Pegasus Radio

What does it really take to build a construction consultancy that someone wants to buy? In this episode of Growing Consultancies, Paul Micallef welcomes back Jeremy Brim of Growth Ignition to explore the realities of growing, valuing and selling a successful construction consultancy. With mergers, acquisitions and private equity investment becoming increasingly common across the construction indus...

Will AI replace Quantity Surveyors? How can construction tackle its skills shortage? In this episode of Growing Consultancies , Paul Micallef sits down with Tony Cave and Conall Reddin of Drumacross , an infrastructure and cost management consultancy formed through the merger of two established businesses. With 50 consultants and a combined turnover exceeding £5 million, Tony and Conall discuss th...

How do you grow a construction consultancy from scratch to a business on track to exceed £2 million in turnover in just three years? In this episode of Growing Consultancies, Paul Micallef is joined by Adam Green , Founder of Ninety Four Group , to discuss the realities of building and scaling a successful project management consultancy in today's construction industry. From starting the business...

Why Do Construction Companies Lose Bids Even When They Score 80%? What does it really take to win major construction contracts? And could AI transform the future of bid writing and public sector tendering? In this episode of Growing Consultancies, host Paul Micallef sits down with Sam Nimmo from Kittle Group ,a specialist bid writing consultancy working with some of the UK's leading constructi...

Could your business survive without you? In this episode of Growing Consultancies, Paul Micallef sits down with Ben Wells of Mainer Associates for a powerful conversation about construction, sustainability, business growth and what happens when life suddenly changes everything. Ben shares the story of the cycling accident that left him in a coma and how a business continuity plan helped keep his c...

How will AI change the consultancy world, and are businesses doing enough to prepare for it? Matthew Easton returns to Growing Consultancies for another conversation with Paul Micallef, and there’s plenty to unpack. They explore how leadership and management are changing, why businesses can fall into the trap of over-promoting people, the growing issue of succession planning and why consultancy le...

What does it really take to build and grow a successful consultancy, and what does it cost you along the way? In this episode of Growing Consultancies, Paul Micallef is joined by Matthew Dixon of Enabl for a candid conversation about growth, leadership and the realities of running a consultancy. Matthew shares the story behind Enabl, its distinctive approach combining planning and cost consultancy...

To celebrate 50 episodes of Growing Consultancies , we’re looking back at some of the standout moments, biggest ideas and most memorable advice shared by our guests so far. From AI and the future of Quantity Surveying, to leadership, business growth, recruitment, data centres, career progression, skills shortages and the changing face of UK construction, this special episode brings together some o...

How far can a career in Quantity Surveying take you? In this episode of Growing Consultancies, Paul Micallef is joined by Lionel Dore of Portcullis LLC to talk about a career that has taken him from London to Dubai, Saudi Arabia and ultimately Orlando, Florida. Lionel shares his experience of becoming a Partner at Davis Langdon, working on major international construction and infrastructure projec...

What makes someone truly stand out in construction consultancy? In this episode of Growing Consultancies, Paul Micallef is joined by Matthew Mackey of Contollo Group to talk about his 16 years in Australia, his return to the UK construction industry and the lessons he’s learned along the way. From building Arcadis’ cost management offering and developing high-performing teams, to winning work, nur...

What does it take to build a construction consultancy that grows without losing sight of what matters? In this episode of Growing Consultancies, Paul Micallef is joined by Jamie Hillier of Akerlof to explore the realities of building a specialist consultancy, navigating a changing construction industry and preparing for what comes next. Jamie shares the story behind Akerlof, from launching just be...

What does it really take to leave the security of a senior corporate role and build your own construction consultancy from scratch? This week on Growing Consultancies, Paul Micallef is joined by Yaeger Irwin, Founder of Bloom Project Management, for an open and refreshingly honest conversation about the realities of starting and growing a construction consultancy. Yaeger shares how she took the le...

What does it really take to build a successful construction consultancy from the ground up? In this episode of Growing Consultancie s , Paul Micallef is joined by Freddie Edwards, Founder of Dragonfly Projects, to talk about his journey from project manager and sole trader to building a growing construction consultancy focused on commercial office and residential projects. Freddie shares the lesso...

