Service Business Talks with Fexingo: Consulting, Agencies, and Professional Services

Episode 57 of Service Business Talks with Fexingo digs into the latest trend in professional services: consulting firms developing proprietary AI agents for internal and client use. Lucas and Luna explore how firms like McKinsey, BCG, and Bain are creating custom AI tools—from research assistants to strategy simulators. They discuss the specific case of McKinsey's Lilli platform, which now handles...

Lucas and Luna explore the surprising trend of major consulting firms investing in their own data centers. With McKinsey reportedly committing over $500 million to build dedicated AI computing infrastructure, the episode examines why consultancies are moving from renting cloud capacity to owning physical servers. The hosts discuss how this shift promises greater data security, cost control, and th...

Episode 55 of Service Business Talks with Fexingo. Lucas and Luna explore why top consulting firms like McKinsey and Bain are launching in-house real estate brokerages — and what it means for the commercial property market. They zero in on a specific driver: the $1.2 trillion wave of office and industrial leases expiring between 2026 and 2028, and how consulting firms see an opportunity to capture...

This episode dives into the growing trend of top consulting firms like McKinsey and Boston Consulting Group launching their own private equity funds. Lucas explains the strategic rationale: these funds let firms invest directly in companies they advise, capturing upside beyond traditional fees. He walks through the specifics — how McKinsey's in-house fund, with assets under management estimated at...

Episode 53 of Service Business Talks with Fexingo. Lucas and Luna explore the most significant pivot yet: why top consulting firms are quietly acquiring investment banking licenses and building M&A advisory desks. They focus on the specific case of McKinsey's 2025 acquisition of a boutique tech M&A shop, the revenue model (success fees replacing hourly billing), and the regulatory pushback from th...

Episode 52 of Service Business Talks digs into a surprising trend: consulting firms acquiring boutique hotels as real-world training labs. Lucas and Luna explore why McKinsey bought a stake in a Swiss alpine lodge, how Deloitte uses a converted manor in the Cotswolds for immersive client workshops, and the economics behind Accenture's hospitality arm, which now manages six properties across three...

Episode 51 of Service Business Talks: The big four and second-tier firms are quietly acquiring insurance brokers — not to resell policies, but to embed risk advisory into strategy. We focus on one case: how McKinsey's 2023 acquisition of a specialty cyber-insurance broker in London let it offer real-time risk transfer alongside its resilience frameworks. Lucas breaks down the math: a typical mid-m...

Episode 50 of Service Business Talks explores a counterintuitive trend: top consulting firms like McKinsey and BCG are creating their own internal AI training programs rather than relying on external hires. Lucas breaks down why firms are investing in 'AI bootcamps' for existing consultants, complete with a specific case of McKinsey's 'Digital Academy' and its 1,200 certified consultants. Luna que...

Episode 49 of Service Business Talks looks at why major consulting firms are quietly buying outsourced accounting practices. Lucas and Luna break down one specific deal: Deloitte's 2025 acquisition of a mid-tier accounting firm specializing in small-business bookkeeping. They explore the strategic logic—locking in recurring revenue, building a pipeline for future advisory work, and competing with...

Episode 48 of Service Business Talks with Fexingo: Lucas and Luna explore why top consulting firms are acquiring golf courses—not as executive perks, but as strategic assets. They break down how these clubs serve as high-touch client development venues, talent retention tools, and data-rich environments for behavioral insights. The hosts focus on one specific case: McKinsey's 2024 acquisition of a...

In this episode of Service Business Talks with Fexingo, Lucas and Luna explore a growing trend among top consulting firms: building internal talent marketplaces to match consultants with projects based on skills and availability. They dive into the specifics of how firms like Deloitte and Accenture are using AI-driven platforms to improve utilization rates and reduce reliance on subcontractors. Lu...

In this episode, Lucas and Luna explore the growing trend of consulting firms launching their own law firms, moving beyond traditional advisory to offer integrated legal services. They focus on the case of McKinsey's 2025 acquisition of a boutique regulatory law firm in Washington D.C., which now operates as McKinsey Legal Solutions. The discussion covers the strategic rationale—from capturing mor...

