Podcasts about Consulting firm

In this conversation, Mark explains that "we often build our lives on things we are certain about that simply are not true." He describes how "we don't actually see the world… we see screens of how we think the world is." He explains that these screens create "a double paradox" shaping what we think is safe, what we think is risky, and how we choose to act. Mark describes the difference between someone who sees a large employer as stability versus an entrepreneur who sees it as danger, saying "which screen is right? Well, it depends on which screen is going to give you more power in life." He talks about choosing the entrepreneurial screen because "I detested the idea of being a piece of a cog in a major machine." He explains how a "victim type screen" once took over his thinking when he was diagnosed with osteonecrosis: "I was catastrophizing… I went into a very negative spiral." He recalls seeing children receiving chemotherapy and realizing "Mark, you are really self-absorbed… You don't get to live a life without pain and challenge." That shift, "Why me?" to "Why not me?", transformed everything for him. Mark also talks about the mindset required to reinvent yourself: "No matter what I succeeded in in the past entitles me to win in the future." He shares that he must "redo it every three years or reimagine it and transform it," because "if I'm not transforming my business, other people are going to be working to transform my business out of it." He discusses fear and avoidance: "You can be afraid of having the conversation… but what you cannot do is ignore it." He explains how ignoring problems is the beginning of decline. Mark then explores how his business model evolved when he realized that people with millions of dollars were still "miserable, always afraid… always complaining" while others with far less were happy. This led him to see that money alone is not the source of well-being. He dismantles the three ideas he was taught early in his career: "stock picking," "market timing," and "track record investing", calling them "completely bankrupt." He explains that "the market is very efficient, very random," and that "stock picking, market timing and track record investing didn't work." Mark describes how identity and mission changed for him over time, how screens shape action, and how transformation requires confronting fear, discarding false certainty, and letting go of entitlement. He closes by saying he hopes never to retire because "stopping is one of the worst things you can do for your future." He explains that purpose, planning, and creating are what allow people to thrive. Get Mark's book here: https://rb.gy/h4brr0 Experiencing The American Dream: How to Invest Your Time, Energy, and Money to Create an Extraordinary Life Claim your free gift: Free gift #1 McKinsey & BCG winning resume www.FIRMSconsulting.com/resumePDF Free gift #2 Breakthrough Decisions Guide with 25 AI Prompts www.FIRMSconsulting.com/decisions Free gift #3 Five Reasons Why People Ignore Somebody www.FIRMSconsulting.com/owntheroom Free gift #4 Access episode 1 from Build a Consulting Firm, Level 1 www.FIRMSconsulting.com/build Free gift #5 The Overall Approach used in well-managed strategy studies www.FIRMSconsulting.com/OverallApproach Free gift #6 Get a copy of Nine Leaders in Action, a book we co-authored with some of our clients: www.FIRMSconsulting.com/gift

Adam McGraw is a Fortune 100 VP turned entrepreneur and co-founder of CREW, a leadership community. "We try and really curate it for folks that are in the VP and above through CEOs as well, founders, etc., so that they have this kind of safe white space atmosphere to really consistently plug in and build community." "Not just transact network-wise in things that are typically narrow and niche… we really love the idea of a melting pot for leaders." "This is kind of the new normal: constant change, constant uncertainty, constant transition." "Being in crew keeps me grounded and conscious and aware." "I want folks by the end of the day to feel like even though I dedicated and carved out time in my busy life and work week, I came out of here actually feeling juiced up and energized because I had some fun and obviously I learned some stuff and I got to be myself."   Claim your free gift: Free gift #1 McKinsey & BCG winning resume www.FIRMSconsulting.com/resumePDF Free gift #2 Breakthrough Decisions Guide with 25 AI Prompts www.FIRMSconsulting.com/decisions Free gift #3 Five Reasons Why People Ignore Somebody www.FIRMSconsulting.com/owntheroom Free gift #4 Access episode 1 from Build a Consulting Firm, Level 1 www.FIRMSconsulting.com/build Free gift #5 The Overall Approach used in well-managed strategy studies www.FIRMSconsulting.com/OverallApproach Free gift #6 Get a copy of Nine Leaders in Action, a book we co-authored with some of our clients: www.FIRMSconsulting.com/gift

Technology is reshaping the world at a pace few people, inside or outside the industry, expected. But every so often, you meet someone who has not only witnessed the major waves of technological change, but helped build them. In this conversation, Marcus Fontoura, Technical Fellow and Corporate Vice President at Microsoft, CTO for Azure Core, walks us through the story of AI, what leaders are getting wrong, and how to develop the one thing that will matter more than any model or algorithm: human agency. Marcus has lived through every major inflection point: early search, the rise of cloud computing, and now large-scale AI systems. One of the first things he challenges is the popular narrative that we are heading toward an AI apocalypse, or an AI utopia. Both extremes, he explains, miss the point: "My approach was more like, let me just explain what the technology is and what it does… it's basically a prediction system." Marcus offers a clear explanation of modern AI. He compares today's large models to a system that has: "Read nonstop for fifty thousand years… with near perfect memory." But this doesn't make AI a mastermind. It makes it a stochastic parrot, extraordinarily capable, but not self-directed. He also emphasizes that while AI will automate the mechanical layers of work, it will amplify, not replace, the leaders who know how to think: "If your job is typing in a spreadsheet… then I would feel scared. But if you have the knowledge and experience to really add value, I wouldn't feel scared." His point is: the danger isn't AI. The danger is becoming someone who only performs tasks AI can do. We also cover the uncomfortable but increasingly visible trend: people relying on AI so heavily that they lose their independent critical-thinking muscles. Marcus acknowledges the risk: "That is a little bit concerning… we will see good uses of technology and uses we don't want to happen." He stresses that organizations must raise the bar for juniors, not lower it, and that AI helps experts more than novices: "More experienced folks already know what to expect… junior employees may not know what is correct or incorrect." This is one of the most important insights in the entire episode: AI accelerates expertise; it does not create it. On hallucinations, Marcus is exceptionally candid: "The more we use it, the more you have techniques to avoid it… but we have to double-check those things." On leaders fearing displacement: "Use AI in a way that amplifies your skills… automate the mechanical tasks and focus on what only humans can do." And on what truly matters in this moment of technological upheaval: "Technology shouldn't influence us. We should influence what we want to see in our society." And he gave a useful explanation of the names of ChatGPT models: "When you say that bigger AI models, when you move from ChatGPT three to four, four to five, basically these models have more parameters. So this means that you read a lot more, but also you memorize a lot more." This conversation is a reminder that the most important focus should not be AI, it's the leader using AI with judgment, clarity, and agency.   Get Marcus's book, Human Agency in a Digital World, here: https://shorturl.at/v0lo8   Claim your free gift: Free gift #1 McKinsey & BCG winning resume www.FIRMSconsulting.com/resumePDF Free gift #2 Breakthrough Decisions Guide with 25 AI Prompts www.FIRMSconsulting.com/decisions Free gift #3 Five Reasons Why People Ignore Somebody www.FIRMSconsulting.com/owntheroom Free gift #4 Access episode 1 from Build a Consulting Firm, Level 1 www.FIRMSconsulting.com/build Free gift #5 The Overall Approach used in well-managed strategy studies www.FIRMSconsulting.com/OverallApproach Free gift #6 Get a copy of Nine Leaders in Action, a book we co-authored with some of our clients: www.FIRMSconsulting.com/gift

In this episode, Dr. Julia Garcia explains why hope is a habit and why it is critical for us to remove what blocks hope. She describes what happens inside teams when leaders lose hope, including "the culture that creates, the burnout that leads to, the discouragement and defeat." Julia shows how unprocessed emotions drain leaders even when they appear high-functioning. "If we emotionally feel disconnected, we're going to start looking elsewhere or we're going to end up in a place of hopelessness where maybe we completely shut down in our career and now we're just a robot." One of the most memorable insights is the use of the word "maybe" to interrupt destructive thought cycles. She explains: "Maybe your next idea is the one that's going to change the game for you." "Maybe that failure wasn't a failure. It was a setup." "Maybe you have everything you need right now." Julia also demonstrates how holding unspoken emotions limits our capacity. "We can function by holding all these things in emotionally… but we actually aren't discovering what we're truly capable of because we're not fully available." Julia shares her own experiences with failure and rebuilding: "None of this was a waste. I can repurpose this." and "Maybe I can learn from this. Maybe I can come back stronger." We also discuss AI. Julia warns: "AI is increasing productivity, but it is decreasing the personal humanity." and "We need people in our problem solving. We need people in our products." She closes with the central message of her book: "Hope is a habit… it is the single greatest predictor of success and health." Get Dr. Julia's book, The 5 Habits of Hope, here: https://shorturl.at/rjpNF Claim your free gift: Free gift #1 McKinsey & BCG winning resume www.FIRMSconsulting.com/resumePDF Free gift #2 Breakthrough Decisions Guide with 25 AI Prompts www.FIRMSconsulting.com/decisions Free gift #3 Five Reasons Why People Ignore Somebody www.FIRMSconsulting.com/owntheroom Free gift #4 Access episode 1 from Build a Consulting Firm, Level 1 www.FIRMSconsulting.com/build Free gift #5 The Overall Approach used in well-managed strategy studies www.FIRMSconsulting.com/OverallApproach Free gift #6 Get a copy of Nine Leaders in Action, a book we co-authored with some of our clients: www.FIRMSconsulting.com/gift

In this conversation, Anthony Vinci explains that "AI is going to be able to do more and more of what people do." He describes a future where "AI is going to get better and better at doing what people do," and highlights that leaders must understand "how do you figure out what AI is good at and then implement it to do that" and "how do you manage your workforce so that they are able to partner with that AI." He warns that leaders often "overestimate what AI can do and underestimate it at the same time," and stresses the importance of "getting that balance right." As he shared, "sometimes they can sense that, oh, AI can do anything," while others say "it will never do that," and both assumptions can mislead decision making. He offers direct guidance for staying relevant: "The number one thing I would recommend is literally to just go use AI for thirty minutes a day." He urges leaders to "push the envelope" and "see where the holes are, what it won't do." Vinci describes how workflow—not just technology—defines whether AI succeeds. Implementation requires understanding "the process and the workflow," recognizing that AI adoption "is going to be small parts," and building "those pieces over time." He explains the subtle dangers of influence, noting that AI can "change your mind" without you realizing it. The threat is not dramatic deepfakes but "what if it just changes one word?" or "an adjective and makes something seem slightly different." To stay resilient, he urges people to "think like a spy," recognize that "there might be a bad actor on the other side," and build habits of "triangulating information." He emphasizes cognitive agility: "We still need to learn to do it so that you can think about mathematics and understand mathematics," and he connects this to thinking and writing in an AI-driven world. Even with powerful tools, "you're still going to have to keep yourself sharp." Vinci closes by discussing perspective, explaining how "living abroad" showed him how much people assume about how the world works. He encourages listeners to embrace the belief that "maybe this assumption that you have in life is wrong," because "the difference between being okay or good at something you do and being great is this ability to take a step back and question whatever you see in the world." Get Anthony's book, The Fourth Intelligence Revolution, here: https://shorturl.at/rjpNF Claim your free gift: Free gift #1 McKinsey & BCG winning resume www.FIRMSconsulting.com/resumePDF Free gift #2 Breakthrough Decisions Guide with 25 AI Prompts www.FIRMSconsulting.com/decisions Free gift #3 Five Reasons Why People Ignore Somebody www.FIRMSconsulting.com/owntheroom Free gift #4 Access episode 1 from Build a Consulting Firm, Level 1 www.FIRMSconsulting.com/build Free gift #5 The Overall Approach used in well-managed strategy studies www.FIRMSconsulting.com/OverallApproach Free gift #6 Get a copy of Nine Leaders in Action, a book we co-authored with some of our clients: www.FIRMSconsulting.com/gift

A short one to close out the year!

