itself as comprehensive for beginners, requiring no prerequisites or additional software. At first glance, this accessibility seems like a strength, but we wondered whether this low barrier to entry might also mean the content lacks the depth needed for real-world application in today's competitive startup environment.

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Is this course for you?

👉

Prior experience needed

Beginner (No Prior Experience Needed)

👉

Time commitment

light Light (1–5 Hours/Week)

👉

Learning style

Self-Paced (Work On Your Own Schedule)

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Goal

Learn A New Skill

Best suited for:

Absolute beginners with zero BD experience who need a quick, cheap introduction to basic concepts before moving to more current resources

Instructor

Scott Britton

Entrepreneur, Author, and Fitness Advocate Legitimacy Score: 9/10
Scott Britton is a multifaceted entrepreneur, author, and fitness advocate known for his diverse career spanning business development, online education, and charitable initiatives. As the co-founder of Troops, a Slackbot for sales teams, and the founder of Battle Cancer, a global fitness movement supporting cancer survivors, Britton has demonstrated a unique ability to blend technology, business acumen, and social impact. His expertise in sales, personal development, and fitness has made him a sought-after speaker and content creator in the entrepreneurial and wellness spaces.
Britton's career began in athlete management before pivoting to tech startups. He was a business development executive at SinglePlatform, which was acquired for $100 million. He then founded Life-LongLearner, creating online training materials that reached over 20,000 people. In 2013, Britton co-founded Troops, applying his sales expertise to SaaS. Simultaneously, he launched Battle Cancer in 2017, organizing fitness events worldwide to support cancer survivors. His journey showcases a progression from corporate roles to entrepreneurship, online education, and social entrepreneurship.
• Amazon #1 bestselling author in business development
• Host of top 10 iTunes business podcast 'The Competitive Edge'
• Co-founder of Troops, integrating Slack with Salesforce for sales teams
• Founder of Battle Cancer, hosting worldwide charity fitness events
• Featured in Business Insider as one of the top 25 rising stars in New York Tech Under 25
• Successful exit: part of SinglePlatform's $100 million acquisition by Constant Contact
• Speaker at multiple Inc. 500 companies on business development and mindset
• Featured on the Nat Chat podcast discussing lifelong learning and self-discipline
• Appeared on the Evolution FM podcast
• Hosted a listening session with Cook County Assessor Fritz Kaegi on property tax assessment
• Regular speaker at Battle Cancer events worldwide
Scott Britton is highly active across various social media platforms. He frequently shares insights on entrepreneurship, personal development, and fitness on Twitter and LinkedIn. His YouTube channel features interviews and discussions on business strategies. On Instagram, he posts regularly about Battle Cancer events and fitness motivation. Britton's Substack newsletter provides in-depth content on professional growth and life optimization.

Course Details

  • ⏱ Duration1
  • 📶 DifficultyEasy
  • ⌛ Access Lifetime
  • ⏰ Time investmentLight (1–5 Hours/Week)

🧠 Prerequisites

None stated, suitable for complete beginners


💻 Requirements

Computer with internet connection for video streaming


💸 Hidden Costs

No additional software required or tools mandated


🙋‍♂️ Support Options

Basic Udemy Q&A section only, no live support or active community

Course content

  • Module 1: Business Development Fundamentals – Understanding BD in startups, common roles & goals
  • Module 2: Strategy – Finding ideal partners, growth frameworks, scalable approaches
  • Module 3: Lead Generation – Researching prospects, outreach strategies (cold emailing/calling)
  • Module 4: Pitching & Selling – Crafting value propositions, running meetings, handling objections, closing deals
  • Module 5: Relationship Management – Managing partnerships, maximizing account value, preventing churn
  • Module 6: Systems & Tools – Tracking deals, streamlining workflow, using basic tools

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Feedbacks

Overall sentiment

Mixed reactions dominate the feedback landscape, with beginners appreciating the foundational concepts while more experienced users find the material lacking in current relevance and production polish.

