Shows
Climb In ConsultingEpisode 160: Built to Sell, Led with Heart: How Sue Lohr Scaled and Exited Three BusinessesWhat does it take to build and sell two consulting firms and scale faster the second time around?
In this episode of Climb in Consulting, Nick speaks with Sue Lohr, a leader who’s done just that.
Sue played a pivotal role in building Synergy and Cormis into high-performing consultancies, both of which went on to successful exits. (Oh, and she sold a product business along the way too.)
Sue’s story is about building businesses that people genuinely want to buy, shaped by a clear proposition, confident pricing, and with culture at the core.
Sue shares how she:
✅ Took the le...
2025-10-291h 33
Climb In ConsultingEp. 159: The Consultancy Built Without Consultants with Gita Singham-WillisWhat if your consultancy didn’t look like everyone else’s? What if it was built on values from day one, hired people most firms overlooked, and kept culture at the core as it grew?
This month’s guest has done precisely that, and then some.
Gita Singham-Willis is one of the three co-founders of Cadence Innova, a multi-award-winning transformation consultancy. From her early days running textile factories in Portugal to reshaping how consulting firms think about people, culture, and growth, Gita’s journey is anything but ordinary.
In this episode, she sits down with Nick Synnott to share the entire s...
2025-09-251h 20
Climb In ConsultingEp. 158: Consulting Salaries, Promotions, and Partner Pitfalls with Richard LongstreetStruggling to crack senior hiring in your consultancy?
You’re not alone, and this episode’s guest has seen it all. Richard Longstreet is the founder of Tarka Talent, a recruitment consultancy focused on management consulting, and he’s helped firms of all shapes and sizes find (and sometimes fix) their senior hiring strategies.
In this episode, Richard joins Nick Synnott to share his refreshingly honest take on what actually makes a successful senior hire, why partner-level recruitment so often fails, and how boutique firms can set themselves up for success.
From salary trends to career progression, partner expectations to promot...
2025-08-281h 04
Climb In ConsultingEp. 157: Consulting’s Next Chapter: Transformation, AI, & Thinking Differently with Chris TomlinsonWhat does it take to lead transformation in today’s fast-moving, tech-fuelled world?
In this episode of Climb in Consulting, Nick chats with Chris Tomlinson - or ‘Tommo’, as most people know him - a seasoned transformation leader and Managing Director of Muuto Consulting. With two decades of experience navigating complex change and helping organisations evolve, Tommo brings a refreshing, no-nonsense take on what real transformation looks like.
They dive deep into everything from starting Muuto and scaling it through different growth stages, to the future of consulting and how AI is rewriting the rules. Tommo also shares insights from his cu...
2025-07-241h 10
The Consulting Pulse by CMapHow to market your consulting firm at the 4 stages of growth - #30I'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
2025-07-241h 12
Tarka Talks Consulting PodcastSeason 2 Episode #9: Marketing that works - How boutique consultancies can stand out and scaleIn this episode, Richard Longstreet sits down with Nick Synnott to unpack what effective marketing really looks like for boutique consultancies. With experience supporting consulting firms of all sizes, Nick shares practical, honest advice on how to build a brand, develop a marketing strategy, and create content that actually drives commercial conversations.
They explore why many consulting leaders are still sceptical of marketing, how to approach ROI with the right mindset, and what differentiates firms that get it right from those that don’t. If you’re a founder, marketer or commercial leader at a boutique consultancy, this...
2025-07-1654 min
Climb In ConsultingEpisode 156: Profit on Purpose: Peter Czapp’s 7 Levers for Consultancy GrowthWhat separates consultancies that tick along from those that thrive? According to this episode’s guest, it’s all about one thing: profit on purpose.
In this episode, Nick sits down with Peter Czapp - Co-Founder of the Wow Company, The Consultancy Growth Network and the brains behind BenchPress, the consultancy benchmark report - to dig into the financial side of consulting that too many firms overlook.
Peter shares the seven profitability levers that top-performing firms use to boost their margins, stand out in the market, and build businesses that are both sustainable and saleable. From smart pricing and niche posi...
2025-06-261h 43
The Consultancy Growth PodcastHow a Podcast Turned Into 60 Clients & Millions in Revenue with Nick SynnottNick and Craig delve into the intricacies of sales and marketing within consultancies. They emphasise the importance of listening to clients, understanding their problems, and creating value through effective content strategies. Successful consultancies are characterised by their commitment to marketing as a journey, the involvement of leadership, and a structured approach to content. The discussion also highlights the evolving landscape of marketing, where depth and quality are becoming more crucial than mere frequency. Nick shares personal insights and advice for younger professionals in the industry, underscoring the significance of consistency and expertise in building a successful consultancy.00:00...
2025-06-2442 min
Climb In ConsultingEpisode 155: From $2M to $20M - The Alchemist Growth Formula with Stu PackhamWhat happens when you step into the CEO seat of a small consultancy in a niche market, with big ambitions, PE backing, and a bold growth target?
In this episode of Climb in Consulting, Nick Synnott chats to Stu Packham, Group CEO of Alchemist, about how he led the business from a modest $2M learning consultancy to a $20M global challenger brand.
Before stepping into consulting, Stu spent years in the world of recruitment - building teams, scaling businesses, and getting under the skin of what makes people tick. It was that deep experience, paired with a well-timed chat with...
2025-05-291h 15
Climb In ConsultingEpisode 154: From Side Hustle to £8M - Cross 8’s Journey with Tobias RobinsonWhat does it take to scale a consultancy fourfold, while keeping culture, autonomy, and team spirit at the centre?
In this episode of Climb in Consulting, Nick Synnott sits down with Tobias Robinson, Co-Founder and Managing Director at Cross 8, to explore exactly that.
Tobias’ story is anything but typical. From starting as a contractor to co-founding a consultancy that’s grown from £2M to £8M in just three years, he shares his unfiltered take on entrepreneurship, leadership, and how to grow a values-driven business that still delivers commercially.
This episode covers:
- Why Tobias believes schools need to teach entrepreneurship early
...
2025-04-251h 30
Climb In ConsultingEpisode 153: Scaling a Consultancy: Private Equity Insights with Alex ThomsonHow do you turn a good consulting firm into a great one - and what role does Private Equity really play in that journey?
In this episode of Climb in Consulting, Nick Synnott sits down with Alex Thomson, Partner at Growth Capital Partners (GCP), to unpack everything you need to know as a consulting leader about scaling, selling, and thriving in today’s market.
With nearly 20 years of experience supporting high-growth consulting and tech firms - including Hippo Digital, Infinity Works, and Chaucer - Alex brings a rare investor's perspective on what it takes to build a firm that truly st...
2025-03-261h 24
Climb In ConsultingEpisode 151: Ride the Recurring Revenue Wave: How to Productise Consultancies, with Jonathan CorrieScaling up in a competitive sector, integrating new tech capabilities and responding to the continual push on fees, are all challenges that you’re probably wrestling with for your consultancy right now.
And that’s why we invited today’s guest on to share his insights on how to solve these problems, having faced these challenges head on for both his own business and his clients.
Jonathan Corrie has helped numerous consultancy firms navigate their way through these tricky waters and seize revenue-growing opportunities as CEO of Precursive, a professional services automation platform that helps turn services into repeatable products.
In thi...
2024-11-281h 01
Brand and DeliverBrand And Deliver - How to Grow Your Private Equity Firm With Marketing – with Lucie MillsHow can you ensure your marketing strategy stays aligned with market conditions?
