The IGNITE Podcast with Josh Stone

Josh Stone
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Helping Engineering, Town Planning, Surveying & Architecture Consultancies grow to $10M a year & beyond Build A Profitable Consultancy | Hit 30% Net Profit Margins Operate More Efficiently | Unlock your Businesses Potential & Grow with Confidence Download our free Business Plan template to build out your Business Plan & consistently grow your business - https://www.coachignite.com/the-business-plan-template Join our next online workshop – The Profitable Consultant | Learn how to build a Profitable Consultancy, that generates consistent 30% net profit margins - https://www.coachignite.com/the-profitable-consultant-workshop Book a 15-minute Business Growth Call | A short, no-obligation catch up where we can touch base and really look at where you are now, where you want to be, and then build a personalised plan together for how to get you there - https://www.coachignite.com/business-growth-call 📞 0408 063 479 ✉ admin@coachignite.com 🌐 www.coachignite.com

  1. 6d ago

    Why Your Best People Keep Leaving | EP 187

    Your best person quitting rarely has anything to do with the money they say it's about. In this episode I break down the real reason your top people leave, what it actually costs you when a good person walks out the door, and how to build a business your best people don't want to leave. I spent 10 years as a director and shareholder of a $3M engineering consultancy that we grew to a $30M engineering, town planning, surveying and architecture consultancy - and losing good people taught me this the hard way. I also share the story of Andrew, a Boardroom member who backed his existing team instead of constantly hiring externally - promoting internal talent and putting proper HR foundations in place - and hit his highest invoicing month ever, then broke that record again the very next month. Inside this episode we cover:- Why your best people almost never leave for the money- What losing one A-player really costs beyond their salary- How to give your team a career pathway they can actually see- Why culture is what you tolerate and reward, not a poster on the wall- What Andrew did that led to two record months back to back If a good person has ever left and caught you off guard, this episode will show you exactly why - and how to stop it happening again. 👉 Check out our $10M+ Consultancy Roadmap Training. It's a step-by-step guide to help you move from wherever you are now — whether that's $1M, $3M, $5M or $10M and beyond — and build a business you can genuinely be proud of - https://go.coachignite.com/start 📚 Get the book - https://go.coachignite.com/book 🎧 Listen to the podcast - https://www.coachignite.com/podcasts/the-ignite-podcast-with-josh-stone 🌐 Visit the website - https://www.coachignite.com/ Don't forget to subscribe so you get notified of future episodes

    Why Your Best People Keep Leaving | EP 187

  2. Sep 7

    How to Pick a Niche | EP 186

    Most owners know they should niche. They just never actually commit - because the fear of turning work away feels bigger than the cost of staying invisible. In this episode I break down why being a generalist puts you in a price war you don't want to win, what a niche actually is (most people get this wrong), and the exact six-step process to find and commit to yours. I spent 10 years as a director and shareholder of a $3M engineering consultancy that we grew to a $30M engineering, town planning, surveying and architecture consultancy - and niching properly was one of the biggest single decisions in that growth. I also share the story of George, a Boardroom member who made the call to shift his niche from post-tensioning into remedial work - and how that one decision let him revisit his fees, attract better clients, and get completely clear on his direction. Inside this episode we cover: - Why generalists get compared on price and specialists don't- The three things a real niche needs to overlap - skill, demand and margin- The exact six-step process to find the niche already hiding in your best work- Why a niche you keep secret isn't working for you- What George changed and what it did to his fees and his client list If you're tired of competing on price and blending in with every other firm in your industry, this episode will show you exactly how to change that. 👉 Check out our $10M+ Consultancy Roadmap Training. It's a step-by-step guide to help you move from wherever you are now — whether that's $1M, $3M, $5M or $10M and beyond — and build a business you can genuinely be proud of - https://go.coachignite.com/start 📚 Get the book - https://go.coachignite.com/book 🎧 Listen to the podcast - https://www.coachignite.com/podcasts/the-ignite-podcast-with-josh-stone 🌐 Visit the website - https://www.coachignite.com/ Don't forget to subscribe so you get notified of future episodes

