Unleashed - How to Thrive as an Independent Professional

Hosted by Will Bachman

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Nov 2026

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Unleashed explores how to thrive as an independent professional.

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November 9, 202651 min

660. Richard Millington, How to Set Up AI to Help Your Consulting Practice

Show Notes Richard Millington is the founder of FeverBee, author of Buzzing Communities, and a regular speaker on building successful communities at events around the world. He is also a consultant specializing in boutique firms and community building. In this episode, he presents an AI maturity assessment link to help attendees of this event benchmark their current AI usage. The group discusses the importance of understanding one's level of AI fluency before proceeding. Three Common Pitfalls for AI Users Richard identifies three common pitfalls: "toe dippers" who use AI haphazardly, "jugglers" who try to use it for everything, and "brain builders" attempting to clone themselves. He advocates for focusing on one task at a time to improve results and learn lessons that feed into future tasks. Richard categorizes AI utility based on data volume and risk tolerance, distinguishing between assistance, automation, generation, and distractions. He warns against using AI for marketing copy as Google will flag AI content and it will not accurately capture the voice of the brand. He also mentions that it should not be used for major relationship-based judgment calls. Organizing Tips on AI Usage Richard identifies the many ways that AI can be used to improve output in addition to merely saving time. He offers suggestions on how to set up AI usage properly and efficiently. Richard recommends organizing AI usage into separate folders for different clients or projects to maintain context. He suggests using Claude with specific levels of instructions: global instructions, project instructions, and repeatable skills. He advises using dictation tools like Wispr Flow instead of typing to provide richer context to the AI. For advanced users, he suggests moving documentation to GitHub for better version control and integration. Preparing for Meetings Richard demonstrates a skill where he asks Claude to prepare him for meetings by scraping LinkedIn, Gmail, and meeting transcripts. The briefing includes company background, recent news, past interactions, and potential questions from the prospect. He emphasizes that this process improves the quality of questions asked during sales calls and depth of information gathered, and it helps manage client history. Identifying Key Influencers and Audience Sizes Richard explains how he uses SparkToro to identify key influencers and audience sizes within his niche. He uses Claude to map out his existing relationships via Gmail and LinkedIn to visualize ecosystem strength. This system allows him to identify which high-level stakeholders he needs to engage with through account-based marketing. He notes that this approach helps him move "upstream" to influence decisions before vendors are even contacted. Writing Proposals with AI Richard argues that AI should assist with proposals rather than writing them entirely to ensure personal voice and accuracy. His process involves using a professional design template and having AI gather information from transcripts and emails. He uses AI to draft key points for each section and then personally writes the content based on those outlines. A final step involves using an AI agent to evaluate the proposal against procurement team scrutiny and best practices. Building a Platform Comparison Tool Richard shares how he built a platform comparison tool to attract clients before they select a vendor. The tool uses data gathered from vendor sandboxes verified by Claude to provide objective recommendations. This strategy helped him gain significant influence and authority within his industry sector. The Five-week Course Richard provides an overview of his five-week course covering marketing systems, sales, delivery, and operations. He discusses how consultants must adapt their service designs as AI changes the value proposition of traditional tasks. Access the PowerPoint presentation. Timestamps 01:16: Introduction and AI Maturity Assessment 10:59: Strategic Approaches to Using AI 21:53: Setting Up Proper AI Systems 27:48: AI for Sales Call Briefings 33:50: Visualizing Client Engagement Ecosystems 47:01: Optimizing the Proposal Process 51:35: Building Interactive Comparison Tools 57:34: Course Overview and Conclusion Links Powerpoint slides to presentation This episode on Umbrex Unleashed is produced by Umbrex, which has a mission of connecting independent management consultants with one another, creating opportunities for members to meet, build relationships, and share lessons learned. Learn more at www.umbrex.com . *AI generated timestamps and show notes.