When was the last time you played, really played? For Cas Holman, founder and chief designer of Heroes Will Rise and star of Netflix's Abstract: The Art of Design, play isn't childish. It's the foundation of human creativity, resilience, and connection. She worked with LEGO, Disney Imagineering, and the LEGO Foundation and on a mission to help adults rediscover what children know instinctively: that play is how we learn, adapt, and feel alive. "Play isn't what happens after work," Cas explains. "It's how we manage uncertainty. It's how we cope, experiment, and find our way through the unknown." In this conversation, Cas reframes play not as a distraction from productivity but as the engine of it. She explains why play is essential for innovation, executive presence, and emotional agility, and how suppressing it has drained creativity from our professional lives. "Playful thinking lets us reframe success," she says. "It makes us flexible enough to keep moving when things don't go according to plan." We discuss: Why free play (activities that are intrinsically motivated, freely chosen, and personally directed) is the most powerful form of creative renewal. How reframing success turns frustration into discovery: "You came to play basketball, the ball's flat, the court's full, so what? Invent a new game." Why curiosity and uncertainty are not threats to be managed, but conditions for growth. How "breaking" systems or routines can reveal how they actually work. And how adults can learn to release judgment, the internal critic that says "I should know the answer" instead of "let's find out." Cas's insights are strikingly relevant to the age of AI. As technology automates more of what we do, she reminds us that what matters most is how we create, not how efficiently we delegate creation. "We're outsourcing the wrong things," she says. "Creativity wasn't the problem that needed fixing. It's what makes us feel alive." Get Cas' book, Playful, here: https://shorturl.at/jxR4O Claim your free gift: Free gift #1 McKinsey & BCG winning resume www.FIRMSconsulting.com/resumePDF Free gift #2 Breakthrough Decisions Guide with 25 AI Prompts www.FIRMSconsulting.com/decisions Free gift #3 Five Reasons Why People Ignore Somebody www.FIRMSconsulting.com/owntheroom Free gift #4 Access episode 1 from Build a Consulting Firm, Level 1 www.FIRMSconsulting.com/build Free gift #5 The Overall Approach used in well-managed strategy studies www.FIRMSconsulting.com/OverallApproach Free gift #6 Get a copy of Nine Leaders in Action, a book we co-authored with some of our clients: www.FIRMSconsulting.com/gift

Dr. Brennan Spiegel, Director of Health Services Research at Cedars-Sinai and Professor of Medicine and Public Health at UCLA, author of the book Pull, explains why illness is often a failure to manage gravity. He describes how our relationship with gravity defines strength, balance, digestion, mental stability, and emotional health.  Take the Gravotype Quiz at BrennanSpiegelMD.com to identify how your body manages gravity. Key Insights and Action Steps — Dr. Brennan Spiegel "Every single cell of your body evolved from this force of gravity. Physics came first, and biology came second." Illness arises when we fail to manage gravity. Every organ, tendon, and cell depends on that relationship. "When you stand up straight and lift your diaphragm, it pulls up this sack of potatoes that we all have in our belly. When you open up the gut, it opens up digestion." Posture determines how well the gut, diaphragm, and circulation function. Sitting compresses digestion and lowers energy. "Your balance and relationship to gravity is a predictor of how long you're going to live." Balance, grip strength, and posture are measurable indicators of longevity. "The inner ear is like a gyroscope constantly keeping track of your position in relation to gravity." The nervous system continuously measures gravity. Inner-ear disturbances can create dizziness, anxiety, and panic. "When you're depressed, you can't get up out of bed. Your body is slumped over. It's almost like there's so much gravity pulling on your body, it's like you're in a black hole." Depression mirrors an excessive gravitational load. Emotional heaviness is a physical experience of being pulled down. "Strong negative emotional experiences can permanently change the way the brain forms… the mind has learned to be pulled down emotionally, physically, socially." Childhood trauma reshapes how the brain perceives gravity, making the body feel heavier and slower to rise. "The feet are a gravity management surface… only five percent of the body's surface area but holding one hundred percent of the weight." Feet are the interface between body and planet. Strengthening them restores alignment and balance. "Your relationship to the planet, both latitudinally and altitudinally, will determine your health." Altitude, light, and environment influence serotonin, immunity, and microbiome function. "Serotonin itself is a gravity management substance." Serotonin regulates mood and physical stability, linking emotional and gravitational balance. "When it's stimulated, it activates the rest and digest phase and helps release serotonin." The vagus nerve is the primary connection between body and mind, calming the system and improving serotonin flow. "I pretended I was on a bigger planet… I became stronger and stood up straighter." Carrying additional resistance through weighted movement improves posture, strength, and metabolism. "When we lay down to sleep, we give our body a break… the blood easily flows into our brain and flushes out amyloid." Sleep restores gravitational equilibrium and supports brain recovery. "Gravity doesn't change, but your relationship to gravity does." Long-term health depends on strengthening that relationship physically, mentally, and emotionally. Action Items from Dr. Brennan Spiegel  1. Identify your gravotype. Take the 16-question quiz at BrennanSpiegelMD.com to learn which of the eight gravotypes you belong to and how your body manages gravity. 2. Build gravity fortitude. Strengthen the muscles and bones that keep you upright — especially your back, core, and legs. "When you stand up straight and lift your diaphragm, it pulls up the gut and opens digestion." 3. Stand tall and move often. Avoid long hours of sitting. Use a standing desk or take frequent standing breaks. Sitting compresses the abdomen, slows digestion, and reduces serotonin. 4. Strengthen the diaphragm and posture daily. Practice standing with shoulders back and chin level to engage the diaphragm and improve breathing and gut function. 5. Train your balance. Test and improve balance by standing on one leg, walking heel-to-toe, or using a balance board. "Your balance and relationship to gravity is a predictor of how long you're going to live." 6. Practice grip and hanging strength. Hang from a bar daily. Aim for 30 seconds, then increase gradually toward 2 minutes. Even short "dead hangs" improve shoulder, spine, and nervous-system alignment. 7. Use light weighted resistance. Try a weighted vest or light ankle weights while walking or doing chores. "I pretended I was on a bigger planet… I became stronger and stood up straighter." 8. Walk, run, or train barefoot or in minimalist shoes (safely). Let the feet feel the ground to activate stabilizing muscles. "When you ground your foot, everything else pulls up straight from there." 9. Reconnect with the ground. Spend time standing or walking on natural surfaces (grass, sand, earth) when possible. 10. Stay hydrated. Keep enough fluid in your body to "pump blood and oxygen up into the brain." Dehydration weakens gravity tolerance and causes dizziness or fatigue. 11. Regulate the nervous system. Do slow, controlled breathing through pursed lips to stimulate the vagus nerve and calm the body. "Slow meditative breathing activates the rest-and-digest phase." 12. Consider gentle vagus-nerve stimulation. Use only safe methods such as breathing, humming, or medical devices under supervision. Avoid carotid massage unless advised by a doctor. 13. Strengthen vestibular and proprioceptive awareness. Engage activities that challenge coordination: yoga, dance, gymnastics, tai chi, or balance training. 14. Manage mental gravity. Notice emotional heaviness as a physical sensation; practice posture, breathing, and grounding to counteract "mental black holes." 15. Use awe and nature to elevate mood. Spend time in nature, watch sunsets, or listen to music that evokes awe. "Feeling part of something greater than yourself elevates mood and serotonin." 16. Increase natural serotonin. Seek sunlight, exercise outdoors, connect socially, and reduce processed foods. Serotonin helps both mood and muscle tone to "fight gravity physically and mentally." 17. Optimize sleep for gravitational recovery. Sleep 7–8 hours flat or slightly inclined if you have reflux. Avoid heavy meals within 2 hours of sleep. Limit screens before bed. "When we lay down to sleep, we give our body a break… the blood easily flows into our brain." 18. Manage reflux and digestion. If prone to reflux, raise the head of the bed about 10 degrees or use a wedge pillow. Sleep on your left side to reduce acid reaching the esophagus. 19. Support circulation through movement. Use your muscles as pumps, walk regularly, stretch calves, and move legs during travel or desk work to prevent stagnation. 20. Avoid chronic compression. Reduce time bent over laptops or phones; keep screens at eye level to protect diaphragm and digestion. 21. Engage with natural environments. Nature exposure increases serotonin and improves gravity resilience. "Being in green spaces is mood-elevating because that's what we evolved with." 22. Monitor environment and altitude. If you live or work at high altitude, be mindful of mood or sleep changes and adjust oxygen exposure and sunlight time. 23. Balance convenience with movement. Spiegel warns that modern comfort, constant sitting, processed food, artificial environments, represents "our species losing the battle against gravity." 24. Reframe health. Adopt the mindset that "gravity doesn't change, but your relationship to gravity does." Everything, from mood to digestion, is part of managing that relationship.   Get Brennan's book, Pull, here: https://shorturl.at/XjNt3   Claim your free gift: Free gift #1 McKinsey & BCG winning resume www.FIRMSconsulting.com/resumePDF Free gift #2 Breakthrough Decisions Guide with 25 AI Prompts www.FIRMSconsulting.com/decisions Free gift #3 Five Reasons Why People Ignore Somebody www.FIRMSconsulting.com/owntheroom Free gift #4 Access episode 1 from Build a Consulting Firm, Level 1 www.FIRMSconsulting.com/build Free gift #5 The Overall Approach used in well-managed strategy studies www.FIRMSconsulting.com/OverallApproach Free gift #6 Get a copy of Nine Leaders in Action, a book we co-authored with some of our clients: www.FIRMSconsulting.com/gift

Ops Quickies – snackable episodes on tech, tools, and systems.

