Climb In Consulting

Forget climbing the corporate ladder. Today's Climb In Consulting dives into building your own. We welcome Sarah Matthew, founder of The Vibrant Company, as she shares her journey from bootstrapped startups to industry leader. Sarah's career is a masterclass in consultancy leadership. After moving from the corporate world of pharma marketing, she played a leading role in turning around the fortunes of an ailing marketing consultancy, before co-founding and selling her own successful consultancy, Virgo. In this fantastic episode, you'll learn the secrets to: - Avoiding the growth trap: How to build a sustainable consultancy that scales, without sacrificing your team. - Laying the groundwork for success: Ensure your consultancy is built on a rock-solid foundation before scaling. - Delivering client nirvana: Discover the three things clients crave most from their consultants (and how to provide them exceptionally). - Crafting your winning narrative: Develop a clear strategy and build a brand that resonates with your ideal clients. You’ll even learn why consultancies need to stop being jellyfish and instead embrace their inner swordfish! This episode is packed with hard-earned wisdom and valuable takeaways to take your career and consultancy to the next level, not one to be missed! Listen to the full episode now! Reach out to Sarah: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sarahmatthew/?originalSubdomain=uk Learn more about The Vibrant Company: https://thevibrantcompany.com/

The global pandemic threw a huge curveball at most businesses. Face-to-face interactions became a thing of the past, and consultancies offering in-person services found themselves struggling to adapt. But for Total Negotiation Group (TNG), strong leadership and a willingness to diversify helped turn the global crisis into a huge opportunity. In the latest episode of Climb In Consulting, Nick caught up with Mark Grice, Co-founder of Total Negotiation Group (TNG), a successful global consultancy that helps its clients to build more sustainable and valuable commercial partnerships. Nick and Mark explore how a clever pandemic pivot, along with a strong focus on asking the right questions, not only ensured the firm’s survival, but actually fueled phenomenal growth, helping them accelerate from £5m to £10m revenue during that time. They also dive into a huge number of topics, including: - The fascinating career journey that’s taken Mark from accounting to negotiating, via global stints at Guinness and Disney. - Why commercial negotiation has little in common with talking down hostages - despite what the movies would have you believe! - How TNG knew the time was right for them to expand into Australia – even though they were only in their second year of business. - Why finding the right business partner offers far more benefits than simply having two heads rather than one. - Why asking the right questions – and really listening to the answers – is the one crucial skill all business owners need to learn. …and much more besides! Mark’s story is fascinating and this episode is jam-packed with practical advice and insights for you to take away. Reach out to Mark: https://www.linkedin.com/in/markgrice1/ Learn more about Total Negotiation Group: https://www.totalnegotiation.com/ Books, magazines, and websites mentioned in the show: When Cultures Collide: Leading Across Cultures by Richard D. Lewis Getting to Yes: Negotiating an Agreement Without Giving In by Roger Fisher and William Ury

In this episode of Climb in Consulting, we're bringing you something a little out of the ordinary, as we turn the tables and put our very own Nick Synnott under the spotlight! Nick recently delivered an insightful and highly practical webinar, all about boosting ROI through effective content marketing. We had so much great feedback on it that we decided to launch it for the podcast, so that you could benefit from what was shared as well. In ‘Maximise Your ROI: 4 Secrets To Drive Your Marketing Success’, Nick explained the strategies and tactics that you can use to achieve outstanding results from your marketing. Whether you're struggling to build brand awareness, generate leads or turn those leads into conversations, this episode is packed with actionable insights for you to take away and apply in your consultancy today. Here's a taste of what you'll learn: - The 4 secrets to successful consultancy marketing: Discover the fundamental elements that every successful marketing approach is built upon. - How to put them into practice: The practical steps you can take to implement these secrets within your own consultancy. - How to ensure ROI: How to leverage cost-effective tactics like webinars and whitepapers to generate the results you want to see. If you’re leading a boutique consultancy and frustrated with your lack of marketing results, or you’re running marketing for your firm and want a framework to help you turn your activity into tangible ROI, then this episode is a must-listen. Ready to unlock the secrets to marketing success? Tune in now. We hope you enjoy the show!

