The Principal Podcast

GHA Marketing

The Principal Podcast is where founders, Managing Partners, and CEOs of professional services firms share how they build, grow, and lead businesses that last. Each episode goes deep on the real strategies behind firm growth, from winning clients and building trust, to scaling teams and staying ahead in a competitive market. Hosted by a team of seasoned professionals with backgrounds across consulting, marketing, and business growth, The Principal Podcast brings diverse perspectives to every conversation. Guests come from across the professional services world: management consulting, financial services, investment banking, IT services, marketing, PR, staffing, and accounting. If you run or lead a professional services firm and you're serious about growth, this is your show.

  1. How to Grow a Firm Through Better Sales Systems and Team Performance With Kate Wass

    21 hr ago

    How to Grow a Firm Through Better Sales Systems and Team Performance With Kate Wass

    Look into the "3 Ways to Generate Leads With Your Podcast" E-book for free here on our website! (https://ghapodcast.com) Want to solve Branding and Lead-Gen for good for your B2B Business? Download our Completed Playbook for FREE: https://ghapodcast.com/b2b-podcasting-secrets-pod ********************************************************************** Many professional services firms rely heavily on referrals and relationships but struggle to build a repeatable system for generating new business. Kate Wass helps solve that challenge through her work at Premium Sales Consultancy, where she supports businesses with sales strategy, sales training, coaching, recruitment, onboarding, and performance improvement. As Client Relationship Director and Training Academy Lead, Kate works directly with business owners and sales teams to create structured sales processes that improve conversion rates, strengthen client relationships, and drive sustainable growth. Her experience spans sales leadership, recruitment, business development, and team performance management. In this conversation, we discuss how Premium Sales helps businesses create high-performing sales teams, the importance of coaching and accountability, and what firm leaders can do to improve commercial performance without relying solely on referrals. Proposed Interview Structure: 1. What led you into sales in the first place, and how did that journey eventually lead you to Premium Sales Consultancy? 2. What specific problem is Premium Sales helping clients solve today, and why is solving that problem something you care deeply about personally? 3. Who are the ideal clients for Premium Sales, and who typically makes the decision to bring your team in? 4. How does Premium Sales attract new clients today, and what marketing activities have generated the best results for the business? Current Acquistiion Channels: Content, Cold outreach Sub Question: You recently asked your network about sales podcasts. What role do you think podcasting can play in helping professional services firms build credibility, trust, and new business opportunities? 5. Premium Sales helps businesses improve conversion rates and sales performance. How do you approach your own sales process when taking a prospect from initial conversation to becoming a client? 6. A lot of firms focus heavily on winning clients but less on keeping them. How does Premium Sales build long-term client relationships and ensure clients continue coming back for additional support? 7. As Premium Sales continues to grow, where do you find yourself most challenged right now as a leader and as someone responsible for driving growth? 8. Looking ahead, where do you see the biggest opportunities for sales training, sales coaching, and sales consultancy businesses like Premium Sales over the next few years? ********************************************************************* Know more about Kate Wass Website Link: https://www.premium-sales.com/ Connect with Kate Wass on LinkedIn LinkedIn link: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kate-wass/ Apply to be a guest on The Principal Podcast: https://ghapodcast.com/application-to-be-a-guest-on-consulting-leaders/

    31 min
  2. How to Build a Specialized Advisory Practice in Corporate Treasury That Wins at the C-Level With Harald Fritsche

    21 hr ago

    How to Build a Specialized Advisory Practice in Corporate Treasury That Wins at the C-Level With Harald Fritsche