It’s a question our latest guest can provide plenty of insights on…
This episode of Brand & Deliver is a little different to our usual format. Taken from our recent webinar, "Learn the Secrets to Mid-Market Marketing Success", Nick Synnott sits down with Lucie Mills, Partner at NorthEdge, to discuss her journey in transforming the firm’s marketing strategy for the better.
With a focus on data and storytelling, Lucie shares how she’s used these elements to successfully rebrand NorthEdge, and evolve the brand in changing markets to demys...
2024-09-2751 min
Climb In ConsultingEpisode 149: Building for scale: how to unlock 20x growth in your consultancy, with Mark PalmerHow do you take a boutique doing a healthy $2m a year and transform it into an industry leader at $40m. In this episode of Climb In Consulting, Nick is joined by Mark Palmer, former Managing Director of OEE Consulting, to share his story of having done just that.
Mark’s journey is a fascinating one, but also one that nearly didn’t happen. Had it not been for a chance meeting at a dinner party, Mark would have been on his way to McKinsey, and his story with OEE would never have begun.
Fortunately for Mark, and for you list...
2024-07-191h 47Climb In ConsultingEpisode 147: Building a Sustainable Sales Engine for Your Consultancy, with Alan MortonIs your firm relying on the same handful of ‘rainmakers’ to bring in business?
The latest episode of Climb in Consulting looks at the practical steps consultancies need to take to build a scalable sales engine that fuels growth and removes risk.
Nick was joined by Alan Morton, Managing Director of SBR Consulting, a specialist global consultancy that focuses on growth and revenue acceleration.
On the day SBR Consulting hit its 1000th client milestone, Alan shared his insights on:
- The dangers of client concentration: Discover how to avoid over-dependence on one key client or contact.
- Demystifying (and democratising) sale...
2024-06-141h 32Climb In ConsultingEpisode 143: Going global: Negotiating the path to success, with Mark GriceThe global pandemic threw a huge curveball at most businesses.
Face-to-face interactions became a thing of the past, and consultancies offering in-person services found themselves struggling to adapt.
But for Total Negotiation Group (TNG), strong leadership and a willingness to diversify helped turn the global crisis into a huge opportunity.
In the latest episode of Climb In Consulting, Nick caught up with Mark Grice, Co-founder of Total Negotiation Group (TNG), a successful global consultancy that helps its clients to build more sustainable and valuable commercial partnerships.
Nick and Mark explore how a clever pandemic pivot, along with a strong focus...
2024-04-191h 19Climb In ConsultingEpisode 143: Maximise your ROI: 4 secrets to drive your marketing success, with Nick SynnottIn this episode of Climb in Consulting, we're bringing you something a little out of the ordinary, as we turn the tables and put our very own Nick Synnott under the spotlight!
Nick recently delivered an insightful and highly practical webinar, all about boosting ROI through effective content marketing.
We had so much great feedback on it that we decided to launch it for the podcast, so that you could benefit from what was shared as well.
In ‘Maximise Your ROI: 4 Secrets To Drive Your Marketing Success’, Nick explained the strategies and tactics that you can use to achieve outstanding resu...
2024-04-0554 minClimb In ConsultingEpisode 142: The Art of the Deal: Unlocking M&A Secrets for Consultancies, with David BaileyIn the consulting industry, we talk a lot about exits, most founders will have had the thought about selling their business and sailing off into the sunset, and many do! But there’s another side that’s often less considered, the acquisition side and who buys those businesses, focussing on scaling their firms to be bigger and better.
So, to take a deep dive on the less explored buy-side, David Bailey, seasoned advisor, lets us in on his expansive expertise and knowledge. This episode is packed with knowledge to help buyers understand what to look out for when acquiring a firm...
2024-03-151h 22Climb In ConsultingEpisode 141: Beyond the bandwagon: How to carve a unique path to success, with Graeme FreemanWe’re all told that ‘land and expand’ is the only way to grow a consultancy. But what if we told you that you could grow a successful firm by doing the opposite, by providing fractional support to clients that will never need a huge team to help them deliver their goals.
Today’s guest has proven that it can be done, and in this episode we dive into how you can grow a substantial advisory business doing just that.
Graeme Freeman is Co-founder of Freeman Clarke, the largest & most experienced team of fractional IT leaders for the mid-market.
Having run IT s...
2024-03-011h 28Climb In ConsultingEpisode 140: Unlocking Growth: Proven Strategies for Scaling Your Consulting Firm with Marc JantzenThere are countless paths to achieving a successful consulting career, and on Climb In Consulting, we thought we’d heard them all. But who knew the secrets to scaling successful consulting firms could be learned while managing a fast-food franchise?
Marc Jantzen’s unique journey to becoming the consulting expert he is today, is a masterclass in reinvention and resilience. Get ready to dig your teeth into Marc’s story, which proves that sometimes, it’s the most unexpected paths that can lead to the most exciting careers.
After deciding the world of bean-counting wasn't his cup of tea, Chartered Accounta...
2024-02-161h 30
Climb In ConsultingEpisode 139: No Partners, No Promotions: The unorthodox path to consulting success with Simon DixonThere are countless organisations out there claiming to do business differently. So much so, that ‘disruptive’ has become a permanent fixture in games of buzzword bingo. But very few organisations are actually breaking the mould, and only the rarest exceptions can truly back up their claim of disrupting the way traditional business is done.
Our guest on the latest episode of Climb in Consulting is one such exception. Simon Dixon is Founder and CEO of Hatmill, the UK’s largest logistics consultancy, and no.1 in the Great Place To Work® list of the UK’s best small workplaces.
The 60-strong consultan...
2024-02-022h 00
Climb In ConsultingEpisode 138: The Power of Action: The Unconventional Path to Consulting Success with Assad AhmedIn the latest episode of Climb in Consulting, we welcomed Assad Ahmed, Founder and CEO of Phase 3, the Manchester-based consultancy that provides professional and managed services across HR, payroll, and finance.
As a born entrepreneur, Assad started Phase 3 at a young age, and with a self-confessed aversion to planning, he was able to grow the business through his aptitude for building relationships and a healthy dose of ‘winging it’!
Since then, Phase 3 has grown to over 100 employees spread across the UK, with many of Assad’s early recruits now in management positions, including COO James Proctor, who started as one of Pha...
2024-01-191h 25
Climb In ConsultingEpisode 137: Vision & Values: The Winning Formula Behind Enfuse Group's Success with Graeme CurwenIn the latest episode of Climb in Consulting, we had the huge pleasure of talking to Graeme Curwen, Co-Founder and CEO of Enfuse Group, an award-winning Digital Transformation consultancy that delivers high-performance transformations and solutions, through a deep understanding of people and technology.
As an experienced career consultant, Graeme always had an aspirations to forge his own path. This journey began when he stepped out into the world of contracting, a move that set the stage for his entrepreneurial venture. But his pivotal moment came when he reconnected with a former colleague, Harry Vazanias. This reunion was the catalyst that...
2024-01-051h 43
Climb In ConsultingEpisode 136: Expert Insights From The Consultancy Growth Network Annual SummitIn this episode of Climb in Consulting, we’re bringing you something a little out of the ordinary, as we feature not one, but four industry titans sharing their consulting growth strategies.
Nick and Frankie recently attended The Consultancy Growth Network’s (TCGN) annual summit, for a day of hugely insightful talks from leaders from across the industry.
Knowing what our audience likes to learn about, we thought that this talk would make a great episode of Climb In Consulting, and are very pleased that TCGN agreed.
This was a panel session focused on different strategies for growing your consultancy. The...
2023-12-151h 14
Climb In ConsultingEpisode 135: Mental Health, Impostor Syndrome and Making Partner, with Chris SouthwellWelcome to the latest episode of Climb In Consulting!
