Vanquish Effect: The Cash Machine vs. Scale Illusion
- Jonny Staker, CEO
- 5 days ago
- 1 min read
Why small advisory firms don’t need scale.. they need margin
Everyone online talks about “scale” like it’s a rite of passage.
But most small advisory firms don’t actually want scale.
They want what they think scale gives them; freedom, money and leverage, but without the chaos that comes with it.
Because real scale looks like:
People problems
HR
Politics
Overhead
Pipeline pressure
Lower margins
Slower decisions
More meetings than outcomes
Most founders who say they want scale are chasing a fantasy version that doesn’t exist.
The truth:
You can make far more money with far less chaos, by understanding pricing and offer stacking than by adding headcount.
Everyone wants the optics of a “bigger” firm.
Nobody wants the administrative weight that comes with being responsible for 10-40 people.
You don’t need scale to get rich.
You need:
A tight flagship offer
A smart upsell/downsell architecture
Pricing that reflects value, not hours
A small roster of high-calibre clients
Proof that compounds
A calendar that isn’t a hostage situation
High-ticket, low-volume advisory is more profitable than 90% of “scaled” consultancies.
Margin beats headcount.
Depth beats breadth.
Simplicity beats expansion.
Most people don’t have a scale problem.
They have a misunderstanding of what scale actually feels like.
The goal isn’t to get bigger, it’s is to get better and charge accordingly.
As promised, Vanquish in under 1 minute.
Vincere Ultra Victoriam
Jonny
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