Unleashed - How to Thrive as an Independent Professional

Samuel Bachman is a film major in the 10th grade at Frank Sinatra High School of the Arts in Astoria, Queens. In this episode, he discusses the hugely popular podcast he co-created and produces, The Half-Blood Report, and the inspiration behind the podcast. Key points include: 07:49: Authors interviewed on the podcast 11:57: Social media lessons learned on making a podcast 16:47: Preparing for an author interview 26:53: Skills learned from producing a podcast 32:03: Best practices for producing a successful podcast You can check out the podcast through the website https://www.thehalfbloodreport.com, follow them on Twitter @halfreport and Instagram @TheHalfBloodReport and connect with the crew on https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-half-blood-report. Unleashed is produced by Umbrex, which has a mission of connecting independent management consultants with one another, creating opportunities for members to meet, build relationships, and share lessons learned. Learn more at www.umbrex.com.

Rick Denton shares an episode from his podcast, CX Passport, a conversation with people about customer experience with a dash of travel. In this episode, he has a brilliant conversation with Sharon Boyd who is from the UK. She is the author of Customer Experience 2, and the CXO of MKL Innovation. Key points include: 03:26: The power of gifting 08:34: The ten-pence CX celebration 13:07: The Valentine's Day, greaseproof paper incident 17:31: The Disney approach to CX 21:42: CX in the airline industry Unleashed is produced by Umbrex, which has a mission of connecting independent management consultants with one another, creating opportunities for members to meet, build relationships, and share lessons learned. Learn more at www.umbrex.com.

403. Rick Denton on Excellent Customer Service Rick Denton has over a decade of experience in customer service and relations; he is now the managing principal at EX4CX, a company that helps companies increase revenue by listening to customers and creating great experiences for their customers. In this episode, Rick shares his expertise in this field and talks about his new podcast. Rick can be contacted through linkedin.com/in/rickdenton or his company website http://www.ex4cx.com. You can also listen to his podcast at cxpassport.com. Key points include: 04:52: Customer experience projects 11:02: The biggest tools used in customer service 14:19: The difference between customer experience and customer insights 22:23: "Holy smokes" case examples Unleashed is produced by Umbrex, which has a mission of connecting independent management consultants with one another, creating opportunities for members to meet, build relationships, and share lessons learned. Learn more at www.umbrex.com.

Jonathan Baillie Strong is a B2B podcast strategist and the founder of Spotlight Podcasting, a company that helps consulting firms and mission-driven companies build more authority and grow their businesses with podcasting. Today, he shares insights from the world of podcasting from pre-production to promotion. You can learn more about Spotlight Podcasting at http://www.spotlightpodcasting.com/, and you can connect with John through linkedin.com/in/jonbstrong, or his personal website https://jonbstrong.com Key points include: 00:29: Helping Tim Ferris launch his podcast 05:17: How podcasting has helped consultants connect with clients 09:23: The process of developing and launching a podcast 12:26: A podcast production checklist 20:41: The fee structure of a podcast production agency Unleashed is produced by Umbrex, which has a mission of connecting independent management consultants with one another, creating opportunities for members to meet, build relationships, and share lessons learned. Learn more at www.umbrex.com.

Rudra Chatterjee is a writer, and the chairman and managing director of Luxmi Tea. While he writes predominantly about politics and economics, he is also vastly knowledgeable about tea, and in this episode, he talks about various aspects of the tea industry, from growth to distribution. Rudra can be contacted through https://www.linkedin.com/in/rudrachatterjee, and you can learn more about his company and buy tea at http://www.luxmigroup.in/ or makaibari.com Key points include: 03:10: The birth of the tea industry in India 07:55: The tea plantation organisation 14:31: Increasing the long-term value of the plantation 20:11: The relationship between the owners and workers of the plantation 29:27: How to ensure a top-quality cup of tea Unleashed is produced by Umbrex, which has a mission of connecting independent management consultants with one another, creating opportunities for members to meet, build relationships, and share lessons learned. Learn more at www.umbrex.com.

Alec Hudnut is an alum of Harvard Business School and McKinsey. He is now a managing partner at Vici Partners, a firm of experienced professionals focused on helping clients improve execution and dramatically grow earnings, and in this episode, Alec discusses the work they do at Vici Partners. You can connect with Alec on https://www.linkedin.com/in/alec-hudnut-8562071, or email him at [email protected] Key points include: 02:30: The fee model at Vici Partners 05:52: The 100-day sprint surfacing phase. 12:26: The major categories of ideas 20:46: Tracking and managing ideas 27:44: Running the talent at Vici Partners Unleashed is produced by Umbrex, which has a mission of connecting independent management consultants with one another, creating opportunities for members to meet, build relationships, and share lessons learned. Learn more at: www.umbrex.com.