This time around, we were delighted to welcome Chris Southwell, Partner at The Berkeley Partnership, the consultancy that helps organisations transform under the most complex, challenging, and high-stakes circumstances to achieve their ambitions.
This thought-provoking episode of Climb in Consulting focuses primarily on a topic that’s incredibly close to Chris’s heart – mental health and wellbeing.
In this one, Chris talks openly and honestly about his struggles with mental health, and how his difficult upbringing led to a hugely challenging period in his life, when he first became a father.
It was...
2023-11-171h 14
Climb In ConsultingEpisode 134: Changing Tracks: How One Train Journey Changed The Course of a Career, with Paul PughOur guest on the latest episode of Climb in Consulting has an incredibly inspiring – and cinematic - story to tell. Since 2022, Paul Pugh has been CEO at Mason Advisory, an award-winning digital and technology consultancy that solves complex business challenges through intelligent use of IT.
Skipping back a few years, Paul had been firmly on the partner track at KPMG when he found himself boarding a train he was never supposed to take. On board, a chance meeting led to an offer that would go on to change the course of his career.
It was thanks to this ‘sliding doors mome...
2023-11-031h 03
Climb In ConsultingEpisode 133: Reinventing Consulting: How adversity led to employee owned success, with Matt CheungIn this week’s episode, Nick chats with Matt Cheung, CEO at Clarasys, the international business consulting firm, focused on delivering the best possible experiences for their clients and their people.
Regular listeners may recognise Matt’s name, and that’s because Matt was the very first guest on Climb In Consulting.
Having previously talked about the origins of Clarasys and Matt’s journey to founding the business in that episode, Nick and Matt wanted to do something a little different with this one, and use it as a chance to go into detail on many of the principles behind Claraysi...
2023-10-201h 07
AEC AI and Tech Strategy PodcastHow Construction Technology Is Revolutionizing the AEC Industry – Ep 028In this episode, I talk with Will Synnott BEng, CGeol, director of strategic accounts at Disperse, about how Disperse uses technology to solve some of the biggest challenges facing the construction industry. He also talks about his journey transitioning from a career in engineering to a sales role within a technology company. ***The video version […]
The post How Construction Technology Is Revolutionizing the AEC Industry – Ep 028 appeared first on Engineering Management Institute.
2023-10-0934 min
Climb In ConsultingEpisode 132: The Broken Excel Sheet that Built a Consulting Empire, with Anush NewmanIn this week’s episode, Nick chats with Anush Newman, Managing Director at JMAN Group, the global data consultancy specialising in the private equity market.
Anush’s story makes for a fascinating listen. He cut his consulting teeth in the oil and gas industry, working in roles that took him all over the world, to locales as exotic as Kazakhstan, Sellafield and Northern Scotland! After tiring of all the travel, Anush embarked on a successful contracting career which eventually led (by way of a broken spreadsheet!) to the creation of JMAN, the global data consultancy Anush founded with his cousin Leo...
2023-10-061h 22
Climb In ConsultingEpisode 131: From Consulting Success to Tech Trailblazer, with Simon ClarkIn this week’s episode, Nick chats with Simon Clark, a consulting industry veteran who’s done everything from founding and exiting his own successful consultancy CVL, to launching his own tech platform, to advising a whole host of boutique consultancies and marcoms businesses on their growth journeys.
Simon’s story is a great example of how diverse consulting careers can be. He hit the ground running, having started his own digital and e-commerce consultancy back when the internet was in its infancy – and when Simon wasn’t much older!
At the tender age of 25, with his first major client already se...
2023-09-221h 36Climb In ConsultingEpisode 130: From Startup to the UK’s fastest growing consultancy, with Tony ClarkIn this week’s episode, Nick chats with Tony Clark, Founder of NextWave.
Regular listeners to this podcast will know that we centre the discussion on the various routes our guests’ careers have taken, in order to highlight the endless possibilities offered by a career in consulting.
Tony’s journey is a fascinating one. After spending nine years at Accenture, he was on course to make Associate Partner, but instead changed track and helped to scale two successful boutique consultancies, MA Partners and Crossbridge Consulting – both of which grew and eventually went on to be acquired by larger groups.
During his time...
2023-09-081h 30Climb In ConsultingEpisode 129: How boutique consultancy PEN built a brand to rival the Big FourFor this episode of Climb in Consulting, we’re shaking the format up a little.
Yes, we’re turning the tables, as our very own Nick Synnott joins Neil Sharp CCXP, PEN’s Marketing & Proposition Director, and Ben Edwards, Head of Partnerships at CMap, to explore the remarkable 4-year marketing journey that PEN has been on with Create Engage.
Having started with a limited brand presence and minimal content, PEN has steadily built their brand and marketing presence over the last four years, and now boast a sophisticated marketing function rivalling the Big Four.
We’re proud to say that Create E...
2023-06-3059 minClimb In ConsultingEpisode 128: Secrets to Building and Selling a Successful Boutique Consultancy with Augusto NegrilloIn this week’s episode, Nick chats with Augusto Negrillo, Managing Director at Vivero.
Having started out as a software developer, Augusto quickly realised that the behind-the-scenes coding life wasn’t for him, instead preferring to be out in the field working with customers, helping them to ‘decode’ and transform their businesses.
His consulting career took him to the other side of the world and back again, taking leadership roles in a range of boutiques with a focus on growth; from sales, to operations to M&A.
Having been involved in multiple transactions and seen both the good and the bad, Aug...
2023-06-091h 37Climb In ConsultingEpisode 127: Lessons from Aviation: The flight path to consulting success with Clare HillIn this week’s episode, Nick chats with Clare Hill, CEO at Sysdoc.
If you’re a regular listener to this podcast, you’ll know by now that we love taking a deep dive into the different routes our guests’ careers have taken.
Clare’s story is a fascinating one and shows that you don’t need to start your career in the industry to reach the top.
Having spent the first 15 years of her career working in advertising, Clare decided that she needed a career that worked better for her homelife. With two young children at home, the socialising and client e...
2023-05-2655 minClimb In ConsultingEpisode 126: The Power of Yes: How one small word can lead to huge success, with Phil RolfeIn this week’s episode, Nick chats with Phil Rolfe, UK Managing Partner of Valcon.
Regular listeners to this podcast will know that we centre the discussion on the various routes our guests’ careers have taken, in order to highlight the endless possibilities and permutations offered by a career in consulting.
Phil’s journey is a really interesting one. It starts, as so many consultants’ journeys do, with a post-uni graduate trainee scheme. Working with Eagle Star, (subsequently Zurich), Phil qualified as an accountant and got plenty of experience under his belt before moving on to boutique consultancy, Tillinghast.
He then mov...
2023-05-121h 09Climb In ConsultingEpisode 125: Lessons from the UK's Fastest Growing Marketing Network with CEO Peter ReidIn this week’s episode of Climb in Consulting, Nick catches up with Peter Reid, Founder and Chief Executive Officer at MSQ.
Peter’s early career path took him from entrepreneurial beginnings at US-based start-up Simpsons, to a successful four years with McKinsey and Company. Peter then changed direction, taking on a senior development role at Media Square, which saw him cutting his teeth in what was then the relatively new world of digital marketing.
In 2011, he co-founded MSQ, seeing a gap in the market and a need from brands for smarter and simpler agency relationships. Fast forward to today and...
2023-04-281h 15Climb In ConsultingEpisode 124: Building an Awesome Consulting Career with Stefan AichbauerIn this week’s episode, Nick chats with Stefan Aichbauer, Managing Partner at H&Z.
