In this special Women’s History Month episode of Professional Services Pursuit, host Banoo Behboodi sits down with three accomplished women leaders to explore the real stories behind career growth, leadership, risk, and resilience. Melissa Korzun, Jennifer Schutz, and Lauren Langston share how they navigated career pivots, overcame doubt, embraced unexpected opportunities, and built leadership styles rooted in authenticity rather than imitation.

Also covered in this episode:

• Salary negotiation and compensation strategy
• Navigating workplace bias or sexism
• Work life balance and burnout
• Sponsorship versus mentorship in career growth

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

AI is no longer a futuristic add-on for consulting firms, it’s reshaping how firms operate, price, hire, and deliver outcomes.

In this episode Brent sits down with Tom Rodenhauser of K2 Consulting Research (formerly Kennedy Intelligence) to unpack what’s actually happening inside consulting firms as they operationalize AI. From boutique firms building knowledge engines that rival global players, to the governance structures required to protect client trust, to the accelerating shift away from time-based billing, this conversation separates hype from reality.

Key Topics Covered

• How boutique firms are competing with global giants
• The changing role of consultants (especially junior talent)
• Governance isn’t optional, it’s the prerequisite for trust.
• Transparency as a competitive advantage
• Outcome-based pricing is the future, but only for firms that can clearly define and measure results.
• Measurable internal impact and the time savings creating space for higher-value conversations and business development

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this special compilation episode, Brent revisits three powerful conversations with leaders who have fundamentally reimagined how agencies price, position, and deliver value. As AI accelerates productivity, procurement squeezes margins, and time-based billing becomes increasingly commoditized, one thing is clear: the traditional agency model is under pressure. The firms that redefine themselves as performance partners, not effort vendors, are pulling ahead.

From valuation strategy to operational reinvention, this episode explores what it really takes to make the shift from selling hours to selling impact.

• Caroline Johnson, the Co-Founder of The Business Model Company discussing why selling time suppresses valuation — and how business model design can double or even triple firm multiples. (Ep. 63)
• Patricia Rothenberg, Global COO and General Counsel of renowned creative agency 72andSunny shares how they were able to eliminate individual timesheets and train teams to sell value instead of labor. (Ep. 94)
• Michael Farmer, Author of Madison Avenue Manslaughter and Madison Avenue Makeover - and the leader of Management consulting firm Farmer & Company provides practical lessons on leading scope discussions around outcomes—not procurement-driven deliverables—and what changes operationally when agencies focus on impact over hours. (Ep. 48)

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.