Unleashed - How To Thrive As An Independent Professional

Brad Schneider ran a data analytics firm for five years before founding Nomad Data in New York City where he is currently CEO. His experience includes but is not limited to HR technology engineer at Goldman Sachs, an equity analyst at Palo Alto Investors and Aragon Global Management, and CEO of the software company Adaptive Management. In today’s episode, Brad shares insights on how to find the data you need. You can learn more about Brad’s company at Nomad-Data.com. Key points include: 01:12: How the Nomad Data network works 04:13: The vendors of data - who they are 06:45: The company pricing model 08:35: Surprising data sources 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.

Tushar Shah is currently a Managing Partner at Kinderhook Partners, LLC.  Prior to Kinderhook, Tushar was a Principal at Geocapital Partners, a leading venture capital firm,  a strategy consultant with the Monitor Group, where he led a range of projects in New York, London and Tel Aviv; he is a CFA charterholder and he received a B.A. in Economics from Williams College. In today’s episode, Tushar explains the fundamentals of search funds. To learn more about Tushar’s company, visit KinderhookPartners.com or reach out to him on LinkedIn. Key points include:   00:30: What a search fund is 10:51: Who can apply for the fund 15:53: Examples of business and services acquired 28:12: Assembling a pool of investors 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.

Paul Millerd is a McKinsey alum, modern-day nomad, entrepreneur, and author of The Pathless Path - Imagining a New Story for Work & Life. Paul provides online courses on strategy consulting and freelance consulting. He is also the creator and contributor of the popular website, Boundless, a site that explores how to have a better relationship with work, and a podcast that is designed to help creatives reimagine work. In today’s episode, Paul talks about his book. You can order the book and learn more about Paul’s programs or sign up for his newsletter at Think-Boundless.com. Key points include: 02:59: What people believe about work 05:23: Tips on exploring the pathless path 19:43: The results of curiosity conversations 21:41: Disappointments on the pathless path 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.

Celine Teoh is an executive coach who helps senior leaders convert potential into performance by making the soft skills practical. She is a certified Tiny Habits Coach with Stanford’s Behavior Design Lab, and a facilitator for Stanford Business School’s popular Interpersonal Dynamics course. She is also an ex-McKinsey consultant, business operator, marketing strategist, and investment banker with years of strategy consulting experience with Fortune 500 executives in Asia and the USA. She holds an MBA from Stanford and a BSc from the London School of Economics.  Agnès Le is an executive coach with a focus on emotional intelligence with 20 years of experience in talent development, a multicultural background, and an MBA from Stanford. She's a leadership coach in the Executive Education and MSx programs at Stanford business school, and a group facilitator for the school’s most popular elective, Interpersonal Dynamics, also known as Touchy Feely. She is also an instructor at Stanford Continuing Studies where she

Shane Heywood on Go-to-Market Strategy Shane Heywood is a Bain-trained consultant with 10+ years experience in Marketing, Sales, Operations and Strategy across a variety of industries. He has on the ground experience in 13 countries and currently works in private sector Emerging Market strategy. Shane is passionate about building businesses, delivering impact and helping organisations grow, and in today’s episode, he talks about his practice and processes. Shane can be contacted through LinkedIn, and you can learn more about his company at PortlandVenturesInc.com.   Key points include: 05:44: Steps an organisation can take to make sponsorship happen 10:42: Sponsorship and mentorship for independent professionals 16:25: What’s included in a go-to-market project 18:38: A case example from a Sub-Saharan market 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 lesson

Phillip Morgan has helped thousands of consultants use specialization to find a beachhead that leads to greater visibility, profitability, expertise, and success. He has recently published his book, The Positioning Manual for Indie Consultants, and in today’s episode, he talks about his expertise incubator, his book, and setting up a thought leadership program. You can learn more from Phillip’s book, and the 10-part email course.  Key points include: 03:01: Examples of small scale research 06:52: Examples of projects in the program 13:02: The platformer advantage 21:51: Earning visibility without a platform 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.

