Podcasts about Professional services

In this episode, Jack Cochran sits down with Paul Vogt, VP of Pre-Sales and Professional Services at GPG, to explore how building repeatable methodologies can transform solutions organizations at scale. The conversation dives deep into two powerful frameworks: the Technical Win Definition (5 binary yes/no questions that eliminate ambiguity and improve forecast accuracy) and the PGA Framework (Purpose, Goal, Agenda for planning every customer meeting).    Thank you to Saleo for sponsoring this episode: https://saleo.io    Follow Us Connect with Jack Cochran: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jackcochran/ Connect with Paul Vogt: https://www.linkedin.com/in/paulvogt00/ Links and Resources Mentioned Join Presales Collective Slack: https://presalescollective.com/slack  Sol/Con 2026 (Chicago, August 2026): https://presalescollective.com/solcon-2026  Presales Collective Podcast: https://presalescollective.com/podcast  Paul's Blog: https://www.art-of-sales-engineering.com/  Key Topics Covered Paul's Career Journey: From Defense Contractor to Scaling Pre-Sales Teams at Twilio The Alaska Cellular Network Project: Building the First Network in Remote Communities Customer Lifecycle Gaps: Why 70% of Churn Happens During Onboarding Technical Win Definition: Creating 5 Binary Questions to Eliminate Ambiguity How Technical Win Criteria Improve Forecast Accuracy Better Than Sales Tracking The PGA Framework: Purpose, Goal, Agenda for Every Customer Meeting Warning Signs Your Organization Needs Repeatable Methodologies Using Metrics to Identify Where Deals Slow Down (POC-to-Win Rates as Diagnostic) The Lost Art of Prep Calls and Meeting Alignment Practice and Preparation: Why Pre-Sales Professionals Should Train Like Athletes Small Impactful Changes: The Ted Lasso Approach to Leadership  

AI may make professional services faster, but Grant Thornton Advisors CIO Mike Kempe believes the bigger opportunity is to rethink what clients are actually buying. In this episode of Technovation, Kempe joins Peter High to discuss how Grant Thornton is using AI to reimagine professional services from the ground up. He explains why simply automating individual steps leaves much of AI's potential untapped, how the firm keeps human judgment at the center of AI-enabled work, and why trust and governance remain essential as adoption scales. Kempe also explores a larger shift in the industry: away from traditional time-and-materials engagements and toward a model built around outcomes, insight, confidence, and results. The conversation also covers Grant Thornton's AI investments, its GTAP audit platform, experimentation with AI agents, M&A integration, and the evolving role of the CIO. This episode is presented by ElevenLabs — Bringing technology to life. Learn more at elevenlabs.io This episode is also presented by Retool — Build internal software better, with AI. Learn more at retool.com

The following article of the Professional Services industry is: “The Value Creation Imperative With AI” by Philipp Haugwitz, Partner, McKinsey & Company. (AA1584)

Today’s headline news for Canadian IT solution providers: [Blumira]: The company on Tuesday launched Hearth, a vendor-agnostic AI command center that Blumira says can intelligently reason across security tools and services an organization already uses. The platform is available in the Pax8 Marketplace, giving MSPs a unified interface to monitor and respond across multi-vendor environments. Read the announcement on Business Wire [Vistera]: The Vancouver-based company on Tuesday unveiled a professional services platform powered by Vero, a multi-agent orchestration layer that Vistera says brings legal, HR, and finance expertise to Canadian SMBs in British Columbia, Alberta, and Ontario. Every output is reviewed by a senior Canadian-qualified professional before delivery, with outcomes priced at $700 each or through monthly plans. Learn more on Vistera [CrowdStrike]: Justin Bradley, senior alliances manager for MSSP aggregators at CrowdStrike, warned attendees at XChange August this week that the group behind Akira ransomware — referred to as Punk Spider — has increased attacks by 134 percent over the past year, specifically targeting SMBs through MSPs. The group buys VPN credentials on the dark web, uses MFA fatigue to gain access, and dumps Entra IDs before deploying ransomware. Read more on CRN [ConnectSecure]: The company on Tuesday added M365 Auto Remediation, AI-powered training assessments, and Patch 360 to its MSP platform, allowing providers to automatically remediate supported Microsoft 365 security findings across multiple tenants. Read more on Channel Dive [GTIA]: The Global Technology Industry Association warned at ChannelCon last week that customers are deploying AI faster than MSPs can deliver security and governance, and announced a new Managed Intelligence Alliance to develop standards and accreditations for AI services. Read more on Channel Dive [NetRise]: The company on August 3 launched its Discovery Partner Program to expand software supply chain security through MSSPs, VARs, and distributors. Read the announcement on PR Newswire [Verizon]: Channel chief and vice president of indirect partner sales Mark Tina is leaving the telecommunications company after 23 years to become vice president of national partner sales and distribution at health insurer Humana. Read more on Channel Dive Read Full Transcript Welcome to The Buzz from ChannelBuzz.ca, I’m Robert Dutt, today is Thursday, August 13, and here’s what’s happening in the channel today. Blumira on Tuesday launched Hearth, a vendor-agnostic AI command center that the company says can intelligently reason across security tools and services an organization already uses. According to Blumira, the platform is designed to unify visibility and response across the workspace without requiring a rip-and-replace approach, giving lean IT teams a single interface to monitor disparate tools. Hearth is available in the Pax8 Marketplace, positioning it for MSPs that provision through that platform. Blumira is pitching the offering as a way to reduce tool sprawl and alert fatigue for teams that lack enterprise-scale resources. A unified reasoning layer across multi-vendor stacks could cut down on the context-switching that slows incident response for Canadian MSPs, though the value will depend on integration depth and the accuracy of the AI-driven reasoning. Vistera on Tuesday unveiled a Canadian-built professional services platform powered by Vero, a multi-agent orchestration layer that the company says brings legal, HR, and finance expertise to small and medium-sized businesses at a predictable cost. The Vancouver-based company is targeting Canadian SMBs in British Columbia, Alberta, and Ontario with outcomes priced at $700 each or through monthly plans, a fraction of the typical hourly rates at large firms. According to Vistera, every output is reviewed and signed off by a senior Canadian-qualified professional before it reaches the client, with credential verification and regulatory standing checks built into the workflow. The platform handles intake, research, and preparation through AI agents while preserving human oversight for final judgment. Canadian MSPs should watch how this model lands, as it could create new partnership opportunities around SMB advisory services or introduce competitive pressure in the professional services space. CrowdStrike this week warned attendees at XChange August that prolific ransomware groups are specifically targeting MSPs and their SMB customers. According to Justin Bradley, senior alliances manager for MSSP aggregators at CrowdStrike, the group behind Akira ransomware — referred to as Punk Spider — has increased its attacks by 134 percent over the past year with an emphasis on SMBs. Bradley said the group’s typical strategy involves buying VPN credentials on the dark web, then using MFA fatigue to gain initial access, escalating privileges, and dumping Entra IDs before deploying ransomware. He also noted that CrowdStrike is tracking two break-off groups from Scattered Spider, dubbed Cordial Spider and Snarky Spider, which have been known to impersonate MSPs to trick customers into launching remote access tools. The intelligence underscores the urgency for Canadian MSPs to harden identity controls and monitor for MFA abuse, particularly as credential theft continues to fetch thousands of dollars on dark web markets. In Brief – ConnectSecure says its new M365 Auto Remediation tool lets MSPs approve and automatically apply fixes across multiple customers for supported Microsoft 365 security findings. The Global Technology Industry Association warns at ChannelCon that customers are deploying AI faster than MSPs can secure it, and says it is launching a Managed Intelligence Alliance to set standards for AI services. NetRise says its new Discovery Partner Program will expand software supply chain security through MSSPs, VARs, and distributors. Verizon confirms channel chief Mark Tina is leaving after 23 years to become vice president of national partner sales and distribution at Humana. Full details and links in the show notes or the blog post. That’s how we’re seeing the headlines today. I’m Robert Dutt for ChannelBuzz.ca, thanks for listening. Have a great day.

