In this episode of Growing Consultancies, Paul Micallef is joined by Chris Jones, Founder of Echo Project Services.

Chris discusses his journey into Quantity Surveying, from an unconventional start in government and tech roles, through major consultancies including Davis Langdon, EC Harris, Bollingbrook, Colliers and PBC, before launching his own consultancy business in 2025.

They discuss the realities of starting a QS consultancy during a challenging market, building relationships in construction, hiring your first employee, networking, leadership, apprenticeships, AI in cost consultancy, and the future of the Quantity Surveying profession.

This episode is packed with insight for Quantity Surveyors, Project Managers, Construction Consultants and anyone interested in growing a successful consultancy business within the built environment.

Topics include:

• Starting Echo Project Services
• Growing a construction consultancy
• Quantity Surveying careers and apprenticeships
• Leadership in construction consultancy
• AI and technology in cost consultancy
• Skills shortages in UK construction
• Networking and client relationships
• Building a sustainable consultancy business

Follow Growing Consultancies for more conversations with leaders shaping the future of construction consultancy.

Connect with Chris here

Echo Project Services Limited

Want to win more work in construction?

This episode breaks down how to improve your bid success rate, win better clients, and grow a profitable construction consultancy.Most consultancies don’t have a bidding problem.

They have a focus problem.

In this episode of Growing Consultancies, Paul sits down with Jeremy Brim, founder of Growth Ignition, to unpack what actually drives growth in a consultancy business and why so many firms are stuck chasing the wrong work.

Drawing on experience across EC Harris, Mace, and advising consultancies from 10 to 1,000+ people, Jeremy shares a clear, practical view of how to win better clients, improve your win rate, and build a more profitable, sustainable business.

This isn’t theory. It’s a grounded look at what’s really happening inside the industry and what the best firms are doing differently.

• Why your bid win rate is low (and it’s not what you think)

• The truth behind the 80/20 rule in consultancy profit

• Why most firms are bidding for work they’ll never win

• How to identify and target your ideal clients

• The concept of “capture” and winning work before it goes to tender

• Why you should bid less but win more

• The hidden cost of “one-hit wonder” clients

• How to build a pipeline that actually converts

• The role of relationships vs bids in winning work

• What smaller consultancies can do to compete with larger firms
• Consultancy owners and directors

• Quantity Surveyors & Project Managers

• Business development and bid leaders

• Anyone looking to grow a consultancy the right way

If you’re constantly bidding, chasing, and not winning enough…
you’re probably solving the wrong problem.

Connect with Jeremy Brim at Growth Ignition

What does it take to grow a 185-person consultancy while keeping your people genuinely engaged?

In this episode of Growing Consultancies, Paul sits down with James Morgan of Heyne Tillett Steel (HTS), a structural engineering consultancy known for its strong growth and even stronger culture.

From daily team lunches to company-wide trips, HTS has built a business that puts people first and sees the results in retention, performance and long-term success.

James shares the story behind the growth of the business, the realities of scaling a consultancy in the construction industry, and why culture isn’t a “nice to have” but a critical part of building a successful firm.

The conversation also explores structural engineering in the commercial sector, the growing focus on retrofit and reuse, and how technology and AI are beginning to shape the future of the built environment.

If you work in construction, consultancy or engineering, there’s plenty here to take away.

James Morgan

Heyne Tillott Steel

In this episode of Growing Consultancies, Paul sits down with Mike Lally, founder of Cadence Projects, to discuss what it really takes to grow a construction consultancy.

From launching during COVID to scaling a team across Birmingham, Manchester and London, Mike shares honest lessons on cash flow, decision-making, hiring and building a business that doesn’t rely on one person.

A practical conversation for anyone in project management, quantity surveying or the wider construction industry.

Mike Lally

Cadence Projects

In this episode of Growing Consultancies, Paul Micallef is joined by Dan Whittingham, founder of Opera, a specialist project management consultancy delivering major commercial projects across London.

Dan shares his views on what makes a great project manager, how Opera has grown into a high-performing construction consultancy, and why leadership, culture and standards are so important when building a successful business.

A valuable listen for those in construction consultancies, quantity surveying, project management, commercial real estate, and construction companies looking to grow, hire well and maintain quality.

Dan Whittingham

Opera

Welcome back to Growing Consultancies

In this episode, I sit down with Annie Buckley, Co-Founder of Fourth Wall Building Consultancy, a growing building surveying practice operating across the UK.

What makes this conversation different is Annie’s journey.

She did not come from a building surveying background. Instead, she started her career in PR and corporate affairs before stepping into the construction world to co-build a consultancy alongside her partner.

And that is where it gets interesting.

While the technical team focuses on delivery, Annie has built the engine behind the business through marketing, business development, systems, and strategy.

In this episode, we cover:

- How Fourth Wall was built from scratch during COVID

- The role of non-technical leadership in construction consultancies

- Why marketing and business development are often overlooked in the built environment

- Building systems, processes, and using AI to gain an edge

- The realities of starting a consultancy at a young age- Navigating the industry as a female leader in construction

- Lessons learned from early mistakes and scaling a business

This is a must watch for:

- Quantity Surveyors, Project Managers and Building Surveyors

- Anyone thinking about starting their own consultancy

- Leaders looking to grow and modernise their business

Annie brings a fresh perspective to an industry that often does things the same way it always has.

If you are building a consultancy, or thinking about it, there is a lot to take from this one.

🔔 Subscribe for more episodes

Annie Buckley

Fourth Wall Building Consultancy

#constructionindustry #buildingsurveying #consultancy #entrepreneurship #builtenvironment #property #businessgrowth #womeninconstruction #startupjourney #ukconstruction #growingconsultancies

In this special episode of Growing Consultancies, we’re joined by Melanie King of ADP Consulting.