October 19, 202636 min

658. Ben Garthwaite, Pegasus Insights: The Purpose-built Platform for Financial Leaders

Show Notes Ben Garthwaite introduces Pegasus Insights. He explains why his firm developed the tool and who it serves. Pegasus is a software tool designed to improve the traditional 13-week cash flow forecasting process. The tool targets middle-market companies and private equity-backed firms looking to improve accuracy and save time, and give better insights on their business on a weekly or daily basis. Pegasus has worked with various sizes of companies from multi-nationals to one-man real estate businesses. It revolutionizes the reporting process, and Ben explains that while 13-week models are common in distressed companies, consistent financial snapshots are vital for any business. Pegasus Dashboard A Demonstration of Pegasus Insights Pegasus integrates with approximately 17,000 banks and common ERP systems to pull daily transaction and balance data. The platform combines the automation of modern software with the flexibility of Excel, offering modules for cash management, spend analytics, and working capital. An AI module allows users to perform unstructured analysis by asking questions about their data, such as investigating variances. Ben explains that when you open Pegasus, the dashboard provides a snapshot of your business over the past 13 weeks and provides a projection over the next 13 weeks. Cashflow Table Ben demonstrates the cash forecasting module which allows users to drill down from high-level summaries to individual transactions or specific subcategories. The tool provides the flexibility to classify the business as needed, and drill it to be as granular as you need your data to be. Users can build projections using rule-based logic, standard formulas, or AR/AP inputs based on actual customer behavior patterns. The tool provides early warning detection for liquidity risks and allows for manual overrides to account for one-off items like debt payments or litigation. Ben demonstrates how information on cashflow categories is easily accessible. Cashflow Forecasting Building a Cashflow Forecasting Model Ben explains that users can view data at a high, consolidated level (ideal for business-as-usual scenarios) or expand categories to forecast individual customers, vendors, or major projects (useful for distressed companies). He introduces rule-based and AR/AP integration and explains that setting up a forecast involves defining a structure and selecting logic or drivers. The platform pulls AR/AP data directly from an ERP system to handle imperfect data and customer payment habits. Ben explains that users can easily bake in conservatism by manually changing collection values in specific cells, and Pegasus will automatically adjust future assumptions accordingly. Waterfall Logic & Projections Using weighted average days to collect and existing AR behavior combined with unbilled invoices, the system creates a seamless waterfall projection of when funds will be collected. The Pegasus Team The Pegasus team originated from Impact Point, an OCFO-focused consulting firm specializing in middle-market finance. Ben notes that the product was born from a need to solve the lack of granularity and rigor found in existing market solutions. The development process focused on translating expert financial knowledge into technical instructions for a team of engineers. Pricing and Market Reception Pricing is scalable, ranging from approximately $500 per month for smaller operations to $2,000 per month for large multinational companies. Since its commercial launch a year ago, Pegasus has grown to approximately 50 customers and 300 weekly users. Customers have specifically highlighted the platform's intuitive design and the increased visibility it provides into their financials. Implementation Timelines Implementation timelines vary from ten minutes for simple bank connections to several weeks depending on bank approval processes. Pegasus offers both self-managed setups via the Pegasus Academy and fully managed "white glove" support services. The company provides revenue-sharing opportunities and implementation partner programs for consulting groups interested in referring clients. Timestamps 00:02: Pegasus Insights Overview 03:54: Core Tool Functionality 08:30: Deep Dive into Forecasting 20:11: Company Background and Development 24:17: Pricing and Market Reception 27:54: Implementation and Partnerships Links Website: https://pegasusinsights.com/ Unleashed is produced by Umbrex, which has a mission of connecting independent management consultants with one another, creating opportunities for members to meet, build relationships, and share lessons learned. Learn more at www.umbrex.com. *AI generated timestamps and show notes.

August 31, 202646 min

657. Waziri Garuba, CEO of Harlem Labs, Introducing G.R.I.O.T

Waziri Garuba, creator of G.R.I.O.T and CEO of HarlemLabs, talks about how he was inspired by the limitations of Siri and where the name for his custom AI persona, G.R.I.O.T, comes from. He integrates several platforms including n8n.io, 11 Labs, Vercel, and it can be integrated with an LLM of choice, including Claude. The system operates using an agentic workflow where a central brain assesses inputs via webhooks. Incoming queries are classified into four categories: direct, tools, complex, or schedule-based to determine the appropriate routing. He explains how his agent can talk to the platforms. The First Automation Waziri describes how he built his first automation which was an auto email response maker designed to monitor Gmail every minute. The agent reviews unread messages and drafts responses in his specific writing style while logging actions in a spreadsheet. His current evolved system uses a contact map to identify known contacts and manages inbox organization through classification and labeling. Tracking Health and Fitness Waziri talks about how he uses G.R.I.O.T in his personal life. He calls it G.R.I.O.T in the Garage. Waziri utilizes a Notion database to track health reports and personal fitness goals. The G.R.I.O.T agent can access this data to design customized workouts and automatically add them to his calendar. He demonstrates how the agent can interact with his calendar to move appointments or set reminders based on terminal tasks. The Technical Landscape Waziri explains how G.R.I.O.T can integrate with many tools and finds the best tool for the job. The technical landscape consists of specialized sub-agents for platforms like Airtable, Google Drive, Monday, and Notion. These agents act as "appendages" that handle specific tasks such as searching files or managing relational databases. Waziri utilizes Tavily, an AI-driven search tool used by developers. It operates like Perplexity to help the agents find real-time information. Mobile Accessibility Waziri interacts with G.R.I.O.T through Telegram, allowing him to send voice memos while on the go at the gym or traveling. This mobile interface enables him to delegate research, schedule follow-ups, or draft emails using simple spoken commands. He prefers Telegram over other messaging apps because it offers easier integration with n8n for building custom workflows. He explains how it helps him manage his emails, both incoming and backlog, and newsletters. The Finance Tools A dedicated suite of finance tools helps Waziri manage debt, income tracking, and expense reporting through QuickBooks and Google Sheets. The system implements a behavioral mechanism to automate saving ten percent of incoming funds into a separate account. One specific agent provides regular reports on interest rates for student loans and credit cards to help prioritize debt repayment strategies. Professional Services Waziri serves CEOs and high-level executives by helping them map out their operational needs before implementing AI tech stacks. He offers an eight-week course called the Operators Map at theoperatorsmap.com to teach governance and automation design. His business engagements focus on helping operators transition from manual processes to efficient, automated systems through HarlemLabs.com. This episode on Umbrex: https://umbrex.com/unleashed/episode-657-waziri-garuba-ceo-of-harlem-labs-introducing-g-r-i-o-t/ Video permalink: https://umbrex.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/G.R.I.O.T%20Demo.mp4 Timestamps: 00:02: Introduction to G.R.I.O.T Persona 06:12: Automating Email Management 12:15: Personal Health and Task Integration 17:24: Agent Architecture and Tooling 37:53: Mobile Accessibility via Telegram 38:53: Financial Automation Systems 43:36: Professional Services and Education Links: HarlemLabs website: https://www.harlemlabs.com/ Operators Map website: theoperatorsmap.com Unleashed is produced by Umbrex, which has a mission of connecting independent management consultants with one another, creating opportunities for members to meet, build relationships, and share lessons learned. Learn more at www.umbrex.com . *AI generated timestamps and show notes.