If you’re a regular listener to this podcast, you’ll know that we like to chat with our guests about the various routes their careers have taken, and how their individual journeys have helped to shape their outlook.
Having started his career at Siemens, it wasn’t long before Stefan realised that life in a multinational corporation wasn’t for him, and at the age of 24, he made the leap to what was then a small, boutique consulting firm with just eight other people, but which...
2023-04-141h 14Climb In ConsultingEpisode 123: How the right marketing strategy can take your consultancy to the next levelFor this week’s episode of Climb in Consulting, We’re bringing you something a little different to the norm. For one week only, we’re turning the tables, as Nick joins Professor Joe O’Mahoney for a chat on his fantastic podcast, Growth for Consultancies.
Joe is a leading authority on consulting and a trusted advisor to many boutique consulting firms. His research on the profession has won several prestigious awards and publications. His textbook on Management Consulting was the best-selling in Europe and his academic research has been published in top international journals.
As a previous guest on this sho...
2023-03-2452 minClimb In ConsultingEpisode 122: From the Factory to Financial Modelling with Stephen AldridgeIn this week’s episode of Climb in Consulting, Nick chats to Stephen Aldridge, Managing Director at financial modelling consultancy, Numeritas.
If you’re a regular listener of the podcast, you’ll know that we often explore the different routes to success that many of our guests have followed. Stephen’s journey has been one of the most interesting we’ve encountered, taking him from factory-based engineering to running his own successful boutique consultancy – with a stint as a painter and decorator thrown in for good measure!
During his time as an engineer, Stephen got to know his products inside out, but he...
2023-03-091h 20Climb In ConsultingEpisode 120: From Founder to IPO: Building a 900 person global consultancy with Nick KentIn today’s episode of Climb in Consulting Nick is joined by Nick Kent, Founder of Alpha FMC, the global financial services consultancy with over 900 consultants supporting clients across 16 offices spanning the UK, Europe, North America and APAC.
While Nick’s story with Alpha ended very successfully, that’s not how it started. And it was actually a shock redundancy from Accenture that led him to launch the business. Something Nick shares in detail in today’s conversation.
As the saying goes, when one door closes another opens, and in Nick’s case this was the catalyst that led to him launc...
2023-02-101h 28Climb In ConsultingEpisode 119: Making the move to the Middle East with Chris GantIn this week’s episode, Nick chats with Chris Gant, Managing Partner at Wunderman Thompson Consulting.
As successful consultancy careers go, Chris’s is up there with the very best of them!
Having spent eighteen fast-paced years at KPMG, Chris decided he wanted to take some time out and in 2004, he left to go back to school, joining the Sloan programme at London Business School.
It was his time at LBS that led him to joining EY as a senior partner in their Middle East and Africa business where he spent the best part of the next decade. Returning to the U...
2023-01-271h 24
Without Borders: Stories by the Inescapably Foreign.Partying with ISIS & Rave CultureNick Synnott shares his experience partying in an ISIS recruitment centre. Nolan and Nick then discuss rave culture and how it varies around the world.Follow Nick Synnott on Instagram.Without Borders is a free podcast. If you enjoy this podcast, please consider becoming a paid subscriber at withoutborders.fyi. Your support makes the project possible. You can also find my travel series on Youtube. Get full access to Born Without Borders at bornwithoutborders.substack.com/subscribe
2023-01-1751 minClimb In ConsultingEpisode 118: How to Create An Effective Marketing Strategy For Your Consultancy in 2023At Create Engage, we like to share as much information as we can to help you get the most out of your marketing. So with that in mind, this week’s episode of Climb In Consulting is a little different!
Instead of the usual conversation with an industry-leading guest, Nick’s on hand to give you everything you need to set your 2023 marketing strategy up for success.
Today’s episode is taken from a webinar we ran for over 90 consulting firms who wanted to learn how they could improve their marketing. Nick walks you through our tried and tested marketing framew...
2023-01-1359 minClimb In ConsultingEpisode 117: From Contractor to Consulting CEO with James O'SullivanIn the latest episode of Climb into Consulting, Nick is joined by James O’Sullivan, CEO of Project One.
James' career demonstrates that you don't have to follow a traditional career path to succeed in our industry.
After sending letters to all of the FTSE 100 and being rejected by 99 of them, James began his project management career at Tate and Lyle.
After this, he developed his passion for change management and continued on to lead major change programmes for Lloyds Banking Group and NAB for the next 25 years. But, there is more to James' story than just contracting success.
Since jo...
2022-12-161h 49Climb In ConsultingEpisode 116: From boutique to ‘big four’ and back again with Ash Chapman, CEO of InlumiIn this episode, Nick chats with Ash Chapman, CEO at Inlumi, the rapidly growing consultancy focused on large-scale, technology enabled transformation for the Office of the CFO.
Ash has had a hugely successful and diverse career and one which shows that you don’t have to follow a set path to achieve success.
Having started out working for a software vendor, Ash moved on to join boutique consultancy, Paragon Consulting, where he spent eight successful years before they were acquired by PwC.
That jump from small to big gave Ash exposure to a whole world of opportunity and mentorship that he...
2022-12-021h 21Climb In ConsultingEpisode 115: The 12 Steps to Making Partner with Heather TownsendThis week Nick is joined by Heather Townsend, award- winning author and expert on what it takes to make partner in a professional services firm.
The #ClimbInConsulting podcast is all about helping you to climb up the consulting ladder and who better to help you with that than someone who spends their days advising consultants on how to do just that!
Making partner can often seem like a dark art and it’s something that many people chase for years, but never successfully reach. In Heather’s latest book, ‘Poised for Partnership’ she outlines a holistic 12 step approach that gives you the...
2022-11-181h 35
Without Borders: Stories by the Inescapably Foreign.A Nomadic Life With a Child During COVID.Nick Synnott has written for Lonely Planet and worked in various businesses around the world. He's lived a nomadic lifestyle throughout his adult life, and now he's doing it with his newborn child. Check out the episode to learn how Nick pulls it off. He also has some incredible travel stories from during the COVID pandemic.Follow him at IG @NicksynnotttravelFor transcripts, language notes, written stories, and cultural psychology information visit withoutborders.fyi Without Borders is a free podcast. If you enjoy this podcast, please consider becoming a paid su...
2022-11-0830 minClimb In ConsultingEpisode 114: Career, Family and Hard Work With Catherine CrumpIn this episode of Climb in Consulting, Nick chats with Catherine Crump, Managing Director at Wired Consulting.
Catherine’s had a hugely successful career and one that shows what you can achieve if you put in the work.
Having joined Freshminds as one of the most junior members of the team, she worked her way up, becoming CEO of the spin out Decidedly, just a decade later.
After 15 years there, she decided the time was right to think about her next challenge, and that’s when the role with Wired Consulting came up.
The opportunity to launch a brand new cons...
2022-11-041h 08Climb In ConsultingEpisode 113: A Life At The Cutting Edge of Consulting With Andrew ZimmermanIn the latest episode of Climb into Consulting, Nick is joined by Andrew Zimmerman, CEO of Journey.
It’s safe to say that Andrew’s had a fascinating career at the cutting edge of consulting. He was responsible for launching Accenture’s new business division, better known today as Accenture Interactive, he turned around the leading global design agency Frog, not once, but twice, and he’s now running one of the world’s first consultancies focused on tackling the challenges of customer experience in Web 3.0, Journey.
But Andrew’s story isn’t just one of hard charging corporate success. It’s a journey...
