Don’t Be a Victim
I thought running a professional service firm would get easier over time. Eighteen years later, I’m still waiting for that day.
Daily obstacles never stop coming:
Pro Serv Blogs
The Death of the Funnel: How to Navigate the Non-linear Buyer’s Journey
The marketing community has been denigrating the idea of a buyer’s journey as a funnel for years – possibly decades – yet the metaphor persists. It’s so comforting in its simplicity that we keep using it, even though it no longer reflects people’s buying behavior.
Screwing Up & What you Learn From It
Growth. It’s the one constant we’re all chasing. More revenue. More Income. Higher valuation. Etc, etc,etc.
However, it doesn’t always go according to plan.
2023 saw a new high for my company as we increased revenues and income by almost 50% over the previous year. It was an exciting time that I – in my infinite wisdom – thought would go on. Because of course it would. Right?
Why the Future of Professional Services Is Better with AI-Empowered Clients
Ever since artificial intelligence (AI) became widely accessible and democratized just a couple of years ago, a wave of uncertainty swept across professional service firms. The prevailing concern was clear: Will AI replace us? Will clients simply turn to AI tools instead of hiring experts who have spent years mastering their craft?
Getting Naked: Real Vulnerability for Lasting Client Relationships
Early in my consulting career, I noticed something odd—smart, capable consultants showing up like robots. Great résumés. Fancy decks. But no humanity. No warmth. No soul. I remember sitting in a room of very senior executives as a 22-year-old with what I thought was a dumb question. My internal monologue went like this:
Rethinking 2026 Growth Planning: Why Brands and Pro Services Firms Need a Journey-First Strategy
In a market where visibility is fractured and trust is earned in milliseconds, how you plan for growth in 2026 will determine whether you lead or fall behind.
From May through August, most executive teams, whether at brands or professional services firms, are knee-deep in building strategies and budgets for the coming year. But many are using outdated models: departmental budgets created in isolation, growth projections rooted in past performance and plans that treat customer experience as a byproduct rather than a priority.
Why B2B Selling Needs a Transformation to ‘Trusted Advisor’
By very definition, salespeople sell. But here is the paradox: buyers do not like being sold to. In fact, only 29% of buyers say they prefer to talk to a salesperson when making a purchase. Meanwhile, 62% would rather consult a search engine (HubSpot). That is a striking indictment of traditional sales, and the experience buyers are having with selling organizations.
Unclear Expectations Are Killing Your Performance.
You wouldn’t coach a sports team without a game plan. You wouldn’t build a house without a blueprint. So why are your employees operating without clear rules?
Operational Excellence in Conversion: The Discipline Behind a Seamless Customer Experience
In today’s rapidly evolving financial landscape, banks and credit unions are under more pressure than ever to modernize their technology stacks and streamline operations. Whether upgrading core systems, migrating digital platforms, or integrating newly acquired entities, one constant remains: the need for disciplined, precise execution of conversion activities. At Smith Consulting Group, we’ve guided dozens of institutions through these mission-critical transformations, and we’ve seen firsthand that operational excellence is the cornerstone of successful change.
Unleashing Value Creation in Uncommon Moments
Let’s talk about those unexpected moments that can really supercharge a business. You know the stories about entrepreneurs who start with nothing and end up building empires? We hear about them all the time, but what often gets left out are those key turning points where they suddenly find new markets, channels, or products that just explode their growth. These moments aren’t always visible from the outside, but they’re crucial.