The following article of the Professional Services industry is: 'The Wrong Conversation About Artificial Intelligence' by Rodrigo Garcia Rojas Celorio, President, Canacintra EDOMEX. 

The following article of the Professional Services industry is: “From Ethics to Profitability: How Responsible AI Powers Business” by Jaime Moreno, Founder & CEO, COMPLIA.

The following article of the Professional Services industry is: “Beyond Artificial Intelligence: We Need Business Intelligence” by Adrián Carrillo Hurtado, Growth Business Development Manager (LATAM), Dryas.

The following article of the Professional Services industry is: 'How Technology Can Shape the Future of Mexican Tourism' by María Fernanda González, CEO & Founder, Kostik. 

The following article of the Professional Services industry is: “Stop Crossing Your Fingers to Win in the Innovation Lottery” by Daniel Pandza, Community Innovation Catalyst, Interlub Group. (AA1555)

The following article of the Professional Services industry is: 'It's Not the Budget: Digital Culture Makes AI Work' by Jaime Castro Palma, General Manager, BPF. 

The following article of the Professional Services industry is: 'How AI Is Flipping Power Dynamics in Modern Healthcare' by Alejandro Ruiz Bernal, Health Consultant, Independent Contributor. 

Pursuit Professional Services helps energy producers tackle complex projects through facilities design, engineering, project management, construction management, and innovative solutions focused on safety, efficiency, and performance. In this episode, Doug Miller and Michael Peterson discuss the work Pursuit does, the challenges facing operators today, and how their team partners with customers to turn ideas and plans into successful projects.

The following article of the Professional Services industry is: “Human Upskilling: The Essential Skills for a Changing Present” by Carla Mariana Gagliardi, Founder & Director, RAKU. (AA1553)

The following article of the Professional Services industry is: “Rewriting the Rules of Work and What It Means for Global Mobility” by Sofía Bentinck, CEO, Anchor Relocation Worldwide.

The following article of the Professional Services industry is: 'The Detail Philosophy: Why Every Element Counts in Great Design' by Marta Bonadie, Founder and CEO, Taller 1339. 

The following article of the Professional Services industry is: “Double FOBO: Why Next-Gen Workforce Is Paralyzed by Fear” by Laura Coronado, Professor and Researcher at the School of Global Studies, Universidad Anahuac.

The following article of the Professional Services industry is: “The 2026 World Cup: Challenges and Opportunities for Businesses” by Maria Fernanda Gonzalez, CEO and Founder, Kostik.

Everyone wants AI to fix their messy data. Andrew McBarnett will tell you straight: it won't. In fact, it'll just help you reach the wrong conclusion faster.Andrew is Group Financial Director at Lucid Group, a PE-backed medical communications agency. He joined in 2020 for what was meant to be a four month contract. Six years later, he's still there, and the numbers tell the story: EBITDA up from £3.6m to £18.1m, revenue more than doubled, legal entities cut from 25 to 15, and a finance team that's shrunk in headcount while transaction volume has nearly doubled.In this conversation, Andrew explains how he diagnosed a business that looked successful on the surface but was being held back by its operating model. Here's what we get into:Why numbers don't explain your business, they just reveal where the pain isAndrew's five pillars of an operating model that can actually scaleWhy "businesses don't fail to grow, they fail to absorb their growth"How Lucid built single sources of truth across accounting, project delivery, and expensesWhy AI was never the goal, it was the reward for doing the foundational work properlyWhat changing the culture of a team actually takes (it's harder than the tech, according to Andrew)Plus, Andrew shares the real reason finance teams get sidelined in the business, and how to fix it.Additional Resources:

The following article of the Professional Services industry is: “The Close Relationship Between Health and Sustainability” by Fernando Lledó, CEO, Bupa Mexico.

