Unlocking Value

Garwood Growth
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Unlocking Value is designed to give founders and owners of professional services firms more confidence when they're working toward an exit or thinking about taking on investment.  Across six episodes, our host John Howard speaks with founders, investors and advisors about the moments that define the transaction journey - how to get ready, what to expect and how to succeed. We cover everything from value drivers and team alignment to investor expectations and life after the deal. You’ll hear from people who’ve sold their firms, taken minority investments, stayed on, exited and started again – and from those who advise or invest in firms like yours every day.

  1. Episode 26: Venkata Nori and Hari Sethalapathy - From Zero Clients to 400 Staff: Building a Global Oracle Consultancy on Trust and Outstanding Service

    3D AGO

    Episode 26: Venkata Nori and Hari Sethalapathy - From Zero Clients to 400 Staff: Building a Global Oracle Consultancy on Trust and Outstanding Service

    Hari Sethalapathy and Venkata Subbarayudu Nori are two of the three co-founders of Winfo Solutions, a global Oracle consulting business that has grown from three people with no clients to more than 400 staff across a dozen countries in just 11 years. Both spent years delivering major transformation programmes inside tier-one firms before deciding to create a consultancy shaped by their own values – one built on trust, outstanding service and genuine partnership with clients. The conversation covers: ● How they won early work by doing projects the big firms could not. ● How their first major breakthrough came from a client who initially said they were too small. ● How their leadership approach and structures have evolved as the business has expanded. ● Their decision to bring in external board advice and how that has helped accelerate growth. ● How a mantra of discuss, decide and deliver has been central to their success. ● Their practical experience with agent-based automation and faster product development. ● How they are approaching AI governance, security and ethical controls as AI becomes more central to the business. For founders and senior leaders building professional services firms, this is an honest conversation with two ambitious co-founders who have built something many aspire to. If you would like to hear more conversations like this, follow the show for early access to future episodes. Host: John Howard, Partner at Garwood Growth Guest: Venkata Nori, Co-founder at Winfo Solutions Guest: Hari Sethalapathy, Co-founder at Winfo Solutions

    50 min
  2. Episode 25: Andrew Brown - Fresh From Exit: How Founder Independence and a Great Team Secured the Deal

    FEB 17

    Episode 25: Andrew Brown - Fresh From Exit: How Founder Independence and a Great Team Secured the Deal

    In this episode, John is joined by Andrew Brown, founder of Acuity Business Solutions, a consultancy he built and led for almost 20 years before overseeing its sale to the Scandinavian group Lumera in December 2025. Garwood had the privilege of advising Andrew through the transaction. With the deal only recently completed, this conversation offers a rare, real-time perspective on what it is actually like to sell a professional services firm. Andrew did not set out to manufacture the perfect exit. He focused on building a disciplined, well-run business with deep client relationships, a strong team and minimal dependency on himself long before a sale was even under consideration. Over time, those choices translated into a business with strong buyer appeal. They discuss: • How the idea for Acuity was born on a car journey to a conference • How the firm found its niche in public sector pensions • Why Andrew chose to narrow the focus of the business • How and why he stepped back from day-to-day operations • What the due diligence process really feels like for a founder • The critical role a firm's wider team plays in a successful deal  • The emotional reality of life after a deal closes This is an honest and grounded discussion about building value in a consultancy and what it takes to convert that value into a successful transaction. If you are thinking about making your firm sale-ready, whether in the near term or years from now, this episode is packed with practical lessons from someone who's just been through it. If you enjoy conversations like this, follow the show so you do not miss future episodes with leaders who have built and realised real value in our industry. Host: John Howard, Partner at Garwood Growth Guest: Andrew Brown, Founder of Acuity Business Solutions

    53 min
  3. Episode 24: Nick Synnott – The Personal Cost and Payoff of Building a Founder-Led Business

    FEB 11

    Episode 24: Nick Synnott – The Personal Cost and Payoff of Building a Founder-Led Business

