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 Become a Trusted Advisor Through Executive Communication With Namaan Mian

    8h 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
  2. How to Scale a Professional Services Firm by Turning Expertise into Products With Joshua Millsapps

    9h 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
  3. How to Build Trust, Retain Clients and Drive Real Leadership Performance With Dr Sam Humphrey

    3d 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
  4. How to Increase Profitability Through Financial Mastery and Leadership With Gail Doby

    4d 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
  5. How to Build High Impact Transformation Firms with Executive Entrepreneur Talent With Jamie Jacobs

    4d 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
  6. How to Reduce Burnout & Create High-Performance Organizations Through Flow With Kate Visconti

    4d ago

    How to Reduce Burnout & Create High-Performance Organizations Through Flow With Kate Visconti

    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 ********************************************************************** Kate Visconti has spent more than 25 years helping organizations navigate growth, transformation, and change. Her experience spans leadership roles across consulting, technology, financial services, higher education, nonprofits, and government, including serving as a Principal at PwC. After experiencing burnout despite achieving significant career success, Kate began questioning many of the assumptions that drive professional services firms. That experience ultimately led her to found Five to Flow, a consulting firm focused on helping organizations improve performance by addressing the underlying systems that influence how people work. Today, Kate helps leaders create healthier, more productive organizations through a framework built around five core elements: People, Culture, Process, Technology, and Analytics. Her work combines consulting, executive coaching, neuroscience, and organizational transformation to help businesses improve employee experience, client outcomes, and sustainable growth. Proposed Interview Structure: 1. What got you into consulting, and how did that journey eventually lead you to founding Five to Flow? 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 typically holds the decision to bring you in and hire your team? 4. How do clients typically find Five to Flow, and what's worked best for attracting new business that other professional services firm leaders could learn from? Current Acquisition Channels: Referral, Webinars, Speaking engagements Sub Question: You've invested heavily in thought leadership and content. What role do you think podcasting can play as a business development tool for consultants, coaches, and professional services firms? 5. Professional services often involve long sales cycles and multiple stakeholders. How do you typically build trust and move opportunities from an initial conversation to a signed engagement? 6. Once a client starts working with you, how do you ensure they keep coming back, continue seeing value, and develop into long-term client relationships? 7. As the founder of Five to Flow, where do you find yourself most stuck right now, if anywhere? 8. Looking ahead, where do you see the biggest opportunity for helping organizations create healthier, higher-performing workplaces over the next few years? ********************************************************************* Know more about Kate Visconti Website Link: https://fivetoflow.com/ Connect with Kate Visconti on LinkedIn LinkedIn link: https://www.linkedin.com/in/katevisconti-servant-leader-thought-leader-creator-five-to-flow/ Apply to be a guest on The Principal Podcast: https://ghapodcast.com/application-to-be-a-guest-on-consulting-leaders/

    33 min
  7. How to Build Long Term Client Trust Through Authentic Leadership Development With Candy Hogan

    6d ago

    How to Build Long Term Client Trust Through Authentic Leadership Development With Candy Hogan

    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 ********************************************************************** Candy Hogan is the Managing Director of qpeople, a leadership development and people consultancy helping organisations build stronger leaders through coaching, psychometrics, and practical development programmes. With more than 20 years of experience across HR, L&D, consulting, and operational leadership, she brings a grounded and highly practical perspective to building people-first professional services businesses. In this episode of The Principal Podcast, Candy shares how trust, ethics, authenticity, and long-term relationships have helped her grow a consultancy built largely through referrals and reputation. The conversation dives into leadership development, client retention, consulting growth, and what professional services firms can learn from building genuine partnerships instead of transactional client relationships. Proposed Interview Structure: 1. What originally pulled you into leadership development and consulting, and what made you realise this was the kind of professional services business you wanted to build? 2. What specific problem are you helping clients solve through qpeople, and why does solving that problem matter so personally to you? 3. Who are your ideal clients today, and inside those organisations, who usually makes the decision to bring you in? 4. You’ve clearly built a business heavily through reputation and referrals. What has worked best for attracting the right clients and building credibility in the professional services space? Current Acquisition Channels: Referral, Cold outreach Sub Question: What do you think about podcasting as a marketing tool for consultants, coaches, and leadership development firms? 5. When leadership consulting projects involve multiple stakeholders and longer buying cycles, how do you personally move prospects from early conversations to signed client engagements? 6. How do you retain clients, keep them coming back, and deepen those relationships over time? 7. Where do you find yourself most stuck right now as a consulting business owner, if at all? 8. Looking ahead, where do you see the biggest opportunity for leadership development and people consulting over the next few years? ********************************************************************* Know more about Candy Hogan Website Link: https://qpeople.co.uk/ Connect with Candy Hogan on LinkedIn LinkedIn link: https://www.linkedin.com/in/candyhogan-qpeople/ Apply to be a guest on The Principal Podcast: https://ghapodcast.com/application-to-be-a-guest-on-consulting-leaders/

    36 min
  8. How to Turn HR Into a Strategic Growth Engine With Adam Daines

    Jun 22

    How to Turn HR Into a Strategic Growth Engine With Adam Daines

    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 business owners view HR as an administrative function or a necessary expense. Adam Daines has spent his career helping companies see it differently. Through ADDA, he works with growing businesses to improve talent acquisition, employee retention, organizational design, leadership development, and overall business performance. Having served as both an HR executive and consultant, Adam has seen firsthand how poor people decisions can slow growth, create unnecessary costs, and increase risk. Those experiences led him to build ADDA, a firm focused on helping organizations align their people strategy with their business objectives. In this conversation, we discuss what it takes to build a successful HR advisory firm, how strategic HR impacts business growth, and why founders should think about their workforce as a competitive advantage rather than an operational necessity. Proposed Interview Structure: 1. What first attracted you to HR and consulting, and what ultimately led you to start ADDA? 2. What specific problem are you helping clients solve through ADDA, 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 ADDA in? 4. As you've grown ADDA, what have been the most effective ways to attract new clients and establish credibility in the marketplace? Current Acquisition Channels: Referral Sub Question: What role do you think podcasting can play for professional services firms looking to build trust, authority, and new business opportunities? 5. HR services often require significant trust before clients engage. How do you typically move prospects from an initial conversation to becoming clients? 6. How do you retain clients over the long term, ensure they continue receiving value, and build relationships that keep them coming back? 7. As the founder of ADDA, where do you find yourself most stuck right now, if at all? 8. Looking ahead, where do you see the biggest opportunity for strategic HR consulting and outsourced HR services over the next few years? ********************************************************************* Know more about Adam Daines Website Link: https://www.addainfusion.com/ Connect with Adam Daines on LinkedIn LinkedIn link: https://www.linkedin.com/in/adam-daines-0b83291b/ Apply to be a guest on The Principal Podcast: https://ghapodcast.com/application-to-be-a-guest-on-consulting-leaders/

    27 min
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5
out of 5
17 Ratings

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
    448
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © Copyright 2026 GHA Marketing
  • Show Website
    The Principal Podcast