August 3, 202642 min

656. Jean-Christophe Lanoix, Turboconsultant: Running a Solo Practice on AI Agents, end-to-end

Jean-Christophe Lanoix is the founder of Turboconsultant. He spent seventeen years at Hinicio, a strategy consultancy specialising in hydrogen — joining as an intern, rising to Associate Director and leaving in 2024, two years after the firm's exit. He now builds the system he wishes he had had. Introducing Turboconsultant An execution layer for solo consultants: a virtual team of AI agents spanning the whole practice — business development, research, methodologies, marketing and content, deliverable production, quality control, meetings and follow-up, admin. The consultant directs. The agents execute. It installs as a plugin on Claude Cowork and turns a generalist agentic workspace into a consulting-grade one. Three things separate it from a general-purpose assistant. Personalisation. A one-time onboarding hands it the consultant's own methodologies, templates, frameworks and voice. What comes out arrives in their template, follows their methods, and reads in their words. Quality control. Every document it produces passes three layers of audit before it leaves — sources traced, figures recomputed, claims contested by models outside the system. That is where AI hallucination and error get caught. Data walling. Nothing moves from one engagement to another, and the models do not train on client work. And it is one system rather than a patchwork of tools: the whole practice runs in a single environment that sharpens with every engagement. The net effect, measured on the existing user base, is a 25x on average, while improving the general quality of the work. Demonstration of Turboconsutlant Both cases are invented, and so is the consultant behind them — a generic profile carrying no proprietary methodologies, no past deliverables, no writing to learn from. The engagement starts the way a real one does: a request for proposal lands by email. Everything that follows comes out of that one document and public sources. The proposal — thirty minutes The system interviews the consultant first — how they want to work, whether they know the client, who delivers, what their day rate is. Then it writes, in their own template: context, the question behind the client's question, objectives, approach and methodology, scope in and out, work packages, data room requirements, timeline, budget options, next steps. The consultant reviews and signs off. Nothing leaves unvalidated. Without AI, a proposal of that depth is several man-days. The methodology section — six work packages mapped onto one governing question. Pricing the work — three options, fees, payment terms. A commercial proposal, not an analysis. The kick-off pack — fifteen minutes One instruction produces the whole pack: the client kick-off deck, an internal briefing note — assumptions, questions to ask, objections to expect, the landmines — and the data room request list in Excel, item by item, with what each one unblocks and the date it is needed by. In a firm, this is junior work. A solo consultant has no junior. It costs them half a day to a full day, every time. The work-package sequence agreed at kick-off, and the date after which the analysis stops waiting for client data. The First Deliverable — forty-five minutes The pattern holds whatever the sector: the research, the market sizing, the model underneath, and a deck of exhibits in the consultant's own consulting-grade template — each exhibit carrying one argument, each figure carrying its source. This is where the consultant sits as a director rather than an executant: give the instruction, let the team execute, come back and review. It is also where the system refuses to please. Here it tested the client board's own headline figure instead of repeating it, and the deck says why. Forty-five minutes for a work package that is easily five to ten days of work without it. An exhibit from the first deliverable — the sizing funnel, in the consultant's template. The economics behind it, recomputed from the model that sits under the deck. Quality control — three layers, then a loop Nothing reaches the client before three independent passes. Layer 1 — sources. Every claim and every figure traced back to where it came from, the source assessed, each one rated: verified, probable, or not established. Layer 2 — internal audit. An isolated sub-agent reviews the finished document against a purpose-built grid and rebuilds the Excel model from its own inputs. Same family of model, so it catches the obvious: the unsupported claim, the figure that contradicts the model, the page that does not carry its title. Layer 3 — dual external audit. Two models from outside the system, independent of each other and of the one that did the work. No shared bias, and two verdicts to compare. This is where the qualitative control happens. Here the two disagreed — which is itself the finding. Then the loop. The consultant asks the system to integrate the findings and audit again, and iterates. Half an hour takes a document from roughly 85% client-ready to something that needs only a final human review. The three verdicts on the first draft, as returned — including the external model that said HOLD. Everything from both engagements is published Every file is downloadable, unedited: the proposals, the contract, the kick-off packs, the deliverables, the Excel models, and the three audit reports in full — including the one that said do not ship, and the revised deliverable it forced. A second engagement, in a different sector, was launched live during the recording; it landed after the recording stopped, and its files are there too. Access the files: turboconsultant.com/unleashed Timings above are the elapsed time of each task on this run, not a benchmark. Watch the video: Listener Offer Are you a good fit? · You consult on your own — strategy or management? · You want to scale without compromising quality? · Consumer AI gets you a draft, not a deliverable? Three yeses? Thirty minutes with me, free. If it's not a fit, I'll tell you. → https://calendly.com/jcl-turboconsultant/unleashed?month=2026-07 Or skip the call and start now — Unleashed listeners, neither code expires: · UNLEASHED_TC — Turboconsultant, €399/month instead of €499 · UNLEASHED_AUDIT — AI-First Audit, €200 instead of €300 Timestamps 04:02: Turboconsultant's Features and Benefits 07:32: Onboarding and Personalization Process 12:24: Demo of Turboconsultant's Capabilities 23:42: Kickoff Meeting Preparation and Work Package Execution 43:45: Quality Assurance and Iterative Improvement 50:07: Additional Features and Conclusion Links: Video permalink: https://umbrex.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/Jean-Christophe-Lanoix.mp4 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jean-christophe-lanoix-93119018 Company website: https://www.turboconsultant.com Files from this episode: https://www.turboconsultant.com/unleashed This episode on Umbrex: https://umbrex.com/unleashed/episode-656-jean-christophe-lanoix-turboconsultant-running-a-solo-practice-on-ai-agents-end-to-end/ Unleashed is produced by Umbrex, which has a mission of connecting independent management consultants with one another, creating opportunities for members to meet, build relationships, and share lessons learned. Learn more at www.umbrex.com . *AI generated timestamps and show notes.

