Recently, I had lunch with a mentor and we were talking about a mutual client. He was telling me how he recently recommended to them to start an “innovation fund” to fuel growth in consulting services. Then, a week later, I was at a conference and a Top 25 managing partner talked about his firms’ … Continue reading Do you have an Innovation Fund at your Firm?
This time of year it’s hard to be proactive with your clients. With deadlines looming, you are pushed into “critical needs” mode. However, because you are interacting with so many clients and pouring over details of their financial and business situation, the opportunities for being proactive are virtually endless. Faced with a bounty of opportunities … Continue reading Who’s on your ABS (after busy season) Call List?
If you’ve been watching the industry news lately, a handful of firms have adopted an everyday-jeans policy. Essentially, in many cases these policies are worded to say as long as you don’t have a client meeting, you are free to wear jeans in the office every day of the week. It sounds reasonable – as … Continue reading One Risk of your “Everyday Jeans” Policy
Last month we talked about the fact that workload compression is forcing us to change and modify our staffing models, but in many cases, we’re still barely making it through tax deadlines. As we come to grips with the fact that staffing will remain a key challenge for the foreseeable future, we’re forced to look … Continue reading How to Fire “D” Clients
After just emerging from yet another tough deadline, many of you may be asking yourself this question. While I am sure that most firms would love a few more qualified and fully trained people on hand at busy times of the year, this is an extremely tall order. That leaves you to consider the … Continue reading What’s the Real Issue: Not Enough Staff or Too Many Clients?
Very few firms today have a well-defined “path to partner.” This creates both challenges and opportunities for today’s younger professionals with aspirations of partnership. The challenge is in that it can be hard to understand just exactly what you need to do to make partner. Conversely, the opportunity is that you can define your … Continue reading Future Partners: Chart your own Course!
Now that the crush of the tax deadlines are behind you, it’s time to once again think about marketing. But not just any marketing – I want you to think about marketing to your top clients. Over the past several months you have been “heads down” focused on getting the work out the door and … Continue reading Go see your top clients….Now!
Recently, Colleen and I had to choose a moving company. We had it in our mind to make only one call –to the company that moved us from Minneapolis/Milwaukee to St. Louis and then from St. Louis to Chicago many years ago. We had a positive experience with them and the price was competitive. Let’s … Continue reading Salesmanship Matters
Last week Tuesday I was having a hard time figuring out what to make for dinner. It was almost eight PM, I was very hungry, and I had a pregnant wife on her way home from the trenches of corporate life. I walked to the store and pulled up my recipe app. I must have … Continue reading Keeping Marketing Quick and Easy but also Effective
It’s a privilege and honor to be included in the 2014 list alongside so many influential people in our industry!