Bill George, former CEO of Medtronic and Harvard Business School Executive Fellow, explains how leaders can stay grounded, principled, and effective in chaotic times. "It's a world of chaos and it requires a very different kind of leader than in more stable times." The skills that once mattered (process control, long-term plans) are now secondary to courage, self-awareness, and moral clarity. George says most executives still lead comfortably "inside the walls" but fear the external world (media, public scrutiny, and rapid change). "Today, if you're a leader, you are a public figure. You have to face that reality." Leadership now starts with knowing your True North, your values and principles. "When everything's going your way, you start to think you're better than you are. When you lose, you learn your weaknesses." He warns: "The people who will struggle are those faking it to make it. They're trying to impress the outside world but aren't grounded inside." Purpose, not position, defines identity. "A CEO once said, 'Without a title, I'm nothing.' You won't hold that title forever. Who are you then?" True fulfillment comes from alignment between personal purpose and work. "Every business has a deep sense of purpose if it's well run. The ones that only make money, like GE, go away." He lists five traits of leaders who thrive in crisis: Face reality. Stay true to values. Adapt strategies fast. Engage your team. Go on offense when others retreat. Each requires courage. "You can't teach courage in a classroom. It has to come from within." He urges humility: "Leadership is all about relationships, it's a two-way street." His turning point came when he stopped "building a résumé" and started building people. He defines authentic leadership as growth through feedback: "I never walk into a classroom unless I'm going to learn from everyone there." And he closes with the core message: "You don't have to be CEO. If you can do great work and help others, you'll feel fulfilled. Leaders make the difference between success and failure."   Key Insights (Verbatim Quotes) 1. Chaos demands a new kind of leader. "It's a world of chaos and it requires a very different kind of leader than in more stable times." 2. Authenticity starts with grounding. "Our true north is our principles, our beliefs, and our values all rolled into one." 3. Titles are temporary. "I am not the CEO of Best Buy. …That's the title I hold. I won't hold that forever." 4. Courage separates real leaders. "You can't teach courage in a classroom. It has to come from within." 5. Purpose drives resilience. "Every business has a deep sense of purpose if it's well run." 6. Leadership is relational. "I was building a résumé, not relationships. Leadership is all about relationships." 7. Fear destroys authenticity. "A lot of people are living in fear. That's no way to live your life." 8. Great leaders empower others. "You want everyone on your team to be better than you are at what they do." 9. Growth never ends. "Anyone who's authentic knows they have to continue to grow as a human being." 10. True success is internal. "You'll never have enough power, fame, or money. You find fulfillment within."   Action Items "Face reality, starting with yourself." Look in the mirror and ask, "Maybe I'm creating this negative culture. What did I do wrong?" "Stay true to your purpose and your values." Never abandon principles when pressure rises. "Adapt your strategies and tactics." What worked yesterday may not work today. "Get your team involved." Say, "Hey guys, we've got a real problem. What ideas do you have to keep it going?" "Go on offense when everyone else is pulling back." Make bold moves when others retreat. "Have the courage to look yourself in the mirror." Courage starts with self-reflection. Ask, "What's the worst case? What do I have to lose?" and move forward without fear. "If one door closes, maybe another one's going to open that I never even saw." "Know who you are." Reflect on your life story, relationships, and crucibles that shaped you. "Don't get caught up in titles or money." Remember, "Without a title I'm nothing" leads nowhere. "Find a congruence between your purpose and the organization's purpose." "Every business has a deep sense of purpose if it's well run." Identify how yours helps people. "Get away from toxic leaders." If they drive you down, take credit for your work, or never support you, move on. "Work for people you feel really good about working with." "Learn all aspects of the business and how to integrate them creatively." "Pull together a cross-disciplinary team" and act as the integrator. "Have everyone on your team be better than you are at what they do." "Be the glue." Integrate experts to solve tough problems. "Care about your people first." They must know you care before they'll perform. "Get everyone into their sweet spot" — where they use all their skills and are highly motivated. "Align everyone around purpose and goals." "Challenge people to reach their full potential." Say, "I know you can do better. Let's take your game to the next level." "Get out there and be with the people." Don't hide behind PowerPoints. "Help your people do better." Work beside them. "Believe in someone who doesn't believe in themselves." Tell them, "You have this potential. Go for it." "Find someone who believes in you." A mentor, boss, or spouse who sees your potential. "As a leader, be that person who believes in others." "Face your blind spots." Ask people who care about you for honest feedback. "If you get feedback from people that care about you, take it in." "Stop building a résumé and start building relationships." "Take time for people. Ask, 'How are you doing today? What challenges are you facing?'" "Leadership is all about relationships — it's a two-way street." "Tell the truth — the good, the bad, and the ugly." "Stay away from blame." Take responsibility instead of pointing fingers. "Be transparent." Don't hide problems; fix them. "Never fake it to make it." "Keep growing as a human being." "Take feedback and adapt." Growth requires awareness of impact on others. "Believe in yourself even if you fail." Failure is learning. "Spend time reflecting on your purpose and the person you are becoming." "Help other people reach their full potential." "Measure success by how many people you help every day." "Remember: leadership is about who you are, not what title you hold." Get Bills book, True North, here: https://shorturl.at/bRXsK Claim your free gift: Free gift #1 McKinsey & BCG winning resume www.FIRMSconsulting.com/resumePDF Free gift #2 Breakthrough Decisions Guide with 25 AI Prompts www.FIRMSconsulting.com/decisions Free gift #3 Five Reasons Why People Ignore Somebody www.FIRMSconsulting.com/owntheroom Free gift #4 Access episode 1 from Build a Consulting Firm, Level 1 www.FIRMSconsulting.com/build Free gift #5 The Overall Approach used in well-managed strategy studies www.FIRMSconsulting.com/OverallApproach Free gift #6 Get a copy of Nine Leaders in Action, a book we co-authored with some of our clients: www.FIRMSconsulting.com/gift    

The Washington State Department of Commerce has appointed Truclusion as the consulting firm to lead the state's inaugural reparations study for descendants of enslaved Africans. This decision has prompted scrutiny from community leaders regarding the firm's credentials, its connection to Washington's Black community, and the transparency of the state's procurement process. Former State Representative Jesse Wineberry, a key advocate for the reparations legislation, is addresses these concerns on the Seattle Medium's Rhythm & News Podcast. Interview by Chris B. Bennett.

Raj Sisodia has spent his life asking one question: Can business make people's lives better instead of draining them? He holds a PhD in Marketing and Business Policy from Columbia University, co-founded Conscious Capitalism with John Mackey, the founder of Whole Foods Market, and has advised global companies from Tata Group to AT&T. But his path started in a factory in Bombay, earning a hundred dollars a month, before he built one of the most influential ideas in modern business thinking. "I didn't like biology, so I became an engineer. I didn't like finance, so I became a marketing professor. But business turned out to be about head and wallet — nothing about heart or spirit." That realization led him to study companies that people love working for and trust buying from. The result became Conscious Capitalism — a way of running a business that joins purpose, profit, and care. "Profit is the oxygen that keeps you alive. But no human lives just to make red blood cells. In the same way, no company should live just to make profit." Raj's research showed that companies built on four simple pillars — Purpose, Stakeholders, Conscious Leadership, and Caring Culture — outperformed the S&P 500 by nine to one over a decade. They made more money precisely because they cared more. When he met Bob Chapman, a manufacturing CEO from Missouri, Raj saw these ideas come alive. Chapman bought a failing plant, promised no layoffs, and told workers they would figure it out together. Men who had once been laid off without warning wept as they told Raj their lives had changed. "I had sixty dollars in the bank and a new baby. That job saved my family." From that came the book Everybody Matters. Chapman told him, "Leadership is the stewardship of the lives entrusted to us." Raj calls such companies healing organizations — places that reduce suffering and bring more joy into the world. Now, with artificial intelligence reshaping work, Raj argues that AI will amplify our intentions: "A knife in a surgeon's hand saves lives. The same knife in another hand can end one. AI is the same — it depends on who we are when we use it." He believes the leaders who thrive will be those who bring consciousness to technology, not fear.

Byron Loflin, Global Head of Board Advisory at Nasdaq and co-author of CEO Ready, explained on the Strategy Skills Podcast why many talented executives never make it to the top. " Because you perform well isn't going to automatically get you the job." Boards are looking for more than results. They look for humility, curiosity, and authentic relationships across stakeholders. Byron shared a personal lesson from riding with Ronald Reagan before he was president: "He was genuinely interested in others. And that surprised me. I didn't get the sense that he was a pompous or aristocratic kind of person. He was genuinely interested in identifying what are you interested in? What makes you tick?" He also warned that unchecked ego is one of the biggest risks to leadership: "Ego is a powerful motivator when it's focused properly. But when it becomes dominant in one's personality and drives inappropriate types of responses to the needs of others… Ego can become a significant problem." To counter ego, he recommended building close, truth-telling relationships. This is what Byron said about conversations with his children: "I listen to them very closely when they speak to me and I invite them to speak truth into my life." And he reminded us that succession is political: "Surprise is the enemy. Structure is your friend." Finally, boards now expect leaders to be fluent in technology and disruption: "The expectation of management delivering understanding on the relevancy of AI to your organization with the emphasis on relevancy."   Actions you can take now Seek feedback aggressively. Create a circle of truth-tellers: colleagues, mentors, even family, who will tell you the truth. Check your ego daily. Build humility into routines by asking: "Am I genuinely interested in others, or focused only on myself?" Engage all seven stakeholders. Byron identified investors, employees, vendors, customers, communities, regulators, and the environment as decisive. Map your relationships and strengthen the weakest link. Signal reliability to boards. Remove surprises. Show discipline in how you work and how you communicate. Become AI-fluent. Don't chase every trend. Focus on the relevancy of AI and digital disruption to your business and be prepared to explain it clearly.   Get Byron's book, CEO Ready, here: https://tinyurl.com/z87xz94h   Claim your free gift: Free gift #1 McKinsey & BCG winning resume www.FIRMSconsulting.com/resumePDF Free gift #2 Breakthrough Decisions Guide with 25 AI Prompts www.FIRMSconsulting.com/decisions Free gift #3 Five Reasons Why People Ignore Somebody www.FIRMSconsulting.com/owntheroom Free gift #4 Access episode 1 from Build a Consulting Firm, Level 1 www.FIRMSconsulting.com/build Free gift #5 The Overall Approach used in well-managed strategy studies www.FIRMSconsulting.com/OverallApproach Free gift #6 Get a copy of Nine Leaders in Action, a book we co-authored with some of our clients: www.FIRMSconsulting.com/gift

If you're a Nonprofit Consultant earning anywhere from your first client to $1M+, this series gives you something most consultants never receive: a real roadmap. In this short kickoff episode, I share what the Growing Pains series is all about! This series is perfect for newer consultants who want to know where they are headed, and just as powerful for seasoned consultants who want to identify steps they may have skipped or understand what's coming next. ❊If you haven't yet, click follow or subscribe so you do not miss an episode in the Growing Pains series.   Resources Mentioned