July 20, 202620 min

655. Andreia Fernandes, Portfolio Careers: The future of work?

Show Notes: Andreia Fernandes, founder of the Portfolio Career Institute, explains that the term "portfolio career" was coined by Charles Handy in 1994, and it emphasizes working in different roles and contexts. Defining a Portfolio Career Andreia adds that portfolio careers involve using different skills in various contexts, such as a mathematician working in both a school and an insurance company. She highlights that portfolio careers are not just about diversifying income streams but also aligning with one's values and being purpose-driven. The Portfolio Career Program Andreia describes the stages of her cohort program for pursuing a portfolio career. She emphasizes the importance of community and peer exchange in her program, sharing an example of two bankers with different career paths. The program starts with understanding one's strengths, purpose, and limitations, and includes evaluating whether a portfolio career is the right fit. Andreia mentions that some participants are clear about their goals, while others are unsure and need guidance to explore new paths. Designing a Career Andreia discusses the importance of self-reflection and specific exercises in her program, such as the Ikigai principle. She introduces the portfolio career canvas, a framework she developed with a scientific background to help participants design their careers. The canvas includes elements like portfolio career metrics, learning journey, network building, and revenue streams. Andreia explains that participants need to consider what would make them regret having a portfolio career and adjust their plans accordingly. Stages of the Portfolio Career Program Andreia explains the next stages of the program, focusing on activating networks and positioning oneself in the market. She shares her own experience of having a portfolio career, including entrepreneurial ventures, lecturing, and executive coaching. Andreia emphasizes the importance of having a unique selling proposition (USP) and positioning oneself in the right environment. She provides examples of her clients' success stories, such as a banker who became a lecturer and project manager. How the Program Helps Participants When asked about common strands in portfolio careers, and Andreia mentions that there are no limits to what one can do. Andreia shares an example of a white-collar worker who wanted to produce something with their hands, such as brewing beer or working with wood. She discusses the concept of strategic diversifiers, who have two passions and want to follow different streams to balance their energy. Andreia highlights the importance of learning and knowledge sharing in portfolio careers, especially in the knowledge economy. How the Program Impacts Careers Andreia shares examples of participants who have gone through her cohort and the impact it had on their careers. She mentions a banker who became a lecturer and project manager, exploring new areas outside of risk management. Another participant, an employer for seven and a half years, strengthened her current activity by exploring new business models. Andreia emphasizes that the program helps participants design their future and make informed decisions about their careers. For those who want to learn more about Andreia's coaching and the Portfolio Career Institute, Andreia offers upcoming events and webinars where potential participants can meet her and learn about her approach. Andreia encourages listeners to visit the website for more information and to contact her directly for further inquiries. Timestamps: 0:02: Defining a Portfolio Career 02:50: Program Structure and Community Support 06:51: Self-Reflection and Exercises 13:16: Activating Networks and Positioning 14:36: Common Strands in Portfolio Careers 19:52: Impact of Cohort Participants 20:56: Resources and Contact Information This episode on Umbrex: https://umbrex.com/unleashed/episode-655-andreia-fernandes-portfolio-careers-the-future-of-work/ Links: Company website: https://go.portfoliocareerinstitute.com/en Andreia on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/andreiarfernandes/ PFCI on LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/company/portfolio-career-institute-pfci/ PFCI on Insta: https://www.instagram.com/portfoliocareerpfci/ Unleashed is produced by Umbrex, which has a mission of connecting independent management consultants with one another, creating opportunities for members to meet, build relationships, and share lessons learned. Learn more at www.umbrex.com . *AI generated timestamps and show notes.

