Louise Gardner | MD: Pledge Consulting
I’m Louise Gardner, the Managing Director and Founder of Pledge Consulting. We’re specialists in project delivery support, helping organisations deliver projects effectively, through frameworks, planning, and assurance health checks.
A new revenue stream for my consultancy
I needed help from someone who understands the challenges of being a solo Founder. I wanted to grow the business and needed new skills and insights to get me there. I knew I didn’t know what I didn’t know.
I wanted a thinking partner to talk through my ideas with, so we began working together in 2020.
Our first steps
We’d been sponsoring many events but they dried up during COVID. Angela helped me pull together the concept for an online event we’ve called the PMO Leadership Symposium. It’s since become a successful in-person event. She gave me the confidence and support to move from sponsoring events to staging them, which created extra depth to our brand credibility.
Three years later, what began as a lead generation pipeline for the business has morphed into a business unit, a profit-centre of its own. We’ve added Masterclasses and additional events in two states. And now there’s more on the horizon, thanks to our most recent strategic planning workshop.
Continued Support
I return to the table with Angela twice a year as my ideas build up as I need her external lens on the business. That’s the primary driver. Sometimes I’ll think “I’d really like Angela’s opinion on that” so I’ll gather these thoughts for us to talk through before I make a decision.
The value she provides is very simple. It’s measurable. It’s tangible. It’s dollars on the bottom line. The strategies turn into actions that create significant revenue. I wouldn’t do it otherwise. It’s an expense a small business doesn’t need unless it returns value on the investment. And Angela does, every single time. Her insights and experience around marketing, consulting, social media, her contacts and networks, have significantly contributed to my business growth.
As an example, in the case of the new events revenue stream, there’s been a 200% increase because of our initiatives. That’s the business case proven!
I’m financially cautious, but as the business has grown I’ve realised I need more help not less. Working with Angela, I don’t feel like $1 has been wasted. It’s been an investment that’s consistently delivered a return in the four years we’ve worked together.
What’s unique?
I think Angela is unique within her niche. What she brings to a business owner like me is something quite different. She has a broad range of practical experience and business acumen and gives me the confidence to take action.
We have a long-term relationship because she knows our business and she knows me. There’s such value in that. I’m not going to wake up one day and say, “Oh, I’m a bit bored with Angela now, she knows our business too well, and I feel like explaining it to somebody else today!”
Business owners need this
Business owners need an external lens with someone who has experience and knowledge. That’s why Angela is a great option.
I tell other business owners she’s not a magical unicorn, that she can’t do it for people. They have to be ready and willing to take action and that can be quite scary. But I’ve always found Angela to be really supportive. I leave our sessions with a clear to-do-list with concrete steps to take to make them happen.
And isn’t that what we all need? Clarity on what we’re doing and the strategy to get us there.