Luk’s Bi-Weekly 'Think Piece' For Consultancy Owners

EDITION #111

OCTOBER 16, 2024

Dear reader, 

Here comes the 111th edition of my newsletter. 

In my new article in this edition, I discuss the importance of breaking the vicious cycle of chasing new clients to sustain a business.

I discuss some of the most toxic consequences of relying on client chasing (vs. attracting) for business development. Then, I discuss "intentional design"—what high-performing boutique consultancies excel at and what struggling firms can adopt to break the vicious cycle.

As always, I hope to create a bubble of calmness with my bi-weekly ‘think piece’, a place of stillness in the face of everyday stress—a chance to reflect on what really matters in your consulting work.

Enjoy reading, 

Luk

MY NEW ARTICLE

How a Boutique Consultancy Can Escape the Toxic Chasing of New Clients

I encounter the same story almost weekly: boutique consultancy firms with a fragmented service portfolio trying to be everything to everyone.  

They stretch their limited capacity thin and never get beyond small-ticket, one-trick pony consulting projects.  

As a result, they’re stuck in a vicious cycle of constantly chasing new clients, leaving no time or bandwidth to develop long-term, profitable relationships with existing ones.  

They keep inventing new services in a misguided attempt to land more significant projects and revenue, diluting their expertise and credibility even more. It’s disheartening to watch, and it happens far too often.  

The good news is that, like most vicious cycles in business, it can be broken.

READ MY NEW ARTICLE

MY RECENT ARTICLES

MANAGING A CONSULTANCY

Is The Entrepreneurial Mindset Compatible With Managing a Boutique Consultancy?

BUSINESS GROWTH

Without Internal Alignment, a Boutique Consultancy Is Doomed

QUALITY OF LIFE

How Boutique Consultancy Owners Can Reclaim Their Quality of Life

STRATEGY

Saying Yes to Non-Fit Projects with Existing Consulting Clients: Risks and Rewards

MY MOST RECENT LINKEDIN POSTS

CONTENT SUMMARY

Autumn reading! All my articles and posts summarised in one article. Q3 Content Summary.

MARKETING STRATEGY

Marketing in a consultancy is all about helping to build long-term visibility and trust at scale.

BUSINESS GROWTH

Growth or scale: Different paths for different boutique consultancies. What’s yours? 

STRATEGY

One of my biggest consulting flaws in the past decade? Not fully grasping the immense value of a signature methodology to elevate consultancy performance.

SERVICE DESIGN

Every boutique consultancy firm should have a discovery service.

POSITIONING

Don’t call yourself a consulting firm if you’re running a consulting marketplace.

MY WEEKLY BITE-SIZED ADVICE

In this section, I recap the pieces of advice and inspiration I share with my followers on LinkedIn every Monday – all learned or observed throughout my personal journey as a consultant.

Follow #consultingmonday on LinkedIn to never miss a dose of inspiration at the start of the week.

CONSULTING MONDAY, OCTOBER 14

If a boutique consultancy isn’t visible, it’s vulnerable.  

Without prioritising a boutique consultancy's visibility in the market, its consulting work might be at risk in 3-5 years! The job of consultancy owners or leaders is to ensure the consultancy is top of mind—the first specialist that a client calls when they need help. Even experienced consultancy owners underestimate the importance of consistently building visibility, leaving the consultancy's future opportunities vulnerable.

CONSULTING MONDAY, OCTOBER 7

Is AI a tool in search of a problem?

Don't jump on AI just because all other consultancies do. So many are pushing AI as the miracle solution without explaining the actual problems it’s meant to solve. The blind hype often leads to technology-first approaches, which completely miss the point. Clients aren’t looking for shiny new tools; they want solutions to their everyday issues. Drop the AI fluff. It's tiring. Start with the problem and find the solution—whether that’s AI or not.

HERE'S HOW I HELP CONSULTANCIES

If you knew a way to become a high-performing consultancy, would you adopt it?

Stupid question, I guess.

My High-Performing Consultancy Review provides a 360-degree evaluation of challenges such as:

- market positioning and target audience definition;

- visibility and reputation in the market;

- new client acquisition;

- existing client development and retention;

- pipeline management and revenue predictability;

- expertise differentiation;

- non-linear scaling/growing;

- business performance measurement (financial & consulting KPI's);

- key player attraction and retention.

You'll receive a detailed report of your strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and areas for improvement, along with quick wins and actionable insights to help unlock your consultancy's full potential.

Don't settle for mediocrity. Book your High-Performing Consultancy Review today and take the first step towards a brighter future for your boutique consultancy. 

Here's a detailed article explaining the Consultancy Performance Review. 

PS. My ideal clients: founder-led boutique consultancies with revenue between 2M and +/- 20M and/or between 20 and +/- 100 consultants. 

BOOK A CALL →

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