Lessons from the Lineup: How Surfing Shaped My Business Development Strategy

By Moe Magali

July 1, 2025

I recently heard pro big wave surfer Francisco Roque de Pinho speak about transitioning from corporate leader to sustainability pioneer. What stuck with me wasn’t just his story, it was how deeply his experience in the water informed his approach to risk, resilience, and strategic decision-making. He spoke about reading dynamic systems in real time, knowing when to commit, and learning to recover quickly from setbacks. It felt like he could’ve been talking about business development.

At Public Works Partners and across professional services more broadly, business development isn’t just about chasing opportunities. It’s about timing, positioning, and pattern recognition, just like the surf lineup.

Here are a few lessons I’ve taken from the water into our business development practice.

Read the Lineup Before You Drop In

Before paddling out, you take in the full scene—wave patterns, wind direction, who else is in the water, and how the tides are moving. You don’t just rush in.

In BD, this means we start every pursuit with a sharp scan of the environment:

  • What is the client really asking for?
  • Who are the likely competitors or incumbents?
  • Are we strategically aligned—or forcing a fit?

Strategy: Build a go/no-go assessment that factors in market intelligence, relationship strength, and alignment with your firm’s goals—not just whether you could respond, but whether you should.

Paddle With Purpose

Once you’ve read the wave and decide to go, there’s no room for hesitation. You paddle with intent or you miss it.

In a consulting firm, this means:

  • Rapid alignment internally after the decision to pursue
  • Clear ownership of the proposal process
  • Crafting a narrative that’s client-centered and insight-driven

Strategy: Implement a 48-hour pursuit activation protocol: assign roles, create a mini-strategy brief, and set tone and voice before anyone opens the template.

Stick the Pop-Up

The transition from paddling to standing—your “pop-up”—determines whether the ride holds. The BD equivalent is the shift from winning the work to launching the project.

Firms often stumble here by overpromising, under briefing, or failing to prepare delivery teams.

Strategy: Formalize your pursuit-to-delivery transition. Include internal kickoffs, detailed scopes with clear deliverables, and client-facing onboarding that reinforces early trust.

Respect the Lull

In surfing, there are long periods between sets. That’s not wasted time, it’s when you rest, recalibrate, and stay alert for what’s next.

For professional services firms, quiet BD periods should be intentional:

  • Strengthen partnerships
  • Update marketing assets
  • Debrief recent pursuits and improve systems
  • Host visioning sessions with leadership and delivery staff

Strategy: Build “off-cycle” BD sprints focused on positioning, storytelling, and internal alignment. These investments pay off when the next wave comes.

Look Down the Line

Surfers don’t stare at their feet. They’re looking down the line, planning each move in context.

In business development, that means thinking beyond the immediate win. How does this opportunity position us for what’s coming? Are we showcasing capabilities that matter to our future clients? Are we building momentum?

Strategy: Maintain a long-view pursuit map by sector, client type, or service line. Use each project as a stepping stone to the next level of impact.

My Final Thought

Listening to Francisco Roque de Pinho speak about his dual life in boardrooms and big waves reminded me that the best strategies are embodied. They come from moving through uncertainty with awareness, discipline, and trust in your team. Whether scanning procurement portals or a rolling swell, the ability to stay present, commit at the right moment, and recover with resilience keeps us moving forward.

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