The Principal Podcast

Look into the "3 Ways to Generate Leads With Your Podcast" E-book for free here on our website! (https://ghapodcast.com)Want to solve Branding and Lead-Gen for good for your B2B Business? Download our Completed Playbook for FREE: https://ghapodcast.com/b2b-podcasting-secrets-pod**********************************************************************Professional services firms are built on expertise, but expertise alone rarely creates a business that lasts. Clients need to trust you with problems that matter, and have a reason to keep coming back.Marilyn McSweeney has spent more than 25 years building that kind of trust in executive recruiting. As Principal of The McSweeney Group, she helps companies in the interior furnishings industry identify and attract passive candidates for difficult and critical positions, from sales and design roles through executive leadership.In this conversation, we get into the business behind Marilyn's expertise: how she developed such a focused niche, how relationships generate new opportunities, how she sells a high-trust service, what keeps clients coming back, and where she sees the next opportunities for her firm.Proposed Interview Structure:1. Before recruiting, you were in sales and leadership within the interior furnishings industry. How did you make the transition into executive search, and what eventually led you to build The McSweeney Group?2. What specific problem does The McSweeney Group solve for clients today, and why does solving that problem matter so much to you personally?3. Who are your ideal clients today, and within those organizations, who usually holds the decision to bring you in and hire your firm?4. You’ve built a very specialized firm in an industry where relationships and reputation matter enormously. How do new clients typically find you today, and what has worked best for consistently generating new business?Current Acquisition Channels: ReferralSub Question: What do you think about podcasting as a marketing and trust-building tool for firms like yours?5. Executive search is a high-trust service, particularly when the role is critical to the client’s business. Once a prospective client comes into your world, what does your sales process look like, and how do you typically bring an engagement home?6. You’ve spent decades building relationships within the same industry. What do you do after an engagement to make sure clients keep coming back, and what has been most important in turning individual searches into long-term client relationships?7. After building The McSweeney Group for more than 17 years, where do you find yourself most challenged right now as a firm owner, if at all?8. Looking ahead, where do you see the biggest opportunity for The McSweeney Group and your work in executive recruiting over the next few years?**********************************************************Know more about Marilyn McSweeneyWebsite Link: http://www.mcsweeneygroup.comConnect with Marilyn McSweeney on LinkedInLinkedIn Link: https://www.linkedin.com/in/marilynmcsweeneyApply to be a guest on The Principal Podcast:https://ghapodcast.com/application-to-be-a-guest-on-consulting-leaders/

Look into the "3 Ways to Generate Leads With Your Podcast" E-book for free here on our website! (https://ghapodcast.com)Want to solve Branding and Lead-Gen for good for your B2B Business? Download our Completed Playbook for FREE: https://ghapodcast.com/b2b-podcasting-secrets-pod**********************************************************************Andrea Nunez has spent nearly 20 years helping CEOs, executive teams, and boards navigate growth, leadership transitions, and organizational change. Today, she leads The Genysys Group, a professional services firm focused on strategy, executive coaching, leadership development, succession planning, governance, and organizational transformation.Her work sits at the intersection of two challenges many professional services leaders know well: helping clients navigate complex business problems while also building a firm that can grow beyond its founder. Andrea has worked with organizations across engineering, manufacturing, real estate, nonprofits, professional associations, and family-owned businesses.In this conversation, we explore how Andrea has built The Genysys Group, how the firm attracts and retains clients, what she has learned about selling highly trusted advisory work, and how professional services leaders can develop stronger teams and organizations that do not depend on one person to succeed.Proposed Interview Structure:1. You’ve worked across education, operations, executive recruiting, and consulting before ultimately becoming CEO of The Genysys Group. What drew you into the professional services world, and how did you get to where you are today?2. What specific problem are you helping clients solve through The Genysys Group, and why does solving that problem matter so much to you personally?3. Who are your ideal clients today, and within those organizations, who usually holds the decision to bring you in and hire the firm?4. How are clients typically finding The Genysys Group today, and what has been most effective for you in building trust and bringing new business into the firm?Current Acquisition Channels: ReferralSub Question: What do you think about podcasts as a marketing and trust-building tool for professional services firms, particularly when clients are buying expertise and relationships rather than a tangible product?5. You’re often selling work around sensitive issues like succession, leadership, governance, and organizational change. How do you typically take a prospect from the first conversation through to becoming a client?6. Once a client starts working with The Genysys Group, how do you make sure they continue seeing value, keep coming back, and ultimately build a long-term relationship with the firm?7. Where do you find yourself most challenged right now as the CEO of a professional services firm, if at all?8. Looking ahead, where do you see the biggest opportunity for your work over the next few years?**********************************************************Know more about Andrea NunezWebsite Link: http://TheGenysysGroup.comConnect with Andrea Nunez on LinkedInLinkedIn Link: https://www.linkedin.com/in/andrea-shields-nunezApply to be a guest on The Principal Podcast:https://ghapodcast.com/application-to-be-a-guest-on-consulting-leaders/

