In this episode of The Consultant's Way Podcast, Dean McMann and Anthony Paluska interview Caitlin Ferguson, founder of Co-Pilots.io, which helps founders of professional services and SaaS companies streamline their operations and grow sustainably. Caitlin discusses her journey, starting in her parents’ accounting firm, through founding her own business, and ultimately establishing Co-Pilots.io after years of consulting and supporting entrepreneurs.

Caitlin highlights the common challenges faced by founders of professional services firms. Often, they experience operational chaos, struggle with cash flow, and lack clarity around financial data. These issues are compounded by founders wearing too many hats, leading to burnout and inefficiency. Caitlin emphasizes the importance of financial visibility and structured processes to eliminate bottlenecks and scale the business. She advocates for founders to step out of day-to-day operations by creating clear workflows, tracking key metrics, and building accountability structures.

The hosts discuss the different types of founders: sales-focused rainmakers, operations-focused operators, and delivery-focused gurus. Caitlin notes that regardless of their role, many founders face similar challenges, particularly in transitioning to a more strategic leadership role. She stresses the importance of getting the founders’ vision on paper and aligning operations with their long-term goals for sustainable growth.

Caitlin shares her process for aligning founders and partners through values-based decision-making, using tools like card sorting to identify core values that inform strategy. She gives an example of a client whose profits increased tenfold after optimizing operations and delivery processes.

Caitlin concludes by emphasizing the importance of external perspectives in consulting, as founders often struggle to see their own operational blind spots. She also talks about her new VIP workshops, which offer founders a one-day intensive session to diagnose issues and create an actionable 90-day plan for improvement.