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Lately, this has been one of the most popular questions I’ve heard in consultations with firm leaders; it came up three separate times just last week! While the frequency of the question surprised me, I suppose it shouldn't.
For decades, many firms have relied on a single rainmaker to keep the pipeline full, but now those leaders are looking to step back or prepare the next generation. This creates an urgent need to solve the growth challenge, and many leaders turn to hours as one tangible way to measure expectations.
So, how much time should advisors dedicate to business development each week?
As you'll see later in the article, I emphasize that effective BD requires intentional time devotion. I am less concerned with the number of minutes clocked than I am with the support of the organization in reinforcing the training and prioritization of business development for advisors who are stepping into the role.
However, if you want to tally toward a number against which you can measure, have at it. I give the guidelines below as a starting point to begin freeing up time and tasks so advisors can invest appropriate levels of effort to growing the firm.
1. Start with the Baseline Commitments
Before any calls, coffees, or outreach happen, advisors need roughly 90 minutes to stay organized and accountable.
- 30 minutes weekly to track activities and plan for the week ahead.
- About 1 hour weekly in a pipeline meeting, where the entire team gets in the room to review progress, troubleshoot obstacles, and make commitments.
Pro tip: Reinforcing the pipeline is where structured coaching makes a big difference. Left to chance, these meetings often drift into client updates instead of real business development planning and accountability.
2. Layer in Outreach as a Growing Discipline
Business development isn’t a “one and done” task. It’s a professional skill that requires steady practice.
- Advisors who are beginning their development should expect 3–5 hours per week focused on outreach: building networks, contacting centers of influence, following up with prospects, providing value-adds, and staying visible with the people they meet.
- As confidence and traction build, this commitment should increase.
3. The Long-Term Benchmark
For lead advisors or partners with explicit responsibility for growth, the bar is higher:
- Over time, 20–25% of their working week dedicated to business development is a realistic, sustainable range that keeps firms growing.
- That’s one full day out of five spent ensuring the firm’s pipeline stays healthy. Keep in mind, new business often comes from existing client relationships so there is overlap with client engagement efforts.
4. Balancing Client Service and Business Development
For developing advisors, one of the toughest challenges is learning to prioritize business development alongside client relationships. It can feel risky to step away from service work to meet new people or nurture prospects. But the reality is: both are essential.
Advisors who contribute to the firm’s growth create more opportunities to serve clients in the future. The key is to treat business development time as non‑negotiable: block it on the calendar, protect it from creeping servicing tasks, and remember that growth activity today fuels client relationships tomorrow.
5. Freeing Up the Lead Advisor & Partners
For lead advisors (and partners who still hold on to too much day-to-day work), one of the most important strategies is learning to enlist the support of their team in servicing existing clients. By delegating appropriate client work to associates and team members, lead advisors protect their own time to focus on growth and empower their team along the way.
Building a Culture of Growth
Business development isn’t something to squeeze in when there’s extra time. It’s a core responsibility of an advisor’s role. What matters most isn’t hitting a perfect number of hours but creating the habit: intentionally setting aside time each week, applying strategies, and building confidence until business development feels as natural as client service.
The firms that succeed make this shift deliberately. They build structure and accountability so business development becomes part of the culture — not left to chance or dependent on one person.
That’s where coaching comes in. I help advisor teams create the systems and habits that free rainmakers to lead while developing the next generation of growth‑minded advisors.
Related: Brand Strategy Is More Than Marketing — It’s Your Business Growth Engine