You’re scaling the firm. You are no longer the Chief Rainmaker who is winning every deal. You have salespeople now who are generating leads and closing deals. But let’s be honest about what happens when a deal is stuck. When the client objects to the price, deliverables or compares you to the competition.
One of our core beliefs at Tenzing is that deep, authentic conversations have the power to drive business forward. Over the years, we’ve found that sharing stories—especially those of fellow Experts, Operators, and Practitioners—has not only enriched our community but also helped strengthen our brand and attract new clients.
Every founder experiences the exhilarating rush of building something new. However, this initial energy often gives way to overwhelm as daily operations become overbearing. This article shares the journey of a Collective 54 member who met this juncture and found a path forward. Names and specific details are omitted to focus on universal lessons that echo the struggles many others face.
As I’ve spoken with more members of Collective54 about their Go-To-Market strategy, there is a common theme. Their primary Buyers, their Heroes, are typically C-level executives, but rarely the CEO. This is true of professional services generally, as CFOs, COOs, CIOs and CHROs dominate the landscape of Buyers. Proserv firms vary in their capability to engage and stay relevant with CEOs. If you are wondering how effective your team is at engaging CEOs, there are two leading indicators to look for.
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:
As we’ve been focused on scaling our company over the last two years, there have been a few moments that have keenly challenged and clarified my approach to leadership. Despite the professional services setting, in these challenging moments, I keep thinking back to my professional roots as a high school basketball and football coach. Market Eminence isn’t about being the loudest in the room; it’s about commanding more respect, earning higher trust, and building a permanent presence in your industry.
Launching a rocket to the Moon and scaling a professional services firm to the top of its industry share similarities – both endeavors require immense effort, strategic planning, and overcoming significant challenges like gravity, drag, and heat generation. Traveling to the Moon parallels the stages of scaling a firm to the top:
Owners of boutiques are either focused on growing, scaling or exiting their Proserv firms. This post is focused on those owners looking to scale their firms. Many of us struggle to scale, even after years of positive growth. I have heard this from many of my peers in Collective 54. I have experienced it myself. So what’s the problem? Why do we fail to scale?
In the early days of building a professional services firm, the allure of scaling can be hard to resist. The vision of a thriving, self-sustaining company is compelling, but scaling too soon is the number one startup killer. Even in the best-case scenario, premature scaling can force you to backtrack or even start over.
In boutique professional service firms, be it consulting, software development, systems integration, managed services, or others, the role of the founder transcends beyond just leading the firm. It encompasses shaping the culture, defining the strategy, and making pivotal decisions that ultimately guide the firm’s trajectory.
