Show Notes:

Bruno Strunz, lawyer, keynote speaker, and author of How to Sell Value in the Legal Market, shares his background, including his career path as a lawyer, including making partner and working for Volkswagen, and his extensive experience working with various companies and firms in both the legal departments and sales departments.

Business Development for Professional Services Firms

Bruno discusses his focus on business development for professional services firms, by selling in a structured and data-driven manner. Since 2018, he has been helping firms with what they have called the commoditization of quality and how to stand out in this competitive landscape. Bruno explains that his company initially focused on working with law firms for the last two years; they also started working with different types of professional services firms, including law firms, service orientated businesses, and consultancy companies.

A Bespoke Approach to Business Development

Bruno explains his approach to business development, starting with a diagnostic to understand the client base, churn, revenue generation, and distribution channels over the previous three years. He highlights the importance of expanding within existing client bases rather than focusing solely on new client acquisition. Bruno discusses the common challenges law firms face, such as low CRM adoption and the need for better data-driven decision-making. He emphasizes the importance of using CRM platforms effectively to improve sales processes and decision-making.

Best Practice Approach for Growth

Bruno outlines a best practice approach for growing within existing clients, starting with an 80/20 analysis to identify strategic clients. He looks at each business unit and asks if they have an account management plan for each unit, which means power mapping, stakeholder mapping, who's part of the decision-making process, assessing relationships, and understanding client goals for 2026. Bruno discusses the need for a SWOT analysis within specific accounts and the importance of looking for expansion opportunities. He highlights the challenges of client feedback in Latin America and the importance of guiding clients through their decision-making process.

Differentiation in a Commoditized Market

Bruno addresses the issue of differentiating in a commoditized market, where technical quality is no longer a competitive advantage. He emphasizes the importance of early engagement in the B2B buying cycle to avoid commoditization. Bruno discusses the role of relationship management, networking initiatives, and top-of-mind awareness in becoming the vendor of choice. He highlights the importance of bringing new insights and improving client experience to stand out in a competitive market.

Client Success Stories

Bruno shares a success story of working with a client in crisis management, focusing on educating the market and reframing their storytelling. He explains how the client successfully converted a multi-million dollar project during a major crisis. Bruno discusses another success story involving a proprietary framework to deep dive into client offerings and identify specific pain points. He highlights the importance of segmenting target lists, prioritizing outreach efforts, and bringing new ideas to clients. Bruno emphasizes the importance of consistency and discipline in business development strategies.

Timestamps:

04:11: Business Development Strategies for Law Firms

10:43: Building a Programmatic Approach to Client Growth

14:49: Differentiating in a Commoditized Market

20:01: Success Stories and Client Impact

29:34: Final Thoughts and Contact Information

Links:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/brunostrunz/

Website: https://strunz.com.br/

This episode on Umbrex: https://umbrex.com/unleashed/episode-628-bruno-strunz-how-to-sell-value-in-professional-services/

Unleashed is produced by Umbrex, which has a mission of connecting independent management consultants with one another, creating opportunities for members to meet, build relationships, and share lessons learned. Learn more at www.umbrex.com.

*AI generated timestamps and show notes.

Show Notes:

Rod Neuenschwander, author of From Crisis to Clarity and co-founder of GIFT·OLOGY, recounts his early days with John Ruhlin, their initial plan to buy companies, and their first turnaround experience. He also talks about the formation of Ruhlin Group and their transition to GIFT·OLOGY, focusing on corporate gifting.

The Transition of Ruhlin Partners

Rod talks about the development of Ruhlin Partners, a firm that helped companies through crises, and how it was the foundation for a new book project. He discusses John Ruhlin's sudden death and his immediate need to reconstitute the firm. He explains his initial struggle with gifting, his team's expertise, and the overall support from his team.

Fulfilling a Promise and a Framework for Turnarounds

The conversation turns to the idea of writing a book to fulfill a promise to John and provide a framework for turnarounds. He shares how John had been the top lead generator and how his crucial role in the firm left a large space to be filled. He explains the evolution of GIFT·OLOGY's philosophy and the development of the Beyond GIFT·OLOGY program.

The Focus of GIFT·OLOGY

Rod explains what GIFT·OLOGY is, how it works, and how it differentiates from other firms that play in this field. The focus is on personalized, non-promotional gifts to build relationships. He talks about the importance of reaching clients on a personal level and being present to clients' inner circles. He expands upon the acceleration of their platform and training program after John's passing, and how he managed the transition.

A Relationship Operating System

The interview moves on to the introduction of the Relationship Operating System to support leaders in building relationships, and Rod explains the components of the Relationship Operating System, including help identify, help connect, help equip, help track, help celebrate, and help scale. He talks about demonstrations of value, clarity conversations, and meaningful touchpoints through gifting. He also shares details about the development of a CRM plugin to support the training and execution of the Relationship Operating System and goes on to give a step-by-step explanation of the system.

The Design of Connection

Rod gives a detailed example of a client engagement, including the design of a connection plan, demonstration of value, how you communicate who you serve and how you serve, and gifting campaigns. He explains the role of GIFT·OLOGY in supporting leaders in their relationship-building efforts, and shares a detailed example of a client engagement, including the design of a connection plan and gifting campaigns.

