Best Alex Packham Podcasts (2025)

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Ep. 159: The Consultancy Built Without Consultants with Gita Singham-Willis 1:20:06

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39m ago1:20:06

1:20:06

What if your consultancy didn’t look like everyone else’s? What if it was built on values from day one, hired people most firms overlooked, and kept culture at the core as it grew?This month’s guest has done precisely that, and then some.Gita Singham-Willis is one of the three co-founders of Cadence Innova, a multi-award-winning transformation cons…

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Cerys Hafana at Corris Uchaf 57:10

5d ago57:10

57:10

The latest album from Welsh triple harpist Cerys Hafana is called “Angel”. It’s inspired by the story of an old man who goes for a walk in the forest and hears an angel singing so beautifully it makes him fall asleep for three hundred and fifty years. That’s almost what happened to me on our glorious summer walk with Cerys near Corris Uchaf in mid …

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276: Scaling Wireless World to Regional Domination | Vince Lubben’s Midwest Empire 50:46

16d ago50:46

50:46

Vince Lubben is the Co-Owner of Wireless World. Vince began working in the wireless sector as a sales executive for CommNet Cellular, when the cell phone industry was young. He saw an opportunity to start his own business and opened his first store in Vermillion, South Dakota in 1999. Today, there are 54 Wireless World outlets and the company has 3…

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Official Folk Albums Chart Show—2nd September 2025 57:29

22d ago57:29

57:29

Matthew’s guest on this month’s show is the singer/songwriter Kellie While who is chair of the judges for the newly announced Folk Album of the Year Award. She shares the thinking behind the award and offers some advice if you’re considering entering. There are also 6 new entries in the chart and a new number one. We’ll have music from Amelia Cobur…

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Ep. 158: Consulting Salaries, Promotions, and Partner Pitfalls with Richard Longstreet 1:04:49

27d ago1:04:49

1:04:49

Struggling to crack senior hiring in your consultancy?You’re not alone, and this episode’s guest has seen it all. Richard Longstreet is the founder of Tarka Talent, a recruitment consultancy focused on management consulting, and he’s helped firms of all shapes and sizes find (and sometimes fix) their senior hiring strategies.In this episode, Richar…

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Folk on Foot Classic: Kitty Macfarlane on the Somerset Levels 53:47

1M ago53:47

53:47

Enjoy this classic episode from July 2020. Kitty Macfarlane is known for her pure voice, poetic song writing and passion for the natural world. On this unexpectedly sunny January walk, she and Matthew Bannister climb the historic Burrow Mump Hill. Here she sings a song inspired by the view, “Man Friendship”. As they walk along the nearby river, Kit…

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Alex Rex and Lavinia Blackwall in Govan and Carbeth 1:01:48

1M ago1:01:48

1:01:48

Former Trembling Bells bandmates Alex Rex and Lavinia Blackwall take us first to Govan Old Church in Glasgow to see ancient Viking burial stones - and sing in unaccompanied harmony in the glorious acoustic. Then its off to the hutting community at Carbeth in the countryside outside the city where residents lovingly decorate their wooden homes. Alex…

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275: From the Battlefield to the CBD Boardroom: Craig Henderson of Extract Labs 1:12:40

2M ago1:12:40

1:12:40

Craig Henderson is the CEO of Extract Labs, a Boulder, Colorado-based full-service hemp extraction laboratory offering a proprietary line of boutique CBD-infused products. Craig started the company in his garage in 2016. This Episode is Sponsored By: Jon Ostenson, Founder of FranBridge Consulting and Top 1% US Franchise Consultant is here to help y…

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Ep. 157: Consulting’s Next Chapter: Transformation, AI, & Thinking Differently with Chris Tomlinson 1:10:28

2M ago1:10:28

1:10:28

What does it take to lead transformation in today’s fast-moving, tech-fuelled world?In this episode of Climb in Consulting, Nick chats with Chris Tomlinson - or ‘Tommo’, as most people know him - a seasoned transformation leader and Managing Director of Muuto Consulting. With two decades of experience navigating complex change and helping organisat…

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Chris Packham & Martin Simpson in the New Forest 1:09:26

2M ago1:09:26

1:09:26

Where does Chris Packham want his ashes scattered after he dies? Find out as he takes Martin Simpson and host Matthew Bannister for an enlightening walk in sun-dappled woodland near his home in the New Forest. He points out a goshawk on her nest and other glorious flora and fauna and is delighted when Martin sings his songs “Ken Small” and “Skydanc…