The following article of the Professional Services industry is: 'How Mexico's New Tariff Rules Impact Legacy Energy Assets' by Patricio Gamboa, Founding Partner, Energy Intelligence Consulting. 

The following article of the Professional Services industry is: “The Power of Companies to Boost Productivity” by Marina Cigarini, Managing Partner, McKinsey & Company.

The following article of the Professional Services industry is: “How Brands Can Get in World Cup Mode and Score” by Mauricio Martínez, Managing Director, Kantar Mexico.

It's YOUR time to #EdUp with Amy Beth Glass, University Registrar, & Evan Vasilakis, Professional Services Specialist, Stockton UniversityIn this episode, recorded LIVE from the 2026 AcOps Conference powered by CoursedogYOUR host is Dr. Joe Sallustio⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Listen in to #EdUpThank YOU so much for tuning in. Join us on the next episode for YOUR time to EdUp!Connect with YOUR EdUp Team - ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Elvin Freytes⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ & ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Dr. Joe Sallustio⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠● Join YOUR EdUp community at ⁠The EdUp Experience⁠We make education YOUR business!

Relebogile Mabotja and listeners share how long they are willing to wait for an appointment whether it is with a doctor, nail tech, or anyone else. 702 Afternoons with Relebogile Mabotja is broadcast live on Johannesburg based talk radio station 702 every weekday afternoon. Relebogile brings a lighter touch to some of the issues of the day as well as a mix of lifestyle topics and a peak into the worlds of entertainment and leisure. Thank you for listening to a 702 Afternoons with Relebogile Mabotja podcast. Listen live on Primedia+ weekdays from 13:00 to 15:00 (SA Time) to Afternoons with Relebogile Mabotja broadcast on 702 https://buff.ly/gk3y0Kj For more from the show go to https://buff.ly/2qKsEfu or find all the catch-up podcasts here https://buff.ly/DTykncj Subscribe to the 702 Daily and Weekly Newsletters https://buff.ly/v5mfetc Follow us on social media: 702 on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/TalkRadio702 702 on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@talkradio702 702 on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/talkradio702/ 702 on X: https://x.com/Radio702 702 on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@radio702 See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The following article of the Professional Services industry is: 'USMCA Under Permanent Review: The Strategy Mexico Needs to Press' by Erick Gabriel González Alegría, Consultant, B&T Consulting México. 

Christopher C. Papin, attorney, CPA, and insurance producer at Papin CPA and Papin Law, explains how professionals move clients past price objections by anchoring proposals to the client's stated goals and framing fees against measurable ROI, such as spending $5,000 to save $15,000. He also shows where AI helps advice and where credentialed judgment must take over. Learn more at https://www.papincpa.com/

Chadwicks are showing technology can be upgraded without losing key institutional knowledge, while simultaneously upgrading onboarding in a tough market. A major milestone in its multi-year ERP modernisation program is taking place transforming its legacy Accustar platform into AccuPRO, a modern, cloud-hosted ERP system. AccuPRO has received a prestigious 2026 InterSystems READY Impact Award in the Supply Chain category.The initiative, supported by J2 Interactive, a technology consultancy specialising in enterprise modernisation To find out more about this and it's potential impact across Ireland I spoke to Colm Scannell, Chadwicks' IT director and Paul Cranston, J2 Director of Professional Services. Colm and Paul talk to me about their backgrounds, modernising Chadwick's IT, legacy systems and more.More about Chadwicks AccuPRO:For more than 40 years, Accustar served as the backbone of Chadwicks' operations, embedding decades of proven business logic and invaluable institutional knowledge. However, its terminal-based "green screen" interface could no longer meet modern requirements for usability, scalability, cloud readiness, or device independence, and onboarding new employees was time-consuming and costly. Chadwicks faced a critical challenge shared by many long-established enterprises: how to modernise a mission-critical system without losing the intellectual capital built into it or disrupting day-to-day business. The solution was AccuPRO, a web-enabled, cloud-hosted ERP designed to support Chadwicks' continued leadership and growth in the builders' merchant sector, while dramatically boosting back office and branch team user experiences.

Send us Fan MailHave you ever felt like people just don't "get" what your business does?You tweak your website. Rewrite your copy. Experiment with AI. Yet somehow your message still isn't connecting with the right people.In this episode of Imperfect Marketing, Kendra Corman welcomes messaging strategist Katie Turner to unpack why messaging problems are rarely about finding better words. Instead, they often begin with unclear positioning, an evolving audience, or an offer that's no longer aligned with what buyers actually need.Katie shares why storytelling isn't about telling your personal story. It's about helping customers clearly see the journey from the challenge they're facing today to the transformation they'll experience by working with you.Together, Kendra and Katie discuss:• Why messaging problems usually start long before copywriting begins.• The connection between your offer, audience, positioning, and messaging.• How storytelling creates clarity and trust in B2B marketing.• Why AI is only as good as the context you provide.• How to differentiate your business, even in crowded industries.• Why understanding your buyer is the most valuable marketing skill you can develop.• Katie's biggest marketing lesson after more than 20 years in the industry.Whether you're a consultant, coach, agency owner, or service-based business, this episode will help you think differently about your messaging and give you practical ideas to make it resonate with the people you most want to serve.About Katie TurnerKatie Turner is a messaging strategist and marketing consultant who helps B2B professional service firms clarify their positioning, strengthen their storytelling, and create messaging that attracts the right clients. Connect with Katie:Website: https://kateturnermarketing.com/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kateturnermarketing/If you enjoyed this episode, be sure to subscribe to Imperfect Marketing and leave a review. Your support helps us reach more business owners looking for practical marketing strategies that actually work. Looking to leverage AI? Want better results? Want to think about what you want to leverage?Check and see how I am using it for FREE on YouTube. From "Holy cow, it can do that?" to "Wait, how does this work again?" – I've got all your AI curiosities covered. It's the perfect after-podcast snack for your tech-hungry brain. Watch here

