Climb In Consulting

Hosted by Nick Synnott

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Episodes

165

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May 2026

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About the show

As a management consultant myself I’ve always been lucky to have mentors who have guided me through my career. When I was in house I regularly had quality time with Senior Partners that helped me rapidly accelerate my career and has continued to help since I’ve gone out on my own. While I had this great resource and knowledge bank to draw on I know many friends in Consulting aren’t as lucky with some only speaking with senior partners on a monthly or quarterly basis. That’s why I created this podcast. I wanted to help people like you who want to accelerate their careers in consulting by interviewing leaders in the field to share the advice, tips and strategies that they used to get to the top so that you can to so that you can too. In each Episode I’ll be interviewing a senior figure in the industry so that you can learn from them. We’ll be going deep in to their background, how they succeeded and what their advice would be for you. This podcast is brought to you by Create Engage the Digital Marketing agency for the disruptive Management Consultancy. Digital Marketing has moved forward, but most consulting firms haven’t. Many Consulting firms still see their corporate blog as their sole Digital Marketing channel and find themselves frustrated when these blogs yield little if any results. To help those of you who want to harness the power of Digital Marketing to grow your Consulting Business but don’t have the knowledge, capacity or in-house capability to do so I launched Create Engage, the first Digital Marketing agency for the Management Consulting Industry. If you’d like to find out more about how Create Engage can help you use Digital Marketing to take your business to the next level then drop me an email at Nick@CreateEngage.co.uk or go to our website www.createengage.co.uk where you can download our free case study that breaks down down the Digital Marketing strategies used by one successful Consulting firm to help them grow over 400% in just 3 years and gives you the secrets they used, so that you can apply them in your own firm.

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60 recent

May 29, 202656 min

Episode 164 - How PEN built a marketing engine to take them from 50 to 100+ in less than 5yrs

If you’re looking to understand what it really takes to grow and successfully exit a consultancy, this webinar shares how one firm built the marketing engine that helped support that journey. PEN had grown in its first partner networking-led phase to a 50-person, sub-£10m FS and Pharma consultancy - ambitious, capable, but relatively unknown outside their core client base. Over the next five years, they grew into a 100-person+ firm. Supporting that significant growth was a repeatable marketing engine that drove leads, increased visibility, supported recruitment, and helped strengthen the story behind their exit to Wavestone. Former PEN partner Neil Sharp and Create Engage Director Nick Synnott break down the structural, operational, and commercial elements that made it work and how you can apply the same approach in your consultancy. They go beyond the content, campaigns and tactics to show you the strategic elements that made it work; from the hub-and-spoke model that gathered inputs from across the firm, to the campaign-led approach that delivered real business results, to the reporting that kept partners bought in. This episode will give you actionable insights into building a marketing engine that works and lasts. You’ll learn how to: Keep marketing moving with a model that works across multiple practices with over 100 consultants Build consistent visibility without sapping consultant time Run campaigns that generate leads, not just impressions Win partner buy-in with a scorecard they actually care about Enjoy the show!

May 6, 202655 min

Ep. 163: Make Your Marketing Work: The Framework To Drive Conversations & ROI From Your Marketing

You’re committing time, budget, and attention with a clear expectation. Marketing should create leads and help you open up the right client conversations. Many consultancies are busy doing lots, but struggle to turn that activity into consistent conversations. Momentum comes in waves. Results feel hard to predict. Confidence in the plan starts to wobble. If this sounds familiar, then this episode is for you. In this episode, Nick Synnott walks you through our 12-part marketing framework, built around the four core drivers of effective consultancy marketing. Our framework will give you a clear, end-to-end view of how marketing needs to work to deliver for your firm in 2026. In this episode, you’ll learn: Where marketing typically breaks down before a lead ever appears Why activity often fails to convert into conversations, even with good intent The simple but often overlooked elements of your marketing setup that can have a huge impact on your results. You’ll know exactly where you stand and what you need to fix to set your firm up for the rest of the year. Enjoy the show!

January 28, 20261 hr 15 min

Episode 162: From Startup to Sector Leader: The Growth Lessons Behind The PSC’s Growth

How do you build a consultancy where people love to work, grow and stay while scaling fast and staying focused? The PSC team share the decisions that made it possible. In this episode, Nick sits down with Catherine Mulcahy and Dr. Antonio Weiss from The PSC, the consultancy on a mission to make public services brilliant and one that’s built a reputation as one of the UK’s most respected specialists in the space. They share the inside story of that journey - the real decisions that fuelled their growth, why operations mattered from day one, and how they’ve built a culture that people genuinely want to stick around for. We get into: - Why hiring an ops lead at 8 people was the smartest move they made - The internal battles behind building structure (and what finally worked) - How to embrace AI without losing the human touch It’s a masterclass in thoughtful consulting growth, grounded in real-world decisions, not just buzzwords. If you're leading, scaling or thinking about the future of your consultancy, this one’s a must-listen. Enjoy the show!

