Thirty Key Things I’ve learned (mostly the hard way) about the Creative Innovation Services Consulting Business

I’ve worked in the Design or Innovation Consulting Services space since 2007 when I joined frog. Since then I’ve also started my own product design business, nineten, and held senior leadership roles at Ziba Design, Cogniance/Star, and now at Fresh Consulting. I love this space more every day, mostly because of what I’ve learned, continue to learn, and the people I get to work with. I’ll never stop trying to get better at it.

Enjoy the updated 2023 list below. Thanks for reading and sharing these principles that are so near and dear to me:

1. Having a solid understanding of your client, their business, and their opportunities are critical. Don’t go into an executive meeting not knowing where they need help or what relevant value you can bring.
2. Self-awareness is a must have skill. Know what you don’t know and what your client or team(s) need to know. All roles and experience levels should continually refine this skill.
3. It’s called Services for a reason. Show up to serve people each day. And love your clients and keep them at the center of everything you do.
4. You are what you do, not what you say. Constantly be making things and demonstrating value to clients rather than just talking about it.
5. Aim to bring your client value at every single touch point. That includes email and decks. Often, it’s validating the answers/concepts they already have. Sometimes, it’s just patiently listening.
6. You must truly love everything about this beautiful, messy space to be good at it. Embrace and revel in disequilibrium, chaos, and the unknown. Creating clarity from ambiguity is what we do.
7. Business and client development is a team sport. “Rainmakers” are a relic of the past. Surround yourself with talented, positive client facing people.
8. Never sell to clients. Instead take the time to diagnose their business problems and help them buy your services and the outcomes they need.
9. Follow on business with clients you love and believe in is the #1 measure for success. Choose your clients well and serve them at such a high level that they give you a seat at their innovation table for years.
10. Drink less booze than everyone else at events and client dinners. Some of your best work will be done in those settings. Observe, listen more, talk less, and make clients want to invite you out again.
11. Do deep/thinking work in the morning (earlier the better), shallow/busy work in the afternoon, and think freely in the evening. Time is your most precious resource and should be managed carefully.
12. Know your executive stakeholders (people who approve and write the checks). Ultimately, they need to know exactly why they are hiring you and the value you bring…to them.
13. Also know your “anti-sponsors” — the naysayers who don’t want to hire you for whatever reason. Craft a strategy to win them over or neutralize them.
14. “Less is more” for slides. Present stories and outcomes, not bullets. Always offer to present a deck live versus sending over email. And either way, proofread out all the careless typos, generic copy, and Lorem ipsum.
15. Take the time to create thoughtful/ relevant imagery (not stock) with connected stories when pitching or making for clients. Details matter! Always make creativity the star and bring the “wow” to every pitch or presentation of work.
16. If you are in the Creative or Innovation services business, then actually be innovative. Clients usually aren’t hiring you to tell them what they already know. It’s to help them create what’s next and add exponential value. This is a privilege and an honor not to be taken lightly. Wear the art of the possible on your sleeve.
17. Be kind and respectful to everyone you encounter. This is a people business and you will only go as far as the people around you allow.
18. Construct the right team to solve the right problem. Be honest about what your delivery team can and can’t do well and fill gaps accordingly.
19. Every decent competitor says and pitches the same thing to your clients. Caring more, listening more, and outworking and out-delivering the competition is how you come out ahead.
20. Being enthusiastic and well prepared is worth at least 25 IQ points. Do the homework and prep. Ensure the appropriate team members are doing most of the talking in front of clients.
21. Being able to listen well is a superpower your clients will value immensely. Shockingly, I still see too many consultants talking more when they should be listening. Don’t be one of them.
22. Promptness is a sign of respect for clients. That means you and your team always bang on-time or early for meetings in person or virtual. Build in a 5–10 minute buffer between every meeting.
23. Great design is what you say “no” to. Seems basic, but extremely hard to do effectively. You should be saying no a lot more than you think.
24. Experience is overrated. Hire for aptitude, train for skills — most really amazing things are done by people doing them for the first time.
25. Your people are your product. Therefore, hire well, treat them well, and inspire them to do their best work. Many leaders in our business constantly fail at this and don’t take accountability for their team’s performance.
26. Craft your uniform and rock it proudly. Dress professionally and neatly, but for maximum comfort, style, and confidence. Know your audience and wear whatever makes you memorable and shine brightly.
27. Find your personal passion platform and go deeper there. Pick an industry, client, or thing that matters most to you and needs to be better. Drive client relationships, work, and outcomes in that area. Be intimately part of that change. I’ll show you mine if you show me yours!
28. Don’t try to work around the clock — it’s not sustainable. Stay steady and consistent. Build in weekly down/family/fitness/recharge time in the schedule to keep creativity and energy high.
29. Be concise and precise when speaking. Nobody likes someone who runs on and on without delivering substance and burns precious client / listening airtime. Also, if the client favors certain terms, adopt them.
30. The most successful people in this space stay equal parts humble and bold. Never stop learning, asking for feedback, and leveling-up every year. There is no such thing as a “finished product” in our business.