July 13, 202626 min

654. Shankar Ananth, Micro-Casing: A Gamified Way to Practice Case Interviews

Show Notes: Shankar Ananth shares his background, mentioning his nine years of consulting experience, highlighting his experience at McKinsey and Bain, and his role in building the new app, Micro-Casing. Bridging the Gap in Case Interview Preparation Shankar explains the gap in case interview preparation methods, which led him to create Micro-Casing. He also mentions his eight years of experience as a case coach and the usefulness of the app for students. He discusses the target audience of the app, which includes consulting candidates and those looking to improve their consulting thinking. Micro-Casing - Your Case Partner Reimagined Shankar explains the homepage of the app, where users can log in through Google or Apple. Quick start guide The app is designed as a decision-making tool with a multi-choice game-like interface to mimic case interviews. Categories Users can choose from various categories like market entry, growth strategy, profitability, market size, or M&A. Avoiding AI Hallucinations Shankar explains the gameplay, where users can pick a category, race the clock, and solve timed cases with two attempts. The app includes a feature where incorrect answers lead to rabbit holes, similar to real-life case interviews. The scoring system involves penalties for viewing hints and entering rabbit holes. Shankar highlights the app's manual case creation process to avoid AI hallucinations, ensuring the cases are accurate. Mock Case Interviews Demonstration The app's growth strategy category is described, showing the available cases and their status (completed or not started). Coaches Shankar explains the optional feature of selecting a sidekick or coach, which provides tips during the case. Growth Dilemma They start a case called "ShopSphere's Growth Dilemma," where a case prompt is read and the process of solving the problem begins. Case Profitability The Summary Page Shankar explains the summary page, which shows the case details, difficulty, pass score, and performance metrics. Case results and performance review The summary page includes a growth category readiness score and an overall readiness score, indicating progress and areas for improvement. He explores the view of all hints feature, which provides detailed feedback on each question. The Quality Control System Shankar discusses the process of creating and validating cases, involving AI-driven reviews and manual checks by experienced case coaches. The app currently has over 60 cases across various categories, ensuring rigorous quality control. Shankar mentions the potential for users to disagree with answers, which will be tracked for future improvements. The app aims to provide a comprehensive and accurate case preparation experience. The Leaderboard Feature Will and Shankar discuss the leaderboard feature, which allows users to compare their progress with others. The leaderboard is based on overall category readiness and overall readiness scores, calculated using various metrics. Shankar explains the option for colleges and consulting clubs to create their own leaderboards and case competitions within the app. The app supports private quizzing clubs, allowing organizations to upload and co-create cases for exclusive use. Shankar shares his experience as a case coach, starting from word-of-mouth referrals and eventually joining platforms to offer his services. Case Practice for Consultants He highlights the importance of case practice for consulting candidates, noting that it can take months to prepare. Shankar offers listeners of the podcast two months of free access to the entire app, providing an opportunity to try it out. Timestamps: 03:07: Overview of Micro-Casing App 06:29: Gameplay and Scoring Mechanism 10:03: Detailed Walkthrough of the App 13:54: Evaluation and Feedback 16:59: Creation and Validation of Cases 20:14: Leaderboard and Customization Features Links: iOS: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/micro-casing/id6754453873 Android: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.microcasing.dev&pcampaignid=web_share Special link / discount code for the general audience for a free 2 months: iOS: https://apps.apple.com/redeem?ctx=offercodes&id=6754453873&code=2MOTS Android:Use the code 'Umbrex' at checkout, not within the app Special link / discount code for participants in the Umbrex Consulting Fellowship for a free 3 months: iOS: https://apps.apple.com/redeem?ctx=offercodes&id=6754453873&code=UMB200 Android:Use the code 'UmbrexCore' at checkout, not within the app This episode on Umbrex: https://umbrex.com/unleashed/episode-654-shankar-ananth-micro-casing-a-gamified-way-to-practice-case-interviews/ Unleashed is produced by Umbrex, which has a mission of connecting independent management consultants with one another, creating opportunities for members to meet, build relationships, and share lessons learned. Learn more at www.umbrex.com . *AI generated timestamps and show notes.

