Cactus Raazi is a former Managing Director at Goldman Sachs who has been a successful entrepreneur in credit trading. He is also the author of the recently published book Price: Maximizing Customer Loyalty Through Personalized Pricing . In today’s episode, Cactus shares his perspective on personalized pricing - and how he got his distinctive first name. Key points include: 06:05: Researching his book 08:30: Examples of personalized pricing 13:03: The value of personalized pricing 17:41: Ideal bu...
Mar 04, 2021•38 min
Nobel Prize winner Richard Feynman had a trick of always maintaining a list of his twelve favorite problems. Anything new he learned he tested whether it could be used on any of those twelve, and he attributed his success to this technique. This episode gives a short overview of Feynman’s approach and how you can apply it. I learned of this tip from Tiago Forte's course, Building a Second Brain . Key points include: Richard Feynman’s path to becoming a genius The dormant state of ideas Passive p...
Mar 03, 2021•3 min
Robyn Bolton is a leading innovation consultant. A BCG alum, she was a partner at Innosight, a top innovation consulting firm that was founded by Clayton Christensen. She has been an independent consultant focused on innovation since 2018. You can reach out to Robyn or follow her thought leadership blog on her website at milezero.io. Key points include: 01.03 How innovation differs from R&D 04.16 An example of innovation consulting for a sporting goods manufacturer’s business model 08.54 The...
Mar 02, 2021•37 min
Kyle Sturgeon, an alum of Alvarez & Marsal and McKinsey, is a Managing Partner and Co-Founder of MERU. He has led complex transformations and restructurings for companies across industries, with a focus in retail and consumer, healthcare, and materials. Today we discuss what’s involved with guiding a company through bankruptcy or restructuring. To find out more about Kyle’s company visit: wearemeru.com. Key points include: 00:58: The birth of Meru 04:32: Shutting down a $200,000 company 10:2...
Mar 01, 2021•51 min
In today’s weekend edition of Unleashed, I share a list of 20-25 questions that David A. Fields and I usually ask our clients during the initial conversation to help engage the client and secure the project. Key points include: Focusing on the client’s needs Understanding the scope of the project Understanding the client’s expected outcomes Insight into the internal team and the stakeholders involved
Feb 28, 2021•5 min
As independent consultants, we often look for ways on how to grow our business. In today’s episode, you’ll find a round up of 21 business development ideas that can help build your business this year. You’ll also find all the relevant links to Unleashed episodes where we explore these items in more detail. Create a portfolio of sanitized work (Episode 121) Create a project list (Episode 140) Update your LinkedIn profile (Episode 211) Set up a CRM system (Episode 172) Make outbound calls (Episode...
Feb 27, 2021•12 min
In this week’s episode, I talk to Tekla Back, McKinsey alum, former senior vice president of strategy at PepsiCo., and founder of the snack, Keho . Tekla reveals how she got into nutrition, the truth behind the nutritional labels, and how she developed the Keho snack bar. You can learn more about Tekla’s campaign on nutrition by emailing her at tekla@keho.life or visit her company website at keho.life . Key points include: 03:51: The problem with nutritional labels 05:34: The math behind recomme...
Feb 26, 2021•45 min
While it's great to pursue excellence, there's a strong argument for getting bad at something. -- Unleashed is produced by Umbrex. To learn about our global community of independent management consultants, visit www.umbrex.com
Feb 25, 2021•4 min
I was inspired to launch Umbrex after reading Seth Godin’s book, Tribes. So, I am delighted to talk to him today. In this episode, Seth discusses his career trajectory, his books, his daily practices, his view on content marketing, and why he made the decision to avoid social media. I’m also giving away 100 copies of Seth’s new book, The Practice. To receive your free copy of The Practice while supplies last, fill in your name and address info on this form: http://bit.ly/ThePracticeGiveaway Key ...
Feb 24, 2021•33 min
Rudra’s family has been growing tea for over 100 years. They have tea estates in Darjeeling and Assam in India, and in Rwanda. They also manufacture handmade carpets and furniture. He is also an adjunct professor in International Management Institute in Calcutta, and writes for several publications on history and business. Rudra can be reached through his website, RudraChatterjee.com. To find out more about his businesses, go to Luxmi Tea and Obeetee.com. Key points include: 06:51: Top recommend...
