James Constable, CEO of Albany Beck returns to Climb in Consulting to share insights on leadership, scaling a consulting firm, and international expansion. Tune in for real-world lessons on growth, strategy, and building a winning team.

Episode 152: Building for Growth: Leadership, Talent, and Global Expansion with James Constable

How do you turn a good consulting firm into a great one - and what role does Private Equity really play in that journey?

In this episode of Climb in Consulting, Nick Synnott sits down with Alex Thomson, Partner at Growth Capital Partners (GCP), to unpack everything you need to know as a consulting leader about scaling, selling, and thriving in today’s market.

With nearly 20 years of experience supporting high-growth consulting and tech firms - including Hippo Digital, Infinity Works, and Chaucer - Alex brings a rare investor's perspective on what it takes to build a firm that truly stands out.

In this conversation, they explore:
* The real reasons consulting firms stall their growth - and how to break through those barriers
* The essential leadership and hiring moves for scaling firms
* How firms should approach Private Equity - and what investors like Alex look for in a partner
* Why expanding to the U.S. might not be the silver bullet for value creation - and what to consider before you do it
* Lessons from firms that tripled EBITDA and created transformational growth

If you’re a consulting leader thinking about scaling, selling, or simply building a better business - this is one not to miss.

We hope you enjoy the show!

Episode 153: Scaling a Consultancy: Private Equity Insights with Alex Thomson

What does it take to scale a consultancy fourfold, while keeping culture, autonomy, and team spirit at the centre?

In this episode of Climb in Consulting, Nick Synnott sits down with Tobias Robinson, Co-Founder and Managing Director at Cross 8, to explore exactly that.

Tobias’ story is anything but typical. From starting as a contractor to co-founding a consultancy that’s grown from £2M to £8M in just three years, he shares his unfiltered take on entrepreneurship, leadership, and how to grow a values-driven business that still delivers commercially.

This episode covers:
- Why Tobias believes schools need to teach entrepreneurship early
- Cross 8’s journey to £8M and the systems that made it happen
- Why Toby prioritised hiring experienced consultants over the traditional pyramid
- Cross 8’s global fire engine expedition and why it says everything about their culture
- The power of practical skills, risk appetite, and building a business that works for life, not just the exit
- How Tobias manages multiple ventures without burning out, and why Oliver Burkman’s philosophy changed how he works

Whether you’re growing your consulting firm, thinking about your next move, or just love a good entrepreneurial story, this episode is packed with lessons.

Enjoy the show!

Episode 154: From Side Hustle to £8M - Cross 8’s Journey with Tobias Robinson

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!

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

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!

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

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!

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

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!

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

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!

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

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!


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

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!

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

Simon Dennis is co-founder of Gate One (www.gateone.co.uk). Gate One are an award winning Business Transformation Consultancy who specialise in Digital, Operating Model and People Change. Since founding the business Gate One have grown rapidly going from an idea to £25m cumulative revenue in their first 5 years trading. 

As well as their award winning Consultancy offering Gate One also runs its own internal Start Up Incubator. Giving their team the opportunity to explore their own entrepreneurial ambitions and help grow new business ideas alongside the Consultancy. The latest idea to go through the Incubator, Pinga (http://pinga-app.com/), has seen some great early success and is looking to grow rapidly, something we discuss in today’s episode.  

Simon and I first met when I was deciding whether to stay in Consulting or pursue a start-up idea that I had. Throughout our conversations about joining Gate One it was clear that Simon and his team were looking to do it differently and create something unique in the Consulting industry. I ended up pursuing the start-up idea (sadly unsuccessfully) but Simon and I have stayed in touch ever since and I’ve had the pleasure of watching as Gate One have gone from strength to strength.

We cover a whole range of topics in this episode including: 

How and why Simon and his Co-founders started Gate One

Gate One’s unique ‘ripple’ approach to Consultancy

What you should think about if you’re looking to make the move from a big Consultancy to a small one 

Simon’s top books for anyone looking to climb in Consulting or start their own business

The Gate One start-up incubator

and much much more!

You can find out more about Simon on his Linked In page – https://www.linkedin.com/in/simon-dennis-28416b1/ or drop him a message at Simon.Dennis@GateOne.co.uk

Specific things we discuss in the show:

Simon’s Recommended Reading List:

Managing the Professional Services Firm by David Maister - http://amzn.eu/8gfLD5m 

Start with Why by Simon Sinek - http://amzn.eu/dU3ZgMq 

Drive by Dan Pink - http://amzn.eu/6Nne2Xr 

Mindset by Carol Dweck - http://amzn.eu/h2fAzeu 

The Icarus Deception by Seth Godin - http://amzn.eu/73hkExk 

Quiet Leadership by David Rock - http://amzn.eu/71y201l 

Happiness by Design by Paul Dolan - http://amzn.eu/3kEqGr2 

Bounce by Matthew Syed - http://amzn.eu/icRAp5S   

Crossing the Chasm by Geoffrey A Moore - http://amzn.eu/7SiieF4

The Founder's Mentality by Chris Zook and James Allen 

Pinga – http://pinga-app.com/

Acai Berry - https://www.webmd.boots.com/healthy-eating/guide/acai-berries-health-benefits

Episode 6 - Simon Dennis - Gate One

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.

Episode 6 - Simon Dennis - Gate One

Climb In Consulting

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