Profit is important, but not at the expense of your people. That’s a balance Josh Stone, engineer, coach & head of Ignite Coaching, and member of the Blueprint Collective, helps firms get right.
In this interview, Josh shares what true profitability looks like, the early signs of burnout to watch for, and how strong forecasting and leadership habits can keep both your business and your team healthy.
Follow the steps outlined below to improve performance, achieve 30% net profit margins, and free up 8+ hours a week to focus on leadership, team performance, and strategic growth.
Before we dive in, what does profitability mean to you?
Profitability starts as a number. You have to, of course, pay attention to net and gross profit.
However, that’s just the baseline. True profitability comes from working smarter, not harder. It’s about building better systems, improving communication, and shifting the founder’s role from doer to leader. That’s what allows firms to grow without overwhelming their teams.
When profitability stalls, it usually points to a few common gaps, often around systems, alignment, or leadership. Those are the first places to dig in.
Where do you start when a firm isn’t hitting its profit potential?
There are three key areas:
1. Systems and Processes
The firms that run smoothly have structure. They use the right tools to track performance and keep the business on course. If you’re still managing things in spreadsheets, it might be time to upgrade. Tools give you clarity and confidence, not just data.
2. Team Alignment
When people know what they’re working on, why it matters, and how it contributes to the bigger picture, projects stay on track. Clear communication keeps everyone moving in the same direction.
3. The Founder’s Role
Many business owners start out doing everything themselves. But as the business grows, staying hands-on can become a bottleneck. Stepping into a true leadership role means setting KPIs, empowering the team, and gradually letting go of day-to-day tasks. That shift is essential for building a business that can grow sustainably.
How can firms spot early signs of burnout?
Start with the data. High utilisation rates, overrun budgets, and missed timelines are red flags. If a team is logging long hours but projects still feel chaotic, there’s usually a scope or leadership issue behind it.
Watch for these red-line thresholds:
- Utilisation above 100% for more than 4 consecutive weeks
- Projects consistently going over budget
- A drop in team chat activity (Slack, Teams, etc.)
Scope creep is another warning sign. A client might ask for something small, and the team says yes without flagging it as a variation. That people-pleasing pattern adds up quickly and cuts into profit.
Even without tracking tools, you can pick up signals in the culture. If the usual banter fades, people stop chatting in the kitchen, or the team chat goes quiet, it’s worth paying attention. In remote teams, it might show up in quieter Teams channels or fewer spontaneous check-ins. The signal is the same, something’s off.
How should firms balance client expectations with internal capacity?
It begins with setting boundaries. Saying yes to every client request might feel helpful in the moment, but it often leads to internal burnout. Protecting your team sometimes means pushing back.
Instead of defaulting to yes, try asking:
- Can we shift priorities?
- Does this need to happen now?
- Can we move something else to make room?
When scope creep does come up, try using one of these clear, professional responses:
- Happy to help. I’ll just send over a quick change in scope request so we can update the scope.
- That sounds doable. Would you like me to prepare a revised proposal for the additional work?
- Thanks for flagging this. Just a heads-up, this falls outside the current agreement, so we’ll need to treat it as a change in scope.
Over time, that kind of transparency builds trust. It also trains your clients to engage with you collaboratively, not just demand more. When you show clients you’re trying to do right by both them and your team, they’ll usually respect that, and the relationship strengthens.
What should firms be tracking to stay ahead of burnout?
There are a few key metrics to keep an eye on:
- Net profit and gross profit
- Individual and team utilisation rates
- Project budgets
- Forecasted workload for the next 3-6 months
And profit ultimately comes down to two levers:
1. Efficiency
2. Pricing
If your margins are slipping, you’re either not charging enough or your team isn’t working efficiently. Tracking these helps you pinpoint the issue.
Forecasting is especially underused. Business owners who only focus on the current week are always reacting. Forecasting helps you plan hiring, smooth out workloads, and make better decisions before it’s too late.
How often should firms review this data?
1. Weekly for projects. Look at budgets, track scope, and flag potential variations before they become problems.
2. Monthly for financials. Profit and loss, forecasting, and overall workload should be reviewed regularly to keep things on track.
3. Forecasts weekly. If a client wants to shift a deadline or push a project forward, having current data helps you adjust without stress.
When is it time to hire?
Start by defining the kind of business you want to build. Not every firm needs to scale up. A lean, high-performing team can be just as successful.
If growth is your goal, hire before you’re desperate. Map out your ideal org chart, watch your forecasted workload, and look ahead 3-6 months. If you wait until you’re overloaded, you risk hiring the wrong person too quickly.
Always check the budget. Can you afford this hire? Ideally, you should have a three-month buffer in case the new team member isn’t fully billable right away.
Keep your hiring aligned with what you want to create. It’s easy to get caught up in what others around you are building, but this is your business. Make sure it reflects your vision.
How should firms talk about burnout internally?
Create a culture where it’s safe to speak up. High performers are often the most at risk because they push themselves and rarely ask for help.
Regular six-week check-ins can make a big difference. One-on-one conversations give people a space to talk about what’s going well and what’s not.
Keep it simple. Ask:
- What’s going well for you right now?
- What’s feeling most challenging?
- How’s your workload? Too much, too little, or just right?
- Is there anything you need help with or feel stuck on?
- What’s one thing we could improve as a team?
- How can I better support you in your role?
