Unleashed - How To Thrive As An Independent Professional

On her podcast, Fearless Growth, Amanda Setili interviews Mitali Chopra, UK Coach of the Year for best client results. They talk about her business and also about the karma equation for World abundance and why giving is such an important part of living. She talks about the nonprofit that she founded to help kids learn entrepreneurship by playing games. Amanda’s podcast can be found here http://bitly.bz/G5cKA. Key points include: 06:58: Overcoming fear 15:51: How company culture can hold a company back 23:32: Transitioning to other cultures 26:58: The importance of continuous growth 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.

Sam Saperstein has an MBA in Marketing and Strategy from Wharton, she is a McKinsey alum, and is now a managing director at JPMorgan Chase. In this episode, Sam talks about the Women on the Move program and how it helps women thrive professionally and start businesses. You can learn more about the program on the podcast, Women on the Move. Key points include: 09:07: Resources for women who want to start a business 11:56: Gaps in financial health and financial education for women. 17:55: Encouraging the careers of women at JPMorgan Chase 22:27: Negotiation skills for women 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.

Belden Menkus was a senior engagement manager at McKinsey for six years and is the managing director at Menkus and Associates where they specialise in high-impact senior-level interventions that create new strategic value and growth opportunities using proven new approaches that engage head, heart and hands. In today’s episode, we talk about how he approaches developing and deploying a strategy with purpose and positive outcomes. Belden Menkus can be reached through his website at menkus.com.   Key points include: 05:11: Working with the Port of London Authority 07:46: Working with organisations to reach clarity of purpose 12:35: Pursuing the ideal 17:53: The impact clarity of purpose can have on an organisation. 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.

Belden Menkus is the managing director at Menkus and Associates. He is also the host of the podcast the Purposeful Strategist, a podcast that shifts the conversation from what organisations should do to what they are doing to embrace their broader purpose and translate it into tangible action. On today’s episode, we listen to one of Belden’s podcasts where he interviews Robin Mortimer, the chief executive of organization in the London Port of Authority Key points include: 06:52: What the Port Authority is and what they do 09:32: How the vision of the Thames and organisation is structured and functions 12:42: Where the Thames Vision is going 15:32: The strategy to manage the vision 21:16: How the hydrogen economy affects the Thames Vision 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.  

David A. Fields spent nine years in marketing for GlaxoSmithKline before jumping into consulting with a boutique firm, where he became partner. He then co-founded Ascendant Consulting and focused the practice on helping large corporations enter new markets. He is the author of two books on consulting, and on this episode, he shares expert tips for solo consultants, boutique firms, and small to medium businesses.  David can be reached through LinkedIn or his website, https://www.davidafields.com. Key points include: 06:24: Structuring the discovery discussion 15:14: Partners for consultants 18:35: Big challenges for solo consultants 31:43: The challenge of growth 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.

Tim Streeter spent 25 years working in consulting and human resources including global leadership roles in Talent Acquisition at Accenture and Whirlpool. As the former chief operating officer of talent acquisition at Accenture, where he was responsible for managing a recruiter headcount of 2500 people and delivering 100,000 new hires every year. He's also the author of the Contentment Commitment, which we will chat about in this episode.  Tim can be reached through his website, https://www.contentmentcommitment.com/, where you can also learn more about the book.    Key points include:   00:52: The personal history behind the book 03:19: The six dimensions of contentment 08:32: The commitments Tim made 20:10: Tim’s work with organisations 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.

Max Friberg is a McKinsey alum with an MSc in CEMS International Management who has founded the SaaS tool company Inex One with the goal to improve the exchange of expertise around the globe. Inex One is now used by leading investors and analysts.  You can learn more about Inex One at inex.one. Key points include: 07:13: How Inex One improves the expert network process and experience 15:54: How the idea of Inex One was born 18:39: How the expert network is evolving 26:00: Who’s using Inex One 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.

