In this session, we delve into the ambitious journey of a CEO who took the bold step of buying out the founder of a boutique professional service firm. Through an intimate conversation with Collective 54 Member Jessica Knox, CEO at Metrix, we explore the intricate negotiations, strategic planning, and the emotional rollercoaster that defined this p…

In this session, we discuss some of the secrets of unlocking expansion revenue from within existing accounts. You'll learn from Collective 54 Member Phil Leary, Chief Operating Officer at Allata, on how nurturing and developing employees who begin their careers in non-revenue generating positions can lead to a surprising uptick in your bottom line …

In this session, we delve into the challenges and opportunities presented when your industry segment suddenly becomes the hotbed of competition. With both heavyweight corporations and agile boutiques flocking to capitalize on the trend, how do you ensure your firm doesn't just survive but thrives? We'll explore strategic insights, share expert advi…

In this session, we peel back the layers on how a seasoned ERP implementation consulting firm revolutionized its business model, moving from the traditional time and materials approach to a groundbreaking fixed fee structure. Join Collective 54 Member Alan Wyne, CEO at Innovia Consulting, and discover the strategic decisions that led to this bold s…

In this session we delve into the fast-paced world of an executive coach in the interior design industry, exploring the methods that she uses when it is time to stop studying and start doing. Our role model, Collective 54 Member Gail Doby, Co-Founder at The Pearl Collective, shares her expert insights on how to deal with a large volume of ideas, ho…

In this session, we delve into the science of time management and the art maximizing employee productivity within boutique professional service firms. From strategic time management techniques to fostering a culture of efficiency, we explore actionable strategies to ensure every hour counts. Discover how to optimize resources, streamline processes,…

In this episode, we delve into the remarkable journey of Collective 54 Member, Dave Makerewich, Founder & President at Maven, who transitioned from being a client to establishing a thriving boutique professional service firm. Discover how his firsthand experience as a client shaped his understanding of the industry's needs and fueled his entreprene…

In this session, Collective 54 Member Tom Zucker, President at EdgePoint Advisors, and Greg Alexander review recent research from over 200 acquirers that suggests the 5 attributes that make a firm an attractive acquisition target, and the 4 attributes that scare acquirers away. The research quantifies how “attractiveness” drives up valuations and h…

In this session, Collective 54 Member Andrew Thompson, CEO and Co-Founder at Notch Partners, LLC, together with their Head of Business and Financial Services, Jeff Weathers, will share how it is never too late to get serious about converting a lifestyle firm into a scalable boutique. This session will discuss the use of a dedicated task force to ma…

In this session, Collective 54 Member William Lieberman, Managing Partner at The CEO’s Right Hand, and Greg Alexander, simplify the financial jargon surrounding a boutique professional service firm's Profit and Loss (P&L) statement. Join us as we decode revenue, expenses, EBITDA and net income, offering insights applicable to any member, regardless…

Join Collective 54 Member Michael Ivie, Managing Partner at Phyton Consulting, and learn how his firm got to $3 million per month in revenue before their second birthday, crashed because of a Black Swan event, and executed a world class recovery, emerging stronger than ever. This session will help members identify risk, in all its forms, and develo…

In this session, Collective 54 Member Jamey Harvey, CEO at Agilian, will share how he addressed one of the biggest risks for small service firms- client concentration. Items discussed will be benchmarks to measure client concentration, an early warning detection system, the impact on strategy client concentration should have on your firm, how long …

According to the US Bureau of Census, 90% of small businesses in America are family-owned and operated. Many Collective 54 members work alongside family members daily. Are you? Should you? There is a different set of management best practices used to grow, scale, and exit a service firm owned and operated by a family. Attend this session to learn f…

In this session, we delve into the pivotal function management meetings serve during the intricate process of selling a firm. We'll explore how these gatherings can effectively showcase the company's strengths, address potential concerns, and foster a sense of trust and transparency with prospective buyers. Attendees will learn from Collective …

Join Collective 54 Member Andrea Fryrear, CEO and Co-Founder at AgileSherpas, to learn how to make growing revenues easier by implementing content driven inbound marketing. In this session you will learn what real content marketing is- why it works, how it is different than fake content marketing, how to engage an audience, create compelling conten…

In this session, discover the inside track on how small service firms can punch above their weight and land lucrative government contracts. Join Collective 54 Member Paul Karch, Founder at Gardant Global, as he guides you through strategic partnerships with large contractors, providing the roadmap to navigate the complexities of government procurem…

In this insightful case study, we delve into the remarkable journey of a nimble 10-person professional service firm as they navigate the complexities of selling their business to a 300-strong industry leader. From leveraging their specialized expertise to fostering a culture that resonated with their larger counterpart, Bart Mroz, Engagement Lead a…

In this session, join Collective 54 member John Kearney, Founder at The Buyer’s Way, as he discusses how to build compensation plans for the sales function inside a boutique pro serv firm. He will share how the comp plans need to change as a firm migrates from founder-led sales to a part-time sales force to a mature fully function commercial sales …

Embarking on the journey of selling your firm can be as complex as it is exciting. In this session, join Collective 54 member Jay Smith, Vice President of Sales at Integris IT, as he helps demystify the due diligence process, ensuring you navigate these critical waters with confidence. From legal audits to financial analysis to customer references …

Attend this session as Collective 54 member Tony Amador, Co-Founder & Chief Client Officer at Proxxy, outlines the crucial steps for a small service firm to reposition its value proposition based on actual client needs and desires. This session discusses the importance of listening to client feedback, extracting actionable insights, and then applyi…