McKinsey alum with an MBA from Harvard Business School, Nidhi Chadda has 20+ years of experience as an investment banker, strategic consultant, and investor. She is the Founder and CEO of Enzo Advisors, a global sustainability consulting firm focused on helping companies build best-in-class sustainable business models within an ESG construct. In today’s episode, she talks about ESG in business. You can reach out to Nidhi on LinkedIn or visit her website EnzoAdvisors.com.  Key points include: 02:12: ESG and investing in asset management 08:20: The Sustainability Accounting Standards Board (SASB) factor 11:19: ESG and value creation 20:32: Trends in ESG 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.

Founder of Aminad Consulting, Lido Ramadan has over 25 years of experience in founding, growing, leading, and sustaining services organizations. Prior to establishing Aminad, Lido founded multiple successful small businesses and led the operations of several rapidly growing consulting firms. In today’s episode he talks about serving the federal government. To find out more about Lido’s firm or to contact him directly, visit LinkedIn or AminadConsulting.com. Key points include: 05:17:Consulting analysis unique to the government 09:54: Surprising insights from interviews 13:55: An effective strategy 20:11: Projects for the SEC 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.

  Alexei Leonard is a Partner at Golenblock, Eisman, Assor Bell, and  Pescoe where he leads the firm’s labor and employment practice.  His practice spans nearly all employment counseling and litigation matters affecting employers today. In today’s episode, he talks about the legalities involved with hiring and retaining an employee. To learn more about Alexei’s services, visit www.golenblock.com or email him at Alexander@Golenblock.com. Key points include: 02:00: Key considerations 13:19: Payroll providers 19:06: Background checks 34:09: Non-disclosure agreements 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.

Erik Lautier is an expert in ecommerce, marketing, and digital strategy.  After over two decades in roles dealing with ecommerce and marketing for brands like Lacoste, Bebe, and Francesca’s, he founded Erik & Co, an ecommerce and marketing consultancy serving seven and eight-figure DTC brands, retailers, and/or their private equity owners. In today’s episode he shares his expertise in ecommerce. Learn more about Erik and his company at www.Erik.co. Key points include: 07:17: The shift from theatre to ecommerce 10:14: The layers of an ecommerce assessment 12:38: Benchmarks and opportunities 18:26: The choke points in ecommerce 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.

Marshall has over twenty years of experience defining, managing, and growing the world’s best-known investing brands. He has been an executive committee leader and CMO for Fortune 250 businesses in North America and the Asia-Pacific region. In today’s episode, he talks about how the world of data is revolutionizing marketing, particularly for wealth and investment management firms. You can learn more about the work Marshall does at WellsFargo.com, or reach out to him on LinkedIn.  Key points include: 00:50: Data in terms of wealth Investment Management 08:39: Lead scoring in practice 20:10: Identifying poor leads 22:53: Identifying customer tiers 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.

Mike is an innovative and entrepreneurial Chief Information Officer (CIO) with over 30 years in executive leadership positions with global technology organizations across multiple industries, including retail, telecommunications, research, and energy. His vast range of experience includes building teams in cybersecurity, application development, cloud services, infrastructure, data centers, software as a service, and more. In today’s episode, Mike talks about strategic technology leadership.  Learn more about Mike’s company at Stratus Key Advisors or reach out to Mike directly at mike@stratuskey.com. Key points include: 05:26: Data in the utility industry 14:54: Security of information 21:30: How companies are monetizing energy usage data 24:54: Key areas of focus in the utility and energy industry 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. L

Johannes Hoech is a C-level Silicon Valley executive who is experienced in "Growth Architecting”. He is an expert analyst and motivational leader with proven skills in general management, strategy, product management, and customer success.  With 25+ years of experience leading technology startups through early stage, high growth, and turnaround phases, he has a strong understanding of the software entrepreneurs and consultants need to organize business operations. In today’s episode, he shares his knowledge of an affordable MarTech stack. You can access Johannes’ company blog, on Premonio.com,  and the links to the tools discussed on the show are as follows: patternai.co goldcast.io dux-soup SalesHandy Pipedrive Dedupely Crunchbase LinkMatch CrystalKnows Sharetivity Hootsuite Paper.li apollo.io 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

Stan is a senior executive with deep expertise in digital and traditional media with a focus on food & beverage and hospitality-related businesses. As a food industry consultant, he has worked with a diverse range of global clients including Sony Pictures International; BBC Worldwide; and India Today Group. In today’s episode, he talks about his strategic consulting service in the entertainment and media space, food and hospitality, and the intersection of the two. You can reach out to Stan at ssagner@gmail.com. Key points include: 05:52: Types of projects 10:53: Menu insights - pricing and items 18:27: Working with developers 25:17: Room service issues 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.