John Campbell, Professor of Economics at Harvard University and co-author of Fixed, joined the Strategy Skills Podcast to explain why the financial system often works against ordinary investors and how to make better personal-finance decisions. After decades studying markets and investor behavior, Campbell saw a pattern: even educated, high-income earners routinely make avoidable mistakes in housing, saving, and investing. "Once I started looking at how people actually behave, I became more and more aware of how pervasive mistakes are, people are just leaving money on the table." Those mistakes compound over time, widening inequality. "It's what economists call a cross-subsidy, from the poor to the rich. My co-author Tarun and I feel that this is really outrageous and we should be concerned about it." Five Key Insights 1. Financial Mistakes Compound Inequality Campbell's research shows that even when borrowers start on equal terms, inaction and misunderstanding drive divergence. "Black borrowers are paying maybe as much as half a percentage point more on average than white borrowers… and that's just because they haven't refinanced." Behavioral gaps like failing to refinance when rates fall transfer wealth upward. 2. Housing Choices Are Often Poorly Understood Many treat property as guaranteed wealth rather than a productive asset. "It's a huge mistake to buy a bigger house than you need, or even more so to buy a place and then let it sit empty… you're effectively buying an asset and then throwing away the dividend on that asset." Unused or oversized housing drains capital that could compound elsewhere. 3. Early-Career Risk-Taking Is Underrated "Most people, when they're young, have a very large hidden asset, their earning power. For most people, that earning power is far safer than the stock market." Because human capital is relatively stable, young investors can afford higher equity exposure and should taper risk only as retirement approaches. 4. Target-Date Funds Don't Go Far Enough "Most target date funds are not aggressive enough early in life, and they taper down the risk taking too gradually." Campbell argues these default products should adjust risk more sharply and reflect each investor's actual wealth trajectory. 5. Complexity Creates Confusion and Inequality "This profusion of accounts leads to confusion. People throw up their hands. And the access to these accounts is unequal." The U.S. system's overlapping account types favor large employers and the financially literate, leaving others behind. Actions You Can Take Now 1. Maximize any employer match immediately. "Certainly any kind of employer match, you want to maximize that right away." 2. Save aggressively through tax-favored accounts. "You should be saving aggressively and you should be maximizing your use of tax-favored accounts." 3. Manage your mortgage strategically. "Managing your mortgage is also a very important thing for people in the middle class and upper middle class." 4. Consider adjustable-rate mortgages as efficient leverage if you can manage the risk. "The cheapest way to lever that portfolio and be involved in risky markets actually in many cases is to use an adjustable-rate mortgage… a cheap way to take leverage." 5. Use home equity as flexible credit. "Home equity is a valuable source of credit." 6. In retirement, spend your assets, don't hoard them. "Many people hang on to their financial assets too long and are too reluctant to tap home equity. The right way to manage retirement is a mix of annuities and reverse-mortgage borrowing… so that you can enjoy it." 7. Avoid oversized or idle property. "If you buy an asset and then throw away the dividend, you should not expect it to deliver a high return." 8. Take more financial risk when young; scale back later. Treat your earning power as your built-in "safe asset." 9. Build an emergency fund before investing. "It should be a priority to have an emergency fund in a safe and liquid form so that you stay out of high-cost debt." 10. Support simpler, fairer financial design. "We think the financial system is very important for the market economy and the unpopularity of finance is really bad. We're trying to save the financial industry for itself." Get John's book, Fixed, here: https://tinyurl.com/bdhj5zvd Claim your free gift: Free gift #1 McKinsey & BCG winning resume www.FIRMSconsulting.com/resumePDF Free gift #2 Breakthrough Decisions Guide with 25 AI Prompts www.FIRMSconsulting.com/decisions Free gift #3 Five Reasons Why People Ignore Somebody www.FIRMSconsulting.com/owntheroom Free gift #4 Access episode 1 from Build a Consulting Firm, Level 1 www.FIRMSconsulting.com/build Free gift #5 The Overall Approach used in well-managed strategy studies www.FIRMSconsulting.com/OverallApproach Free gift #6 Get a copy of Nine Leaders in Action, a book we co-authored with some of our clients: www.FIRMSconsulting.com/gift

Phil Gilbert led one of the most significant cultural transformations in corporate history, as IBM's General Manager of Design, he helped the 400,000-person company reinvent how it thinks, listens, and builds products.   In this in-depth interview, Phil shares the playbook behind "Irresistible Change", his approach to scaling design thinking, transforming culture, and helping teams adopt new ways of working that actually work.   If you've ever wondered how to lead large-scale transformation that doesn't collapse under politics or mandates, this conversation will show you the operating system behind lasting change.   About Phil Gilbert Phil is the author of Irresistible Change and is best known for leading IBM's twenty-first-century transformation as its General Manager of Design. His work has been profiled in Harvard Business Review, Fast Company, and numerous case studies on corporate reinvention. Get Phil's book, Irresistible Change, here: https://shorturl.at/dA4Z3   Claim your free gift: Free gift #1 McKinsey & BCG winning resume www.FIRMSconsulting.com/resumePDF   Free gift #2 Breakthrough Decisions Guide with 25 AI Prompts www.FIRMSconsulting.com/decisions   Free gift #3 Five Reasons Why People Ignore Somebody www.FIRMSconsulting.com/owntheroom   Free gift #4 Access episode 1 from Build a Consulting Firm, Level 1 www.FIRMSconsulting.com/build   Free gift #5 The Overall Approach used in well-managed strategy studies www.FIRMSconsulting.com/OverallApproach   Free gift #6 Get a copy of Nine Leaders in Acton, a book we co-authored with some of our clients: www.FIRMSconsulting.com/gift

Bob Chapman, CEO of Barry-Wehmiller, explains how he built a $3.6 billion company by placing human dignity at the center of leadership. He describes the moment he recognized that "our history does not give us the future that we deserve," and how this led to a disciplined focus on balance, diversifying customers, industries, and technologies to create a stable enterprise.   Bob recounts the insight that reshaped his philosophy: every team member is "somebody's precious child," and leadership is stewardship, not control. Caring, in his view, is an economic principle: "The greatest act of charity is how you treat the people you have the privilege of leading."   Key insights include: The role of business-model design in protecting people, Why pricing should reflect market value rather than internal cost, How trust and relationships outperform transactional approaches, and Why growth often emerges from navigating adversity   Chapman argues that today's crisis is not financial but a "poverty of dignity," and calls for leaders to build organizations where people know they matter.   Get Bob Chapman's new book, Everybody Matters, here: https://shorturl.at/rYqlx   Claim your free gift: Free gift #1 McKinsey & BCG winning resume www.FIRMSconsulting.com/resumePDF   Free gift #2 Breakthrough Decisions Guide with 25 AI Prompts www.FIRMSconsulting.com/decisions   Free gift #3 Five Reasons Why People Ignore Somebody www.FIRMSconsulting.com/owntheroom   Free gift #4 Access episode 1 from Build a Consulting Firm, Level 1 www.FIRMSconsulting.com/build   Free gift #5 The Overall Approach used in well-managed strategy studies www.FIRMSconsulting.com/OverallApproach   Free gift #6 Get a copy of Nine Leaders in Acton, a book we co-authored with some of our clients: www.FIRMSconsulting.com/gift

Marissa Thomas, CEO and Co-founder of Unity Advisory, joined Emma Carroll, Head of Content at Source, on the latest episode of our The Future of the Firm podcast to discuss the learnings and challenges of combining deep expertise with AI-enabled delivery to create a new advisory firm that's fit for the modern market.   Marissa shared her insights on the following matters and more:     How co-founders Thomas and Steve Varley saw a disruptive opportunity from three angles—AI and other exciting technologies, what experts want from their careers, and what clients really need—to launch Unity Advisory in March 2025.    One benefit of launching a firm in today's landscape is being able to take a comprehensive AI approach: Unity Advisory is "AI born, not AI-retrofitted".  Unity strives to focus on the service areas where clients want more choice, feel there is a supply shortage, or are inconsistently served.   Having found that the traditional hours and rates model is not well-loved by clients, Unity is using a combination of fixed and outcomes-based fees, including fees linked to metrics like satisfaction and cost savings.   The combination of engineering or coding skills and deep technical knowledge in areas like finance or tax is becoming an increasingly valuable asset when forming a team of experts.  If you enjoyed this conversation, don't miss our sister podcast, Business Leader's Voice. In a recent episode, we talked to Ahmed Abdel Wahab, General Manager for India at Mars, about how to be a truly authentic leader in a time of volatility like today.  

Scott Levy spent two decades as an investment banker at firms like J.P. Morgan, advising corporate boards and senior executives on risk, growth, and capital decisions. Then he pivoted, serving on a public school board, teaching at Harvard, and writing Why School Boards Matter.   In this episode, we discuss: How Levy broke into investment banking and the lessons that carried him through twenty years on Wall Street What he learned about resilience, risk-taking, and long-term thinking at the highest levels of finance Why he left a successful career to focus on public education and democracy How business principles can, and cannot, be applied productively to education What executives misunderstand about AI, and the questions they should be asking   Get Scott's book, Why School Boards Matter, here: https://mitpress.mit.edu/9780262552721/why-school-boards-matter/   Claim your free gift: Free gift #1 McKinsey & BCG winning resume www.FIRMSconsulting.com/resumePDF   Free gift #2 Breakthrough Decisions Guide with 25 AI Prompts www.FIRMSconsulting.com/decisions   Free gift #3 Five Reasons Why People Ignore Somebody www.FIRMSconsulting.com/owntheroom   Free gift #4 Access episode 1 from Build a Consulting Firm, Level 1 www.FIRMSconsulting.com/build   Free gift #5 The Overall Approach used in well-managed strategy studies www.FIRMSconsulting.com/OverallApproach   Free gift #6 Get a copy of Nine Leaders in Acton, a book we co-authored with some of our clients: www.FIRMSconsulting.com/gift

James Shillinglaw of insider Travel Report talks with Kimberly Wilson Wetty, former co-owner and co-president of Valerie Wilson Travel and head of brand culture at Chase Travel Group, about her new consulting firm, Keep Wondering Why, which will advise travel companies and firms outside the industry about gender issues, family leadership transitions and much more based on her years of business and personal experiences. For more information, visit www.kwwinc.com. All our Insider Travel Report video interviews are archived and available on our Youtube channel (youtube.com/insidertravelreport), and as podcasts with the same title on: Spotify, Pandora, Stitcher, PlayerFM, Listen Notes, Podchaser, TuneIn + Alexa, Podbean,  iHeartRadio,  Google, Amazon Music/Audible, Deezer, Podcast Addict, and iTunes Apple Podcasts, which supports Overcast, Pocket Cast, Castro and Castbox.

Lynn Smith, former national news anchor for NBC News, MSNBC, and CNN Headline New, and now executive communication coach, reframes public speaking as an internal leadership skill, not a performance. She identifies the recurring obstacle as the "brain bully", the inner critic that turns preparation into paralysis, and shows leaders how to retrain it so that clarity, calm, and connection become repeatable outcomes.   This episode translates decades of live television experience into actionable communication tools for high-stakes settings—from boardrooms to keynotes to broadcast media.   Key takeaways: Name and neutralize the "brain bully." "It's that inner saboteur saying, 'You're not good enough' or 'What if you say the wrong thing?'" Smith explains. She traces these patterns back to early experiences and teaches clients to "control–alt–delete our prehistoric code" so fear no longer drives performance. People don't want perfection, they want resiliency. Recalling a keynote where she froze on stage, Smith says, "I had to stop and tell the audience, 'I'm so sorry, I'm failing at this.'" That failure became the basis for her coaching framework. "People don't want perfection, they want resiliency. They want to see people overcome." Replace over-scripting with intentional structure. "Executives spend hours memorizing, but the result is robotic. The big revelation is… it has nothing to do with your prep; it has everything to do with your mental game." Instead, she recommends bullet-pointing key ideas for authenticity and flow. Drill down, don't dumb down. Smith's "Goldilocks effect" balances preparation, "not too much, not too little", so communication stays sharp and digestible: "If you communicate everything, you communicate nothing." Make voice and presence technical. Drawing from broadcast training, Smith advises projecting "from your diaphragm, not your chest," and using "the power of enunciation" and pauses to improve recall and connection. Manage energy deliberately. "Everything is energy," she notes. High-frequency energy, calm, clear, positive, creates magnetism. "When you're vibrating at the level you want others to meet you at, people lean in." Model resilience for the next generation. Her children's book Just Keep Going distills the same mindset for young readers: that fear and failure are not endpoints, but steps toward growth. For executives preparing keynotes, investor meetings, or media appearances, this conversation provides a research-informed playbook to quiet the inner critic, align mindset and message, and lead with authentic, repeatable presence.   Get Lynn's book, Just Keep Going, here: https://tinyurl.com/ymt4jvtv   Claim your free gift: Free gift #1 McKinsey & BCG winning resume www.FIRMSconsulting.com/resumePDF   Free gift #2 Breakthrough Decisions Guide with 25 AI Prompts www.FIRMSconsulting.com/decisions   Free gift #3 Five Reasons Why People Ignore Somebody www.FIRMSconsulting.com/owntheroom   Free gift #4 Access episode 1 from Build a Consulting Firm, Level 1 www.FIRMSconsulting.com/build   Free gift #5 The Overall Approach used in well-managed strategy studies www.FIRMSconsulting.com/OverallApproach   Free gift #6 Get a copy of Nine Leaders in Acton, a book we co-authored with some of our clients: www.FIRMSconsulting.com/gift

