The IGNITE Podcast with Josh Stone

Most consultancy owners approach business development reactively. They rely on chasing leads, responding to enquiries, and following up opportunities as they appear. But if you want to win higher-quality clients and bigger projects, that approach eventually hits a ceiling. In this episode, I break down what strategic business development actually looks like inside a consulting business and why the best firms don’t just chase work — they win it by design. We talk about the difference between daily lead generation (LinkedIn outreach, marketing, calls and relationship building) and the longer-term strategic BD activities that help you access better clients, bigger projects and more predictable growth. I also share a real example from my own consulting business where we spent two years deliberately pursuing one ideal client, which ultimately led to a major long-term project worth millions in consulting fees. Inside this episode we unpack: • Why strategic BD starts with getting crystal clear on your ideal clients• How to identify the rooms your best clients are actually in• Why positioning and branding matter when pursuing elite clients• The power of referral partnerships in opening the right doors• How collaboration with other consultancies can help you win larger projects If you’re tired of relying on ad-hoc business development and want a more intentional approach to winning better clients, this episode will give you a clear framework to start thinking more strategically. 👉 Check out our $10M+ Consultancy Roadmap Training. It’s a step-by-step guide to help you move from wherever you are now — whether that’s $1M, $3M, $5M or $10M and beyond — and build a business you can genuinely be proud of - https://youtu.be/qhusAlo3msw?si=JHK1JjXMMgJO08Hw

Many consultancy owners believe they have a pricing problem. But most of the time, the real issue isn’t the market, the client, or the fee structure. It’s confidence. In this episode, I unpack why so many engineering and built environment consultancy owners hesitate when it comes to pricing their work. We talk about the subtle ways uncertainty shows up during client conversations and how that can lead to unnecessary fee pressure, discounting, and difficult negotiations. I also share a coaching example from one of our clients that shows how quickly the dynamic with clients can change when you stay calm, clear, and confident in the value you bring. When you stop second guessing yourself and lead the conversation properly, clients often stop pushing back altogether. If you’ve ever felt uncomfortable discussing fees, struggled with clients negotiating your proposals, or wondered whether you’re charging what your work is truly worth, this episode will give you a different way to think about the problem. 👉 Check out our $10M+ Consultancy Roadmap Training. It’s a step-by-step guide to help you move from wherever you are now — whether that’s $1M, $3M, $5M or $10M and beyond — and build a business you can genuinely be proud of - https://youtu.be/qhusAlo3msw?si=JHK1JjXMMgJO08Hw

Being busy is not the same as being profitable - yet many consultancy owners only realise this once the numbers don’t stack up. In this episode, I unpack where profit actually leaks during projects, why busyness often hides inefficiency, and how disciplined delivery systems protect your margins. You’ll learn why most margin loss happens after the project is won, how rework and unclear scope quietly erode profitability, and what strong consultancies do differently to run more controlled and profitable projects. I also share a client story demonstrating how tightening delivery systems led to their first 30% profit month — without winning more work or increasing workload. 👉 Check out our $10M+ Consultancy Roadmap Training. It’s a step-by-step guide to help you move from wherever you are now — whether that’s $1M, $3M, $5M or $10M and beyond — and build a business you can genuinely be proud of - https://youtu.be/qhusAlo3msw?si=JHK1JjXMMgJO08Hw

Founder-led business development works early — but if it stays that way, it quietly caps your revenue and keeps your consultancy dependent on you. In this episode, I break down why founder-led BD eventually creates fragility in your pipeline, how it traps you in the wrong work, and what ownership should look like as your business grows. I explain why sustainable growth comes from building capability beyond the founder, how to distribute BD responsibility across your team, and what structure is required at each stage of business. I also share a real client example showing how introducing simple BD support created consistency, removed mental load, and turned business development into a proper function — not something reliant on memory and energy. 👉 Check out our $10M+ Consultancy Roadmap Training. It’s a step-by-step guide to help you move from wherever you are now — whether that’s $1M, $3M, $5M or $10M and beyond — and build a business you can genuinely be proud of - https://youtu.be/qhusAlo3msw?si=JHK1JjXMMgJO08Hw