A Framework for Companies in Crisis

Rod explains how he uses the same framework for GIFT·OLOGY as he does for other companies in crisis. He identifies the four types of crises: chronic underperformance, broken mirror, slow leak, and fire. Rod details the one-page recovery plan: clear purpose statement, go-forward operating plan, financial plan, and team plan. And he emphasizes the importance of moving fast with the plan and learning along the way.

The Success of From Crisis to Clarity

Rod talks about his book and his satisfaction with the feedback received for From Crisis to Clarity. He explains that the book's focus is on providing a simple framework for founders to navigate crises. He shares how the editing process was precise to ensure the book is concise and valuable for its target audience, and he shares his thoughts on the ongoing support and growth of GIFT·OLOGY despite the challenges faced.

Timestamps:

04:05: The Impact of losing his business partner and friend.

09:53: GIFT·OLOGY's Unique Approach to Corporate Gifting

11:47: The Relationship Operating System and Client Engagement

20:48: Rod's Framework for Crisis Recovery

28:44: The Success of From Crisis to Clarity

Links:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rod-neuenschwander/

From Crisis to Clarity: https://fromcrisistoclarity.com/

GIFT.OLOGY Group: https://giftologygroup.com/

This episode on Umbrex: https://umbrex.com/unleashed/episode-627-rod-neuenschwander-author-of-from-crisis-to-clarity-and-co-founder-of-gift-ology/

Unleashed is produced by Umbrex, which has a mission of connecting independent management consultants with one another, creating opportunities for members to meet, build relationships, and share lessons learned. Learn more at www.umbrex.com.

*AI generated timestamps and show notes.

Show Notes:

Antonio Nieto-Rodriguez, a leading expert on project management, talks about his upcoming HBR book. Antonio shares his career path, including his time at PwC, banking, and pharma, and his early realization of the importance of project management.

Changing the Perception of Project Management

He discusses his mission to change the perception of project management from a tactical to a strategic role, including his work with the Project Management Institute (PMI) and his goal to publish in Harvard Business Review (HBR). Antonio highlights the challenges he faced in gaining recognition for project management as a most important facet of any organization, and his eventual success in publishing his second book with HBR. Antonio explains the key concept of his new book and shares how he pitched the idea to HBR, emphasizing that everyone is a project manager and that organizations should be project-driven.

The Definition of Project Management

Antonio mentions the success of his first book with HBR, which sold over 50,000 copies and was translated into multiple languages. He moves on to outline the theme of his new book: how every organization should become project-driven to adapt faster and transform constantly in a changing world. When asked to define what a project is, Antonio provides a classic academic definition of a project, emphasizing its start, end, objective, and teamwork. He then shares a more inspirational definition, stating that projects build the future of organizations and should be seen as essential and prestigious. He stresses the importance of project managers being proud of their work and the significant impact projects have on the future of companies.

Project-driven vs. Operations-driven Organizations

Antonio compares and contrasts project-driven and operations-driven organizations. He explains that most established companies are operations-driven, with operations at the core and projects as secondary. He also discusses the impact of the agile mindset, which broke down silos and hierarchies but still prioritized operations. Antonio introduces his model of a project-driven organization, where projects are at the core, teams are fully dedicated, and operations become more modular and secondary.

Transformation from Operations-driven to Project-driven

When offering tips on driving transformation from operations-driven to project-driven, Antonio identifies three main challenges: the organization's culture, the role of leaders, and the evolution of project management. He highlights the high failure rate of projects and the need for continuous transformation rather than continuous improvement, and emphasizes the importance of co-creation, bottom-up approaches, and the courage to stop projects that are not working.

Managing Project Portfolios and Tracking Projects

Antonio suggests conducting an inventory of all projects, identifying owners, and cutting a significant number of projects to focus on the most important ones. He recommends using project portfolio management (PPM) tools or simple Excel sheets to track projects. Antonio stresses the importance of prioritizing projects that lead to exponential growth and big bets rather than incremental improvements. When managing project portfolios and changing their management infrastructure, Antonio advises leaders to sponsor no more than three projects and to group projects into programs for better focus. He recommends having fully dedicated project teams where people leave their day jobs to focus on projects. Antonio explains that leaders should act more as coaches, empowering teams to take decisions and prioritize within projects. And finally, he emphasizes the importance of sharing knowledge and being open to exchanging ideas with others.

Timestamps:

00:02: Antonio Nieto-Rodriguez's Background and Mission

04:08: Introduction to Powered by Projects

07:29: Defining Projects and Their Importance

09:05: Project-Driven vs. Operations-Driven Organizations

16:28: Challenges and Solutions for Project Management

22:28: Managing Project Portfolios and Prioritization

29:01: Empowering Project Teams and Leadership

Links:

LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/antonionietorodriguez

Business: https://projectsnco.com

New Book: https://poweredbyprojects.com/

Other Books: https://www.amazon.ca/stores/author/B00CMECP0U

HBR Articles: https://store.hbr.org/shop/?section=product&search_query=Antonio%20Nieto%20Rodriguez#/filter:categories:Articles

This episode on Umbrex: https://umbrex.com/unleashed/episode-626-antonio-nieto-rodriguez-author-of-hbrs-powered-by-projects-leading-your-organization-in-the-transformation-age/

Unleashed is produced by Umbrex, which has a mission of connecting independent management consultants with one another, creating opportunities for members to meet, build relationships, and share lessons learned. Learn more at www.umbrex.com.

