The Professional Services Pursuit · 2026-05-14 · 23 min
In this episode, Brent sits down with Sarah Edwards, Kantata’s Chief Product Strategy Officer, for a practical look at why consulting firms can no longer rely on headcount-driven growth - and how AI is reshaping the traditional talent pyramid. Together, they break down the three critical shifts redefining consulting - and what leaders need to prioritize now to activate smarter resourcing, pricing, and delivery models. Other topics covered in this episode include: Why rising client expectations are putting pressure on delivery speed, cost, risk, and team capacity How AI is changing consulting talent models, including the shift away from the traditional pyramid structure Why outcome-based pricing, fixed-fee models, and productized services are becoming more important How connected data, trusted systems, and better operational visibility help firms make faster, more confident decisions
Ep. 120 - Outputs vs. Outcomes: Why AI Is Forcing Consulting to Reinvent Itself w/ Tom Rodenhauser72 / 100Ep. 119 - Agent Sprawl: Why More AI Is Making Professional Services Harder w/ Michael Speranza & Sarah EdwardsEp. 118 - Managing Unpredictability in Projects by Closing the Scope-to-Delivery Gap w/ Anish UdayakumarEp. 116 - From Dependency to Autonomy: Consulting Rewired w/ Sarah Edwards & James CawthorneEp. 115 - SaaS Is Under Fire: Who Survives the AI Shift, and Why It Matters for Services Leaders w/ Michael Speranza