Feb 23, 2021•44 min
James Carbary is the founder, executive producer, and co-host of Sweet Fish Media, a company that produces podcasts for B2B brands. Today, he shares his expertise on creating, distributing, and getting the most mileage out of your podcast. Key points include: 01:28: Tips on how to create a great B2B podcast 07:07: The naming philosophy of a podcast 10:33: Common mistakes people make when setting up a B2B podcast 14:37: How to make it a memorable experience for the guest 16:59: Sourcing freelance...
Feb 22, 2021•39 min
In this short episode of Unleashed, I share a process that I use in my consulting practice and have found to be hugely valuable for both myself and my clients. Key points include: Creating categories of companies The power of the list Identifying the missing gems
Feb 21, 2021•5 min
In this short episode of Unleashed, I share a few valuable ideas taken from David A. Fields and his book, The Irresistible Consultants' Guide to Winning Clients, which I highly recommend, to help identify your core group. Key points include: Creating a master list Segmenting groups Identifying the weak ties
Feb 20, 2021•9 min
Daryl Tulimieri is a McKinsey alum. He has been at Owens Corning, and GLG, where he helped create and grow a group. Darryl is currently an independent consultant and Umbrex member, and he advises on M&A. But today Daryl is sharing his experience in recruiting and building a team in different contexts. Daryl can be contacted at dtulimieri@ligeradvisors.com or through LinkedIn . You can visit his website at LigerAdvisors.com. Key points include: 02:56: What it's like to participate in recruiti...
Feb 19, 2021•37 min
In a weekly email to Unleashed subscribers in the fall of 2019, I asked, "What you are doing this fall to get better at what you do?" Umbrex member J. Andrew McKee sent me the following extraordinary response, and I asked him to be a guest on the show to discuss. To learn more about Andrew's consulting practice (which we don't discuss), visit: HeadlandStrategy.com. Here is Andrew's answer on what he is doing to get better at what he does: New: Resumed saxophone practice 2-4 times a week, with a ...
Feb 18, 2021•47 min
Philipp Humm is a storytelling coach who teaches how to apply the fundamentals of storytelling to sales, marketing, management and connecting with your business audience. Philipp on LinkedIn or learn more from his website, power-of-storytelling.com Key points include: 03:41: Why storytelling matters to consultants 06:03: What makes a compelling story 07:24: Six elements of story 13:33: Who approaches Andrew and how he helps them 15:27: Situations where storytelling can help 16:59: Tips on creati...
Feb 17, 2021•20 min
A common question independent consultants ask is what type of entity they should use to establish their practice. In this episode, Jonah Gruda reviews the most relevant aspects of the five types of entities that are most commonly considered: Sole proprietorship Partnership Limited Liability Company S-Corporation C-Corporation For each entity type, Jonah reviews: Formation requirements Liability Exposure Taxation at the entity level Tax rates Tax reporting Compensation Number of owners Self-emplo...
Feb 16, 2021•59 min
After years of professional work experience, how do you leverage your knowledge and put it to good use? After a 30-year career as a global strategic business advisor, including 20-years combined as partner at Ernst & Young (EY) and A.T. Kearney, Jeffery Perry decided to found Lead Mandates where, as an independent advisor, he helps organizations improve business and leadership performance. Today, he shares how his experience helped him reach out, connect, and communicate when starting his in...
Feb 15, 2021•38 min
Kian Beyzavi , a Venture Partner at Cota Capital , is a seasoned leader in the life sciences. After several years of consulting at McKinsey & Company, a couple of stints as a venture investor and a software entrepreneur, she worked in senior leadership positions at medical device and pharma companies for 10 years. Her recent consulting work is mainly focused on innovation in life sciences, leveraging digital health, patient engagement, services, devices, and diagnostics. Kian holds a PhD in ...
Feb 12, 2021•37 min
Daniel Tunkelang, one of the top search relevance consultants in the United States. He is a data science and engineering executive who has built and led some of the strongest teams in the software industry, including Google. Daniel was a founding employee and chief scientist of Endeca, a search pioneer that Oracle acquired for $1.1B. He was also director of data science and engineering at LinkedIn, and he studied computer science and math at MIT and has a PhD in computer science from CMU. So whe...
