Sarah Stanley at Graham, Smith & Bendel

This case examines a set of organizational and leadership challenges facing Aaron Nettles, newly appointed president of Graham, Smith & Bendel, a conservative consulting firm known for high-quality work and cautious growth strategy. Now, Nettles seeks to accelerate growth, increase market share and reposition the firm for a more competitive environment. 

At the center of the case is the tension between GSB’s deeply ingrained culture of autonomy, professionalism and reluctance to sell and Nettles’ push for a more proactive, growth-oriented approach. Sarah Stanley is at the crux of this as the newly appointed director of marketing, as she is tasked with driving business development in the face of resistance from senior consultants. Drawing on themes of organizational change, power dynamics and cultural inertia, the case invites students to assess the challenges of transforming a professional services firm without undermining its core strengths. It raises critical questions about leadership alignment, the role of marketing in consulting organizations, and the difficulties of driving change in environments where authority is diffuse and norms are entrenched.