Episode 116: From boutique to ‘big four’ and back again with Ash Chapman, CEO of Inlumi
Dec 2, 2022
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Ash Chapman, CEO of Inlumi, shares his journey from boutique to 'big four' and back again, highlighting the key differences between consultancies. He discusses the challenges of transitioning, the importance of networking and mentorship, and the strategies for maintaining company culture while expanding globally. The conversation also touches on the significance of strategic decision-making, building positive relationships, and seeking continuous growth in business.
Transitioning from boutique to big firms offers varied opportunities and mentorship for career acceleration.
Autonomy in decision-making and ownership of outcomes are crucial aspects of adapting to boutique consultancy environments.
Building collaborative partnerships with recruitment firms aids in attracting top talent aligned with company culture and values.
Maintaining a unified organizational culture while scaling globally requires consistent communication of values and alignment of HR policies.
Deep dives
Building a Strong Culture
Setting up the initial structure for people to join, defining career paths, and establishing a coaching and development framework were pivotal in creating a strong culture. Focusing on the experience of working within the organization and with clients formed the foundation of the culture. Emphasizing what it felt like to work with and for the company helped in shaping a unique culture. Communicating values and maintaining a clear brand identity were essential in building a cohesive culture.
Navigating Decision-Making in a Boutique Setting
Transitioning to a boutique firm meant living and dying by individual decisions. From hiring decisions to signing contracts and dealing with project finances, each decision carried significant weight and impact on the success of the organization. Having the autonomy to make critical decisions and owning the outcomes was a key aspect of adapting to the boutique environment.
Recruiters as Partners in Growth
Leveraging relationships with recruitment firms played a crucial role in attracting top talent to the organization. Building a collaborative partnership with recruiters ensured that the right candidates were aligned with the company's culture and values. Viewing recruiters as partners in growth rather than just service providers enhanced the recruitment process and contributed to the organization's success.
Cultural Integration in Global Expansion
Scaling the organization globally to over 200 employees across various regions required careful attention to cultural integration. Developing a cohesive culture while respecting regional nuances and diversity was a significant challenge. Ensuring consistent communication of values and expectations across different countries and aligning HR policies with cultural sensitivities were essential in maintaining a unified organizational culture.
Managing Organizational Growth
Navigating the transition from a small startup to a large organization with offices in multiple regions involved adapting to new challenges. Maintaining a strong company culture amid rapid growth, high employee turnover, and diverse regional differences required strategic decision-making. Emphasizing values, communication, and alignment of HR policies across locations fostered unity and coherence within the organization.
Building a Strong Organizational Culture Through Collaboration
Success in generating revenue is tied to the organizational culture, emphasizing the importance of collaboration and strategy. Creating a cohesive culture led to a focus on defining the company's identity and values. An inclusive approach involving all employees was adopted to shape the culture. Through exercises and external advice, a unified language describing the organizational culture was established.
Embracing Cultural Diversity in a Growing Organization
Managing diverse cultures across different countries requires acceptance of inherent differences. The organization acknowledged the unique working styles and approaches from various regions. Strategies like representation at leadership levels and fostering inclusive communities aided in bridging cultural nuances. Cultivating a mindset of appreciation for diversity and encouraging teamwork facilitated better understanding and collaboration.
Maximizing Impact Through Coaching and Strategy
Engaging in executive coaching provided valuable insights and guidance for the CEO's decision-making. The coach's blend of strategy, catalyst, and coach roles enhanced the CEO's impact within the organization. Advice focused on strategic choices and long-term growth trajectories bolstered the CEO's approach to business decisions. The coaching relationship emphasized continuous learning, positive leadership, and resilience, aligning personal development with organizational goals.
In this episode, Nick chats with Ash Chapman, CEO at Inlumi, the rapidly growing consultancy focused on large-scale, technology enabled transformation for the Office of the CFO.
Ash has had a hugely successful and diverse career and one which shows that you don’t have to follow a set path to achieve success.
Having started out working for a software vendor, Ash moved on to join boutique consultancy, Paragon Consulting, where he spent eight successful years before they were acquired by PwC.
That jump from small to big gave Ash exposure to a whole world of opportunity and mentorship that helped him accelerate his career. Something we go into detail on in today’s conversation.
After almost a decade at PWC, Ash started thinking about his next challenge, and called on his extensive network to test the waters. Before long, the opportunity to set up Inlumi’s UK business came up. This was the challenge Ash had been looking for and he set off to help them launch.
Fast forward and Ash is now the CEO of Inlumi, a business with over 250 employees spanning Europe, the Middle East and Africa.
In this conversation, Ash and Nick talk through the various stages of his career and how they combined to put him at exactly the right place, at the right time, and with the right skills and experience to enable him to make the jump to CEO.
They cover:
The key differences between boutique consultancies and big firms, and why both have a lot to offer.
Why when it comes to consulting careers, one size doesn’t fit all, and like Ash, you don’t have to follow a set path to success.
How to harness the power of your network and Ash’s advice if you’re thinking of making a career move.
And the Inlumi journey so far, the challenges of starting a business from scratch and the value they’ve seen of investing in building the right culture from the start.
If you’re at a career crossroads and looking at which road to take next, Ash’s advice is going to really help you.
We hope you enjoy it!
Reach out to Ash - https://www.linkedin.com/in/chapmanash/
Find out more about Inlumi - https://www.Inlumi.com/
Specific Things Discussed in the Episodes:
Let My People Go Surfing: The Education of a Reluctant Businessman by Yvon Chouinard
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Let-People-Surfing-Education-Businessman-Including/dp/0143109677/ref=sr_1_1?crid=25Q8TIR0L7ID&keywords=Let+my+people+go+surfing&qid=1668775871&sprefix=let+my+people+go+surfing%2Caps%2C80&sr=8-1
Alchemy: The Dark Art and Curious Science of Creating Magic in Brands, Business, and Life by Rory Sutherland
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Alchemy-Curious-Science-Creating-Business/dp/0062388428/ref=sr_1_2?crid=3MSZUJXU2HR7T&keywords=alchemy+by+Rory+Sutherland.&qid=1668776021&sprefix=alchemy+by+rory+sutherland.%2Caps%2C53&sr=8-2
The Art of Resilience: Strategies for an Unbreakable Mine and Body by Ross Edgley
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Art-Resilience-Ross-Edgley/dp/0008356955/ref=sr_1_2?crid=KHPTK1YKQ4A7&keywords=The+Art+of+resilience+ross+edgley+paperback&qid=1668776131&sprefix=the+art+of+resilience+ross+edgley+paperback%2Caps%2C67&sr=8-2
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