    In this episode, John is joined by Nick Synnott, founder of Create Engage and host of the long-running “Climb in Consulting” podcast. Many listeners will know Nick for his work on marketing in the consulting sector, but this conversation takes a different angle. John and Nick talk about Nick’s journey as a business founder and the decisions, successes and challenges that have shaped Create Engage over the last six years. They discuss: Why Nick committed to a niche early on – and what he learned the hard way about trying to appeal to everyone.How he held that niche through the ups and downs of building a young firm.The difference between what a firm markets and what it sells.His early personal struggles with sales and the process that helped him build confidence in himself.How he supports his own team to build their skills and confidence in selling.How he approaches hiring inside a boutique firm and the framework that shifted his approach.Nick is an avid reader and always has strong recommendations. In the conversation, they touched on: - The 22 Immutable Laws of Marketing, by Al Ries & Jack Trout - Traction: Get A Grip On Your Business, by Gino Wickman - Topgrading, by Bradford D. SmartIt’s a conversation full of lessons from someone who’s built a successful firm and has spoken over the years to many of the leading figures in our industry. If you enjoy episodes like this, follow the show so you don’t miss future conversations. Host: John Howard, Partner at Garwood Growth Guest: Nick Synnott, founder of Create Engage

    51 min
  4. Episode 23: Rob Garner, Luk Smeyers & Deri Hughes - The Four Forces Shaping Consulting in 2026

    FEB 3

    Episode 23: Rob Garner, Luk Smeyers & Deri Hughes - The Four Forces Shaping Consulting in 2026

    This episode is a little different from our usual format. Rather than a one to one conversation, we are sharing the audio from a recent webinar hosted by Deri Hughes of Honeycomb Consulting Skills Training, joined by Luk Smeyers from The Visible Authority and Rob Garner from Garwood Growth. Together, they explore what 2026 is likely to mean for consulting firms, drawing on insights from the hundreds of firms they each work with every year. The discussion covers:  • The AI triple squeeze reshaping delivery models and margins  • Why specialist boutiques are showing early signs of renewed growth  • How firms are using AI internally, from efficiency and expertise to new propositions  • The rising importance of human skills in winning work and building trust  • What a consulting firm built from scratch in 2026 would actually look like  • Why deep sector expertise is increasingly beating generalist capability A big thank you to Deri Hughes for allowing us to republish the session here on Unlocking Value. If you would like more conversations like this, follow the show for early access to future episodes. Host: John Howard,Partner at Garwood Growth Guest: Rob Garner,Partner at Garwood Growth Guest: Luk Smeyers, Partner at The Visible Authority Guest: Deri Hughes, MD at Honeycomb Consulting

    43 min
  5. Episode 22: Dan Figueiredo - A Microsoft Insider’s View on AI in Consulting

    JAN 27

    Episode 22: Dan Figueiredo - A Microsoft Insider’s View on AI in Consulting

    AI is firmly on the agenda for professional services firms, but many leaders are still working out what it really means in practice – for delivery, governance, people, and trust with clients.  In this episode of Unlocking Value, John Howard speaks with Dan Figueiredo, a senior leader at Microsoft whose career has sat at the intersection of technology, consulting, and commercial delivery. Dan shares a practical perspective shaped by working closely with professional services firms on how they are using AI without outsourcing judgement or creating unnecessary risk. The conversation covers: Why many technology and AI initiatives struggle when firms start with tools rather than outcomes.How AI often acts as a force amplifier – strengthening good ways of working while exposing weak ones.How AI is already being used inside consulting teams to speed up analysis, documentation, and design work.Why experienced judgement still matters, and what can go wrong when AI output is relied on too heavily.The practical governance questions firms are grappling with, from data security to responsible use.Why training, adoption, and behaviour change matter more than simply rolling out new tools.How concerns about trust and credibility with clients are influencing how firms use AI.This is a practical conversation for professional services leaders who want to understand where AI genuinely helps, where it creates new responsibilities, and what it means for leadership and judgement in a consulting business. If you’d like to hear more conversations like this, follow the show for early access to future episodes. Host: John Howard, Partner at Garwood Growth Guest: Dan Figueiredo, senior leader, Microsoft