In the consulting industry, we talk a lot about exits, most founders will have had the thought about selling their business and sailing off into the sunset, and many do! But there’s another side that’s often less considered, the acquisition side and who buys those businesses, focussing on scaling their firms to be bigger and better. So, to take a deep dive on the less explored buy-side, David Bailey, seasoned advisor, lets us in on his expansive expertise and knowledge. This episode is packed with knowledge to help buyers understand what to look out for when acquiring a firm, and in turn, how to set your business up for sale. David joins Nick to discuss a diverse career path that’s taken him from consulting entrepreneur to seasoned M&A advisor. Along the way, he's built, sold, and advised multiple consulting firms, accumulating a wealth of wisdom on specialisation, strategic positioning, and navigating the complex world of acquisitions. In this episode, David and Nick cover a wide range of topics, including: - Why being a generalist is the quickest way for consultancies to repel potential buyers, and why offering 30 different services is probably 29 too many. - How to navigate the M&A maze, from maximising your firm's value and finding the right buyer, to making the right exit for you. - What your employees’ LinkedIn profiles could be revealing to would-be buyers - How David crafted a successful advisory career – and why building credibility and defining your unique value proposition are essential steps if you aspire to follow in his footsteps. Whether you're a firm owner contemplating an exit strategy, an aspiring buyer seeking growth opportunities, or simply fascinated by the dynamics of deal-making, this episode is packed with invaluable insights. Whether you're a consultancy owner contemplating an exit strategy, n aspiring buyer seeking growth opportunities or wanting to expand your knowledge on the art of deal-making, this episode is packed with invaluable insights. We hope you enjoy the show! Reach out to David: https://www.linkedin.com/in/davidbailey47/

We’re all told that ‘land and expand’ is the only way to grow a consultancy. But what if we told you that you could grow a successful firm by doing the opposite, by providing fractional support to clients that will never need a huge team to help them deliver their goals. Today’s guest has proven that it can be done, and in this episode we dive into how you can grow a substantial advisory business doing just that. Graeme Freeman is Co-founder of Freeman Clarke, the largest & most experienced team of fractional IT leaders for the mid-market. Having run IT services businesses, built commercial software products, and been a corporate CIO and non-executive director, Graeme had deep experience in IT. But stepping out into his own portfolio career, he saw the opportunity for something more. After considering various options and ideas, it was the chance meeting with Steve Clarke that led to launching Freeman Clarke. And the rest, as they say, is history. By focusing on a niche market, fostering genuine client relationships, and taking a hands-on approach to delivery, Freeman Clarke has carved their own path to success that’s helped the business to scale, on both sides of the pond. In this episode, Graeme and Nick dive in to the unorthodox path that Freeman Clarke has taken, and share many of the foundations that have led to their success, including: - Why Freeman Clarke focuses on the mid-market and the benefits to working with clients of this size. - How Freeman Clarke have built their marketing machine and the long term view they take that’s helped them turn trickles of leads into a volcano of new business. - And how Freeman Clarke have been able to grow their business so successfully, by being laser focused on client satisfaction and staying true to their core service proposition. This interview is a fantastic reminder that there’s always ways to do things differently in consulting and that there’s often hidden benefits from taking the path less travelled. We hope you enjoy the show! Reach out to Graeme: https://www.linkedin.com/in/freemangraeme?lipi=urn%3Ali%3Apage%3Ad_flagship3_profile_view_base_contact_details%3BKM8CblTiSZubazXv%2Bl36sw%3D%3D Books, magazines, and websites mentioned in the show: The Remains of the Day by Kazuo Ishiguro Edward de Bono's series of books on thinking

There are countless paths to achieving a successful consulting career, and on Climb In Consulting, we thought we’d heard them all. But who knew the secrets to scaling successful consulting firms could be learned while managing a fast-food franchise? Marc Jantzen’s unique journey to becoming the consulting expert he is today, is a masterclass in reinvention and resilience. Get ready to dig your teeth into Marc’s story, which proves that sometimes, it’s the most unexpected paths that can lead to the most exciting careers. After deciding the world of bean-counting wasn't his cup of tea, Chartered Accountant Marc took a radical leap into hospitality, taking on the role of managing a whole region of restaurants. Having gained extensive management experience in that role, Marc joined his sister's firm, Blue Sky, and together they navigated the ever-changing landscape of the consulting industry for 17 years. Their journey culminated in a major coup – selling the firm to Capita, a testament to their strategic savvy and entrepreneurial spirit. But instead of relaxing on a beach with a piña colada, as many others might have done, Marc embarked on the next stage of his adventure, advising other consulting firms on how they could achieve the growth that he and Blue Sky had. That’s when he noticed a recurring pattern – common business challenges that were specific to the consulting world. And thus, The Consultancy Growth Network was born. Something Marc and Nick talk all about in this episode. In this wisdom-packed interview, Marc shares his decades of knowledge on how to build a successful consulting firm, including: Why working for KFC head office inspired him to pursue his own consultancy. - The common challenges he sees consulting firms facing, time and time again – and how to overcome them - Why defining, and refining, your value proposition might be the most important thing you do - And how Blue Sky went from £30,000 profit one year to over £800,000 the next, and the lessons you can apply to enable your firm to do the same If you’re currently planning how to scale your consultancy over 2024 and want to know the critical steps you can take to rapidly grow your firm, then this interview is a must listen. We hope you enjoy the show! Reach out to Marc: https://www.linkedin.com/in/thebusinessgrowthspecialist/ Learn more about The Consultancy Growth Network: https://hubs.la/Q02kQTTc0 Books, magazines, and websites mentioned in the show: Beyond Performance by Scott Keller and Colin Price SuperCoach by Michael Neal Untethered Soul by Michael Singer