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Episode 156: Profit on Purpose: Peter Czapp’s 7 Levers for Consultancy Growth 1:43:03

3M ago1:43:03

1:43:03

What separates consultancies that tick along from those that thrive? According to this episode’s guest, it’s all about one thing: profit on purpose.In this episode, Nick sits down with Peter Czapp - Co-Founder of the Wow Company, The Consultancy Growth Network and the brains behind BenchPress, the consultancy benchmark report - to dig into the fina…

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274: The Cable Cowboy Who Went from Broke to Broadband 🤠 | Terry Koosed of Bel Air Internet 2:16:14

3M ago2:16:14

2:16:14

Terry Koosed is the Founder of Bel Air Internet, a Los Angeles based Internet Service Provider, and a leading authority on successful entrepreneurship. He has founded and successfully run seven companies in the high-tech industry during the past 40 years, sometimes concurrently, and is what some would call, a serial entrepreneur. Listen to Part II,…

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Simon Armitage and LYR on Cuckoo Day in Marsden 44:19

3M ago44:19

44:19

The Poet Laureate Simon Armitage and his band LYR perform poems and music inspired by the stories told by the people of the West Yorkshire Village of Marsden, where Simon grew up. It’s all part of the annual “Cuckoo Day” festival in the village, celebrating the myth that local people thought they could keep the spring going all year round if they c…

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Episode 155: From $2M to $20M - The Alchemist Growth Formula with Stu Packham 1:15:33

4M ago1:15:33

1:15:33

What happens when you step into the CEO seat of a small consultancy in a niche market, with big ambitions, PE backing, and a bold growth target?In this episode of Climb in Consulting, Nick Synnott chats to Stu Packham, Group CEO of Alchemist, about how he led the business from a modest $2M learning consultancy to a $20M global challenger brand.Befo…

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Goblin Band in the City of London 55:16

4M ago55:16

55:16

Come with us on a fascinating walk in the historic City of London with rising stars of the folk world Goblin Band. From an ancient church ringing to the Castleton Carol, via an underground car park where the remains of the Roman Wall form the backdrop to “The Twa Corbies” and onto the banks of the River Thames for some mudlarking and a beautiful “G…

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273: Publishing to EdTech: The Unlikely Road to Evolution Labs with Founder Peter Kraft 1:26:53

5M ago1:26:53

1:26:53

Peter Kraft is the Founder and President of Evolution Labs. Prior to founding Evolution Labs, Kraft was instrumental in forming and re-envisioning two educational software companies that led the industry in recruitment, enrollment and retention of college students. He co-founded GoalQuest in 2000 and served as its CEO until 2007 when he spearheaded…

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Episode 154: From Side Hustle to £8M - Cross 8’s Journey with Tobias Robinson 1:30:37

5M ago1:30:37

1:30:37

What does it take to scale a consultancy fourfold, while keeping culture, autonomy, and team spirit at the centre?In this episode of Climb in Consulting, Nick Synnott sits down with Tobias Robinson, Co-Founder and Managing Director at Cross 8, to explore exactly that.Tobias’ story is anything but typical. From starting as a contractor to co-foundin…

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Georgia Shackleton on the Norfolk Coast 49:21

5M ago49:21

49:21

A violin made from the floorboards of explorer Sir Ernest Shackleton’s home - a climb to the top of the Happisburgh lighthouse - and a song about whales stranded on the shore - just three of the highlights of this glorious sunny seaside walk with the Norfolk singer and fiddle player Georgia Shackleton. So kick off your shoes, roll up your trousers …

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Episode 153: Scaling a Consultancy: Private Equity Insights with Alex Thomson 1:24:48

6M ago1:24:48

1:24:48

How do you turn a good consulting firm into a great one - and what role does Private Equity really play in that journey?In this episode of Climb in Consulting, Nick Synnott sits down with Alex Thomson, Partner at Growth Capital Partners (GCP), to unpack everything you need to know as a consulting leader about scaling, selling, and thriving in today…

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272: From Selling Phones Out of a Van to Leading a 9-Figure Empire | Brett Beveridge of T-ROC 1:13:10

6M ago1:13:10

1:13:10

Brett Beveridge is the President of The Revenue Optimization Companies. Brett is an entrepreneurial, results-driven executive with over 20 years of experience and success in the wireless and technology industries. He has hands-on success in start-ups, profit turnarounds, mergers and acquisitions, IPOs and fundraising and is the driving force behind…