Customer Success shouldn't be selling. That's exactly why it drives more revenue growth. Scott Lerner believes the biggest opportunity in B2B sales isn't winning new customers. It's what happens after the deal is signed. Most customer success teams are measured on expansion. Scott believes that's where many organizations start solving the wrong problem. The moment every conversation becomes commercial, you stop being a trusted advisor and start becoming just another vendor. On the B2B Sales Trends Podcast, Harry sits down with Scott Lerner, Senior Vice President of Global Services at Akamai Technologies, to explore why the renewal starts the day the contract is signed, why many services organizations are trapped in what he calls "hour's jail," and why customer outcomes matter more than billable hours. Scott challenges several assumptions many sales leaders still believe: • The renewal starts the day the deal closes, not when the contract expires. • Customer Success should uncover opportunities but avoid negotiating deals. • Price is rarely the real reason customers leave. • Today's buyers need better questions, not more product education. • AI is making the traditional services model harder to defend than ever before.

Marc Jantzen, Founder of The Consultancy Growth Network, joins Guy Bloom to explore what it really takes to build, grow and lead a successful consultancy. Marc reflects on selling Blue Sky, taking time away from work and eventually returning to build something new in The Consultancy Growth Network. He shares how he tested his proposition, launched with only six members and adapted the business when lockdown made its original model impossible. The conversation explores the value of mentors, the importance of testing ideas with the market and why consultancy leaders need people around them who understand the journey. Guy and Marc also discuss the impact of AI on consulting, the move from charging for time to pricing around value and the changing shape of consultancy firms as technology replaces more junior analytical work. They close with an honest discussion about leadership, motivation, transparency, vulnerability and why being a decent human being matters, but is not always enough. There are moments when leaders must step forward, create belief and have the conversations others may prefer to avoid. To find out more about Guy Bloom and his award winning work in Team Coaching, Leadership Development and Executive Coaching click below.The link to everything CLICK HEREUK: 07827 953814Email: guybloom@livingbrave.com Web: www.livingbrave.com

In this episode of TECHtonic, Thomas Lah welcomes Deb Ashton, Founder of Certinia, for a conversation about the transformation of professional services in the age of AI. They explore why traditional utilization-based business models are giving way to outcome-driven engagements, how AI is changing pricing, delivery, and workforce strategies, and why customer value must become the foundation of every services organization.Deb shares practical insights from working with technology companies that are embracing AI to streamline delivery while empowering consultants to focus on strategic guidance, governance, and customer relationships. Together, they discuss the rise of Professional Services 2.0, the importance of measuring time-to-value and business outcomes, and what leaders must do today to build more scalable, profitable, and customer-centric services organizations.

As The Shortlist celebrates its 100th episode and Middle of Six marks 10 years in business, Wendy Simmons sits down with Melissa Richey, Grace Takehara, Becky Ellison, and producer Kyle Davis to reflect on the moments that made both possible. From the story behind naming the company to experience shares about entrepreneurship, career pivots, and building a thriving remote-first team, the conversation is equal parts reflection and celebration. Grab a cup of coffee and listen in as the team shares "pinch me" moments and their vision for the future. It's a look back at a decade of growth, 100 episodes of conversation, and the Hustle & Heart values that guide everything MO6.

How can we design equitable employee benefits? Employee benefits dictate far more than basic health coverage – they're a fundamental indicator of financial security, holistic health, and overall workplace equity. Traditional plans often default to nuclear family frameworks that inadvertently disqualify equity deserving groups. By moving away from static, one-size-fits-all perks and implementing a strategic DEI lens, organizations can leverage usage data to build flexible coverage systems that shift from basic administrative compliance to a true corporate culture of human belonging. On this episode of Just One Q, Dominique chats with Kristin McCartney, Director of People & Culture at J.L. Richards & Associates. They discuss how employers can transition to data-driven, flexible frameworks when creating benefit plans. Kristin breaks down enhancements that benefit employees who are S2LGBTQ+, neurodivergent, Indigenous, first-generation professionals, or who practice certain religions. She argues that designing benefits for all signals a deeply supportive culture. Keep Up with Kristin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kristin-mccartney-chrp-335336a6/ Try Learning Snippets: https://dialectic.solutions/signup Contact Us to Be a Guest on Just One Q: https://dialectic.solutions/podcast-guest

Most leaders in professional services are making decisions every day that come back to the finance – but no one ever actually taught them the numbers. In this episode, we're pulling back the curtain on the financial foundations that every leader needs to get a handle on, whether you're running a team, managing projects, or sitting in the hot seat at the top.Rich Brett is a FinOps consultant with 15 years in finance, working with professional services businesses to close the gap between finance and operations – and answer that nagging question: why is everyone busy, but we're not making any money?This episode is pulled directly from The Missing Finance Course – a free FinOps course Rich and Harv built to level up everyone from founders to individual contributors at agencies and consultancies. Here's what they get into:• Why cashflow forecasting isn't an advanced topic – it's a survival skill• What the P&L is really for, and why most senior leaders struggle to explain it to their own teams• How a knowledge gap becomes a credibility gap – and why that erodes trust across the whole business• Why so many businesses are pricing based on what they think something costs – not what it actually costs• Why comparing your rates to competitors is a trap, and what to do insteadIf you've ever sat in a finance presentation and felt a bit lost, or if you've been winging parts of your pricing strategy, this one's for you.The Missing Finance Course is free, self-paced, and built for three audiences: leadership, delivery teams, and individual contributors. Head to https://learn.scoro.com to get started.Additional Resources:

Professional services is undergoing its biggest transformation in decades, and AI is only part of the story. In this episode of Technovation, Peter High speaks with Jim Peko, CEO of Grant Thornton Advisors LLC, about how the firm is redefining the professional services model through private equity, platform consolidation, strategic acquisitions, and a $1 billion technology investment. Jim explains why incremental change is no longer enough, why data will become the true competitive differentiator, and how firms can balance innovation with the trust that clients expect. You’ll also hear Jim’s perspective on AI governance, agentic AI, the future of talent, evolving pricing models, and why professional services firms must rethink their operating model to remain competitive in an era of rapid technological change. This episode is presented by Celonis — Give AI the context it needs. Learn more at celonis.com/technovation

Tonight on America at Night, guest host Dan Mandis fills in for McGraw Milhaven: Alexander Bolton, Senior Senate Correspondent for The Hill, joins the show to discuss growing concerns among Republican senators that an Iran deal could become a political liability for Vice President J.D. Vance ahead of the 2028 presidential election. Bolton examines the debate inside the GOP and what it could mean for the party's future. Chet Love, CEO of Cornerstone Group International, discusses his recent commentary arguing that, despite political differences, California Governor Gavin Newsom deserves credit for certain policy decisions. Love explains why he believes leaders should be recognized when they get things right, regardless of party affiliation. Matthew Hurtt, political strategist and Director of Professional Services at the Leadership Institute, joins the program to discuss the future of the Democratic Party and the growing influence of democratic socialism, why the FIFA Club World Cup was a political success for the United States, and how the nation is preparing to celebrate America's 250th anniversary. Later, Dr. Joshua Coleman, psychologist and author specializing in family relationships, discusses the growing trend of adult children going "no contact" with their parents. Coleman explains the factors driving family estrangement and offers practical advice for rebuilding trust and reconnecting with loved ones. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