There are countless organisations out there claiming to do business differently. So much so, that ‘disruptive’ has become a permanent fixture in games of buzzword bingo. But very few organisations are actually breaking the mould, and only the rarest exceptions can truly back up their claim of disrupting the way traditional business is done. Our guest on the latest episode of Climb in Consulting is one such exception. Simon Dixon is Founder and CEO of Hatmill, the UK’s largest logistics consultancy, and no.1 in the Great Place To Work® list of the UK’s best small workplaces. The 60-strong consultancy, established in 2009, delivers end-to-end supply chain and logistics support to deliver improvements across warehousing, transport, forecasting and inventory. Hatmill was always going to be different. It arose from Simon’s dissatisfaction with the employee experience in conventional consultancies – the hierarchical structures, grades, pressure to achieve KPIs and targets, and the assumption that everyone wants to climb the greasy ladder to make partner. With Hatmill, Simon stripped all of that away. There are no grades, no managers, no sales targets and no KPIs. And while this approach may sound counterintuitive, it’s helped them build a successful consultancy that’s also recognised as one of the best places to work in Europe. In fact, in its 2023 survey, 100% of its employees said it was a great place to work. In this episode, Nick and Simon cover a lot of ground, delving into the details of how Hatmill has grown, and how it’s managed (or rather, self-managed) on a day-to-day basis. You’ll find out: - How Hatmill have built a self managed team and the key tenets that underpin their unique business model. - The reason Hatmill doesn’t have grades or promotions, and why this has been a huge contributor to their success. - Why Hatmill eschews the traditional, corporate appraisal model – and why their only measures are whether employees are living Hatmill’s values, and performance against other people’s expectations - The reason Hatmill doesn’t have traditional HR policies, and why, in an ideal world, Simon would prefer there to be no CEO at all. If you’re looking for a fresh approach to running your consultancy, this could be just what you need! We hope you enjoy the show! Reach out to Simon: https://www.linkedin.com/in/simon-dixon-hatmill/?originalSubdomain=uk Learn more about Hatmill: https://hatmill.com/ Books, magazines, and websites mentioned in the show: Reinventing Organizations: A Guide to Creating Organizations Inspired by the Next Stage of Human Consciousness, by Frédéric Laloux The E-Myth Revisited: Why Most Small Businesses Don't Work and What to Do About It, by Michael E. Gerber Never Split the Difference: Negotiating As If Your Life Depended On It, by Chris Voss

In the latest episode of Climb in Consulting, we welcomed Assad Ahmed, Founder and CEO of Phase 3, the Manchester-based consultancy that provides professional and managed services across HR, payroll, and finance. As a born entrepreneur, Assad started Phase 3 at a young age, and with a self-confessed aversion to planning, he was able to grow the business through his aptitude for building relationships and a healthy dose of ‘winging it’! Since then, Phase 3 has grown to over 100 employees spread across the UK, with many of Assad’s early recruits now in management positions, including COO James Proctor, who started as one of Phase 3’s first consultants. In this episode, Nick and Assad enjoy an in-depth chat about the trajectory of Phase 3, and delve into the detail of how it evolved from Phase 3 v.1 to v.2 and beyond. They cover a whole host of fascinating topics, including: - Why getting out and doing it is the most important step an entrepreneur can take - How landing a hugely profitable client actually set the growth of the business back - How Phase 3 thrived during the 2008-9 credit crunch by focusing on the value they offered to customers - Why Assad now embraces planning – and why 90-day plans are his preferred duration - The importance of culture in Phase 3, and why Assad is a big believer in putting people first - Whether you’re at the early stages of your consulting career, a seasoned pro, or you’re planning to start your own firm, you’ll love this episode of Climb in Consulting. We hope you enjoy the show! Reach out to Assad: https://www.linkedin.com/in/assadahmedp3c/ Learn more about Phase 3: https://phase3.co.uk/ Books, magazines, and websites mentioned in the show: - How To Win Friends and Influence People by Dale Carnegie - Growth: Building a Successful Consultancy in the Digital Age by Joe O’Mahoney