Annie Scranton is the founder and president of Pace Public Relations; she has been a producer at the CBNC, an assistant booker at Fox News, a booking producer on Good Morning America with ABC News, and has a Masters in Public Relations. In this episode, Annie shares her experience and knowledge in public relations. Annie can be reached through https://www.linkedin.com/in/anniescranton or her company website http://www.pacepublicrelations.com Key points include: 10:00: Becoming a known expert 17:19: Tips on being picked up by a reporter 23:05: Objectives and process of working with a PR agency 32:22: ROI on working with a PR agency 36:03: How to find and select a PR agency Unleashed is produced by Umbrex, which has a mission of connecting independent management consultants with one another, creating opportunities for members to meet, build relationships, and share lessons learned. Learn more at: www.umbrex.com.

Sam Gupta has nearly two decades of experience in commercializing technology solutions, building multi-million dollar technology practices, and managing large enterprise software programs to drive digital transformation initiatives. He is the principal consultant at ElevatIQ, Inc., and in this episode, he talks about manufacturing enterprise resource planning (ERP) systems. Sam can be contacted at https://www.linkedin.com/in/samguptausa/ or the website https://www.elevatiq.com/ Key points include: 07:20: The key processes of ERP 16:16: Inflection points and the integration of ERP systems 24:50: The range of activities of Elevate IQ 27:29: Big name companies selling ERP software 29:06: The rip and replace process Unleashed is produced by Umbrex, which has a mission of connecting independent management consultants with one another, creating opportunities for members to meet, build relationships, and share lessons learned. Learn more at: www.umbrex.com.

Neil Gardner a digital strategy consultant who helps clients to design and implement digital transformations, and he is the founder and principal of NMG Advisory. As an advisor to CIOs at regional banks, he helps move their teams from cost center to value creation center. Neil can be reached through https://www.linkedin.com/in/neilmgardner/ or https://www.nmgadvisory.com/ Key points include: 00:35: What a CIO does and how much bank revenue it costs 04:17: Infrastructure operations organization 09:19: Data and architecture categories 12:53: How the IT department creates business value 25:54: IT organisation aligned with business strategy Unleashed is produced by Umbrex, which has a mission of connecting independent management consultants with one another, creating opportunities for members to meet, build relationships, and share lessons learned. Learn more at: www.umbrex.com.

Jessica Lackey is an ACC Coach, a McKinsey alum with an MBA from Harvard MBA, and a Fortune 500 Operations Leader. In this episode, she talks about the mature integrated planning process and the nuts and bolts of the traditional SAP processes. Jessica can be reached at linkedin.com/in/jessica-lackey or through her website https://www.jessicalackey.com/ Key points include: 01:47: A perspective on sales and operations planning (SNOP) 08:56: Common issues in the sales and operations planning process 16:05: AI, heuristics, and advanced planning systems 18:19: Case examples of the reconciliation process 25:22: Consulting opportunities in sales and operations planning Unleashed is produced by Umbrex, which has a mission of connecting independent management consultants with one another, creating opportunities for members to meet, build relationships, and share lessons learned. Learn more at: www.umbrex.com.

Drew Kerr is the founder and president of Four Corners Communications, a company that provides pro-active strategic communications and coaching for digital media companies, high-growth startups, and consumer research firms. In this episode, he shares five key communication rules. Drew can be reached at linkedin.com/in/drewkerr or his website www.four-corners.com. Key points include: 03:52: The money line 10:58: Using a story 14:02: The power of the headline 19:20: Concise and active 23:39: How to be a good moderator Unleashed is produced by Umbrex, which has a mission of connecting independent management consultants with one another, creating opportunities for members to meet, build relationships, and share lessons learned. Learn more at: www.umbrex.com.

