EPISODE · Feb 25, 2026 · 55 MIN
Growing Consultancies 026: 20 Years in Consultancy| Shaun Harris on Leadership, Growth and Modernising
from Pegasus Radio · host Paul Micallef
In this episode of the Growing Consultancies podcast, I speak to Shaun Harris of Harris Associates. Shaun is a proper “been there, done it” business owner, there are plenty of pearls of wisdom in this conversation. We talk about doing things the traditional way for a long time, then recognising when it’s time to modernise. We also get into leadership, wearing multiple hats as a business owner, and why compliance and building safety is one of the biggest opportunities in the market right now.It’s also a refreshing one for the podcast, because we’ve not had many guests so far from the building surveying and compliance space, and Shaun brings a really grounded, practical perspective.We discuss:• What Harris Associates actually does and how the business is structured (multi-disciplinary, multi-office)• Why compliance is a huge growth area and where the real opportunity sits (especially with existing buildings)• Growing headcount from the low 30s towards 40 and the challenge of finding quality people• How PI insurance has changed and why it matters so much for higher-risk work• How the business pivoted post-2019 and why speed of decision-making is a competitive advantage• Modernising the “traditional way” by working smarter, improving systems, and using tech without losing expertise• AI, digital tools, and the risk of losing future senior talent if juniors don’t learn the fundamentals• Leadership, time management, and how Shaun prioritises in a week where everything changes daily• Taking risks, getting comfortable with failure, and why attitude matters as much as technical ability• What success really looks like beyond money, turnover, and titlesIf you’re a consultant, surveyor, business owner, or anyone navigating change in the built environment, you’ll take something from this one.Shaun HarrisHarris AssociatesSubscribe for more episodes.#growingconsultancies #buildingsurveying #compliance #buildingsafety #firesafety #builtenvironment #consultancylife #leadership #businessgrowth #constructionindustry #propertyconsultancy #retrofit #netzero #professionalservices
What this episode covers
In this episode of the Growing Consultancies podcast, I speak to Shaun Harris of Harris Associates. Shaun is a proper “been there, done it” business owner, there are plenty of pearls of wisdom in this conversation. We talk about doing things the traditional way for a long time, then recognising when it’s time to modernise. We also get into leadership, wearing multiple hats as a business owner, and why compliance and building safety is one of the biggest opportunities in the market right now.It’s also a refreshing one for the podcast, because we’ve not had many guests so far from the building surveying and compliance space, and Shaun brings a really grounded, practical perspective.We discuss:• What Harris Associates actually does and how the business is structured (multi-disciplinary, multi-office)• Why compliance is a huge growth area and where the real opportunity sits (especially with existing buildings)• Growing headcount from the low 30s towards 40 and the challenge of finding quality people• How PI insurance has changed and why it matters so much for higher-risk work• How the business pivoted post-2019 and why speed of decision-making is a competitive advantage• Modernising the “traditional way” by working smarter, improving systems, and using tech without losing expertise• AI, digital tools, and the risk of losing future senior talent if juniors don’t learn the fundamentals• Leadership, time management, and how Shaun prioritises in a week where everything changes daily• Taking risks, getting comfortable with failure, and why attitude matters as much as technical ability• What success really looks like beyond money, turnover, and titlesIf you’re a consultant, surveyor, business owner, or anyone navigating change in the built environment, you’ll take something from this one.Shaun HarrisHarris AssociatesSubscribe for more episodes.#growingconsultancies #buildingsurveying #compliance #buildingsafety #firesafety #builtenvironment #consultancylife #leadership #businessgrowth #constructionindustry #propertyconsultancy #retrofit #netzero #professionalservices
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Growing Consultancies 026: 20 Years in Consultancy| Shaun Harris on Leadership, Growth and Modernising
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