2022-10-211h 26Climb In ConsultingEpisode 112: The Secrets To Co-Running A Consultancy With Michael Simmonds and Manfred AbrahamIn the latest episode of Climb in Consulting, Nick is joined by Michael Simmonds and Manfred Abraham, who are both Co-CEOs at Yonder Consulting.
We don’t often have two guests appearing at once, but this episode really does demand it!
Their story, and that of Yonder, makes for a fascinating case study in how, by combining complementary skill sets and businesses with shared values, you're able to create something that is truly greater than the sum of its parts.
Having worked closely together in their previous businesses, Michael at Populus and Manfred at BrandCap, they decided to join forces to...
2022-10-071h 22Climb In ConsultingEpisode 111: The Key Skills Every Consultant Needs To Know, With Industry Trainer Keith BurgessIn the latest episode of Climb into Consulting, Nick is joined by Keith Burgess, Head of Management Consulting Development Curriculum at IBM consulting EMEA.
Having spent the best part of two decades as a consultant himself, Keith moved into training and over the last 10 years has helped shape and deliver the full gamut of training for IBM - from basic consulting skills through to Partner level development.
As someone who’s played a leading role in shaping the training for 1,000s of consultants across the globe, both internally at IBM and externally with the Chartered Management Consulting award, it’s fair...
2022-09-021h 33Climb In ConsultingEpisode 110: The Secrets To Consulting Growth with Joe O'Mahoney and Rob GarnerAt Create Engage, we like to help share all of the great advice and expertise that consulting leaders have, but that so rarely sees the light of day outside their own firm.
We are big believers in sharing anything that helps consultants climb in their careers and so when we heard this interview we had to share it with you on Climb In Consulting.
In this week’s episode, you won’t be hearing from our host Nick Synnott. Instead you will be hearing from Prof. Joe O’Mahoney, Professor of Consulting at Cardiff University and CEO of Consulting Mastered, and Ro...
2022-08-1946 minClimb In ConsultingEpisode 108: Entrepreneur to PartnerIn the latest episode of Climb in Consulting, Nick catches up with Miriam Hall, Partner at Chartwell Consulting.
From an early age, Miriam knew she wanted to make an impact, and it was her early entrepreneurial venture – Awesome Storage – that gave her a taste of both the business world and the importance of process and efficiency. This is something that would go on to be a key theme throughout her career.
Fast forward and having, in her words, ‘been made available to the job market’, Miriam took the opportunity to do something very few early-twenties consultants would do. She launched her own...
2022-07-221h 23Climb In ConsultingEpisode 107: Narrative, The Secret To Growing A $6 Billion Consulting BusinessIn the latest episode of Climb into Consulting, Nick is joined by Lawrence Hutter, Senior Advisor to Quick Release and Alvarez & Marsal, and Chairman of the Brand Experience Group.
You don’t often meet many people who have ‘done it all’, but Lawrence certainly has!
Lawrence has spent his career building successful consulting businesses in the fast-paced consumer goods industry. From building his own consultancy, The Customer Group, to running Deloitte's $6 billion dollar global consumer practice, which he grew threefold during his time at the helm.
After retiring for only four days, Lawrence was contacted by Alvarez & Marsal, a conversation which...
2022-07-071h 18Climb In ConsultingEpisode 106: The Career Lessons of a CEO; Saying Yes, Building Teams and Navigating an MBOIn this episode, John Howard, CEO of Channel 3 Consulting, joins Nick to share his journey from junior IT project manager to the CEO of a rapidly growing boutique consultancy.
After starting out in teaching, John moved in to sales, where a chance encounter with consultants that were working with his business exposed him to the industry he’d go on to work in for over two decades.
With over 25 years’ experience that’s spanned Big 4, boutique firms and a few industry roles in between, John’s journey is packed full of lessons and advice to help you if you’re looking to...
2022-06-241h 22Climb In ConsultingEpisode 105: Global Expansion, Building a Culture & Climbing to the Top in One ConsultancyIn the latest episode of Climb in Consulting, Nick is joined by Remco op den Kelder, CEO at Putnam Associates.
Remco’s journey in consulting started with a temporary relocation to America, with a view to staying for 3 or 4 years, and over 20 years later, he’s still there, now as CEO of the firm he joined as a graduate.
In a world where people move firm every few years, Remco’s story is something of a rarity.
Even though he’s stayed at one firm his whole career, his journey from Analyst to CEO has been a rich, rewarding, and varied o...
2022-06-101h 12Climb In ConsultingEpisode 103: Culture, Brand And The Secrets To Scaling With Mark CampbellIn the latest episode of Climb in Consulting, Nick talks to senior consulting leader and business advisor Mark Campbell.
Over the course of his career Mark has ticked pretty much every consulting box. Becoming a Partner at KPMG, leading the boutique consulting firm, Hedra, through their growth journey and navigating the complex world of M&A to achieve a successful sale of the firm to Mouchel. If that wasn’t enough he’s also held senior leadership roles at industry stalwarts Hitatchi consulting and RGP, and since 2019 has moved into a portfolio career, working with a range of consulting firms as a...
2022-05-061h 22Climb In ConsultingEpisode 102: The Power Of Mediation And Communication In Business With David LiddleIn the latest episode of Climb in Consulting, Nick talks to David Liddle - the founder and CEO of The TCM Group. An award-winning provider of mediation, investigation, culture change and leadership development services to companies around the world.
David has always been driven by the power of dialogue to bring people together. An award-winning mediation, investigation, culture change and leadership development consultancy. It was a huge success attracting Lottery funding and national media coverage.
This eye-opening experience proved to him that people from all backgrounds, with competing goals, have the capacity to come together and create something positive. He...
2022-04-221h 33Climb In ConsultingEpisode 101: A Leaders' Guide To Business Storytelling With Alison EsseIn the latest episode of Climb in Consulting, Nick talks to Alison Esse, the Co-founder and Director of business transformation specialists The Storytellers.
Having begun her career in communications, and later in big show production, Alison has been no stranger to captivating people through the power of storytelling.
But when the events industry went into freefall in the early 2000s, she decided to switch focus from telling stories on stages, and into helping businesses create emotionally-compelling narratives that allow leaders to navigate their people through periods of change.
19 years later, and The Storytellers have worked with over 200 of the world’s...
2022-04-081h 12Climb In ConsultingEpisode 100: From the UK, To Asia and Back Again With Hugo WalkinshawToday’s episode sees two big milestones for the show.
Firstly it is episode 100 of Climb In Consulting. A massive milestone and something that’s crazy to think given Climb In Consulting started just four years ago.
This wouldn’t have been possible without all of our fantastic guests we have had along the way and you, the listeners, without whom, there would be no Climb In Consulting.
A big thank you to you - we are looking forward to bringing you the next 100 episodes.
And what’s the second big milestone? We are joined by our first OBE as Nick tal...
2022-03-251h 22Climb In ConsultingEpisode 98: Your Consultancy's Marketing Questions AnsweredAt Create Engage we’re big believers that your marketing should revolve around two things, sharing your expertise and showcasing your team’s experience.
So to practice what we preach – and give you some hugely valuable insights into what’s working for consultancies like you, right now – we recorded this episode.
In this conversation Nick is joined by Dan Gibson, Account Director at Create Engage, to share the big questions that clients are asking us right now when it comes to marketing.
In this conversation, Dan and Nick touch on a range of topics that are top of the list for firms...
2022-02-2549 minClimb In ConsultingEpisode 97: Hybrid Marketing: How To Sustain Growth In 2022In the final episode of our three-part series exploring how your consultancy can thrive in the hybrid world.
