LEADERS IN CONSULTING

SAWOO
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The “LEADERS IN CONSULTING” show is dedicated to helping Partners and Managing Directors of Consultancies grow their business faster. If you want to learn best practices from other Leaders in Consulting, this show is for you. Each episode features an interview with a consultancy Partner, Managing Director or Thought Leader, discussing topics like: 1. How to set up a winning strategy for your consultancy 2. How to upsell and cross-sell more 3. How to win big whale leads and convert those to clients 4. Hiring and keeping valuable team members 5. How to become a thought leader by building your personal brand.

  1. 3d ago

    Ep. 141 – 70% Task Automation to 2 Thirds Advisory: How ABP Rebuilt a Commoditized Core - with Mark Robbins

    Send us Fan Mail Task automation was more than half the business, approaching 70% in some markets. Profitable, in demand, and clients kept coming back for more of it… then the new revenue chief decided it was the problem. Mark Robbins, Chief Outcome Officer at ABP Consultancy, had watched a technology category commoditize once before, from the vendor side, during 13 years at IBM. His diagnosis: clients were choosing task automation because it asked less of them, not because it delivered more. And a nearshore company of around 100 people was being priced against offshore providers who could simply quote lower. He calls that a sustainability problem rather than a margin problem. In this episode he walks through what ABP rebuilt because of it, and tells the story of a client with £190K a year in verified savings, around £500K a year in fees, and the value that would have closed that gap sitting in a team nobody had measured. You'll learn: 1. Why the work that sells most easily is often the work turning into a commodity, and how to spot it in your own portfolio 2. How to instrument an engagement for benefits realization at the point you scope it, rather than reconstructing evidence after go-live 3. Why ABP refused to run a pilot or a POC on a technology vendor's terms, and what writing its own methodology cost the executive team 4. What replaced the credentials deck in ABP's business development, including the 30 minutes of preparation Mark says you owe a client before asking for 30 minutes of their time 5. Why Mark wants the word revenue taken out of his own job title Mark is open to connecting about commoditization, value attribution, and rebuilding a consulting proposition around outcomes. If you'd like to exchange perspectives, reach out on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mark-robbins-81531310/ Sarah Edwards is Chief Product Strategy Officer at Kantata and has spent over 30 years helping professional services firms scale, transform, and deliver measurable business value across the US and Europe. She is passionate about how AI is reshaping the consulting industry, from how firms win work and deliver outcomes to how they empower talent and strengthen client relationships. Get in touch with Sarah on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sarahedwards3/ More episodes and insights: https://www.leadersinconsulting.com/podcast

    Ep. 141 – 70% Task Automation to 2 Thirds Advisory: How ABP Rebuilt a Commoditized Core - with Mark Robbins

  2. Sep 23

    Ep. 140 – 16 Years Of Building Recurring Revenue: An Ex-PwC Director On Why She Stopped Selling People – with Jill Foley

    Send us Fan Mail Jill Foley, Founder and Chair of On3 Partners, built a licence-based revenue line that now makes up 40% to 50% of her business, without growing headcount to do it. Her diagnosis: most firms trying to build recurring revenue start with the technology. Jill started by identifying the unmet business need and building a methodology to tackle it. Only then did she invest in technology enablement. She began that journey with clear investment parameters (at worst, how much she was prepared to lose; at best, the timescales for ROI). She split her business into two companies to ensure clear and focused performance management. In this episode, she explains why she made the technology side the answer to the consulting business rather than the other way round, what that discipline cost her, no profit in the technology business until year 3, limited scale until year 4 or 5, and what it eventually bought her. You'll learn: 1. Why starting with a technology instead of a client problem is the most common way to fail at productisation 2. How to structure a product bet so a failure can't spread into the rest of your business 3. Why the order you build in, method first or technology first, decides which side makes the money 4. What a realistic timeline to profit actually looks like when you're building recurring revenue 5. How Jill decided in advance what she was willing to lose before she risked anything Jill is open to connecting about building recurring revenue in consulting without losing control of the risk. If you'd like to exchange perspectives, reach out on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jill-foley-9a6100/ Sarah Edwards is Chief Product Officer at Kantata and has spent over 30 years helping professional services firms scale, transform, and deliver measurable business value across the US and Europe. She is passionate about how AI is reshaping the consulting industry, from how firms win work and deliver outcomes to how they empower talent and strengthen client relationships. Get in touch with Sarah on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sarahedwards3/ More episodes and insights: https://www.leadersinconsulting.com/podcast

    Ep. 140 – 16 Years Of Building Recurring Revenue: An Ex-PwC Director On Why She Stopped Selling People – with Jill Foley

