Consulting Leaders

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 JacobsWebsite Link: https://gigtalentagency.com/Connect with Jamie Jacobs on LinkedInLinkedIn 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/

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 HoganWebsite Link: https://qpeople.co.uk/Connect with Candy Hogan on LinkedInLinkedIn 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/

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**********************************************************************Professional services firms are built on expertise, but they scale through people. Tim Madden has spent his career helping organizations solve one of the most expensive challenges in business: getting the right people into the right roles and helping them succeed once they're there.As CEO and Co-Founder of Executive Career Upgrades, Tim works with both organizations and senior leaders to improve hiring outcomes, leadership effectiveness, onboarding processes, and long-term performance. His team has supported thousands of executive placements while helping businesses build stronger talent systems.Drawing on 23 years of military leadership, executive recruiting experience, and years of advising growing organizations, Tim brings a practical perspective on how founders, managing partners, and CEOs can build teams capable of sustaining growth in increasingly competitive markets.Proposed Interview Structure: 1. What got you into leadership consulting, executive recruiting, and talent development, and what ultimately led you to build Executive Career Upgrades?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 and your team into an organization?4. You've built a strong personal brand and a fast-growing business. How do clients typically find you today, and what has worked best for generating new business? Current Acquisition Channels: Referral, Content, Google Ads, Meta Ads, Webinars, Podcast (guesting), Podcast (hosting), Speaking engagements Sub Question: You're also a podcast host. What role do you think podcasting can play in helping professional services firms build authority, trust, and new business opportunities?5. Professional services often involve multiple stakeholders and longer buying cycles. How do you typically move prospects from an initial conversation to a signed engagement?6. Once a client starts working with you, what do you do to ensure they get results, continue engaging with your firm, and become long-term clients?7. Where do you find yourself most challenged right now as the leader of a growing professional services business, if at all?8. Looking ahead, where do you see the biggest opportunity for your work in leadership development, executive hiring, and talent strategy over the next few years?*********************************************************************Know more about Tim MaddenWebsite Link: https://execupgrades.com/Connect with Tim Madden on LinkedInLinkedIn link: https://www.linkedin.com/in/timmadden83/Apply to be a guest on The Principal Podcast:https://ghapodcast.com/application-to-be-a-guest-on-consulting-leaders/

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**********************************************************************John Stone has spent more than three decades helping organizations solve one of the toughest challenges in professional services: creating predictable growth. After leadership roles at IBM, AT&T, and PA Consulting Group, he founded Revenue Architects to help firms build repeatable systems for winning, retaining, and expanding client relationships.Through his Revenue Architecture™ methodology, John focuses on aligning business strategy, marketing, sales, and client lifecycle management into a single operating model. His work is particularly relevant for firms with complex buying cycles where trust, expertise, and long-term relationships drive growth. Today, John is leading the evolution of Revenue Architects into an AI-powered revenue execution platform, helping professional services firms capture institutional knowledge, improve execution, and prepare for the next generation of business development.Proposed Interview Structure: 1. What got you into consulting, and how did your experience at IBM, AT&T, and PA Consulting shape the way you think about building and growing professional services firms today?2. What specific problem are you helping clients solve, and why does solving that problem matter so much to you personally?3. Who are your ideal clients today, and who usually makes the decision to bring Revenue Architects into the business?4. How do new clients typically find Revenue Architects, and what has been most effective for generating opportunities in a trust-based professional services environment? Current Acquisition Channels: Referral, Content, Podcast (guesting), Speaking engagements Sub Question: What role do you think podcasting can play for principals who want to build authority and attract clients in professional services?5. Many professional services firms face long sales cycles and multiple stakeholders. How do you approach turning initial conversations into long-term client engagements?6. Once you've won a client, how do you make sure they stay? What have you found works best for building long-term relationships and creating clients who continue to come back?7. You've spent years helping firms build predictable growth systems. Where do you find yourself most stuck right now as a founder and professional services leader, if at all?8. Looking ahead, where do you see the biggest opportunities for revenue architecture and revenue execution systems over the next few years?*********************************************************************Know more about John StoneWebsite Link: http://www.revenuearchitects.comConnect with John Stone on LinkedInLinkedIn link: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jcstone3/Apply to be a guest on The Principal Podcast:https://ghapodcast.com/application-to-be-a-guest-on-consulting-leaders/ers/