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Bonus Episode: Ashley Hutchings in conversation at Cecil Sharp House 51:00

6M ago51:00

51:00

Bob Dylan described Ashley Hutchings as “The Godfather of English Folk Rock -he gave us a genre we couldn’t refuse”. Bass player Ashley was behind the formation of three great bands: Fairport Convention, Steeleye Span and The Albion Band. As he celebrates his 80th birthday, Ashley joins Matthew Bannister on stage at Cecil Sharp House to look back o…

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Cole Stacey on Dartmoor 50:14

6M ago50:14

50:14

Cole Stacey’s album “Postcards from Lost Places” was recorded in atmospheric locations around Dartmoor. In this episode Cole retraces his steps - taking us back to some of those places and performing the songs inspired by them. We hear about his journey into folk music, his partnership with Joseph O’Keefe in India Electric Co - and his experiences …

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Episode 152: Building for Growth: Leadership, Talent, and Global Expansion with James Constable 1:12:51

7M ago1:12:51

1:12:51

James Constable, CEO of Albany Beck returns to Climb in Consulting to share insights on leadership, scaling a consulting firm, and international expansion. Tune in for real-world lessons on growth, strategy, and building a winning team.By Nick Synnott

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'Stolen from God' in Bristol with Reg Meuross, Cohen Braithwaite-Kilcoyne and Modou Ndiaye 1:01:55

7M ago1:01:55

1:01:55

The history of the transatlantic slave trade and its legacy in Bristol are at the heart of this episode. It features West Country singer Reg Meuross, concertina player Cohen Braithwaite-Kilcoyne and kora player Modou Ndaiye performing music from Reg’s powerful “Stolen from God” song cycle as we follow the route taken by the statue of the slave trad…

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271: How to Breathe Life into a Business... Dr. Dan Cohen of Breathe Right Strips 55:39

8M ago55:39

55:39

Dr. Dan Cohen is the former Chairman of CNS, Incorporated. Dr. Cohen was the driving force behind the meteoric rise of Breathe Right nasal strips, acquiring the rights to manufacture and sell the product for the medical equipment company he founded in 1982. In 2006, GlaxoSmithKline acquired CNS, including its Breathe Right nasal strips and FiberCho…

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Bird in the Belly at the Tremula Festival on the South Downs Way 46:17

8M ago46:17

46:17

The Brighton based band Bird in the Belly take us for a walk on the South Downs Way during the Tremula Festival of Outdoor Podcasting. For the very first time, we’re joined by an audience of Folk on Foot fans. The band (Laura Ward, Adam Ronchetti Tom Pryor and Jinwoo) share a song about a day out in Brighton in 1813, a love song to a Welsh Ploughbo…

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270: Once Again, the Return of the Non-Food Franchise King: Jon Ostenson of Franbridge Consulting 59:52

9M ago59:52

59:52

Jon Ostenson is the Founder of FranBridge Consulting. Jon is a top 1% Franchise Consultant in the US, and frequent contributor on franchising across a variety of outlets and publications. Jon is a multi-brand franchisee himself, and along with his business partners, he has great operators leading these ventures. As a result, he is able to commit ov…

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A Shropshire Christmas with John Kirkpatrick 58:49

10M ago58:49

58:49

Ho Ho Ho! Enjoy traditional Christmas carols, midwinter Morris dancing, a peal of bells and a recipe for Christmas pudding set to music as we head for the Three Tuns pub in Bishop’s Castle with squeezebox maestro John Kirkpatrick MBE, the Castle Carollers and the Shropshire Bedlams. Along the way we’ll discover the story behind ancient winter custo…

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269: Blowing Minds with Carey Smith: The Big Ass Fans Story! 🫏... 1:12:04

10M ago1:12:04

1:12:04

Carey Smith founded Big Ass Fans in 1999 and served as its Chief Big Ass until the company's sale in 2017. Under his guidance, Big Ass Fans grew an average of 30% a year, with offices across the globe. It made the Inc. 5000 list of fastest-growing private companies 11 consecutive years — a feat achieved by only 34 others — and expanded from industr…

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Episode 151: Ride the Recurring Revenue Wave: How to Productise Consultancies, with Jonathan Corrie 1:01:43

10M ago1:01:43

1:01:43

Scaling up in a competitive sector, integrating new tech capabilities and responding to the continual push on fees, are all challenges that you’re probably wrestling with for your consultancy right now.And that’s why we invited today’s guest on to share his insights on how to solve these problems, having faced these challenges head on for both his …