  3. Sep 16

    Ep. 139 — Wenn Projekte nur noch 2,5 Tage dauern: Warum das klassische Beratungsmodell nicht mehr funktioniert - mit Michael Nenninger

    Send us Fan Mail Was passiert, wenn dein Geschäftsmodell auf Zeit basiert, aber Zeit keine Rolle mehr spielt? Michael Nenninger, CEO von Voycer Digital und ehemaliger EVP Digital Consulting bei MSG, beschreibt, warum das klassische Consulting-Modell strukturell unter Druck gerät. Sobald AI Methoden reproduzierbar macht und Projekte von Wochen auf Tage schrumpfen, beginnt sich die Logik hinter Auslastung, Pyramidenstruktur und zeitbasierter Abrechnung aufzulösen. Im Gespräch zeigt Michael, wie sich Beratung von projektbasierter Arbeit hin zu systematischer, skalierbarer Wertschöpfung verschiebt und warum es für Führungskräfte nicht mehr um Effizienz, sondern um eine bewusste Neuausrichtung ihres Geschäftsmodells geht. In dieser Episode erfährst du: 1. Warum AI den Wert von Beratungsleistung neu definiert. 2. Wie Agentic AI die klassische Pyramidenstruktur auflöst. 3. Warum schnellere Delivery dein Pricing-Modell unter Druck setzt. 4. Wie sich Beratung von Projekten zu skalierbaren Systemen verschiebt. 5. Welche neuen Wettbewerber durch AI im Consulting entstehen. ___________ Michael Nenninger ist offen für den Austausch zum Thema Geschäftsmodell-Transformation im Consulting. Wenn du Perspektiven teilen möchtest, vernetze dich auf LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/michael-nenninger/ Michaels Buchempfehlung: Die Logik des Misslingens | https://amzn.eu/d/04awGcZJ ___________ Über den Host Sammy: Sammy und SAWOO bieten einen B2B-Community-Building-Service, der Dich als Vordenker in Deiner Branche etabliert und Dir hilft, echte, zwischenmenschliche Beziehungen zu Deinen Wunschkunden aufzubauen. Schreibe Sammy einfach via E-Mail unter sammy.gebele@sawoo.io oder connecte Dich auf LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sammygebele/ ___________ Bisherige Gäste des LEADERS IN CONSULTING Podcasts: Friederich von Hurter, Melanie Tobler, Tilman Au und viele weitere! ___________ Wenn Du mehr darüber erfahren möchtest, wie Führungskräfte im Consulting mit aktuellen Themen der Branche umgehen, folge der LEADERS IN CONSULTING Community auf LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/company/leaders-in-consulting-dach

    Ep. 139 — Wenn Projekte nur noch 2,5 Tage dauern: Warum das klassische Beratungsmodell nicht mehr funktioniert - mit Michael Nenninger

  4. Aug 26

    Ep. 138 — Hybride Teams brauchen menschliche Führung: Warum der Projektleiter zum KI-Engpass wird - mit Dominik Steffani

    Send us Fan Mail KI ersetzt den Projektleiter nicht. Sie macht ihn unverzichtbar. Dominik Steffani, Partner bei H&Z Management Consulting, beschreibt im Gespräch mit David Anheier eine Verschiebung, die viele Beratungsführungen unterschätzen: Projektteams bestehen künftig auch aus Agenten, nicht nur aus Menschen. Für Dominik bedeutet das mehr statt weniger Verantwortung für den Projektleiter, der ein "bionisches Team" aus Mensch und Maschine führen muss. Er erklärt, warum viele Beratungen gerade jetzt beim Junior-Hiring auf die Bremse treten, welches Risiko das für die Führungspipeline der nächsten drei bis fünf Jahre erzeugt, und warum Neugier und Fragenstellen wichtiger werden als reine Geschwindigkeit. Dich erwarten folgende Learnings: 1) Was Beratungen übersehen, wenn sie auf "Digital Natives" setzen. 2) Wie Junior-Ausbildung heute die Führungsfähigkeit von morgen bestimmt. 3) Wie sich die Rolle des Projektleiters durch Agenten im Team verändert. 4) Wie Neugier verhindert, dass Beratung zum Durchschnitt wird. 5) Wie sich Teamstruktur und Vergütungsmodelle in Beratungen durch KI verändern. ___________ Dominik freut sich über Austausch zum Thema KI, Führung und Talententwicklung in der Beratung. Vernetze Dich mit ihm auf LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dominik-a-steffani/ ___________ David ist Partner bei entero und verfügt über umfangreiche Erfahrung in der Salesforce-Beratung, insbesondere im Consulting von Beratungsunternehmen bei der Optimierung und Digitalisierung ihrer Prozesse. In den letzten zehn Jahren hat er Teams geleitet, komplexe Kundenbeziehungen verwaltet und digitale Lösungen implementiert, die die betriebliche Effizienz verbessern. Seine Leidenschaft gilt der Unterstützung von Unternehmen bei der Nutzung von Technologien zur Förderung von Wachstum und Transformation, um sicherzustellen, dass sie in einer zunehmend digitalen Welt wettbewerbsfähig bleiben. Schreibe David einfach via E-Mail unter david.anheier@entero.de oder connecte Dich auf LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/danheier/

