In this episode of The Consultant’s Way, Mitchell Palsson joins Dean and Anthony to explore a critical blind spot in professional services: the lack of business acumen across many consulting teams—and the impact it has on client value, internal credibility, and career development.

Mitchell, a PS operations leader turned Chief of Staff, shares how his own path revealed the disconnect between technical consulting excellence and true business understanding. While consultants are often deeply knowledgeable about their product or platform, they frequently struggle to connect that knowledge to client outcomes—or communicate effectively with executives inside and outside the business. He argues that this isn’t a skills gap—it’s a development gap.

Many organizations have deprioritized investment in their people, leaving consultants to figure out business basics like revenue recognition, margin, and customer lifetime value on their own. And when consultants don’t understand how the business works, they can’t articulate their impact, defend the value of services, or build long-term relationships with clients.

Throughout the conversation, Mitchell offers a call to action for PS leaders: invest in your people beyond the technical. Help them connect their work to what matters to the business and the customer. Track more than project dates—track how your work drives revenue, retention, and stickiness. And train your teams to speak the language of both clients and executives.

Whether you're leading a PS org, building your own business acumen, or trying to turn technical SMEs into trusted advisors, this episode delivers a thoughtful, experience-based look at how to bridge the gap between delivery and impact.