Referrals and word of mouth are great, but on their own, they’re not a business growth strategy... In this episode, I break down why relying solely on referrals keeps your pipeline unpredictable, why confidence drops the moment referrals slow, and how strong consultancies combine reputation with a simple, consistent business development rhythm to create real control. I explain why referrals can’t be forecast, how reputation without proactive outreach limits growth, and what it actually looks like to layer daily structure and visibility underneath word of mouth. I also share a real client example that shows how adding a simple LinkedIn outreach system alongside referrals creates confidence, consistency, and clarity - without replacing what’s already working. 👉 Check out our $10M+ Consultancy Roadmap Training. It’s a step-by-step guide to help you move from wherever you are now - whether that’s $1M, $3M, $5M or $10M and beyond - and build a business you can genuinely be proud of >> CLICK HERE

Most consultancy owners think they’re delegating, but behind the scenes, everything still runs through them. In this episode, I break down why handing off tasks without handing over decisions keeps you busy, overwhelmed, and stuck, even with a capable team around you. I explain why phrases like “just check with me before it goes out” quietly turn you into the bottleneck, how owners unintentionally train their teams to wait instead of think, and what real delegation actually looks like if you want time back without standards slipping. I also share a real client example that shows how transferring ownership, authority, and decision-making (not just tasks) is what finally frees founders up and allows the business to move forward without them behind every decision. 👉 Check out our $10M+ Consultancy Roadmap Training. It’s a step-by-step guide to help you move from wherever you are now - whether that’s $1M, $3M, $5M or $10M and beyond - and build a business you can genuinely be proud of // https://youtu.be/qhusAlo3msw?si=JHK1JjXMMgJO08Hw

If you’re constantly hanging out for the next holiday just to recover from your business, something’s off. In this episode, I break down how to build a consultancy that actually feels good to run — one that supports your life instead of draining it. I explain how to redesign your weeks around high-value work, why your role must evolve as the business grows, and why relying on holidays as a recovery strategy is a warning sign — not a solution. I also share a real client example that shows what happens when founders step out of low-value work, build the right team and systems, and finally create a business that can run smoothly without them hovering. 👉 👉 Check out our $10M+ Consultancy Roadmap Training. It’s a step-by-step guide to help you move from wherever you are now — whether that’s $1M, $3M, $5M or $10M and beyond — and build a business you can genuinely be proud of - https://youtu.be/qhusAlo3msw?si=JHK1JjXMMgJO08Hw

Most consultancy owners don’t have a workload problem — they have a client quality problem. In this episode, I break down why chasing more clients often leads to more stress, lower margins, and less control — and why upgrading the quality of your clients is one of the fastest ways to improve profit, clarity, and momentum. I explain how low-value clients quietly drain time, energy, and emotional bandwidth, how to objectively rank your clients from A-grade to D-grade, and how to let go of the wrong work without panicking or stalling growth. I also share a real client example that shows why 80% of revenue often comes from just 20% of clients — and how intentionally creating space allows better, more profitable work to show up faster than expected. 👉 Check out our $10M+ Consultancy Roadmap Training. It’s a step-by-step guide to help you move from wherever you are now — whether that’s $1M, $3M, $5M or $10M and beyond — and build a business you can genuinely be proud of - https://youtu.be/qhusAlo3msw?si=JHK1JjXMMgJO08Hw

Your pricing isn’t the real problem — your confidence is. In this episode, I break down why engineering and built environment consultancy owners struggle to charge what they’re really worth, why fear is driving how you price projects and approach fee discussions with clients, and how showing up with calm confidence changes how clients behave and treat you. I share a real life coaching client example of how backing yourself and staying clear and confident leads to clients stopping negotiations and asking for discounts — proving that confidence alone can flip the dynamic and see you charging what you’re really worth. 👉 Check out the $10M+ Consultancy Roadmap (Step-by-Step to $1M, $3M, $5M, $10M and Beyond) to grow a profitable consultancy without burning out >> Click here to watch