The pandemic may be subsiding, but your clients aren’t heading back to the office in a hurry. If your marketing hasn’t adapted to this reality, you risk losing out to competitors who have been swifter to evolve with the times.
In this episode Nick Synnott leads the discussion, with Rob Garner of Garwood Solutions and Deri Hughes of Explore Consulting providing a client-side perspective.
Nick explains how to create an effective marketing strategy that cuts through the noise and helps you...
2022-02-1159 minClimb In ConsultingEpisode 96: Hybrid Talent: How To Sustain Growth in 2022In the second of our series examining how your consultancy can thrive in the hybrid world, we take a closer look at the critical issue of attracting and retaining talent that will drive your business forward.
It won’t have escaped your notice that we’re in the middle of a talent crunch at the moment. Competition for the best is fierce, which makes meeting the expectations of potential new recruits, and motivating them when they become your employees, vital.
In this episode Deri Hughes, founder of recruiting firm Explore Consulting, leads the discussion with Rob Garner of Garwood Solutions and...
2022-01-2857 minClimb In ConsultingEpisode 95: Hybrid Operations: How to sustain growth in 2022Recently we took part in a webinar series exploring how your consultancy can thrive in a hybrid world. This episode of Climb In Consulting is the first of that three-part series.
Each episode will step away from our usual interview format, bringing together our regular host, Nick, and industry experts Rob Garner of Garwood Solutions and Deri Hughes of Explore Consulting. They’ll use their expertise to discuss the three issues that are causing consulting firms the most pain right now – Operations, Recruitment and Marketing.
Across the series they explore the challenges and opportunities that are emerging. And answer some perc...
2022-01-1459 min
Climb In ConsultingEpisode 94: Start Ups, Mentors and Acquisitions With Rob Chapman, CEO of Founders IntelligenceIn the latest episode of Climb in Consulting Nick talks to the founder and CEO of Founders Intelligence, Rob Chapman. The entrepreneur powered consultancy that helps clients to identify and seize the next billion-pound opportunities that are emerging in their industries.
Having begun his career in the start-up world, Rob moved in to consulting with PwC, wanting to build those core consulting skills that many young professionals want to learn.
But his early days in start-ups had ignited a passion in him, and it was a chance introduction to one of his now longstanding mentors that led to the idea...
2021-12-101h 27Climb In ConsultingEpisode 92: IPOs, M&A And Running A £400 Million Consultancy With Jonathan Davis, MD Of AvaloqIn episode 92 of Climb In Consulting Nick speaks with Jonathan Davis, managing director at Avaloq.
Jonathan started his career at Anderson Consulting in the late 1980s where he managed to get his foot in the door despite not having the educational success of many of his peers. That didn’t stop him working his way up from the unloved outsourcing department to become an equity partner at the time of its IPO.
Since then, he’s taken on a number of varied and challenging roles ranging from attempting to buy a small car manufacturer to helping turn around Capco, to lead...
2021-11-121h 33Climb In ConsultingEpisode 91: Foreign Adventures And Corporate Restructures With Veteran CEO, Richard FenningIn episode 91 of Climb In Consulting, Nick speaks with seasoned industry veteran, Richard Fenning, former CEO of Control Risks. The global risk consultancy with over 2,000 consultants working across 42 offices around the world.
We first heard Richard as a guest on the Distinctive Leaders podcast, run by our client Andrew Wallace of Leathwaite. Having hugely enjoyed their conversation, we knew we had to get him on the show.
Richard’s career in consulting started at Price Waterhouse where, as he shares in today’s conversation, he wasn’t having much success.
Seeing that he wasn’t going to progress where he was, he...
2021-10-291h 36
Climb In ConsultingEpisode 90: The Secrets To Starting Your Own ConsultancyIn today’s episode of Climb In Consulting we’re trying something new. Something a little different that we hope you’re going to really enjoy.
We’re big believers in the Tony Robbins quote that “success leaves clues” and we’ve learned so many of these clues from guests of the show, whether they were solo consultants, partners in big firms or consulting entrepreneurs.
In the early days of Create Engage the advice and inspiration we took from our guests really helped when the going got tough and having had Nick speak with many listeners, we know that you really value t...
2021-10-151h 23Climb In ConsultingEpisode 89: Starting Up and Scaling Up A Digital Consultancy With MMT Digital CEO Ben RudmanIn today’s episode of Climb In Consulting Nick talks to the brilliant and inspiring Ben Rudman, co-founder and CEO of MMT Digital.
Ben jumped straight into business with a friend after graduating from university. After a steady start, they decided to take it up a gear, and over that time MMT has gone from strength to strength. Evolving from an educational CD Rom business to a leading digital consultancy, working with impressive list of corporate clients.
It’s a truly fascinating journey, which Ben admits has involved plenty of missteps on the way to success.
In this conversation, Nick and...
2021-10-011h 27Climb In ConsultingEpisode 88: Social Mobility & Secrets to Success With Kevin Ellis, Chairman & Senior Partner, PwC UKWelcome back to Climb In Consulting!
After our summer break, we’re very excited to be back with Episode 88, and let us tell you, we have a very special guest to kick off with.
Today Nick speaks with Kevin Ellis, Chairman and Senior Partner at PwC UK.
Now, we suspect everyone listening to this show will know who PwC are, and many of you will know who Kevin is.
But for those who don’t, Kevin leads PwC’s 22,000-person strong UK business. He was elected Chairman and Senior Partner of PwC UK in 2016 and then re-elected for a second term i...
2021-09-1758 min
Climb In ConsultingEpisode 87: Acquisitions And International Expansions With Simon Dennis & David Holliday of Gate OneIn today’s episode of Climb In Consulting, Nick speaks with former guest Simon Dennis and his fellow Gate One Partner, David Holliday.
Since Simon first appeared on the show, back in 2018, Gate One has gone from strength to strength, growing to a team of over 120 consultants and expanding internationally.
Last year that success culminated in the firm being acquired by Havas. A meeting of minds and a partnership designed to accelerate Gate One’s growth even further.
In this conversation, Nick, Simon and David go into detail on Gate One’s journey over the last 18 months and dig into the st...
2021-07-301h 37Climb In ConsultingEpisode 86: Building The Blueprint For Consulting CSR With Rowenna Reid And Annabel Tonge From Q5In today’s episode Nick brings you the second part of his conversation with Q5 as he sits down with Rowenna Reid and Annabel Tonge to talk all things Pop-Up Consulting.
In part one, Nick was joined by former guest and Managing Partner at Q5, Olly Purnell. This time around, Nick speaks to Rowenna and Annabel about Q5’s fantastic Pop-Up Consulting initiative. One of the few positive things to come out of the last 18 months and something that we believe many consultancies will want to learn from and emulate.
In today’s conversation Rowenna and Annabel share the story of Pop...
2021-07-1654 minClimb In ConsultingEpisode 85 - Pushing Onwards And Outwards Through The Good Times & The Bad With Olly Purnell From Q5In today’s episode Nick brings you the first of a 2 part, round 2 interview, with former guest Olly Purnell of Q5 Partners.
Originally recorded as one conversation, when we listened back it was clear that there was just so much great content in this one that deserved to stand on its own two feet.
In today’s part 1, you’ll hear from Olly Purnell, Managing Partner and Co-Founder of Q5 Partners. In part 2, which we’ll be releasing in two weeks’ time, you’ll hear from Rowenna Reid and Annabel Tonge, all about Q5’s fantastic Pop Up Consulting initiative. One of the few...
