How to Make Partner

How to Make Partner

Professional Training and Coaching

For Lawyers, Accountants & Consultants - build the mindset and skills you need to really make partner in your firm

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We'll show you what you really need to do to make partner in your law firm, accountancy firm or other professional service firm. From Heather Townsend. Author of Poised for Partnership and the FT Guide to Business Networking. Co-author of How to Make Partner & Still Have a Life and How to Become the Go-To Expert.Build your Partner-Ready skills. We've got loads of great articles, self-study courses and a Progress to Partner Academy linktr.ee/HowtoMakePartner Take our 15-minute Partnership Readiness Assessment and find out exactly what areas of your career to work on to get noticed as partner material: https://www.howtomakepartner.com/readiness-for-partnership-assessment/ Hi! I'm Heather Townsend, the leading global expert in what it takes to move from senior fee earner to partner – and when you get there, stay there. With my team, we work with lawyers, accountants and consultants to: * Grow their client portfolio * Develop a strong personal case so that they are seen as the next partner * Get onto partner track rather than been seen as only a “safe pair of hands” * Build, write and pitch their business case * Prepare for the partnership panel interviews

Website
https://www.howtomakepartner.com/
Industry
Professional Training and Coaching
Company size
2-10 employees
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Privately Held

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    How to Make Partner

    682 followers

    Early into your journey to win your own work. How to know whether your marketing is working? Here’s Heather’s great article on the green shoots to look for. https://lnkd.in/e7-BgcJg

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    Heather Townsend

    Giving clients & members the clarity & confidence to grow their practice | How To Make Partner | The Accountants' Growth Club | Slayer of tradition

    Are you pouring your heart into your writing, creating content you’re proud of, but still struggling to land clients? You’re not alone. Freelancers, small business owners and professionals in practice often face the harsh reality that passion doesn’t always pay the bills. It’s easy to feel stuck - posting on social media, sending newsletters, and crafting brilliant work that seems to go unnoticed. The truth is, knowing if your marketing is working isn’t always about instant results. It’s about tracking the right signs and focusing your efforts where they matter most. This week, I wrote The Beginner’s Guide to Knowing If Your Marketing is Working - a practical guide to help you spot early indicators of success, avoid the “shouting into the void” syndrome, and build a strategy that connects with the clients you want to serve. From uncovering leading and lagging indicators to understanding the buyer’s journey, this article gives you the tools to market with purpose and start seeing progress - even if the clients haven’t started rolling in. I’ve popped a link to the article in the comments. Let me know what you think.

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    How to Make Partner

    682 followers

    If you’re stuck in your career, it might be because you are not prioritising yourself. What I mean by this is, if you treated your career like it was a client, you would make time for it, you would know what you need to do, and you would have a plan for the future. Try it. Diarise the time for you and actually put some time towards it. If it helps, create a different name and persona. Detaching yourself from you might help you to break through that mental barrier and think about what ‘they’ want and what ‘they’ should do instead. You never know, approaching it this way may help you figure out what you want and need.

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    How to Make Partner

    682 followers

    A bit of inspiration for you if your marketing isn’t sticking right now…

    View profile for Heather Townsend, graphic
    Heather Townsend

    Giving clients & members the clarity & confidence to grow their practice | How To Make Partner | The Accountants' Growth Club | Slayer of tradition

    I thought I knew what my clients wanted. I was wrong. Here’s how one Canadian client completely changed half of my business. 20 years ago, I worked at BDO, which was then in the top 5 firms in the UK, surrounded by ambitious professionals striving to make partner. It was clear that reaching partnership was the ultimate goal for many. But as I got to know these individuals better, I realised something crucial: they didn’t just want the title. They wanted to know how to make partner and still have a life. That insight became the title of my second book, How to Make Partner and Still Have a Life, and shaped much of my business strategy. I built my marketing around the promise of balancing career progression with personal wellbeing, helping people rise without sacrificing their health, relationships, or sanity. But even with that clarity, I struggled to convert my knowledge into paying clients. And I mean really struggled. For years, I was trying to sell the idea of work-life balance, but I wasn’t hitting the mark. People appreciated the concept, but my bank balance was testament to the fact they weren’t rushing to buy. Until one day, a Canadian approached me with a specific problem: he needed help preparing for his partnership panel interview. Unlike many leads I’d encountered before, he was eager to work with me - and willing to pay well for my services. In fact he didn’t flinch when I gave him a punchy fee quote. That moment was a turning point. I realised I’d been focusing too much on selling the concept of balance and not enough on addressing the pressing, tangible needs of my audience. Yes, they wanted balance, but their immediate focus was on making partner. From that day, I reoriented my business. I specialised in supporting professionals during the critical 0-3 year window from senior fee earner to partner. By addressing their most urgent priority - achieving partnership - I quickly built a six-figure business. The lesson? 1️⃣ Listen closely to what your clients are actually motivated to buy. 2️⃣ Understand their immediate goals and pain points. It’s not always the big, idealistic promise that resonates - it’s solving the problem right in front of them. So, ask yourself: What do your clients really want to buy? And how can you tailor your offer to meet them exactly where they are?