Engineers didn’t lose respect overnight — it happened one “yes” at a time. In this episode, I explain how the engineering & built environment profession gradually became commoditised, dropping fees & profit margins — while doctors protected their value — and what you need to do to stop being discounted, rushed, and disrespected. I share a real client example of saying no, holding standards, and attracting higher-quality opportunities. 👉 Check out the The $10M+ Consultancy Roadmap (Step-by-Step to $1M, $3M, $5M, $10M & Beyond) to grow a profitable consultancy without burning out >> Click here to watch

Your business shouldn’t collapse without you.    If stepping away feels risky, it’s not bad luck.  It’s feedback.    In this episode, I break down why most consultancies struggle to run without the founder — and why it has nothing to do with effort, talent, or commitment.    It comes down to five predictable constraints:    - Decisions funnelled through one person.  - No operating rhythm the team can follow independently.  - Critical knowledge trapped in someone’s head.  - Unclear ownership when things go wrong.  - And boundaries that train dependency instead of capability.    When those exist, holidays aren’t a luxury — they’re a liability.    For this episode, I walk through how we systematically removed these bottlenecks as our consultancy grew from $3M to $30M.  Not by hiring endlessly.  Not by being “less involved.”  But by designing the business to operate without heroic intervention.    I also explain why a proper holiday is one of the most effective stress-tests your business can run.  It reveals where structure is missing.  Where trust is fragile.  And where growth is artificially capped.    If your goal is a consultancy that scales cleanly past $5M, $10M and beyond —  Being optional is not a lifestyle goal.  It’s an operational requirement.    This episode lays out exactly how to think about that shift.    PS: If you’re interested, here are 4 ways I can help you right now:     Grab a copy of my new book | Profitable Engineering Consultant | 9 strategies to grow with confidence, get your time back & consistently hit 30% plus net profit margins – Click Here    Subscribe to our podcast | Learn how to run a more profitable consultancy and grow successfully – no fluff, just actionable and practical advice from someone who grew a consultancy to $30M and exited successfully – Watch Here or Listen Here + make sure you subscribe!     3. Download our free Business Plan template | Map out your Business Plan & grow your consultancy with confidence – Click Here to download now    4. Book a 20-minute Business Audit Call | We’ll do a full review & audit of your business, uncover the #1 bottleneck that's holding you back right now & develop a 3-step action plan together for how you can get results faster. You'll leave this call with a clear and actionable plan for what to do next in your business – Book Here   

Businesses don’t fall apart from delivery. They fall apart at the top.    I’ve coached hundreds of consultancy owners.  I’ve sat on real boards.  I’ve scaled from $3M → $30M with 20 shareholders.  And I’ve seen how fast a business can fracture when governance isn’t set up properly.    This week’s episode is the conversation most founders avoid — until they can’t.    Inside, I’ll show you:    Why founders lose control without even realising it  (and how to make sure it never happens to you).    Why minority shareholders disengage silently  (and what this does to culture and momentum).    Why “everyone gets a say” sounds fair  but destroys speed.    And why the wrong voting structure traps good businesses in endless friction.    Then I show you the model that fixes it.    The exact two voting frameworks that work.  When to use each.  How to keep the business fast, aligned, and conflict-free.  And how to write it properly into your shareholders’ deed.    This is real-world, in-the-trenches consultancy leadership.    If you’re serious about scaling…  If you care about alignment…  If you want a business that grows past $10M and actually stays healthy…  Listen to this episode — especially if you’ve introduced (or are planning to introduce) new shareholders into the business.      PS: If you’re interested, here are 4 ways I can help you right now:     Grab a copy of my new book | Profitable Engineering Consultant | 9 strategies to grow with confidence, get your time back & consistently hit 30% plus net profit margins – Click Here     Subscribe to our podcast | Learn how to run a more profitable consultancy and grow successfully – no fluff, just actionable and practical advice from someone who grew a consultancy to $30M and exited successfully – Watch Here or Listen Here + make sure you subscribe!     3. Download our free Business Plan template | Map out your Business Plan & grow your consultancy with confidence – Click Here to download now    4. Book a 20-minute Business Audit Call | We’ll do a full review & audit of your business, uncover the #1 bottleneck that's holding you back right now & develop a 3-step action plan together for how you can get results faster. You'll leave this call with a clear and actionable plan for what to do next in your business – Book Here