In the latest episode of Climb in Consulting, we had the huge pleasure of talking to Graeme Curwen, Co-Founder and CEO of Enfuse Group, an award-winning Digital Transformation consultancy that delivers high-performance transformations and solutions, through a deep understanding of people and technology. As an experienced career consultant, Graeme always had an aspirations to forge his own path. This journey began when he stepped out into the world of contracting, a move that set the stage for his entrepreneurial venture. But his pivotal moment came when he reconnected with a former colleague, Harry Vazanias. This reunion was the catalyst that ultimately led them to establish Enfuse Group. The partners spent the first 3 years learning the ropes, and then one New Year’s Eve, they met to discuss their vision for the future – a 150-strong consultancy within 10 years. Fast forward 5 years and Enfuse Group are well on their way to achieving that target. They are now a firm of over 50 consultants, and they’ve recently been recognised by Best Companies as the No. 2 Best Consultancy to work for in the UK and No. 3 Best Small Company. In this episode, Nick and Graeme have an in-depth conversation about the phenomenal growth of Enfuse Group, and the shared vision and values that have driven the firm’s success. They discuss a huge range of topics, including: - The three core principles Enfuse Group was founded upon - How Graeme and Harry built a roadmap to help them achieve their ten-year plan - Why business development is a lot like managing a football team – and why everyone has their own position to play - Why doubling the firm’s monthly revenue in the space of 3 months ended up being one of the most stressful times at Enfuse Group - And the 5 key growth areas Enfuse Group are focusing on to get to the next level If you’re looking to start 2024 off on the right foot and get your consultancy set up for success, then this is a must listen! Whether you’re just starting out, already established in your consulting career, or you’re planning to start your own firm, this interview is packed full of valuable advice and insights that will help you along the way. We hope you enjoy the show! Reach out to Graeme: https://www.linkedin.com/in/graemecurwen/ Learn more about Enfuse Group: https://www.enfusegroup.com/ Books, magazines, and websites mentioned in the show: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Growth-Building-Successful-Consultancy-Digital/dp/0367710846/?_encoding=UTF8&pd_rd_w=R4ULS&content-id=amzn1.sym.3413293e-3815-4359-96ba-1ec5110e0b30&pf_rd_p=3413293e-3815-4359-96ba-1ec5110e0b30&pf_rd_r=262-1895527-3140948&pd_rd_wg=6M5ng&pd_rd_r=70608808-7a2e-46fb-a383-9740bc6e1de0&ref_=aufs_ap_sc_dsk

In this episode of Climb in Consulting, we’re bringing you something a little out of the ordinary, as we feature not one, but four industry titans sharing their consulting growth strategies. Nick and Frankie recently attended The Consultancy Growth Network’s (TCGN) annual summit, for a day of hugely insightful talks from leaders from across the industry. Knowing what our audience likes to learn about, we thought that this talk would make a great episode of Climb In Consulting, and are very pleased that TCGN agreed. This was a panel session focused on different strategies for growing your consultancy. The panel session, which was led by Marc Jantzen, Founder of TCGN and seasoned consulting entrepreneur, featured a heavy-weight panel of experts: - Paul Collins - Founder and Chairman of Equiteq, the advisory house specialising in global mergers and acquisitions in the consulting space. - Susan Lohr – Founder of four global businesses during her 30-year career, and currently a Partner in The Vibrant Company, a professional development consultancy. - Fred Akuffo - a renowned supply chain expert, and Founder of Olive Horse, a supply chain management consultancy that was recently acquired by PWC. In this insightful discussion, the panellists share their journeys to success and the growth strategies that worked for them. In a session packed with practical and actionable advice, here are just a few of the highlights: - The importance of making it as straightforward and easy as possible for customers to buy from you - How packaging up your services and productising your consultancy can unlock huge growth - The key questions you need to ask before moving into a new geographical market - The pros and cons of using channel partnerships as a primary growth strategy - Why the partnership model doesn’t work for every firm The panellists also offer advice and insights on a wide range of topics from raising finance, maintaining healthy margins and scaling through acquisitions, to building a strong culture and the challenges involved in setting up overseas. If you’re looking for something to help you start 2024 in the best way possible, then this episode is a must-listen! Reach out to the panel: Marc Jantzen - https://www.linkedin.com/in/thebusinessgrowthspecialist/?originalSubdomain=uk Paul Collins - https://www.linkedin.com/in/pecollins/ Susan Lohr - https://www.linkedin.com/in/susan-lohr-12146a/ Fred Akuffo - https://www.linkedin.com/in/fred-akuffo-6a3953/ You can Learn more about The Consultancy Growth Network - https://www.consultancygrowthnetwork.com/

