Wat is Business Development as a Service?

Business Development as a Service is een vorm van sales- en groeiondersteuning waarbij je geen vaste medewerker aanneemt, maar tijdelijk of parttime gebruikmaakt van ervaren commerciële expertise. Uphill Sales identificeert kansen, bouwt partnerships en zet een groeiplan direct om in de praktijk, zonder dat je meteen in vaste resources hoeft te investeren.

Voor welke organisaties werkt Uphill Sales?

Uphill Sales werkt met organisaties in de zakelijke ICT-markt die commercieel willen herpositioneren. De expertise van oprichter Fred van den Heuvel bestrijkt IT, netwerken, datamanagement, cybersecurity, AI en cloud. De aanpak is dus niet beperkt tot één technologiegebied.

Hoe verschilt Uphill Sales van een traditioneel wervingsbureau?

Een wervingsbureau plaatst mensen; Uphill Sales levert direct inzetbare commerciële expertise en coacht tegelijk het bestaande team. In plaats van te wachten tot een vacature is ingevuld, ga je meteen aan de slag met sales, training en business development, met als doel dat het team uiteindelijk zelfstandig verder kan.

Wat kost sales-ondersteuning via Uphill Sales?

Dat hangt af van de scope: losse sales-ondersteuning, coaching, of een volledig BDaaS-traject vragen elk een andere tijdsinvestering. Neem contact op voor een vrijblijvend gesprek waarin we de behoefte en een passend voorstel bespreken.

Hoe lang duurt een traject met Uphill Sales?

Dat verschilt per organisatie en doel. Sommige klanten werken structureel enkele dagen per week samen, andere trajecten zijn gericht op een specifieke herpositionering met een duidelijk eindpunt. Het uiteindelijke doel is altijd dat de klant zelfstandig verder kan.

A professional, scalable team focused on your goals

Your IT organisation is ready for its next step: a commercial repositioning that follows where the market is heading. What you’re missing is the knowledge, the experience or the commercial capacity to shape it yourself. Uphill Sales gives you that support, so you can grow with a professional, scalable team before you invest in extra resources. With expertise in IT, networking, data management, cybersecurity, AI and cloud, we turn your ambitions into results.

We deliver a professional, scalable team

Business development, sales and marketing, or technical expertise on demand. Uphill Sales supports your organisation in reaching its commercial goals. Whether you need your sales team coached or a specialist brought in for a specific job, you get a professional, scalable team that matches what you actually need.

Sales support

Our approach rests on four pillars: listening and understanding, strategic advice, collaboration and measurable results. We analyse your customers and your market, build a considered plan and turn it into action. An experienced sales executive carries the accounts and coaches your team at the same time. That gives you results now and growth that holds.

Training and Coaching

Good sales managers aren't automatically good coaches. Weak coaches tell people what to do; strong coaches get teams to find the answer themselves. That lifts performance, lifts engagement and keeps people around. Uphill Sales trains your sales managers in coaching behaviour that works on live deals, so the team performs better and stays motivated.

Business Development

Growth comes from finding new openings and working with the right partners. With Business Development as a Service (BDaaS) we identify the opportunities that fit your organisation. Smart partnerships give you new customer insight, a faster route to market and value that lasts. You take the steps you need to take, without the unnecessary risk, with a growth plan that works in practice.

Who is Uphill Sales?

Uphill Sales supports organisations in the business IT market that want to reposition commercially and don't yet feel ready for it. Whatever direction that repositioning takes. Fred van den Heuvel, founder of Uphill Sales and active as a Fractional Sales Director and Independent Cybersecurity Sales Executive, brings 20+ years of experience in data communications, networking, AI, cybersecurity and data management to help you shape a commercial strategy that works. Recent proof: I led the bid for the European tender of Air Traffic Control the Netherlands, awarded in December 2025 with a maximum value of 1.13 million euros. Before that I closed a defence contract for CounterCraft worth 230,000 euros a year, after 16 months of negotiation.

Concrete, measurable results

Building a scalable team, developing a growth strategy that fits, or turning customers into long-term relationships: Uphill Sales makes sure your ambitions end up as concrete, measurable results.

Your commercial goals

With a practical approach, and without having to bring every resource in-house first, we help you reach your commercial goals and create value for your organisation, your team and your customers. So you can take the next step in your repositioning with confidence.

Assignments run in Dutch or English. Our clients sit in the Netherlands and Belgium; their teams, vendors and head offices often don't. Customer conversations, coaching and reporting can all be done in English.

What others say

Good sales comes down to trust. Not only in what you sell, but in how you work together, how you listen and what you deliver. Below is how clients and contacts describe my way of working. You can find these recommendations, and more, on my LinkedIn profile.

in Verified via LinkedIn

"I’ve had the pleasure of working with Fred van den Heuvel and what immediately stands out is his rare ability to bridge deep technical understanding with real business value. Fred is not just another cybersecurity or networking sales executive — he operates as a true strategic advisor. With over two decades of experience across leading organizations, he brings a level of market insight and credibility that resonates with both technical teams and executive stakeholders. He understands that data, security, and IT operations are not isolated domains, but critical enablers of business performance. Fred's a very kind person with a great network! Highly recommended!"

"If anyone can inspire and guide you to your next step in a professional IT role, it's Fred. He is a real people manager with a lot of experience and real human interest.

He has a strategic overview and can combine the skills in his team and the goal for the company, and get the best result out of it. Fred added a lot in being the professional I am today. I wish everyone could experience that!"

Winnie Meijer CFO/Co-founder, Holomoves

"I've come to know Fred as an adviser and business partner who gets to the point quickly, without noise. He moves easily through complex environments and brings structure and direction to them. What sets him apart is that he never stops at the technology; he always builds the bridge to the customer's real question. I would recommend Fred without hesitation to any organisation looking for an experienced and decisive sparring partner at the intersection of cybersecurity and business."

Erik Witte CEO, Methodino

“ I have worked with Fred for several years and he is a great colleague to work with. He is an excellent and straightforward manager who creates a highly motivated atmosphere in which people like to work hard to accomplish the targets. As a breakwater and stabilizer in a turmoil phase of the organisation he showed leadership by motivating his team to keep the eyes on the ball. I can recommend any company to look for professionals like Fred for achieving its goals.

Sjaak Lemmers Account Director, Nomios

Frequently asked questions

A few questions we get regularly about how we work.

What is Business Development as a Service?

Business Development as a Service is sales and growth support where you don’t hire a permanent employee, but use experienced commercial expertise part-time or for a fixed period. Uphill Sales finds the openings, builds the partnerships and puts a growth plan into practice, before you invest in fixed resources.

Which organisations does Uphill Sales work with?

Organisations in the business IT market that want to reposition commercially. The expertise of founder Fred van den Heuvel covers IT, networking, data management, cybersecurity, AI and cloud, so the approach isn’t tied to one technology.

How is Uphill Sales different from a recruitment agency?

An agency places people. Uphill Sales delivers commercial work from week one and coaches your existing team while doing it. Instead of waiting for a vacancy to be filled, you start selling, training and building pipeline straight away, with the goal that your team carries on without us.

What does sales support through Uphill Sales cost?

It depends on scope. Standalone sales support, coaching and a full BDaaS programme each ask for a different time commitment. Get in touch for a call about what you need and what a fitting proposal looks like.

How long does an assignment run?

It varies. Some clients work with us a few days a week on a standing basis, others hire us for one repositioning with a clear end point. The goal is always that the client continues on their own.