    How to Pick a Niche | EP 186

  3. Aug 31

    Stop Chasing Small Projects | EP 185

    Being flat out and growing a business are not the same thing - and most owners never stop to check which one they're actually doing. In this episode I break down why a diary full of small jobs feels like progress but is quietly capping your consultancy, the real cost of small work that almost nobody adds up, and exactly how to shift from chasing volume to landing fewer, bigger, foundational projects. I spent 10 years as a director and shareholder of a $3M engineering consultancy that we grew to a $30M engineering, town planning, surveying and architecture consultancy - and this is one of the biggest shifts that made that growth possible. I also share the story of Craig, a Boardroom member who stopped chasing small jobs and went after two foundational projects worth over $150K each - and how that one shift has him on track for 50% growth two years running. Inside this episode we cover: - Why a full project load tricks you into thinking you're winning- The hidden admin, switching and opportunity costs small jobs never show you- What a genuinely "foundational" project actually looks like- How to set a minimum project size and stop saying yes to everything- What Craig did differently to hit his growth target with a month still to go If your diary is full but the business isn't moving, this episode will show you exactly why - and what to chase instead. 👉 Check out our $10M+ Consultancy Roadmap Training. It's a step-by-step guide to help you move from wherever you are now — whether that's $1M, $3M, $5M or $10M and beyond — and build a business you can genuinely be proud of - https://go.coachignite.com/start 📚 Get the book - https://go.coachignite.com/book 🎧 Listen to the podcast - https://www.coachignite.com/podcasts/the-ignite-podcast-with-josh-stone 🌐 Visit the website - https://www.coachignite.com/ Don't forget to subscribe so you get notified of future episodes

    Stop Chasing Small Projects | EP 185

  4. Aug 24

    Get Clients to Trust Your Team, Not Just You | EP 184

    Your clients only ever wanting to deal with you is quietly capping your growth. In this episode I break down why the thing that feels like your greatest strength - being the person every client trusts - is actually the reason you can never step back And the exact step-by-step plan to move a client relationship onto your team without them ever feeling dropped. I spent 10 years as a director and shareholder of a $3M engineering consultancy that we grew to a $30M engineering, town planning, surveying and architecture consultancy - so I've had to do this transition myself, more than once. I also share the story of Nathan, a Boardroom member who took an entire week off with zero contact with his team - and came back to find several key deliverables shipped, and every one of his clients still happy. Inside this episode we cover: - Why clients only wanting you is a growth ceiling, not a compliment - Why you can't rip the band-aid off a client relationship - The exact sequence to transition a client onto your team properly - Why a real handover takes six to twelve months, not six days - What Nathan did to take a week off without his clients even noticing If you're the only person your clients will deal with, this episode will show you exactly how to change that - without ever dropping the ball. 👉 Check out our $10M+ Consultancy Roadmap Training. It’s a step-by-step guide to help you move from wherever you are now — whether that’s $1M, $3M, $5M or $10M and beyond — and build a business you can genuinely be proud of - https://go.coachignite.com/start

    Get Clients to Trust Your Team, Not Just You | EP 184

  5. Aug 17

    If I Was Building a Consultancy From Scratch, Here's Exactly What I'd Do | EP 183

    Most engineering and built environment consultancy owners are guessing what to do next - and it's costing them years of growth. In this episode I break down exactly how I'd build an engineering, town planning, surveying or architecture consultancy if I was starting again from scratch - the three stages from $0 to $2M, $2M to $5M, and $5M to $10M+. I spent 10 years as a director and shareholder of a $3M engineering consultancy that we grew to a $30M engineering, town planning, surveying and architecture consultancy - so this episode is the exact playbook, not theory. I also share the story of Armin, Haydn, John and James, four directors I've been working with for the last three years, who've taken their consultancy from around $3.5M to their first ever $1M month - and they're well on their way to $12M. Inside this episode we cover: - Why your first hire probably shouldn't be technical- Why picking a niche on day one beats staying a generalist- The exact structure that gets you from $2M to $5M without more hustle- Why leadership and a board matter more than headcount past $5M- How Armin, Haydn, John and James went from $3.5M to $12M in three years If you're building an engineering or built environment consultancy and you don't have a clear path to your next revenue level, this episode will give you one. 👉 Check out our $10M+ Consultancy Roadmap Training. It’s a step-by-step guide to help you move from wherever you are now — whether that’s $1M, $3M, $5M or $10M and beyond — and build a business you can genuinely be proud of - https://go.coachignite.com/start

    If I Was Building a Consultancy From Scratch, Here's Exactly What I'd Do | EP 183