Many professional service firms foolishly think the path to scalability is to become a software company. However, founders of service firms make more money than founders of software firms, generate more wealth for themselves at exit, and succeed much more often. Attend this session and learn from Collective 54 member Nathan Kievman, Co-Founder and …

Generative AI is transforming the professional services industry, lifting productivity levels to heights thought unobtainable. Interacting with large language models has become a required core competency. This is best done via prompt engineering. Attend this session and learn what prompt engineering is from Collective 54 member, Stephen Straus, Man…

Small service firms are overly dependent on a few key employees. The departure of one can cause much pain for the Founder and impede the progress of the firm, especially if it was unexpected. Attend this session and learn from Collective 54 member, Phillip Acosta, CEO at GuROO LLC, on how you can prevent this trouble from stinging you. https://www.…

Your brand matters. In the professional service industry, Founders need a brand for the firm, the service offering, themselves, and their talent. Attend this session and learn from Collective 54 member, Chad Prinkey, Owner at Well Built Construction Consulting, about how brands are built inside small service firms, and how they help boutiques punch…

The personal lives of the Founders evolve as a firm advances. And the professional lives of the Founders morph as a firm matures. How can partners stay in harmony with themselves, and with each other, along the entrepreneurial journey? This session with Collective 54 members Matt Jenkins and Nick Moretta, Partners at Other., shares how partners wor…

Boutique service firms often confuse staff augmentation work with advisory work and with managed services work. These are three different types of services that are marketed, sold, and delivered differently. Each has its own margin profile. Balancing the mix of these three correctly can be the difference between running a firm with good margins or …

Uncle Sam is the world’s biggest client. Yet, many boutique service firms do not do business with the government. This session with Collective 54 member Frank Tsamoutales, Founder & Chief Executive Officer at Tsamoutales Strategies, is for firms who do not do business with the government but wonder if they should. We will cover the basics such as w…

Recruiting for sales positions in a small service firm is not the same as recruiting for sales positions in a large service firm, or in a product company. This session with Collective 54 member Carter Hopkins, Founder & CEO at Pursuit Sales Solutions, will help you avoid making costly hiring mistakes as you build out your sales team. www.collective…

What role should the Founder of a boutique professional service firm play in the process of acquiring new clients? That of an Executive Sponsor. And how can a Founder perform in this role with excellence? By using executive language. Attend this session and learn from Collective 54 member, Carajane Moore, about executive sponsor programs and execut…

Small service firms need to generate leads but are constrained by limited resources. Budget and talent are in short supply. Therefore, what works in a small service firm is different than what works in a large service firm, or in a product company. Attend this session and learn from Collective 54 member Christian Banach, Principal & Chief Growth Of…

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 po…

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…

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…

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 p…

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 workfor…

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 shif…

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. https://www.collective54.com…

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 Vi…

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 …

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 wh…

In this session, member Ken Yager shares how he discovered that his traditional client was not going to get his firm to reach its full potential. Ken shares how he changed his ideal client profile, and as a result, has significantly improved his margins. Attend this session and learn how to adjust your target client profile as your firm progresses …

Scaling boutiques need to build a sales team yet delay doing so because of the perceived risk and expense. In this session, member Dan Morris shows us how to reduce the risk and ease into it by leveraging fractional sales leadership. Most boutiques use fractional finance, HR, IT, and Legal executives and it may be time for you to deploy the same ap…

Moving away from hourly billing leads to better margins, higher client satisfaction, and happieremployees. Yet, many boutique founders are afraid to do it, and do not know how. In this session, member Sonia Miller-Van Oort shares how she built her 12-person law firm using alternative fee structures. https://www.collective54.com…

Selling and delivering insight is at the heart of what professional service firms do. Some pro serv firms have packaged their expertise into research and sell it as a “product” via subscription. Attend this session and hear how member Mike Ellison has done this and built a 95-person firm in the process. https://www.collective54.com…

Member Mike Braun started Pivotal Advisors with his brother to get off an airplane and make a living with less stress. One day he realized he wanted more than a lifestyle business. This required the recruitment of the next generation of leaders who wanted a piece of the pie. Mike masterfully created a plan to allow for equity to be shared with the …

Power members Eric Weisgarber and Adam Diesselhorst have implemented succession planning at their marketing agency, inspired in part by the Collective 54 book The Founder Bottleneck. As a result, they have identified their high potential employees and are preparing them to take over the firm upon exit. This has allowed them to scale smoothly withou…

Member Jeff Pedowitz was one of the pioneers of the SaaS era by driving adoption of marketing automation technology from Eloqua, Marketo and others. This allowed his firm, The Pedowitz Group, to dominate his niche for almost two decades. Now, Jeff sees the next big wave, AI, and he shares with Collective 54 how to ride it all the way to the bank. h…

Win/Loss reviews are a powerful way to improve your sales results. Yet, most members are not doing them because they incorrectly think they are hard to do and require lots of time. In this session, member Brady Jensen, and expert in win/loss reviews will give members the method, tools, and templates to allow them to do this correctly, quickly, and …

The average boutique pro-serv firm is using 10-15 SaaS applications yet none of them talk to each other. This makes it hard to get a true 360-degree view of your firm. In this session, data warehousing expert and member Aron Clymer will show members how to solve this problem easily, and cost effectively. https://www.collective54.com…

Building a sales team inside of a consulting firm is hard. However, it is a requirement if a firm is going to scale beyond a Founder led lifestyle business. Adding to the difficulty, is the need to go through an expensive and time-consuming trial and error period. It takes patience and many experiments before a firm figures out what works for them.…