What if the strategies you trust most are quietly keeping you from your next level of growth?

In professional services, we’re taught that strong delivery and trusted relationships lead to more business. But what if that model no longer matches how clients actually buy?

In this episode, I speak with Matthew Dixon, the co-founder of DCM Insights and bestselling author of The Challenger Sale and The Jolt Effect, about his latest research and book, The Activator Advantage. Based on a global study of 3,000 partners across consulting, law, accounting, and professional services, Matt reveals that the top rainmakers aren’t the most experienced or connected; they’re the ones who act differently.

He introduces the concept of the Activator: a business developer who proactively creates client value before the engagement even starts, connects deeply across networks, and builds trust by helping people, not just closing deals.

We explore:

• The five types of business developers and why only one correlates with high performance

• Why traditional “trusted advisor” models are falling short in today’s buyer environment

• How Activators build loyalty before there’s even a contract

• Why “personal value” (not just professional impact) creates sticky client relationships

• How to lead your team through behavior change — without forcing it from the top down

• What AI, network tools, and tech platforms are enabling, and what they still can’t replace

Matt also shares the mindset shifts that high-performing consultants embrace, not to sell harder, but to invest more generously in their relationships, their ideas, and the value they create.

Whether you’re a seasoned partner or building your book of business, this episode offers a new way to think about trust, relevance, and sustainable growth in a world of shifting client expectations.

Matthew Dixon is the Founding Partner of DCM Insights. Matthew is a frequent contributor to Harvard Business Review and a WSJ bestselling author, with his books translated in a dozen languages.

Get Matthew’s book here: https://rb.gy/a6ygc7

The Activator Advantage: What Today's Rainmakers Do Differently

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