In this episode of Tarka Talks Consulting, Richard Longstreet sits down with Tim Ham, CEO of Pearson Ham, a pricing consultancy that’s doubled in size over the last few years. Tim shares his journey from strategy consulting into leadership, the lessons learned scaling a firm in a niche market, and the nuances of working with private equity. 

They cover how pricing has evolved as a consulting discipline, how Tim thinks about culture and people development, and why trust, transparency and client focus are core to Pearson Ham’s success. Whether you're a founder, future leader, or just curious about what it takes to build a fast-growing consultancy—this episode is full of insights. 

Episode Overview: 

[02:33] What shifts have you seen in commercial models over the course of your career? 

[05:31] How has customer access to price comparison tools influenced commercial models and early-stage engagement? 

[08:12] How are businesses approaching retention and renewal to drive long-term margin beyond the initial sale? 

[09:33] How are less commoditised sectors responding to shifts seen in markets like insurance? 

[12:26] Is there a subscription model equivalent in consulting or professional services? 

[14:00] Is AI impacting how professional services products are priced? 

[14:52] How is AI reshaping pricing models and the traditional consulting pyramid? 

[16:26] What internal and customer impacts come with shifting commercial models?" 

[20:24] How should businesses communicate pricing changes to avoid customer backlash? 

[22:14] How can businesses use creative promotions to drive stronger customer engagement? 

[25:50] How have you built such a strong brand in the pricing space over the years?" 

[27:11] Is there an element where you tie your fee to the success of the delivery? 

[30:22] Overview on what Pearson Ham 

[32:09] Importance of understanding the stakeholder and their priorities 

[32:39] How did you go about building a 70 person business 

[33:25] How would you describe the culture at Pearson Ham? 

[34:17] What they look for when hiring people into the business 

[35:12] What does the interview process look like? 

[36:07] Why should someone join Pearson Ham? 

[37:29] What is the biggest learning from your career? 

[38:20] Do you have any horror stories from your career? 

[39:47] What do you know now that you wish you'd known at the start of your career? 

A big thank you to Tim for your insights – it was brilliant to have you on the show! Find out more about our guest:  

Hosted by Tarka Talent  

Tarka Talks is hosted by Tarka Talent, leading management consulting recruitment agency. Find out more about our work and get in touch for support with your hiring needs.  

In this episode of Tarka Talks Consulting, Richard Longstreet sits down with Tim Ham, CEO of Pearson Ham, a pricing consultancy that’s doubled in size over the last few years. Tim shares his journey from strategy consulting into leadership, the lessons learned scaling a firm in a niche market, and the nuances of working with private equity. 

They cover how pricing has evolved as a consulting discipline, how Tim thinks about culture and people development, and why trust, transparency and client focus are core to Pearson Ham’s success. Whether you're a founder, future leader, or just curious about what it takes to build a fast-growing consultancy—this episode is full of insights. 

Episode Overview: 

[02:33] What shifts have you seen in commercial models over the course of your career? 

[05:31] How has customer access to price comparison tools influenced commercial models and early-stage engagement? 

[08:12] How are businesses approaching retention and renewal to drive long-term margin beyond the initial sale? 

[09:33] How are less commoditised sectors responding to shifts seen in markets like insurance? 

[12:26] Is there a subscription model equivalent in consulting or professional services? 

[14:00] Is AI impacting how professional services products are priced? 

[14:52] How is AI reshaping pricing models and the traditional consulting pyramid? 

[16:26] What internal and customer impacts come with shifting commercial models?" 

[20:24] How should businesses communicate pricing changes to avoid customer backlash? 

[22:14] How can businesses use creative promotions to drive stronger customer engagement? 

[25:50] How have you built such a strong brand in the pricing space over the years?" 

[27:11] Is there an element where you tie your fee to the success of the delivery? 

[30:22] Overview on what Pearson Ham 

[32:09] Importance of understanding the stakeholder and their priorities 

[32:39] How did you go about building a 70 person business 

[33:25] How would you describe the culture at Pearson Ham? 

[34:17] What they look for when hiring people into the business 

[35:12] What does the interview process look like? 

[36:07] Why should someone join Pearson Ham? 

[37:29] What is the biggest learning from your career? 

[38:20] Do you have any horror stories from your career? 

[39:47] What do you know now that you wish you'd known at the start of your career? 

A big thank you to Tim for your insights – it was brilliant to have you on the show! Find out more about our guest:  

Hosted by Tarka Talent  

Tarka Talks is hosted by Tarka Talent, leading management consulting recruitment agency. Find out more about our work and get in touch for support with your hiring needs.  

