Unlocking Value Podcast, episode thirty-four

In this episode, John is joined by Jenny Burns, CEO of Magnetic, an innovation consultancy that helps organisations solve complex problems and create new products, services and experiences at pace. Jenny’s career spans more than 25 years across large corporates and smaller businesses, before an unplanned move into leading and growing her own firm.

Jenny describes herself as “the accidental CEO”, having never set out to run a business but instead following opportunities, taking risks and learning along the way. Her journey includes scaling Magnetic, navigating the sale of the business to a larger consultancy and, more recently, buying it back to restore its independence.

This conversation stands out for its honesty about what leadership actually feels like, particularly in moments of uncertainty and transition. Jenny shares a grounded perspective on building a business – not just as a commercial exercise but as something deeply human.

Jenny and John discuss:

  • What it really feels like to step into the CEO role, including the emotional weight and shift in responsibility
  • Why smaller businesses are not inherently simpler than large corporates and how leadership “shadow” shapes culture at any scale
  • The reality of selling a business, including the intensity, isolation and unpredictability of the due diligence process
  • Why Jenny chose to buy the business back and how independence enables a more agile, differentiated position in today’s market
  • The ongoing tension between structure and agility and how to avoid over-engineering a growing consultancy
  • How personal brand, leadership style and culture come together to shape both client relationships and long-term business value

If you lead a consulting or professional services firm and are navigating growth, change or leadership for the first time, this conversation offers a refreshingly candid view of what that journey actually involves.

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🎧 This episode is available to stream below or on any of your usual podcast platforms (such as Spotify and Apple Podcasts)

Host: John Howard, Partner at Garwood Growth
Guest: Jenny Burns, CEO of Magnetic

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And if you’d like to explore how Garwood Growth helps firms build value in practice, get in touch with the Garwood team for a conversation.