Susan Drumm is an Umbrex member and the CEO Advisor, Leadership Coach, and founder of Meritage Leadership. She has graduate degrees from Harvard Law School, Carnegie Mellon, and an M.A. in Drama from London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art, and today she shares the first episode from her podcast, The Enlightened Executive. You can find Susan's podcast at http://EnlightenedExec.com. Key points include: 06:50: Why focus is learned 10:31: The first step in focus training 13:47: The role of multitasking 18:41: An example of focusing in action Unleashed is produced by Umbrex, which has a mission of connecting independent management consultants with one another, creating opportunities for members to meet, build relationships, and share lessons learned. Learn more at: www.umbrex.com.

Hung Nguyen is a McKinsey alum and a principal at OUTLAST Consulting, a purpose-driven professional development + strategy firm focused on fueling innovation and empowering diverse talent. Prior to OUTLAST, she headed the Digital Center of Expertise at BP, where she piloted user-centric ways to recruit, develop, and deploy talent. Today, she talks about diversity inclusion and strategies companies and individuals can use to improve inclusion awareness. Hung can be contacted through her LinkedIn profile https://www.linkedin.com/in/misshungnguyen/ or reached through the Outlast LLC website. Key points include: 03:47: Situations that involve professional development for diverse talent 09:05: Tactics used to deal with difficult situations 12:21: Responding without threatening 16:13: The structure of diversity training 24:19: Clients' objectives in diversity training 34:30: The broader impact of diversity inclusion Unleashed is produced by Umbrex, which has a mission of connecting independent management consultants with one another, creating opportunities for members to meet, build relationships, and share lessons learned. Learn more at: www.umbrex.com.

John Jeffcock was a captain in the British Army; he is now an author, a consultant, and the CEO of Winmark, a world-leading C-suite network business that interviews and profiles Chief Executive Officers from across the global corporate landscape. Key points include: 02:45: How Winmark helps members make connections 09:40: Networking during COVID 11:04: The big topics of discussion at networking events 15:14: How to make effective connections 24:40: How the selection of content is made John can be contacted through the Winmark website or through LinkedIn. Unleashed is produced by Umbrex, which has a mission of connecting independent management consultants with one another, creating opportunities for members to meet, build relationships, and share lessons learned. Learn more at: www.umbrex.com.

Adam is a decorated combat veteran and a cybersecurity consultant who started his career with the U.S. military; he was part of the team working on the Global War on Terrorism before starting a private practice where he advises government agencies and the private sector. He is now the CEO of A.R. International Consulting, LLC and a national news on-air analyst. Key points include: 02:53: Training with NATO and being deployed to Afghanistan 07:01: Getting set up as a federal contractor 10:25: Setting up an advisory board 16:14: Specific services for the private sector 26:15 Asset recovery Adam can be reached through his website, adamroosevelt.com, or through LinkedIn. You can also follow him on Facebook, YouTube, and Instagram.

Braden is a startup entrepreneur, an action-oriented and strategic operator, and consultant with operational expertise in a broad range of experiences across crypto, hedge funds, software technology (SaaS), commercial real estate, management consulting, luxury retail, and more. In this episode, he discusses his purpose, working with Bridgewater and Knotel, and time management. Key points include: 03:06: Braden's operating value 08:29: The list of operating practices 10:18: Installing and eliminating habits 18:57: Time blocking and deep work 27:47: Texting vs. talking 29:54: Bridgewater and Knotel Braden can be reached through his website, www.bradenww.com or through LinkedIn. Unleashed is produced by Umbrex, which has a mission of connecting independent management consultants with one another, creating opportunities for members to meet, build relationships, and share lessons learned. Learn more at: www.umbrex.com.

Spish Rurak is a McKinsey alum, the president of Rurak and Associates, and a noted advisor and consultant to consultants. Spish works with many consultants from top-tier firms based in the U.K. and has served as a career transition coach to several thousand management consultants. Today, he discusses the challenges of the remote job search and interview and how to overcome them. Key points include: 02:05: The differences of the job search during the pandemic 09:41: Supply and demand channels 17:26: The advantage to the job seeker 22:52: Three channel recommendations for the job seeker 33:29: Outreach tips 44:47: Organisation tips You can reach out to Spish on LinkedIn. Unleashed is produced by Umbrex, which has a mission of connecting independent management consultants with one another, creating opportunities for members to meet, build relationships, and share lessons learned. Learn more at: www.umbrex.com.