Look into the "3 Ways to Generate Leads With Your Podcast" E-book for free here on our website! (https://ghapodcast.com)Want to solve Branding and Lead-Gen for good for your B2B Business? Download our Completed Playbook for FREE: https://ghapodcast.com/b2b-podcasting-secrets-pod**********************************************************************Steve “The Hurricane” Weiss has spent more than two decades in healthcare sales, marketing, networking, and business development. Before starting his own firm, he led marketing, sales, public relations, and referral development for healthcare organizations, giving him firsthand experience with the growth problems his clients now hire him to solve.In 2012, Steve founded Hurricane Marketing Enterprises, specializing in helping private duty, home care, home health, hospice, and other healthcare providers grow. The firm works with clients across referral-source development, strategic partnerships, account qualification, sales conversion, marketing campaigns, operations, caregiver management, and exit planning.Today, Steve has built Hurricane Marketing Enterprises beyond a founder-only practice, with a team delivering training, business development, and client work. His journey offers professional services leaders a practical look at what it takes to turn deep industry expertise into a specialized firm, create a repeatable approach to winning and retaining clients, and build a business capable of growing beyond its founder.Proposed Interview Structure:1. You spent years on the inside of healthcare sales and marketing before starting Hurricane Marketing Enterprises. What made you decide to take that expertise and build your own professional services firm around it?2. What specific problem are you helping home care, home health, and hospice providers solve today, and why does solving that problem matter so much to you personally?3. Who are your ideal clients today, and within those organizations, who typically holds the decision to bring Hurricane Marketing Enterprises in and hire you?4. Your firm teaches clients how to generate referrals and build strategic relationships, so I’m curious how you apply that to your own business. How do clients typically find Hurricane Marketing Enterprises, and what has worked best for consistently bringing new business into the firm?Current Acquisition Channels: Referral, Content, Google Ads, Meta Ads, Webinars, Podcast (guesting), Speaking engagementsSub Question: You’ve built a visible personal brand through speaking, events, video, and educational content. What do you think about podcasting as a marketing and trust-building tool for professional services firms?5. Once a potential client enters your world, what does your sales process look like, from that first conversation to getting them comfortable enough to bring your firm in?6. Once someone becomes a client, how do you make sure they continue seeing value, keep coming back, and ultimately develop into a long-term relationship with Hurricane Marketing Enterprises?7. At the stage Hurricane Marketing Enterprises is at today, where do you find yourself most challenged right now as a professional services firm owner, if at all?8. Looking ahead, where do you see the biggest opportunity for your work over the next few years?**********************************************************Know more about Steve “The Hurricane” WeissWebsite Link: http://www.homecareevolution.comConnect with Steve “The Hurricane” Weiss on LinkedInLinkedIn Link: https://www.linkedin.com/in/steve-hurricane-weiss-13996b2Apply to be a guest on The Principal Podcast:https://ghapodcast.com/application-to-be-a-guest-on-consulting-leaders/