November 27, 20251 hr 16 min

Episode 161: How to Think (and Sell) Smarter with Paul Craven

What drives real people to make real decisions in the real world? That’s the question Paul Craven has been answering for decades. Throughout his senior roles at some of the biggest names in finance, including Goldman Sachs, Paul used behavioural science to understand how clients think, how relationships are built, and how decisions are really made. Today, he’s a global expert in the field. A keynote speaker, founding partner of the Cialdini Institute, and trusted coach to organisations around the world, he teaches others how to use the psychology of persuasion to drive real results. In this episode, Paul joins Nick to explore the world of behavioural science and how understanding human decision-making can transform how we lead, sell, and work. You’ll discover the practical behavioural science approaches you can use in your consultancy to help you build stronger relationships, sell more effectively and influence decisions in a way that lands well. They dive into: ✅ Paul’s journey from Goldman Sachs to founding his own business ✅ Dr Robert Cialdini’s seven scientifically-proven techniques of ethical persuasion and how to use them ✅ Why your brain is tricking you and what to do about it ✅ How magic reveals the surprising shortcuts our minds take Whether you’re running a consultancy, leading a team, or just curious about what makes people tick, this episode will shift how you see the world. Enjoy the show!

October 29, 20251 hr 33 min

Episode 160: Built to Sell, Led with Heart: How Sue Lohr Scaled and Exited Three Businesses

What does it take to build and sell two consulting firms and scale faster the second time around? In this episode of Climb in Consulting, Nick speaks with Sue Lohr, a leader who’s done just that. Sue played a pivotal role in building Synergy and Cormis into high-performing consultancies, both of which went on to successful exits. (Oh, and she sold a product business along the way too.) Sue’s story is about building businesses that people genuinely want to buy, shaped by a clear proposition, confident pricing, and with culture at the core. Sue shares how she: ✅ Took the lessons from Synergy to supercharge growth at Cormis ✅ Created strong cultures that scaled ✅ Developed clear value and confident pricing to drive sustainable growth ✅ Now shares these lessons with consulting founders and leaders via The Vibrant Company and The Consultancy Growth Network If you’re building a firm, leading a team, or plotting your next move, this episode gives you a rare inside look at the mindset, strategy and leadership behind two successful consulting exits from someone who’s lived them. Enjoy the show!

September 25, 20251 hr 20 min

Ep. 159: The Consultancy Built Without Consultants with Gita Singham-Willis

What if your consultancy didn’t look like everyone else’s? What if it was built on values from day one, hired people most firms overlooked, and kept culture at the core as it grew? This month’s guest has done precisely that, and then some. Gita Singham-Willis is one of the three co-founders of Cadence Innova, a multi-award-winning transformation consultancy. From her early days running textile factories in Portugal to reshaping how consulting firms think about people, culture, and growth, Gita’s journey is anything but ordinary. In this episode, she sits down with Nick Synnott to share the entire story, from founding Cadence Innova with a mission to be different, to building a consultancy that said no thanks to traditional hierarchies and yes, please, to working parents, diverse teams, and radical inclusion. She also shares the thinking behind Cadence’s eventual sale, how they maintained their culture throughout the process, and what she has learned about leadership, DEI, and what truly matters in consulting. If you’re building a consultancy, scaling a team, or wondering how to keep your values alive as you grow, this one’s packed with practical insight and plenty of inspiration. We cover: ✅ Why Cadence started by hiring women returning to work and why it worked ✅ The “family model” that replaced traditional line management ✅ How to spot consulting potential outside of traditional CVs ✅ The truth about selling your firm and how to protect your culture in the process ✅ Why DEI isn’t a ‘nice to have’ it’s a business necessity ✅ The advice Gita would give to junior, mid-career, and aspiring partner consultants Enjoy the show!

