Growing Consultancies 029: From 2009 Crash Start-up to 56 People | Matthew Jones of Jones Hargreaves

In this episode of Growing Consultancies, Paul sits down with Matthew Jones, co-founder of Jones Hargreaves. Starting a business in 2009, right in the aftermath of the financial crash, wasn’t exactly perfect timing. But nearly 15 years on, Jones Hargreaves has grown into a 56-person, multi-disciplinary consultancy with seven offices across the UK.Matthew shares the journey from those uncertain early days, where cashflow was tight and the future unclear, through to building a stable, respected business grounded in good people, strong client relationships, and consistently doing the basics well.What stands out in this conversation is the approach. No hype, no aggressive growth targets, just a clear focus on delivering quality work, building trust, and evolving the business in line with what clients actually need.We also explore how the firm has expanded beyond traditional building surveying into M&E and energy, why that shift matters, and how it positions them for the future of the built environment.Along the way, Matthew gives an honest view on leadership, hiring, mistakes, and why giving people responsibility, rather than controlling everything, is key to sustainable growth.We discuss:- Building a consultancy from scratch during the 2008 to 2009 crash- Growing to 56 people across 7 offices organically- Expanding into M&E and energy to meet changing client demands- Why building surveying is entering a “golden era”- Creating a strong culture and empowering teams- Lessons learned from mistakes and missed opportunities- The real impact of AI and tech on the industryA thoughtful and grounded conversation for anyone building, or thinking about building, a consultancy.Matthew JonesJones Hargreaves🎙️ Full episode available now🔔 Subscribe for more conversations with leaders in construction and property#buildingsurveying #constructionindustry #propertyindustry #consultancy #businessgrowth #entrepreneurship #leadership #ukconstruction #commercialproperty #builtenvironment