Steven Pressfield's books have been hugely influential on my life and it was a real thrill to welcome him on the show. Steve is the author of Gates of Fire and about a dozen other novels, mostly historical fiction set in the time of ancient Greece and Rome. He's also the author of the modern classic The War of Art: Break Through the Blocks and Win Your Inner Creative Battles. Steve's latest book is A Man at Arms, a fantastic deliver-the-message tale about a retired Roman legionnaire who has been ordered to intercept the messengers who are trying to deliver Paul's letter to the Corinthians. I liked this book so much that I'm giving away 25 copies to listeners of this show. Get your copy here: http://bit.ly/GetAManAtArms For more info about Steve, visit https://stevenpressfield.com/ Key points include: 09:56: What to do when the muse visits 15:16: Why Steven reads non-fiction. 16:17: Research for Steven's books 22:25: Children developing creativity 26:11: Resistance is universal 27:53: How Steven recognises a professional 31:20: Thoughts on masculinity Unleashed is produced by Umbrex, which has a mission of connecting independent management consultants with one another, creating opportunities for members to meet, build relationships, and share lessons learned. Learn more at: www.umbrex.com.

Marcia Nuffer has an M.B.A. from Harvard Business School and a B.S. in Mechanical Engineering. As McKinsey's Chief Learning Officer, Marcia was responsible for building one of the most lauded global leadership development programs in the world. She has over 25 years of strategy and leadership development experience and runs her own company, BlueShor. Key points include: 05:15: Roleplaying in training 12:35: The McKinsey Academy 17:57: The Senior Training program 20:38: Examples of exercises for senior partners 27:51: The work at Blueshor 45:07: The assessment Marcia developed You can learn more about Marcia's company on the website at www.blueshor.com, and you can reach out to Marcia through email at [email protected]. Unleashed is produced by Umbrex, which has a mission of connecting independent management consultants with one another, creating opportunities for members to meet, build relationships, and share lessons learned. Learn more at: www.umbrex.com.

Aneta Key is an independent consultant who has established her own firm, Aedea Partners, where she helps organizations design rollout and usher programs like digital transformation, or strategy rollout, or change management, and culture change. She also designs and facilitates decision-making offsites. Aneta can be reached through her website, www.aedeapartners.com and she is active on social media. Key points include: 03:27: Applying gamification to business scenarios 14:18: Capability building for consultants and consulting firms 18:39: The design and delivery of sessions 26:39: The topics covered by Aneta's firm Unleashed is produced by Umbrex, which has a mission of connecting independent management consultants with one another, creating opportunities for members to meet, build relationships, and share lessons learned. Learn more at: www.umbrex.com.

Sally Dominguez is a former architect, award-winning inventor, and author. She is a sustainable resilience expert and 10XInnovation Strategist. Today, she discusses her book, EPIC Resilience, and explains the strategies in the book for developing a personal resilience and growth mindset to not only survive but to thrive in constant change. Key points include: 01:23: The Singularity University. 05:06: How to be resilient emotionally 07:56: Identifying values and purpose 11:15: The power of authenticity 20:10: The impact of sleep and sugar 24:16: Intellectual and creative growth You can order Sally's book, EPIC Resilience: Thriving through Chaos and Change, on Amazon, view the slim tank invention for water conservation, and visit her website at: http://www.sallydominguez.com/ Unleashed is produced by Umbrex, which has a mission of connecting independent management consultants with one another, creating opportunities for members to meet, build relationships, and share lessons learned. Learn more at: www.umbrex.com.

Episode 383: Adam Braff on Forecasting Adam Braff is a former McKinsey partner; he runs a data and analytics consulting firm called Braff & Co. where he advises investors, boards, and senior leadership teams on extracting maximum value from their investments in data and analytics. Today, we talk about forecasting. Key points include: 02:17: What Adam learned from running a forecasting contest 07:04: The problem with overconfidence 10:42: What differentiates a good from a bad forecaster 16:23: Researching STEM topics to make a prediction 20:42: How forecasting has manifested in Adam's advisory work. 30:16: Addressing how to get better at forecasting You can learn more about forecasting and check out Adam's masterclass at https://braff.co/advice. Unleashed is produced by Umbrex, which has a mission of connecting independent management consultants with one another, creating opportunities for members to meet, build relationships, and share lessons learned. Learn more at: www.umbrex.com.