2021-07-0246 min
Climb In ConsultingEpisode 66 - Mike Newlove - WavestoneToday’s guest is Mike Newlove, Managing Partner and UK Practice Leader at Wavestone, the leading global consultancy with over 3,500 people working across 8 countries to help their clients deliver their most critical transformation programmes.
Mike’s story is a hugely interesting one and challenges many of the commonly held assumptions about what it takes to have a successful career in consulting.
Although a self-proclaimed introvert, Mike started his career in sales with BT before being headhunted to join Deloitte. It was while at Deloitte that Mike met Harry, his future business partner. Following a particularly tough negotiation for a US base...
2020-07-231h 34
Climb In ConsultingEpisode 65 - Post-Lockdown Success: Creating ROI generating marketing that delivers resultsThis is the third and final episode of our three-part series in collaboration with Garwood Solutions and Honeycomb PS.
In times like this you need to adapt and respond. The traditional consulting BD approach of meeting people for coffees isn’t an option and you have to do something different.
That’s where effective digital marketing comes in!
In this episode I explain how you can use digital marketing to help you respond to the current climate while setting your business up for long term success.
I take you through the exact framework we use with our clients to help them...
2020-07-031h 00Climb In ConsultingEpisode 64 - Post-Lockdown Success: Building Flexibility & Control in your operationsIn the second of our three part series looking at what consulting leaders like you need to be focusing on to achieve post-lockdown success, Deri Hughes, founder of Honeycomb PS walks you through the exact frameworks he uses with his clients to create highly scalable, flexible and controllable operations functions.
When it comes to operations, there’s two key areas to focus on: Flexibility and Control. Flexibility on costs, to respond to changing client needs, and to capture opportunities that present themselves. Control to manage the risks to your business – cashflow, people and clients.
In this episode Deri explains:
– How to ide...
2020-07-0357 minClimb In ConsultingEpisode 63 - Post-Lockdown Success: Renewing the V&P in your Value PropositionToday’s episode, or episodes should I say, is a first for this podcast and one I’m really excited to share with you
Last month, I teamed up with two of the industries leading experts to bring you a truly comprehensive series to explain what you need to focus on to help you succeed as we come out of Covid-19 and beyond.
Over three webinars, myself and my co-hosts, Rob Garner from Garwood Solutions and Deri Huges from Honeycomb PS shared the three elements that you need to focus on to set your business up for success.
If you’ve fol...
2020-07-0359 minClimb In ConsultingEpisode 62 - Career Advice From The Best In The Business – Round ThreeFor regular listeners to the show you’ll know that alongside the interviews from inspirational leaders in our field I like to mix it up and give you a range of different types of episodes to listen to.
Early on in the series I shared a recap episode, bringing together the career advice from all of my guests up to that point.
That episode proved so popular I decided to make it a regular feature on the show. Gathering up my guests answers to the last question that I ask in every interview. To give you a comprehensive guide to he...
2020-06-1940 minClimb In ConsultingEpisode 61 - Hannah Farrar - Carnall FarrarToday’s guest is Hannah Farrar, Chief Executive of Carnall Farrar, the specialist management consultancy dedicated to the healthcare industry.
Hannah has recently been recognised as one of the top 100 women in healthcare leadership, so naturally I couldn’t wait to sit down with her for this interview and explore her incredible career journey.
Following a successful career in the NHS, Hannah and her co-founder Ruth Carnall decided that the time was right to strikeout on their own and set about launching Carnall Farrar, or CF as it’s now known.
Launching your own business is a daunting enough prospect but ev...
2020-06-041h 05Climb In ConsultingEpisode 60 - Simon England - Garwood Solutions/AccentureIn today’s episode, I speak to Simon England, Director at Garwood Solutions, Former senior Managing Director at Accenture and Independent Director of HCL Technologies, the 150,000 person global technology and services firm.
If you’ve been listening to the show for a while, you may remember that Simon’s colleague Rob Garner featured back in Episode 51 at the beginning of the year.
I always like to ask my guests who they would recommend for the show and Rob pointed me to Simon. Highlighting his extensive career leading various business units for Accenture as something he thought could be of interest to my...
2020-05-221h 28Climb In ConsultingEpisode 59 - Marketing For Consultancies - My Interview For Sales For StartupsToday’s episode is taken from an interview that I recently did for Sales For Startups as part of their fantastic interview series.
This series, hosted by their founder James Ker-Reid, explores many of the key topics that anyone launching their own business needs to think about.
Much like we do for climb in consulting, James interviews leaders from various fields to share their insights and experience with his audience. Giving them advice on everything from Fund Raising and accountancy to sales and marketing.
As you probably guessed, James asked if I’d take part in the series to share my a...
2020-05-0857 minClimb In ConsultingEpisode 58 - Marketing Through Covid-19Today’s episode is a bonus episode intended to help you with your marketing during the current Covid-19 lockdown.
I've been running a number of webinars all about how you can and should be using marketing right now and have received some great feedback on them.
As not everyone who listens to the show is able to join these, I wanted to share the recording of one of the recent webinars I ran where I give you the exact marketing strategy framework that we use with our clients and share the tools and tactics that you should be using right no...
2020-05-0148 minClimb In ConsultingEpisode 57 - Chris Gibson - PENIn today’s episode I speak to Chris Gibson, Partner and Managing Director at PEN.
PEN are a client of ours at Create Engage and having got to know Chris and the PEN team over the last 6 months I knew that he would make a great guest for the show.
PEN are a really unique consultancy – and I’m not just saying that because we work with them. PEN was founded by a collective of consultants striving to solve many of the problems that they saw in the traditional consulting model – something that we go in to detail on in today’s...
2020-04-241h 28Climb In ConsultingEpisode 56 - Paul Collins - EquiteqToday's episode is one I recorded just under two months ago and it’s amazing how much the world has changed in that time.
For some of you listening, today’s episode could possibly be the most valuable episode of Climb In Consulting that I’ve ever recorded. And while the topics we discuss may not be top of your list right now, the principles and advice that today’s guest shares will certainly help you when we start to emerge from the current crisis.
So who is today’s guest and what makes this such a valuable episode?
In today’s ep...
2020-04-101h 59Climb In ConsultingEpisode 55 - Alex Gurr - Baringa PartnersOne of the great things about running this podcast is I get to speak to inspiring leaders in our industry to get their inside track on what it takes to succeed in consulting.
I try to interview guests on this show that I look up to and know others do too, so it was great to have a chance to interview one of my old mentors - Someone who taught me so much about consulting and who’s career has gone from strength to strength since I worked for him.
Today I go back to my old consultancy to interview Al...
2020-03-291h 14
Climb In ConsultingEpisode 54 - Ian Price - Recludo ConsultingIn today’s episode I speak to Ian Price, the leading sales expert , performance psychologist and author.
Ian is a CEO-turned business psychologist specialising in helping organisations both develop effective sales processes and build the mental toughness needed to achieve it.
Having previously worked in consultancy and in a number of executive roles across the telecoms and technology industries, Ian has become an expert in selling and business development. Specialising in helping professional services businesses improve their own internal sales capability.
This is an episode I’ve wanted to do for a long time. Sales is often seen as a ‘dirty’...
2020-03-121h 20Climb In ConsultingEpisode 53 - Irene Molodtsov - Sia PartnersIn today’s interview I speak to Irene Molodtsov, CEO of Sia Partners UK,
Having started her career in manufacturing Irene quickly found her calling in management consulting and moved to KPMG to pursue her passion.
When KPMG was sold to Atos, Irene and her co-founder decided the time was right to strike out on their own and do what they loved, helping organisations deliver major business transformation project. This led them to launch Molten which was subsequently acquired by Sia Partners in 2016.