Look into the "3 Ways to Generate Leads With Your Podcast" E-book for free here on our website! (https://ghapodcast.com)Want to solve Branding and Lead-Gen for good for your B2B Business? Download our Completed Playbook for FREE: https://ghapodcast.com/b2b-podcasting-secrets-pod**********************************************************************John Reed has spent more than two decades at the intersection of professional expertise, sales, marketing, and client development. He began his career as a practicing attorney before moving into sales and sales leadership at Thomson Reuters, eventually combining those experiences to build a consulting business focused specifically on the commercial side of the legal profession. In 2010, John founded Rain BDM, where he helps attorneys and law firms strengthen their positioning, win new business, and build deeper relationships with existing clients.His work ranges from business development coaching and client relationship strategy to branding, content, websites, SEO, and broader marketing initiatives. For leaders of professional services firms, John’s experience raises a broader question: being excellent at the work is one thing, but how do you build a firm that consistently turns expertise into growth? We’ll unpack how John has approached client acquisition, sales, retention, team building, and creating the kind of relationships that keep a professional services business growing over the long term.Proposed Interview Structure:1. You went from practicing law, to sales and sales leadership, and eventually to founding Rain BDM. What led you to build your own consulting firm, and why focus specifically on the business side of the legal profession?2. What specific problem are you helping attorneys and law firms solve through Rain BDM, and why does solving that problem matter so much to you personally?3. Who are your ideal clients today, and within those firms, who usually holds the decision to bring Rain BDM in and hire you?4. How are clients typically finding Rain BDM today, and what has consistently worked best for you when it comes to generating new opportunities for the firm?Current Acquisition Channels: Referral, Content, Podcast (hosting), Reputation and word-of-mouthSub Question: You also host The Sticky Lawyers Podcast. How does podcasting fit into your own growth and relationship-building strategy, and what potential do you see for podcasts as a marketing tool for professional services firms?5. Once you have the attention of a prospective client, how do you typically take that relationship from an initial conversation to a signed engagement?6. Once a client starts working with Rain BDM, what do you do to make sure they continue seeing value, keep coming back, and develop into a long-term relationship with the firm?7. Where do you find yourself most challenged right now as the founder of Rain BDM, if at all?8. Looking ahead, where do you see the biggest opportunity for your work over the next few years?**********************************************************Know more about John ReedWebsite Link: https://rainbdm.com/Connect with John Reed on LinkedInLinkedIn Link: https://www.linkedin.com/in/johnreedesqApply to be a guest on The Principal Podcast:https://ghapodcast.com/application-to-be-a-guest-on-consulting-leaders/

Look into the "3 Ways to Generate Leads With Your Podcast" E-book for free here on our website! (https://ghapodcast.com)Want to solve Branding and Lead-Gen for good for your B2B Business? Download our Completed Playbook for FREE: https://ghapodcast.com/b2b-podcasting-secrets-pod**********************************************************************Phil Ratcliffe has spent more than 30 years working across corporate real estate, facilities management, project delivery, and advisory. Before joining Code Advisory as a Director in 2023, he spent more than 20 years at Procore UK, including several years leading the business as Managing Director.Today, Phil works with organisations through Code Advisory on challenges including operating models, technology, transformation, benchmarking, and how CRE and FM teams need to evolve for the future. A recurring principle behind his work is deceptively simple: understand the problem before choosing the solution.In this conversation, we go beyond CRE to unpack the lessons behind building a successful professional services business: how Phil approaches winning clients, establishing credibility, turning engagements into long-term relationships, leading teams, and adapting an advisory firm as AI and technology reshape both client problems and the way professional services are delivered.Proposed Interview Structure:1. You’ve spent more than 30 years in professional services, including over two decades at Procore and now as a Director at Code Advisory. How did you originally get into the business, and what kept you in it?2. What specific problem are you helping clients solve through Code Advisory today, and why does solving that problem matter so much to you personally?3. Who are your ideal clients at Code Advisory, and within those organisations, who usually holds the decision to bring you in and hire the firm?4. In a specialist advisory business where reputation and trust matter so much, how are clients typically finding Code Advisory today, and what have you found works best for consistently generating new opportunities?Current Acquisition Channels: Referral, Speaking, engagements networkSub Question: What do you think about podcasts as a marketing and trust-building tool for professional services firms like yours?5. When a potential client comes into your world, how do you take them from an initial conversation to trusting Code Advisory enough to bring you in, particularly when you’re selling expertise rather than a tangible product?6. Once you’ve won a client, what do you do to make sure they keep coming back, and what have you learned over the years about building client relationships that last?7. Where do you find yourself most challenged right now as a leader at Code Advisory, if at all?8. Looking ahead, where do you see the biggest opportunity for your work over the next few years?**********************************************************Know more about Phil RatcliffeWebsite Link: https://www.code-advisory.comConnect with Phil Ratcliffe on LinkedInLinkedIn Link: https://www.linkedin.com/in/phil-ratcliffe-5257773Apply to be a guest on The Principal Podcast:https://ghapodcast.com/application-to-be-a-guest-on-consulting-leaders/