Chad Oakley is the president and CEO of Charles Eris, which is one of the top executive search firms in the United States focused on recruiting management consultants. In this Q & A episode, he shares insights and answers questions that consultants have always wanted to ask about the job market.  Key points include: 09:37: The current state of the market for consultants 15:18: Areas that are in demand now and will increase in demand 21:49: Applying for a salaried position after working as an independent consultant 33:34: The best way to interact with retain search firms 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

Sarah Locher is a Senior at Independence High School. She currently works as a Hollister Brand Agent and was chosen as one of forty employees from a national pool of 2,880 applicants. As a high school student, she conducted an impressive project on the future of Change Management. She talks about why she started the project and how she did it.  To learn more about Sarah’s project, connect with her on LinkedIn at https://www.linkedin.com/in/sarah-locher-a4579b1a6/, and to download her change management research results go to https://bit.ly/3yQLMaf. Key points include: 00:46: The future change management consulting project 07:42: Recruiting participants for the project 12:43: Key takeaways from the research 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  

Kathryn Valentine is a McKinsey alum, author, speaker and founder of Worthmore Negotiations, a company that focuses on creating effective, research-based negotiation strategies for women, training women to use these strategies, and supporting them during the big negotiations of their career. Learn more about Worthmore Negotiations at www.worthmorenegotiations.com or reach out to Kathryn on LinkedIn at linkedin.com/in/kval. Key points include: 02:27: Why it benefits a company to teach women to negotiate 09:51: Communal negotiation and collaborative negotiation 18:38: The gold standard in negotiations 19:28: How Worth More developed 23:09: Key negotiation tips for women 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

Bill Fotsch has a 20-year track record of improving company sales and profits in an array of industries. He holds a Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering and an MBA from Harvard Business School, where he graduated as a Baker Scholar. He has co-authored several published articles and serves on the board of several companies that practice Open-Book Management. You can learn more about his company at https://openbookcoaching.com, or email Bill at Bill.Fotsch@openbookcoaching.com or reach out on LinkedIn at linkedin.com/in/billfotsch. Key points include: 05:07: Where to start with open-book management 08:57: Examples of companies switching to open-book management 17:04: Big changes in operations 28:03: How Bill launched his writing career 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

Ben Legg helps entrepreneurs reinvent themselves and society for the better. His career has included relieving the siege of Sarajevo in 1995, McKinsey strategy consultant, turning around Coca-Cola India and the COO of Google Europe. In this episode, he discusses his latest venture The Portfolio Collective. You can learn more at https://portfolio-collective.com Key points include: 01:00: Who can become a portfolio professional 04:48: How the Portfolio Creative developed 10:03: The benefits of joining the Portfolio Collective 20:32: Branding diverse skill sets and services cohesively 22:25: Entry requirements  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

Mary Cummins has an MBA from the Wharton School and an MA with Honors in Electrical Engineering from Cambridge University.  Her consulting career includes equity partnership at The Boston Consulting Group, and at Deloitte Consulting. Mary’s experience spans across traditionally siloed healthcare sectors and includes serving on the Board of the Visiting Nurse Service of New York (the largest non-profit home health agency in the US). On this episode, she talks about value-based care and the shift from volume to value in the healthcare system. Key points include: 10:38: Transitioning to new models after the Affordable Care Act 16:00: How a hospital adapts to a value-based care system 21:09: Examples of how hospitals operate differently 23:44: How the pay structure affects the model 31:44: Current experiments in value-based care Learn more about Mary’s company at www.certusadv.com and connect on www.linkedin.com/in/maryecummins Unleashed is produced by Umbrex, which has a mission of connecting independent managem

Dr. Anders Corr is an alum of both Harvard and Yale. He led the Social Science Research and Analysis (SSRA) group in Afghanistan, which oversaw 600 Afghan contract employees on 44 survey projects, before founding Corr Analytics and the Journal of Political Risk in 2013. He is an author and a political risk consultant on national risk assessment focused on China. On this episode, he talks about his work as a political risk consultant. Key points include: 03:39: An example of clients and projects undertaken 10:32: Initial information offered to corporate clients 16:12: Key factors that contribute to a negative view of China 21:51: Deliverables generated for clients 24:28: The Wisdom of Crowds approach to forecasting Learn more about Anders’ firm at http://www.canalyt.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.

