An Interview with John Howard: Partner at Garwood Growth

In this episode of the Consultants Growth Playbook, I welcome John Howard, a seasoned consultant with extensive experience in business development and leading consulting firms.

John emphasises the importance of building trust and maintaining genuine relationships in business development.

He discusses strategies for positioning you in the right networks and shares insights on the transition from founder-led businesses to structured, scalable operations.

John also touches on his experiences with private equity transactions, systematic networking, and the challenges of stepping back as a founder to let others lead.

Finally, he delves into his role at Garwood Growth, offering advice for consultancies aiming to achieve significant growth or preparing for an exit.

This episode is rich with practical tips and real-world examples from John's career.

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Creating a Sales Culture in Professional Services

I recently had the privilege of interviewing John Howard, a veteran in the consulting industry with nearly 30 years of experience. John led an MBO at Channel 3 Consulting before moving to Garwood Growth, where he now helps professional services businesses navigate growth, operational improvement, and value realisation.

Our conversation covered everything from building trust with clients to managing founder transitions. Here are the key insights from our discussion:

The Foundation of Business Development in Consulting: Trust and Relationships

"BD and consulting is really about relationships and it's about really, really listening and letting the client lead you to what the pain point is."

At its core, business development in consulting isn't about aggressive sales tactics. It's about building trust through genuine relationships. John emphasises that clients need to feel you're there for their interests, not just your own. This requires authentic interactions and a willingness to walk away when you can't help.

The Art of Listening: How to Uncover Client Pain Points

The most successful consultants keep their "mouth closed and listen a lot."

John stresses that sales isn't about dominating conversations but exploring client challenges and adding value through thoughtful discussion.

Only after understanding the problem should you generate ideas and offer opinions. This approach ensures solutions actually address real needs rather than presumed ones.

From Founder-Led to Team-Driven: Transitioning Business Development

Many consultancies face a critical transition point: moving from founder-led sales to a broader team approach. At Channel 3, John helped navigate this challenge when preparing for private equity investment.

The process included:

Creating a Sales Culture in Professional Services

One major obstacle John encountered was the perception that "sales was a dirty word" among consultants who loved delivery but feared business development.

His team addressed this through sales training that focused less on process and more on mindset.

The key message?

Sales is about conversations, relationships and understanding - skills most consultants already possess.

Managing Networks and Referrals for Sustained Growth

Networks are the lifeblood of consulting, but many professionals struggle with systematic network management. John admits he became more disciplined about this later in his career.

His advice is refreshingly practical:

"Nobody's going to be offended because you ask how they're doing." For consultants who don't naturally maintain connections, he recommends creating systems to prompt regular outreach.

Setting Effective Targets: Balancing Team Goals with Individual Accountability

On the thorny subject of sales targets, John advocates for a balanced approach:

"It's a team sport with individual accountabilities."

While the team needs a collective goal, individuals must feel personally accountable for their contribution. Most importantly, when someone is struggling to meet targets, they should flag it early so the business can adapt - rather than making promises that don't materialise.

Key Person Dependency: A Critical Risk in Consulting Businesses

When I asked about lessons from mistakes, John highlighted the danger of over-reliance on key individuals:

"If you're leading a business, you can become too reliant on key people."

This dependency creates vulnerability when someone leaves or when their particular market experiences a downturn. Diversification of people, markets, and service offering, helps provide essential resilience.

Preparing for Capital Events: Aligning Shareholders and Building Value

With Garwood Growth, John now helps professional services firms prepare for capital events like private equity investment or trade sales.

A crucial first step is shareholder alignment: "Are they, as the owners of the business, clear on what they want to achieve with the asset and what the business needs to look like to achieve that?"

Without this alignment, preparations for any transaction are built on shaky foundations.

Navigating Consulting Business Inflection Points

John's current work focuses on helping firms navigate various inflection points:

In each case, "the thing that has been really successful up to now is starting to creak a bit," requiring fresh thinking and sometimes external perspective.

Overcoming the Fear of Sales Conversations

Perhaps most relatable was John's personal story about overcoming his fear of sales conversations earlier in his career. As an introvert, he found cold calling "terrifying" initially.

With coaching and practice, he discovered that meaningful relationships could develop even through purely telephone interactions.

The lesson?

Sales apprehension is normal, but can be overcome with support and experience.

Final Thoughts

What struck me most about my conversation with John was his emphasis on authenticity and integrity throughout the business development process. Whether discussing target setting, founder transitions, or sales culture, he consistently returned to the importance of honest dialogue and authentic connection.

For consultants at any stage, from founders planning their exit to newcomers terrified of their first client call, this human-centred approach offers both reassurance and a practical blueprint for growth.