One Big Idea 3 - Driving Enterprise Value: From Funding Architectures and Radical Letting Go to Systems-Driven RevenueIn this episode of One Big Idea, host Josh Elledge connects with Anthony Rose, Latif Hamilton, Dan Rochon, Ronald Robinson, and Mark Osborne to dissect the foundational operational strategies required to elevate enterprise value, optimize leadership psychology, and construct predictable growth engines. Anthony Rose, Founder and CEO of SeedLegals, kicks off the discussion by introducing a fairer, more transparent fundraising mechanism designed to protect early-stage founders. Latif Hamilton, Founder of SpiritHoods, then shifts focus to executive psychology, mapping out structural frameworks to help founders overcome cognitive biases and master the art of letting go. Next, CPI Community Founder Dan Rochon outlines a guide to replacing high-pressure sales with consultative, guidance-based relationship building. Ronald Robinson, Founder of Expanded Learning Academy, dives deep into the profound link between childhood social-emotional competencies and adult executive leadership. Finally, Mark Osborne, Fractional Revenue Leader for Professional Services & B2B SaaS at Modern Revenue Strategies, closes the episode by delivering a blueprint on transitioning from hustle-centric business development to completely automated, system-driven revenue architecture.Smarter Fundraising for Startups Using SAFERs Instead of Traditional SAFEs with SeedLegals' Anthony RoseEarly-stage fundraising has long relied on Simple Agreements for Future Equity (SAFEs) to bypass the slow, expensive legal hurdles of traditional priced funding rounds. However, legal tech pioneer Anthony Rose argues that his "one big idea" exposes how traditional SAFEs routinely blindside founders with massive, compounded dilution once conversion math kicks in at the next priced round. Because SAFEs don't update the cap table in real time, founders frequently underestimate their stacked equity obligations, sometimes waking up to find they have accidentally surrendered a majority stake in their own company. Furthermore, SAFEs present critical tax ambiguities for savvy investors regarding when the five-year Qualified Small Business Stock (QSBS) holding clock officially begins.To solve these hidden structural hazards, Anthony introduces the SAFER (Simple Agreement for Future Equity and Regular Shares). This framework retains the rapid, low-cost execution speed of a traditional SAFE but requires that investors receive their stock immediately upon investment. This instantaneous cap table visibility ensures founders see the exact equity impact of every dollar raised in real time, preventing unexpected minority status down the line. By utilizing automated legal modeling tools, early-stage companies raising between $500K and $2M can establish flawless financial transparency, kickstart the investor's QSBS tax clock on day one, and secure institutional-grade corporate clarity without the bloated fees of legacy law firms.Breaking Free by Outsmarting Your Brain and Letting Go Like a Pro with SpiritHoods' Latif HamiltonOne of the greatest operational barriers to scaling an enterprise is the founder's own psychological attachment to underperforming elements of the business. Latif Hamilton explains that his core thesis addresses why entrepreneurs struggle to cut ties with failing product lines, toxic corporate cultures, or stagnant business models. This operational paralysis is driven by two hardwired cognitive biases: the endowment effect, which causes leaders to artificially overvalue an asset simply because they own it, and loss aversion, where the psychological pain of losing an asset is twice as powerful as the pleasure of gaining an equivalent win. Left unchecked, these biases trap executives in an expensive cycle of protecting sunk costs instead of pursuing high-yield commercial opportunities.To bypass these emotional roadblocks, Latif provides a tactical toolkit designed to decouple human emotion from strategic analysis. Founders must routinely challenge their operations by asking the "starting fresh" question: If I didn't already own this product or employ this person, would I choose to buy or hire them today? If the answer is no, immediate divestment is required. By mapping out a physical grid to calculate the true cost of inaction—including opportunity cost and team morale drain—leaders can clearly see the numbers in black and white. Transitioning into authentic thought leadership through platforms like Substack and high-level podcast guesting allows founders to pivot their energy toward market authority, turning perceived organizational losses into scalable future gains.Building Client Trust While Breaking Through Internal Resistance with CPI Community's Dan RochonIn a transparent and highly competitive marketplace, traditional, aggressive sales closing tactics create immediate buyer friction and erosion of brand trust. Sales consultant Dan Rochon outlines his "one big idea" that modern sales must pivot completely away from psychological manipulation and transition into an act of collaborative leadership and client guidance. The primary obstacle in a commercial transaction is rarely external market competition; rather, it is the prospect's internal resistance, driven by unvoiced fears, self-doubt, and structural uncertainty. By stepping into the role of a guide rather than an aggressive closing hero, the sales professional shifts from an administrative solicitor to a trusted advisor.To execute this consultative framework consistently, Dan structures his methodology across three actionable operational behaviors: connecting authentically to build immediate rapport, asking deep questions that target the prospect's root motivation, and actively listening to emotional hesitation rather than just verbal compliance. This client-centric approach forms the bedrock of consistent and predictable revenue, allowing founders to easily transition away from founder-led sales. By thoroughly documenting these conversational processes into corporate playbooks, leveraging CRM data tracking, and utilizing podcasts for high-level ecosystem networking, organizations can seamlessly scale their business development teams beyond the personal bandwidth of the company founder.The Hidden Link Between Childhood SEL and Adult Workplace Success with Expanded Learning Academy's Ronald RobinsonTechnical expertise and operational software systems are useless if an organization lacks the foundational soft skills required to execute effectively under high-pressure conditions. Education strategist Ronald Robinson shares his core thesis that Social Emotional Learning (SEL) competencies are not merely childhood development concepts, but the primary drivers of modern workplace productivity and elite corporate culture. High-performing business units separate themselves not by raw technical capabilities, but by their team leaders' capacity to operate with high levels of self-awareness, self-management, social awareness, relationship management, and responsible decision-making.To bridge the gap between abstract emotional intelligence and rigid corporate KPIs, Ronald introduces the advanced concept of SELF (Social Emotional Learning Fundamentals), which mandates that executives systematically prioritize self-care, self-confidence, and self-assurance. When corporate leaders fail to manage their internal emotional triggers, they inadvertently project impulsivity onto their direct reports, destroying psychological safety and driving up employee turnover. By embedding regular 360-degree feedback loops, active listening training, and strict emotional regulation boundaries directly into adult workforce development programs, companies can build inclusive, highly resilient environments. Ultimately, designing a culture where personnel thrive emotionally serves as a primary macro competitive advantage.Enhancing Revenue Systems Through AI and Strategic Leadership with Modern Revenue Strategies's Mark OsborneMany growing companies fall victim to the hazardous trap of "hero mode" growth, where top-line revenue numbers are driven purely by the ad-hoc charisma, brute-force hustle, and personal networks of the founding team. Fractional revenue expert Mark Osborne demonstrates that his core framework addresses why this personality-driven revenue is actually a severe structural liability that drastically tanks a company's enterprise valuation during an M&A or investment round. If a business cannot mathematically prove that its customer acquisition engine is entirely predictable, repeatable, transferable, and independent of any single rainmaker, buyers will view that income stream as high-risk phantom equity.To convert volatile cash generation into a verified corporate asset, Mark details a systemized architecture built upon three interlocking workflows: attraction systems (leveraging hyper-targeted client profiles), acceleration systems (streamlining sales pipeline velocity via automated proposals), and activation systems (maximizing client onboarding and referral loops). When integrating artificial intelligence into this revenue strategy, executives must strictly avoid the mistake of chasing popular software tools before defining their core processes; AI must be deployed exclusively as a force multiplier layered onto pre-existing, human-mapped customer journeys. By visually whiteboarding the entire critical client flow, assigning absolute ownership to each conversion metric, and conducting rigorous quarterly quality-of-earnings audits, business leaders successfully build an institutionalized revenue engine that functions flawlessly without founder...

Not every client or firm lives in InDesign. And sometimes, for whatever reason, you're not able to use the Adobe Creative Suite programs, but still have to produce a presentable product. It may not be ideal, but it's going to be okay.In this episode of The Short(er) List, Becky sits down with Grace Takehara to talk about a reality every AEC designer eventually faces: the dreaded Word doc, the pesky PowerPoint deck, or the well-intentioned Canva link. How do we make the most of these tools and create something polished and professional? We have ideas.Becky and Grace dig into how to make the Microsoft and non-Adobe programs work harder than they're given credit for, how to overcome technical limitations, and how to keep your design standards intact even when the software is fighting you the whole way.This one's for every designer who's ever opened a proposal in Word or presentation in PowerPoint and felt their soul leave their body—and who made their peace, made it work, and lived to tell the tale.

