​It’s all about the value-add for our guest on this episode of Leaders With Ambition. Andy Cowie, a Partner at James Cowper Kreston, exemplifies the fact that you don’t have to have a lofty credential to rise to the top in professional services. What you do need? Energy, innovative ideas, a collaborative spirit and flexibility. Having a massive network doesn’t hurt, either! Andy shares with host Nicky Acuna Ocana his peripatetic journey to becoming a leader in the field of marketing and business development for professional services. Pioneering his practice at a time when the ROI was not yet fully understood, he has nurtured teams built on hard-won lessons, adaptability and communication. You’ll learn how an early mentor influenced the course of Andy’s career and why it’s so important to pay it forward by supporting and connecting others in the workplace. A perfect example of that mission? Launching the James Cowper Kreston Foundation, for which Andy serves as a trustee. Find out how his vision and constant pursuit of value-add through relationship-building have enabled Andy to grow throughout his career, breaking barriers again and again. “The value that I add internally takes me through that glass ceiling,” says Andy. “It doesn’t matter what you do. If you’re great at it and you’re adding proper value, then you don’t have to be an Accountant to reach Partner.” Key Takeaways: Starting out: From Staffordshire to studying geoscience engineering at the Camborne School of Mines to surveying to accounting, how Andy’s eclectic early career wound its way to recruiting Core competencies: What Andy brought to his new marketing-oriented role was key skills, including: an outgoing personality; innovative thoughts on promoting services and brand value-add. Paying it forward: How Andy was inspired by a mentor who exemplified marketing and business development value-add through massive networking, internal and external championship. A joint venture: About the insights that came out of Andy’s entrepreneurial foray into co-founding his own marketing agency – a top-to-bottom challenge that has informed the rest of his career. Cracking the code: How Andy navigated his first year at James Cowper Kreston, a workplace culture in which the marketing/BD functions were not at that time (15 years ago) fully integrated. Leaning into leadership: Why Andy combined an inclusive attitude and emphasis on mentoring to the process of forming his team and inspiring them to be the best they could be. Passion project: Why the James Cowper Kreston Foundation, for which Andy is a trustee, offers a win-win-win in terms of charitable service, support and inter-disciplinary development Trusts builds value: About the relational piece and networking that Andy believes are foundational to solidifying brand loyalty, recurring business and long-term alliances. Biggest challenges for professional services: The immediacy of communications post-Covid; promoting the value of in-person networking after hours; and implementing new technologies Words of wisdom: Work hard! The harder you try, the luckier you become. Have fun! You’ve got to enjoy the work and people you’re doing it with. Set your goal – and push through!  Chapters 00:00 Growing Up and Finding Passion in Building Relationships 03:14 Transitioning from Recruitment to Marketing in Professional Services 07:41 Stepping into a Partnership Environment 10:44 The Importance of Mentoring and Sponsorship 14:12 Setting Up a Marketing Agency and Making Brave Decisions 22:43 Building and Leading a Successful Team 26:38 Building a High-Performing Team: The Importance of Culture and Work-Life Balance 28:24 The James Cowper Creston Foundation: Supporting Charitable Causes 33:39 Networking and Building Relationships in Professional Services 41:34 Challenges Facing Partners in Professional Services Firms 44:24 Transitioning from Hybrid to Flexible Working 46:48 The R