Belinda Li was a  senior advisor at McKinsey before she founded CiTTA, a company that focuses on promoting and facilitating the growth of the social enterprise business model and economy. Belinda has a passion for combining the power of business with the promise of social impact, and in today’s show, she talks about how her company helps foster growth in that direction. Visit the website to learn more about CiTTA or reach out to Belinda on LinkedIn. Key points include: 02:00: An overview of work with social enterprises 07:49: ROI to shareholders 17:41: A working example of a social enterprise 24:29: Consulting skills for social enterprises 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 Lee has held numerous prestigious positions: he was a consultant at the World Bank, the chief of staff, Executive Office Division at Goldman Sachs, and the head of business planning and operations at AOL. He is now the founder and  CEO at IndeCollective, a company that offers expert guidance to the most seasoned professionals, and that is what he is going to talk about on today’s episode. You can learn more about the program at IndeCollective.co. Key points include: 02:45: What IndeCollective offers members 04:36: The 10-week experience 21:30: Authentic ways to stay top-of-mind 31:18: Sales conversations   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.

Josh Spector is the founder of the For The Interested newsletter; a weekly newsletter featuring ideas “to help you learn, do, and become.” He is also an audience growth strategist and a digital marketing consultant. But in this episode, he shares his expertise on newsletters. To sign up for Josh’s newsletter visit, https://fortheinterested.com/, and to learn more about Josh’s newsletter tips visit, https://joshspector.com/. Key points include: 03:51: Newsletters created 06:40: Josh’s consulting strategy 12:46: Newsletter tips on technology, design, sign-ups, and frequency 40:27: Curating content 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.

Will Bachman hosts a panel discussion on hiring your first associate. The panel includes top-tier consultants  J. Andrew McKee, David Burnie of The Burnie Group, and Belinda Li. Key points include: 04:32: Deciding to hire your first employee 07:45: The pros and cons of having employees 11:20: The right time to add additional employees 17:17: Recruiting through LinkedIn 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.

Joe has been a successful start-up CEO and operating executive at high-growth tech companies. He was named Entrepreneur of the Year in 2012 by Crain's New York Business and was #9 on Business Insider's 2013 "Silicon Alley 100" list. Joe is the Founder & CEO of ExecThread, a VC-backed crowdsourcing platform and premium job-sharing network that enables professionals to access the “hidden job market”. ExecThread is the largest global aggregator of unpublished executive-level job opportunities, and this is what he talks about in today’s episode. You can learn more about Execthread at www.ExecThread.com.   Key points include:   02:15: How ExecThread works 09:18: The ExecThread vetting process 14:49: Advice to people looking for executive roles 20:44: Advice for employers 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.

Gaurav was a consultant with McKinsey and a leader in their Organization Practice in North America. Before McKinsey, he worked in marketing for Pepsi Cola International and Procter & Gamble in Europe, the Middle East, and India, and he has counselled and coached hundreds of senior leaders as they lead their organizations through transformation, with a special focus on coaching them on personal mastery, difficult conversations, and strategic thinking. Mark is an engineer by training, he began his career as a Navy officer and member of the US Naval Construction Battalion. He is also a McKinsey alum and has worked across multiple industries, including financial services, high tech, biotech manufacturing, IT services, and governmental offices. Read more about their book at https://unfearbook.com/. Key points include: 05:24: Gaurav’s work in cultural transformation 08:32: The art and science of achieving standing breakthrough results 13:27: Identifying and moving through fear 26:16: Freeing the angel in the s