You didn’t start your business to be trapped in it. And most consultancy owners never make the shift. They stay stuck in the weeds — buried in drawings, reports, client issues — while growth flatlines and profit stalls.   In this episode, we unpack the exact framework for stepping out of day-to-day delivery… and into true business ownership.   You’ll discover: - Why your “busyness” is a hidden ceiling to growth - The practical steps to move from technician → owner - How to delegate, systemise, and build a team that runs without you   If you want to grow your consultancy to $10M+ without being chained to it — this is the roadmap.   Listen now and install the system that top consultancy owners swear by.   PS: If you’re interested, here are 4 ways I can help you right now:     Grab a copy of my new book | Profitable Engineering Consultant | 9 strategies to grow with confidence, get your time back & consistently hit 30% plus net profit margins – Click Here    Subscribe to our podcast | Learn how to run a more profitable consultancy and grow successfully – no fluff, just actionable and practical advice from someone who grew a consultancy to $30M and exited successfully – Watch Here or Listen Here + make sure you subscribe!     Download our free Business Plan template | Map out your Business Plan & grow your consultancy with confidence – Click Here to download now    Book a 20-minute Business Audit Call | We’ll do a full review & audit of your business, uncover the #1 bottleneck that's holding you back right now & develop a 3-step action plan together for how you can get results faster. You'll leave this call with a clear and actionable plan for what to do next in your business – Book Here 

Every reply, every CC, every “quick email” feels harmless.  Until you add it up.  That’s 10–15 hours a week of low-value admin time… done by the highest-paid person in the company.  You.    In this week’s episode, I unpack the exact system I use (and teach our Boardroom clients) to reclaim that time—without missing a single critical message.    You’ll learn:  – Why 90% of founders waste their most productive hours on low-value tasks.  – The 3-step process to train someone else to run your inbox for you.  – How this one change can free 5–10 hours a week and lift profit margins instantly.    If you’re serious about hitting $10M+ while working on the business - not in it - start here.    PS: If you’re interested, here are 4 ways I can help you right now:     Grab a copy of my new book | Profitable Engineering Consultant | 9 strategies to grow with confidence, get your time back & consistently hit 30% plus net profit margins – Click Here    Subscribe to our podcast | Learn how to run a more profitable consultancy and grow successfully – no fluff, just actionable and practical advice from someone who grew a consultancy to $30M and exited successfully – Watch Here or Listen Here + make sure you subscribe!     Download our free Business Plan template | Map out your Business Plan & grow your consultancy with confidence – Click Here to download now    Book a 20-minute Business Audit Call | We’ll do a full review & audit of your business, uncover the #1 bottleneck that's holding you back right now & develop a 3-step action plan together for how you can get results faster. You'll leave this call with a clear and actionable plan for what to do next in your business – Book Here 

Remember that feeling when every project, every client, every dollar depended on you?  That first million felt exciting, but also exhausting.  Because deep down, you knew this wasn’t freedom.     Most consultancy owners never get past that stage.  They stay stuck in the loop. Firefighting, over-delivering, under-living.  Their business grows… but only if they keep pushing harder.     In this episode, I’ll show you how to break the cycle.  How to design a consultancy that finally runs without you.  How to replace chaos with structure, and effort with momentum.     We’ll talk about the exact path to $3M and beyond:  - how to choose one client type   - build systems that scale   - grow new leaders so you stop being the bottleneck.     If you’ve ever whispered, “There’s got to be an easier way,” this is it.  It’s not theory. It’s the blueprint I’d follow if I started over today.      PS: If you’re interested, here are 4 ways I can help you right now:     Grab a copy of my new book | Profitable Engineering Consultant | 9 strategies to grow with confidence, get your time back & consistently hit 30% plus net profit margins – Click Here     Subscribe to our podcast | Learn how to run a more profitable consultancy and grow successfully – no fluff, just actionable and practical advice from someone who grew a consultancy to $30M and exited successfully – Watch Here or Listen Here  + make sure you subscribe!     Download our free Business Plan template | Map out your Business Plan & grow your consultancy with confidence – Click Here to download now    Book a 20-minute Business Audit Call | We’ll do a full review & audit of your business, uncover the #1 bottleneck that's holding you back right now & develop a 3-step action plan together for how you can get results faster. You'll leave this call with a clear and actionable plan for what to do next in your business – Book Here   