    Look into the "3 Ways to Generate Leads With Your Podcast" E-book for free here on our website! (https://ghapodcast.com) Want to solve Branding and Lead-Gen for good for your B2B Business? Download our Completed Playbook for FREE: https://ghapodcast.com/b2b-podcasting-secrets-pod ********************************************************************** Harald Fritsche sits in a part of consulting most firms never reach, deep, technical advisory with direct relevance to the CFO agenda. As Partner and Head of Global Treasury Advisory in Germany at Deloitte, he works with multinational corporations and insurers on treasury strategy, transformation, and system architecture. His work goes beyond optimization. Treasury becomes a strategic control tower, impacting M&A outcomes, liquidity visibility, risk exposure, and decision-making under volatility. That’s where advisory shifts from execution to influence. For consulting leaders, this is a clear example of how to build authority in a niche that matters at the highest level. It’s about depth over breadth, speaking the language of financial leadership, and turning expertise into long-term advisory relationships. Proposed Interview Structure: 1. What got you into treasury and advisory in the first place, and how did that lead to becoming a Partner at Deloitte? 2. What specific problems are you helping clients solve today. How does solving big Treasury problems lead to bottom line impact for the groups you work with? 3. Who do you typically help? And typically makes the decision to bring you in, CFO, treasurer, or someone else? • What are some buy ins that you need to get (Head of Tax, Legal, FP&A…)... And how do you get their buy in at the Fortune 500 level? 4. In a specialized field like treasury advisory, how do clients typically find you, and what has worked best to build trust and credibility? • Tell me about the Deloitte brand vs what you need to do as head of the Treasury practice to get deal opportunities through the door? 5. When you're selling treasury advisory into large organizations, how do you navigate complex buying groups and long decision cycles? • Not sharing any sensitive data, we can easily assume that a typical engagement would be 6 figures or more. • What does selling this type of high ticket actually means? 6. How do you approach client retention in advisory, what do you do to build relationships that last and keep clients coming back over time? 7. If any, what would you say is your number one challenge right now? Asking this as there will be people in the audience facing the same challenge, and it’s always interesting to hear from your peers how they think about a specific challenge we are facing ourselves. Here, share anything you feel comfortable with. 8. Looking ahead, where do you see the biggest opportunity for treasury advisory over the next few years? ********************************************************************* Connect with Harald Fritsche on LinkedIn LinkedIn link: https://www.linkedin.com/in/harald-fritsche/ Apply to be a guest on The Principal Podcast: https://ghapodcast.com/application-to-be-a-guest-on-consulting-leaders/

    39 min
  3. How to Turn Expertise Into Enterprise Value in a Professional Services Firm With Dr. Derrick Daye

    22 hr ago

    How to Turn Expertise Into Enterprise Value in a Professional Services Firm With Dr. Derrick Daye

    Look into the "3 Ways to Generate Leads With Your Podcast" E-book for free here on our website! (https://ghapodcast.com) Want to solve Branding and Lead-Gen for good for your B2B Business? Download our Completed Playbook for FREE: https://ghapodcast.com/b2b-podcasting-secrets-pod ********************************************************************** Many professional services firms struggle with the same challenges: differentiation, pricing pressure, inconsistent growth, and increasingly competitive markets. Dr. Derrick Daye believes these are often brand problems disguised as business problems. As Founder and Managing Partner of The Blake Project, Derrick has spent more than two decades helping leadership teams strengthen competitive positioning, improve pricing power, and create enterprise value. His work sits at the intersection of strategy, growth, and brand leadership. In this conversation, we explore how he built and sustained a successful consulting firm, how thought leadership became a major growth driver, what it takes to retain clients for the long term, and why firms that treat brand as a strategic asset outperform those that see it as a marketing expense. Proposed Interview Structure: 1. What originally drew you into consulting and brand strategy, and what led you to start The Blake Project? 2. What specific problem are you helping clients solve today, and why is solving that problem personally important to you? 3. Who are your ideal clients, and who typically makes the decision to bring in a firm like yours? 4. You've built authority through Branding Strategy Insider, speaking engagements, publishing, and client work. What has been most effective for attracting new business over the years? Current Acquisition Channels: Referral, Content, Speaking engagements Sub Question: You've built a significant platform through thought leadership. What role do you think podcasts can play for professional services firms looking to build credibility and attract clients? 5. Strategic consulting engagements often involve multiple stakeholders and long sales cycles. How do you typically move opportunities from an initial conversation to a signed engagement? 6. Many firms can win a client once. Fewer can keep clients coming back for years. How have you approached client retention and long-term relationship building at The Blake Project? 7. As the leader of a mature and successful consulting firm, where do you find yourself most challenged today, if at all? 8. Looking ahead, where do you see the biggest opportunity for your work in strengthening competitive positioning, differentiation, and enterprise value? ********************************************************************* Know more about Dr. Derrick Daye Website Link: http://www.theblakeproject.com/ Connect with J Dr. Derrick Daye on LinkedIn LinkedIn link: https://www.linkedin.com/in/derrickdaye/ Apply to be a guest on The Principal Podcast: https://ghapodcast.com/application-to-be-a-guest-on-consulting-leaders/