July 6, 202622 min

653. Harsh Aggarwal, How AI Lets Solo Consultants Take On Bigger Work

Show Notes: Update since recording: Restack has since moved to one simple plan at $800 per seat per month, and now works across PowerPoint, Excel, and Word as a single agent. Harsh Aggarwal is the founder of Restack, an AI agent that works inside PowerPoint to turn a consulting or PE team's analysis into a client-ready deck. He was previously at Roland Berger and product lead at an $8B PE firm. Restack: From Thinking to a Client-ready Deck Harsh explains that Restack is an AI agent that works natively inside PowerPoint to automate formatting for consulting and private equity teams. The purpose of Restack is to help consulting teams focus on client relationships and actual consulting work by automating the grind of formatting. Harsh highlights the historical advantage big firms had due to their production capacity, using McKinsey as an example. He discusses how AI has closed the research gap but the production gap remains, which is where Restack aims to help by automating the process of turning thinking into a client-ready deck. A Restack Demonstration Harsh begins demonstrating Restack by sharing his screen and showing a standard PowerPoint deck. He explains that Restack opens as a sidebar inside PowerPoint and can handle tasks that would normally take hours, such as updating a deck with new data. Harsh shows how Restack can update a deck with new data without specific instructions on formatting or chart appearance. He emphasizes that Restack can handle complex tasks like verifying data from sources like the SEC EDGAR website and updating slides based on that data. Converting Decks into Code Harsh explains that Restack converts the entire PowerPoint deck into code, allowing it to make precise changes to the data. He compares this technology to popular tools like Cloud Code and Cursor, which are used in software engineering to augment code bases. Restack can update specific lines of code in the deck, making it highly precise and efficient. Restack updates the slides and analyzes the uploaded data, showing the progress on screen. Restack Results Harsh shows the results of Restack updating the numbers in the slides, explaining that it also updates the storyline based on the new data. He highlights that Restack takes screenshots to verify its own results before presenting them to the analyst or associate. The charts created by Restack are fully editable and can be manipulated like normal charts in PowerPoint. Harsh recaps the task of updating the data in four slides and shows the final results, emphasizing the efficiency of Restack. Creating Slides from Scratch Harsh demonstrates another use case where Restack can create a new slide from scratch using a data model. He explains that Restack can read the existing deck to understand the context and formatting, creating new slides that match the existing deck's style. When asked if Restack can create any kind of chart, Harsh confirms, showing how Restack can convert a chart to a different type, like a waterfall chart. Harsh emphasizes that Restack is a generalized tool that can handle various tasks, making it versatile for different consulting needs. Pricing and Subscription Information Harsh explains how to sign up for Restack, either by visiting the website or reaching out to him on LinkedIn. He offers a free sandbox for listeners to test Restack on live cases, encouraging them to reach out for access. Pricing is $800 per seat per month, billed monthly, with credits pooled across the team (a five-seat team is $4,000/month). One to five seats are self-serve; six or more is the Practice plan. Harsh compares the pricing to tools like PitchBook and Bloomberg, noting the time and cost savings Restack offers. Timestamps: 01:51: Demonstration of Restack's Functionality 06:08: Technical Details of Restack's Operation 08:03: Results and Verification of Restack's Work 12:34: Additional Use Cases and Capabilities of Restack 22:38: Sign-Up and Pricing Information Links: LinkedIn: http://linkedin.com/in/heyhiharsh Company website: http://re-stack.com/ This episode on Umbrex: https://umbrex.com/unleashed/episode-653-harsh-aggarwal-how-ai-lets-solo-consultants-take-on-bigger-work/ 60-second Demo: http://re-stack.com/demo Unleashed is produced by Umbrex, which has a mission of connecting independent management consultants with one another, creating opportunities for members to meet, build relationships, and share lessons learned. Learn more at www.umbrex.com . *AI generated timestamps and show notes.