Mel’s career has taken an interesting path across recruitment, business ownership, and now into a unique business development role within a global engineering consultancy.

She shares her journey from starting out in recruitment to running her own business for nearly eight years, before making a deliberate move into something new. From navigating COVID, to stepping into HR, and now helping drive growth at ADP, this is a conversation full of honest reflections and practical insight.

We also explore the growing overlap between recruitment and business development, the power of personal branding, especially on LinkedIn, and why more consultancies should be thinking differently about how they win work and attract talent.

This is a great episode for anyone building a consultancy, considering a career pivot, or looking to better understand how relationships and reputation drive long-term success in the built environment.

In this episode, we discuss:

• Mel’s journey from recruitment into business ownership

• Why she stepped away from running her own business

• Moving into HR and then into a business development role

• The link between recruitment, relationships, and winning work

• How LinkedIn can genuinely drive business growth

• Why consultancies need to rethink business development

• Growth plans for ADP in the UK

• The increasing importance of MEP and sustainability

If you enjoy the episode, don’t forget to like, comment, and subscribe. It really helps us reach more people across the industry.

Melani King

ADP Consulting

#growingconsultancies #constructionindustry #builtenvironment #businessgrowth #recruitment #businessdevelopment #leadership #consultancy #engineering #mep #sustainability #careersinconstruction #linkedintips #propertyindustry

In this episode of Growing Consultancies, Paul sits down with Rianne Scott from Atlas Facilities.

This one’s a little different.

Recorded in Cannes at MIPIM, this episode focuses on something that many people in the industry think about, but don’t always feel confident tackling… how to actually make the most of events.

Rianne brings over 20 years of experience across the built environment, from running her own asbestos consultancy to now helping grow Atlas Facilities. But what really stands out is her reputation in the industry, particularly around events like MIPIM and UKREiiF.If you’ve ever felt unsure about attending industry events, struggled to know where to start, or wondered whether they’re really worth it, this is a conversation worth listening to.

We discuss:

• How to approach MIPIM and similar events with confidence

• Why networking events are a marathon, not a sprint

• The importance of leaving space for organic conversations

• Building visibility and relationships through LinkedIn

• Whether you need a ticket or can succeed through fringe events

• Attending events without drinking and still getting value

• Practical tips to make events cost-effective and worthwhile

A really honest and practical conversation that takes the mystery out of industry events and shows how to get real value from them.

Rianne Scott

Atlas Facilities

🎙️ Full episode available now🔔 Subscribe for more conversations with leaders in construction and property

#growingconsultancies #mipim #ukreiif #networkingtips #constructionindustry #propertyindustry #businessgrowth #consultancy #builtenvironment #pegasussearch

In this episode of Growing Consultancies, Paul sits down with Matthew Jones, co-founder of Jones Hargreaves.

Starting a business in 2009, right in the aftermath of the financial crash, wasn’t exactly perfect timing. But nearly 15 years on, Jones Hargreaves has grown into a 56-person, multi-disciplinary consultancy with seven offices across the UK.

Matthew shares the journey from those uncertain early days, where cashflow was tight and the future unclear, through to building a stable, respected business grounded in good people, strong client relationships, and consistently doing the basics well.

What stands out in this conversation is the approach. No hype, no aggressive growth targets, just a clear focus on delivering quality work, building trust, and evolving the business in line with what clients actually need.

We also explore how the firm has expanded beyond traditional building surveying into M&E and energy, why that shift matters, and how it positions them for the future of the built environment.

Along the way, Matthew gives an honest view on leadership, hiring, mistakes, and why giving people responsibility, rather than controlling everything, is key to sustainable growth.

We discuss:

- Building a consultancy from scratch during the 2008 to 2009 crash- Growing to 56 people across 7 offices organically

- Expanding into M&E and energy to meet changing client demands- Why building surveying is entering a “golden era”

- Creating a strong culture and empowering teams- Lessons learned from mistakes and missed opportunities

- The real impact of AI and tech on the industryA thoughtful and grounded conversation for anyone building, or thinking about building, a consultancy.

Matthew Jones

Jones Hargreaves

🎙️ Full episode available now🔔 Subscribe for more conversations with leaders in construction and property

#buildingsurveying #constructionindustry #propertyindustry #consultancy #businessgrowth #entrepreneurship #leadership #ukconstruction #commercialproperty #builtenvironment

In this episode, I sit down with Ross Hamilton of Dome PM.

Dome are a growing small business in the Northeast, led by Ross and his business partner Andy, specialising in project management and cost management.

This is a really honest conversation about building a consultancy the right way, learning as you go, and staying grounded through the ups and downs of growth.

We discuss:

- The early growth of Dome PM and how the business has evolved since launching in 2022

- Why 2025 was a more challenging year, and how that has helped sharpen their focus for 2026 and beyond

- The importance of recruitment, timing, and getting the right people into a growing business

- Building a five-year plan to 2030 and what sustainable success looks like for a small consultancy

- How Ross and Andy are thinking about systems, technology, and the future shape of the business

Ross is thoughtful, honest, and refreshingly open about what it really takes to grow a small consultancy.

If you are building a business of your own, or thinking about it, there is a lot to take from this one.

Subscribe for more conversations with consultancy founders and leaders, and let me know your biggest takeaway in the comments.

Ross Hamilton

Dome PM

#growingconsultancies #projectmanagement #costmanagement #constructionconsultancy #businessgrowth #leadership #builtenvironment #consultancylife #smallbusiness #entrepreneurship