In today's episode, I host a panel discussion with Jennifer Hartz, J. Andrew McKee, Jay Altizer, and Ashutosh Dalvi. They share insights, advice, and their own story on taking the leap from a comfortable salaried position to becoming an independent consultant. Key points include: 01:13: The decision to become an independent consultant. 08:40: The positives and negatives of the transition 14:32: Advice to those making the transition 21:22: Cash flow and workflow 25:40: People who should not go independent You can connect with members on the panel through LinkedIn. https://www.linkedin.com/in/jehartz/ https://www.linkedin.com/in/andrewmckee/ https://www.linkedin.com/in/altizer/ https://www.linkedin.com/in/ashutoshbdalvi/ Unleashed is produced by Umbrex, which has a mission of connecting independent management consultants with one another, creating opportunities for members to meet, build relationships, and share lessons learned. Learn more at: www.umbrex.com.

In this Episode of Unleashed, I chat with Surbhee Grover. Surbhee is the consultant who runs the firm Steel and Graffiti, she has also recently launched a personal care brand love,Indus.com; and today we discuss the whole process of creating a brand from product formulation to promotion. Key points include: 05:58: Evolving past the concept 10:18: The market research journey 12:34: Product formulation 17:54: Dealing with intellectual property rights 20:57: Cost of development 32:34: Developing the brand identity You can learn more about love,indus on the website, Instagram, or Facebook page, and you can connect with Surbhee on LinkedIn. Unleashed is produced by Umbrex, which has a mission of connecting independent management consultants with one another, creating opportunities for members to meet, build relationships, and share lessons learned. Learn more at: www.umbrex.com.

Stefan Kolle is the co-founder, Managing Director and Chairman of the Board of Futurelab, a company that helps businesses improve their marketplace through meaningful innovation in customer experience. On today's show, Stefan shares a few case studies and we discuss customer centricity and customer experience. Key points include: 02:19: Assessing the state of customer experience 05:18: Voice of the customer exercises 09:18: The changes Futurelab has helped companies make 20:23: The growth of Futurelab You can connect with Stefan on LinkedIn and learn more about his company at www.futurelab.net. Unleashed is produced by Umbrex, which has a mission of connecting independent management consultants with one another, creating opportunities for members to meet, build relationships, and share lessons learned. Learn more at: www.umbrex.com.

In this episode of Unleashed, I offer a few tips on how to use units strategically to emotionally engage your clients and avoid numerical overload. Unleashed is produced by Umbrex, which has a mission of connecting independent management consultants with one another, creating opportunities for members to meet, build relationships, and share lessons learned. Learn more at: www.umbrex.com.

In this short 2-minute episode, I share a LinkedIn trick that you can use to show people how to pronounce your name. Unleashed is produced by Umbrex, which has a mission of connecting independent management consultants with one another, creating opportunities for members to meet, build relationships, and share lessons learned. Learn more at: www.umbrex.com.

In today's short episode, I share a few tips on sending connection requests on LinkedIn. 01:47: Reaching out cold 02:35: Avoiding becoming spam 04:15: After 200 requests 04:50: Customized notes on the LinkedIn App Unleashed is produced by Umbrex, which has a mission of connecting independent management consultants with one another, creating opportunities for members to meet, build relationships, and share lessons learned. Learn more at: www.umbrex.com.

Ali Ahmed is the founder and principal of Green Strategies, a company that helps clients discover sustainability opportunities. He is a recognized sustainability and energy management leader who has developed and managed more than 50 global energy and sustainability programs. In today's episode, we discuss carbon. Key points include: 01:37: An overview of carbon credits 06:27: The companies buying carbon credits 09:02: Carbon credit audits 13:38: Carbon offset interpretations 21:42: How the soil captures carbon 30:04: Carbon accounting 37:46: The international market for carbon offset Ali can be reached through his website at green_strategies.com or connect with him on LinkedIn. Unleashed is produced by Umbrex, which has a mission of connecting independent management consultants with one another, creating opportunities for members to meet, build relationships, and share lessons learned. Learn more at: www.umbrex.com.

Stacy Sifleet, an alum of A.T. Kearney, helps manufacturers, distributors and service-based companies improve their profit through targeted price strategy while providing customers with the services or products they want. She is here with me today to explain how she implements and improves customer value strategies. 01:34: How customer value applies to the B2B realm 07:54: Defining groups of customers by profitability 11:39: Communicating the tier status to the customer 16:34: Maintaining service levels across tiers 21:29: How an annual performance review adds value to a client You can email at [email protected], visit her website, PricingVelocity.com, or reach out on LinkedIn. Unleashed is produced by Umbrex, which has a mission of connecting independent management consultants with one another, creating opportunities for members to meet, build relationships, and share lessons learned. Learn more at: www.umbrex.com.