August 28, 20251 hr 4 min

Ep. 158: Consulting Salaries, Promotions, and Partner Pitfalls with Richard Longstreet

Struggling to crack senior hiring in your consultancy? You’re not alone, and this episode’s guest has seen it all. Richard Longstreet is the founder of Tarka Talent, a recruitment consultancy focused on management consulting, and he’s helped firms of all shapes and sizes find (and sometimes fix) their senior hiring strategies. In this episode, Richard joins Nick Synnott to share his refreshingly honest take on what actually makes a successful senior hire, why partner-level recruitment so often fails, and how boutique firms can set themselves up for success. From salary trends to career progression, partner expectations to promotion timelines, Richard lifts the lid on the latest insights from Tarka Talent’s industry-leading salary survey and explains how firms can take a smarter approach to recruitment in a challenging market. If you’re hiring, thinking of hiring, or just wondering why your last senior hire didn’t quite land, this one’s for you. We cover: ✅ Why partner-level recruitment has a 40% success rate, and what to do about it ✅ How boutiques can attract senior talent without overpromising ✅ Salary trends, bonus data, and promotion patterns from Tarka’s annual report ✅ What separates great senior hires from those who never quite deliver ✅ Alternatives to hiring when capacity is tight Enjoy the show!

July 24, 20251 hr 10 min

Ep. 157: Consulting’s Next Chapter: Transformation, AI, & Thinking Differently with Chris Tomlinson

What does it take to lead transformation in today’s fast-moving, tech-fuelled world? In this episode of Climb in Consulting, Nick chats with Chris Tomlinson - or ‘Tommo’, as most people know him - a seasoned transformation leader and Managing Director of Muuto Consulting. With two decades of experience navigating complex change and helping organisations evolve, Tommo brings a refreshing, no-nonsense take on what real transformation looks like. They dive deep into everything from starting Muuto and scaling it through different growth stages, to the future of consulting and how AI is rewriting the rules. Tommo also shares insights from his current Master’s in AI at Oxford and how it has shaped the way he thinks about everything, from business models to ethics. Whether you're curious about AI in consulting or building a boutique firm of your own, this one’s packed with fresh thinking and hard-earned lessons. This episode covers: ✅ What scaling a boutique consultancy really feels like ✅ The evolving consulting model from traditional hierarchies to consortium-style collaboration ✅ AI as an enterprise re-engineering tool, not just another tech fad ✅ How small firms can experiment and lead the way with AI adoption ✅ The human side of AI, where consultants still shine Enjoy the show!

June 26, 20251 hr 43 min

Episode 156: Profit on Purpose: Peter Czapp’s 7 Levers for Consultancy Growth

What separates consultancies that tick along from those that thrive? According to this episode’s guest, it’s all about one thing: profit on purpose. In this episode, Nick sits down with Peter Czapp - Co-Founder of the Wow Company, The Consultancy Growth Network and the brains behind BenchPress, the consultancy benchmark report - to dig into the financial side of consulting that too many firms overlook. Peter shares the seven profitability levers that top-performing firms use to boost their margins, stand out in the market, and build businesses that are both sustainable and saleable. From smart pricing and niche positioning to real-time metrics and resource management, this episode is packed with takeaways you can put into action straight away. We cover: ✅ Why only 37% of consultancies hit 50% gross margin, and how to make sure you're one of them ✅ The power of positioning and why niche isn’t a dirty word ✅ Pricing strategies that reflect value, not just time ✅ How to build a culture that embraces profitability without killing your vibe ✅ The reporting metrics that actually matter and the one predictive stat Peter swears by ✅ Why real growth starts with intentionality Whether you’re leading a consultancy, thinking about profitability, or just tired of vague advice and want practical tools, this one’s for you. Enjoy the show!

May 29, 20251 hr 15 min

Episode 155: From $2M to $20M - The Alchemist Growth Formula with Stu Packham

What happens when you step into the CEO seat of a small consultancy in a niche market, with big ambitions, PE backing, and a bold growth target? In this episode of Climb in Consulting, Nick Synnott chats to Stu Packham, Group CEO of Alchemist, about how he led the business from a modest $2M learning consultancy to a $20M global challenger brand. Before stepping into consulting, Stu spent years in the world of recruitment - building teams, scaling businesses, and getting under the skin of what makes people tick. It was that deep experience, paired with a well-timed chat with a close friend, that led to him being put forward for the CEO role at Alchemist in 2019. What followed was nothing short of a whirlwind. Stu stepped into a six-person business without meeting any of the team beforehand, not exactly your textbook onboarding. From that uncertain start came a high-speed journey of transformation: expanding into the US, building out UK operations, and laying the groundwork for a global presence. Stu didn’t just steer the ship, he helped it grow new engines mid-flight. This episode is a behind-the-scenes look at what it really takes to lead a PE-backed consultancy through rapid growth. Stu shares: - How fractional leadership became a secret weapon for scale - What a People function looks like when growth is the goal - How to prepare (mentally and practically) for due diligence - The biggest lessons he’s taking into Alchemist’s next chapter Whether you're running a consultancy, thinking about working with private equity, or just love a gritty transformation story, this one’s worth your time. Enjoy the show!