Ep. 103 - Should You Hire a Partner Manager? Uncovering The Secret to Scaling Consulting Partnerships - with Tanja Breitling-Zboril

Send us a textWhen should you hire a Partner Manager—and what impact could it have on revenue growth?Tanja Breitling-Zboril, Head of Partner Network & Director of Business Development at Zühlke Group, joins host Sammy Gebele to reveal the hard numbers, surprising insights, and practical strategies behind building a successful partnership function. Whether you’re a consulting leader debating the ROI of a dedicated partner function, or a partner manager looking for a proven playbook for the first 1–2 years in the role, this episode is packed with actionable takeaways.You'll learn:1. The differences between contacts and true partnerships2. How to identify the ideal persona for a Partner Manager3. The key milestones for building a successful partnership function4. How to partner with other consultancies without risking competition5. The right way to approach product partnerships for long-term success___________Get in touch with Tanja Breitling-Zboril on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tanja-breitling-zboril-2174502/ Tanja's business book recommendation:The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People by Stephen R. Covey | https://www.amazon.de/-/en/Habits-Effective-People-Anniversary-Paperback/dp/1471195201/ ___________About the host Sammy Gebele:Sammy and SAWOO offer a B2B community-building service that establishes you as a thought leader in your industry and helps you build genuine, human-to-human relationships with your dream clients.Get in touch with Sammy Gebele on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sammygebele/ ___________Past guests on the LEADERS IN CONSULTING Podcast include: Friederich von Hurter, Melanie Tobler, Tilman Au, and many more!___________Thanks to our friends at SAWOO for producing this episode with us! 

Send us a textWith 12 companies operating under one roof, it was only a matter of time before diva-e found themselves in a maze of systems and spreadsheets.Enter Unit4, the ERP partner that helped diva-e turn unintegrated data into order.In this episode, Tilman Au, CEO of diva-e, is joined by Sammy Gebele, CEO of SAWOO, and Bryce Wolf, Strategic Growth Director at Unit4, to unpack the hard-earned lessons on getting leadership & employee buy-in, avoiding common pitfalls, and why standardization is the key to success in ERP implementation.You'll learn:1. Why moving to a single ERP system was critical for diva-e’s growth2. How Unit4 helped streamline operations & financial reporting3. Tilman’s approach to securing buy-in from employees & investors4. The biggest mistakes companies make when implementing ERP systems5. Why standardization beats customization in ERP rollouts___________Get in touch with Bryce Wolf and Tilman Au on LinkedIn: - Bryce: https://www.linkedin.com/in/brycewolf/ - Tilman: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tilman-au-ceo-investor-digital-expert/ ___________About the host: Sammy Gebele:Sammy and SAWOO offer a B2B community-building service that establishes you as a thought leader in your industry and helps you build genuine, human-to-human relationships with your dream clients.Get in touch with Sammy Gebele on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sammygebele/ About the guests:Tilman Au:Tilman Au is the CEO of diva-e. He initiated the founding of diva-e in 2015 through a buy-and-build strategy, developing it into a leading German digital service provider with nearly €100 million in revenue (2023) and over 800 employees across Germany, Bulgaria, and the USA. Since 2024, diva-e has been part of Conclusion, an european ecosystem for IT transformation. Previously, in 1998, he founded New Identity AG (NIDAG), which quickly became one of the largest multimedia service providers in the Rhine-Main region.Bryce Wolf:Bryce Wolf is a strategic growth leader with expertise in sales optimization and market expansion in the software industry. As Director of Strategic Growth at Unit4, he drives sales productivity and pipeline expansion across multiple regions, collaborating with C-level executives. Previously at Oracle and Certinia (FinancialForce), Bryce has a background in product management and solution architecture. A recognized thought leader, he has spoken at TSIA World Conference, SuiteWorld, CFO events, and the Unit4 Inspiration4U podcast.___________Past guests on the LEADERS IN CONSULTING Podcast include: Friederich von Hurter, Melanie Tobler, Tilman Au, and many more!___________Thanks to our friends at SAWOO for producing this episode with us! 

