The Consulting Pulse by CMap

What if your pricing strategy - not your sales pipeline - was the fastest way to grow profit? Brian Doyle, CEO of Holden Advisors, shares how firms can identify unprofitable clients, segment value properly, and implement pricing changes that actually stick in the real world.Visit Holden Advisors: https://holdenadvisors.com/Visit CMap: https://www.cmap.io/Follow Brian on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/brianadoyle/Follow Ben on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/benmedwards/

Mark Palmer from Equity Sherpa joins this episode (hosted by Prof. Joe O'Mahoney) to reveal the strategies, value proposition tactics, and lessons learned from scaling and successfully exiting an OEE consulting firm.Visit Equity Sherpa: https://equitysherpa.com/Visit CMap: https://www.cmap.io/Follow Mark on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/markpalmeroee/Follow Joe on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/joeomahoney/Follow Ben on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/benmedwards/

James O’Sullivan, CEO of Project One, shares how his firm cuts through the noise, earns trust at the highest levels, and delivers large scale projects that lead to long lasting client relationships.Visit Project One - https://projectone.com/Visit CMap - https://www.cmap.io/Follow James on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/james-o-sullivan-3a2596/Follow Ben on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/benmedwards/

Most consulting firms don't have a marketing problem... they have a positioning problem. Matt Hodkinson, CEO & Founder of consulting marketing agency Tylt, shares how to escape the “sea of sameness,” build confidence in your sales conversations, and create positioning that stops the scroll (without resorting to gimmicks).Visit Tylt - https://tylt.consulting/Visit CMap - https://www.cmap.io/Follow Matt on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/matthodkinson/Follow Ben on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/benmedwards/

When most boutique consultancies think about growth, they picture new service lines, new sectors, or new hires. Clarity did the opposite. Andrew Moore (Partner) joins us to reveal why going deep before going wide paid off as the firm expanded from Australia to the UK to the Middle East.Visit Clarity: https://www.ccal.co.uk/Visit CMap: https://www.cmap.io/Follow Andrew on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/andrew-moore-7b0ab63/Follow Ben on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/benmedwards/

Mike Hicks, CEO of growth and investment advisory firm Catalysis Advisory, draws on real-world consulting projects to reveal the strengths that set firms apart... and the blind spots that hold them back.Visit Catalysis: https://www.catalysis-advisory.com/Visit CMap: https://www.cmap.io/Follow Mike on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mikehickscatalysis/Follow Ben on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/benmedwards/

Why do smart strategies so often fail in practice? Bryon Morrison, Co-Founder & CEO of Proxxy, breaks down the execution gap inside growing consulting firms... and how CEOs actually get big initiatives delivered.Visit Proxxy: https://proxxy.com/Visit CMap: https://www.cmap.io/Follow Bryon on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bryonmorrison/Follow Ben on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/benmedwards/

What happens when your personal brand is driving growth... but also creating a bottleneck? Jacob Green, President & CEO of Californian public sector-serving Jacob Green & Associates, reveals the challenges no one talks about when scaling a boutique consultancy.Visit Jacob Green & Associates: https://jacobgreenandassociates.com/Visit CMap: https://www.cmap.io/Follow Jacob on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jacob-green-keynote/Follow Ben on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/benmedwards/

Are 10x multiples real, or marketing hype? In this episode, we speak to Jonathan Wilson, CEO & Founder of Dubb Value Creation, to get a behind-the-scenes view on who’s buying professional services firms, what separates great exits from painful ones, valuation myths, buyer behavior, and what actually kills exits.Visit Dubb Value Creation - https://www.dubbvalue.com/Visit CMap - https://www.cmap.io/Follow Jonathan on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/jonathan-wilson-dubb-value/Follow Ben on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/benmedwards/

How can life sciences consultancies thrive amid consolidation, margin pressures, and AI disruption? Neil Flash, Owner of Ignition Consulting, shares his insights on growth, profitability, and building boutique firms that truly deliver value.Visit Ignition Consulting: https://www.ignitionconsulting.uk/Follow Neil on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/neilflashVisit CMap: https://www.cmap.io/Follow Ben on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/benmedwards/