Is capitalism still working, or is it due for an upgrade?   In this must-watch episode, authors Seth Levine and Elizabeth McBride discuss insights from their book Capital Evolution, sharing what they learned from interviewing top CEOs, including Jamie Dimon, Dan Schulman (PayPal), Peter Stavros (KKR), and others who are helping to reshape the social contract of business.   They explore: Why Jamie Dimon led 200 top CEOs to declare that companies should serve more than just shareholders. "If you ask Jamie Dimon, are you a capitalist? Because we asked him that, he said, I'm a rapacious capitalist." – Seth Levine Why the old model of shareholder primacy is failing How economic mobility has collapsed: "50 years ago, if you were born in the bottom 25th percentile of wealth, you had about a 25% chance of dying in the top 25th... Today, it's about 5%." Why ownership, not just wages, is key to the next phase of capitalism: "Ownership is a key to this new future that we see." How businesses, not just governments, must now lead on economic reform: "We believe in this current environment that businesses have the largest power and some responsibility to reshape the norms."  

"Most people can't remember the last time they went to bed and thought: today was fun."   In this conversation with Bree Groff, author of Today Was Fun, we recenter the conversation on joy, pleasure, and meaning at work. Bree shares why her mom always said, "I have the best days," what it taught her about how we spend our lives, and why fun is not frivolous, it's the driver of creativity, performance, and belonging.   We also dive into the future of work and AI: "If the AI is a train speeding up behind you, don't try to outrun it. Step off the tracks. Be the most human version of yourself." Why we should measure success not only in revenue and customers, but in whether our companies create good days. Why Mondays are not a renewable resource and how leaders can treat each day as a responsibility.   As Bree says: "The pain is optional, and the fun is free."

Obama is working overtime to keep New Jersey and Virginia as blue as possible. 60 Minutes interviews Donald Trump. BLM co-founder Patrisse Cullors is making HUGE changes that may signal the end of BLM. Guests: Ari Hoffman & Monica Paige

Scalable operations turn you from the person doing the work into the person creating the environment for great work to happen. That is what my guest Christine Schwitzer, the founder and CEO of Holistic Grants, and member of my Impact Collective Mastermind has found. Christine shares what it looked like to move from spreadsheets and mental checklists to real systems that give her visibility, structure, and peace of mind. We discuss how operational clarity helps her delegate with confidence, strengthens client delivery and allows her to lead her growing team with ease. Her story is a powerful reminder that scalable operations aren't just about efficiency, they are a pathway to better leadership. Connect with Christine Schwitzer: Linked In Holistic Grants Website Previous Episode:50: [client success] From Solo Grant Writer to Agency Owner with Christine Schwitzer  Let's grow your consulting firm together!  

The state is hiring an outside consulting firm to help the Bridgeport school system.  Pennsylvania based Public Works LLC will be working with the district through June of next year. We got an update from interim superintendent of schools, Dr. Royce Avery. Guests are kindly asked to RSVP by Tuesday, November 4, 2025, at noon using the link here: https://bit.ly/48Le7mY The event will also be streamed via www.bridgeportedu.net and Bridgeport Public Schools - YouTube Image Credit: Getty Images

If you're bringing in $300K or more, you've already built something successful. But what got you here won't get you to $1M—and it definitely won't get you more time, ease, or freedom. In this episode, I walk through what a scalable consulting firm actually looks like, from the offer that fuels it to the team and leadership shifts that make growth sustainable. You'll hear the story of two fictional consultants—Riley and Jean—and see exactly what changes when you stop being the business and start leading one.

Listen to this episode if you: are an early career engineer, are contemplating a career change, or just like engineering career stories.This Week in LinkedIn Lunatics:1. Sandwich Leave??2. "I won't hire a great candidate because of pronouns"⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠College Questions1. Is Chemical Engineering dangerous?2. Is it worth getting my MBA?3. Good minors for Civil Engineering with a discipline in constructionInternships⁠1. I didn't learn anything at my Civil Engineering Office internship.Career Questions1. Do we underfunded public sector at a higher cost to taxpayers?2. Engineering recruiters piss me off3. Senior Project Control Specialist without education?4. Wife lost her job, and I need a raise.5. Road to 150k+6. What even is the point of Salaried positions these days?Don't miss a blog post or a podcast episode, subscribe to my newsletter on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.ENGRingSuccess.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Support the on podcast on Spotify or on Patreon: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/engineering-success (preferred)⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.patreon.com/ENGRingSuccess⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Top tier supporters - shout out each episode of the month for $10 monthly donation. Follow along on all social medias: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://engringsuccess.com/link-in-bio/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠To submit your question, email ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠daniel@ENGRingSuccess.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Subscribe on YouTube to watch short excerpts of podcast episodes addressing specific topics: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCj86alc3a7_A_PibgYpkWFg⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠  ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Daniel is a Mechanical Engineering graduate of Trinity University's B.S. in Engineering Science and currently works in Commercial Management in the Engineering and Construction Consulting Industry. All views expressed on this podcast are his own and do not reflect the opinions or views of his employer. Music by Maxgotthetracks: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://open.spotify.com/artist/0Pclog68AY⁠Join my groups on Facebook to discuss Engineering Career Development with like-minded people:Young Professional Engineers: https://www.facebook.com/groups/1804199923282340/LinkedIn Lunatics: https://www.facebook.com/groups/879813143342361/Engineering Career Development: https://www.facebook.com/groups/1452344272251413To submit your question, email daniel@ENGRingSuccess.comor visit my website www.ENGRingSuccess.com Thanks to Spotify for making this podcast possible. If you want to see more of Engineering Success, make sure to follow on Spotify for more content.For the most up to date content, listen on your favorite audio provider:Main page: https://spotifyanchor-web.app.link/e/5nTK0zM3VzbGoogle Podcasts:https://www.google.com/podcasts?feed=aHR0cHM6Ly9hbmNob3IuZm0vcy81NTkzZDg5OC9wb2RjYXN0L3Jzcw==Apple Podcasts:https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/engineering-success-podcast/id1569193027Spotify:https://open.spotify.com/show/4AnBWxE0BdY2dTmbAw4x1jand more!Music by Maxgotthetracks: https://open.spotify.com/artist/0Pclog68AY1ArXm5PiApCX?si=Qp7j2eAyTHyV_R4_QLjbEA00:00 - Start02:31 - LinkedIn Lunatics02:42 - Sandwich Leave05:08 - Won't Hire Because of Pronouns08:31 - College/Pursuit of Engineering Questions08:41 - Is Chemical Engineering Dangerous?12:41 - Is it Worth Getting my MBA?18:21 - Minors for Civil Engineering w/ Discipline in Construction22:15 - Internship Questions22:24 - I Didn't Learn Anything at My Civil Engineering Office Internship25:42 - Industry Questions25:58 - Do we underfunded public sector at a higher cost to taxpayers30:24 - Engineering recruiters piss me off35:00 - Marker 1337:48 - wife lost job and I need a raise42:14 - Road to $150k46:28 - What is the point of Salaried Positions?

This episode features a conversation with Barbara Gorder, a consultant to the wine business who recently became the Managing Partner for the Direct to Consumer (DTC) Wine Symposium. We met at the 2025 edition of this conference out in Monterey, CA, and I am currently designing a session for the January 2026 edition on the opening day of the conference that has been inspired by our Sommlympics competition. We talk about how this event has evolved over the years and also how Barbara's background in marketing and consulting plays into the design of the programming. Barbara is the President of Undisclosed Location, a nationwide creative consulting firm that develops business strategies, marketing plans, and creative work for clients by assembling tailored teams from across the US. She started her career in advertising at Leo Burnett and DDB, creating campaigns for notable clients like General Mills, GM, and Proctor & Gamble. She even launched the Army of One campaign for the US Army while leading new business efforts. She specializes in branding and working with a diverse range of clients, from startups to public companies, so we dive into a conversation about what creativity looks like these days in wine marketing and the value of wine marketing. We even reveal a few details - a podcast exclusive sneak peek - of the 2026 DTC Symposium agenda and featured speakers. We hope this gives you a unique exploration of this segment of the wine industry and offers an intriguing exploration of the current wine marketing landscape. You can follow @dtcws on Instagram and visit www.dtcwinesymposium.com for all the information about the conference.Recorded August 18, 2025

Most consultants don't think about scalability until it's too late. By then the options are often shutting down, taking a job, or rebuilding from the ground up. In this episode, I share three stories that illustrate what happens when a business depends on one person to hold it all together. You'll also hear why a scalable consulting firm isn't just about growth, but about protection and possibility. You'll learn: Why waiting to scale can leave your business fragile What protection and possibility really mean for consultants The four key facets of a scalable consulting firm How scalability creates margin in your time, money, and energy This episode will help you reflect on the foundations of your own consulting business and what might need to shift before life interrupts.

