A senior partner I coach, started a client meeting with a question she had clearly used before.

The client answered. The presentation was relevant. Everyone left happy.

Shortly thereafter, the client put the work out to bid.

The question wasn't wrong. It just wasn't good enough. And in today's environment, good enough is exactly the gap your competitors are walking through.

Article 4 of "The Builder Mindset: Winning the War for Clients in Professional Services" is about the questions that actually work, and what happens when you finally ask it.

This is a series of weekly articles I’m releasing throughout the summer of 2026, mid-May through early September. They’re written for partners, principals, firm leaders, and BD professionals who want to grow their practices. The series shares my observations about how successful professionals (builders) approach BD, how they show up with existing clients, and how they pursue new ones.

The habits that earned you your credentials may not be the ones that grow your practice. That's what this series is about, winning the War for Clients.

I was brought in to help a professional services firm prepare for a competitive proposal. They had been working with this client for years. Good work, no complaints. When the engagement went out to bid, one of the partners told me they weren't worried. They had a great relationship.

They lost.

The debrief was polite. The official explanation was vague references to delivery approach, technology, and price. I had a sense there was a deeper story. There was one.

Here's the part that struck me: the incumbent team never saw it coming. And in my experience, they rarely do.

This is a series of weekly articles I’m releasing throughout the summer of 2026, mid-May through early September. They’re written for partners, principals, firm leaders, and BD professionals who want to grow their practices. The series shares my observations about how successful professionals (builders) approach BD, how they show up with existing clients, and how they pursue new ones.

The habits that earned you your credentials may not be the ones that grow your practice. That's what this series is about, winning the War for Clients.