In this episode, Richard Longstreet sits down with Nick Synnott to unpack what effective marketing really looks like for boutique consultancies. With experience supporting consulting firms of all sizes, Nick shares practical, honest advice on how to build a brand, develop a marketing strategy, and create content that actually drives commercial conversations. 

They explore why many consulting leaders are still sceptical of marketing, how to approach ROI with the right mindset, and what differentiates firms that get it right from those that don’t. If you’re a founder, marketer or commercial leader at a boutique consultancy, this episode offers clear, actionable insights that can make a real difference. 

Episode Overview: 

[02:11] Does your work go beyond traditional marketing to include internal operations too? 

[03:58] Why do consultancy founders struggle to see the value in marketing? 

[06:30] What’s the biggest misconception consulting founders have about marketing? 

[10:50] How should boutique firms realistically approach ROI timelines? 

[13:36] Can you be successful in marketing on LinkedIn? 

[18:30] How much of your work is brand building vs. targeted account-based marketing? 

[21:08] With so many boutiques in the market, how can firms genuinely stand out and differentiate themselves? 

[23:49] Where should consultancies start when building a marketing strategy? 

[25:49] What makes content actually resonate with clients? 

[28:56] Are podcasts and webinars really worth the time for small firms? 

[38:31] Where can boutique consultancies make their marketing budget go further? 

[44:06] Which consultancies are doing a great job converting marketing engagement into sales, and where are others falling short? 

[46:58] What do you know now that you wish you'd known at the start of your career? 

[47:56] Are there any horror stories from your career? 

[51:24] What's the biggest learning you've had of your career?  

A big thank you to Nick for your insights – it was brilliant to have you on the show! Find out more about our guest:  

Hosted by Tarka Talent  

Tarka Talks is hosted by Tarka Talent, leading management consulting recruitment agency. Find out more about our work and get in touch for support with your hiring needs.  

In this episode of Tarka Talks Consulting, we sit down with John Howard, Partner at Garwood Growth, to explore what makes a consultancy truly scalable and investable. 

With experience on both sides of the table, John shares his perspective on how professional services firms can prepare for investor interest (whether that’s private equity or trade), build leadership teams that last, and avoid common pitfalls when planning for growth or exit.

We dive into the operational foundations that investors look for, the evolving role of AI in consulting, and why the right leadership hire can make or break your plans. Whether you're scaling now or thinking five years ahead, this is an episode packed with insight.

Episode Breakdown 

A big thank you to John for your insights – it was brilliant to have you on the show! Find out more about our guest:  

Hosted by Tarka Talent  

Tarka Talks is hosted by Tarka Talent, leading management consulting recruitment agency. Find out more about our work and get in touch for support with your hiring needs.  

In this episode of Tarka Talks Consulting, Richard Longstreet is joined by Carrie Osman, Founder & CEO at Cruxy, to talk about building a business from scratch, breaking into private equity, and scaling with purpose.  

Carrie shares her journey from no tech or PE background to running a high-performing, data-led consultancy. Expect candid reflections on culture, client relationships, and why being well-prepared is a real competitive advantage. 

Episode Breakdown: 

[01:27] Introducing Carrie and Cruxy, Growth Intelligence Specialists for demanding high growth tech firms & their investors 

A big thank you to Carrie for your insights – it was brilliant to have you on the show! Find out more about our guest:  

Hosted by Tarka Talent  

Tarka Talks is hosted by Tarka Talent, leading management consulting recruitment agency. Find out more about our work and get in touch for support with your hiring needs.  

In this episode of Tarka Talks Consulting, Richard Longstreet is joined by Hannah Farrar, Chief Executive and Co-Founder of CF, a consultancy dedicated to the health sector.

They discuss Hannah’s transition from NHS leadership to founding a consultancy with no prior consulting experience, and how CF has grown into one of the leading health-focused consultancies in the UK and Middle East.

Hannah reflects on the early challenges of building a business from scratch, what it means to blend deep domain expertise with consulting skill, and how to stay grounded in purpose.

In this episode of Tarka Talks Consulting, Richard Longstreet is joined by Hannah Farrar, Chief Executive and Co-Founder of CF, a consultancy dedicated to the health sector.  

They discuss Hannah’s transition from NHS leadership to founding a consultancy with no prior consulting experience, and how CF has grown into one of the leading health-focused consultancies in the UK and Middle East.  

Hannah reflects on the early challenges of building a business from scratch, what it means to blend deep domain expertise with consulting skill, and how to stay grounded in purpose. 