*AI generated timestamps and show notes.

Show Notes:

Samora Wolokolie talks about his dual roles as a CPA, CA and attorney in Monrovia, Liberia. Samora lists his credentials: chartered accountant, certified public accountant, certified forensic investigation professional, certified fraud examiner, certified tax practitioner, and lawyer, and details his academic background. He is also an assistant professor at the University of Liberia where he teaches all levels of accounting. Samora also teaches at other universities and holds graduate and post graduate degrees from Cuttington University, and Charisma University. He talks about his career path, including working with Deloitte in 2000, then moved to PKF Liberia and Baker Tilly, where he qualified as a chartered accountant in 2014. Serving as Liberia's Deputy Minister of Finance for Fiscal AffairsSamora served as Liberia's Deputy Minister of Finance for Fiscal Affairs from 2018 to 2024, managing the national budget and growing it from $600 million to $800 million. When asked about the major sources of revenue for the Liberian government, Samora explains that over 80% of the government budget comes from domestic revenue, with the rest from External resources (donors like the IMF, World Bank, and European Union). He details the importance of conducting audits and meeting benchmarks to access external resources and shares a few examples of how this works. Samora discusses his role in developing revenue policies and regulations, focusing on domestic resource mobilization to grow the budget to $1 billion. He highlights the challenges and strategies needed to achieve this goal, including tax policies and revenue measures. He goes on to explain the structure of the companies he currently works for, his roles there, and how it focuses on both accounting and legal issues. Major Industries and Economic Potential in Liberia The conversation turns to the main industries in Liberia. Samora describes Liberia as an input-driven economy with significant potential in mining, forestry, and infrastructure development. He mentions the mining sector's potential, including gold, iron ore, and diamonds, and the involvement of companies like ArcelorMittal. Samora also discusses the forestry sector's potential, including logs and the Kimberley Process. He emphasizes the government's efforts in infrastructure development, particularly road construction and building maintenance. He goes on to talk about investment potential and licensing, shipping, and exporting. Consulting and Legal Processes in LiberiaSamora talks about the process of hiring independent consultants in Liberia. He advises talking to an attorney and a CPA. He recommends checking with the Liberian Institute of Certified Public Accountants (LICPA) and the Liberian National Bar Association (LNBA) for licensed professionals. Samora explains the distinction between attorneys and counsellors at law in Liberia and recommends dealing with firms to ensure coverage through professional liability and insurance coverage. He goes into detail on the importance of following processes and doing due diligence and background checks when hiring consultants. Taxation and Labor Law Considerations for Foreign Companies Focusing on the tax implications for foreign companies hiring consultants in Liberia, Samora explains the withholding tax rates for resident and non-resident taxpayers, including the 10% and 15% rates for ordinary companies and the 6% rate for mining operations. He clarifies the concept of resident and non-resident status based on the number of days spent in Liberia. Samora discusses the importance of understanding Labor law considerations, including contracts, occupational health and safety, and long-term employment. He also explains the tax brackets and Social Security tax obligations for foreign companies, employees and independent contractors, in addition to labour laws and health and safety laws in Liberia. Insurance Requirements for Firms in Liberia. Samora advises firms to have professional liability insurance to cover potential transgressions. He emphasizes the importance of ensuring payments pass through formal financial institutions to avoid money laundering issues. Samora suggests using bank-to-bank wire transfers or prepaid cards for payments to consultants, and he reiterates the importance of due diligence and background checks when hiring consultants in Liberia.

Timestamps:

04:11: Revenue Sources and Management in Liberia

09:38: Major Industries and Economic Potential

20:04: Consulting and Legal Processes in Liberia

27:08: Taxation and Labor Law Considerations

36:50: Insurance and Payment Methods

Links:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/atty-samora-p-z-wolokolie-ph-d-cfe-ca-cpa-fcfip-l-l-b-67315438/

Alliance CPA Inc: https://alliancecpainc.com/

TORCH Professional Consultancy Inc: https://topcinc.com/

This episode on Umbrex: https://umbrex.com/unleashed/episode-625-samora-p-z-wolokolie-how-to-hire-a-consultant-in-liberia/

Unleashed is produced by Umbrex, which has a mission of connecting independent management consultants with one another, creating opportunities for members to meet, build relationships, and share lessons learned. Learn more at www.umbrex.com.

Show Notes:

David Nour, author of Relationship Economics, discusses the six phases of strategic relationships. He emphasizes intentionality and a portfolio approach to relationship investing. The six phases he uses throughout the episode are: mapping, relating, nurturing, sustaining, requesting, and capitalizing.