Feb 11, 2021•52 min
Richard Steel is an entrepreneur, investor, and the author of Elevated Economics, How Conscious Consumers will Fuel the Future of Business. He explains how corporations are moving forward with socially responsible business strategies to meet the demands of stakeholders, with a specific focus on environmental, social, and governance (ESG) issues. Key Points Include: 0:40 - The tectonic shift in investing 02:52 - The total value of ESG assets 03:50 – The next generation of wealth migration 09:30 -...
Feb 10, 2021•31 min•Ep. 349
Mike Sarraille is a former Recon Marine and retired US Navy SEAL officer with twenty years of experience in Special Operations, including the elite Joint Special Operations Command. He is also the co-author of The Talent War: How Special Operations and Great Organizations Win on Talent . Today, Mike Sarraille is the CEO and founder of of EF Overwatch, an executive search and talent advisory firm, and Talent War Group, a leadership and business management group. In this episode Mike shares his pe...
Feb 09, 2021•32 min
Generally you probably prefer to get paid via ACH or wire transfer, but some clients want to pay using a credit card. Today was my first time accepting a payment for consulting services by credit card, and in this episode I walk you through my experience. I used Stripe to actually collect the payment. To learn about how Umbrex can help connect you with other independent management consultants, visit www.umbrex.com
Feb 05, 2021•7 min
Have you ever asked someone to do a task, and they agree, only later to find that they didn't understand exactly what you were asking for? In this short episode, I share how the Nuclear Navy uses formal communications to ensure that orders don't get garbled. Unleashed is produced by Umbrex. To learn about how we can help your firm find the right independent management consultant for your project needs, visit www.umbrex.com
Jan 20, 2021•5 min
If you are setting up a podcast or blog, here are strategic questions to consider. Question 1 is discussed in Episode 344, and Questions 2-5 discussed in this episode. 1. What is my objective? (Covered in Episode 344) 2. Who is my target audience? 3. What content does that audience want? 4. What will be the format of my podcast or blog? 5. What should I name my podcast or blog?
Jan 19, 2021•10 min
If you are planning to create content on a regular basis, it is worth your time to get explicit - at least with yourself - on your objectives. Are you trying to learn about a topic? Build relationships? Build an audience? Unleashed is produced by Umbrex. To learn more about how Umbrex connects independent management consultants with one another, visit www.umbrex.com
Jan 18, 2021•10 min
After COVID started, Umbrex member Dr. Agnes Kunkel started the 2023 Podcast, interviewing experts for their take on what life will be like in the year 2023. Check out all the episodes of the 2023 Podcast at: https://20-23.earth/ Dr. Kunkel is an expert in negotiations. To learn about her consulting and training practice, visit: https://dr-kunkel.com/ Unleashed is produced by Umbrex. To learn more about how Umbrex can help your firm find the right independent management consultant, visit www.umb...
Jan 13, 2021•45 min
Rob Lachenaur is the co-author of The Harvard Business Review Family Business Handbook: How to Build and Sustain a Successful, Enduring Enterprise ( Amazon) Rob is a former BCG Partner and the CEO of Banyan Global, a consulting firm focused on serving family-owned businesses. Learn more about Banyan Global at: https://banyan.global/ Unleashed is produced by Umbrex. To learn how Umbrex can connect you with the right independent management consultant for your project visit: www.umbrex.com...
Jan 12, 2021•41 min
Tom Libelt runs Smart Brand Marketing, and one of their main services is helping creators to promote their online courses. In this episode, Tom shares tips on how to create a marketing funnel to sell your course, and also shares advice on which platforms to use to create your course. Learn more about Tom's firm at: https://smartbrandmarketing.com/ Unleashed is produced by Umbrex. To learn more about how Umbrex can help your organization find the right independent management consultant for your p...
Jan 11, 2021•54 min
Helio Fred Garcia is a writer, speaker, educator, and consultant on the topic of crisis communications and crisis management. Fred will be leading a live, interactive training session as part of the Umbrex Presents series, November 12, 11 a.m. - 12:30 p.m. EST. Register free here: https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZEqf-qoqzkvGdVyug7Z8KScb8wDRIil51vc After November 12, email unleashed@umbrex.com to get a link to a recording of the webinar. Fred leads Logos Consulting Group. Learn more abo...
Nov 09, 2020•42 min