    Ep. 138 — Hybride Teams brauchen menschliche Führung: Warum der Projektleiter zum KI-Engpass wird - mit Dominik Steffani

  5. Aug 12

    Ep. 137 — 55% of Consulting Firms Run Negative EBITDA While the Top Performers Hit +27% — Here Is What Separates Them - with Connor Budden

    Send us Fan Mail 55% of the professional services market is running negative EBITDA. Most blame the market. Top performers don’t. Connor Budden, Global Director at SPI Research, joins Sammy to unpack what nearly two decades of benchmark data reveal about performance in consulting and professional services. While many firms point to difficult market conditions, SPI’s data shows that top-performing firms continue to grow and protect profitability by operating differently. Connor explains the five performance pillars behind SPI’s maturity model, why leadership has the highest impact on firm performance, and how the best firms build stronger systems across talent, client relationships, AI adoption, and project focus. You’ll learn: 1. Why market conditions do not explain the full performance gap 2. What the top 5% do differently across leadership and operating maturity 3. How high performers use feedback, focus, and client outcome tracking 4. Why AI adoption works better through small, compounding improvements 5. Where to start if your firm wants to move toward higher performance ___________ Connor Budden is open to connecting about professional services performance, benchmarking, and operating maturity. If you would like to exchange perspectives, reach out on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/connor-budden/ ___________ Sammy and SAWOO offer a B2B community-building service that establishes you as a thought leader in your industry and helps you build genuine, human-to-human relationships with your dream clients. Get in touch with Sammy Gebele on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sammygebele/ More episodes and insights: https://www.leadersinconsulting.com/podcast

    Ep. 137 — 55% of Consulting Firms Run Negative EBITDA While the Top Performers Hit +27% — Here Is What Separates Them - with Connor Budden

  6. Jul 29

    Ep. 136 — Hire for Mindset, Equip for the Tools, Augment at Every Level: How the Consulting Firm That Wins in the AI Era Is Actually Built - with Gianluca Barletta

    Send us Fan Mail AI is not just changing consulting delivery. It is exposing how your firm is built. Gianluca Barletta, Partner and Global Head of Data Science at PA Consulting, explains why the consulting firms that win in the AI era will not simply be the ones with the most tools. They will be the firms that hire for learning ability and creative thinking, equip their people safely, build the data foundations needed for enterprise-scale AI, and make augmentation a leadership decision at every level. Gianluca shares why many AI pilots fail once they meet real organizational complexity, how client expectations are shifting toward faster business value, and why AI-native early-career talent may be one of the industry’s biggest opportunities. You’ll learn: 1. Why AI pilots often fail when they meet legacy systems and fragmented data 2. How hiring criteria are shifting from technical depth to learning ability 3. Why partner-level AI fluency matters for firm-wide adoption 4. How AI-native talent can accelerate the next consulting model 5. What separates volume-led firms from ingenuity-led firms in the AI era __________ Gianluca Barletta is open to connecting about AI augmentation, data foundations, and the future consulting model. If you would like to exchange perspectives, reach out on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/gianluca-barletta-phd-44080910/ Sarah Edwards is Chief Product Officer at Kantata and has spent over 30 years helping professional services firms scale, transform, and deliver measurable business value across the US and Europe. She is passionate about how AI is reshaping the consulting industry, from how firms win work and deliver outcomes to how they empower talent and strengthen client relationships. Get in touch with Sarah on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sarahedwards3/ More episodes and insights: https://www.leadersinconsulting.com/podcast

    Ep. 136 — Hire for Mindset, Equip for the Tools, Augment at Every Level: How the Consulting Firm That Wins in the AI Era Is Actually Built - with Gianluca Barletta

  7. Jul 15

    Ep. 135 – Der erste Hire entscheidet alles: Warum neue Standort-Teams trotz Nachfrage scheitern - mit Christoph Hinz