On joining Sia Partners, Irene took on the role of CEO of their UK business, continuing to bu...
2020-03-041h 08Climb In ConsultingEpisode 52 - Rob Ferrone and Adam Blomerley - Quick ReleaseIn today’s episode I bring you not one but two guests as I speak to Rob Ferrone and Adam Blomerley of Quick Release.
Having started out as contractors, Rob joined forces with his co-founder, Adam Grant to launch Quick Release in 2003. In Rob’s own words they were ‘two Excel types who saw a gap in the market and wanted to create a fun company of like-minded data geeks’.
It was shortly after this that Adam Blomerley joined the business with his famous ‘5 year plan’ - something we discuss in today’s show. This saw the start of the transformation...
2020-03-031h 40Climb In ConsultingEpisode 51 - Rob Garner - Garwood SolutionsIn today’s episode, the first of 2020, we’re heading back to our usual format as I chat with a fantastic new guest.
I was introduced to today’s guest by our mutual clients, Stephen Aldridge and Denver McCann at Numeritas who, having worked with him first hand, knew that he’d make a great guest for the show.
Today’s guest is Rob Garner, serial consulting entrepreneur, board advisor and most recently founder of Garwood Solutions, the advisory enablement and delivery consultancy focused on performance improvement in the professional services sector.
Having climbed the ranks in KPMG Rob left to launch...
2020-02-041h 38Climb In ConsultingEpisode 50 - My interview for Climb In Consulting - Nick SynnottToday’s episode represents a huge landmark for the show and I can’t believe we are here already.
Today is episode 50 of Climb in Consulting and it’s crazy to think that something I started as a little side project almost two years ago has grown to where it is now.
Specific things we discuss in the show:
Wacky Rally - http://www.wackyrally.co.uk/
Baringa Partners - www.baringa.com
Good to Great By Jim Collins - https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/0712676090/ref=cm_sw_em_r_mt_dp_U_Lf--DbZB0NR45
Anything You Want by Derek...
2020-02-031h 38Climb In ConsultingEpisode 49 - How to create your own industry leading podcastToday’s episode is one that I’ve been meaning to record for almost a year!
Since starting the podcast I’ve had so many people ask me about how to launch their own podcast and my top tips from almost 50 episodes of Climb in Consulting.
to answer these questions and help you if you’re thinking of launching your own podcast I recorded today’s episode.
In today’s show I walk you through the exact process you’ll want to follow if you’re thinking of launching your own podcast including:
How to develop your own USP and a podcast that w...
2020-02-0242 minClimb In ConsultingEpisode 41 - Charles Vivian - North HighlandToday’s guest is Charles Vivian, Managing Director and Portfolio Group Lead at North Highland.
Charles leads North Highland’s UK and north eastern US practices, a $100 million dollar consulting business.
While you might be expecting the typical consulting career journey, Charles has had the complete opposite and has a hugely varied career that has spanned working for a global consultancy, founding his own start up, working for a boutique consulting firm and then working his way up to where he is now.
Outside of work Charles has undertaken some phenomenal adventures including climbing Mont Blanc and running the Marathon De S...
2019-03-221h 32Climb In ConsultingEpisode 40 - How to become a thought leader: Overcoming your fear & creating great contentToday’s episode is a huge milestone for the show. It’s the 40th episode of Climb in Consulting.
It’s been a great adventure so far and I’m looking forward to creating the next 40 episodes for you.
A big thank you to all of my guests who have appeared on the show so far and a big thank you to you for listening to it! Without you I would have packed this up long ago.
To celebrate 40 episodes I wanted to share my advice on one the biggest challenges I find Consultants, Consulting Leaders and Consulting Marketers face - Produc...
2019-02-2226 minClimb In ConsultingEpisode 38 - Adil Khan - BoxwoodToday’s guest is Adil Khan. Adil was one of the founding team of Boxwood, the business transformation consultancy that following years of successful growth was acquired by KPMG in 2015.
Since leaving Boxwood Adil now spends his time advising Consulting entrepreneurs on how to successfully grow their businesses and focusing on his own start up, Lifefyle.
The goal of Lifefyle is to provide people with a simple, organised platform for their life admin, to give them the freedom to unlock their potential and thrive. You can find out more about Lifefyle at www.lifefyle.com
Adil’s story is rather diff...
2019-02-081h 39Climb In ConsultingEpisode 35 - Digital Marketing - How to develop effective content that generates ROIThrough my new Agency, Create Engage, I’ve been speaking to a number of Consulting leaders about how to improve their Digital Marketing and wanted to share the answers to two of the most common questions I get to help you improve your own marketing activity.
The two questions I discuss in today’s episode are:
Where is the ROI from Digital Marketing?
How can you develop effective content that delivers results?
Both are great questions and critical to think about before you start investing your Marketing budget and creating content.
If you have any questions about what I share in t...
2018-12-0732 minClimb In ConsultingEpisode 29 - Finding Mentors To Accelerate Your CareerToday’s episode was prompted by my recent interview with Andrew Denton from Alfa Systems where we discuss the importance of Mentoring.
Mentorship, advice and guidance from senior colleagues and other successful people has been a huge part of my career development and this podcast wouldn’t exist without it.
I’m a big believer in the power of mentorship and as Tony Robbins says “If you want to be successful, find someone who has achieved the results you want and copy what they do and you'll achieve the same results.”
Identifying, reaching out to and learning from Mentors is something...
2018-09-2820 minClimb In ConsultingEpisode 23 - Sales and selling - The skill that separates the best from the restOf all of the skills that my guests have said are critical to success in Consulting sales, and being able to sell, is one that comes up time and time again.
Both Stephen Newton and Tim Smeaton highlighted it as one of the key skills you should learn early in your career to help accelerate your success. David Lancefield highlighted it as one of the key skills you need to make Partner in his firm and one of the common things that is missing from those who fail to make it to the top.
With all of these successful leaders...
2018-08-1214 minClimb In ConsultingEpisode 14 - Networking. Why you won't succeed without it!Today's episode is a solo episode on a skill that many of my guests have highlighted as critical to their success - networking.
networking, whether you like it or not is a critical skill in a relationship focused business like Consulting. While I think the old adage of 'it's not what you know, it's who you know' is only partly true. I firmly believe that knowledge and capability alone will never get you to the top in any career, hobby or activity you want to pursue.
With that in mind I thought I'd share my tips to help those of...
2018-05-2536 min
Elixirr TalksHow to be an entrepreneur in corporate life
https://www.elixirr.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/04/Climb-In-Consulting-Stephen-Newton-V0.9-1.mp3
Serial entrepreneur. Optimist. Managing Partner. Our very own Stephen Newton sat down with Nick Synnott, host and producer of Climb in Consulting – the first podcast by consultants, for consultants.
Grab your headphones and settle down to listen to Stephen talk about topics including:
Why consulting is the most entrepreneurial career you can have in the corporate world.
Why fixating on your salary is holding your career back and what you should focus on instead.
The importance of an entrepreneurial mindset for employees and how...
2018-04-1200 minClimb In ConsultingEpisode 5 - How to become an Independant Consultant/ContractorToday’s episode of Climb In Consulting is a little different and I’m excited to see what you think about it!
Instead of interviewing a leader from the Consulting industry I answer a question that I’ve had A LOT since making the move in to Independent Consulting – ‘Nick, how do I become an Independent Consultant?’
In this episode I cover some of the specific questions that I’ve been asked by friends and colleagues along with some of the key areas that you need to know about and consider. This includes the myths that often stop people becoming an independent...
2018-03-0936 min