You can feel it.  The workload’s surging, profit’s thinning, and you’re still the glue.  But there’s that one person on your team who keeps showing up.  Hungry. Reliable. Waiting to be tapped on the shoulder.    This episode is for the moment you finally say it out loud:  “I’m ready to elevate them… but what if they’re not ‘there’ yet?”    I’ll walk you through how to sketch the ideal role first—  so you stop squashing potential to fit today’s chaos,  and start building the leader your business actually needs.    We’ll talk about the 12–24 month runway high performers crave,  how to set expectations so they don’t spiral when it gets hard,  and why elevating from within can supercharge retention and culture.    If the gap’s a bridge too far right now, I’ll show you the signals to go external…  without gambling your culture or hiring a dud.    PS: If you’re interested, here are 4 ways I can help you right now:     Grab a copy of my new book | Profitable Engineering Consultant | 9 strategies to grow with confidence, get your time back & consistently hit 30% plus net profit margins – Click Here     Subscribe to our podcast | Learn how to run a more profitable consultancy and grow successfully – no fluff, just actionable and practical advice from someone who grew a consultancy to $30M and exited successfully – Watch Here  or Listen Here + make sure you subscribe!     Download our free Business Plan template | Map out your Business Plan & grow your consultancy with confidence – Click Here to download now    Book a 20-minute Business Audit Call | We’ll do a full review & audit of your business, uncover the #1 bottleneck that's holding you back right now & develop a 3-step action plan together for how you can get results faster. You'll leave this call with a clear and actionable plan for what to do next in your business – Book Here 

You’ve tried the courses, the frameworks, the pep talks.  You’re smart. Your team’s capable. Your clients like you.  So why does growth still feel like pushing a boulder uphill?  Because “we do everything for everyone” quietly guts your margins and your mojo.  This week’s episode, I tell the truth most won’t: generalists get ground down on price while specialists get chosen for value.  I share how shifting one decision—owning your inch-wide, mile-deep niche—changes who calls you, what they pay, and how much respect you command.  You’ll hear how a client stopped chasing low-fee, high-hassle work, tightened positioning, and broke past 40% net margins while doubling revenue.  If you’re tired of being “the safe option” that gets shopped on price, this is your line in the sand.    PS: If you’re interested, here are 4 ways I can help you right now:     Grab a copy of my new book | Profitable Engineering Consultant | 9 strategies to grow with confidence, get your time back & consistently hit 30% plus net profit margins – Click Here     Subscribe to our podcast | Learn how to run a more profitable consultancy and grow successfully – no fluff, just actionable and practical advice from someone who grew a consultancy to $30M and exited successfully – Watch Here  or Listen Here + make sure you subscribe!     3. Download our free Business Plan template | Map out your Business Plan & grow your consultancy with confidence – Click Here  to download now    4. Book a 20-minute Business Audit Call | We’ll do a full review & audit of your business, uncover the #1 bottleneck that's holding you back right now & develop a 3-step action plan together for how you can get results faster. You'll leave this call with a clear and actionable plan for what to do next in your business – Book Here 