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 talk about growth. Few successfully expand their influence beyond their local market. Tonya McNeal-Weary has spent more than 16 years building a consulting firm designed to operate globally.As Founder and Managing Director of IBS Global Consulting, Tonya has helped businesses, entrepreneurs, and government organizations enter new markets, establish strategic partnerships, attract investment, and create sustainable growth opportunities. Along the way, she has built partnerships in more than 30 countries and developed programs supporting thousands of entrepreneurs worldwide.In this conversation, we go beyond international trade and explore the realities of building a professional services firm: winning clients, developing trusted relationships, scaling expertise through a global team, and creating a business that continues to grow through reputation, partnerships, and results.Proposed Interview Structure: 1. What originally got you into consulting, and what led you to build a business focused on international expansion and global partnerships?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 makes the decision to bring your firm in?4. You've built a strong reputation internationally and developed relationships across more than 30 countries. How do clients typically find your firm today, and what has worked best for attracting new business? Current Acquisition Channels: Referral, Content, Webinars, Speaking engagements Sub Question: You've built visibility through speaking engagements, global conferences, and thought leadership. What role do you think podcasts can play as a marketing tool for professional services firms?5. Professional services often involve long sales cycles, multiple stakeholders, and trust built over time. How do you typically move a prospect from an initial conversation to a signed engagement?6. Your business appears to be built on long-term relationships and repeat opportunities. How do you retain clients, continue creating value after the initial engagement, and keep clients coming back?7. As someone who has built a successful international consulting firm, where do you still find yourself most challenged or stuck as a business owner today, if at all?8. Looking ahead, where do you see the biggest opportunity for your work in international expansion, global partnerships, and economic development over the next few years?*********************************************************************Know more about Tonya McNeal-WearyWebsite Link: https://www.ibsglobalconsulting.com/Connect with Tonya McNeal-Weary on LinkedInLinkedIn link: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tonyamcnealweary/Apply to be a guest on The Principal Podcast:https://ghapodcast.com/application-to-be-a-guest-on-consulting-leaders/

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**********************************************************************Craig Apatov has spent his career helping companies grow in industries where competition is relentless and differentiation matters. Before founding Ascension Growth & Innovation Strategies, he held senior leadership roles at organizations including Citigroup, Ally Financial, and Time Warner, leading initiatives around strategic alliances, digital growth, marketing transformation, and commercial expansion. Today, Ascension works with middle-market and global companies to improve top-line growth through customer insight mining, strategic marketing, sales enablement, and growth strategy execution. Craig and his team help leadership teams identify where growth opportunities actually exist, and how to align marketing, sales, and positioning around them. In this episode, Craig shares lessons from building and leading a long-standing professional services firm, including how to retain enterprise clients, create trust with senior decision makers, scale expertise through specialized teams, and stay relevant as AI and digital transformation continue reshaping the market. Proposed Interview Structure: 1. What originally pulled you into growth strategy and consulting work? 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 makes the decision to bring Ascension in? 4. You’ve built Ascension over more than two decades in a highly competitive space. What has worked best for you personally when it comes to attracting clients and growing the firm? Current Acquisition Channels: Referral, Content, Speaking engagements, Cold outreach Sub Question: What’s your perspective on podcasts as a growth and trust-building tool for consulting and professional services firms? 5. You work heavily in sales enablement and business growth. How do you approach long enterprise sales cycles and build enough trust to win high-level engagements? 6. How do you retain clients over the long term and make sure relationships continue growing beyond the initial engagement? 7. After building Ascension for more than two decades, where do you still find yourself most challenged or stuck as a professional services leader? 8. Looking ahead, where do you see the biggest opportunity for strategic growth consulting and sales enablement over the next few years? *********************************************************************Know more about Craig ApatovWebsite Link: https://ascensionstrategy.com/Connect with Craig Apatov on LinkedInLinkedIn link: https://www.linkedin.com/in/craigapatov/Apply to be a guest on The Principal Podcast:https://ghapodcast.com/application-to-be-a-guest-on-consulting-leaders/