Send us a textCan offshore teams be more than cost-cutters?In this episode, Sammy Gebele chats with Ashish Khanna, Senior Managing Director of Global Security Solutions at Verizon, about how he’s transformed traditional offshore teams into “Centers of Excellence” that provide real value to the business beyond low-cost labor.You'll learn:1. Ashish's personal experience working in various geographies and managing remote teams2. Practical steps for building your own competency centers3. Key considerations and challenges4. How to empower teams to do more than execution5. Lessons from Verizon on developing, managing and retaining critical talent___________Get in touch with Ashish Khanna on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ashish-khanna01/ Ashish's business book recommendations:Seeing The Big Picture by Kevin Cope | https://www.amazon.de/dp/B07DPWFK7T/ ___________Details about Verizon Business:Website: https://vzbiz.biz/3M52BFD Industry: IT Services and IT ConsultingCompany size: 10,001+ employeesHeadquarters: Basking Ridge, NJFounded: 1988___________About the host Sammy Gebele:Sammy and SAWOO offer a B2B community-building service that establishes you as a thought leader in your industry and helps you build genuine, human-to-human relationships with your dream clients.Get in touch with Sammy Gebele on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sammygebele/ ___________Past guests on the LEADERS IN CONSULTING Podcast include: Friederich von Hurter, Melanie Tobler, Tilman Au, and many more!___________Thanks to our friends at SAWOO for producing this episode with us! 

Send us a text[German episode]Von 1 auf mehr als 20 Experten in 3 Jahren und eine mutige Vision, die Realität wurde:In dieser Episode des LEADERS IN CONSULTING Podcasts erzählt Tino Eichler, Partner bei Horváth, unserem Host Sammy Gebele, die Geschichte hinter der Gründung und dem Wachstum seiner bahnbrechenden AI/BI- und Data-Unit. Dabei liefert Tino exklusive Einblicke, wie er eine visionäre Idee in eine hoch spezialisierte Geschäftseinheit verwandelte, die Managementberatung, Data Science und technische Umsetzung integriert. Die ideale Blaupause für alle, die völlig neue Arbeitsweisen im traditionellen Beratungsumfeld etablieren wollen! Du lernst mehr über: 1. Warum der Aufbau einer eigenen Workforce ein Game-Changer für Horváth wurde.2. Die essenziellen Meilensteine bei der Skalierung einer AI & BI-Unit in der Beratung.3. Die Kunst, interdisziplinäre Teams zu formen und zu führen.4. Welche Strategien helfen, skeptische Kollegen und Partner zu überzeugen.5. Warum generative KI nicht die Arbeit, sondern die Arbeitsweise von Beratern verändert.___________Vernetze Dich mit Tino Eichler auf LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tino-eichler/ Tinos Buchempfehlung:Von der Steinzeit ins Internet: Der analoge Mensch in der digitalen Welt von Lutz Jäncke | https://www.amazon.de/Von-Steinzeit-ins-Internet-digitalen/dp/3456861508/___________Über Horváth:Website: https://www.horvath-partners.com/de/Branche: UnternehmensberatungGröße: mehr als 1.400 BeschäftigteGründung: 1981___________Über den Host Sammy:Sammy und SAWOO bieten einen B2B-Community-Building-Service, der Dich als Vordenker in Deiner Branche etabliert und Dir hilft, echte, zwischenmenschliche Beziehungen zu Deinen Wunschkunden aufzubauen. Schreibe Sammy einfach via E-Mail unter [email protected] oder connecte Dich auf LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sammygebele/___________Bisherige Gäste des LEADERS IN CONSULTING Podcasts: Friederich von Hurter, Melanie Tobler, Tilman Au und viele weitere!___________Vielen Dank an unsere Freunde von SAWOO, die diese Episode vom LEADERS IN CONSULTING Podcast für uns produziert haben! 

Send us a textAs the new partner at a giant technology company, how can you prove the value you're adding to the organization?In this episode, Sammy is joined by Dr. Eric Günter Krause, Head of Financial Services and Insurance at the consulting unit of one of the biggest IT and services companies in the world—Infosys. Eric delivers a profoundly detailed roadmap for new partners joining large organizations on how to fight your own fight and prove your worth.You'll learn:1. How to cope with the differences in business and operating models in order to become and stay relevant2. The importance of and differences in communicating with both internal and external stakeholders3. How to leverage existing networks on both sides to build trust and demonstrate added value4. How to establish constantly evolving internal alliances to identify and convert big deals5.  A detailed step-by-step playbook for consulting captives___________Get in touch with Dr. Eric Günter Krause on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dr-eric-g%C3%BCnter-krause-ph-d-hsg-845bba141/Dr. Eric Günter Krause's business book recommendations:Factfulness by Hans Rosling | https://amzn.to/3Y8jO7v ___________Details about Infosys Consulting:Website: https://www.infosys.com/ Industry: Business Consulting and ServicesCompany size: 1,001-5,000 employeesFounded: 2004___________About the host Sammy Gebele:Sammy and SAWOO offer a B2B community-building service that establishes you as a thought leader in your industry and helps you build genuine, human-to-human relationships with your dream clients.Get in touch with Sammy Gebele on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sammygebele/ ___________Past guests on the LEADERS IN CONSULTING Podcast include: Friederich von Hurter, Melanie Tobler, Tilman Au, and many more!___________Thanks to our friends at SAWOO for producing this episode with us! 