Welcome to the latest episode of Climb In Consulting! This time around, we were delighted to welcome Chris Southwell, Partner at The Berkeley Partnership, the consultancy that helps organisations transform under the most complex, challenging, and high-stakes circumstances to achieve their ambitions. This thought-provoking episode of Climb in Consulting focuses primarily on a topic that’s incredibly close to Chris’s heart – mental health and wellbeing. In this one, Chris talks openly and honestly about his struggles with mental health, and how his difficult upbringing led to a hugely challenging period in his life, when he first became a father. It was this that led him to seek professional help and focus on getting himself mentally well. Chris worked hard to overcome his challenges and return to health, although as he points out himself, we are all a work in progress. After returning to work, Chris went on to make Partner (with a small detour along the way), and has since seen Berkeley go from strength-to-strength. As well as talking candidly about his own mental health struggles, Chris and Nick cover a host of fascinating topics in this episode, including: - Chris’s challenging start in life, and how he came to see his upbringing as a strength and motivating force - The three things Chris swears by to protect his mental and physical health - Why Chris recommends talking therapies for everyone - Why it’s vital to normalise and remove the taboo around mental health …and much more! If you’re currently wrestling with your own mental health challenges, or maybe you just want to keep your mental health as good as it can be, you’re going to find this episode invaluable. We hope you enjoy the show! Reach out to Chris: https://www.linkedin.com/in/christopher-southwell/ Learn more about The Berkeley Partnership: https://www.berkeleypartnership.com/ Books, magazines, and websites mentioned in the show: Atomic Habits by James Clear https://www.helloself.com/ https://www.createengage.co.uk/podcasts/michael-mahony-the-berkeley-partnership/

Our guest on the latest episode of Climb in Consulting has an incredibly inspiring – and cinematic - story to tell. Since 2022, Paul Pugh has been CEO at Mason Advisory, an award-winning digital and technology consultancy that solves complex business challenges through intelligent use of IT. Skipping back a few years, Paul had been firmly on the partner track at KPMG when he found himself boarding a train he was never supposed to take. On board, a chance meeting led to an offer that would go on to change the course of his career. It was thanks to this ‘sliding doors moment’, that he ended up taking a director role at Mason Advisory, which back in 2016 was still a fledgling firm. In this episode, Nick and Paul have an in-depth chat about his career, how Mason Advisory has scaled, and of course *that* train encounter. As well as all that, they also cover a whole host of fascinating topics, including: - What led to Paul’s decision to jump off the partner track at KPMG and take a leap into the unknown - The importance of finding a role that allows you to stay true to your values - How the team at Mason Advisory scaled the business, despite the challenging times - Why he’s a big believer in giving people opportunities to flourish – and why we tend to learn the most during times of crisis Whether you’re just starting out in your consulting career, planning to start a new firm, or thinking of switching tracks in your career, this episode is a must listen. We hope you enjoy the show! Reach out to Paul: https://www.linkedin.com/in/paul-pugh-4823a713/ Learn more about Mason Advisory: https://www.masonadvisory.com Books mentioned in the show: Good To Great: Why Some Companies Make the Leap... and Others Don't, by Jim Collins

In this week’s episode, Nick chats with Matt Cheung, CEO at Clarasys, the international business consulting firm, focused on delivering the best possible experiences for their clients and their people. Regular listeners may recognise Matt’s name, and that’s because Matt was the very first guest on Climb In Consulting. Having previously talked about the origins of Clarasys and Matt’s journey to founding the business in that episode, Nick and Matt wanted to do something a little different with this one, and use it as a chance to go into detail on many of the principles behind Claraysis’s success. In this Conversation Nick and Matt talk about a range of topics that challenge the common orthodoxy in consulting, as Matt shares his perspective on why these widely held beliefs are actually holding people and consultancies back. They cover some fascinating areas, including: - Why Matt believes the traditional hierarchical approach to running organisations has had its day - The importance of being open and honest with your people, even in difficult times - Why Matt thinks many Consultants are unhappy – and the ingredients we all need to find happiness at work - How and why Matt took the decision to turn Clarasys into an Employee Ownership Trust …and much more besides, including a chat about Matt’s fascinating book ‘Trust and Patience’ – the story of how he built Clarasys. So if you’re just starting out on your consulting journey, thinking of making the leap from firm to founder, or simply enjoy listening to values-driven success stories, you’ll love this episode of Climb in Consulting. We hope you enjoy the show! Reach out to Matt: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mattcheungclarasys/ Learn more about Clarasys: https://www.clarasys.com/ Books, magazines, and websites mentioned in the show: Trust and Patience, by Matt Cheung and Samantha Roberts Reinventing Organizations: A Guide to Creating Organizations Inspired by the Next Stage of Human Consciousness, by Frédéric Laloux Drive: The Surprising Truth About What Motivates Us, by Daniel Pink Corporate Rebels: Make work more fun by Joost Minnaar, Pim de Morree The Fearless Organization: Creating Psychological Safety in the Workplace for Learning, Innovation, and Growth, by Amy C. Edmondson