Different Levels of Relationship Management

Nour explains that when a challenge arises, the first questions should be: Who do I need? Who do I know? How do I connect the dots? He contrasts haphazard outreach, simple lists, and CRM-driven discipline, underscoring the importance of intentionality and consistency. He highlights relationship mapping to achieve specific goals—beginning with identifying targets, nurturing, and sustaining relationships. In a pharma example, he shows how to identify key companies and contacts and introduces the ideal relationship profile—focusing on specific individuals (not logos) because relationships are built between people. He also stresses finding "lookalikes": individuals whose values are aligned, who value and respect the relationship.

Cold Outreach to Build Relationships

On building new relationships—especially via cold outreach—Nour recommends focusing on fewer but better-qualified leads: go where potential clients already are (e.g., micro-events), be more interested than interesting, and engage with thoughtful questions. Quick, consistent follow-up turns initial introductions into meaningful relationships. He shares specific questions he uses to spark valuable conversations and secure meetings.

Initial Conversations in Relationship Building

Nour critiques "intellectually lazy" openings like "Tell me about your situation." Instead, come prepared with a hypothesis based on research and use questions to set the agenda. Authenticity matters: each consultant should develop their own style. To avoid being forgettable, respectfully provoke prospects to think differently.

Unpacking the Four Middle Phases

Nour details the four phases that form the "engine" of relationship development:

• Relating: Share relevant stories so prospects see themselves in similar situations.
• Nurturing: Add value with ideas, checklists, and stress-testing to build trust and credibility.
• Sustaining: Maintain momentum over time; help the buyer buy; enable internal champions.
• Requesting: Earn the right to ask for deeper access (e.g., org charts, NDAs, stakeholder conversations) to better understand needs and increase impact.

Capitalizing on Relationships After Project Completion

Two-thirds of the way through a project, identify existing, impending, and created needs to link projects and avoid losing momentum post-delivery. Nour shares how he invites senior executives from one client to speak at another client's event (non-competing industries), creating an ecosystem of seasoned leaders who become walking case studies.

Climbing the Relationship Value Pyramid

Nour bridges the gap between recognizing the importance of relationships and harnessing their significance with three ideas:

• Intelligent Relationship Management: Set relationship-centric outcomes, identify pivotal contacts, and make consistent "favor economy" deposits.
• Strategic Relationship Planning: Map company-to-company relationships from now to next (champions, cadence, outcomes).
• Relationship Value Pyramid: Categorize by depth and relevance—situation, investment, portfolio, recall (2 a.m.)—and apply a portfolio approach with a "three-touch rule" before reallocating attention.

Reciprocity in Relationship Building

Nour reviews gratitude, reciprocity, and paying it forward as observable behaviors. Twice a year, he reviews his top 100 relationships to prioritize where to invest next. He also mentions Avnir, his AI platform that builds a private relationship vault from existing data sources and prompts context-relevant actions to deepen connections.

Timestamps

• 05:40: Mapping & Ideal Relationship Profiles
• 10:20: Building New Relationships (Cold Outreach)
• 22:16: The Six Phases: Mapping, Relating, Nurturing, Sustaining, Requesting, Capitalizing
• 28:31: Capitalizing on Relationships
• 35:51: Relationship Economics Framework
• 42:34: Portfolio Approach & Three-Touch Rule
• 48:41: Activating the Untapped Power of Relationships

Links

• Professional Services Website: DavidNour.com
• AI Platform Website: Avnir.com
• Nour on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/davidnour/

This episode on Umbrex: https://umbrex.com/unleashed/episode-624-david-nour-author-of-relationship-economics/

Unleashed is produced by Umbrex, which has a mission of connecting independent management consultants with one another, creating opportunities for members to meet, build relationships, and share lessons learned. Learn more at www.umbrex.com.

Show Notes:

Kartik Sundar, founder of TeamSlide, a tool that uses AI to create PowerPoint slides, explains that TeamSlide is available through a web browser and a PowerPoint add-in, with users starting in the web browser and eventually using the add-in for more seamless access.

A Demonstration of TeamSlide

Kartik demonstrates how TeamSlide converts notes into consulting-style slides using AI for visual design and text layout. He explains the chat interface-like layout and the ability to generate multiple slide layouts from the same content. TeamSlide identifies the best layout for the story and structures it accordingly, using the example of four takeaways. Users can select specific layouts and input data, which TeamSlide will then convert into the chosen template.

Features and Customization of TeamSlide

Kartik shows how users can be more prescriptive by selecting specific layouts and inputting data, which TeamSlide will then convert into the chosen template. Kartik explains that TeamSlide considers the size of text boxes and edits sentences to fit within them, maintaining the look and feel of the slide. He pulls data from ChatGPT to demonstrate how TeamSlide adapts the information to the slide deck.

When asked about using personal PowerPoint templates, Kartik explains that while independent users cannot insert their own templates, TeamSlide's templates are designed to be transferable to any PowerPoint template. Kartik mentions that consulting firms and enterprises can specify their templates and layouts, which TeamSlide will then adapt to fit their brand and voice.