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    How to Make Partner

    682 followers

    If you want to progress in your firm you need to be commercially aware and show that you understand the importance of networking and business development activities. Then make time for it in your day! This webinar is for you if: It’s suddenly dawned on you that to get noticed as one to watch, you need to be seen winning your own clients, or at least, you need to be seen as aware of the importance of networking and winning business for your firm. You’re new to networking and business development You know things need to change, but have no idea how to get started? You’d love to know how to get started to build the foundations that will lead you to winning your own clients in the future. In this webinar we will cover: 1) What is actually achievable at your level? 2) Who will be in your referral network? Getting started 3) Focus on Networking 4) Create your Business Development Plan 5) How to make time for business development 6) How to grow your profile online & offline Join me on 12 February at 12.30pm (UK) https://lnkd.in/eX7T7qre #careerdevelopment #networking #businessdevelopment #big4life #lawyerlife #consultants #accountants ⁠#accountancycareer #legalcareer #lawyers #legallife #attorneylife ⁠#seniorassociates ⁠#accountantsandaccounting #accountantcoach #lawyersoflinkedin #corporatelife #consulting #managementconsulting #big4 #big4accountant #lawcareer #consultancycareer #auditcareer #howtomakepartner #progresstopartner

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    How to Make Partner

    682 followers

    We don't all start the new year off with a bang with buckets full of energy that are carrying them through. Despite what you might see on your social media, there are plenty of other lawyers, accountants, and consultants who are run down and exhausted too. Of course you’re going to feel like you’re at a career crossroads or you’re not going to have any zest or mojo if you’re exhausted. If you’re feeling stuck in your career, tired of the grind or you want to turn this year around, here is how to pick yourself up and kickstart your career. Not just for now, but for the whole year and beyond it. Read more here: https://lnkd.in/gNrye8p #newyearmotivation #careerdevelopment #lawyers #accountants #consultants #seniorassociates #newyear

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    How to Make Partner

    682 followers

    Happy New Year! It's January. It feels like a new start. Did your career progressed as far as you hoped it would last year? You know you consistently do a good job and you know that you over achieve on your chargeable time targets but you've watched other people around you get the promotions or the development opportunities this year. Perhaps your firm makes all the right noises but it seems as if your development and career progression never seems to happen. When this happens to us, our confidence wanes - what on earth are you supposed to be doing? You're probably just wishing right now that someone would tell you what to do to move your career forward next year. ⁠ Wouldn't it be great if you could find out what you really need to be doing to get noticed by the partners as "one to watch"? Instead of waiting for recognition to come knocking in 2025, it's time to seize the reins and steer your own path to success. Be decisive, take control of the speed of your own career development and sign up today! It's only £290 for 12 months access to our Progress to Partner Academy website (click here to start today!) That's less than £25 a month. You will gain valuable insights into where to focus your efforts each day, week, and month and how to find the time to do it! Building the skills and mindset needed to move your career forward doesn't happen overnight. If you want to start today learning the skills and building the habits that you need to get noticed as "one to watch", then my Progress to Partner Academy is OPEN for you! ⁠ Check out my blogposts at www.howtomakepartner.com Join my Progress to Partner online Academy - https://lnkd.in/ggm3dgs ⁠ Progress to Partner Academy members have checklists, guides, short recordings and self-study courses at their fingertips.⁠ ⁠ They know exactly where they need to focus to get noticed as partner-material each day, week and month of your career.⁠ ⁠ ⁠ Do you? ⁠https://lnkd.in/ggm3dgs ⁠ #careerprogress #careerdevelopment #careertips #legalcareer #lawyers #auditcareer #big4life #legallife #lawyerlife #attorneylife ⁠#seniorassociates⁠ #accountancycareer#accountantsandaccounting #accountantcoach #accountingtips #youngaccountants #howtomakepartner #progresstopartner

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    How to Make Partner

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    Look what's happening in 2025...