In this episode, Lucas and Luna explore the surprising trend of major consulting firms acquiring independent bookstores — not as a side investment, but as a strategic play for brand-building, client hospitality, and talent recruitment. They dive into the specific case of one Big Four firm that purchased a century-old independent bookstore in London's Fitzrovia neighborhood in early 2026, and discu...

Consulting firms have been on a buying spree — law firms, banks, data centers, even coffee shops. But a quieter, more structural trend is emerging: they're building franchise systems. Lucas and Luna look at how Deloitte's 'Deloitte & Touche' franchise model for its tax practice in certain regions is being replicated across professional services. They discuss the economics of franchising expertise...

A growing number of top consulting firms are building proprietary payment networks to streamline client transactions and reduce fees. This episode examines how McKinsey, Bain, and others are entering the payments space—processing over $2 billion in transactions annually—and what this means for traditional payment processors like Stripe and Adyen. We discuss the strategic rationale: capturing data,...

In this episode of Service Business Talks with Fexingo, Lucas and Luna explore why top consulting firms are aggressively building in-house cybersecurity practices rather than continuing to outsource to specialized boutiques. They focus on McKinsey's 2024 acquisition of cyber firm CloudSecur—a $350 million deal that signaled a strategic shift. The hosts break down the economics: demand for cybersec...

In this episode of Service Business Talks, Lucas and Luna explore a surprising trend: top consulting firms are acquiring or launching their own coffee roasters and cafes. While it may seem like a vanity project, they argue it's a strategic play for brand immersion, client retention, and talent perks. Lucas dives into the business rationale, citing specific examples like McKinsey's partnership with...

Episode 40 of Service Business Talks digs into the surprising trend of top consulting firms building internal venture studios to incubate and spin out their own startups. Lucas and Luna examine McKinsey's stealth startup factory, Deloitte's Greenhouse program, and BCG's Digital Ventures unit, which collectively have launched over 200 companies in the last five years. They break down how these stud...

Episode 39 of Service Business Talks explores the growing trend of consulting firms launching their own ESG rating agencies. Lucas and Luna discuss how McKinsey's sustainability ratings arm, launched in 2024, aims to challenge incumbents like MSCI and Sustainalytics. They unpack the conflict of interest concerns—consultants both advising companies on ESG and rating them—and examine the potential i...

Episode 38 of Service Business Talks with Fexingo. Lucas and Luna examine the growing trend of consulting firms launching in-house credit and lending divisions. Using the example of a mid-tier firm that started offering working capital advances to its own clients, they break down the economics: why a consultancy can earn 12-15% risk-adjusted returns on a $50 million credit pool, how regulatory arb...

In this episode of Service Business Talks with Fexingo, Lucas and Luna explore a surprising trend: consulting firms opening their own coffee shops. They dive into how Deloitte's 'The Coffee Club' in London serves as both a client meeting space and a subtle brand immersion tool, generating recurring revenue while reinforcing expertise. The hosts discuss the economics—how a single location can pull...

In this episode of Service Business Talks with Fexingo, Lucas and Luna explore a surprising new trend: top consulting firms are acquiring their own private aviation fleets. They break down the economics behind McKinsey's recent purchase of a six-aircraft fleet from Jet Aviation, including an estimated $85 million upfront cost versus projected savings of $120 million annually in chartered flights....

In this episode of Service Business Talks with Fexingo, Lucas and Luna explore a surprising trend: consulting firms are moving beyond cloud partnerships to buy and build their own data centers. They focus on McKinsey's acquisition of a former IBM data center in New Jersey, a 50,000-square-foot facility that now runs client simulations and proprietary AI models. The hosts break down the economics—w...

In Episode 34 of Service Business Talks, Lucas and Luna explore a growing trend among top consulting firms: acquiring and building their own cloud infrastructure. They examine why firms like McKinsey and Deloitte are spending billions on private data centers and edge computing nodes, moving away from relying solely on AWS, Azure, and Google Cloud. The hosts break down the economics, client data se...

Lucas and Luna explore a surprising trend: consulting firms acquiring niche media and content companies. They examine the strategic rationale—owned audiences, thought leadership at scale, and data from engaged subscribers—using the example of a mid-tier strategy firm buying a B2B publisher. The episode unpacks the economics, the tension between editorial independence and firm agendas, and why this...