Exploring Templates and Features

Kartik demonstrates the variety of templates available in TeamSlide, including flows, executive summaries, data visualization, and specialized slides like maturity curves and funnels. Kartik talks about the different templates, noting the advanced manipulation capabilities of TeamSlide, such as restructuring slides in complex ways to meet specific needs and uses building an org chart with specified team members as an example. Kartik explains that independent consultants can access TeamSlide for free, while enterprises can tailor the solution to their brand and voice for a fee.

PowerPoint Add-In and AI Assistant

Kartik demonstrates the PowerPoint add-in, which is available in Microsoft's app source and integrates seamlessly with PowerPoint for a more streamlined experience. When asked about the integration of personal PowerPoint templates, Kartik explains that the add-in will transfer the color scheme and styling of the user's template. He also mentions the search function in TeamSlide, which allows users to find slides in their knowledge repository, such as SharePoint or Box.

History and Evolution of TeamSlide

Kartik provides a brief history of TeamSlide, starting with a deep slide search tool in 2014 and evolving to include AI-generated slides and the training data used to develop the tool. TeamSlide was initially designed for consulting firms to improve the process of finding and creating slides, and later expanded to serve marketing and sales teams. The AI aspect of TeamSlide was developed after testing internally to see what features would be most valuable to their audience.

Integration of Brand Voice

Kartik highlights the importance of tailoring the solution to the brand and voice of consulting firms and enterprises, ensuring that the slides fit their specific needs.The conversation summarizes the various features and benefits of TeamSlide, including the ability to generate slides with specific layouts and data, and the advanced manipulation capabilities. The pricing for enterprises depends on the number of users and includes customization charges.

Timestamps:

00:02: Overview of TeamSlide

02:08: Demo of TeamSlide in the Browser

04:52: Advanced Features and Customization

07:05: Exploring Templates and Features

11:39: PowerPoint Add-In and AI Assistant

17:27: History and Evolution of TeamSlide

Links:

https://create.teamslide.com/

This episode on Umbrex: https://umbrex.com/unleashed/episode-623-kartik-sundar-teamslide-a-free-ai-tool-for-generating-consulting-style-ppt-slides/

Unleashed is produced by Umbrex, which has a mission of connecting independent management consultants with one another, creating opportunities for members to meet, build relationships, and share lessons learned. Learn more at www.umbrex.com.

Show Notes:

Brian Potter, author of The Origins of Efficiency, explains his core model of efficiency, which includes five levers: production method, increasing production rate, lowering input costs, removing steps, and reducing variability.

The Work behind the Book

Brian discusses his background in the construction industry and his initial struggles in writing the book, including difficulties in explaining his thesis simply and coherently and the inspiration behind writing the book. He describes his process of iterating and refining his ideas, eventually classifying various strategies for improving productivity into a few key buckets.

Economies of Scale in the Construction Industry

The conversation turns to the book's argument that construction costs have not decreased, contrasting it with other manufactured goods. Brian explains the unique challenges in achieving economies of scale in construction, such as the difficulty in transporting buildings and the high costs of building materials and labor. He discusses the historical lack of economies of scale in large home builders and the challenges posed by different building codes, permitting jurisdictions, and environmental requirements. Brian emphasizes the difficulty of reducing input costs in construction due to the fixed nature of building materials and labor costs and explains how it compares to other industries and products.

How Transport Impacts Costs in Construction

The book explores the importance of reducing transport costs for efficiency gains, and Brian explains how the development of railroads in the 19th century enabled large-scale production by reducing transport costs and improving reliability. He discusses the impact of container shipping on modern manufacturing, highlighting the cost advantages of larger container ships due to geometric scaling and fixed cost scaling. Brian also mentions the historical example of iron stoves becoming more common after the development of railroads, which made it economical to transport them long distances.

How Changing Production Methods Reduce Cost

Brian is asked for an example of how changing production methods can unlock efficiency, and he talks about the discovery of a new process for making steel, which dramatically reduced the cost and time required to produce steel compared to the cementation process. He explains how the Bessemer process allowed for the widespread use of steel in construction, enabling the construction of buildings with steel frames. Brian highlights the importance of technological advancements in reducing the cost and increasing the efficiency of production methods.

Examples of Efficiency Gains: Increasing Production Rate

When asked for an example of how increasing production rate can lead to efficiency gains, Brian refers to container shipping, where larger ships have reduced costs per container due to geometric scaling and fixed cost scaling. He explains how spreading fixed costs over a larger output can make production more efficient. Brian mentions the example of Japanese factories in the 1980s, which were cheaper to build because they needed to store less inventory due to lean manufacturing principles.

How Lowering Input Costs Leads to Efficiency Gains

Brian explains how thread is an example of how lowering input costs can lead to efficiency gains. Thread became much cheaper due to technological advancements in spinning and weaving. He explains how cheaper inputs can lead to lower costs in the final product, making it more affordable for consumers. Brian also mentions the example of Iceland producing a large amount of aluminum due to its cheap hydroelectricity, which is a significant input cost in aluminum production.

Improving Efficiency Gains by Removing Steps

Brian shares an example of removing unnecessary steps in the production process at Tesla, such as removing sound-absorbing mats in the car that did not add value and the robots were having great difficulty installing. When they ran tests they found the mats didn't actually improve noise reduction. Brian explains how minimizing unnecessary steps can reduce costs and improve efficiency. He talks about common steps that can be removed ,and the importance of minimizing inventories and buffers in lean manufacturing to reduce costs and improve flow.