  6. Aug 10

    Why Founder-Led BD Is Capping Your Growth | EP 182

    Founder-led business development works early — but if it stays that way, it quietly caps your revenue and keeps your consultancy dependent on you. In this episode, I break down why founder-led BD eventually creates fragility in your pipeline, how it traps you in the wrong work, and what ownership should look like as your business grows. I explain why sustainable growth comes from building capability beyond the founder, how to distribute BD responsibility across your team, and what structure is required at each stage of business. I also share a real client example showing how introducing simple BD support created consistency, removed mental load, and turned business development into a proper function — not something reliant on memory and energy. 👉 Check out our $10M+ Consultancy Roadmap Training. It’s a step-by-step guide to help you move from wherever you are now — whether that’s $1M, $3M, $5M or $10M and beyond — and build a business you can genuinely be proud of - https://go.coachignite.com/start

    Why Founder-Led BD Is Capping Your Growth | EP 182

  7. Aug 3

    Using AI to Grow Your Consultancy | EP 181

    AI isn't going away. And the consultancies that don't adopt it are going to get left behind. In this episode I break down how to use AI to grow your consultancy - to win more work, move faster, and get more competitive - without replacing the team you've worked so hard to build. I also share the story of Russell, a Boardroom member who's using agentic AI tools to get around a 10x time saving on certain tasks, built a live project dashboard that refreshes every 30 minutes on the office TV, and has pushed his fee proposal conversion rate to nearly 58%. Inside this episode we cover: - Why the consultancies that don't adopt AI will slowly start losing work- Why AI is an accelerant and not a replacement for your team- Why you need to get clear on your values before you bolt AI onto everything- The three levels of AI you can start bringing into your business today- What Russell did to get a 10x time saving and a 58% proposal conversion rate If you run an engineering or built environment consultancy and you're not sure where to start with AI - or you've been quietly hoping it blows over - this episode will change how you think about it. 👉 Check out our $10M+ Consultancy Roadmap Training. It’s a step-by-step guide to help you move from wherever you are now — whether that’s $1M, $3M, $5M or $10M and beyond — and build a business you can genuinely be proud of - https://go.coachignite.com/start

    Using AI to Grow Your Consultancy | EP 181

  8. Jul 28

    How to Merge or Acquire Successfully | EP 180

    Signing the M&A deal is the easy part. What happens after is where most mergers fall apart. In this episode I break down exactly why most mergers and acquisitions fail - not on the numbers, but on the culture - and how to bring two businesses together the right way so that one plus one actually equals three. I spent 10 years as a director and shareholder of a $3M engineering consultancy that we grew to a $30M firm - and a big part of that journey was doing multiple mergers and acquisitions along the way. So I've seen firsthand what to do right and what gets people into trouble. I also share the story of Mark and Peter, two Boardroom members in Perth who are doing this brilliantly - building a 50/50 joint venture with a Queensland firm before committing to a full merger, starting with alignment before structure, and giving the whole thing the runway it actually deserves. Inside this episode we cover: - Why mergers that look brilliant on the spreadsheet fall apart in the corridors- Why bolting two businesses together isn't the same as bringing them together- Why trust doesn't transfer on settlement day and what to do about it- The exact integration playbook we used going from $3M to $30M- What Mark and Peter are doing differently and why it's working If you're thinking about a merger or acquisition - or you've just done one and things feel harder than you expected - this episode will give you the framework to get it right. 👉 Check out our $10M+ Consultancy Roadmap Training. It’s a step-by-step guide to help you move from wherever you are now — whether that’s $1M, $3M, $5M or $10M and beyond — and build a business you can genuinely be proud of - https://go.coachignite.com/start

    How to Merge or Acquire Successfully | EP 180
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Helping Engineering, Town Planning, Surveying & Architecture Consultancies grow to $10M a year & beyond Build A Profitable Consultancy | Hit 30% Net Profit Margins Operate More Efficiently | Unlock your Businesses Potential & Grow with Confidence Download our free Business Plan template to build out your Business Plan & consistently grow your business - https://www.coachignite.com/the-business-plan-template Join our next online workshop – The Profitable Consultant | Learn how to build a Profitable Consultancy, that generates consistent 30% net profit margins - https://www.coachignite.com/the-profitable-consultant-workshop Book a 15-minute Business Growth Call | A short, no-obligation catch up where we can touch base and really look at where you are now, where you want to be, and then build a personalised plan together for how to get you there - https://www.coachignite.com/business-growth-call 📞 0408 063 479 ✉ admin@coachignite.com 🌐 www.coachignite.com

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