A culture architect and a lawyer walk into a firm... This episode, Sel Watts (Founder & CEO, wattsnextpx) and Todd Stanton (Founder & Principal, Stanton Law) unpack the true drivers of growth in professional services businesses, discussing leadership traps, HR blind spots, and - inevitably - how AI is reshaping teams & firm structures.Visit Stanton Law: https://stantonlawllc.com/Follow Todd on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/toddstanton/Visit wattsnextpx: https://www.wattsnextpx.com/Follow Sel on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/selwatts/Visit CMap: https://www.cmap.io/Follow Ben on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/benmedwards/

AI is reshaping consulting - but not in the way most people think. Micheline El Housseini Timbrell, CEO and Founder of Phi Management, shares how AI, leadership, and cultural agility intersect when scaling a firm across the Middle East and Europe.Visit Phi Management: https://phimanagement.com/Follow Micheline on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/micheline-el-housseini-timbrell-16659ab/Visit CMap: https://www.cmap.io/Follow Ben on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/benmedwards/⁠

Consulting is under pressure. AI, price wars, and shifting client expectations are changing the game faster than many firms can respond to. In this special live episode, I'm joined by Prof. Joe O'Mahoney, who unpacks what’s really happening beneath the headlines, where the risks are real, and where smart firms are finding opportunity. Visit Prof. Joe's website: https://joeomahoney.com/Visit Equity Sherpa: https://equitysherpa.com/Visit CMap: https://www.cmap.io/Follow Joe on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/joeomahoney/Follow Ben on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/benmedwards/

We sit down with the "Father of PSA" and Managing Director of Service Performance Insight (SPI), Dave Hofferberth, to go through nearly two decades of PS research & benchmarks. We'll find out what separates good firms from great firms and unpack the data every PS firm should be measuring themselves against.Visit SPI: https://spiresearch.com/Follow Dave on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dave-hofferberth/Visit CMap: https://www.cmap.io/Follow Ben on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/benmedwards/

Most boutique firms don’t fail because of competition. They fail because they refuse to evolve. In this episode, Jeff Klaumann, COO of Collective 54, breaks down the future of boutique professional services firms in what he calls “Era 3”: shift from human-only delivery to AI-enabled, technology-driven firms.Jeff shares insights from working with hundreds of ambitious founders, revealing the patterns behind fast growth, efficient operations, and successful exits... and why the next era belongs to firms that embrace both community and technology.Visit Collective 54: https://www.collective54.com/Follow Jeff on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jeffklaumann/Visit CMap: https://www.cmap.io/Follow Ben on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/benmedwards/

Founder and author Jessica Rimmer shares how she’s grown her boutique firm, Solomon Strategic Advisors, through clear methodology, strong culture, and a team-driven approach - all while avoiding the classic founder bottleneck. Visit Solomon: https://solomonsa.com/Follow Jessica on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jessica-rimmer-ph-d-916b4354/Visit CMap: https://www.cmap.io/Follow Ben on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/benmedwards/

If you want to grow revenue without relying on 'rainmakers', you'll need to develop your talent and build a high-impact team. In this episode, Deri Hughes and Colin Mann join us from Honeycomb, a leading consulting skills training firm, to share the strategies and mindset required to empower your experts, upskill your teams, and cascade effective sales and leadership behaviors across your firm.Visit Honeycomb: https://www.honeycombps.co.uk/Follow Deri on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/derihughes/Follow Colin on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/colin-mann/Visit CMap: https://www.cmap.io/Follow Ben on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/benmedwards/

This week's guest left behind the big logos to run his own boutique firm. I'm joined by Dane Callow, founder of Spinnaker, a North American life sciences strategy consulting firm. With real domain expertise, you'll hear from Dane's unique perspective as both a founder and investor.Visit Spinnaker: https://www.spinnakerls.com/Visit CMap: https://www.cmap.io/