Robert Hardy has recently started an online coaching platform to help creatively inclined individuals promote their work. On today’s episode, he explains how his program works, why quality trumps quantity, and how to find your niche. Key points include: 01:38: Why most marketing advice is wrong 06:27: The fragmentation of the Internet and niches 11:12: How the Ungated program helps people find their niche 13:54: Coffee and keyword roulette 24:41: Tactical niche marketing steps Learn more about Ungated at https://ungated.media/, his filmmaking site at www.filmmakerfreedom.com, and check out his thoughts on what it means to be a citizen at www.citizenwithin.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.

Alex P. Bartholomaus is President and CEO of People Stretch Solutions, a Washington DC based management consulting firm specializing in revenue growth consulting and scaling organizations. He is a published author and professional speaker on the topic of OKRs, Sales Effectiveness, Elite Business Performance and Emotional Intelligence. On this episode, Alex talks about his company with a focus on growing sales. Key points include: 08:43: The wine industry taxes and distribution chain 15:12: The business focus of objective and key results 18:00: Examples of OKRs and how they differ from goals 29:12: Different aspects of the management system To learn more about Alex’s firm visit https://www.peoplestretch.com/ or message Alex on LinkedIn at http://www.linkedin.com/in/alexbartholomaus. 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.

Jonas Altman is a speaker, writer, and entrepreneur who creates transformational learning experiences to elevate and grow leaders around the world. He has a Bachelor of Arts degree in philosophy and he has recently published the book, Shapers: Reinvent the way you work and change the future. On this episode, Jonas talks about his book, his work, the power of harnessing creative energy, and how it helps motivate his clients. Key points include: 03:35: How the future of work may evolve 13:16: The need to expand the learning mindset 23:16: Coaching style and client types 27:10: Two case studies on achieving aspirational targets   You can learn more about Jonas at Jonas Altman.com, you can learn more about the work he does at social fabric.com, and find the book at shapers.life. 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.

Susan Meier is a brand strategist and a Harvard-trained artist. She applies a creative mindset to the craft of strategy to develop a brand strategy and has worked with the world’s most beloved brands, from Pepsi to Lipton, M&Ms to Doritos. Her art is in private collections of Saatchi & Saatchi, the New York Stock Exchange, and Pfizer and has been exhibited at the American Museum of Natural History.  In this episode, she talks about her latest side-hustle, www.workspace-studio.com. Key points include: 02:13: How workspace was developed 05:28 The important elements that make a great workspace 12:41: How the space is a portrait of the person 17:56: The creative strategy of no-destination travel 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.

Tineke Keesmaat has over 15 years of consulting experience with McKinsey & Company, Accenture, and as the founder and CEO of  TILTCO Inc. She has an MBA from the Richard Ivey School of Business at Western University with a subspecialty in Entrepreneurship and a B.A with Honours in Psychology from Queen's University. In this episode, she talks about the hybrid business playbook her company has published.  Key points include: 01:11: The process of developing the playbook 11:49: Developing a podcast series  17:30: The impact of the podcast 26:27: How companies can build a hybrid business You can find out more about the playbook and Tineke’s business at www.tiltco.ca. 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.

Amanda Wright has a Master of Business Administration in Finance and a Bachelor of Science in molecular biology. She is an experienced management consultant who provides business advisory services to her clients.  Today, she talks about her program to help women from professional services firms make the leap to independent consulting. Key points include: 02:07: The structure of the Take the Leap program 09:43: The importance of the company name 13:31: Building the right mindset for a successful business 17:59: Managing your money 25:00: Marketing the coaching program You can learn more about the Take the Leap program at https://www.thewrightcompany.ca/taketheleap and sign up for Amanda’s weekly newsletter. 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.