Why I Don’t Believe in Consulting for Growth and Technology

When it comes to growth marketing and technology consulting, there’s one core issue that many businesses face: accountability. While growth and technical consultants are often the highest paid in the industry, they tend to carry the least responsibility. This lack of accountability is problematic for businesses that need rapid growth and creative solutions, particularly in the fast-paced world of ecommerce and SaaS startups.

In this article, I’ll share my experience with consulting, why it doesn’t always work, and how I’ve solved the accountability problem by offering commission-based growth marketing—a hands-on, results-driven approach that’s tailored for startups with limited budgets but massive ambition.

1. The Disconnect with Consultants

My first experience with the disconnect in consulting occurred when I worked at Siemens in the early 2000s. I was fresh into the industry, eager to learn, and assigned to a project involving quality assurance software. The software allowed our client to capture data for quality measurements. Our client was a company in rural Austria—where the accent is very thick, almost like a German version of Scottish.

During a meeting, the client requested a voice recognition system to communicate directly with the software (remember, this was 2005, before AI had come to mainstream). My project manager, who I’ll call Harald, a great salesman for Siemens, agreed to the request without hesitation. In fact, he almost never said no to anything. This was my first experience in the tech field, and I didn’t have the confidence to challenge him in front of the client.

Unfortunately, we were never able to meet the client’s expectations with the product we delivered, and I realised how damaging it can be when a consultant or project manager makes poor decisions without really understanding the technical limits. This was my first taste of consulting failure, and it didn’t sit well with me.

2. The Disconnect at the Top

As I moved through my career, particularly when I attended Kingston University and later pursued finance at LSE, I realised something even more disheartening: many of my peers who had little-to-no technical expertise had risen to management or consultancy positions within the technology sector. Many of them ended up working as consultants.

What’s worse is that, when I spoke to them, I repeatedly heard stories of miscommunication, poor decisions, and conflicting expectations between consultants and technical teams. It was clear that these consultants didn’t understand the intricacies of the technology they were advising on. The disconnect was evident, and it made me realise that the consultancy model often fails to align the real technical capabilities with the expectations set by management or clients.

In my experience, consultants who don’t understand the core technology can’t truly help the businesses they’re advising. Even though they often come with great communication skills, it’s the lack of technical understanding that causes all the issues.

3. The Statistics Behind the Risks of Consulting

Statistically, there are several risks when hiring consultants for growth and technology. A study by the Harvard Business Review found that over 60% of consulting projects fail to meet the original goals or deliver expected outcomes. The reasons for these failures are diverse but can generally be boiled down to these core issues:

Lack of accountability: Consultants often move on once the project is over, leaving companies to deal with the aftermath.
Misaligned goals: Often, consultants are more focused on strategy and theory than on execution.
Inability to adapt: Consultants who lack hands-on experience often fail to react to changing conditions or unforeseen obstacles.

In fact, many consultants are brought in to offer strategic guidance, but without the ability to execute, their recommendations can end up as mere theoretical concepts. When businesses are looking for actionable, results-driven solutions, consultants may provide advice but don’t always follow through.

4. The Solution: Commission-Based Growth Marketing

This is where my approach differs: I believe that accountability and results should be at the core of any growth marketing strategy. That’s why I focus on commission-based growth marketing, where I take full responsibility for the results.

I target ecommerce and SaaS startups that have limited budgets but massive ambitions. These businesses need to grow fast, and they require creative, cost-effective solutions. They need someone who will not only plan but execute, someone who can take responsibility for the success of the marketing campaigns and show measurable results.

This approach aligns perfectly with fast-growing startups, where flexibility and speed are key, and where every penny counts.

Why This Model Works:

Incentive-driven: My commission-based structure means that I only succeed when my clients succeed. This ensures that I'm fully invested in driving real growth.
Hands-on approach: Unlike consultants who often sit back and advise, I execute. I handle the technical aspects, the campaigns, and the analysis.
Rapid growth: With limited budgets, I focus on high-impact strategies that can scale quickly, making the most out of every marketing dollar spent.

By focusing on results, I help ecommerce and SaaS startups move from stagnation to growth, while keeping costs down and achieving their ambitious goals.

5. The Role of Experience in Growth Marketing

While consultants often work with clients from a strategic level, they tend to miss the execution part, which is the most important. A growth marketer needs to not only understand the theory but also be able to implement it, measure it, and optimise it based on real data.

My hands-on approach makes me the perfect match for startups that require not only guidance but also someone who can deliver results and execute strategies on the ground. The disconnect that so often plagues consulting relationships is avoided when a growth marketer like myself is in the trenches, working day in and day out to ensure success.

6. The Future of Growth Marketing: Why I’m The Perfect Partner for Startups

For startups and SMEs looking for a reliable partner with the right combination of managerial expertise, technical skills, and hands-on experience, I’m the ideal choice. I don’t just talk the talk—I walk the walk.

When you work with me, you get:

Accountability: I take full responsibility for the results.
Execution: I’m not just a planner; I implement and optimise.
Creativity: I craft unique growth strategies tailored to your business needs.

If you’re an ecommerce or SaaS startup with limited budget and big ambitions, you don’t need to rely on consultants who only offer advice. You need someone who can make it happen, someone who takes real responsibility and delivers measurable growth. That’s exactly what I do.