In this week’s episode, Nick chats with Anush Newman, Managing Director at JMAN Group, the global data consultancy specialising in the private equity market. Anush’s story makes for a fascinating listen. He cut his consulting teeth in the oil and gas industry, working in roles that took him all over the world, to locales as exotic as Kazakhstan, Sellafield and Northern Scotland! After tiring of all the travel, Anush embarked on a successful contracting career which eventually led (by way of a broken spreadsheet!) to the creation of JMAN, the global data consultancy Anush founded with his cousin Leo. Fast forward to today, and JMAN now a team of over 200 consultants working across London and Chenai with plans for further global expansion. Earlier this year, they were recognised as one of the Times ‘Top 100 Fastest Growing Companies’ with an annual growth rate of over 80%. But Anush and JMAN’s journey hasn’t been without its hiccups, and in this episode Anush shares openly the challenges they faced and how they managed to turn them around to go from almost going under to becoming one of the UK’s fastest growing firms. If that wasn’t enough, there’s a whole host of other fascinating topics that Nick and Anush discuss in this one, including… - Anush’s decision to move from the stress-free world of contracting to running his own firm - How breaking a client’s Excel spreadsheet led to the lightbulb moment behind JMAN - The single-minded approach that led to JMAN breaking into the private equity market - Creating a ‘one-team’ culture in an organisation that spans the globe If you want to learn the secrets of someone who’s gone from contractor to successful consulting leader, then this episode is a must listen. We hope you enjoy the show! Reach out to Anush: https://www.linkedin.com/in/anush-newman-b314476/ Learn more about JMAN: https://jmangroup.com/ Books, magazines, and websites mentioned in the show: Legacy: What The All Blacks Can Teach Us About The Business Of Life, by James Kerr The Captain Class: The Hidden Force Behind the World’s Greatest Teams, by Sam Walker The Pyramid Principle: Logic in Writing and Thinking, by Barbara Minto

In this week’s episode, Nick chats with Simon Clark, a consulting industry veteran who’s done everything from founding and exiting his own successful consultancy CVL, to launching his own tech platform, to advising a whole host of boutique consultancies and marcoms businesses on their growth journeys. Simon’s story is a great example of how diverse consulting careers can be. He hit the ground running, having started his own digital and e-commerce consultancy back when the internet was in its infancy – and when Simon wasn’t much older! At the tender age of 25, with his first major client already secured, he launched CVL, a firm that he went on to sell after 14 successful years. After an extended travel adventure that involved living alongside locals in Lima and even doing an internship in a media startup, Simon returned to UK shores and founded Metis, a new tech start-up in the professional services automation space. Having built a great platform and learnt a ton about the boutique end of the consulting space, Simon and his co-founder called time on Metis, and Simon went on to the next stage of his career advising boutiques big and small as they navigated the challenges of growing a consulting firm. Nick caught up with Simon, who is currently enjoying a well-earned career break, to find out more about his career so far, and what he’s learned from his varied experiences. Nick and Simon discuss some fascinating topics in this episode, including: - Why sales training is the best possible grounding for anyone who aspires to run their own consultancy. - The associate focused strategy that led to CVL becoming a huge industry success – and why Simon stuck with that model for the life of the business. - How to diversify and explore new avenues to boost your bottom line without alienating your core client base - Why Simon recommends taking time out to travel early in life, to gain experiences that will benefit you throughout your career All this, plus fishing, football and rugby metaphors aplenty! Whether you’re just starting out in your consulting career, planning to start a new firm, or simply enjoy listening to brilliant interviews, you’ll love this episode of Climb in Consulting. We hope you enjoy the show! Reach out to Simon: https://www.linkedin.com/in/clark/ Books, magazines, and websites mentioned in the show: Die With Zero: Getting All You Can from Your Money and Your Life by Bill Perkins Who Moved My Cheese: An Amazing Way to Deal with Change in Your Work and in Your Life by Spencer Johnson Traction - https://www.amazon.co.uk/Traction-Get-Grip-Your-Business/dp/1936661837/ref=asc_df_1936661837/?tag=googshopuk-21&linkCode=df0&hvadid=310623486223&hvpos=&hvnetw=g&hvrand=8979635967067327876&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=c&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=1006502&hvtargid=pla-404289645110&psc=1&th=1&psc=1 Get a Grip - https://www.amazon.co.uk/Get-Grip-Everything-Entrepreneurial-Business/dp/1939529824/ref=pd_bxgy_img_sccl_2/260-6024775-4577939?pd_rd_w=x76lz&content-id=amzn1.sym.40f919ed-e530-4b1a-8d7e-39de6587208d&pf_rd_p=40f919ed-e530-4b1a-8d7e-39de6587208d&pf_rd_r=CQVFHXGH785W5J0S0RNT&pd_rd_wg=sSkks&pd_rd_r=fcb004fe-8126-432d-9c47-785bb011c6bf&pd_rd_i=1939529824&psc=1