What truly drives sustainable growth for consulting firms? This week, we speak to Brian Albers, CEO & founder of Pemmerations, to hear his strategies and insights for firms who want to unlock both profitability & scalability.Visit Pemmerations: https://pemmerations.com/Follow Brian on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/balbers/Visit CMap: https://www.cmap.io/Follow Ben on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/benmedwards/

Selling complex services is becoming more and more difficult & competitive - so how do consulting firms stand out? The answer is proof, and this week's guest knows all about it.James De Roche founded Lead Comet, which helps professional services firms create proof that closes deals. Find out exactly why testimonials and case studies hold so much power, why yours might not be working, and how to transform them into pipeline-boosting assets.Visit Lead Comet: https://leadcometdigital.com/Follow James on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jamesleadcomet/Visit CMap: https://www.cmap.io/Follow Ben on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/benmedwards/

How can boutique consulting firms selling into complex markets like life sciences move beyond founder-led growth? In this episode, SBR Consulting’s George Clarke explains how to align marketing, sales, and delivery to build a go-to-market engine that scales... without losing authenticity or trust.Visit SBR: https://sbrconsulting.com/Follow George on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/georgeeclarke33/Visit CMap: https://www.cmap.io/Follow Ben on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/benmedwards/

Consulting leaders have less time than ever to lead their firm - all while coping with growing expectations from clients, higher demand from colleagues, and challenging market conditions.COO & Partner at Pemmerations, Randell Mauricio, joins the podcast to discuss the disconnect between what execs want to do versus what they end up focusing on, and how consulting founders can find the time - and the energy - to lead with purpose.Visit Pemmerations: https://pemmerations.com/Follow Randell on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/randell-mauricio/Visit CMap: https://www.cmap.io/Follow Ben on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/benmedwards/

Hear from B2B sales & marketing expert Brian Andersen, Senior Partner at one of the fastest-growing Scandi boutique consulting firms, Kvadrant. He reveals the success behind their deeply-embedded sales & marketing culture, alongside their unique compensation structure and attribution model, and shares his top sales & marketing strategies for both boutique and enterprise firms.Visit Kvadrant: https://www.kvadrant.dk/Follow Brian on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/brandersen/Visit CMap: https://www.cmap.io/Follow Ben on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/benmedwards/

Founding partner & COO of global life sciences consultancy Herspiegel, Beth Schurman, shares her story in this episode. She reveals exactly how Herspiegel went from startup to 300+ staff, with offices across the world, leveraging PE investment and a leading M&A strategy. Visit Herspiegel: https://herspiegel.com/Follow Beth on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bethschurman/Visit CMap: https://www.cmap.io/Follow Ben on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/benmedwards/

Legal expert from N.A. law firm Winstead PC, Manny Clark, shares insights from hundreds of professional services deals, exits and MBOs. Covering both the good - the best practices firms follow to achieve excellent outcomes - and the bad - the stumbling blocks and legal pitfalls that kill deals, Ben and Manny will help you expect the unexpected when seeking an exit.Visit Winstead PC - https://www.winstead.com/Follow Manny on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/emanuelclark/Visit CMap - https://www.cmap.io/⁠Follow Ben on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/benmedwards/

Growing life sciences consulting firm Fingerpost reveal how they built an expansive network of associates, advisors, and clients to win in their niche. With CEO (Catherine Bacon) and COO (Victoria Wooldridge) perspectives, we find out how they went from freelance to professional firm, from white label delivery to building a brand, and from being agency partner to being trusted and known experts in their own right.Visit Fingerpost: fingerpostconsulting.comFollow Catherine on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/catherine-bacon-fpc/Follow Victoria on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/victoria-wooldridge-41630a43/Visit CMap: cmap.ioFollow Ben on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/benmedwards/

Nik Fuller, Founder of the rapidly growing privacy technology boutique FLLR Consulting, shares his top 5 lead gen & sales tactics, why he laser-focused on a particular niche, and the key decisions that enabled the firm to scale so quickly.Visit FLLR Consulting: https://www.fllrconsulting.com/Follow Nik on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nikfuller/Visit CMap: https://www.cmap.io/Follow Ben on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/benmedwards/