Corporate change frameworks were built for… corporations. In a professional services partnership, they don't just underperform. They can collapse entire transformation programs before implementation even starts.In this week's episode of the Only Constant, Jasleen Randhawa discusses with Nellie Wartoft how the assumptions built into standard change management models break down in partnership structures, why formal approval is not the same as authority to execute, and what a bespoke approach to transformation in professional services actually looks like.Connect with:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Nellie Wartoft⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠CEO of ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Tigerhall⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Chair of the ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Executive Council for Leading Change (ECLC)⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠nellie@tigerhall.com

This is one of my favorite conversations that I wanted to replay this week. If you are in any post sales Customer Success, or Account Management world, you have most likely heard of this week's guest. This week's guest started his journey studying Information Systems and Software Engineering before making the shift into Professional Services, Support, and Customer Success. At the time of recording, he was an Executive VP of Corporate Market and Chief Customer Officer at Higher Logic. Now, he is the CEO of Balboa Solutions, where they help their clients maximize the value of the Pendo platform to power adoption, enablement, and user analytics.This week's guest is the heart of Mount Pleasant, South Carolina, Mr. Jay Nathan. In this week's episode, we discussed:Customer Centric MindsetNatural Curiosity For CustomersLessons From Duke Energy (Large Enterprises and Heavy Process)The Start of The Largest CS CommunityUsing Your Own ProductMuch More! Please enjoy this week's episode with Jay Nathan.____________________________________________________________________________I am now in the early stages of writing my first book! In this book, I will be telling my story of getting into sales and the lessons I have learned so far, and intertwine stories, tips, and advice from the Top Sales Professionals In The World! As a first time author, I want to share these interviews with you all, and take you on this book writing journey with me! Like the show? Subscribe to the email: https://mailchi.mp/a71e58dacffb/welcome-to-the-20-podcast-communityI want your feedback!Reach out to 20percentpodcastquestions@gmail.com, or find me on LinkedIn

What does it look like when someone making $10 million a year calls you and says, "Get me out of here"? For Alan Guarino, Vice Chairman of CEO and Board Services at Korn Ferry, it happens more than you'd think — and it's exactly what pushed him to write The Greatness Code: The Formula Behind Unstoppable Success. Alan has spent decades at the intersection of executive search, C-suite coaching, and talent strategy. He's seen it all: brilliant people in toxic environments, leaders who suck the oxygen out of every room, and — on the other end of the spectrum — a rare few whose leadership style is genuinely awe-inspiring. That range of experience is precisely what gives him the standing to write about greatness, and it's what makes this conversation so grounded. Peter and Alan start with a question that doesn't get asked enough: why would someone at Alan's level — running a globally dominant practice, advising Fortune 500 boards — invest serious time in writing a book and building a public voice? The answer is practical and principled at once. Thought leadership isn't a side hustle for people like Alan; it's a core part of how you stay relevant, how you earn trust before you're even in the room, and how you differentiate in a world full of smart people doing similar work. One of the sharpest moments in the conversation comes when Alan offers what he calls his "secret sauce" — the one thing all top 1% professionals have in common. It's not pedigree. It's not a particular skill set. It's the ability to be impressive, authentically. And as Peter quickly unpacks, there's a right way and a wrong way to do that. The blowhard keynote speaker reads as exposure. The quiet practitioner whose work speaks for itself reads as visibility. Alan knows the difference firsthand. The conversation also covers the lifecycle of thought leadership — from white papers and CNBC appearances to publishing with Wiley — and what intellectual curiosity has to do with all of it. Alan's advice to younger professionals considering this path is unusually direct: if the idea of documenting, sharing, and defending a point of view doesn't excite you, find a different career. If you're a practitioner in professional services trying to figure out how ideas scale your business — or a leader trying to stay on track in a difficult environment — this one's for you. Three Key Takeaways: • There's a leadership crisis hiding in plain sight at the top of organizations. Alan regularly hears from executives earning $700K–$30M who are miserable — not because of the work, but because of their leaders. The problem isn't exclusive to middle management; it runs all the way to the C-suite. • The top 1% of professionals share one defining trait: they find a way to be impressive authentically. It's not about self-promotion or personal branding for its own sake — it's about doing the work at such a level that the conclusion becomes obvious. The key word is authentically; people see through anything else immediately. • Thought leadership isn't separate from your day job — it is your day job. Alan frames intellectual curiosity, documentation, and sharing a point of view as professional obligations, not extras. The analogy he uses is sharp: a plumber who never walks the supply store aisles ends up with outdated tools. The same applies to any practitioner who stops engaging with the evolving ideas in their field. Enjoyed this episode? Check out Episode 471 with Raoul Davis. Alan talked about how thought leadership builds credibility and puts you at the front of the line with clients. Raoul Davis goes deeper on the strategic side — specifically how executives and CEOs build intentional brand equity that drives real business results. Same audience, same problem, different lens. Worth the hour.

AI has moved from an experimental playground to an everyday reality, and AEC firms are figuring out how to use it responsibly and effectively. On this episode of The Shortlist, Wendy Simmons, Becky Ellison, and Hana Kaneko explore how AI is impacting AEC marketing from proposal support and content editing to data organization and workflow efficiencies. The Middle of Six team discusses the opportunities and challenges of AI adoption, including security, bias, intellectual property concerns, and environmental impacts. Their ultimate stance: MO6 is Human at Heart. While AI can accelerate tasks and improve efficiency, it cannot replace strategic thinking, authentic relationships, or the creativity that helps firms differentiate themselves and win work.And robots will never be funny. CPSM CEU Credits: 0.5 | Domain: 6

In the era of remote and hybrid work, your home office is either working for you or against you. And if you're reading this from your couch with a laptop balanced on a throw pillow—you might be ready for some improvements to your situation.In this episode of The Short(er) List, Becky sits down with guest Hanna Kaneko to tackle the space where the real work takes place, and where so many ergonomic decisions come into play. They dig into what it  takes to build a home office setup that supports a happy, healthy, and efficient day—and how to keep your mind right when the tether of the desk feels unbreakable.From lighting and layout to tools and temperature, they discuss the small upgrades that can make a big difference. No, you don't need a standing desk that costs more than your car. Yes, you probably do need to stop working from the kitchen table.Settle in and get ready for some tips! Your wrists, your eyes, your brain and your back will all thank you.

