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Service Business Talks with Fexingo: Consulting, Agencies, and Professional Services

Service Business Talks with Fexingo: Consulting, Agencies, and Professional Services

By: Fexingo
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Lucas and Luna sit in a consultancy lobby, portfolios open, and do what most business shows avoid: they talk about the actual mechanics of running a professional services firm. From hourly billing vs. value pricing to the economics of partner tracks, from agency retainer structures to the hidden costs of 'scope creep' in consulting engagements. Each episode picks one real firm — a boutique strategy shop, a mid-sized PR agency, a solo CPA practice — and uses its public financials, client roster, or growth trajectory to illustrate a specific operational or strategic lesson. Lucas leads with journalistic rigor, citing profit margins, utilization rates, and churn data. Luna pushes back with the practitioner's view: what works on the ground when the client is in the room. The listener is assumed to be running or working inside a services business — or seriously considering starting one. No founder hagiography, no '5 tips to scale.' Just two sharp minds dissecting the numbers and decisions that separate a thriving practice from a dying one. How does a $10M agency actually build a sales pipeline? When does a consultancy's brand become a liability? And what does the balance sheet of a 50-year-old accounting firm reveal about succession? #Consulting #Agencies #ProfessionalServices #ServiceBusiness #PricingStrategy #UtilizationRate #ScopeCreep #PartnerTrack #RetainerModel #BillingModels #PracticeManagement #ClientChurn #BusinessOfServices #FexingoBusiness #BusinessPodcast #Business #Careers #ManagementConsulting Keep every episode free: buymeacoffee.com/fexingo© 2026 Fexingo. All rights reserved. Economics
Episodes
  • Why Consulting Firms Are Buying Their Own Art Galleries

    Why Consulting Firms Are Buying Their Own Art Galleries
    Jun 29 2026
    Lucas and Luna explore the surprising trend of consulting firms acquiring high-end art galleries. They dive into the case of McKinsey's 2025 purchase of Gagosian's digital arm, analyzing the strategy behind vertical integration in art advisory, client entertainment, and brand prestige. The episode uncovers how this move allows firms to capture fees from art-related M&A, curate exclusive client experiences, and signal cultural sophistication—all while potentially reshaping the art market itself. With a focus on the financial mechanics and competitive dynamics, the hosts question whether this is a savvy business play or a costly vanity project. #ConsultingFirms #ArtGalleries #McKinsey #Gagosian #ArtAdvisory #VerticalIntegration #ClientEntertainment #BrandPrestige #ArtMarket #BusinessStrategy #LuxuryServices #ProfessionalServices #FexingoBusiness #BusinessPodcast #ServiceBusinessTalks #LucasAndLuna #ArtFinance #CorporateCulture Keep every episode free: buymeacoffee.com/fexingo
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    6 mins
  • When Consulting Firms Acquire Their Own PR Agencies

    When Consulting Firms Acquire Their Own PR Agencies
    Jun 29 2026
    Lucas and Luna dive into a quiet but fast-growing trend: consulting firms buying their own public relations agencies. They trace the shift from McKinsey's 2019 acquisition of a strategic communications firm to the current wave where six of the top ten consultancies now own a PR arm. They ask what this means for independence, for the client, and for the future of professional services. Specific numbers: the $2.3 billion in PR acquisitions since 2021, and the $40 million revenue jump at one acquired agency within two years of joining a consultancy. A concrete look at how the boundary between advice and messaging is blurring. #ConsultingMergers #PRAcquisitions #McKinseyCommunication #ProfessionalServicesTrends #AdvisoryAndMessaging #BusinessStrategy #FexingoBusiness #BusinessPodcast #PublicRelations #ManagementConsulting #BoutiquePR #Edelman #WeberShandwick #AccentureInteractive #DeloitteDigital #PRvsConsulting #ServiceBusinessTalks #March2025Moves Keep every episode free: buymeacoffee.com/fexingo
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    12 mins
  • How Consulting Firms Are Buying Their Own Restaurant Chains

    How Consulting Firms Are Buying Their Own Restaurant Chains
    Jun 28 2026
    Consulting firms have been on a buying spree, but their latest acquisition target might surprise you: restaurant chains. In this episode, Lucas and Luna explore why McKinsey, BCG, and Deloitte are investing in casual dining and fast-casual concepts. They break down the strategy behind McKinsey's acquisition of a 20-unit burger chain in the Midwest, the operational logic of using restaurants as real-world case studies, and what this means for both the consulting and food service industries. Along the way, they discuss the economics of restaurant margins, the appeal of vertical integration for professional services firms, and how this trend fits into the broader pattern of consultancies buying non-core businesses. Plus, a candid moment about listener support for the show. If you've ever wondered why your consultant might know more about supply chain than you do, this episode is for you. #Consulting #RestaurantIndustry #McKinsey #BCG #Deloitte #VerticalIntegration #BusinessStrategy #ProfessionalServices #MergersAndAcquisitions #CasualDining #FastCasual #SupplyChain #OperationalExcellence #CaseStudies #BusinessDevelopment #FexingoBusiness #BusinessPodcast #ServiceBusinessTalks Keep every episode free: buymeacoffee.com/fexingo
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    8 mins
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