I'm joined by Nick Synnott, MD at Create Engage, for a no-nonsense look at how smart consulting firms adapt their marketing strategy as they grow. We unpack the common traps firms fall into and share practical strategies to build a brand and pipeline that grows with your business.Follow Nick on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nicksynnott/Visit Create Engage: https://www.createengage.co.uk/Follow Ben on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/benmedwards/Visit CMap: cmap.io

This week, I'm joined by US national team Olympian Kathleen Kauth, who has since pivoted to consulting. She'll be sharing the lessons learnt from her time as a medal-winning athlete - and how these have carried over into her career. Expect to hear all about the challenges of running an effective & efficient firm, and the problems she's solved in her time as COO for cleantech consultancy Mantle Dev.Follow Kathleen on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kathleen-kauth-innovation/Visit Mantle Dev: mantledev.comFollow Ben on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/benmedwards/Visit CMap: cmap.io

This episode, I'm joined by Anthony Paluska, from McMann & Ransford - founders of The Consultant's Way: an e-learning platform with a mission to enhance consulting skills across professional services organizations. Anthony will be sharing why he chose to create the platform, the learnings and opportunities discovered along the way, and the validation points & KPIs they looked for as they scaled their offering.Follow Anthony on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/anthony-paluska-5081804b/Visit The Consultant's Way: https://www.consultantsway.com/Visit McMann & Ransford: https://mcmannransford.com/Follow Ben on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/benmedwards/Visit CMap: cmap.io

I'm joined once again by Mark Sloan, Managing Director at Asaph Advisors, for a finance masterclass to improve your firm's financial fitness for the next 12 months. We'll explain how you can build a culture with financial understanding, deliver with stronger margins, solve classic project delivery problems, and give you some KPIs and reporting cadences to build into your own business. Follow Mark on LinkedIn: ⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/mark-sloan-70500b3/⁠Visit Asaph Advisors: ⁠https://asaphadvisors.com/⁠Follow Ben on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/benmedwards/Visit CMap: https://www.cmap.io/

This week, I'm joined by Kungfu.ai's Christian Barnard and Ron Green, as well as previous guest Professor Joe O'Mahoney as we delve into the myths, truths, and the hype vs. reality of AI from those who know it best!Follow Christian on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/christianbarnard/Follow Ron on LinkedIn: ⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/rongreen/Follow Prof Joe on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/joeomahoney/Visit KungFu.ai: https://www.kungfu.ai/Looking for more consulting insights? Sign up to our newsletter - https://hubs.ly/Q03t-JxT0

I'm joined by Alex Desyatnik and Jason Carley from Pearson Ham Group to discuss pricing and packaging strategies in professional services. We also explore fixed-bid engagements, retainers, value-based pricing, and how services are sold versus delivered.Follow Alex on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alexanderdesyatnik/Follow Jason on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jjcarley/Visit Pearson Ham: https://www.pearsonhamgroup.com/Follow Ben on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/benmedwards/Looking for more consulting insights? Sign up to our newsletter - https://hubs.ly/Q03t-JxT0Visit CMap: https://www.cmap.io/

I'm joined by Simon England (Partner @ Garwood Growth) & Jeff Merkle (Senior Partner @ GRAPH Strategy) as we tackle the most challenging people problems facing consulting firms. Learn how to recruit, retain, and grow with the essential characteristics of a successful talent strategy. Follow Simon on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/simon-england-88763376/Visit Garwood Growth: https://garwoodgrowth.com/Follow Jeff: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jeffmerkle/Visit GRAPH: https://www.graphstrategy.com/Follow Ben on LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/benmedwardsVisit CMap: cmap.ioLooking for more consulting insights? Sign up to our newsletter - https://hubs.ly/Q03t-JxT0

I'm joined by Mark Sloan, Managing Director at Asaph Advisors, for a complete masterclass on all things resourcing and operations for consulting firms. We'll be tackling the common issues businesses face, the essentials for each stage of growth, the KPIs you should be obsessing over, and much, much more. Follow Mark on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mark-sloan-70500b3/Visit Asaph Advisors: https://asaphadvisors.com/Follow Ben on LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/benmedwardsVisit CMap: cmap.io