    33 min
  4. How to Become a Trusted Advisor Through Executive Communication With Namaan Mian

    1 day ago

    How to Become a Trusted Advisor Through Executive Communication With Namaan Mian

    Look into the "3 Ways to Generate Leads With Your Podcast" E-book for free here on our website! (https://ghapodcast.com) Want to solve Branding and Lead-Gen for good for your B2B Business? Download our Completed Playbook for FREE: https://ghapodcast.com/b2b-podcasting-secrets-pod ********************************************************************** Most professional services firms compete on expertise. Namaan Mian believes the real differentiator is helping clients make better decisions and gain alignment around action. As COO of Management Consulted, Namaan oversees a global training practice that delivers more than 300 workshops annually and serves over 50 enterprise partners. Under his leadership, the company has trained more than 20,000 professionals and generated over $100 million in cumulative client impact. In this conversation, we explore what it takes to scale a knowledge-based services business, build trust with enterprise clients, create recurring relationships, and position your firm as an indispensable partner rather than another vendor. Proposed Interview Structure: 1. What originally attracted you to consulting and professional services, and how did that journey eventually lead you to becoming COO of Management Consulted? 2. What specific problem are you helping clients solve today, and why has solving that problem become such a personal mission for you? 3. Who are your ideal clients today, and who typically holds the authority to bring your team in and approve an engagement? 4. Management Consulted has become one of the most recognized brands in consulting training. What have been the most effective ways you've built awareness, credibility, and demand for the business? Current Acquisition Channels: Referral, Content, Webinars, Podcast (hosting), Speaking engagements, Cold outreach Sub Question: You've also built significant audiences through your podcasts. What role do you think podcasting plays in building authority and generating opportunities for professional services firms? 5. Many enterprise training engagements involve multiple stakeholders and long decision cycles. How do you typically move prospects from an initial conversation to a signed engagement? 6. You've built long-term relationships with many clients. How do you retain clients, keep them engaged over time, and create partnerships that continue year after year? 7. As you've grown Management Consulted into a large training and advisory business, where do you find yourself most challenged or stuck today, if at all? 8. Looking ahead, where do you see the biggest opportunity for firms focused on leadership development, communication training, and trusted advisor capabilities over the next few years? ********************************************************************* Know more about Namaan Mian Website Link: http://www.managementconsulted.com Connect with Namaan Mian on LinkedIn LinkedIn link: https://www.linkedin.com/in/namaanmian/ Apply to be a guest on The Principal Podcast: https://ghapodcast.com/application-to-be-a-guest-on-consulting-leaders/

    32 min
  5. How to Scale a Professional Services Firm by Turning Expertise into Products With Joshua Millsapps

    1 day ago

    How to Scale a Professional Services Firm by Turning Expertise into Products With Joshua Millsapps