Send us a textMaibornWolff’s organizational structure is highly decentralized, with 17 operational departments—each with its own P&L and the freedom to pursue strategic goals.In this episode, Fabio Andree Scheurel, Deputy Division Manager of Collaborative Enterprise Architecture at MaibornWolff, joins Sammy to discuss how this unique structure encourages entrepreneurial freedom and fosters strong partnerships. Fabio explains how departments work together through effective networking and collaboration, all while remaining guided by MaibornWolff’s 12 non-negotiable cultural principles. He also shares insights into the company's innovative training budget system, which supports continuous development and empowers employees.You'll learn:1. How MaibornWolff drives autonomy and ownership in departments2. The benefits and challenges of a decentralized structure3. The impact of cultural principles on decentralized success4. How partnerships and networking enhance collaboration5. How the flexible training budget fuels growth and retention___________Get in touch with Fabio Andree Scheurel on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/fabio-andree-scheurel-674514205/ ___________Details about MaibornWolff:Website: https://www.maibornwolff.de/Industry: IT Services and IT ConsultingCompany size: 501-1,000 employeesHeadquarters: München, BayernFounded: 1989___________About the host Sammy Gebele:Sammy and SAWOO offer a B2B community-building service that establishes you as a thought leader in your industry and helps you build genuine, human-to-human relationships with your dream clients.Get in touch with Sammy Gebele on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sammygebele/ ___________Past guests on the LEADERS IN CONSULTING Podcast include: Friederich von Hurter, Melanie Tobler, Tilman Au, and many more!___________Thanks to our friends at SAWOO for producing this episode with us! 

Send us a text„Mögest du in interessanten Zeiten leben." Mit diesem chinesischen Sprichwort fasst Sebastian Gerling, Senior Vice President Consulting Services bei CGI, das Veränderungsmomentum der KI für die Beratungsbranche treffend zusammen. In dieser Episode spricht er mit unserem Host Sammy Gebele über die Auswirkungen von KI auf die Beratungsbranche und wie Unternehmen von Technologien wie GenAI und Machine Learning profitieren können. Dabei liefert er praxisnahe Beispiele, wie CGI innovative KI-Lösungen implementiert und wie Managed Services und Nearshoring die Effizienz zusätzlich steigern.Das erwartet Dich:1) Wie KI-basierte Lösungen wie Predictive Maintenance und AIOps die Effizienz in IT-Projekten steigern.2) Die Erfolgsstrategien von CGI bei der Umsetzung von Nearshore- und Offshore-Projekten.  3) Welche Faktoren für langfristige Kundenbeziehungen in Managed Services entscheidend sind.4) Warum Diversity und Inklusion im Beratungssektor nicht nur gesellschaftlich, sondern auch wirtschaftlich von Vorteil sind.___________Sebastian Gerling interessiert sich für strukturelle Fragen der Beratungsbranche wie die kulturelle Integration von Mitarbeitern, Diversity sowie die gezielte Förderung von jungen Frauen. Für einen persönlichen Austausch zum Thema findest Du ihn hier auf LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sebastiangerling/Sebastians Buchempfehlung:Business Model Generation: Ein Handbuch für Visionäre, Spielveränderer und Herausforderer von Alexander Osterwalder und Yves Pigneur | https://bit.ly/3Bl6uoE___________Über CGI:Website: https://www.cgi.com/en Industrie: IT-Dienstleistungen und IT-BeratungUnternehmensgröße: mehr als 91.000 Beschäftigte weltweitHauptsitz: Montreal, QuebecGründung: 1976___________Über den Host Sammy:Sammy und SAWOO bieten einen B2B-Community-Building-Service, der Dich als Vordenker in Deiner Branche etabliert und Dir hilft, echte, zwischenmenschliche Beziehungen zu Deinen Wunschkunden aufzubauen. Schreibe Sammy einfach via E-Mail unter [email protected] oder connecte Dich auf LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sammygebele/___________Bisherige Gäste des LEADERS IN CONSULTING Podcasts: Friederich von Hurter, Melanie Tobler, Tilman Au und viele weitere.___________Vielen Dank an unsere Freunde von SAWOO, die diese Episode vom LEADERS IN CONSULTING Podcast für uns produziert haben! 