    45 min
  6. Episode 21: Lizzie Meadowcroft – Professional Services Deals from Both Sides of the Table

    JAN 20

    Episode 21: Lizzie Meadowcroft – Professional Services Deals from Both Sides of the Table

    Lizzie Meadowcroft is part of the value creation team at LDC, the private equity arm of Lloyds Banking Group. She works closely with management teams across the LDC portfolio, supporting growth, integration and development. Before joining LDC, Lizzie built a career advising businesses on mergers and acquisitions. She spent almost 20 years at KPMG, where she was a partner in the advisory team and supported business leaders through acquisitions, carve outs and periods of significant change. During that time, Lizzie supported professional services firms both as an external advisor and through KPMG’s own internal transactions. Lizzie and John talked about growth through acquisition, integration choices, incentives and earn outs, and the role people and culture play in determining whether a deal delivers long-term value. For founders, owners and leaders of professional services businesses navigating growth, change or potential investment, this episode offers a practical view of what really drives successful outcomes. Host: John Howard, Partner at Garwood Growth Guest: Lizzie Meadowcroft, Value Creation Director at LDC

    45 min
  7. Episode 20: Claire Simm – Leadership Lessons from Growing Professional Services Firms

    JAN 13

    Episode 20: Claire Simm – Leadership Lessons from Growing Professional Services Firms

    Claire Simm is Managing Director and Global Head of Regulatory Consulting at Kroll. She has built her entire career in professional services, moving between Big Four firms, entrepreneurial boutiques and global organisations – and seeing first-hand how leadership, culture and expectations change as firms grow. In this conversation, John and Claire explore what it really takes to lead well in professional services as scale and complexity increase. Claire shares how her leadership approach has evolved over time, why sales and business development should feel natural rather than awkward, and how trusted relationships sit at the heart of long-term growth. Drawing on her due diligence experience, Claire also offers a grounded perspective on what external scrutiny tends to reveal about professional services firms – where leaders are often surprised, what gets exposed when someone starts asking detailed questions, and why preparation, responsiveness and judgement matter long before any formal process begins. Key discussion points include: How leadership roles change as professional services firms growShifting from delivery to developing others without losing quality or credibilityWhy sales and business development should feel normal, not forcedWhat external scrutiny often reveals about how firms are really runThe role of preparation, data and responsiveness in building confidence during a transaction processWhy trust and judgement underpin long-term value in professional servicesFor founders, partners and senior leaders building professional services firms, this conversation offers a thoughtful, experience-led view on how credibility is built over time – and how leaders earn trust through the decisions they make when things get harder, not easier. Host: John Howard, Partner at Garwood Growth Guest: Claire Simm, Managing Director and Global Head of Regulatory Consulting at Kroll

    51 min
  8. Episode 19: Unlocking Christmas – Reflections on our 2025 conversations and what comes next

    12/16/2025

    Episode 19: Unlocking Christmas – Reflections on our 2025 conversations and what comes next

    To round off the year, the show takes a slightly different shape. In this brief episode, John reflects on some of the common themes from conversations in 2025 and says thank you to the guests and listeners who’ve shaped the series. He also looks ahead to what’s coming next.  Thanks for being part of the show. We’ll see you in 2026! Host: John Howard, Partner at Garwood Growth

    4 min
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About

Unlocking Value is designed to give founders and owners of professional services firms more confidence when they're working toward an exit or thinking about taking on investment.  Across six episodes, our host John Howard speaks with founders, investors and advisors about the moments that define the transaction journey - how to get ready, what to expect and how to succeed. We cover everything from value drivers and team alignment to investor expectations and life after the deal. You’ll hear from people who’ve sold their firms, taken minority investments, stayed on, exited and started again – and from those who advise or invest in firms like yours every day.

Information

  • Creator
    Garwood Growth
  • Years Active
    2025 - 2026
  • Episodes
    26
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © 2026 Unlocking Value
  • Show Website
    Unlocking Value