    Look into the "3 Ways to Generate Leads With Your Podcast" E-book for free here on our website! (https://ghapodcast.com) Want to solve Branding and Lead-Gen for good for your B2B Business? Download our Completed Playbook for FREE: https://ghapodcast.com/b2b-podcasting-secrets-pod ********************************************************************** Many professional services firms struggle to scale because growth depends heavily on people, projects, and billable hours. Joshua Millsapps has spent more than 20 years solving that challenge by combining consulting services with software products that help clients collect, manage, and act on critical business data. As Founder and CEO of Millsapps, Ballinger & Associates, Joshua oversees both a consulting practice and the ExAM product suite, serving public sector agencies, healthcare organizations, inspection teams, and enterprise clients. His firm has built a reputation for helping organizations improve decision-making through better data collection, assessments, compliance programs, and operational visibility. In this conversation, we explore how Joshua built a durable professional services business, how he approaches growth and client retention, and what firm leaders can learn from successfully balancing custom services with scalable products. Proposed Interview Structure: 1. What originally got you into professional services, and what were some of the early experiences that shaped how you think about building and leading a firm? 2. What specific problem are you helping clients solve today through MB&A and the ExAM platform, and why does solving that problem matter so much to you personally? 3. Who are your ideal clients today, and who typically makes the decision to bring your team in and engage your firm? 4. How do your best clients typically find you today, and what growth strategies have consistently generated the highest-quality opportunities for the business? Current Acquisition Channels: Referral, Webinars, Speaking engagements, Cold outreach Sub Question: What role do you think podcasting can play as a business development and credibility-building tool for professional services firms? 5. Many professional services engagements involve long buying cycles, multiple stakeholders, and significant trust-building. How do you typically move opportunities from first conversation to signed engagement? 6. You've built long-standing relationships with clients across both services and software. What is your approach to retaining clients, creating ongoing value, and turning engagements into long-term partnerships? 7. As the CEO of a firm that operates both consulting services and software products, where do you find yourself most challenged right now when it comes to growth, leadership, or scale (if at all)? 8. Looking ahead, where do you see the biggest opportunities for your work in improving operational performance through technology, data, and process improvement over the next few years? ********************************************************************* Know more about Joshua Millsapps Website Link: http://www.mbaoutcome.com Connect with Joshua Millsapps on LinkedIn LinkedIn link: https://www.linkedin.com/in/joshua-millsapps/ Apply to be a guest on The Principal Podcast: https://ghapodcast.com/application-to-be-a-guest-on-consulting-leaders/

    28 min
  6. How to Build Trust, Retain Clients and Drive Real Leadership Performance With Dr Sam Humphrey

    4 days ago

    How to Build Trust, Retain Clients and Drive Real Leadership Performance With Dr Sam Humphrey