Episode Overview: 

[2:57] What inspired the leap into consultancy? 

A big thank you to Hannah for your insights – it was brilliant to have you on the show! Find out more about our guest:  

Hosted by Tarka Talent  

Tarka Talks is hosted by Tarka Talent, leading management consulting recruitment agency. Find out more about our work and get in touch for support with your hiring needs.  

In this episode of Tarka Talks Consulting, Richard Longstreet is joined by Chris Tomlinson (“Tommo”), Managing Director of Muuto Consulting.  

They dive into the rise of AI in consulting where it’s already making an impact, and how firms can prepare for what’s next. From org design to operating models, they explore how boutique consultancies can stay nimble, scale smart, and harness AI without losing sight of culture and client value. A must-listen for anyone navigating the future of consulting. 

Episode Breakdown: 

[04:05] Operating from a virtual model 

A big thank you to Tommo for your insights – it was brilliant to have you on the show! Find out more about our guest:  

Hosted by Tarka Talent  

Tarka Talks is hosted by Tarka Talent, leading management consulting recruitment agency. Find out more about our work and get in touch for support with your hiring needs. 

In this episode, Richard Longstreet is joined by board advisor and transformation expert Karen Thomas-Bland to explore why boutique consultancies are gaining ground on the Big Four.  

From culture and career appeal to IP, private equity interest, and preparing for exit, they cover the key traits that make smaller firms stand out—and scale. A must-listen for founders, leaders and anyone thinking about their next consulting move. 

Episode Breakdown 

[00:56] Introducing Karen and her experience  

A big thank you to Karen for your insights – it was brilliant to have you on the show! Find out more about our guest:  

Hosted by Tarka Talent  

Tarka Talks is hosted by Tarka Talent, leading management consulting recruitment agency. Find out more about our work and get in touch for support with your hiring needs.  

In this episode of Tarka Talks Consulting, Richard Longstreet is joined by Sam Temperton and Megan Nicholas from Tarka Talent to unpack the key findings from their latest Salary & Benefits Report. 

They discuss how salary trends are shifting, what’s happening with bonuses and promotions, why culture is rising up the priority list for candidates, especially women and how specialist skill sets are driving hiring demand in 2024. A must-listen for anyone navigating the consulting job market this year. 

Episode Breakdown: 

[01:21] Key points on salaries from the survey 

[03:43] How did consultancies find 2024? 

[04:49] Smaller firms more likely to recruit 

[08:47] Seeing a shift in candidate expectations 

[11:51] Expectations when looking for a salary/title uplift 

[13:39] Are promotions in a move changing? 

[18:19] Job titles disparity between businesses 

[21:22] Why are people not getting promoted? 

[26:59] Review on bonuses in 2024  

[36:32] Travel allowance - is this an effort to get more people back into the office? 

[39:35] Are people more willing to travel for work? 

[47:10] Women ranking culture higher than men in priority 

Hosted by Tarka Talent  

Tarka Talks is hosted by Tarka Talent, leading management consulting recruitment agency. Find out more about our work and get in touch for support with your hiring needs.  

In this episode of Tarka Talks Consulting, host Richard Longstreet sits down with Anush Newman, co-founder of JMAN Group, to explore the journey of scaling a consulting firm across multiple geographies.  

They discuss JMAN’s growth strategy, the impact of investment on their operations, and the challenges of managing a global business. If you’re interested in how boutique consultancies evolve and expand, this is one you won’t want to miss. 

Episode Breakdown: 

[00:54] Introducing JMAN Group and CEO, Anush Newman  

[03:23] What bought on the idea of launching JMAN 

[06:57] Shaping the JMAN Proposition 

[08:21] Keeping up with evolving technology 

[11:52] What were the early years like at JMAN? 

[18:09] Being more hands-on with multiple locations 

[20:30] The culture at JMAN 

[22:41] How do you assess a junior candidate’s motivation and values without professional experience? 

[28:10] Taking on Private Equity at JMAN & lessons learnt 

[32:52] Focusing on training is at the core at JMAN 

[35:17] What Anush & JMAN look for in a new hire 

[37:24] Recruitment within JMAN  

[44:02] What has been your biggest learning in your career? 

[45:15] Horror stories from career 

[49:12] Is there one thing you wish you knew at the very start of your career? 

A big thank you to Anush for your insights – it was brilliant to have you on the show! Find out more about our guest:  

Hosted by Tarka Talent  

Tarka Talks is hosted by Tarka Talent, leading management consulting recruitment agency. Find out more about our work and get in touch for support with your hiring needs.