Reducing Variability to Improve Efficiency Gains

Brian discusses the example of semiconductor manufacturing, where reducing variability can significantly increase yields and reduce waste. He explains how precise control of the manufacturing process can lead to more reliable and efficient production. Brian mentions the importance of reducing errors and failures in production processes to improve efficiency and reduce costs.

Evolution of Construction Physics

Brian explains how his Substack started focusing on construction and housing but expanded to include topics like the energy grid, energy tech, institutions, innovation dynamics, and global production. He explains how his work at a construction startup influenced the topics he covered in the Substack, and how he began by just following his interests. However, later a thinktank became a fan of his Substack and sponsored him. Brian also mentions the support he received from the Institute for Progress, which helped him expand his reach and focus on broader topics.

The Role of Institutions and Organizations as a Production Technology

Brian explains that organizations and the way work is structured can be a significant factor in productivity improvement. He discusses the importance of lean manufacturing and other industrial improvement methods in rearranging work to improve efficiency. He also mentions that organizations and their patterns and behaviors can embody important technological knowledge and practices.

Research and Primary Sources

Brian shares that he is primarily a text-based researcher and relies on books, manuals, and other written sources for his research. He explains that his experience working in the construction industry informs his understanding of different industries and production methods. He also discusses the importance of finding sources that provide detailed information about production processes and technological advancements, and why he doesn't talk to much about manufacturing in China.

Future Plans and Final Thoughts

Looking ahead, Brian has ideas for new books, including a short history of the shipbuilding industry. He also discusses his ongoing work on the Substack Construction Physics and his focus on following his interests and learning more about various topics.

Timestamps:

00:02: Origins of Efficiency: Introduction and Core Model

05:07: Challenges in Construction Efficiency

09:37: Transport Costs and Economies of Scale

14:10: Examples of Efficiency Gains: Production Methods

18:55: Examples of Efficiency Gains: Increasing Production Rate

21:16: Examples of Efficiency Gains: Lowering Input Costs

24:10: Examples of Efficiency Gains: Removing Steps

27:38: Examples of Efficiency Gains: Reducing Variability

Links:

Substack: Construction Physics (embedded link on that phrase should be: https://www.construction-physics.com/p/my-book-the-origins-of-efficiency?r=oq1t&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web&showWelcomeOnShare=false

The Book: The Origins of Efficiency (link should be: https://amzn.to/3IN38ii

Unleashed is produced by Umbrex, which has a mission of connecting independent management consultants with one another, creating opportunities for members to meet, build relationships, and share lessons learned. Learn more at www.umbrex.com.

Introducing EVE

This episode kicks off with an introduction to EVE, an AI operator that turns email inboxes into lead generation. Founder Vadim Rogovskiy explains that EVE helps small businesses organize their inboxes to find leads and follow-ups. EVE saves time by drafting personalized emails and flagging upsell or churn signals. He mentions the special pricing: $250 per month for an individual plan and $500 per month for a team plan. EVE offers a seven-day trial, a refund for the first month, and a risk-free first month. Vadim also provides information on how to find more information about EVE online and on LinkedIn.

EVE for Independent Consultants

The conversation highlights how EVE can be useful for independent consultants who manage their own sales and work. Vadim explains that EVE requires minimal onboarding; users just need to connect their corporate email. EVE integrates with Google and Microsoft for privacy and security, and EVE builds a knowledge graph about the business by analyzing years of email data and internet-based research.

Functionality and Features

Vadim describes how EVE classifies contacts and extracts customer profiles from email data and public databases. EVE analyses communication to adopt tone and style, and provides an executive summary of the business to filter and prioritize leads. EVE flags leads that fit the ideal customer profile and provides necessary context for follow-ups and analyzes and prioritizes urgency. EVE can draft emails in the user's style and automate bespoke responses based on previous email history.

Automated Re-Engagement of Cold Leads

When asked about re-engaging cold leads that have not responded in months or years, Vadim explains that EVE can suggest templates for re-engaging cold leads. EVE's vision includes automating communications to handle a majority of leads without human intervention. EVE can schedule calls, draft contracts, and answer questions based on the company's knowledge base.

EVE's Capabilities in Action.

Vadim shares his screen and logs into EVE using his corporate email.

EVE displays new opportunities and follow-up leads, providing context and recommended actions.

EVE shows a full history of communication with leads and allows filtering by various criteria.

Timestamps:

00:02: Overview of EVE

01:28: Use Cases and Onboarding Process

04:28: Detailed Functionality and Features

06:40: Re-Engaging Cold Leads

10:25: Demonstration of EVE's Capabilities

13:49: Pricing and Availability

Links:

Website: joineve.ai

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/vadim-rogovskiy/

This episode on Umbrex: https://umbrex.com/unleashed/episode-621-vadim-rogovskiy-founder-of-eve/

Unleashed is produced by Umbrex, which has a mission of connecting independent management consultants with one another, creating opportunities for members to meet, build relationships, and share lessons learned. Learn more at www.umbrex.com.

