Pro Serv Podcast by Collective 54

Episode 139 – How to Use the Post-Project Review to Scale Your Firm

Listening to clients intentionally is a core competency for service firms attempting to scale. There are 5 listening techniques appropriate for a boutique service firm. They are: 1- client advisory board, 2- post-project reviews, 3- client satisfaction program, 4- win-loss program, and 5- conferences. In this session, we take a deep dive into #2 post-project reviews.

Learn from Collective 54 member Nicole Merrill, Co-Founder and CEO at Vecteris, what post-project reviews, why they are required, the benefits they produce, and how and when to perform them. 

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Episode 138 – Journey Maps: What Are They, How Are They Used, and Why Every Professional Service Firm Needs Them

Quality work is table stakes, not a competitive advantage. Lots of firms deliver quality work and many clients cannot tell the difference between great work and average work. In contrast, the client experience is a powerful differentiator. Very few firms can deliver outstanding client experience consistently. Those that can scale. The tool they use to do so is called a journey map.

Attend this session and learn from Collective 54 member Miles Kailburn, Chief Executive Officer at Old Town Media, what a journey map is, and how to create and use them effectively. 

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Episode 137 – How a Fast Growth Service Firm Formalized Goal Setting to Get Focused

A collection of tactics is not a strategy, nor is a financial forecast or a budget. A strategy defines who you serve, what you do, how you do it, and how you do it differently. And a strategy begins with a clear set of goals.

In this session, learn how Collective 54 member Jason Mills, Director of Engineering at TribalScale, and his team, adopted a formal goal-setting methodology, called OKRs, to get focused on what matters most. 

https://www.collective54.com

Episode 136 – Why Podcasting Should be Part of a Professional Service Firms Marketing Mix

Podcasting is a perfect marketing channel for boutique professional service firms. It allows a firm to authentically connect with its target market at scale cost effectively. Yet, many members are not taking advantage of this tool.

In this session, Collective 54 member Tom Schwab, Founder at Interview Valet, will teach members how to leverage the podcasting channel to grow their firms. 

https://www.collective54.com

Episode 135 – How a Founder of a Consulting Firm Generates 98% Employee Retention by Deploying a Blame Free Culture

As a firm scales, bureaucracy creeps in and slows the growth trajectory. Culture is a substitute for bureaucracy, and it allows a boutique to retain its identity as it scales.

In this session, learn from  Collective 54 member George Jagodzinski, Managing Partner at Intevity, on how he as a founder built a powerful culture with a fully remote workforce, and how it led to outstanding business results. 

https://www.collective54.com

Episode 134 – How to Capitalize on the Shifts in Labor Cost Across the Globe

Offshoring, or Nearshoring, is a proven method for founders to earn more. However, in a post-pandemic world, the acceptance of remote work has increased, and this has had a profound effect on labor costs across the globe.

In this session, learn from Collective 54 member Satyam Kantamneni, Managing Partner at UXReactor, on how the cost per hour shifts by location, and how to take advantage of the opportunities being created. 

https://www.collective54.com

Episode 133 – From Stuck to Unstuck: How a Founder Transformed a Lifestyle Business

Collective 54 member Jamey Harvey, CEO at Agilian, has doubled revenue and tripled margins in 18 months. This session shares how he did it by implementing the Boutique Framework, in its entirety, instead of one idea at a time. Hear how this remarkable entrepreneur went for it and won.   

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Episode 132 – How Psychometric Talent Assessments Should be Used by Boutique Professional Service Firms

Pro serv firms are people-driven businesses, therefore, getting the people’s decisions right is mission critical. As a result, many members are using assessment tools, or have in the past. However, the results have been mixed.

In this session, learn from Collective 54 member Ted Jackson, Owner at SIGMA Assessment Systems, Inc., together with his Vice President & Head of R&D, Dr. Julie Carswell, on how to improve the results you are getting from assessment tools. Dr. Carswell is an expert on this topic, with a PhD in organizational psychology.

https://www.collective54.com

Episode 131 – Why a Merger of Equals Might Be Your Best Exit Strategy

Some members want to exit, but they cannot. The reasons are many. For example, insufficient EBITDA, high client concentration, over-dependence on a founder, and many others. The journey to fix these issues is clear but can take many years and millions of dollars. And for some, this is unattractive. An alternative is a merger of equals.

Attend this session and learn from the discussion with Collective 54 member Jonathan Wilson, President & Chief Value Creator at Dubb Value Creation, on how a merger of equals can convert an unsellable boutique into an attractive firm for many acquirers.

https://www.collective54.com

Episode 130 - How a Marketing Agency Executed a Layoff After a Rosy Forecast Failed to Materialize

Sei-Wook Kim ran his agency for 16 years and never had to lay anyone off. Then, in year 17, he had to lay off 15% of his work force. Layoffs are a fact of life when you run a boutique, especially if you do not have much recurring revenue. Sei-Wook will share lessons learned from his experience. These lessons will help you execute a layoff if, or when, the time comes.

https://www.collective54.com