    Look into the "3 Ways to Generate Leads With Your Podcast" E-book for free here on our website! (https://ghapodcast.com) Want to solve Branding and Lead-Gen for good for your B2B Business? Download our Completed Playbook for FREE: https://ghapodcast.com/b2b-podcasting-secrets-pod ********************************************************************** Dr Sam Humphrey has spent more than two decades helping leaders, teams and organisations improve performance through coaching, leadership development and organisational consulting. After holding senior HR and coaching roles at organisations including Unilever, Jaguar Cars and Scottish Power, she founded Grit Limited to focus on helping leaders and teams create measurable business outcomes through better leadership capability. What makes Sam’s work particularly relevant for principals, managing partners and consulting firm leaders is her commercial approach to coaching. She believes leadership development should never exist in isolation from business performance. Her work focuses on solving the practical challenges firms face around trust, leadership effectiveness, team performance, retention and organisational growth. In this conversation, we discuss what separates high-performing professional services firms from those that struggle to scale, how consulting businesses can create deeper client trust, why many leadership initiatives fail to deliver ROI, and how thought leadership, research and podcasting have helped Sam build authority and long-term client relationships in a highly competitive market. Proposed Interview Structure: 1. What originally pulled you into coaching and leadership consulting, and what eventually led you to build Grit? 2. What specific problem are you helping clients solve today, and why does solving that problem matter so much to you personally? 3. Who are your ideal clients today, and who usually holds the decision to bring Grit in for coaching or leadership development work? 4. You’ve built authority through research, thought leadership, newsletters and podcasting. What’s worked best for attracting the right clients and building trust in the professional services world? Current Acquisition Channels: Referral, Webinars, Podcast (hosting), Cold outreach Sub Question: You’ve also built a successful podcast around coaching and leadership stories. What do you think podcasting does particularly well for consultants, coaches and professional services firms? 5. You work with senior leaders and organisations where credibility and trust matter enormously. How do you typically move from an initial conversation to winning a consulting or coaching engagement? 6. Once a client starts working with Grit, how do you make sure the relationship becomes long term? What do you think keeps clients coming back? 7. Where do you find yourself most stuck right now as the founder of a high-end coaching and leadership consulting business, if at all? 8. Looking ahead, where do you see the biggest opportunities for executive coaching, leadership development and organisational performance consulting over the next few years? ********************************************************************* Know more about Dr Sam Humphrey Website Link: https://www.grit.co.uk/ Connect with Dr Sam Humphrey on LinkedIn LinkedIn link: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dr-sam-humphrey/ Apply to be a guest on The Principal Podcast: https://ghapodcast.com/application-to-be-a-guest-on-consulting-leaders/

    32 min
  7. How to Increase Profitability Through Financial Mastery and Leadership With Gail Doby

    5 days ago

    How to Increase Profitability Through Financial Mastery and Leadership With Gail Doby

    Look into the "3 Ways to Generate Leads With Your Podcast" E-book for free here on our website! (https://ghapodcast.com) Want to solve Branding and Lead-Gen for good for your B2B Business? Download our Completed Playbook for FREE: https://ghapodcast.com/b2b-podcasting-secrets-pod ********************************************************************** Most professional service firms struggle with the same hidden problems: inconsistent profitability, overdependence on the founder, team challenges, and difficulty scaling operations without creating more stress. Gail Doby has spent nearly two decades helping firm owners uncover the deeper patterns behind those issues instead of simply treating symptoms. After building and rebuilding her own design firm through major adversity, Gail co-founded Pearl Collective to help creative and service-based businesses strengthen profitability, leadership, pricing, and operational systems. Her work combines financial discipline with leadership development, helping founders transition from overwhelmed operators into confident CEOs. One of the most compelling parts of Gail’s philosophy is her belief that business growth mirrors personal growth. She challenges founders to move beyond scarcity thinking, charge based on value, build stronger teams, and create firms that can scale sustainably. For leaders of consulting and professional service firms, this conversation offers a practical look at what long-term business maturity actually requires. Proposed Interview Structure: 1. What originally got you into consulting and coaching for firm owners after running your own business for so many years? 2. What specific problem are you helping your clients solve, and why does solving that problem matter so personally to you? 3. Who are your ideal clients today, and who usually holds the decision to bring you in or hire your team? 4. You’ve built a strong authority position in a very specific niche. How do clients typically find you today, and what marketing strategies have worked best for attracting high-quality consulting clients? Current Acquisition Channels: Referral, Content, Webinars, Podcast (guesting), Podcast (hosting), Speaking engagements Sub Question: What do you think about podcasting as a marketing tool for professional service firms and consultants? 5. When a firm owner is considering working with Pearl Collective, how do you usually guide the sales process and build enough trust to move the relationship forward? 6. You’ve worked with many clients for years. How do you retain clients long term, keep them engaged, and continue creating value so they keep coming back? 7. Where do you personally find yourself most challenged or stuck right now as the leader of Pearl Collective, if at all? 8. Looking ahead, where do you see the biggest opportunities for professional service firms focused on leadership, advisory, and transformation over the next few years? ********************************************************************* Know more about Gail Doby Website Link: https://thepearlcollective.com/ Connect with Gail Doby on LinkedIn LinkedIn link: https://www.linkedin.com/in/gaildoby/ Apply to be a guest on The Principal Podcast: https://ghapodcast.com/application-to-be-a-guest-on-consulting-leaders/