In this week’s episode, Nick chats with Tony Clark, Founder of NextWave. Regular listeners to this podcast will know that we centre the discussion on the various routes our guests’ careers have taken, in order to highlight the endless possibilities offered by a career in consulting. Tony’s journey is a fascinating one. After spending nine years at Accenture, he was on course to make Associate Partner, but instead changed track and helped to scale two successful boutique consultancies, MA Partners and Crossbridge Consulting – both of which grew and eventually went on to be acquired by larger groups. During his time leading those firms, Tony honed his consulting and business growth skills, delivering complex technology solutions for clients in financial services, and this led to an idea for his own venture. NextWave launched in 2020, just before the Covid-19 pandemic hit, but despite the difficult start, the firm has already grown into a £6m+, 60-strong digital acceleration consultancy. Recently recognised as the UK’s fastest growing consultancy and 13th fastest growing business in the UK as a whole, with an annual compound growth rate of almost 200%. Nick and Tony dive into some fascinating topics in this episode, including… - Tony’s decision to start the firm and the signs that he saw in the industry that helped him set the course for NextWave - How Covid-19 almost derailed NextWave before it even got started – and how the firm not only bounced back but went on to achieve phenomenal growth in just three short years - Why not being ‘billable’ ended up being one of Tony’s best business decisions in founding Nextwave - How living the company values has resulted in a culture that people want to be a part of …and much more. In fact, there’s so much in this episode, it’s almost impossible to summarise! Suffice to say, if you’re thinking of making the leap from Big 4 to boutique, planning to start up your own firm, or simply enjoy listening to epic success stories, you’ll love this episode of Climb in Consulting. We hope you enjoy the show! Reach out to Tony: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tony-clark-07160b/ Learn more about NextWave: https://www.nxwave.com/ Books, magazines, and websites mentioned in the show: To Sell is Human: The Surprising Truth About Persuading, Convincing, and Influencing Others by Daniel H. Pink 24 Assets: Create a digital, scalable, valuable and fun business that will thrive in a fast changing world by Daniel Priestley NextWave Perspectives: The Sunday Times Best Places to Work Award 2023

For this episode of Climb in Consulting, we’re shaking the format up a little. Yes, we’re turning the tables, as our very own Nick Synnott joins Neil Sharp CCXP, PEN’s Marketing & Proposition Director, and Ben Edwards, Head of Partnerships at CMap, to explore the remarkable 4-year marketing journey that PEN has been on with Create Engage. Having started with a limited brand presence and minimal content, PEN has steadily built their brand and marketing presence over the last four years, and now boast a sophisticated marketing function rivalling the Big Four. We’re proud to say that Create Engage have been there for every step of the journey, helping PEN to build their marketing strategy from the ground up and continuing to support the team today. In this in-depth discussion, Neil, Nick and Ben discuss the journey that PEN’s marketing has been on and offer practical advice on how to build an effective brand and marketing strategy that will support your consulting firm's growth or acquisition goals. This frank and fascinating conversation covers an awful lot of ground, including: - Why brand should be a significant lever in differentiating your consulting firm’s proposition - How you can build an effective marketing strategy that gives you the ROI you want without breaking the bank - Why empowering staff to take ownership of marketing can reap huge rewards - Where you should focus your efforts when building your marketing operating model - The reason PEN did all of this with an outsourced marketing partner, rather than hiring an in-house marketing team. Whether you’re looking to scale your consulting firm, plan your exit, or simply want to ramp up your marketing, this episode will give you the insights you need to build an effective brand and marketing approach that will support your goals. We hope you enjoy the show! Reach out to Neil: https://www.linkedin.com/in/neil-sharp-ccxp-331b89/ Reach out to Ben: https://www.linkedin.com/in/benmedwards/ Learn more about PEN: https://penpartnership.com/

In this week’s episode, Nick chats with Augusto Negrillo, Managing Director at Vivero. Having started out as a software developer, Augusto quickly realised that the behind-the-scenes coding life wasn’t for him, instead preferring to be out in the field working with customers, helping them to ‘decode’ and transform their businesses. His consulting career took him to the other side of the world and back again, taking leadership roles in a range of boutiques with a focus on growth; from sales, to operations to M&A. Having been involved in multiple transactions and seen both the good and the bad, Augusto decided to launch Vivero - an advisory firm specialising in business growth, mergers and acquisitions for boutique consultancies. With Augusto’s fantastic track record in consulting and his experience working day in day out on M&A deals with Vivero, he has a ton of great insights on what it takes to build, and sell, a boutique consultancy. To share all of these great learnings, Nick caught up with Augusto to find out more about his career so far, including his successes and failures, and why, over the years, he’s learned much more from the latter. Nick and Augusto discuss some fascinating topics in this episode, including: · The key drivers to growing the value of your consultancy, and why revenue growth doesn’t always equal value growth. · The importance of building a great business, not just a business to sell, and the three key groups you need to consider when thinking about any major strategic decision. · And Augusto’s approach to business growth and acquisitions – which involves far more talk of wine, snacks and exotic fish than you might expect! Whether you’re at the start of your journey and looking to set your consultancy up for success, or you're further down the road, and starting to plan for your own expansion or exit, you’ll love this episode of Climb in Consulting. We hope you enjoy the show! Reach out to Augusto: https://www.linkedin.com/in/augustonegrillo/ Learn more about Vivero Ltd - http://www.viveroltd.com Books mentioned in the show: Love in the Time of Cholera, by Gabriel Garcia Marquez