    Send us Fan Mail Die wichtigste Entscheidung beim Teamaufbau ist nicht wo, sondern mit wem. Christoph Hinz, Co-Head Transaction Services bei RÖDL teilt seine Erfahrungen aus dem Aufbau von Teams an verschiedenen Standorten und zeigt, warum nicht Markt, Pipeline oder Geschwindigkeit über Erfolg entscheiden, sondern die erste Führungspersönlichkeit vor Ort. Im Gespräch wird deutlich, wie viel Disziplin es braucht, dem internen Druck standzuhalten und erst zu starten, wenn die richtige Person gefunden ist. Christoph erklärt, warum Kompromisse im Hiring langfristig teuer werden, welche Kriterien wirklich zählen und wie Integration statt Akquise in den ersten Monaten den Unterschied macht. Zudem geht es um die Rolle von Kultur, lokaler Passung und warum Führung im Teamaufbau eher Enabling als Kontrolle bedeutet. Dich erwarten folgende Learnings: 1) Warum der erste Hire den gesamten Standort strukturell prägt. 2) Woran falsche Hiring-Entscheidungen früh erkennbar sind. 3) Wie Integration schneller Wachstum ermöglicht als reine Akquise. 4) Welche Kriterien bei der Auswahl der Führungsperson entscheidend sind. 5) Warum zu frühes Starten langfristig teurer ist als Warten. ___________ Christoph Hinz freut sich über den Austausch zum Thema Team- und Standortaufbau in Beratungen. Vernetze dich mit ihm auf LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/christophhinz/?locale=en ___________ Über den Host Sammy: Sammy und SAWOO bieten einen B2B-Community-Building-Service, der Dich als Vordenker in Deiner Branche etabliert und Dir hilft, echte, zwischenmenschliche Beziehungen zu Deinen Wunschkunden aufzubauen. Schreibe Sammy einfach via E-Mail unter sammy.gebele@sawoo.io oder connecte Dich auf LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sammygebele/ ___________ Bisherige Gäste des LEADERS IN CONSULTING Podcasts: Friederich von Hurter, Melanie Tobler, Tilman Au und viele weitere!

    Ep. 135 – Der erste Hire entscheidet alles: Warum neue Standort-Teams trotz Nachfrage scheitern - mit Christoph Hinz

  8. Jun 29

    Ep. 134 — The Broken Mindset Behind Most AI Engagements (Why Clients Bear the Cost and How to Fix It) – Dr. Anja Konhaeuser

    Send us Fan Mail AI projects fail because leadership assumes deploying the tool is the finish line. In this episode, Dr. Anja Konhaeuser, Co-Founder and Partner at OMMAX, explains why AI transformation cannot be treated like a traditional technology rollout. The real challenge starts once the solution is live: employees need to trust outputs, workflows need to change, roles need to be redefined, and leadership needs to actively model the new behavior. Drawing from OMMAX’s work with clients across AI, data, and digital transformation, Anja shows why the old 80/20 logic has flipped: AI may now be 20% technology and 80% organization. For consulting leaders, this episode offers a clear view of where AI projects really succeed or stall: not in the technical build, but in whether people, processes, and leadership behavior change after implementation. You’ll learn: 1. Why AI adoption requires more than technical deployment 2. How leaders misread AI when they treat it like an IT rollout 3. What employee groups need different adoption strategies 4. Why visible leadership behavior determines trust in AI 5. How consulting delivery changes when adoption becomes the real work ___________ Dr. Anja Konhaeuser is open to connecting about AI transformation, adoption, and organizational change. If you would like to exchange perspectives, reach out on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dr-anja-konh%C3%A4user-28282297/ ___________ Anja’s recommendations: You Are the Placebo | https://www.amazon.de/-/en/You-Are-Placebo-Making-Matter/dp/1781802572/r Why We Sleep | https://www.amazon.de/-/en/Why-We-Sleep-Unlocking-Dreams/dp/1501144324/ ___________ Sammy and SAWOO offer a B2B community-building service that establishes you as a thought leader in your industry and helps you build genuine, human-to-human relationships with your dream clients. Get in touch with Sammy Gebele on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sammygebele/ For more perspectives on how leaders are navigating topics like this, follow the LEADERS IN CONSULTING Community on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/leadersinconsulting-en

    Ep. 134 — The Broken Mindset Behind Most AI Engagements (Why Clients Bear the Cost and How to Fix It) – Dr. Anja Konhaeuser
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About

The “LEADERS IN CONSULTING” show is dedicated to helping Partners and Managing Directors of Consultancies grow their business faster. If you want to learn best practices from other Leaders in Consulting, this show is for you. Each episode features an interview with a consultancy Partner, Managing Director or Thought Leader, discussing topics like: 1. How to set up a winning strategy for your consultancy 2. How to upsell and cross-sell more 3. How to win big whale leads and convert those to clients 4. Hiring and keeping valuable team members 5. How to become a thought leader by building your personal brand.

Information

  • Creator
    SAWOO
  • Years Active
    2021 - 2026
  • Episodes
    163
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © 2026 SAWOO GmbH
  • Show Website
    LEADERS IN CONSULTING

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