June 29, 202627 min

652. Vaibhav Longani, Giani: Zero‑Defect, Source‑Backed Slides for Consultants

Vaibhav Longani introduces Giani.ai, the tool that helps consultants build PowerPoint decks one slide at a time. Vaibhav shares his background as a freelance consultant for seven years, working with leading consulting firms across the US, Middle East, and Europe. The Giani Design Vaibhav explains the design philosophy of Giani, focusing on knowledge synthesis and slide creation, rather than beautification. He highlights the tool's ability to understand and generate content based on specific consultant needs, such as action titles, footnotes, and chart readings. Faster, More Accurate, and User-friendly Vaibhav discusses the tool's focus on making slide creation faster, more accurate, and easier for consultants. He compares Giani to other AI tools, emphasizing its ability to understand and generate content based on a consultant's knowledge base. The tool includes a chat interface for high-frequency use cases, generated from data mined from 10 consultants over three years. Vaibhav explains the tool's philosophy of "evidence first," especially in critical sectors like healthcare and commercial due diligence, ensuring transparency and accuracy. Demonstration of Giani Vaibhav demonstrates the tool's web portal, where users can add their document base and specify the source of documents. The tool comes alive within PowerPoint, allowing users to choose projects and access project context knowledge. Vaibhav sets up a dummy project for commercial due diligence and explains how to generate content from various document sources, including external reports, client documents, and Excel models. He shows how the tool can generate content from the web or knowledge base, and how it integrates with PowerPoint to create slides, and generates content for slides, including bullets and tables, additionally, it integrates with Excel models for data analysis. Refined Content Verified Knowledge He explains the tool's ability to refine content, making it more concise and structured, and how it can insert content into PowerPoint slides. The tool's feature of tracking the source of each content piece, allows users to verify and audit the information. Fact Checker Vaibhav discusses the tool's fact-checking feature, which verifies claims against the knowledge base and provides evidence for verification. Vaibhav explains how the tool allows multiple team members to share project context and collaborate on slides. Title Suggestions He demonstrates the tool's ability to generate action titles based on the slide's content and context, and how it can recommend proactively. The conversation turns to the tool's architecture, including the generate, refine, and review tabs, and how they support the consultant's workflow. Quality Checks Vaibhav explains the tool's quality checks, including custom rules for consistency and grammatical errors, and how it can automate QC tasks. Slide Generation Vaibhav introduces the tool's slide building agent, which can generate slides based on interviews and other data sources, ensuring accuracy and evidence. He explains how the tool can encode templates for specific projects and how it can generate slides with clarification questions for user approval. Pricing The tool's pricing ranges from $50 to $150 per month based on feature sets and duration. Vaibhav offers a free trial for Umbrex users. In closing, Vaibhav shares his background and the development process of the tool, emphasizing the iterative improvement and validation with consultants from leading firms. Timestamps: 01:18: Design Philosophy and Features of Giani.ai 04:15: Tool Demonstration and User Interface 06:58: Content Generation and Refinement 11:39: Collaboration and Quality Checks 18:21: Advanced Features and Pricing Links: Email: v@giani.ai This episode on Umbrex: https://umbrex.com/unleashed/episode-652-vaibhav-longani-giani-zero-defect-source-backed-slides-for-consultants/ Unleashed is produced by Umbrex, which has a mission of connecting independent management consultants with one another, creating opportunities for members to meet, build relationships, and share lessons learned. Learn more at www.umbrex.com . *AI generated timestamps and show notes.

June 22, 202657 min

651. Chad Oakley, Current State of the Consulting Market in 2026

Show Notes: The conversation opens with an overview of the consulting market, mentioning the impact of interest rates, private equity, and AI on the industry. Chad shares his background, including his career at Deloitte Consulting, Bain, and Charles Aris, and the focus of his strategy recruiting practice. Chad explains the shift in Charles Aris's business from Fortune 500 strategy placements to private equity and portfolio companies. He details the types of roles his team places, including general strategy, chief of staff, transformation, and integration roles. Four Phases in the Consulting Industry Chad highlights the growth of private equity and its impact on the consulting market, including the increase in demand for consulting services. Chad outlines the four phases the consulting market has gone through over the past 24 months: downturn, rebound, downturn, and growth. Chad explains the impact of higher interest rates and tariffs on the consulting market, leading to reduced investments and consulting services. AI Growth Phase Chad discusses the rebound in 2025 due to lower interest rates and private equity adapting to the new normal. He highlights the current growth phase driven by AI and the understaffing of consulting firms due to previous downsizing. Chad emphasizes the candidate-driven market and the increased demand for consulting services, particularly in AI and go-to-market initiatives. Private Equity Chad identifies private equity and services firms (white and blue collar) as the two primary industries with high demand for consulting services. Chad explains the growth of private equity and its focus on due diligence and value creation initiatives. Chad discusses the impact of AI on due diligence, including commercial, operational, and technology due diligence. He highlights the demand for consulting services in white and blue collar services firms, driven by private equity investments. Areas of High Demand Chad transitions to discussing functional areas with high demand, starting with AI. Chad identifies AI as the number one functional area with high demand, focusing on increasing productivity and refocusing employees on high-value interactions. Chad explains the two types of AI consultants: AI strategists and AI implementers, and their roles in AI enablement. Chad discusses the importance of AI in various consulting projects and the need for consultants to embrace AI. Chad highlights the demand for go-to-market consulting initiatives, including CRM redesign, sales process redesign, and AI-powered territory optimization. Chad emphasizes the importance of understanding AI from a go-to-market perspective and the increasing demand for AI expertise. The Role of Transformation Consultants in PE Chad shares two AI use cases: an AI tool for a large international bank to automate research tasks and an AI sales planning platform for a pharmaceutical organization. Chad explains how AI automates repetitive tasks, allowing humans to focus on high-value interactions. Chad discusses the role of transformation consultants in private equity, emphasizing the need for a track record of getting things done, strong EQ, and analytical skills. Chad highlights the importance of influencing without direct authority and the analytical competencies required for transformation roles. Maximizing Opportunities Chad provides tips for client development with private equity firms, recommending reaching out to portfolio operations teams and deal partners. Chad identifies supply chain optimization and manufacturing footprint optimization as areas with declining demand due to the shift towards growth initiatives. Chad emphasizes that while some areas may have softened, there is still demand in most specialties. Chad discusses the relatively easy process of filling board roles and the limited demand for board searches. Chad advises independent consultants on positioning themselves to transition back to global firms, recommending reaching out to former colleagues and partners. Chad concludes by encouraging consultants to embrace AI and stay updated with market trends to maximize their opportunities. Timestamps: 03:48: Chad Oakley's Introduction 23:14: Market Overview 31:08: Consulting Market Phases and Current Trends 39:47: Industries and Functions with High Demand 47:19: AI and Go-to-Market Consulting Demand 55:24: AI Use Cases and Transformation Roles 1:03:43: Declining Demand Areas and Board Roles This episode on Umbrex: https://umbrex.com/unleashed/651-current-state-of-the-consulting-market-in-2026/ Unleashed is produced by Umbrex, which has a mission of connecting independent management consultants with one another, creating opportunities for members to meet, build relationships, and share lessons learned. Learn more at www.umbrex.com . *AI generated timestamps and show notes.