Tami Lucey is an independent travel consultant, or as she describes herself, "a worldwide business travel hassle remover." We talk about her four decades of work as a corporate travel agent, how the industry has changed, and her focus on working with the entertainment industry and individual consultants. 02:06: The benefits of a personalized service 04:57: The limitations of Google search in booking travel 07:47: How Tami structures her fees 11:05: What's included in Tami's fees 15:12: What it means to join a host agency as an independent 21:17: Working with the entertainment industry Tami can be reached through the website, Corporate Travel – The Travel Society Host Agency Unleashed is produced by Umbrex, which has a mission of connecting independent management consultants with one another, creating opportunities for members to meet, build relationships, and share lessons learned. Learn more at: www.umbrex.com

Lessons learned from collecting payment on over 1,500 invoices: 1. What to include in the contract 2. Questions to ask after the contract is signed 3. What to include on your invoice 4. How to follow up after sending your invoice Unleashed is produced by Umbrex. To learn about our global community of independent management consultants, visit www.umbrex.com

You get an email with an article you want to read, but you don't want to be distracted right then. The solution is a "read-later" app. The two most popular are Instapaper and Pocket. Unleashed is produced by Umbrex, which has a mission of connecting independent management consultants with one another, creating opportunities for members to meet, build relationships, and share lessons learned. Learn more at: www.umbrex.com

There are a few reasons why you should check how your email name appears to others, and in this short in-between-isode, I explain how it should be done in G-Suite and Microsoft. Key points include: -The professional impression -Search solutions Check this link to Gmail and Microsoft for more information. Unleashed is produced by Umbrex, which has a mission of connecting independent management consultants with one another, creating opportunities for members to meet, build relationships, and share lessons learned. Learn more at: www.umbrex.com

Divya Agarwal recently left McKinsey to become an independent consultant. At McKinsey Divya was an Associate Partner in Organization and Transformation. "Transformation" is a bit of a buzzword that can be hard to pin down. In today's discussion, Divya explains what McKinsey means by the term, the types of transformation projects, and how to set up a successful transformation office. Key points include: 01:52: What McKinsey thinks of the term 'transformation" 03:54: Most common types of transformation 08:14: Sanitized case examples of transformation projects 13:37: How to driving a broader transformation 19:01: Consolidating the learnings from focus group sessions 23:50: Capturing and using insights Divya can be contacted on LinkedIn. Unleashed is produced by Umbrex, which has a mission of connecting independent management consultants with one another, creating opportunities for members to meet, build relationships, and share lessons learned. Learn more at: www.umbrex.com.

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 businesses for personalized pricing 20:53: How to communicate personalized pricing to the consumer 24:31: Using algorithms to differentiate the customer base You can contact Cactus through LinkedIn and order his book, Price: Maximizing Customer Loyalty Through Personalized Pricing, on Amazon. Unleashed is produced by Umbrex, which has a mission of connecting independent management consultants with one another, creating opportunities for members to meet, build relationships, and share lessons learned. Learn more at: www.umbrex.com

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 problem solving Unleashed is produced by Umbrex, which has a mission of connecting independent management consultants with one another, creating opportunities for members to meet, build relationships, and share lessons learned. Learn more at: www.umbrex.com

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 diagnostic of the current state of innovation within the company 11.53 Categorizing each project on dimensions 16.56 Getting the project off the ground 25.32 Innovation that gets results 32.00 Venture teams as a strategy Unleashed is produced by Umbrex, which has a mission of connecting independent management consultants with one another, creating opportunities for members to meet, build relationships, and share lessons learned. Learn more at: www.umbrex.com

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 10:22: How to sell off inventory 17:06: How Kyle's business model works 21:34: A restructuring project 22:47: The Tough Mudder case study 31:52: Orientation towards cash 41:30: The growth of Meru Unleashed is produced by Umbrex, which has a mission of connecting independent management consultants with one another, creating opportunities for members to meet, build relationships, and share lessons learned. Learn more at: www.umbrex.com

