Helping to Build High-Performing Consulting Firms

🔴 EDITION #135 | October 8, 2025

Dear reader, 

Edition 135 is here, and we’re discussing the 5R model for assessing consulting growth potential.

While we've developed this model to advise investors and large consultancies on their acquisition decisions of smaller consulting firms, it can be easily applied by consulting leaders to gain a fresh perspective on what stands in the way of their business growth.

This week, we explore how distilling that perspective can help your consulting firm stand out from the crowd.

Enjoy reading, 

Luk & Florian

Our New Article

How to Assess Consulting Growth Potential Using the 5R Model

I’m often asked by investors and large consultancies to advise during acquisitions. I’ve seen many boutiques that looked great on paper (e.g., strong growth, good margins, impressive leaders) but were commercially fragile beneath the surface.  

That’s why we developed the 5R model – a framework to assess whether a firm is truly built for sustainable success.

While it began as a due diligence tool, it’s now a valuable lens for any consulting firm that wants to test its resilience, spot weak points, and strengthen the foundations for long-term growth.

Read the New Article

Our Recent Articles

STRATEGY 

What "Outcome-Selling" Really Means for Consulting Firms

BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT

How Consulting Firms Can Overcome Prospects’ Indecisiveness

FUTURE OF CONSULTING

AI Is Not Destroying Consulting. It’s Raising the Bar.

Our Recent LinkedIn Posts

🔴 LUK SMEYERS

VALUE ARTICULATION

When consulting firms call us, the story is often the same.

CONSULTING GROWTH

“We want to sign bigger deals. We want to become more strategic.”

STRATEGY

The cross-selling myth in consulting firms.

THOUGHT LEADERSHIP

"Luk, our target C-level clients don't read our LinkedIn posts." 

CONSULTING GROWTH

‘Value articulation’ is the most underused growth lever in consulting.

DIFFERENTIATION

Every consulting firm thinks it's different. But they are all similar.

🔴 FLORIAN HEINRICHS

PoV

Without A Strong Point of View, Your Consultancy Will Remain A Service Provider.

VALUE PROPOSITION

The Big Miss in Most Consulting Firm Propositions

Here's How We Help Consultancies

1. Consulting Value Review

A structured, 4 to 6-week, value-proposition-anchored rapid assessment of a consulting firm's growth and performance potential.

Best for:

• Buyers or Investors evaluating the proposition and performance of a consulting firm pre- or post-acquisition/investment

2. Value Maximisation Program

A 10 to 12-week intensive program designed to define, sharpen, and operationalise a firm’s consulting proposition. 

Best for:  

• Boutiques struggling with differentiation & business development
• Practices in large consultancies needing a clearer positioning
• Consulting firms launching new service lines
• Enterprise SaaS companies starting a consulting/service function or needing to improve their current consulting proposition

3. Service Portfolio Optimisation Program

A deep dive into the cohesion, efficiency, and superior client value of a consulting firm’s service portfolio.

Best for:  

• Large consulting firms with too many overlapping or unclear service offerings
• Consulting firm practices seeking to scale profitably by optimising service-market fit

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