A Founder’s Reflection: 20 Years of Leadership at B2E Consulting

In 2004, I co-founded B2E Consulting with a clear goal in mind: to create a different kind of consulting firm. One that delivered top-tier results for clients—but did so through a more agile, values-driven model. One that respected the time and talents of independent consultants, while staying laser-focused on client needs.

Now, more than 20 years later, I’m proud to say we’ve built something lasting—and something unique. We’re still independent, we’re still client-focused, and in 2019 we became an Employee-Owned Business, formalising our belief that the people who deliver the work should have a real stake in its success.

As we’ve grown, so too has my understanding of what leadership really means. It’s changed in every phase of the business—and each stage has come with its own lessons.

Leading in the Early Years: Survive, Deliver, Repeat

In the beginning, leadership was all about survival.

We were a small team with a bold vision—and not much else. I was involved in everything:

• Defining the service model.
• Finding and winning clients.
• Delivering the work.
• Managing the finances.
• Building trust, one project at a time.

This period taught me the value of adaptability, resilience, and staying close to the client. It also showed me how important it is to deliver consistently, especially when you’re still earning your reputation.

Leading Through Growth: Letting Go and Building Capability

As B2E grew, so did the leadership challenge. We moved beyond survival and into scaling the business—which required a shift in mindset.

It was no longer sustainable for me to be across every detail. I had to focus on:

• Creating a clear, compelling company vision.
• Attracting talented consultants and internal team members.
• Building repeatable processes that supported quality.
• Letting go of control and trusting others to lead.

What I learned in this phase is that you can’t grow a business alone—not sustainably, and not in a way that delivers real value to clients. Empowering others became a core part of how we led and how we worked.

Becoming an Employee-Owned Business: Leadership as Legacy

In 2019, we made the decision to become an Employee-Owned Trust (EOT). This was a deliberate move to protect our culture, values, and independence.

We wanted to avoid the short-term pressures that often come with private equity investment or acquisition. More importantly, we wanted to hand over real ownership to the people who were helping shape the future of B2E every day.

This has been one of the most rewarding transitions in our journey. Today, leadership is about:

• Developing future leaders from within.
• Encouraging shared ownership and accountability.
• Stepping back from founder-led control and allowing others to drive the business forward.
• Making decisions that ensure long-term continuity and resilience.

What This Means for You—Our Clients

Everything I’ve learned about leadership ultimately translates into how we serve our clients.

Today, when you work with B2E, you’re not just engaging a consulting firm—you’re partnering with a team of co-owners who are personally invested in doing the right thing, the right way.

That means:

• Long-term thinking – We’re not driven by quarterly targets or shareholder demands.
• Consistency and stability – Our people are here for the long haul.
• Genuine care for outcomes – Because we all benefit when our clients succeed.

You can trust that your work will be delivered with the same commitment and care that we’ve built our reputation on since 2004.

Leadership Lessons I’ll Take Forward

Looking back, here are some of the key leadership lessons I’ve learned along the way:

• Leadership evolves—the right approach changes with each phase of growth.
• Success is shared—the best results come when leadership and responsibility are distributed.
• Culture matters—especially when times are challenging.
• Legacy requires intention—you have to build the future you want to leave behind.

Thank you to all of our clients—past and present—who have trusted B2E with their challenges, ideas, and ambitions. You’ve helped shape not just our business, but my own leadership journey.

I’m proud of what we’ve built, and even more excited about what’s to come.

About the author – Tony McNeill:

Tony is a co-founder of B2E Consulting, having spent over 15 years working with Accenture working on a wide range of blue chip multinationals, managing large-scale and complex change programmes.

He is an experienced and pragmatic management consultant with over 30 years business experience.

Interests: Tony likes to spend his spare time, when he has any, socialising, sporting and enjoying life!