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

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 170) Email a past client ("Would love to hear about your plans for the year") Reach out to clients where you LOST a proposal, just to check in Update your resume (Episode 253) Ditch the yahoo, Gmail, AOL and get a professional email address Start a podcast and invite potential clients as guests (Episode 10) Comment on LinkedIn posts by potential clients Post 3-5 times per week on LinkedIn on the topic you want to be known for (Episode 235) Organize a virtual event Create, or update, your website (Episode 59) Create a course teaching some skill that a potential client might be looking for* ("How to organize an Integration Management Office") Update your email signature to include your phone number (on the computer AND phone) Create – or refine – your Fishing Line (Episode 1) Ask past clients for feedback Build relationships with other independent consultants serving your niche Read The Irresistible Consultant's Guide to Winning Clients by David A. Fields Contact me at and sign up for weekly podcasts: [email protected]

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 [email protected] or visit her company website at keho.life. Key points include: 03:51: The problem with nutritional labels 05:34: The math behind recommended daily amounts 09:47: What you should know about cholesterol 12:53: The missing information on sugar 19:03: The factors influencing the FDA 22:37: The process of certifying a nutritional label 23:44: The impact the FDA has on changing what we eat

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

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 points Include: 04:10: How Seth creates a library of his experiences 07:17: What success looks like to Seth 08:29: How Seth curates and decides what content to consume 12:09: Seth's views on mentors and heroes 15:20: The key to Seth's productivity 19:08: Seth's views on social media 26:07: A key insight on creating and distributing content 30:54: The advice Seth would give our leadership on how to market mask wearing to people that don't want to?

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 recommended books 07:57: Online events with top economists 11:45: ESG priorities in business 18:16: The elimination of child labor 21:49: Running the family business 27:17: Examples of consulting recommendations that did not work with personal business experience 31:07: The caste system 34:42: How the caste system frustrates progress or impedes Rudra as a business person 36:59: COVID in India

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 freelancers to create micro videos 18:13: Turning the podcast into a blog post 23:54: Implementing keywords 30:24: The services Sweet Fish Media provides 35:48: A strategy to get more listeners Check out James' company Sweetfishmedia.com or connect to him through LinkedIn.

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

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

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 [email protected] or through LinkedIn. You can visit his website at LigerAdvisors.com. Key points include: 02:56: What it's like to participate in recruiting and how it's structured at a large consulting firm 06:23: Daryl's role at Owens, Corning and what sort of team members he recruited and how it was a different story 10:15: An overview of strategic marketing 13:55: How to evaluate skill sets to identify the applicant who would be successful in a role 17:11: How to get the input to inform your decisions 19:04: Recruiting and building a team at GLG 25:29: The recruiting sales pitch 30:56: The time involved in recruiting 34:57: The work Daryl is doing today

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 goal to resume performing in a narrow (muse-inspired) set of genres by 2021. I may also get a teacher if I can sustain through Q1 (9 months ongoing!) Hired a change coach with psychology and spiritual training to help me vision an inspiring growth trajectory for my consulting business while balancing writing and family priorities Teaching more private webinars and a university course (one 3-hour module) (me and my staff) Teaching more lunch and learns to our growing staff Doing Zoom hip hop dance classes with my daughters (Michael Peele!) Sending more emotionally vulnerable emails to my close guy friends about the ups and downs of life, and having more 1:1 phone calls where I stop beating around the bush Protecting occasional afternoons for 3-4 hour hikes with masks with longtime friends Calling my father more regularly (Q2 weeks) Resuming a meditation practice after I intentionally let it lapse on behalf of first protecting a full night of sleep, and now that our youngest child is out of diapers and I can manage 10-20 minutes per day. Planning to hire an HR consultant to help us build behaviors to learn new knowledge and skills into a broader sense of "performance review" than is typically done. I would also like to align this with peer-encouraged deliberate practice. We are also noodling on hiring an expert for certain skills (e.g., market research interviews), and having them work with us like a coach (pre- and post-game feedback). Added volunteer programs to mentor students at a historically black university, including mock interview practice, career advice, help with career connections, and so on. Sustained: Writing literary fiction 2-3 hours per day Journaling daily about anything and everything ("Morning pages" in the spirit of Julia Cameron) No alcohol since 2013 (or other drugs) No caffeine since summer 2019 (except 1-2 cups decaf coffee or 1 cup of green tea) Intermitted fasting when I feel like it Protecting 7.5 to 8.0 hours of sleep per night, helped by reminders from my Oura Ring Protecting time for the family each day (AM and dinner time) and every weekend, including supporting them in music and sports Reading almost zero business books, which I find very low yield in general Reading widely and muse-inspired, drawing from a long list of books I'd love to read and reading them when I feel inspired, across nonfiction and fiction in a 1:1 mix Listening broadly to music that inspires and moves me