Praised points

  • Comprehensive coverage for beginners: Users consistently mention the course covers all basic BD concepts systematically
  • Practical, actionable frameworks: The step-by-step approach helps newcomers understand the BD process
  • Accessible pricing: At under $20, learners appreciate the low financial barrier to entry

Criticisms

  • Severely outdated content: 2017 materials feel ancient in the fast-moving SaaS world
  • Poor audio and video quality: Multiple reviews cite distracting production issues
  • No community or support: Just videos with basic Udemy Q&A, no ongoing engagement

Testimonials

"Great overview for those new to biz dev." – Udemy User

"Content is useful but feels a bit dated." – Reddit User

"Scott walks through every step, which helped me understand outreach." – BreakInto.Tech

"Audio quality made it tough to concentrate." – Udemy Review

"Perfect if you need basic frameworks quickly." – Class Central Reviewer

Social insights

Reddit discussions from r/sales and r/startups show lukewarm reception. Users repeatedly mention it's "okay for absolute beginners" but recommend seeking more current alternatives. We noticed several affiliate-driven reviews that paint an overly positive picture, raising questions about authentic feedback.

Marketing Analysis

Claim Verification

The course promises to teach "business development and strategic partnerships" which it technically delivers, though with dated examples and tools. The claim of providing an "arsenal of proven tactics for every situation" feels overstated given the limited scope and age of content.

Price History

Typical Udemy pricing with frequent discounts from listed price to around $19.99

Upsell Practices

No aggressive upselling detected, straightforward single course offering

Student Success

Limited verifiable success stories beyond basic testimonials. No recent case studies or documented outcomes available.

Platform & Delivery

Learning Platform

Udemy's standard interface, reliable but basic functionality

Content Accessibility

Full lifetime access to videos, streamable on-demand, limited downloadable resources

Mobile Compatibility

Udemy mobile app provides decent video access

Technical Requirements

Basic internet connection and device capable of streaming video

Red flags check

😬

Complaints

The most consistent complaint centers on the course's age and production quality. Users report difficulty concentrating due to poor audio, and many note that specific tactics (especially around digital tools and platforms) no longer apply.

😬

Refund policy issues

Standard Udemy 30-day refund policy applies. No specific complaints about refunds found.

😬

Marketing practices

The course description stays relatively grounded, though we noticed it avoids mentioning the last update date prominently. No egregious income claims or unrealistic promises detected.

😬

Community feedback

No reports of scam activity or aggressive upselling. The main concern remains the dated nature of the content rather than any deceptive practices.

Is this course legit?

Value For Money

At $19.99, you're getting what you pay for, a basic introduction to BD concepts that would have been solid in 2017. For the price of a lunch, it's hard to complain too much, but don't expect cutting-edge strategies or current best practices.

Conclusion

We've thoroughly examined Business Development for Startups by Scott Britton, and our verdict is mixed. Yes, it's a legitimate course that covers real BD fundamentals at an accessible price point. For someone with absolutely zero knowledge of business development who needs a quick primer, it serves its purpose.

However, we can't ignore the elephant in the room, this course is approaching a decade without updates. In the fast-evolving world of SaaS and tech startups, tactics from 2017 feel prehistoric. Modern BD professionals use tools, platforms, and strategies that didn't exist when this course was created.

The production quality issues compound the problem. Poor audio and lengthy videos make it challenging to stay engaged, even with the relatively short runtime. Without any community support or instructor updates, you're essentially buying access to archived content.

Our recommendation? If you have literally no BD knowledge and need to understand basic concepts for under $20, this course provides that foundation. But immediately follow it up with more current resources. Think of it as BD history rather than BD training. For anyone serious about building a career or driving real results in business development, invest in something more current, even if it costs more.

FAQs about this course

Yes, the course requires no prerequisites and explains all business development concepts from scratch.

No, with content last updated in 2017, many tactics and tools referenced are outdated for today's landscape.

Yes, he's created 'Cold Email Mastery' and 'Productivity Hacks for the Busy Entrepreneur' on Udemy.

Approximately 4-5 hours of video content that you can complete at your own pace.

No, support is limited to Udemy's basic Q&A function with no active community or live elements.

Yes, Udemy provides lifetime access to all purchased courses.

No, all course content is included in the purchase price with no required additional tools or software.

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Business Development for Startups screenshot
Business Development for Startups Review
$ 20
Total score: 6,2/10 ⭐
  • Duration1
  • DifficultyEasy
  • Release Date01/2017
  • Format Self-Paced
  • AccessLifetime
  • Time InvestmentLight (1–5 Hours/Week)
  • Payment Options One-Time
  • LanguageEnglish
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Business Development for Startups Review