In this episode of The Professional Services Pursuit, Brent sits down with Kantata CEO Michael Speranza and Chief Product Strategy Officer Sarah Edwards to explore a growing challenge facing professional services firms: AI sprawl.Michael and Sarah discuss why professional services require a different approach to AI — one built around business context, connected operations, and institutional knowledge. They share their perspective on how firms can move beyond isolated automation to intelligence-driven operations, and how those ideas shaped the development of Kantata's newly launched Expertise Agent capabilities.Key topics covered:Why the explosion of AI tools and role-specific agents is creating more complexity, silos, and noise for professional services firmsThe critical role of business context in AI, and why better decisions require a connected view across sales, resourcing, delivery, and financialsThe launch of Kantata's Expertise Agent and why the company chose to build a context-aware AI superagent instead of workflow-specific agentsHow leading firms can capture institutional knowledge, learn from every project, and turn expertise into a scalable competitive advantageWhat will separate the highest-performing professional services organizations in the emerging "Expertise Era"To learn more about Kantata's new AI capabilities, click here. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

We've got 3 upcoming events over the next two weeks – including a live webinar, a breakfast in Toronto, and a conference in NYC. Which one can you attend?Online Webinar – Tuesday 23rd June, 12pm UK Find out how a global, multi-entity consultancy went from spreadsheets, silos and missing timesheets to a 33% uplift in project profitability and 20% uplift in staff utilisation – all within 7 months. Free to attend, register here: https://bit.ly/DGA-webinarThe Handbook: Breakfast Sessions – Toronto, Thursday 25th June Harv is joining Galen Low from The Digital Project Manager to discuss the delicate balance between project pressures and profitability. For ops, finance and delivery folks. Free to attend, register here: https://bit.ly/BreakfastToronto Agency Hackers Operations Conference – NYC, Tuesday 30th June We're gathering in NYC to try to answer the question: what does a more efficient, more profitable, AI-enabled agency actually look like operationally? And more importantly – how are other agencies already starting to make that shift? An excellent line-up including the brilliant Karl Sakas.  More info: https://www.agencyhackers.com/events/nyc/DM Harv for free tickets: https://www.linkedin.com/in/harvnagraHope to see you at one of the above! 

Most businesses will go through some kind of change management challenge – a new tool, a restructure, a rebrand. But what does it look like when you're doing that across eight acquired businesses, each with their own people, systems, culture, and way of doing things?Jonathan Healey is Group Technology Director at IDHL, a 500-person UK digital agency group that has grown through eight acquisitions. He's been at the center of every integration – aligning systems, consolidating brands, and figuring out what actually has to happen, and in what order, before any of it can work.This is a conversation about what M&A integration really looks like on the ground – and why, at its core, it's a change management problem more than a technology one.Here's what we get into:• Why the back office has to move first – and what happens when it doesn't• The "us vs them" dynamic that can derail an integration before it starts• How to decide what to standardize and what to leave alone• Why process is poison – and what good process actually looks like• Build vs buy: when in-house systems become a liability• AI adoption as a change management challenge – and the federated model IDHL is using to scale itWhether you're navigating an acquisition, thinking about one, or just trying to get a new way of working to stick across your team – this one's got something for you.Additional Resources:

What type of AEC marketer are you? Are you the Eagle Eye, catching every compliance detail? The Octopus, juggling a dozen priorities at once? The Cheerleader, keeping your team motivated? Or maybe the MacGyver; the marketer who always finds a way to save the day?!In this special episode of The Shortlist, the entire Middle of Six team jumps on the podcast to discuss "The Marketers"—MO6's wildcard personalities that celebrate the strengths and superpowers that make AEC marketers so unique and invaluable. Through personal stories, shared experiences, and plenty of laughter, the team spills the tea on how these traits show up in their daily work and how to leverage these strengths without getting pigeonholed into certain roles.Listen in, see which character sounds most like you, and take the quiz at middleofsix.com/wildcards.

There's always a lot going on in the world of AEC marketing. The deadlines are real, the pressure can build, and somewhere between all of the submittal requirements, check-in meetings, task lists, and marketing production, it's easy to get overwhelmed by the details and lose sight of the bigger picture.In this episode of The Short(er) List, Becky sits down with Grace Takehara for a conversation that has nothing to do with proposal strategy and everything to do with the person behind all that planning. They talk about finding balance (even in the small moments), setting up a home office that actually feels good to sit in, and how to make space to celebrate the wins—without immediately pivoting to the next thing.Whether you're thriving, surviving, or somewhere in the middle, we're got you covered with a conversation that is practical, honest, and committed to sparking joy in your day-to-day—because you deserve it!

Have you ever wondered what it's actually like to work with Middle of Six? In this episode of The Shortlist, Principals Wendy Simmons and Melissa Richey answer one of the most common questions they hear from AEC firms: “How does this even work?”From the first meet-and-greet conversation to onboarding, discovery sessions, project check-ins, and final deliverables, Wendy and Melissa walk through how MO6 plugs into teams to provide strategic marketing and business development support. And in classic MO6 style, they're transparent about the challenges many firms face before bringing on extra support, including back-to-back deadlines, budget constraints, team personalities, and even the fear of letting an outside consultant see behind-the-scenes.Leave those worries behind and hear first-hand how bringing on an outside perspective can add tremendous value to your in-house team.

In this episode, Michael Lourie, Founder & Managing Partner, Driver Media Worldwide, joins the podcast to discuss how his firm helps law firms and businesses drive lead generation through digital marketing, LinkedIn strategy, targeted campaigns, and data-driven client engagement while serving as an outsourced extension of their teams.