Most consultancy owners obsess over revenue.  But revenue without presence is meaningless.    In this week’s episode, I unpack the exact roadmap to scaling past $5M, $10M+ without sacrificing family or freedom.    Here’s what we cover:  – The dangerous belief that “more hours = more growth.”  – The simple process to design your ideal week and protect it.  – Why upgrading from C-grade to A-grade clients changes everything.  – The three systems every consultancy needs to run without you.    And I share a real story of a Boardroom client who took two weeks off… and came back to a business that hadn’t missed a beat.    If you want a consultancy that scales profitably AND gives you back your time — this episode is your playbook.      PS: If you’re interested, here are 4 ways I can help you right now:     Grab a copy of my new book | Profitable Engineering Consultant | 9 strategies to grow with confidence, get your time back & consistently hit 30% plus net profit margins – Click Here   Subscribe to our podcast | Learn how to run a more profitable consultancy and grow successfully – no fluff, just actionable and practical advice from someone who grew a consultancy to $30M and exited successfully – Watch Here or Listen Here + make sure you subscribe!     Download our free Business Plan template | Map out your Business Plan & grow your consultancy with confidence – Click Here to download now    Book a 20-minute Business Audit Call | We’ll do a full review & audit of your business, uncover the #1 bottleneck that's holding you back right now & develop a 3-step action plan together for how you can get results faster. You'll leave this call with a clear and actionable plan for what to do next in your business – Book Here

Ever feel like your business is slowly crushing you?  You’ve worked hard to get past $2M.  You’ve built a team, won great clients, delivered big projects.  But somehow… everything still depends on you.    Invoices. HR. Projects. Every problem finds its way back to your desk.    The weight doesn’t ease… it grows heavier.  And the more you juggle, the more you wonder: is this worth it?    In this episode, I share the turning point that freed me.  The moment I realised that unless I hired a GM, I’d stay stuck at $3M forever. Tired, stressed, and capped out.    You’ll hear:    The hidden cost of doing it all yourself    How one GM with no engineering background helped us scale to $30M    Why the scariest hire is the one that unlocks true freedom    This is about more than business growth.  It’s about getting your life back.    PS: If you’re interested, here are 4 ways I can help you right now:     Grab a copy of my new book | Profitable Engineering Consultant | 9 strategies to grow with confidence, get your time back & consistently hit 30% plus net profit margins – Click Here     Subscribe to our podcast | Learn how to run a more profitable consultancy and grow successfully – no fluff, just actionable and practical advice from someone who grew a consultancy to $30M and exited successfully – Watch Here  or Listen Here  + make sure you subscribe!     Download our free Business Plan template | Map out your Business Plan & grow your consultancy with confidence – Click Here to download now    Book a 20-minute Business Audit Call | We’ll do a full review & audit of your business, uncover the #1 bottleneck that's holding you back right now & develop a 3-step action plan together for how you can get results faster. You'll leave this call with a clear and actionable plan for what to do next in your business – Book Here 

Your clients have been trained to push you down on price.  It’s built into their playbook.  They’ll smile, nod… then ask you to shave just 5%.  And every time you say yes…  …you don’t just cut into this project’s profit.  You cut into the future of your business.  You weaken your positioning.  You chip away at the very respect this industry once held.    That’s why your business feels heavier.  That’s why projects run hot, stressful, and thin.  That’s why you keep working harder… yet see less left over at the end.    The truth?     Competing on fees doesn’t keep you alive.  It bleeds you out. Slowly. Quietly. Relentlessly.    In this week’s IGNITE Podcast, I show you exactly why undercutting is the silent killer of engineering, town planning, surveying, and architecture consultancies — and how to finally break free.    Because survival isn’t about being the cheapest.  It’s about being valued. Respected. Profitable.    And if you’re ready to reclaim your worth, set the line you’ll never cross, and finally build a consultancy that commands premium fees… this is the episode you cannot afford to miss.      PS: If you’re interested, here are 4 ways I can help you right now:     Grab a copy of my new book | Profitable Engineering Consultant | 9 strategies to grow with confidence, get your time back & consistently hit 30% plus net profit margins – Click Here    Subscribe to our podcast | Learn how to run a more profitable consultancy and grow successfully – no fluff, just actionable and practical advice from someone who grew a consultancy to $30M and exited successfully – Watch Here  or Listen Here + make sure you subscribe!     Download our free Business Plan template | Map out your Business Plan & grow your consultancy with confidence – Click Here to download now    Book a 20-minute Business Audit Call | We’ll do a full review & audit of your business, uncover the #1 bottleneck that's holding you back right now & develop a 3-step action plan together for how you can get results faster. You'll leave this call with a clear and actionable plan for what to do next in your business – Book Here