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Lunatraktors at the Bethlem Royal Hospital 1:12:37

10M ago1:12:37

1:12:37

Delve into the history of madness as we walk with the “broken folk” duo Lunatraktors in the 200 acre grounds of the Bethlem Royal Hospital in South London. Clair le Couteur and Carli Jefferson are fascinated by the story of the hospital which was founded in the 13th century by monks - and nicknamed “Bedlam”. They perform songs inspired by the place…

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268: Manufacturing Shutters & Company Culture | 🪟 Rick Skidmore of Timberlane Inc. 1:06:53

11M ago1:06:53

1:06:53

Rick Skidmore is the Founder and CEO at Timberlane, Inc. Having been born an entrepreneur, it should have been clear early on that despite considerable success in the insurance and investment industry, Rick's future was outside the traditional career path. Rick founded his current company, Timberlane Inc., in 1995, based on a passion and a gaping n…

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Dan Whitehouse in Stourbridge 54:56

12M ago54:56

54:56

For four hundred years, Stourbridge in the West Midlands was at the heart of Britain’s glass making industry. The local landscape was dotted with distinctive brick built cones, or chimneys, where the glass was made. The local singer and songwriter Dan Whitehouse made an album called “Voices From The Cones” based on recordings of the memories of gla…

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Episode 150: Marking the milestone with some top advice from Climb in Consulting's awesome guests 1:34:54

1y ago1:34:54

1:34:54

For our milestone 150th episode of Climb in Consulting, we’re bringing back some of our top all-time guests—the individuals whose insights have resonated most with our listeners. Here’s who you’ll be hearing from in alphabetical order:- Adrian Bettridge- Keith Burgess - Mark Campbell- John HowardThey’ll be answering five carefully chosen questions …

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Sarah Smout Along The River Wharfe to Fleet Moss 55:44

1y ago55:44

55:44

The cellist, singer and environmental campaigner Sarah Smout takes us for a beautiful summer walk along the River Wharfe in North Yorkshire. Along the way she explains how her love of the natural world inspires her music and stops to play, sing and read one of her poems. Then we head up to Fleet Moss where a five-year-long project has been restorin…

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267: Powering Innovation: Jim Kalb's Journey with OptiFuse & the Future of Fuses!⚡ 1:25:19

1y ago1:25:19

1:25:19

Jim Kalb is currently the President of OptiFuse, an innovative high-growth manufacturer of power protection components distributed by high-quality select wholesalers throughout the world. OptiFuse has been listed on the Inc. 5000 for the last 5 years, as well as being named as one of Forbe's magazines "25 Best Small Companies" in 2017. This Episode…

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Ranagri at Ranagri 1:02:30

1y ago1:02:30

1:02:30

The Anglo-Irish band Ranagri take us for a walk on the farm that gave them their name. The family of guitarist and singer Dónal Rogers have worked this land in County Carlow since the 1600s. His Mum, Lena, still lives there and tells stories of growing up in the three room thatched farm house she shared with her mother and ten siblings. There was n…

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266: Wheels of Fortune: 🚲 Team USA's Path to Tour de France Victory (Anne Hed of HED Cycling) 1:08:07

1y ago1:08:07

1:08:07

Anne Hed is a lifetime resident of Minnesota. Her history as a business owner began back in the 1980’s, when she raced as a professional triathlete. She completed eight Ironman Triathlons in Hawaii, and met her late husband, Steve, through the sport. He became one of her first sponsors... This Episode is Sponsored By: Jon Ostenson, Founder of FranB…

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Episode 149: Building for scale: how to unlock 20x growth in your consultancy, with Mark Palmer 1:47:44

1y ago1:47:44

1:47:44

How do you take a boutique doing a healthy $2m a year and transform it into an industry leader at $40m. In this episode of Climb In Consulting, Nick is joined by Mark Palmer, former Managing Director of OEE Consulting, to share his story of having done just that.Mark’s journey is a fascinating one, but also one that nearly didn’t happen. Had it not…

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Melissa Harrison & Laura Cannell in Suffolk 59:02

1y ago59:02

59:02

On a beautiful day in May the novelist, nature writer and podcaster Melissa Harrison and the composer and multi instrumentalist Laura Cannell take us for a walk in the glorious Suffolk countryside. Laura plays a recorder duet with a nightingale, Melissa reads from her acclaimed novel “All Among The Barley” - appropriately enough in a field of ripen…