June 15, 202635 min

650. Gaurav Bhosle, Master the Consulting Journey: break-in, build & thrive

Show Notes: Gaurav Bhosle talks about his coaching practice, which is split 50/50 between helping people get hired by consulting firms and coaching current consultants. He shares his background as an ex-McKinsey consultant and his MBA from HEC Paris, noting the lack of preparation structures for consulting firms in 2006-2007. Breaking into Consulting Gaurav recounts how a former HEC alum helped him prepare for consulting firms, leading to his success in joining McKinsey in Frankfurt. He explains his transition from McKinsey to coaching, driven by his passion for strategy and career development, and his decision to focus on career strategy for consultants. Gaurav discusses his realization that breaking into consulting is not the ultimate goal but thriving in it is. The Upskilling Journey He shares his journey of upskilling, including obtaining ICF certification, psychometric tools, NLP, and TA, to provide deeper career coaching. Gaurav explains his shift from helping people get into consulting to coaching current consultants on career strategies and performance improvement. He emphasizes the importance of career happiness and the need for consultants to thrive in their roles, not just get hired. The Three-step Process Gaurav describes his three-step process: foundation, parallel tracks (networking and practice), and polishing. He emphasizes the importance of mindset, skill set, and tool set, particularly the mindset of preparing to be a good consultant rather than just cracking interviews. Gaurav details the foundation phase, which includes preparing for cases, understanding fit questions, and polishing the consulting CV. Gaurav outlines the practical steps for case interview preparation, including the importance of practicing with peers and AI. He explains the three-step process for data interpretation: data sanity check, extracting insights, and communicating findings. The Value of Top-down Communication Skills Gaurav emphasizes the importance of top-down communication and preparing fit answers with headlines first. He shares tips for practicing data analytics skills, including using charts as part of case interviews and focusing on the context and problem-solving. Gaurav discusses the challenges of developing top-down communication skills, especially for those from Eastern cultures or non-consulting backgrounds. He shares his personal journey of adapting to top-down communication in McKinsey and the importance of pushing oneself to communicate insights at a higher level. Gaurav explains the STAR format for storytelling in interviews and the importance of starting with headlines. He emphasizes the need for consultants to communicate crisply and lead the conversation, rather than providing lengthy explanations Coaching Practice and Processes When asked the first step in his coaching process, Gaurav explains the importance of achieving orientation and having clear career goals beyond superficial reasons like travel or status. He shares his use of psychometric assessments and the "Why should we hire you?" question to gauge a candidate's value proposition. Gaurav highlights the need for candidates to have a clear understanding of their career motivations and the ability to articulate their unique value. Coaching Consultants on Performance Improvement The conversation turns to Gaurav's practice of coaching current consultants on performance improvement. He shares an example of a recent MBB consultant seeking promotion to engagement manager and feedback on case leadership. Gaurav explains the importance of understanding the root cause of feedback and implementing systems for continuous improvement. He emphasizes the need for consultants to seek frequent feedback, develop systems for transparency, and build checklists for effective project management. "Fit-for-consulting" Assessment Gaurav discusses the use of psychometric assessments and other tools to understand candidates' personality and fit for consulting. He shares his experience coaching a diverse range of professionals, including US Marines, public servants, and athletes, to transition into consulting. Gaurav highlights the importance of having a clear value proposition and the ability to articulate it effectively, and he emphasizes the need for consultants to have a strong achievement orientation and the willingness to adapt to the demanding nature of the role. Timestamps: 03:53: Transitioning to Coaching Current Consultants 06:01: Gaurav's Coaching Approach for Aspiring Consultants 10:58: Practical Steps for Case Interview Preparation 22:06: Developing Top-Down Communication Skills 26:50: Clarifying Career Motivations and Goals 30:48: Coaching Current Consultants for Career Growth 34:46: Gaurav's Coaching Methodologies and Tools 35:11: Gaurav's Online Presence and Contact Information Links: Company website: https://www.beingconsultant.com/ Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/consultingcareercoach/ Email: gb@beingconsultant.com This episode on Umbrex: https://umbrex.com/wp-admin/post.php?post=300254&action=edit#:~:text=https%3A//umbrex.com/unleashed/gaurav%2Dbhosle%2Dma%E2%80%A6%2Din%2Dbuild%2Dthrive/ Unleashed is produced by Umbrex, which has a mission of connecting independent management consultants with one another, creating opportunities for members to meet, build relationships, and share lessons learned. Learn more at www.umbrex.com . *AI generated timestamps and show notes.