In this week’s episode, Nick chats with Clare Hill, CEO at Sysdoc. If you’re a regular listener to this podcast, you’ll know by now that we love taking a deep dive into the different routes our guests’ careers have taken. Clare’s story is a fascinating one and shows that you don’t need to start your career in the industry to reach the top. Having spent the first 15 years of her career working in advertising, Clare decided that she needed a career that worked better for her homelife. With two young children at home, the socialising and client events that were commonplace in advertising at the time wasn’t sustainable Through a chance conversation with a friend she learnt about Sysdoc, and decided to make the bold leap into consulting. Over the last 25 years, Clare’s been on a hugely exciting roller coaster ride that’s seen her help navigate Sysdoc through the telco boom and bust of the early 2001s, the financial crash of the mid-2000s and the recent global pandemic. At the same time she’s seen her career skyrocket, going from a brand new consultant to becoming CEO of the UK business, a role that she’s now held since 2010. With so much experience under her belt and a fantastic journey through the ups and downs of building a consulting firm, Nick knew they would have a ton to speak about and Clare shares tons of great advice for you in this episode. We dive into some fascinating topics, including: · Making the move from industry into consulting, how Clare found it and why Sysdoc are just as willing to hire industry professionals as they are experienced consultants. · Sysdoc’s growth journey and how they’ve been able to retain their entrepreneurial spirit, even after 35 years. · And the founding principles of Sysdoc and why aviation thinking is at the heart of everything they do. This fantastic episode covers so much ground. If you’re starting out on your own consultancy journey, thinking of making the leap from industry to consulting, or simply want to find out more about how Clare’s consulting career took flight, you’ll love this episode of Climb in Consulting. We hope you enjoy the show! Reach out to Clare: https://www.linkedin.com/in/clarehillsysdoc/ Learn more about Sysdoc: https://www.sysdoc.com/ Books mentioned in the show: Winning! The path to Rugby World Cup glory, by Clive Woodward

In this week’s episode, Nick chats with Phil Rolfe, UK Managing Partner of Valcon. Regular listeners to this podcast will know that we centre the discussion on the various routes our guests’ careers have taken, in order to highlight the endless possibilities and permutations offered by a career in consulting. Phil’s journey is a really interesting one. It starts, as so many consultants’ journeys do, with a post-uni graduate trainee scheme. Working with Eagle Star, (subsequently Zurich), Phil qualified as an accountant and got plenty of experience under his belt before moving on to boutique consultancy, Tillinghast. He then moved to London (and back to Eagle Star) to set up accountancy services for a new life and pensions business, which grew from nothing to 200 to 300 people. A chance meeting resulted in a role with KPMG, where he worked for the next 5 years, including a stint on the NatWest/RBS integration. This led to RBS offering him a job managing major projects. He stayed for 11 years, through to the 2008 crash, when the NatWest Group was taken over by ABN AMRO. Phil then moved to the Netherlands with his family, working with the ABN AMRO team in financial crime. He took their best practices around the world, building financial crime teams for RBS in Poland, Singapore, India and The United States . Ready for his next adventure, Phil left RBS to set up his own financial crime company. Before long, he was approached by P2 Consulting who bought part of the company, before making him CEO of the whole firm. In December 2021, they joined forces with Valcon, with Phil as UK Managing Partner. Nick caught up with Phil to find out more about his amazing journey, and how being open to new opportunities has given him a more diverse and interesting career than he could have imagined. Nick and Phil dive into some fascinating topics in this episode, including… · The decision to move from consulting to an industry role – and how progressing in a consultancy role can be a lot like a Christmas tree · The importance of recognising when you’re not the smartest person in the room - and knowing when to rely on the expertise of the people around you · How scaling a team to 500 (and then 2000!) people informed Phil’s leadership style and approach · The value of being open to opportunities and saying yes to new experiences …and much more besides. In fact, there’s so much content in this episode, it’s almost impossible to summarise! Suffice to say, if you’re starting out on your own consultancy career, thinking of making the leap from consulting to industry, or simply enjoy listening to epic success stories, you’ll love this episode of Climb in Consulting. We hope you enjoy the show! Reach out to Phil: https://www.linkedin.com/in/philrolfe1/?originalSubdomain=uk Learn more about Valcon: https://valcon.com/en/ Book mentioned in the show: What Got You Here Won't Get You There: How Successful People Become Even More Successful, by Marshall Goldsmith