Show Notes:

Christian Derosier, co-founder of Flashpoint.ai, explains that it is an AI-native market research agency that offers tools and methods typically used by market research agencies but at a fraction of the time and cost. Flashpoint.ai includes surveys, media monitoring, expert calls, and proprietary tools, aiming to provide a comprehensive market research solution. The tool is designed to help business leaders and consultants live at the level of business problems, clarifying objectives and translating them into a coordinated set of tools.

Demonstrating Flashpoint.ai Features

Christian shares his screen to demonstrate the tool, starting with a generic research query about market trends related to lactose-free ice cream in the United States.

The tool generates an AI web overview, providing initial context and a research plan, including sections on growth drivers, consumer preferences, competition, and barriers to scale.

Users can edit and add new sections to the research plan, and the tool provides an AI assistant for further context and detail.

The action plan translates the high-level objective into specific tools, such as surveys, expert interviews, and generative R&D testing.

The Generative R&D Tool

Christian explains the generative R&D tool, which conducts market testing by running ads to evaluate interest and demand for products. The tool generates ads and landing pages, allowing users to observe real consumer behavior and preferences. The ads are deployed on Google Ads, and the landing pages provide real information and links to actual products or services. The tool is useful for concept testing, new product development, and disruptive innovation, as it allows testing without attaching real brand names.

Generative R&D Case Study

Christian shares a case study where a small liberal arts school used the generative R&D tool to test different marketing strategies. The school tested various concepts, including study abroad offers, practical applications of liberal arts degrees, and even anti-woke liberal arts schools. The tool helped the school identify latent demand and insights into future planning. The cost for running the ads and generating insights is relatively low, making it an efficient and cost-effective method for market research.

Flashpoint.ai Licensing

The base fee for a Flashpoint.ai license is $40 per month per user, billed annually at $480.

Additional costs come from sample sizes, ad runs, expert calls, and other project-specific expenses.

Users can purchase resources a la carte for each project, avoiding long-term commitments.

The tool is available on flashpoint.ai, and additional resources, such as sample deliverables and video walkthroughs, can be provided upon request.

Timestamps:

0:02: Overview of Flashpoint.ai

04:07 Live Demo of Flashpoint.ai

11:29: Generative R&D Testing

21:41: Case Study and Insights

23:50: Pricing and Availability

Links:

Website: https://www.flashpoint.ai/

This episode on Umbrex: https://umbrex.com/unleashed/episode-620-christian-derosiers-co-founder-of-flashpoint-ai/

Unleashed is produced by Umbrex, which has a mission of connecting independent management consultants with one another, creating opportunities for members to meet, build relationships, and share lessons learned. Learn more at www.umbrex.com.

Show Notes:

Uday Turaga runs ADI Analytics, a boutique firm specializing in oil and gas, energy, and chemical industries. ADI Analytics was founded in 2009, has 20 employees, and operates globally. The firm focuses on the value chain across oil and gas, energy, and chemicals, including upstream exploration, midstream natural gas and LNG markets, downstream fuels, power utilities, and energy transition. In 2017, ADI Analytics acquired Chemical Market Resources, expanding its capabilities in the chemicals and materials spaces.

Oil and Gas Projects

Uday discusses various oil and gas projects, including work with large oil and gas majors like Exxon, BP, and Shell. ADI Analytics helps refining independents explore export markets in Latin America due to the US refining complex's gasoline surplus. The firm conducts feasibility studies for LNG export terminals on the US Gulf Coast, analyzing competitive positioning, technology, risks, and financing.

He explains that scenario planning for an oil major focuses on long-term energy demand, and how it can be affected by the growing demand for natural gas from data centers and emerging markets globally.

About ADI Analytics

Uday talks about ADI Analytics. They work with large chemical players like BASF, Dow, and SABIC, covering the entire value chain, and help them on the feedstocks conversion into key building blocks in the chemicals industries, such as olefins, aromatics, and then all the derivatives, and further down into plastics, polymers and and how those plastics and polymers end up in our lives as consumers. He explains why the chemical industry is distressed, and how the firm helps clients understand the cost competitiveness of different chemicals globally and the impact of energy transition on the industry. Projects include due diligence for private equity firms on specialty chemical and materials markets and mapping the impact of energy transition on supply chains.

Data Center Growth in the US

Uday provides an overview of the data center landscape, noting the significant growth in data center capacity in the US Hyperscalers are building larger data centers, often in non-traditional locations like Texas, Oklahoma, and Louisiana, driven by the need for secure energy and power. He explains how large the demand for electricity from data centers is with hyperscalers requiring up to a gigawatt of power, which is challenging to secure. Energy needs between households and data centers are compared to give an example of the scale needed. However, the process of adding new power generation capacity to the grid is slow, with interconnection queues taking multiple years, leading to delays in meeting data center power needs.