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**********************************************************************Aaron Kopel is the Founder and CEO of Project Brilliant, a consulting firm that helps CIOs and IT leaders improve organizational effectiveness, develop stronger leadership teams, and accelerate strategic initiatives. Over the past two decades, Aaron has built a distinctive position in the marketplace through his Momentum Locksmith® framework, helping enterprise leaders overcome bureaucracy, align teams, and drive meaningful change. Along the way, he has expanded his influence through speaking, publishing, podcasting, and thought leadership. In this conversation, Aaron shares practical lessons from building and growing a professional services firm, developing a specialized niche, winning enterprise clients, retaining long-term relationships, and adapting to new opportunities such as AI transformation. This episode is particularly valuable for founders, managing partners, and CEOs looking to strengthen their firm's positioning and long-term growth strategy. Proposed Interview Structure: 1. What got you into consulting, and what ultimately led you to start Project Brilliant? 2. What specific problem are you helping clients solve today, and why is that problem personally important for you to solve? 3. Who are your ideal clients today, and who typically holds the decision to bring you in or hire your firm? 4. Over the years you've built authority through speaking, publishing, communities, and content. How do clients typically find you today, and what's worked best for generating new business? Current Acquisition Channels: Referral, Content, Webinars, Podcast (hosting), Speaking engagements Sub Question: You're also a podcast host. What role do you think podcasting plays as a growth and relationship-building tool for professional services firms? 5. Enterprise services often involve long sales cycles and multiple stakeholders. How do you typically move opportunities from an initial conversation to a signed engagement? 6. Client retention is critical for any professional services firm. How do you make sure clients continue working with you, and what have you found works best for building long-term relationships? 7. You've built and led Project Brilliant for nearly two decades. Where do you find yourself most stuck right now as a professional services firm leader, if at all? 8. Looking ahead, where do you see the biggest opportunity for helping CIOs and IT leaders unlock momentum over the next few years? *********************************************************************Know more about Aaron KopelWebsite Link: http://www.projectbrilliant.com/Connect with Aaron Kopel LinkedInLinkedIn link: https://www.linkedin.com/in/aaronkopel/Apply to be a guest on The Principal Podcast:https://ghapodcast.com/application-to-be-a-guest-on-consulting-leaders/

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**********************************************************************Aaron Kopel is the Founder and CEO of Project Brilliant, a consulting firm that helps CIOs and IT leaders improve organizational effectiveness, develop stronger leadership teams, and accelerate strategic initiatives. Over the past two decades, Aaron has built a distinctive position in the marketplace through his Momentum Locksmith® framework, helping enterprise leaders overcome bureaucracy, align teams, and drive meaningful change. Along the way, he has expanded his influence through speaking, publishing, podcasting, and thought leadership.In this conversation, Aaron shares practical lessons from building and growing a professional services firm, developing a specialized niche, winning enterprise clients, retaining long-term relationships, and adapting to new opportunities such as AI transformation. This episode is particularly valuable for founders, managing partners, and CEOs looking to strengthen their firm's positioning and long-term growth strategy.Proposed Interview Structure: 1. What got you into consulting, and what ultimately led you to start Project Brilliant?2. What specific problem are you helping clients solve today, and why is that problem personally important for you to solve?3. Who are your ideal clients today, and who typically holds the decision to bring you in or hire your firm?4. Over the years you've built authority through speaking, publishing, communities, and content. How do clients typically find you today, and what's worked best for generating new business? Current Acquisition Channels: Referral, Content, Webinars, Podcast (hosting), Speaking engagements Sub Question: You're also a podcast host. What role do you think podcasting plays as a growth and relationship-building tool for professional services firms?5. Enterprise services often involve long sales cycles and multiple stakeholders. How do you typically move opportunities from an initial conversation to a signed engagement?6. Client retention is critical for any professional services firm. How do you make sure clients continue working with you, and what have you found works best for building long-term relationships?7. You've built and led Project Brilliant for nearly two decades. Where do you find yourself most stuck right now as a professional services firm leader, if at all?8. Looking ahead, where do you see the biggest opportunity for helping CIOs and IT leaders unlock momentum over the next few years?*********************************************************************Know more about Aaron KopelWebsite Link: http://www.projectbrilliant.com/Connect with Aaron Kopel on LinkedInLinkedIn link: https://www.linkedin.com/in/aaronkopel/Apply to be a guest on The Principal Podcast:https://ghapodcast.com/application-to-be-a-guest-on-consulting-leaders/