Strategic Business Development & Community Engagement
Practical advisory support for small businesses, organizations, and leadership teams.
Supporting organizations clarify priorities, strengthen partnerships, and build sustainable growth through structured planning and execution.
Commonwealth Business Development Services is led by an experienced consultant with a background in workforce development, community partnerships, and event-driven engagement that supports organizations through thoughtful planning, structured advisory guidance, and strategically designed engagement initiatives-including events-when they align with broader business goals.
We work with owners and executive leadership to help clarify priorities, strengthen operations, and make informed decisions, particularly within regulated and franchised environments. Our engagements emphasize analysis, perspective, and practical clarity, ensuring that efforts such as events or lead-generation initiatives are intentional, well-aligned, and realistic for each organization.
We understand challenges many organizations face, including limited internal resources and competing demands. We provide flexible, focused support designed to help you stay connected, visible, and aligned-without unnecessary complexity or distraction.
With a strong foundation of experience and a thoughtful approach to problem solving, we focus on providing support that is tailored, practical, and aligned with each organization's goals. We care deeply about the work we do and take pride in helping clients move forward with confidence, clarity, and purpose.
Strategic Engagements That Support Business Goals
At Commonwealth Business Development Services, LLC, our work may include strategic event planning and execution when events are an appropriate tool to support broader business objectives such as community outreach, partnership development, workforce engagement, or lead generation. Rather than approaching events as standalone activities, we work with organizations to determine when events make sense, how they should be structured, and what outcomes they should realistically support.
SERVICES
Strategic Business Development & Engagement Services
Customized advisory, outreach, and execution support for organizations, agencies, and small businesses seeking sustainable growth.
Core Service Pillars
Pillar 1
Core Advisory (Foundation)
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Strategic advisory services designed to help organizations clarify goals, assess opportunities, and build sustainable grown strategies.
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​Includes:
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Business Development strategy
Market positioning & planning
Partnership and referral strategy
Leadership & growth advisory
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Pillar 2
Activation & Outreach (Execution)
Hands-on execution support focused on activating strategy through outreach, relationship building, and targeted engagement.
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Includes:
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Employer & community outreach
Referral network development
Partner engagement
Strategic initiative activation
Pillar 3
Events, Workshops & Visibility
Curated events and engagement opportunities that increase visibility and create meaningful connections.
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Includes:
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Business and community events
Workshops & roundtables
Employer engagement sessions
Visibility & awareness initiatives
Engagement & Investment
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Services are customized based on scope, timeline, and organizational needs. Engagements may be structured as short-term pilots, project-based support, or ongoing advisory retainers.
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Investment levels are discussed during consultation to ensure alignment, clarity, and value.
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How We Work
We partner with leaders who want clarity over complexity. Our work is structured to deliver tangible momentum- not one-off advice. Commonwealth Business Development Services operates at the advisory and strategy level, supporting leadership teams with objective, third-party insight. Services are designed to help leaders determine what to pursue, what to pause, and what not to change.
Engagements are structured, time-bound, and outcome focused. We work through clearly defined phases that allow clients to evaluate value, momentum, and fit without unnecessary long-term commitment.
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CWBDS does not provide informal consulting, contact sharing, or execution services outside of defined engagements.
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About Us
Commonwealth Business Development Services (CWBDS) is a Virginia-based advisory firm supporting small to mid-sized businesses, community organizations, and service providers throughout Goochland, Powhatan, Short Pump, Richmond, and surrounding areas.
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With more than 30 years of experience across workforce development, corporate operations, strategic programming, and community engagement, CWBDS provides structured guidance and informed perspective to help organizations and make sound business decisions. Our work is particularly valuable for organizations navigating growth, change, or limited internal capacity.
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Founded by Nancy N. Conard, a Navy Veteran spouse with leadership and specialist experience across both public and private sectors- including Campus Director, Corporate Operations Manager, Workforce Development Specialist, and Financial Specialist with The Department of Taxation-CWBDS brings a disciplined, practical approach grounded in real-world operational experience. This background enables us to support leadership teams with clarity, discretion, and measurable impact.
CLIENTS
We support small to mid-sized businesses, community-based organizations, and local service providers throughout Goochland, Short Pump, Richmond, and surrounding areas who value thoughtful planning and practical decision-making.
Our work is best suited for organizations seeking strategic guidance, structured support, and and external perspective to help clarify priorities, strengthen operations, and determine where focused effort will have the greatest impact.
In addition to advisory support, CWBDS provides select event and lead generation services for organizations seeking structured, purposeful outreach aligned with broader business objectives.
particularly for organizations without dedicated internal resources.
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Who We Support
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Owner-led and growth-stage businesses
Franchises and multi-location operators
Community-focused organizations
Leadership teams seeking structured, external support
Jeff Clements
Public Affairs Officer
"Nancy is wonderful to work with! A true professional"
Charles Barker "Mr. B"
Vice Chair, SPAN Center
District 6 Representative for
Office of Age and Disabilities
Board Member OADS
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"Very professional, great communication, pleasant personality and exceeded my expectations!"
Valerie Bester, CEO
Nurse Staffing Agencies
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"Nancy is very committed and very compassionate. She will not disappoint and will give 100% to everything she commits to. Choose Nancy.....where experience works..."
What To Expect When Reviewing This Platform
This platform is designed to communicate how CWBDS thinks and works rather than to catalog deliverables. Prospective clients should focus on engagement structure, boundaries, and advisory approach when evaluating fit.
Detailed analysis, facilitation, or execution support is considered only after leadership alignment and formal engagement.