Latest posts
How to Turn Thought Leadership into Growth with an Intellectual Capital Agenda
Most professional services firms talk about thought leadership as if a blog post or white paper will set them apart. In reality, standalone thought leadership alone rarely drives superior growth. At best, it generates visibility. At worst, it adds to the market noise....
Are Fractional CMOs Really Making Marketing’s Short-Term Thinking Worse?
Jon Miller, cofounder of Marketo and Engagio, recently argued that the rise of Fractional CMOs is exacerbating B2B marketing’s short-termism. His concern: if marketing’s most important work plays out over years, not quarters, how can part-time executives, when...
How Much Should a Professional Services Firm Spend on Sales and Marketing?
Every CEO of a mid-sized professional services firm eventually faces the question: How much should we invest in sales and marketing to achieve real growth and market leadership? The answer isn’t a fixed percentage or a one-size-fits-all formula. It depends on...
How to Become an Industry Leader: Build a Culture That Earns Brand Preference
Firms often label themselves as “…a Leading (fill in the blank) firm.” I suspect they believe that saying as much will speak the result into being. Unfortunately, as most of us already know, being an industry leader requires more than just claiming to be one. When I...
What Makes a High-Performance Fractional CMO?
As more professional services firms explore fractional executive models, the role of the Fractional Chief Marketing Officer (FCMO) is rising in visibility—and scrutiny. For CEOs, this creates both opportunity and risk. On one hand, a great FCMO brings strategic...
Training vs. Working Out: A Cycling Metaphor for Professional Services Growth
The Cycling Metaphor: Where This All Began Before it became a growth framework, it was a gut check. I was out riding with a strong group. I felt solid at the start, taking turns at the front, matching the tempo, holding my own. But when the pace lifted or the hills...
The 95:5 Rule in Professional Services: What It Means for Growth-Minded Firms
Every professional services firm faces a moment of reckoning: when growth stalls. To turn the lead spicket on, you increase outbound efforts. You double down on LinkedIn ads. Maybe you start a new thought leadership campaign. But the leads trickle in, the pipeline...
What Accenture’s Reinvention Strategy Teaches Professional Services About Positioning and Thought Leadership
Accenture's Renaming Consulting Reinvention: A Masterclass in Building Brand Preference In the increasingly noisy landscape of AI-led transformation, Accenture has done something few consulting firms manage to do well: it has taken a familiar story—digital...
Why Professional Services Cross-Selling Fails
Cross-selling is the white whale of professional services growth. Every CEO sees the revenue potential sitting right there, just on the other side of the client relationship: other service lines, complementary capabilities, and latent client needs. But for all the...
Brand Preference: The Performance Multiplier Professional Services Firms Can’t Afford to Ignore
In professional services, most firms compete for visibility. The best firms compete for brand preference. Visibility might get you invited to pitch. Brand preference gets you the engagement. Brand Preference is not a marketing talking point. It’s the highest form of...
Professional Services RevOps vs. IC Triad: What Every CEO Needs to Know Before Adding AI
Professional Services RevOps vs. the IC Triad Several years ago, I wrote a blog on CRM use in professional services. In my post, I stated that most firms would be better off if they simply eliminated their CRM systems, as the clash of culture, process, and technology...
Why Your GTM Strategy Depends on Your People Showing Up as Their Best Selves
The Human Multiplier in Professional Services GTM Strategy We all know that person—self-confident yet humble, comfortable in their skin, seemingly in flow with life. They're not trying to impress; they just are. What makes them compelling isn't their charisma or their...
LISTEN to the Only Podcast Addressing “The BS of PS”
Rattle and Pedal, hosted by Jeff McKay and Jason Mlicki, offers divergent thinking on growing professional services firms. Be prepared for an unorthodox exchange on life in professional services.
Your Co-hosts
Jeff McKay
Founder and CEO
Prudent Pedal
Jason Mlicki
Principal
Rattleback
Latest episodes
- Building a Leaner, Smarter Marketing Organization for the AI Era with Bri Jones
How do you build a marketing team for the AI era? Stitch VP of Marketing Bri Jones shares how a lean team, business context, generalists, and smart AI investments are reshaping marketing. The post Building a Leaner, Smarter Marketing Organization for the AI Era with Bri Jones appeared first on Rattle and Pedal.
- The Future of the Marketing Organization: What Should Firms Build Now?
What should the marketing organization of 2030 look like? Jeff and Jason launch a research series exploring how AI, talent, client experience, and strategy will reshape marketing. The post The Future of the Marketing Organization: What Should Firms Build Now? appeared first on Rattle and Pedal.
- Why Every Professional Services Firm Needs a Better Story with Stephen Steers
Why do some firms stand out while others blend into the crowd? Stephen Steers joins us to explore how storytelling builds trust, differentiates firms, and drives business growth. The post Why Every Professional Services Firm Needs a Better Story with Stephen Steers appeared first on Rattle and Pedal.
- Selling Belief with Mat Zucker from Prophet
In an AI-driven world, expertise alone isn’t enough. Jeff, Jason, and Mat Zucker explore why professional services firms must move beyond trust to build buyer belief and win more business. The post Selling Belief with Mat Zucker from Prophet appeared first on Rattle and Pedal.
- Demystifying Case Studies: Why Most Firms Get Them Wrong
Most professional services case studies fail to influence buyers. Jeff and Jason explore the biggest myths and explain how to create stories that build trust, reinforce positioning, and win business. The post Demystifying Case Studies: Why Most Firms Get Them Wrong appeared first on Rattle and Pedal.