A decade of partnership reveals patterns that shorter engagements might never surface: the shift from practice to firm, from producer to owner, from tactics to architecture. In this installment of Ensemble Edge, Brandon Odell reflects on ten years working alongside Northwestern Mutual’s top firms and the hard-won lessons on structure, leadership, and growth. Read on for his take on what separates firms that scale well from those that stall.
Tolstoy, Spinal Tap, and Oasis: What They Teach Us About Partner Dynamics
Partners in advisory firms often find themselves struggling to find consensus and make decisions about everything from how they pay themselves and their employees to how they will grow their firms. As a consultant, I often hear from owners looking for external guidance to help them through these decisions. After one or two conversations, it becomes clear that the first thing that needs attention is alignment among partners, not a compensation plan or business development strategy.
Beyond the Label: Where Real Change Happens
Identifying a firm’s challenges is only the starting point. Real transformation happens through action, alignment, and follow-through. At The Ensemble Practice, we partner beyond diagnosis, helping firms implement change and achieve lasting results. Check out the next installment of Ensemble Edge: Consulting Insights to learn more.
The Greatest Business Hero: Finding the Instruction Manual You Never Got
Introducing our new blog series: Ensemble Edge: Consulting Insights
This series gives a behind-the-scenes look at how Ensemble works with firms to solve complex challenges: from scaling operations and defining ownership to building leadership capacity and driving long-term growth.
Getting to Know The Ensemble Practice: Kristen Woody
Kristen is celebrating three years with The Ensemble Practice, and in true Ensemble fashion, she wears many hats.
Getting to Know The Ensemble Practice: Matt McGinness
The Ensemble Practice gains valuable expertise with addition of industry veteran Matt McGinness.