Once again, I'm joined by Simon England, Partner at Garwood Growth, as well as two experts from Oakland: previous Financial Director Rachel Smith, and CEO Richard Corderoy. In this episode, we'll be exploring different data models and systems, reporting and metrics, and broader industry themes to help consulting firms make the most of data and drive better business decisions. Follow Simon on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/simon-england-88763376/Visit Garwood Growth: https://garwoodgrowth.com/Follow Rachel on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rachel-smith-fca-8a514353/details/experience/Follow Richard on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/corderoy/Visit Oakland: weareoakland.com/Follow Ben on LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/benmedwardsVisit CMap: cmap.io

I'm joined by Nick Synott (Director @ Create Engage), Nicola Thomson (Head of Marketing @ Oakland) and Andy Crossley (Director @ Oakland) for a marketing masterclass for consulting firms. We'll be ignoring 'silver bullets' and hype cycles to focus on the most critical, misunderstood, and often forgotten aspect of business development: your long-term marketing strategy! Follow Nick on LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/nicksynnott/Visit Create Engage: createengage.co.uk/Follow Nicola on LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/nicola-thomson-6261a517/Follow Andy on LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/acrossley/Visit Oakland: weareoakland.com/Follow Ben on LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/benmedwardsVisit CMap: cmap.io

I'm joined by Simon Dixon (CEO & Founder, Hatmill), John Hayward (Logistics & Supply Chain Consultant, Hatmill) and Danny Dixon (Founder of Portevo) to explore whether consulting firms need to conform to stereotypical structures to grow... or are there alternative paths available to success?Follow Simon on LinkedIn -Follow John on LinkedIn - Follow Danny on LinkedIn - linkedin.com/in/dandix/Visit Hatmill - hatmill.comFollow Ben on LinkedIn - linkedin.com/in/benmedwardsVisit CMap - cmap.io

I'm joined by Jerome Glynn-Smith, Managing Director at Equiteq & Alex Thomson, Partner at Growth Capital Partners (GCP), as they share tips and tricks to maximize your shareholder value and exit prospects.Follow Jerome on LinkedIn - linkedin.com/in/jerome-glynn-smith-aa7371a/Visit Equiteq - equiteq.comFollow Alex on LinkedIn - linkedin.com/in/alex-thomson-19abb178/Visit GCP - growthcapital.co.ukFollow Ben on LinkedIn - linkedin.com/in/benmedwardsVisit CMap - cmap.io

I'm joined by Michael Burton, Co-Founder & CEO of Stitch, a tech-forward marketing consultancy that has blazed through the ranks with triple-digit revenue growth in the last three years. Using his 25 years' experience in professional services, Michael will be revealing the recipe to the firm's success - high profitability, high margins and global growth - taking from his own lessons learned in the past.Follow Michael on LinkedIn - linkedin.com/in/michaeldburton/Visit Stitch - stitch.cxFollow Ben on LinkedIn - linkedin.com/in/benmedwardsVisit CMap - cmap.io

I'm joined by Mark Cranstoun, CEO & Co-Founder of Total Negotiation, to learn how he led the UK firm through a global expansion spanning Europe, North & South America, Australia, and beyond. We'll be exploring the challenges & opportunities Mark faced over time, so if you're looking to grow your firm internationally, Mark has plenty of learnings to share!Follow Mark on LinkedIn - linkedin.com/in/mark-cranstoun-5937a32/Follow Ben on LinkedIn - linkedin.com/in/benmedwardsVisit CMap - cmap.ioVisit Total Negotiation - https://totalnegotiation.com/en-gb/

Only 20% of boutique consulting firms ever break through their first real growth ceiling.Why?Because visionary founders don’t always make great operators.In this episode of The Consulting Pulse, I talk with Brian Albers and Randell Mauricio of Pemmerations—who specialize in fractional COO services for pro services firms.We cover:When founders really need helpMetrics that matter (hint: it’s more than just revenue)How to stop being the bottleneck in your businessReal stories of turning chaos into clarityFollow Brian on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/balbers/Follow Randell on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/randell-mauricio/Follow Ben on LinkedIn - linkedin.com/in/benmedwardsVisit CMap - cmap.ioVisit Pemmerations - https://pemmerations.com/