Energy Sources and Strategies for Data Centers

Hyperscalers are pursuing various strategies to secure power, including building data centers in non-preferred locations, partnering with utilities, and investing in early-stage technologies like geothermal and small modular nuclear reactors. Uday discusses the challenges of securing power for data centers, including the need for significant new power generation capacity and the difficulties in connecting to the grid. The conversation highlights the importance of low-carbon energy sources for data centers, with interest in geothermal, nuclear, and hydrogen. ADI Analytics is involved in projects helping tech companies identify sources of low-carbon energy and exploring opportunities for oil and gas majors in the power generation space.

Geothermal Energy and Small Modular Nuclear Reactors

Uday explains the potential of geothermal energy, including traditional hydrothermal resources and advanced geothermal systems (EGS). EGS involves drilling deep into the Earth's surface to extract heat, but the technology is still in development and faces challenges like high costs and engineering complexities. Small modular nuclear reactors (SMRs) are gaining interest due to growing electricity demand from data centers and industrial electrification. The conversation covers the regulatory and permitting challenges for SMRs, the need for innovation in nuclear power, and the potential for these technologies to address energy needs.

Politics and Policy on Energy Projects

The conversation turns to the impact of political and policy decisions on energy projects, including the opposition to renewable energy projects and support for nuclear power. Uday highlights the need for a balanced energy policy that supports all forms of energy, recognizing the unique advantages and challenges of each technology. He emphasizes the importance of allowing markets to determine the most competitive energy solutions, rather than imposing political or regulatory barriers. The discussion concludes with a call for a more cohesive and market-driven energy policy to meet the diverse energy needs of the future.

Timestamps

02:22 Oil and Gas Project Examples

04:56: Chemical Industry Projects

08:16: Data Center Trends and Challenges

23:45: Energy Sources and Strategies for Data Centers

25:28: Geothermal Energy and Small Modular Nuclear Reactors

33:18: Political and Policy Considerations

Links:

ADI Analytics website: www.adi-analytics.com

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/turaga/

Unleashed is produced by Umbrex, which has a mission of connecting independent management consultants with one another, creating opportunities for members to meet, build relationships, and share lessons learned. Learn more at www.umbrex.com.

Show Notes:

David A. Fields talks about how AI is affecting consulting firms. David clarifies that his company's active client base is 30-50 firms, and they are being asked more frequently to help firms with an AI strategy. In terms of size, 20% of their business is solo consultants, while the rest are mostly businesses that range from $2 million to $100 million.

Consulting Firms and AI Adoption

David explains that the average revenue per FTE in consulting has remained around $250,000 for the past decade.He notes that firms are looking to create the same revenue with fewer people, which is the big promise of AI. He mentions the wide range of AI adoption rates among firms, from those just starting with chatbots to those seeing significant productivity gains.

He also highlights the impact of AI on hiring junior people, with firms debating whether to hire junior analysts or use AI for faster, cheaper work.

How High-Adopter Firms Use AI

The conversation turns to examples of high-adopter firms and the tools they use. David describes a Canadian client that has seen 60% productivity gains by replacing functions with AI, including analysis, presentations, and proposals. The client has taken a hard line on not hiring anyone if AI can replace the function, leading to significant productivity gains and faster client results. David explains that the client uses AI to create summaries of context discussions, and templates for presentations and proposals, which are then populated with data. Additionally, AI speeds turnaround time, and has reduced the need to hire more people to do analysis or when the number of clients increases.

Challenges and Opportunities in AI Adoption

David discusses the challenges of creating effective AI templates and the importance of good direction for AI tools. He mentions that firms are often building AI templates in-house with some direction from experts. He talks about the variety of AI tools available, including general-purpose tools like ChatGPT and specialized tools for specific tasks. David emphasizes the importance of staying flexible and not fully committing to any one tool by subscribing to an annual membership, as the landscape is constantly changing.

Variation in AI Adoption by Functional Areas

The discussion moves on to variations in AI adoption by functional areas like strategy, operations, marketing, etc. David explains that adoption rates are more driven by the founder's mindset and operational orientation rather than the specific function. He notes that some industries feel less pressure to adopt AI, while others recognize that AI delivers the analytical horsepower that is needed to stay relevant. There are varying levels of AI adoption across different firms.

Predictions for AI in 2026

David predicts that the next few months will be spiky, with specialists who can provide practical applications of AI faring better. He mentions that generalist recommendation givers may struggle more. It is recognized that clients often prefer consultants with specific industry experience, which can be a challenge for AI tools. He also mentions the limitations of AI research. When it comes to advice for junior consultants looking to enter the field, David suggests that domain expertise and knowledge that AI tools don't have are crucial for getting into consulting firms. He emphasizes the importance of being a top user of AI tools and for junior consultants to differentiate themselves by mastering AI tools and demonstrating their value to firms.

Timestamps:

02:40: Impact of AI on Hiring and Revenue in Consulting Firms

05:59: Specific AI Tools and Practices in High-Adopter Firms

11:12: Challenges and Opportunities in AI Adoption

14:56: Variation in AI Adoption by Functional Areas

19:26: Predictions for AI in 2026 and Beyond

21:06: Advice for Junior Consultants

Links:

Website: DavidAFields.com.

Unleashed is produced by Umbrex, which has a mission of connecting independent management consultants with one another, creating opportunities for members to meet, build relationships, and share lessons learned. Learn more at www.umbrex.com.