Shaping the Next Generation of Advisors: Key Takeaways from the 2026 Rising Stars Professional Series

1. The Billable Hour is Obsolete: Bet on Outcomes Instead. The traditional model of selling hours is becoming untenable in a world where AI is "evaporating" effort. John Norkus argued that the future belongs to advisors who are willing to bet on the outcomes they create for clients. This requires a fundamental shift from tracking inputs to measuring and pricing based on client success.

• Align Interests: Norkus proposed a model where consultants are paid a retainer to cover costs, but the significant compensation comes in multiples of fair market value when the client succeeds. "We're out for glory— just not our own. We make change happen. We do the hard work, our clients get the credit," Norkus said. "But wouldn't it be great if we got paid when our clients succeeded rather than when we are done?"
• Change the Conversation: This model shifts disagreements from billing rates and change orders to a collaborative discussion about the best way to achieve value, with both consultant and client on the same side of the table.
• Focus on Behavior: The ultimate proof of value is changed human behavior that sticks. Norkus shared an example of a sales transformation where he knew he would get paid when salespeople voluntarily lined up to have their improved performance reviewed—a clear sign the new process had become their own.

2. Leverage AI as a Force Multiplier for Human-Centric Work. AI is not replacing consultants, but it is automating the foundational tasks that once defined the early years of a consulting career. The speakers agreed that AI's true power is in its ability to free up advisors to focus on the irreplaceable, human elements of their work.

• Automate the Mundane: Marissa Bowman highlighted how AI agents can transform workflows that previously took hours, like summarizing earnings reports, into processes that take minutes. This allows consultants to show up to client engagements "sharper" and more prepared to engage in creative problem-solving.
• Focus Above the Line: Norkus used Maslow's hierarchy to illustrate AI's limits. AI can handle data, models, and drafts (levels 1-2), but it cannot automate the human needs for belonging, esteem, and self-actualization (levels 3-5). "You can't automate the human need to be seen, understood and led through change by another human being," Norkus stated. "And that's consulting."
• The Superhero is Human: Bowman emphasized that technology is only a tool. A client's success with AI, and a consultant's career advancement, depends on human qualities like curiosity, grit, and a willingness to learn and experiment. "While the platform and the prompts are foundational to building that AI vision, the superhero behind the AI is the most important element," Bowman said. "It's the team behind the prompts working together to tackle their firsts, showing that curiosity, grit that's promotion-worthy."

3. Treat Business Development as a System, Not a Personality. For many consultants, the transition from billable contributor to business originator is a challenge. Andrea Mac demystified the process, arguing that rainmaking is not a personality type but a predictable system that anyone can learn.

• Qualify, Don't Rush: Mac advised against "rushing to rejection" by pitching too early. She introduced a six-part lead qualification framework to ensure alignment before proposing a solution: Need, Solution, Access to Decision Makers, Timing, Budget, and Expectations/Trust. If you can't answer all six, you're not ready to ask for the business.
• Clients Buy Two Things: According to Mac, every purchasing decision boils down to two factors. "Clients buy two things. They buy outcomes and they buy good feelings. That's it," Mac said. "Every purchasing decision that you all have made, everything I've ever sold can be boiled down to that."
• Keep the Train Moving: Follow-up is where most sales opportunities break down. Mac offered a simple, tactical tip: end emails with a statement of intent, such as, "If I don't hear back from you, I'll plan to check back in in two weeks." This makes follow-up an act of service and signals commitment.

4. When Deliverables Are Democratized, Differentiate on Experience. A recurring theme in the panel discussion was how to maintain value when AI can produce high-quality deliverables for anyone. The consensus was that the focus must shift from the "what" to the "how."

• Emotional Connection: Buyers make decisions emotionally and justify them rationally, Mac explained. The key is to differentiate on the feelings you produce and the quality of the human engagement.
• Be the First Call: Bowman offered a litmus test for the strength of a client relationship: "When we're in the red and things are hot, who do they call? Do they call you first or do they call your boss?" The grace, problem-solving, and consensus-building you bring to difficult situations are things AI cannot replicate.
• Transparency and Trust: When asked about disclosing AI use, the panel agreed that clients care about the outcome, not the process. "I don't think anyone gives a poop how the work got done," Mac said. The key is to frame AI as a tool that enhances the client experience, allowing you to be a better leader and guide.

5. Master the Vision-Value Conversation. To successfully sell outcomes, consultants must reframe how they approach proposals and pricing discussions. It starts with a conversation centered on the client's ultimate goal, not the consultant's process.

• Flip the Script: Norkus suggested a framework that flips the traditional proposal structure. Instead of starting with your approach, start with "Vision-Value." First, align on what good looks like and what it's worth to the client. Only then should you discuss the obstacles and, finally, the solution needed to overcome them.
• Obsess Over the Customer's Outcome: The biggest barrier to an outcome-first mindset, according to the panel, is an internal focus on activity over results. "We are obsessed with activity," Mac said. Bowman added that consultants must filter out internal noise to "really deeply listen to the customer."
• Price is a Buy Signal: The panel agreed that price is rarely the real deciding factor. Norkus cited research showing price is often the eighth or ninth most important criterion in selecting a firm. "The moment they start talking about negotiating price is the buy signal saying, 'I think you're the winner,'" he said. It is the consultant's job to consistently communicate the value that justifies the price.

In summary, the program emphasized that the future of consulting belongs to advisors who can connect client outcomes with new technologies and relationship-driven business development. By moving beyond the billable hour and leveraging AI to enhance, not replace, the essential human elements of trust and leadership, the next generation of advisors can build lasting, impactful careers.

Consulting Magazine extends its sincerest thanks to all of our faculty for this program.