Challenges/Goals
The client’s leadership faced several uncertainties:
- Market Complexity: The US consulting market is highly fragmented, with state-by-state regulatory differences creating 50 “mini-markets.”
- Unknown Growth Pathways: Should they enter via a single anchor hire, a team lift-out, or a larger acquisition? Each option carried different costs, risks, and timelines.
- Sales & Credibility Cycle: Many firms underestimate how long it takes to build revenue in the US. Without patient capital and local leadership, expansion efforts often falter.
- Talent & Leadership Model: Over-reliance on expatriates or a single rainmaker creates fragility; sustainable growth requires a blended team of US-based leaders and mid-level talent.
Solution/Strategy
Burwood Partners designed a 4-week market entry study to bring clarity. Using our deep research capabilities, we:
- Interviewed 100+ Leaders: We spoke with founders and senior executives of small to mid-sized consulting firms across the US to capture first-hand insights.
- Benchmarked Challenges: We identified the pitfalls that derailed other entrants (e.g., over-investing in offices, unrealistic sales expectations, reliance on expats).
- Extracted Best Practices: We distilled practical lessons on what works — sharp positioning, hiring US-based leadership, and separating business development from delivery.
- Outlined Strategic Options: We mapped three viable growth pathways — Conservative Entry (anchor hire), Balanced Growth (team lift-out/acqui-hire), and Aggressive Expansion (acquisition) — each with timeframes, capital requirements, and risk profiles.
Results/Outcomes
Our findings gave the client:
- Clarity on Risks & Rewards: They understood where new entrants often stumble and how to avoid those pitfalls.
- Market-Validated Strategy: Insights from 100+ peer firms shaped a realistic entry plan grounded in lived experience.
- Actionable Growth Options: A clear comparison of entry strategies (conservative, balanced, aggressive) allowed the leadership team to align on a phased approach.
- Talent Blueprint: Guidance on structuring leadership (rainmakers, technical specialists, mid-levels) and compensation (equity/phantom equity) to build a sustainable business model.
Conclusion
By investing in a structured market entry study before committing capital, our client gained the clarity and confidence needed to pursue a North American expansion plan. With Burwood Partners’ support, they now have a clear playbook for success — avoiding common pitfalls, leveraging proven strategies, and positioning themselves for long-term growth in the world’s largest consulting market.
