#44 Rethinking Consulting: Bridging the Execution Gap in Education and Practice with Professor Joe O’Mahoney

In this episode, we cut through the widespread consulting industry hyperbole - specifically the headlines claiming that AI is overnight replacing top-tier consulting firms, permanently eliminating junior roles, and rendering traditional pricing models completely irrelevant. I am joined by Prof Joe O'Mahoney to debunk these panic-driven narratives using hard market data. Joe reveals that the global consulting market is actually growing, and he explains why traditional commercial models remain resilient, shifting the focus instead to the real, long-term margin pressures facing the sector. Designed for consulting leaders and business schools alike, this conversation explores how to bridge the academic "Execution Gap" by designing a curriculum that treats AI as a workflow accelerator while doubling down on the irreplaceable, human-centric foundations of elite strategic advisory: trust, deep relationship-building, and critical thinking. About the guest: Prof Joe O’Mahoney helps the owners of boutique consulting firms scale the equity value of those firms. As a Professor of Consulting, Joe has spent 23 years studying 'what works' when it comes to scaling mid-market professional service firms and applying this to helping de-risk the growth journey of hundreds of firms. He joined forces with several other experts on the growth, scaling and sale of consulting firms in order to launch Equity Sherpa, a strategy consultancy dedicated to identifying and enabling the levers of equity growth for professional service firms. Outside of Equity Sherpa, he is a (part-time) Professor of Consulting at Cardiff University and have published several award-winning books and journal articles on the consulting industry. If you’d like to explore the books mentioned in the discussion, you can find it here: Growth - Building a Successful Consultancy in the Digital Age by Joe O'Mahoney Getting Naked: A Business Fable About Shedding The Three Fears That Sabotage Client Loyalty by Patrick Lencioni The Boutique: How To Start, Scale, And Sell A Professional Services Firm by Greg Alexander Final note: If you found this conversation valuable, please share it with your network or leave a rating wherever you listen to podcasts, it really helps grow the conversation. Disclaimer: The views expressed in this podcast are for informational and discussion purposes only and do not constitute financial, investment, or professional advice. Listeners should consult a qualified advisor before making any business or investment decisions.