These chats help surface issues early and show your team that it’s okay to be human. They also create a more open, high-performance culture where feedback flows both ways.
The cost of losing a team member or having someone go on indefinite stress leave is far greater than the cost of a coffee every few weeks. Make space for those conversations.
Final Thoughts
Profitability doesn’t have to come at the cost of your team’s wellbeing. The most successful A&E firms build strong systems, stay on top of key metrics, and create space for honest conversations. They forecast ahead, set clear expectations with clients, and support their people through structure and trust.
Whether your goal is steady growth or a more sustainable business model, the path forward is the same: lead with intention, track what matters, and take care of your team along the way.
About Ignite Coaching
Ignite Coaching, led by Josh Stone, is a coaching and advisory business that helps engineering, town planning, surveying and architecture consultancies increase revenue, make more profit and run more efficient and sustainable businesses.
Josh is a business coach, engineer and former director and shareholder of a $3M engineering consultancy that grew to a $30M engineering, town planning, surveying, and architecture consultancy with multiple offices along Australia’s east coast.
At Ignite Coaching, we provide a step-by-step blueprint that will help you build a $10M+ per year consultancy that is profitable, successful and a business that you can be proud of.
No matter where you’re at on your journey, we have a pathway and proven strategies to get you to that next level.
- If you’re under $1M per year, we will get you to that illusive $1M run rate.
- If you’re between $1M and $3M, we’ll get you to $3M+.
- If you’re between $3M and $5M, we’ve got a specific plan to get you to $5M.
- And if you’re already at $5M+ per year, we’ve got strategies and a pathway to help you grow and scale to $10M per year and beyond.
We work with our clients to ensure you have clarity and focus on the high priority activities that will make the biggest difference & show you a proven pathway that actually works to help you build your business with confidence.
We work specifically with our clients around 3 core areas:
1. More revenue: Winning work, business development & deeper client relationships to have a regular stream of high quality clients and work coming through the door
2. More profit: Team performance, project performance as well as leadership skills to motivate, influence and inspire to ensure a highly profitable team and business
3. More time: Leadership growth, effective delegation and freeing up more time to focus on the high-growth activities that move the needle the most and make the biggest difference
Featured Resources
Business Audit Call
Book a 20-minute Business Audit Call and let’s review your business and map out a growth plan.
In this Business Audit Call, we will:
1. Review and audit your business and uncover the number one bottleneck that’s holding you back from growing right now.
2. Look at your goals for your business as well as where you are now and where you want to be going.
3. Develop a three-step action plan together for how you can run a more efficient business, grow and get results faster.
You’ll leave this call with a clear and actionable plan for what to do next in your business.
The $10M Business Plan Template
This is the exact Business Plan Template our top clients have used to grow towards $10M and beyond, without the growing pains.
✔️ The $10M Business Plan Template: A plug-and-play roadmap to take you from where you are now to a $10M+ consultancy.
✔️ The 5 non-negotiable systems that make consultancies profitable, predictable, and scalable.
✔️ The org structure that removes bottlenecks, so your business doesn’t rely on you to run.
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✔️ The #1 cash flow mistake consultancies make, and how to fix it before it stalls your growth.
This isn’t some theory, it’s the exact system 106+ consultancy owners have used to build their businesses towards $10M and beyond.
About Josh Stone
Josh is a business coach, engineer and former consultancy owner who has firsthand experience in what it takes to grow a business – because he’s done it himself. He spent nearly a decade as a director and shareholder of a $3M engineering consultancy that grew to a $30M engineering, town planning, surveying, and architecture consultancy with multiple offices along Australia’s east coast.
Over this period, Josh learnt what to do (and what not to do) to grow a successful, profitable and sustainable consultancy.
After selling his shareholding and exiting the business, Josh founded his Boardroom coaching program and now works exclusively with engineering, town planning, surveying, and architecture consultancy owners, helping them to grow to $10M and beyond.
His coaching approach is built around his proven Boardroom Growth Model, which focuses on:
- Winning More Work: Developing a steady pipeline of high-value clients and projects.
- Increasing Profitability: Optimising operations and streamlining project delivery to hit 30%+ net profit margins.
- Building Efficient Teams: Delegating effectively and reducing owner dependency.
- Achieving Sustainable Growth: Growing a business that runs smoothly, without stress, while creating more time for what matters most
Josh’s coaching is deeply practical, results-driven, and tailored to the unique challenges of consultancy owners. He and his team provide the tools, strategies, and guidance to help their clients gain clarity, confidence, and control over their businesses. His clients have seen remarkable results, with Boardroom members increasing revenue by an average of 46% in 2023 and 67% in 2024!
With nearly 20 years of industry experience, Josh understands both the technical and business sides of running a consultancy. His mission is to help consultancy owners escape being constantly pulled into the weeds, build highly profitable businesses, and create the time, freedom, and lifestyle they truly want – without sacrificing their health, relationships, or sanity.
His no-nonsense, practical approach is designed for those who want real results, not just more theory.
The Blueprint Collective: A Community for A&E Innovators
Josh Stone and this article are part of the Blueprint Collective, a free, members-only content program that highlights top architecture and engineering firms. We do all the work, you get all the credit.
Each month, we interview you for 30 minutes, then write, design, and promote custom content about your firm. You’ll get beautifully branded materials, backlinks, and social promotion, all with full approval rights. It’s free PR, real thought leadership, and zero lift on your part. Learn how to join the Blueprint Collective here.
