Home Podcasts The Pro Serv Podcast: Grow, Scale, and Exit a Boutique Professional Services Firm
The Pro Serv Podcast: Grow, Scale, and Exit a Boutique Professional Services Firm

The Pro Serv Podcast: Grow, Scale, and Exit a Boutique Professional Services Firm

Collective 54 263 Episodes Aug 19, 2026

This podcast is aimed at owners of boutique professional services firms who want to grow, scale, and eventually exit their businesses. It offers advice and insights on strategic growth, operational scaling, and preparing for a successful sale or transition. Hosted by Collective 54, a community for professional services leaders, the show draws on real-world experience and expert interviews. Listeners can expect practical guidance for building a more valuable and sustainable firm.

Episodes

"The Boutique in Practice - Building Authority in an AI World with Adam Witty | Episode 269 "
"The Boutique in Practice - Building Authority in an AI World with Adam Witty | Episode 269 " Aug 19, 2026 1487 In this episode, Jeff Klaumann speaks with Adam Witty, Founder and CEO of Advantage|ForbesBooks, about how boutique professional services firm founders can build authority in an AI world. This episode is useful for founders of boutique professional service firms who are working on differentiating from AI-driven competitors, establishing thought leadership, and using authority marketing to attract
From Margin Crisis to Profitability: The Rebuild with Ravit Gutman | Episode 268
From Margin Crisis to Profitability: The Rebuild with Ravit Gutman | Episode 268 Aug 14, 2026 1942 Finance Transformation Firm | Boutique Professional Services Podcast Most founders discover margin erosion long after it starts, because it never arrives as a single bad decision. It shows up as a discount to win the logo, a hire made ahead of demand, scope that quietly expands. Ravit Gutman of Extropy Advisors watched margin compress across her firm and then did the harder thing: she found where
Hire the Lawyer First: Building the Team That Gets Your Exit Done with Tim Belden| Episode 267
Hire the Lawyer First: Building the Team That Gets Your Exit Done with Tim Belden| Episode 267 Aug 5, 2026 1292 In this episode, Greg Alexander speaks with Tim Belden, a Collective 54 member, about why most boutique founders make a costly sequencing mistake when building their exit team — and what one founder did differently by hiring the transaction attorney before the investment bank. This episode is useful for founders of boutique professional service firms who are preparing for an exit, assembling an ad
Profitable Isn’t the Same as Sellable with Frank Williamson| Episode 266
Profitable Isn’t the Same as Sellable with Frank Williamson| Episode 266 Jul 30, 2026 1426 In this episode, Jeff Klaumann speaks with Frank Williamson, Founder of Oaklyn Consulting, about why a profitable boutique professional services firm is not automatically a sellable one — and what founders must do to close the gap between strong financials and genuine buyer appeal. This episode is useful for founders of boutique professional service firms who are working on preparing for an exit,
Rethinking Service Delivery in the AI Era with Noah Berk| Episode 265
Rethinking Service Delivery in the AI Era with Noah Berk| Episode 265 Jul 23, 2026 1324 In this episode, Greg Alexander speaks with Noah Berk, Co-Founder of Aptitude 8 about how AI is reshaping service delivery and pricing in professional services. This episode is useful for founders of boutique professional service firms who are working on reducing delivery costs with AI, right-sizing their SaaS stack, and navigating the shift from traditional implementation models. Topics covered a
The Headless Future: Re-Engineering Your Tech Stack for the AI Era with Ben Edwards | Episode 264
The Headless Future: Re-Engineering Your Tech Stack for the AI Era with Ben Edwards | Episode 264 Jul 19, 2026 1854 In this episode, Greg Alexander speaks with Ben Edwards, VP of Consulting at CMap about where professional-services software is heading and how AI is changing the way boutique firms access and use their operational data. This episode is useful for founders of boutique professional service firms who are working on modernizing their tech stack, understanding how headless SaaS and MCP access work in
Own More, Run Less: The Agency Holding Company Playbook with Peter Kang | Episode 263
Own More, Run Less: The Agency Holding Company Playbook with Peter Kang | Episode 263 Jul 6, 2026 2007 In this episode, Greg Alexander speaks with Peter Kang, Co-Founder of Barrel Holdings about how a boutique agency founder transitioned from owner-operator to pure owner by building a portfolio of specialized agencies. This episode is useful for founders of boutique professional service firms who are working on reducing owner dependence, exploring acquisition as a growth strategy, and building a bu
You Don't Need an Engineer. You Need to Know the Work with Chris Prinos | Episode 262
You Don't Need an Engineer. You Need to Know the Work with Chris Prinos | Episode 262 Jun 18, 2026 1060 In this episode, Greg Alexander speaks with Chris Prinos, founder of Indigo Trigger about how a professional services firm solved building AI leverage without a technical hire. This episode is useful for founders of boutique professional service firms who are working on building AI tools without technical staff, scaling operations without adding headcount, and creating repeatable systems for AI ad
We Hired a Credentialed M&A Advisor. It Still Went Sideways with Scott Gardner and Dennis Hahn | Episode 261
We Hired a Credentialed M&A Advisor. It Still Went Sideways with Scott Gardner and Dennis Hahn | Episode 261 Jun 4, 2026 1742 Firm Type: Professional services firm | Boutique Professional Services In this episode, Greg Alexander speaks with Scott Gardner and Dennis Hahn, co-founders of Liquid Agency about how a professional services firm solved we hired a credentialed m&a advisor. it still went sideways. This episode is useful for founders of boutique professional service firms who are working on preparing for a pro
The January Cutoff: Rebuilding a Services Firm Around Human + AI with Kyle Walbrun | Episode 260
The January Cutoff: Rebuilding a Services Firm Around Human + AI with Kyle Walbrun | Episode 260 May 21, 2026 1408 Firm Type: Professional services firm | Boutique Professional Services In this episode, Greg Alexander speaks with Kyle Walbrun, founder of EfficientAide about how a professional services firm solved the january cutoff: rebuilding a services firm around human + ai. This episode is useful for founders of boutique professional service firms who are working on integrating AI into service delivery, b
Doubling Margins in 12 Months with Bart Bartlett | Episode 259
Doubling Margins in 12 Months with Bart Bartlett | Episode 259 May 18, 2026 1349 Firm Type: Professional services firm | Boutique Professional Services In this episode, Greg Alexander speaks with Bart Bartlett, founder of DemandZen about how a professional services firm solved doubling margins in 12 months. This episode is useful for founders of boutique professional service firms who are working on improving firm margins, pricing for profitability, and moving away from cost-
The Anti-Commodity Move: Winning on Experience When AI Flattens the Work with John Roberson | Episode 258
The Anti-Commodity Move: Winning on Experience When AI Flattens the Work with John Roberson | Episode 258 Apr 24, 2026 1555 Firm Type: Professional services firm | Boutique Professional Services In this episode, Greg Alexander speaks with John Roberson, founder of Advent about how a professional services firm solved the anti-commodity move: winning on experience when ai flattens the work. This episode is useful for founders of boutique professional service firms who are working on integrating AI into service delivery,

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