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Episode 148: Unleashing potential: How to nurture a thriving team, with Alan Frost 1:10:19

1y ago1:10:19

1:10:19

Imagine building a high-performing consulting team of 40, brick by brick, from the ground up. That's the remarkable journey of Alan Frost, Partner at Forvis Mazars.In this episode of Climb in Consulting, Alan shares his inspiring story, and offers expert insights on cultivating a collaborative and empowering environment for consultants of all level…

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265: Building a Sparkling Soda Fireworks Store?!? | 🎉 Mark Lazarchic of Serenity Ventures 1:15:20

1+ y ago1:15:20

1:15:20

Mark Lazarchic is the CEO of Serenity Venture Group. He describes himself as a serial entrepreneur with eyes always open. Mark is the owner of multiple successful startup businesses in very competitive markets. Mark has spent the last 10 years being amazed at the level of mediocrity accepted by the public in business. At all levels... This Episode …

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Episode 147: Building a Sustainable Sales Engine for Your Consultancy, with Alan Morton 1:32:49

1+ y ago1:32:49

1:32:49

Is your firm relying on the same handful of ‘rainmakers’ to bring in business?The latest episode of Climb in Consulting looks at the practical steps consultancies need to take to build a scalable sales engine that fuels growth and removes risk.Nick was joined by Alan Morton, Managing Director of SBR Consulting, a specialist global consultancy that …

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Frankie Archer in Consett (and other parts of County Durham) 50:16

1+ y ago50:16

50:16

Frankie Archer brings traditional folk tunes rushing into the 21st Century. The singer, fiddle player and electronics wizard made an acclaimed appearance on Later With Jools Holland, who described her music as “astonishing”. In this episode, Frankie takes Matthew for a walk in Consett and the surrounding countryside, pausing to set up her loop peda…

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Episode 146: Advice from the Best in the Business - 2024 Edition 23:18

1+ y ago23:18

23:18

Ready to supercharge your consulting career? Packed with insights, this episode of Climb In Consulting brings you a whole host of valuable advice from some of the industry’s leading figures. Regular listeners will know that we occasionally change gears to bring you special round-up episodes. And if you’re new to the show, sit back and enjoy, you’re…

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Episode 145: Niching down to succeed: An hourglass approach to consulting growth, with Joe O’Mahoney 1:01:02

1+ y ago1:01:02

1:01:02

Are you ready to take your consultancy to the next level? Then you’re in the right place!In the latest episode of Climb In Consulting, we delve deep into the world of consultancy marketing with Joe O'Mahoney, Professor of Consulting at Cardiff University and strategic advisor to consulting and tech leaders across the globe.This fantastic interview …

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Megson on Teesside 52:03

1+ y ago52:03

52:03

Our wettest episode ever features the wonderful duo Megson (Stu and Debs Hanna) walking, talking and playing along the River Tees between Stockton and Middlesborough. This is where Stu and Debs grew up, began making music and fell in love. Their powerful songs tell vivid stories about the industrial heritage of the area through the eyes of the peop…

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264: From Clothing Manufacturer, to Franchise Owner, to Starting the Tint World Franchise | Ex-CEO of Meineke, Charles Bonfiglio, shares his Journey 🚗… 1:21:14

1+ y ago1:21:14

1:21:14

Charles J. Bonfiglio is the Franchise Founder & Chief Executive Officer of Tint World. The company is a privately owned franchise chain of independent retail window tinting, mobile electronics, auto accessories and appearance centers. As the lead executive of Tint World, Charles is responsible for all functions related to the development and leader…

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Episode 144:Avoiding the growth trap: Secrets to sustainable consultancy success, with Sarah Matthew 1:47:45

1+ y ago1:47:45

1:47:45

Forget climbing the corporate ladder. Today's Climb In Consulting dives into building your own. We welcome Sarah Matthew, founder of The Vibrant Company, as she shares her journey from bootstrapped startups to industry leader. Sarah's career is a masterclass in consultancy leadership. After moving from the corporate world of pharma marketing, she p…

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Episode 143: Going global: Negotiating the path to success, with Mark Grice 1:19:48

1+ y ago1:19:48

1:19:48

The global pandemic threw a huge curveball at most businesses.Face-to-face interactions became a thing of the past, and consultancies offering in-person services found themselves struggling to adapt.But for Total Negotiation Group (TNG), strong leadership and a willingness to diversify helped turn the global crisis into a huge opportunity.In the la…