    16 min
  8. How to Build High Impact Transformation Firms with Executive Entrepreneur Talent With Jamie Jacobs

    5 days ago

    How to Build High Impact Transformation Firms with Executive Entrepreneur Talent With Jamie Jacobs

    Look into the "3 Ways to Generate Leads With Your Podcast" E-book for free here on our website! (https://ghapodcast.com) Want to solve Branding and Lead-Gen for good for your B2B Business? Download our Completed Playbook for FREE: https://ghapodcast.com/b2b-podcasting-secrets-pod ********************************************************************** Jamie Jacobs has built Gig Talent around a simple but timely idea: companies no longer want disconnected advisory work. They want experienced operators who can step directly into transformation challenges and drive measurable outcomes quickly. Through Gig Talent, Jamie has created a curated ecosystem of principal-level experts, fractional leaders, and transformation specialists who help organizations align talent, technology, leadership, and execution without the cost and complexity of traditional consulting structures. In this conversation, Jamie breaks down what professional services leaders need to understand about the future of consulting, why trust and credibility matter more than ever, and how firms can stay competitive as AI reshapes how organizations operate. She also shares lessons from building a modern consulting ecosystem, retaining long-term client relationships, and positioning expertise in a rapidly evolving market. Proposed Interview Structure: 1. What originally pulled you into consulting, transformation, and organizational leadership work? 2. What specific problem are you helping clients solve today, and why does solving that problem matter to you personally? 3. Who are your ideal clients today, and inside those organizations, who usually makes the decision to bring Gig Talent in? 4. You’ve built a strong brand around leadership, transformation, and the future of work. What’s worked best for attracting the right clients and opportunities? Current Acquisition Channels: Referral, Content, Podcast (guesting), Podcast (hosting), Speaking engagements Sub Question: You also host The Courageous Choice Podcast. What do you think podcasting can do specifically for consultants, coaches, and transformation leaders trying to build authority? 5. Transformation work often involves long sales cycles, multiple stakeholders, and organizational resistance. How do you personally navigate that process and bring clients to a confident yes? 6. Once a client engagement starts, how do you make sure clients continue coming back, deepen the relationship, and view Gig Talent as a long-term strategic partner? 7. Where do you find yourself most challenged right now as you continue building Gig Talent and navigating this rapidly changing world of consulting and transformation? 8. Looking ahead, where do you see the biggest opportunity for transformation consulting and the future-of-work space over the next few years? ********************************************************************* Know more about Jamie Jacobs Website Link: https://gigtalentagency.com/ Connect with Jamie Jacobs on LinkedIn LinkedIn link: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jlatianojacobs/ Apply to be a guest on The Principal Podcast: https://ghapodcast.com/application-to-be-a-guest-on-consulting-leaders/

    23 min
See All (451)

About

The Principal Podcast is where founders, Managing Partners, and CEOs of professional services firms share how they build, grow, and lead businesses that last. Each episode goes deep on the real strategies behind firm growth, from winning clients and building trust, to scaling teams and staying ahead in a competitive market. Hosted by a team of seasoned professionals with backgrounds across consulting, marketing, and business growth, The Principal Podcast brings diverse perspectives to every conversation. Guests come from across the professional services world: management consulting, financial services, investment banking, IT services, marketing, PR, staffing, and accounting. If you run or lead a professional services firm and you're serious about growth, this is your show.

Information

  • Creator
    GHA Marketing
  • Years Active
    2023 - 2026
  • Episodes
    451
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © Copyright 2026 GHA Marketing
  • Show Website
    The Principal Podcast