The FiSherman’s Guide: Relationships over Transactions

By Keith Sherman, Business Development at Swartz and Associates

One of the big topics in business that shines bright today is the conversation around transactions vs. relationships. When it comes to business development, people often compare it to farming or hunting, but I’d like to add fishing to the mix. Fishing better describes the experience I’ve had over the past 24 months with Swartz + Associates, and here’s why:

The First Challenge

The first challenge was learning an entirely new business ecosystem. I spent almost four decades in marketing and advertising, so business development is nothing new to me. But the people I need to engage with today are focused on saving money on their taxes.

Swartz + Associates is a full‑service commercial property tax firm specializing in the review, analysis, and appeal of real and business personal property tax valuations. Simply put, we ensure companies are paying their fair share. Think commercial brokers, investors, tax professionals, developers, M&A attorneys, title attorneys, CPAs, wealth managers, banks, and property owners.

The Second Challenge

Secondly, while I’ll never claim to be a tax analyst or have deep technical knowledge in this field, it’s imperative to learn how to find the decision‑makers within this discipline – the professionals and organizations that touch taxes every day.

What we do is a niche service within finance, and you have to know where to look.

The Third Challenge

Lastly, many prospects already have a company handling this work for them, and often those relationships run deep. But even in long‑standing partnerships, people are open to learning about new resources, fresh perspectives, and additional ways to strengthen their tax strategy.

When someone introduces us, it’s usually because they want to make sure their clients or colleagues have every advantage available, not because something has gone wrong. Referrals and trusted relationships create opportunities to show how we can add value, complement existing efforts, and make a meaningful difference in a prospect’s business.

The Fishing Trip

All of this came together on a recent week‑long business trip in my beloved Arkansas. As a lifelong fiSherman (see what I did there? My last name is Sherman…) the week ended in Hot Springs to fish for walleye on Lake Ouachita with one of my lifelong friends, Joe Pohlkamp. We hired a guide and caught our limit in about four hours, plus several bass and catfish. Side note: I caught a 42‑pound striper the last time I used a guide on that same lake.

The growth and success of my business efforts so far are rooted in relationships that have guided me in the marketplace. Hathaway Group in Little Rock and Encore Bank in Arkansas and Texas have been my fishing guides. I’ve always been able to catch fish, but if you want to find bigger ones, having a guide makes all the difference.

Knowing where the fish are creates a more intentional effort over time and reinforces the value of true business relationships over transactional ones.

Swartz + Associates, Inc. (SAI) is a full service property tax firm specializing in the review, analysis and appeals of real and business personal property tax valuations. If you need help with your property taxes, give us a call!