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    Heather Townsend

    Giving clients & members the clarity & confidence to grow their practice | How To Make Partner | The Accountants' Growth Club | Slayer of tradition

    Happy New Year! What are you doing today? This is what I am doing... Using ChatGPT to edit the manuscript of the 10th anniversary edition of my book Poised For Partnership. Yes, I really do know how to party. But also, how has it been 10 years since I wrote the first edition of this book? Who stole about 5 years? (That will be the pandemic years I guess...) I know authors, like parents, are probably not supposed to have favourites with their books. But if I had a favourite, it would be this book. This year, the 4th "10th anniversary" edition will be published, and it is now the most-read book of all my books. It's probably ended up being the book (of my 6 books) that has directly or indirectly brought in the most revenue for me as an author, coach and trainer. Once this is edited, it will be over to Lisa Bremner to project manage and coordinate the beta readers, get in testimonials for the book, work with Darrell Illingworth to get it laid out and then proofread. And yes, I didn't see in the New Year. I was tucked up asleep as the bongs went.

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    How to Make Partner

    682 followers

    Is this the year you're going to be noticed as having "Partner Potential? Here are seven things that your partners are looking out for... 1. Commitment to the firm and its long term vision Partners are always looking out for people who are actively committed to the firm and helping it achieve its long term vision. 2. Good relationship building skills Most buyers of professional services will ultimately choose their supplier based on the quality of the relationship that they have with them. The partners will be looking out for how well you build and maintain your relationships within your network. 3. Excellence with clients It doesn’t matter whether you are a new junior to a firm or a highly experienced senior associate or director, your client handling skills and mindset towards clients WILL determine whether or not you get seen as future partnership potential for your firm. 4. Drive and ambition Your own drive and ambition becomes a major predictor of your success as a partner. After all, you wouldn’t want to promote someone to help you run your business if they couldn’t really be ‘bothered’… 5. Willingness to get involved in business development It is very rare that anyone gets promoted to partner without a proven ability to win business for the firm. Getting involved in business development activities is a good step in the right direction. 6. Emotional maturity Are you a moaner and groaner? Do you fly off the handle easily? Do you struggle to see the bigger picture? These are all signs that you need to work on your emotional maturity. 7. Commercial astuteness Partners will always be looking out for those people who think commercially and could be relied upon in the future to take good commercial decisions on behalf of the firm. Read the full article here: https://lnkd.in/ehvvQUWQ #careerdevelopment #consulting #managementconsulting #big4 #big4accountant ⁠#lawyer #lawyerlife #magiccircle #partnerpotential #deloitte #pwc #ey #McKinsey #bain #manager #partner ⁠ #analyst #corporatelife #howtomakepartner #progresstopartner

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  • How to Make Partner reposted this

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    How to Make Partner

    682 followers

    You're probably just wishing right now that someone would tell you what to do to move your career forward next year. The reality is, that in your firm, no-one tells you how to get really noticed for development and promotion. You're just told to meet your targets. It's so frustrating isn't it? Wouldn't it be great if you could find out what you really need to be doing to get noticed by the partners as "one to watch"? Instead of waiting for recognition to come knocking in 2025, it's time to seize the reins and steer your own path to success. Take a moment to observe those around you—some may not possess your level of technical expertise, yet they're advancing swiftly. What's their secret? They're proactive. They take charge of their career development and refuse to rely solely on others' recognition. It's a hard truth to swallow: hard work alone won't guarantee your ascent. But there's a better way forward. Join the ranks of the Progress to Partner Academy, where you will be supported and equipped with the tools and strategies to stand out as partnership material. Be decisive, take control of the speed of your own career development and sign up today! It's only £290 for 12 months access to our Progress to Partner Academy website Join here: https://lnkd.in/ggm3dgs #lawyer #accountant #consultant #careerprogress ⁠

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