Guest: Stefan Bolleininger  Title: From Zero to One: Creating your Consulting Firm  Logo: Be on Quality   Telling the story behind Be on Quality,   the challenges for you,   the way you did grow the business,   the things you would do differently   cost  Sharing also the life of a CEO that did start this project.   How many hours are you working,   is it easy to disconnect,   what are your fears....   AI  What's next for Be on Quality    Link:  Be on Quality:  https://www.be-on-quality.com/ Stefan Bolleininger Linkedin:  https://www.linkedin.com/in/stefan-bolleininger-3a717028/ Quick recap  Stefan shared his entrepreneurial journey from working in automotive quality management to founding and growing his medical device consulting company, which was later acquired by a French engineering firm and merged with his sister company in Switzerland. Through discussions with Monir about his business experiences, they explored topics including customer relationships, pricing strategies, and the challenges of managing company growth while maintaining quality and communication. Stefan emphasized the importance of taking risks, maintaining industry connections, and leveraging technology while emphasizing the value of human interaction in their field, particularly in the context of his company's recent acquisition and expansion.  Next steps  Stefan to continue leading Be on Quality through the merger with Volker group.  Be on Quality team to expand services, particularly in AI implementation for medical devices and clinical trial areas.  Stefan to maintain transparent communication with employees regarding company changes and future plans.  Be on Quality to collaborate with sister company Be on Conception in Switzerland on combination products.  Stefan to continue balancing work responsibilities with personal time, including occasional “beach visits”.  Stefan to maintain regular revenue and project load calculations to mitigate fears about project availability.  Stefan to focus on providing value and mentorship to senior consultants and business area leads.  Be on Quality team to continue using AI as a tool to enhance work efficiency without replacing human expertise.  Summary  Journey to Medical Device Consulting  Stefan shared his journey from working in automotive quality management to founding his own medical device consulting company, Be on Quality GmbH, after being encouraged by his mentor. He described how he grew the business through referrals and local connections in Nuremberg, where there are approximately 500 medical device companies. Stefan emphasized that taking risks is essential for growth, particularly when transitioning from freelance work to company ownership, and noted that his supportive wife's encouragement was crucial since he was the first entrepreneur in his family.  Customer Retention Strategies in Medical Devices  Stefan emphasized the importance of maintaining connections and visibility in their industry, highlighting that cold calling and direct knocking do not work effectively. He shared experiences of past customer relationships, including a challenging project where deliverables did not meet the client's expectations, leading to a contract that could not be salvaged. Stefan stressed the need for clear communication and alignment with customer expectations to ensure long-term customer retention, which is crucial in their competitive medical device regulatory market. Monir suggested a mechanism for filtering potential customers with a small initial project to assess compatibility and expectations, which Stefan acknowledged as a useful approach, especially for startups and small companies.  Business Growth and Team Dynamics  Stefan discussed his business challenges, including a difficult working relationship with a former colleague that led to a split, but emphasized that such challenges are part of growing a company. He reflected on how his company, which started in 2017 and began as a freelance business in 2013, has grown to 27 employees, with his team sometimes advising him to focus on organic growth rather than taking on new projects. Stefan noted that while MDR hasn't significantly accelerated his business, he finds working with technology and engineering companies most comfortable, though his team has expertise across various product types.  Client Pricing and Documentation Insights  Stefan and Monir discussed pricing challenges with clients, where Stefan noted that while some clients negotiate prices, none have shown negative emotions about pricing. They also discussed the high costs of notified bodies and the importance of creating high-quality technical documentation to reduce review rounds. Stefan shared his perspective as CEO of Be on Quality, revealing he works approximately 50 hours per week and enjoys his job, though he prefers the concept of office time and home time rather than work-life balance.  AI's Role in Human Work  Stefan shared his professional journey, particularly in housing and installation projects, and expressed concerns about the evolving nature of his role as the company grows. He acknowledged his fear of not being able to provide sufficient mentoring to his colleagues, despite his efforts to maintain a hands-on approach. Stefan also discussed his perspective on artificial intelligence, emphasizing its potential to enhance rather than replace human work, and highlighted the importance of human interaction in their industry. Monir encouraged Stefan to view AI as a tool to assist and inspire, rather than relying on it systematically for all tasks.  Strategic Company Acquisition Success  Stefan discussed the recent acquisition of his company by a larger partner, which he described as a strategic move to expand services and reach. He emphasized that the decision was made after thorough discussions with his team, who supported the merger despite initial concerns about changes. Stefan highlighted the importance of trust and open communication within the company, which he believes contributed to the successful transition. The acquisition has allowed his company to grow and make a bigger impact, with additional resources and expertise from the partner company. 

We want to hear from you.If you've been enjoying the show, we'd love your input. It only takes a minute to answer our listener survey, and your feedback really helps us improve the podcast: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSeb6AltIruAF2Ut0I3b-6XmdAeO0TNNJP_SlRGOo11syj4Uhw/formResponseIn this episode, Chris sits down with Brian Miller—former professional magician turned speaker, TEDx coach, and founder of a message design firm for experts—for a rigorous and thought-provoking conversation about real thought leadership. No fluff, no vague buzzwords—just a clear framework for how to lead with ideas that matter.They dive into how to turn expertise into impact, the difference between being visible and being valuable, and why the best communicators don't just speak—they persuade, challenge, and invite others to think differently.Timestamps:(00:06) – Becoming a Thought Leader Through Storytelling(04:09) – Understanding Thought Leadership: Assertions, Judgments, and Predictions(08:54) – The Role of Assertiveness in Leadership(15:53) – The Art of Making Predictions(24:00) – The Challenge of Flawed Characters in Storytelling(27:43) – The Art of Messaging in Communication(37:25) – The Art of Persuasion: Building a Compelling Argument(38:49) – Understanding Paradigm Shifts(46:04) – The Art of Misdirection in Storytelling(52:58) – The Secrets Behind the Magic Trick(01:00:01) – The Role of Luck and Preparation in Success(01:07:39) – Navigating Low Trust in a Noisy WorldCheck out today's guest, Brian Miller: Brian's YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@brianmillerspeaksBrian's Website: https://www.brianmillerspeaks.com/Brian's Consulting Firm: https://clarityupconsulting.com/Check out The Futur:Website: https://www.thefutur.com/Courses: https://www.thefutur.com/shopLinkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-futur/Podcasts: https://thefutur.com/podcastInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/thefuturishere/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/theFuturisHere/Twitter: https://x.com/thefuturishereTikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@thefuturishereYoutube:https://www.youtube.com/thefuturishereCheck out Chris Do:Website: https://zaap.bio/thechrisdoLinkedIn:https://www.linkedin.com/in/thechrisdo/Facebook:https://www.facebook.com/BizOfDesignInstagram:https://www.instagram.com/thechrisdo/Twitter:https://x.com/thechrisdoTikTok:

In this episode of Grow a Small Business, host Troy Trewin interviews Owen Tilbury, founder of Clip Consulting, who shares his entrepreneurial journey from launching a restaurant in Tasmania to selling it for nearly a million dollars before the 2008 financial crisis. Owen emphasizes the importance of systemizing processes, crafting a unique selling proposition (USP), and fostering community engagement. He discusses his pivot from corporate consulting to community development, leading to the Great Regional City Challenge, which has raised over $600,000 for local projects. Owen also highlights the value of celebrating small wins, balancing work-life goals, and preparing for life after selling a business. The conversation explores people management, including the role of honesty, clear performance documentation, and creating job satisfaction through autonomy, goal clarity, and recognition. Insights from his 44 years in business include mentorship, the importance of life goals beyond work, and lessons learned from initiatives like the Men's Table, a support group for men navigating life challenges. Why would you wait any longer to start living the lifestyle you signed up for? Balance your health, wealth, relationships and business growth. And focus your time and energy and make the most of this year. Let's get into it by clicking here. Troy delves into our guest's startup journey, their perception of success, industry reconsideration, and the pivotal stress point during business expansion. They discuss the joys of small business growth, vital entrepreneurial habits, and strategies for team building, encompassing wins, blunders, and invaluable advice. And a snapshot of the final five Grow A Small Business Questions: What do you think is the hardest thing in growing a small business? Owen Tilbury believes the hardest thing in growing a small business is finding and managing the right people. He explains that poor hiring choices can severely harm a business, and even well-qualified candidates on paper may not perform as expected. Letting staff go is never easy, but it's sometimes necessary when they aren't a good fit. He highlights the importance of setting clear goals, documenting performance, and being honest during the process. While he also discusses the challenges of systemizing operations, he makes it clear that people management is the toughest part of the growth journey. What's your favorite business book that has helped you the most? Owen Tilbury's favorite business book that helped him the most is The E-Myth by Michael Gerber. He credits it with fundamentally shifting his mindset about entrepreneurship, particularly the importance of systemizing a business rather than relying solely on personal effort. The book helped him move beyond the "myth" of the natural entrepreneur and focus on building scalable systems that could operate without him, which became a key factor in the long-term success and eventual sale of his consulting business. Are there any great podcasts or online learning resources you'd recommend to help grow a small business? Owen Tilbury didn't specifically mention any particular podcasts or online learning resources by name in the interview. However, he emphasized the value of lived experience over theory, suggesting that small business owners should learn directly from others who have actually built businesses. He praised initiatives like the Grow a Small Business podcast itself for featuring real-world stories and practical insights, rather than purely academic advice. His approach to learning leans toward practical, experience-based sharing, community engagement, and learning by doing rather than relying heavily on formal online resources. What tool or resource would you recommend to grow a small business? Owen Tilbury recommends systemization as the most powerful tool to grow a small business. He highlights the importance of creating structured processes that allow the business to operate smoothly without relying solely on the owner. Specifically, he developed a systemized consulting framework called the Profit and Growth Process, which included custom software, manuals, surveys, and templates to streamline business planning and improvement. This approach not only enhanced consistency and scalability but also made his business valuable enough to sell for 15× EBITDA. For Owen, systemizing operations is the key resource every small business should invest in. What advice would you give yourself on day one of starting out in business? Owen Tilbury's advice to himself on day one of starting out in business would be to focus early on systemizing everything and to build the business around the life you want—not the other way around. He emphasizes that business should serve your life goals, not consume them. He also suggests being clear on what success looks like personally, not just financially, and to celebrate small wins along the way. Most importantly, he would remind himself to create a product or service with a clear competitive advantage (USP) and to not be afraid of failing small while learning fast. Book a 20-minute Growth Chat with Troy Trewin to see if you qualify for our upcoming course. Don't miss out on this opportunity to take your small business to new heights! Enjoyed the podcast? Please leave a review on iTunes or your preferred platform. Your feedback helps more small business owners discover our podcast and embark on their business growth journey.     Quotable quotes from our special Grow A Small Business podcast guest: Business should serve your life, not become your life — Owen Tilbury You don't need permission to make your community better — just start — Owen Tilbury Celebrate early and often—small wins build great journeys — Owen Tilbury      

Want to learn how we can help you grow your consulting business? Schedule your free Growth Session Call today! www.consultingsuccess.com/growMentioned in this episode:Get Expert Insights into Your Consulting Business: Claim Your FREE Growth Session Now!Want to get personalized feedback and actionable insights on your consulting business from seasoned experts who've been in your shoes? The Consulting Success Clarity Coaching Program offers just that, and you can experience a taste of it with a FREE, no-obligation Growth Session. On this call, you'll explore how to optimize your business model, refine your messaging, and build a predictable stream of high-value clients. https://www.consultingsuccess.com/coaching-for-consultantsJoin an Elite Group of Consulting Founders in Montreal for Serious GrowthImagine being in a room where every other 6 or 7-figure consulting founder is as serious about growth as you are. That's the Consulting Success Mastermind in Montreal (Sept 18-20, 2025). This is your opportunity to build real relationships with top-performing consultants, share wins and challenges, and grow strategically together. As one past attendee said, it's "exactly what I've been needing." Ready for powerful connections & expert strategy? Explore the Montreal Mastermind: https://consultingsuccess.com/montreal

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Dr. Sophia Nnenna Ononye, PhD MPH MBA is a Yale-trained Cancer Research Scientist, Entrepreneur, Podcaster, Speaker, Certified Corporate Director, Board Advisor, Women's Health/FemTech Strategist, NMQF 40 under 40 Minority Health Leader, and Mentor. Dr. Ononye has over 15 years of cross-functional experience in the biopharmaceutical industry across drug discovery, medical affairs, strategic marketing, and corporate communications with a specialty training and focus on oncology and women's health. A contributing writer to several leading outlets including Inc,, Entrepreneur, Life Science Leader, Cell & Gene, MIT Technology Review, and WebMD, Dr. Ononye is a Yale Entrepreneur in Residence, Daré Bioscience Board Advisor and previous Independent Board Director and Member of the Nomination and Corporate Government (NG&C) and Compensation Committees, EY Entrepreneurs Access Network inaugural member, Dell Women's Entrepreneur Network Advisory Council Member, and former President of the Healthcare Businesswomen's Association (HBA) New York Chapter. Dr. Ononye's list of honors includes a 2023 National Minority Quality Forum (NMQF) 40 under 40 Minority Health Leader Award. -- Critical Mass Business Talk Show is Orange County, CA's longest-running business talk show, focused on offering value and insight to middle-market business leaders in the OC and beyond. Hosted by Ric Franzi, business partner at REF Orange County.