Send us a textReady to unleash the power of AI in your consultancy? In this episode, Ronny Fehling, Chief AI Officer, Partner, and VP of GenAI at BCG X, shares the secrets behind the company's incredible 7-year growth from 300–3,000 people. The conversation dives into how you can successfully implement AI at your consultancy, avoid common pitfalls, and drive unparalleled value on the client side. Want to stay relevant in the next 2–3 years? Don't miss this incredible playbook from BCG's tech-focused powerhouse.You'll learn:1. How to identify high-value AI use cases tailored to business needs.2. How to get both internal partner and client buy-in when proving the value of AI solutions.3. How to align AI initiatives with corporate goals to create measurable impact.4. How to integrate AI into your business, from pilot projects to scalable solutions.5. The benefits and pitfalls of value-based pricing models.___________Get in touch with Ronny Fehling on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ronnyfehling/ Ronny Fehling's business book recommendations:How Will You Measure Your Life by Clayton Christensen | https://amzn.to/47lY6RJ Blue Ocean Strategy by Chan Kim | https://amzn.to/3ZFkx2z ___________Details about BCG X:Website: https://www.bcg.com/xIndustry: Business Consulting and ServicesCompany size: 1,001-5,000 employeesHeadquarters: Boston, MassachusettsFounded: 2022___________About the host Sammy Gebele:Sammy and SAWOO offer a B2B community-building service that establishes you as a thought leader in your industry and helps you build genuine, human-to-human relationships with your dream clients.Get in touch with Sammy Gebele on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sammygebele/ ___________Past guests on the LEADERS IN CONSULTING Podcast include: Friederich von Hurter, Melanie Tobler, Tilman Au, and many more!___________Thanks to our friends at SAWOO for producing this episode with us! 

Send us a textWhat is the key to fast and sustainable growth as a boutique consultancy? For Tenthpin Co-founder & Executive Chairman Jürgen Bauer, it's developing a niche focus.In this episode, Jürgen shares the journey behind Tenthpin’s impressive growth, revealing the strategic decisions that have enabled them to achieve consistent 25% year-on-year expansion since their inception in 2017.You'll learn:1. How Tenthpin's niche focus in life sciences drives consistent growth.2. The strategic decisions that fueled their 25% year-on-year expansion.3. The importance of maintaining quality and a strong company culture during rapid growth.4. How Tenthpin's collaboration with SAP led to the development of innovative industry-specific solutions.5. Insights into Tenthpin’s 'go-go strategy' for sustainable and scalable growth.___________Get in touch with Jürgen Bauer on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/juergenbauer/ Jürgen Bauer's business book recommendations:The Art of Resilience by Ross Edgley | https://amzn.to/472Zsk7 ___________Details about Tenthpin:Website: https://tenthpin.com/Industry: Business Consulting and ServicesCompany size: 201-500 employeesHeadquarters: Basel, CHFounded: 2017___________About the host Sammy Gebele:Sammy and SAWOO offer a B2B community-building service that establishes you as a thought leader in your industry and helps you build genuine, human-to-human relationships with your dream clients.Get in touch with Sammy Gebele on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sammygebele/ ___________Past guests on the LEADERS IN CONSULTING Podcast include: Friederich von Hurter, Melanie Tobler, Tilman Au, and many more!___________Thanks to our friends at SAWOO for producing this episode with us! 

Send us a textHow can you maintain strong client relationships across continents?In this episode, Rudraksh Bhawalkar, Partner at EY, brings a wealth of experience from across the globe. He shares his journey from India to the US, Africa, and finally to Germany, and reveals how he leverages daily networking strategies to stay connected and win clients. Dive into Rudy's proactive approach to networking in different cultures and his unique relationship management techniques.You'll learn:1. Proactive daily networking strategies for sustained client engagement2. The role of cultural understanding in building successful client relationships3. Effective use of LinkedIn and WhatsApp for professional networking4. How to overcome common challenges in international consulting5. Practical tips for balancing client acquisition with relationship building___________Get in touch with Rudraksh on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rudraksh-bhawalkar-63b7813b/ Business book recommendations:Mindset by Carol Dweck | https://amzn.to/4ceQvpc ___________Details about EY:Website: https://www.ey.com/ Industry: Professional ServicesSize: 10,001+ employeesYear: 1989___________About the host Sammy Gebele:Sammy and SAWOO offer a B2B community-building service that establishes you as a thought leader in your industry and helps you build genuine, human-to-human relationships with your dream clients.Get in touch with Sammy Gebele on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sammygebele/ ___________Past guests on the LEADERS IN CONSULTING Podcast include: Friederich von Hurter, Melanie Tobler, Tilman Au, and many more!___________Thanks to our friends at SAWOO for producing this episode with us!