Bill Gallagher on Why Great Work Alone Is No Longer Enough to Win or Keep a Client [tPQa1ci0Ug9]
Bill Gallagher is the CEO of SEI, a business and technology consulting firm with 13 offices, nearly 700 employees, and approximately $200 million in revenue. Founded 32 years ago, SEI runs on a model of local ownership and entrepreneurial leadership within a centralized brand. Bill recently invested in physical office space specifically to give his consultants a place to build relationships, which tells you everything you need to know about how he thinks. In this episode, David Ryan and Bill dig into what is actually changing in the consulting market right now. The next generation of buyers wants speed to expertise but still expects a human relationship behind it. AI is reshaping what firms lead with. And the consultants who will win are the ones who know how to navigate internal politics, build stakeholder trust, and make the ask when the moment is right. Viewers will walk away understanding why technical skills are table stakes but relationship navigation is the real differentiator, how SEI thinks about building a culture where consultants are proactive rather than passive, why in-person collaboration is still worth investing in even in a hybrid world, and what storytelling has to do with servant leadership. About Gray Matters Group: At Gray Matters Group, we work with billable professionals at consulting, accounting, finance, and professional services firms to build the relationship and sales enablement skills that drive real revenue growth. Our Relationship Xpansion® (Rx) program has been delivered to over 10,000 service delivery professionals worldwide, helping firms like Deloitte, Aon, Huron, and West Monroe activate their client-facing talent to identify more opportunities, deepen client relationships, and grow without turning anyone into a salesperson. Learn more at: graymattersgroup.com