Show Notes: Steven Chao, a US-born second-generation college student, shares his experiences growing up in South Carolina and feeling overwhelmed upon arriving at Harvard in 1988. He found solace in joining the Collegium Musicum, a classical musical singing group at Harvard, which helped him find his footing and connect with people from his class.  From Biochem to Game Design to Consulting Steven majored in biochemistry, which expanded his social circle and helped him find happiness. Steven's parents were both PhDs and pushed him into the MD PhD program. However, he faced challenges in medical school and research, leading to questions about his path and the decision to pursue a career in computer gaming. Steven talks about his experience working in the sound and asset acquisition field at Activision in LA. He initially had a great time there but ultimately decided that it wasn't the long-term solution for him. He returned to his PhD program and he pinned his hopes on becoming a doctor. During the last half of the MD program, Steven realized that he didn't want to be a researcher or go into medicine. He found an opportunity to explore other careers beyond medicine or research through a sub-intern at McKinsey.  The McKinsey Years Steven joined McKinsey full-time in 2001 and worked in the Boston office. The bulk of his work was in the payer and provider space, mainly health insurance and hospital systems. He spent about four and a half years at McKinsey, starting from scratch with no business background, which proved difficult. Steven's PhD focused on biology, not analytical skills, but rather gene genetic rearrangement and plasmids, and he felt lost at the beginning of McKinsey. At the same time, he also participated in the mini MBA program in Austria.  Despite meeting great friends at McKinsey, his work was hit or miss. Steven talks about a few of the McKinsey projects he worked on and how a pharma project with Jeff Elton piqued his interest in returning to biopharma. He later worked with Kim Packard, who was his first and best mentor at McKinsey. Steven was late to promotion and advancement, and in 2004, when his wife became pregnant, he gave up his job and started considering what he would do next. Boutique Consulting, Life Sciences, and Biotech Companies In 2004, Steven joined a small consulting group at an investment bank called Leering Swan, which focused on life sciences and biotech companies. This was a better fit for Steven, who had always wanted to leverage his love for science. He joined the firm and was assigned to a project in Parkinson's disease. The experience was mind-blowing, as he interviewed world experts in this space. He was hooked within a week and found the career to be a good fit for him. The combination of his love for science and medicine, without needing to do research or have a career in clinical practice, was perfect, as he loved learning about different aspects of medicine, and the variety and diversity of the day-to-day work.   Founding ClearView Steven left Leering Swan with two other people in 2008 to co-found ClearView. ClearView was born of the same concept as Leering Swan, but focused on life sciences, biotech, pharma, private equity clients, diagnostics companies, and strategic consulting. Steven's primary hat was recruiting, and he continued to love every second of doing so. ClearView Healthcare Partners is now a well-known, private consulting firm with several 100 employees. The company has a growing presence in London, India, San Francisco, New York, and Boston.  Family Life and a Love of Musicals On the personal side, Steven has a family of four children, three girls and a boy. They also have two in college and two still in high school. The oldest is a sophomore at Harvard. Music has always been a significant part of their family. They have a love for Broadway musical theater, and they have spent a lot of time attending performances. Their youngest son is doing a local production of Hadestown in Wellesley, and their oldest is performing at the Agassi theater in a production of 9-5, the film with Dolly Parton, which has themes of female empowerment.     Timestamps: 04:50: Transition to Medical School and Early Career Challenges  13:14: Joining McKinsey and Early Consulting Experience  23:20: Discovering a Passion for Biopharma Consulting 30:04: Founding ClearView Healthcare Partners  37:27: Personal Life and Family  Featured Non-profit: Hi. This is Steve Chao, class of 1992. The featured nonprofit of this episode of The 92 report is the Merriemack Repertory Theater. My wife and I love live theater. The MRT is a fantastic organization that puts on plays and musicals every year, serving a wide catchment area in and around Lowell, Massachusetts. I was actually introduced to the MRT via a fellow class of 92 Carrie Suzawa, married named Michael. And you can learn more about the work of the MRT through the website, mrt.org. And for now, here is Will Bachman with this week's episode.  To learn more about their work, visit: https:mrt.org.   

Why you should listenLearn why most AI tools still underdeliver for Salesforce consultants—and how to close the gap with your own processes.Discover how to practically use ChatGPT Pro for Salesforce delivery (not just theory).Understand why AI Process Engineering is emerging as a critical trend—and what it means for the future of consulting.If you're overwhelmed by the AI noise but still wondering how to actually apply it to Salesforce delivery, this episode is for you. Andy Forbes, VP at Capgemini and co-author of ChatGPT for Accelerating Salesforce Development, joins me to share how his team is using AI today to drive real client outcomes—from building 83-page implementation playbooks to treating ChatGPT like a memory-enabled coworker.We dive into why most AI tools still fall short for Salesforce consultants, how to structure AI processes that actually save time, and why the emerging trend of AI Process Engineering will reshape consulting roles. Whether you're hands-on in delivery or running a firm, you'll walk away with practical strategies to stay ahead without getting lost in the AI hype.About Andy ForbesAndy Forbes is the lead author on a book about the use of Artificial Intelligence for IT project delivery. He specializes in bridging the gap between business strategy and cutting-edge technology. Andy's career has been defined by a relentless focus on crafting innovative solutions that drive measurable outcomes for global organizations, spanning SaaS, AI, and digital transformation. Today, he is dedicated to advancing the integration of generative and predictive AI into IT project delivery and helping organizations harness the transformative potential of these technologies. His work includes pioneering AI tools to accelerate delivery teams, designing architectures that embed AI into enterprise landscapes, and writing books and thought leadership pieces on the future of AI-driven delivery and capabilities. Andy is passionate about fostering collaboration and mentoring teams to deliver excellence at scale, across implementing IT solutions, developing AI-powered applications, and creating delivery methodologies that redefine what's possible.Resources and LinksCapgemini.comAndy's LinkedIn profileAndy's book: ChatGPT for Accelerating Salesforce DevelopmentPrevious episode: 605 - You Can't Own a Niche You Don't UnderstandCheck out more episodes of the Paul Higgins PodcastSubscribe to our YouTube channel: @PaulHigginsMentoringJoin our newsletterSuggested resources

This week in the guest chair, we have former Podcast Moguls student Zach Nunn, Founder and CEO of Living Corporate. Zach unpacks how he turned his podcast into a thriving consulting business, landing brand partnerships with major corporations like Pfizer and more. He talks about the strategies behind creating authentic, high-quality content, leveraging interviews as a networking channel, and maximizing the value of a show's back catalog.In this episode he shares:Why owning your IP is a game-changer for growing podcast revenueHow to repurpose past podcast episodes into new offers (and sell them)Why being transparent about your numbers, no matter how small, can still land you big corporate clientsHow he applied what he learned in Podcast Moguls to his business modelHighlights include: 00:00 Intro04:50 Centering marginalized voices in the workplace08:50 Side hustling while juggling a full-time job11:41 Developing a “bundle” approach to brand partnerships17:30 Expanding from a single podcast to a network37:00 Leveraging 900 hours of archived interviews for his AI e-learning platform51:00 Transitioning from DEI language to “experience management”1:02:00 Advice for entrepreneurs Check out episode 455 of Side Hustle Pro podcast out now on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and YouTubeThis episode is brought to you by: Skillshare: Take Nicaila's class and explore thousands more hands-on classes taught by creative experts from around the world. Get one month free at sidehustlepro.co/skillshare.Links mentioned in this episodePodcast Moguls Coaching: https://sidehustlepro.co/podcastmoguls/ Living Corporate: https://living-corporate.com Zach's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/zacharynunnphr Zach's email:zach@living-corporate.com Opus Clip (auto-generate multiple clips): https://opus.pro RedCircle: https://redcircle.com CEO Action: https://www.ceoaction.com/ AnnouncementsJoin our Facebook CommunityIf you're looking for a community of supportive side hustlers who are all working to take our businesses to the next level, join us here: http://sidehustlepro.co/facebook Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Send us a textWith so many consulting firms out there - MBB, Big 4, boutiques - how do you find the best fit? Should you specialize or stay generalist?In this Strategy Simplified episode, recorded from a live event and presented by Bates White, the Management Consulted team breaks down how to choose the right firm for your career.Tune in for a practical framework to help you evaluate:The roles and levels available to youHow your background (industries, functions) impacts your optionsThe best geography for your career goalsWhether MBB, Big 4, or a boutique firm is the right path for youIf you're exploring consulting but unsure where to start, this episode will help you find clarity and direction.Additional ResourcesJoin Black Belt for expert support identifying the right firms for you, building a networking and application strategy, and prepping for interviewsFind top consulting jobs on the Management Consulted Job BoardConduct firm research and find consultant email formats on the Consulting Firm DirectorySee how much you can make at 100+ consulting firms in the Salary ReportSee application deadlines for advanced degree Bridge ProgramsPartner LinksExplore open roles at Bates White (email: careers@bateswhite.com)More info on Palm Tree careersConnect With Management Consulted Book a free 15min info call with Katie. Follow Management Consulted on LinkedIn, Instagram, and TikTok for the latest updates and industry insights. Join an upcoming live event - case interviews demos, expert panels, and more. Email our team (team@managementconsulted.com) with any questions or feedback.

Register for:Employee Issues & Non-Competes When Buying a Business - Thu March 13 - https://bit.ly/3F6dasGThe live Q&A with Nick on March 25th: https://bit.ly/3DoZfgDIndustry outsider Nick Munsee bought a traffic engineering firm for a good price, carefully de-risking the acquisition.Topics in Nick's interview:Managing from out of stateThe white whale: a deal that almost happenedLessons from a failed acquisitionFinding Hales EngineeringUnderstanding the traffic consulting businessNavigating lender challengesIncentivizing key employeesChallenges in consulting business growthProject-based revenue insightsThe abrupt customer hand-offReferences and how to contact Nick:LinkedInHales Engineeringnick@saltbros.coWork with an SBA broker who focuses exclusively on helping entrepreneurs buy businesses:Matthias Smith of Pioneer Capital AdvisoryGet complimentary due diligence on your acquisition's insurance & benefits program:Oberle Risk Strategies - Search Fund TeamGet a free review of your books & financial ops from System Six (a $500 value):Book a call with Tim or hello@systemsix.com and mention Acquiring MindsGet $200 off your ticket to the M&A Launchpad Conference in Houston on May 3rd:https://www.malaunchpad.com & enter code ACQUIRINGMINDSConnect with Acquiring Minds:See past + future interviews on the YouTube channelConnect with host Will Smith on LinkedInFollow Will on TwitterEdited by Anton RohozovProduced by Pam Cameron

The Cybercrime Wire, hosted by Scott Schober, provides boardroom and C-suite executives, CIOs, CSOs, CISOs, IT executives and cybersecurity professionals with a breaking news story we're following. If there's a cyberattack, hack, or data breach you should know about, then we're on it. Listen to the podcast daily and hear it every hour on WCYB. The Cybercrime Wire is brought to you Cybercrime Magazine, Page ONE for Cybersecurity at https://cybercrimemagazine.com. • For more breaking news, visit https://cybercrimewire.com