Why are talented women still leaving construction before reaching senior leadership? In our 50th episode of the Growing Consultancies podcast, Paul Micallef is joined by Vanessa Murray and Ceri Moyers from The Circle Partnership , an award-winning consultancy dedicated to developing and retaining mid-level women across construction, property and the wider built environment. They discuss why the le...

How do you grow a specialist consultancy from four people to 170 without losing the culture, quality and relationships that made it successful? In this episode of Growing Consultancies, Paul Micallef is joined by Chris Coward , COO of BCS Consultancy , to explore the rapid growth of one of the data centre sector’s most exciting businesses. Chris shares how BCS expanded across the UK and Europe, wh...

Is becoming more specialised the secret to growing a successful construction consultancy? Paul Micallef is joined by David Shaw of Edinburgh-based Torridon Cost Consultancy to discuss building a refurbishment-first Quantity Surveying practice, finding the right niche and navigating the realities of running a growing consultancy. David shares how he moved from Davis Langdon and AECOM to launching h...

In this episode of Growing Consultancies, Paul Micallef is joined by Michelle Hannah and Danny Garwood, Owner Directors at CAST Consultancy, to discuss how the project management and cost consultancy has grown from around 13 people to a team of approximately 90. They explore CAST’s journey through the residential market, the future of Modern Methods of Construction, the Building Safety Act, projec...

Is the construction industry doing enough to prepare its next generation of leaders? In this episode, Paul Micallef speaks with Luke Turner, Managing Partner at Playle and Partners, about succession planning, consultancy ownership, AI, leadership and the future of construction. From completing a management buyout to embracing new technology, Luke shares practical lessons for consultancy leaders lo...

What does it take to lead one of the UK's fastest-growing specialist consultancies? In this episode of the Growing Consultancies podcast, Paul Micallef is joined by Victoria Head of Archus, to explore how the business has grown from a specialist healthcare consultancy into an international organisation operating across the UK and Canada. Victoria shares her journey from studying sociology and...

What happens when a Quantity Surveyor decides to build a consultancy around systems, automation and AI rather than traditional ways of working? In this episode of Growing Consultancies, Paul Micallef sits down with Tom Haley, Managing Director of Quantik, to discuss how his business has automated a significant proportion of its internal administration and why he believes AI will fundamentally chan...

What does it take to go from leaving school at 16 to leading a team of more than 50 construction professionals across one of the UK's largest regions? In this episode of Growing Consultancies, Paul Micallef is joined by Gemma Prior, Head of Cost Management at AtkinsRéalis, for an honest and inspiring conversation about leadership, career progression and the future of the construction industry....

Nick Wdowczyk, Director of GWB Consultants, joins Paul Micallef to discuss how the business grew to £1 million turnover within two years of launching. The conversation covers Quantity Surveying, Project Management, consultancy growth, leadership, recruitment, company culture, AI in construction, modern methods of construction and the future of the industry. Nick also shares lessons from starting a...

In this episode of Growing Consultancies, Paul Micallef is joined by Ben Elsey, founder of Macen, to discuss his journey from Chartered Quantity Surveyor to consultancy owner. Ben shares how he made the leap into self-employment in 2020, building Macen from a one-man operation into a growing consultancy supporting both clients and contractors across the construction industry. The conversation expl...

In this episode of the Growing Consultancies Podcast , Paul Micallef is joined by Josh Hanson and Liam Clarke, founders of Validity. The conversation dives into the world of 4D planning, digital construction and project delivery, exploring how better visualisation, programme sequencing and collaboration can dramatically improve outcomes across construction projects. Josh and Liam explain what 4D p...

What does the future of Quantity Surveying and construction consultancy really look like? In this thought provoking episode of Growing Consultancies, Paul Micallef sits down with Sunny Ahonsi, founder of FiveThirds Construction Consultancy and Five Thirds Living, for one of the most fascinating conversations yet on the future of the construction industry, AI, consultancy growth and modern business...