Consultancy Growth Podcast

In this conversation, Mike shares his journey of building the Concerto Group into a  £50 Million business through focusing on acquisitions. He discusses the challenges of leading a large team of 150 people, the importance of company culture, and the role of sales in business success. Mike also reflects on his 10 years in consultancy, emphasising the value of industry-specific knowledge and the com...

In this episode of the Consultancy Growth Podcast, I’m joined by Arun Dehiri as he reflects on his 30 years in the Industry, building his first consultancy which he then sold, and starting over anew founding Red Dawn Consulting which turns 15 years old, this month.  But this isn’t just a story about business growth. It’s about what happens when a life-altering car crash forces you to stop, reflect...

In this episode I sit down with Guy Beresford, founding partner of ISP Leadership Advisors, to unpack what it takes to build a profitable, boutique consultancy without scaling headcount. We explore how Guy’s approach to growth differs from the traditional consultancy playbook, touching on the risks of recruitment, the nuance between cash and capital, and why sustainable growth demands a different...

Adam and Joel from Practive join Craig to break down what great leadership actually looks like — and why most leaders miss it. They explain how culture is built (or broken) one conversation at a time, why roleplay is feared (and how they deal with that), and how they got 750 NHS leaders to embrace tough conversations during a strike. This episode covers: Why most leaders become transactional under...

In this episode of the Consultancy Growth Podcast, I’m joined by Campbell Fraser, telecoms consultant turned founder, turn chairman for an honest conversation about growing, systemising, and successfully exiting his consultancy. We unpack Campbell’s journey from working solo out of a client’s back office to leading a 40-person team and engineering a £ Multi-Million exit. He shares the unfiltered r...

Mark Palmer shares how he transformed OEE Consulting from a £3 million business into a £24 million consultancy, earning recognition as one of the Sunday Times Top 100 Employers and winning the MCA Award for Client Service. Mark highlights key inflection points in the business's growth, the importance of recruitment and team dynamics, and the need for a strong value proposition. He emphasises...

Mark Ashton and Ingmar Elm are cofounders of MAD Business, a consultancy focused on delivering powerful experiential learning days to improve team cohesion and performance. MAD Business was founded in 2024 to provide MAD events in the UK and other countries outside Estonia. MAD itself was originally founded in Estonia in 2002 and has delivered more than 2,000 team learning days for over 500 client...

In this episode of the Consultancy Growth Podcast, I’m joined by Adam Wellesley Wood, founder and CEO of W2 Strategy, for a conversation that challenges conventional thinking on leadership and strategy. We explore the core values behind W2 Strategy: boldness and humility. Adam unpacks common misconceptions about strategy, why many plans stall at implementation and shares how momentum, reflection t...

Host: Craig Herd Guest: Caroline Boston In this episode of the Consultancy Growth Podcast, I’m joined by Caroline Boston, Managing Director of New Minds. We dive into the critical role people strategy plays in scaling a consultancy to £10 Million  and why getting your organisational design right is essential for sustainable growth. We unpack the patterns that hold consultancies back as they scale,...

Host Craig Herd Guest Matt Hodkinson In this special crossover episode, Craig Herd, host of the Consultancy Growth Podcast, flips the mic as he joins Matt Hodkinson on The Consultancy Edge to talk openly about founder burnout, building a sustainable consultancy, and why most marketing advice for boutique firms is dead wrong. Craig shares his own story of nearly losing it all, rebuilding from the g...

Host: Craig Herd Guest: John Howard In this episode of the Consultancy Growth Podcast, I’m joined by John Howard to unpack what it really takes to move from founder-led sales to leadership-led growth, and why that shift is so critical if you want to scale sustainably. We dive into how to build a senior team you can trust, how to evolve your commercial decision-making as you grow, and how to keep y...

Host: Craig Herd Guest: Mark Peacock In this episode of the Consultancy Growth Podcast, I’m joined by Mark Peacock. We dig into one of the most overlooked levers in consultancy growth: pricing strategy. We unpack the common traps consultancies fall into, from undercharging to defaulting to hourly rates, and explore how shifting to a value-based pricing model can change the game. Mark shares why pr...

In this episode of the Consultancy Growth Podcast, I sit down with Professor Joe O’Mahoney to explore the impact of AI on the future of consultancy and why it’s so much more than just another tool in the tech stack. We unpack the biggest misconceptions consultancy leaders have about AI, the risks firms need to be aware of, and the opportunities that come from embracing it thoughtfully. Professor J...

In this episode of the Consultancy Growth Podcast, James Stringer of The Results Consultancy, joins me to break down what it really takes to build a strong business development function in a consultancy. We discuss why hiring for sales aptitude is just the start and how training, incentives, and leadership play a critical role in driving consistent growth. James shares insights on the habits and p...

In this episode of the Consultancy Growth Podcast, Matt Hodkinson, CEO of Total Growth Ownership, joins me to break down why differentiation and market positioning are make-or-break for consultancies. We explore the common traps consultancy founders fall into—like mirroring competitors, struggling to communicate their value, and the knock-on effect weak positioning has on pricing and client engage...

Summary Most consultancy founders are told to chase product-market fit. But what if the real key to long-term success is founder-market fit ? In this episode, Craig Herd and Clive Griffiths speak with Derry Hughes, founder of Honeycomb Consulting Skills Training, about how he reshaped his business to fit his strengths, his life, and his long-term vision. Derry shares how he pivoted through three d...

Summary Most consultants are told their Value Proposition is everything. But is that really true? In this episode, Craig Herd and Clive Griffiths break down why the usual advice around value propositions often misses the mark—and what actually matters if you want to grow your consultancy. Craig and Clive explore why many consultancy founders get stuck obsessing over a one-liner, while the real cha...

Host: Craig Herd  Most consultancy founders are stuck in a dumb loop. You start out hustling, doing everything yourself—winning deals, handling clients, hiring, marketing, even buying the office biscuits. Then you grow, hire people… and somehow still end up doing everything. Sound familiar? In this episode, Craig breaks down why founders get trapped as Mr Everything, why hiring more people won’t f...

In this episode of the Consultancy Growth Podcast , Craig Herd and Clive Griffiths dive deep into the evolving role of AI in consultancy marketing and sales. They explore the challenges and consequences of mass AI-generated outreach, the importance of authenticity in marketing, and the future shift towards personalised, human-centric interactions. Listen in for insights on cutting through the nois...

How do you secure meetings with senior executives without relying on cold emails, expensive paid ads, or personal introductions? In this episode, Clive Griffiths shares the precise strategy that landed him a meeting with a Times 100 CEO, and how you can apply the same principles to connect with decision-makers at the highest levels. We discuss: - Why most outreach methods don't work with the...

The Decline of the Trusted Advisor & The Rise of the Visible Expert If you're still relying on the trusted advisor model to grow your consultancy, this episode is for you. A major shift is happening in 2025—and those who don’t adapt risk getting left behind. In this episode: Why the Trusted Advisor Model is Holding You Back Learn why the traditional one-to-one relationship-building approa...

If you're ready to unlock your consultancy's full potential, this is the episode for you. Today, we're diving deep into a game-changing strategy: Identifying Your Ideal Client Profile (ICP). Here's what to expect: Why Focusing on Your ICP Will Make You Millions: Learn how narrowing your target to the right prospects can transform your consultancy's growth trajectory. The D...