How exactly does a classically trained marketer transition from big-budget ad agencies to founding a consultancy that propels private equity portfolio companies to their revenue goals? Summer Craig, founder of Craig Group, joins Michael today to share her journey from corporate roles at HomeAway.com and Gulf States Toyota to building a 23-person growth advisory firm. Along the way, Summer uncovered a critical market gap: the challenge of attributing marketing spend to revenue, especially at the board level. Leveraging her experience and a key early client, she pivoted from media buying to strategic consulting, focusing on the underserved lower middle market. If you are struggling to connect with private equity firms, Summer's insights into aligning marketing strategies with financial outcomes offer a roadmap for consultants aiming to make a significant impact in specialized markets.In this episode, you'll learn:How Summer identified a critical market need while working with major brands and agencies.The steps Summer took to transition from a corporate employee to a consultant, including securing her previous employer as her first client.How Summer expanded her client base through strategic networking, and how adding a partner with private equity expertise proved pivotal.The critical financial metrics Summer tracks to ensure sustainable growth, including customer acquisition cost and margin analysis.How Summer adapted her firm's messaging to resonate with private equity clients, moving away from marketing jargon to the language of value creation.Why proactive outbound marketing and awareness building are essential, even in a referral-driven business model.That Summer offers a free CRO dashboard designed to help calculate CAC and LTV that's available here: Summer's FREE CRO Dashboard Download.Important Links:Summer CraigCraig GroupCraigGroup.IO on LinkedInSummer's FREE CRO Dashboard DownloadLove the show? Subscribe, rate, review, and share! https://www.consultingsuccess.com/podcastMentioned in this episode:Momentum ProgramBoost your consulting business in 2025 with the enhanced Momentum Program from Consulting Success, featuring new Pentagon Calls! Training starts February 4th. Get the strategies you need for predictable growth. Visit www.ConsultingSuccess.com/jumpstart to learn more and register. Check Out Our Youtube ChannelDon't miss any of our additional content over on our Youtube channel! https://www.youtube.com/@ConsultingSuccessTV

Rounding out 2024, Blake and David tackle tons of accounting news, including bookkeeping startup Bench's shutdown and the ongoing BOI reporting requirements saga. They also examine concerns about IRS Commissioner nominee Billy Long's credentials, including his "Certified Tax and Business Advisor" designation from a three-day seminar. Wrapping up, they review some of 2024's hottest stories, including declining CPA candidates, audit quality issues, and KPMG CEO Paul Knopp's Wall Street Journal op-ed about the "dying language of accounting."SponsorsLiveFlow - http://accountingpodcast.promo/liveflowSuralink - http://accountingpodcast.promo/suralink Cloud Accountant Staffing - http://accountingpodcast.promo/casTaxBandits - http://accountingpodcast.promo/taxbanditsChapters(01:36) - Beneficial Ownership Information Reporting (BOI) (03:39) - Bench Accounting Shutdown (12:35) - Automated Bookkeeping Challenges (18:35) - Tax Fraud Case: The Magician (28:20) - IRS Commissioner Nominee Controversy (33:55) - Tax Refunds and Lifetime Advisors (36:16) - The Dying Language of Accounting (37:44) - CPA Licensure Reform (39:05) - Working Conditions in Accounting (42:28) - Reflecting on 2024: Key Themes and Events (55:34) - AI and the Future of Accounting (01:00:59) - San Francisco's Tax Controversies (01:04:03) - IRS Special Payments and Predictions for 2025 (01:06:25) - Bitcoin and Quantum Computing Risks (01:09:13) - Closing Remarks and CPE Information  Show NotesBench shuts down, leaving thousands of businesses without access to accounting and tax docshttps://techcrunch.com/2024/12/27/bench-shuts-down-leaving-thousands-of-businesses-without-access-to-accounting-and-tax-docs/New York tax preparer called ‘the Magician' charged for tax fraud of $145mhttps://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2024/dec/17/new-york-magician-tax-fraudBilly Long, Trump's Nominee to Lead the IRS, Touts a Credential That Tax Experts Say Is Dubioushttps://www.propublica.org/article/billy-long-irs-trump-certified-tax-business-advisor-missouriHow a Consulting Firm and Trump's I.R.S. Pick Pushed a Problematic Tax Credithttps://www.nytimes.com/2024/12/24/business/billy-long-irs-tax-credit.htmlThe Dying Language of Accountinghttps://www.wsj.com/opinion/the-dying-language-of-accounting-cpa-licensing-fede2e74CPAs Deliberate on the Decline of Accountinghttps://www.wsj.com/opinion/cpas-deliberate-on-the-demise-of-accounting-kpmg-business-language-c0be3e68Most Americans say a salary of $270K deems financial successhttps://www.cfo.com/news/most-americans-say-salary-of-270k-deems-financial-success-gen-z-boomers-inflation/734019/CFPB Sues Walmart and Branch Messenger for Illegally Opening Deposit Accounts for More Than One Million Delivery Drivershttps://www.consumerfinance.gov/about-us/newsroom/cfpb-sues-walmart-and-branch-messenger-for-illegally-opening-deposit-accounts-for-more-than-one-million-delivery-drivers/Lyft Accuses San Francisco of $100 Million Tax Overchargehttps://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2024-12-24/lyft-accuses-san-francisco-of-overcharging-100-million-in-taxesIRS announces special payments going this month to 1 million taxpayers who did not claim 2021 Recovery Rebate Credit; encourages non-filers about approaching deadline to claim creditshttps://www.irs.gov/newsroom/irs-announces-special-payments-going-this-month-to-1-million-taxpayers-who-did-not-claim-2021-recovery-rebate-credit-encourages-non-filers-about-approaching-deadline-to-claim-creditsNeed CPE?Get CPE for listening to podcasts with Earmark: https://earmarkcpe.comSubscribe to the Earmark Podcast: https://podcast.earmarkcpe.comGet in TouchThanks for listening and the great reviews! We appreciate you! Follow and tweet @BlakeTOliver and @DavidLeary. Find us on Facebook and Instagram. If you like what you hear, please do us a favor and write a review on Apple Podcasts or Podchaser. Call us and leave a voicemail; maybe we'll play it on the show. DIAL (202) 695-1040.SponsorshipsAre you interested in sponsoring the Cloud Accounting Podcast? For details, read the prospectus.Need Accounting Conference Info? Check out our new website - accountingconferences.comLimited edition shirts, stickers, and other necessitiesTeePublic Store: http://cloudacctpod.link/merchSubscribeApple Podcasts: http://cloudacctpod.link/ApplePodcastsYouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@TheAccountingPodcastSpotify: http://cloudacctpod.link/SpotifyPodchaser: http://cloudacctpod.link/podchaserStitcher: http://cloudacctpod.link/StitcherOvercast: http://cloudacctpod.link/Overcast

In our news wrap Friday, consulting firm McKinsey and Company will pay $650 million to settle a federal investigation into its work for the opioids maker Purdue Pharma, the state of Texas has sued a doctor in New York for mailing abortion pills to a patient in the Dallas area and Russia launched a barrage today of 200 drones and nearly 100 cruise and ballistic missiles all across Ukraine. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders

Tim Conkle is the CEO and Founder of The 20 MSP, an established IT Managed Services and Consulting Firm providing expert solutions to businesses. With over 30 years of entrepreneurial success, he has advised hundreds of Managed Service Providers (MSPs), developed a multimillion-dollar sales model, and led 36 acquisitions through a unique consolidation strategy that transforms operational efficiency. A visionary and leading expert on mergers and acquisitions, Tim's innovative approach eliminates traditional integration challenges, allowing businesses to thrive under a unified model. He also serves as the President of the board of directors for Cytracom and is an active member of the Forbes Technology Council and Entrepreneurs' Organization (EO). In this episode… Building and scaling a successful business is challenging, especially in industries prone to inefficiencies and misaligned goals. Many MSPs struggle with growth due to fragmented systems, lack of standardization, and limited resources for creating seamless customer experiences. Additionally, the complexities of mergers and acquisitions often deter MSPs from pursuing growth opportunities, leaving many business owners without viable exit strategies. Tim Conkle, a leading voice in the MSP space, tackles these challenges head-on by creating a groundbreaking model for MSP collaboration and acquisition. His strategy involves uniting MSPs under a shared platform with standardized tools, processes, and service delivery models, enabling businesses to streamline operations and prepare for acquisition. Tim's flat-rate IT support model aligns directly with client goals, while his unique consolidation framework ensures seamless transitions during mergers. Tim attributes his success to his ability to dream big and unite aligned businesses while fostering a culture of empowerment and entrepreneurial spirit. Tune in to this episode of the Smart Business Revolution Podcast as John Corcoran interviews Tim Conkle, Founder and CEO of The 20 MSP, about his innovative strategies for scaling MSPs. Tim shares insights on cultivating the right mindset for expansion, the advantages of pre-aligned acquisition targets, and harnessing the power of dreaming with one's eyes open. Business leaders looking to expand and leave a mark will find Tim's journey a blueprint for leveraging vision and teamwork.

Shane Thomas is a Canadian-born real estate entrepreneur and Co-Founder of Catalyst Equity Partners, a Texas-based privately held real estate investment firm founded in 2016. Catalyst focuses on the acquisition and management of large value-add multifamily properties in high-growth markets. Catalyst currently has ~1,900+ units and assets under management valued at $300M+.  Shane is also a Co-Founder of CEP Construction Services, a multifamily construction and rehab company. Shane leads the acquisitions, financing, asset management, and investor relations efforts at Catalyst. Shane leverages his expertise in large-scale project management, analytics, and process improvement to ensure Catalyst's processes are best-in-class.  Prior to starting Catalyst, Shane had 10+ years of experience working at PwC, a Big-4 Consulting Firm, where he led large teams in strategically advising large Fortune 500 companies on ways to improve operations, increase revenues, and reduce costs by implementing streamlined processes and technology.    In this episode, we talked to Shane about, the lessons he learned from his initial investments, his transition from a limited partner to a general partnership, what it takes to be a good syndicator or operator, adapting the right business plan for every deal uniquely, key things to look at while preparing that business plan, and much more.   Announcement: Learn about our Apartment Investing Mastermind here.   Downside Protection in Multifamily Syndication;   02:27 Shane's background; 14:21 Lessons he learned from initial investments; 17:41 When he transitioned from limited to general partnership; 19:47 What it takes to be a good syndicator or operator; 24:22 Adapting the right business plan for every deal; 30:24 The key things to look at while preparing the business plan; 34:08 Round of Insights   Announcement: Download our Sample Deal package here.   Round of Insights   Apparent Failure: Not capitalizing the deals as well as they needed to be in his early deals. Digital Resource: Slack, Asana, and similar communication tools. Most Recommended Book: Who Not How. Daily Habit: Writing the top 3 things to accomplish every day, first thing. #1 Insight for scaling a multifamily investing firm: Finding the right people to delegate certain tasks is key to success. Best place to grab a bite in Houston, TX: Uchi.   Contact Shane: Website   Thank you for joining us for another great episode! If you're enjoying the show, please LEAVE A RATING OR REVIEW,  and be sure to hit that subscribe button so you do not miss an episode.