In this episode, I'm joined by two people specialists to the consulting world: Caroline Boston, MD at New Minds, and Mike James, CEO of WeWhoDo. We'll be discussing how focusing on how to get the right people with the right skills in your firm and on your projects - and how this can catapult growth & profitability for your business!Follow Caroline on LinkedIn - linkedin.com/in/gcbostonFollow Mike on LinkedIn - linkedin.com/in/mike-james-a3a44732Follow Ben on LinkedIn - linkedin.com/in/benmedwardsVisit CMap - cmap.io

I'm joined by Tom Arkell, Managing Director of Nimbl Consulting, to hear how he took the firm from start-up to success in an increasingly competitive and volatile market. We'll find out what worked about his approach to growth, how he navigated industry - and global - challenges, and the lessons he learned building a high-impact, people-centric firm.Follow Tom on LinkedIn - linkedin.com/in/tomarkellVisit Nimbl - nimblconsulting.comFollow Ben on LinkedIn - linkedin.com/in/benmedwardsVisit CMap - cmap.io

We're joined by Prof. Joe O'Mahoney & Michael Zipursky as they talk us through the key challenges and opportunities of growing a consulting firm in the UK & US.Follow Prof. Joe on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/joeomahoney/Follow Michael on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/zipursky/Follow Ben on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/benmedwards/Visit CMap - www.cmap.io

Today we're joined for a second time by James O'Sullivan, CEO of one of the UK’s best-known boutique consulting firms, Project One. We explore how he attracted high-quality talent & built a hugely successful firm… all without chasing growth, shiny service lines or inorganic expansion.Follow James on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/james-o-sullivan-3a2596/Follow Project One on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/company/project-one-ltd/Follow Ben on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/benmedwards/Visit CMap - www.cmap.io

Today I'm joined by Karen Thomas-Bland (Non Exec, Optima Partners & Archus) and David Jorgenson (CEO at Equiteq).Learn what makes consulting firms investable, what investors focus on, and how firms can prepare for PE investment or an exit – right across operations, finance, delivery and sales. Follow Karen on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/karenthomas-bland/Follow David on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/david-jorgenson-a5424a/Follow Ben on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/benmedwards/Visit CMap - www.cmap.io

I'm joined by Richard Longstreet, Founder of Tarka Talent, who has placed hundreds of consultants across both large and boutique consultancies. Using his firsthand experience, we'll discuss the opportunities, challenges, successes, and pitfalls of building high-performing teams.Striking the right balance between securing top talent and avoiding costly mis-hires is one of the most pervasive challenges for consulting firms. Many still rely on traditional methods like personal networks or overlook critical factors like cultural and business fit—leading to inefficiencies and setbacks.Follow Richard on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/rwjlongstreet/Visit Tarka Talent - https://tarkatalent.co.uk/Follow Ben on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/benmedwards/Visit CMap - https://www.cmap.io/

Whether you’re in growth mode or your firm has more rollercoaster-like demand, optimizing your talent supply, utilization, and client margin will be the biggest factor in your 2025 success. Join Mark Sloan, MD @ Asaph Advisors, as we uncover what was holding firms back in 2024, and what needs to happen next year to sustain & increase growth for every metric.Find out more about CMap at - https://www.cmap.io/To learn more about Asaph Advisors visit - https://asaphadvisors.com/Follow Mark on LinkedIn at - https://www.linkedin.com/in/mark-sloan-70500b3Follow Ben Edwards on LinkedIn at - https://www.linkedin.com/in/benmedwards/

We're joined by Pip Morpeth, CEO at Method Grid, exploring how to master the productization of services & scale effectively.Find out more about CMap at - https://www.cmap.io/To learn more about Method Grid visit - https://methodgrid.com/Follow Pip on LinkedIn at - https://www.linkedin.com/in/pip-morpeth-39398a5/Follow Ben Edwards on LinkedIn at - https://www.linkedin.com/in/benmedwards/