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The Activator Advantage: What Today's Rainmakers Do Differently
A proven approach used by today's best professional service partners to win, retain, and grow client relationships.
There is a growing problem in the professional services industry that is often acknowledged but rarely clients—even long-standing ones for whom firms have consistently delivered unquestioned value—are much less loyal to those firms and partners than they once were. This dramatic shift in client behavior has rendered traditional approaches to business development not only ineffective but counterproductive.
But top performers have figured out a radical new approach that is redefining what it means to be a rainmaker in today's professional services market.
Drawing on a comprehensive, quantitative study of nearly three thousand partners—spanning law, accounting, consulting, investment banking, executive search, and public relations—The Activator Advantage identifies five types of partners found across the professional services landscape and shows how only one of them—the Activator—drives consistent growth.
Activators deeply embed business development habits into their daily workflow, aggressively leverage their internal and external networks, and proactively deliver both business and personal value to clients—all of which not only helps shield them from the vagaries of modern client buying behavior but also lays the groundwork for more loyal, longer-lasting relationships.
Packed with eye-opening data, counterintuitive insights, and robust case examples, The Activator Advantage provides the road map for any professional services partner or firm leader looking to chart a path to greater client engagement, internal collaboration, and firm profitability in the new era of fading client loyalty.
There is a growing problem in the professional services industry that is often acknowledged but rarely clients—even long-standing ones for whom firms have consistently delivered unquestioned value—are much less loyal to those firms and partners than they once were. This dramatic shift in client behavior has rendered traditional approaches to business development not only ineffective but counterproductive.
But top performers have figured out a radical new approach that is redefining what it means to be a rainmaker in today's professional services market.
Drawing on a comprehensive, quantitative study of nearly three thousand partners—spanning law, accounting, consulting, investment banking, executive search, and public relations—The Activator Advantage identifies five types of partners found across the professional services landscape and shows how only one of them—the Activator—drives consistent growth.
Activators deeply embed business development habits into their daily workflow, aggressively leverage their internal and external networks, and proactively deliver both business and personal value to clients—all of which not only helps shield them from the vagaries of modern client buying behavior but also lays the groundwork for more loyal, longer-lasting relationships.
Packed with eye-opening data, counterintuitive insights, and robust case examples, The Activator Advantage provides the road map for any professional services partner or firm leader looking to chart a path to greater client engagement, internal collaboration, and firm profitability in the new era of fading client loyalty.
- GenresBusinessNonfiction
278 pages, Kindle Edition
Published May 20, 2025
96 people are currently reading
202 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews
June 16, 2025
7.5/10, decent book explaining why those in professional services (law, accounting, banking, and consulting) needs to shift their mindset (not behavior) about business development as the competitive landscape has become increasingly competitive in the past 2 decades, and boutique firms are increasingly being favored over well established firms. Long lasting clients are no longer loyal.
Same framework from the Challenger Sale is used here - authors are suggesting that buyers have already made a decision and are at 57% of the decision process even before they contact a vendor/professional service. Hence this makes it incredibly important to do outbounding, get yourself in front of your potential customers within your territory, and educate them on something that they’re not unaware of in hopes of shaping their understanding of the issue and ultimately their decision criteria in RFPs.
Same framework from the Challenger Sale is used here - authors are suggesting that buyers have already made a decision and are at 57% of the decision process even before they contact a vendor/professional service. Hence this makes it incredibly important to do outbounding, get yourself in front of your potential customers within your territory, and educate them on something that they’re not unaware of in hopes of shaping their understanding of the issue and ultimately their decision criteria in RFPs.
January 1, 2026
I enjoyed this book - it’s an engaging and practical read. It offers plenty of helpful tips for anyone wanting to sharpen their focus and strengthen their business development efforts. Though concise, it still delivers useful insights and actionable ideas that can be put into practice. Some sections could have been more tightly edited, but that’s a common trait of many self-help books. Overall, a worthwhile and interesting read.
August 31, 2025
"Experts are reactive business developers who lean heavily on their public reputations as accomplished subject matter experts to attract clients to reach out to them for the services they can provide.
Confidants are old-school trusted advisors who focus on building competitive moats around their key clients by forging deep relationships predicated on their highly responsive service and exceptional work product.
Debaters are highly opinionated professionals who seek to reframe the client’s own understanding of their needs in a way that creates white space between themselves and other professionals competing for the client’s business.
Realists are truthful, transparent, honest brokers with their clients—a posture that they believe helps instill confidence with the typical client, who has likely been burned in the past by professionals or firms that have overpromised and underdelivered.
Finally, Activators are super-connectors who invest heavily in building and nurturing their professional networks and then converting their network connections into paying client relationships. They do this by proactively bringing new ideas to their clients about new ways to make money, save money, or mitigate risk."
"Activators are extremely proficient at deciding who should be in their 150-person network. They are always evaluating when contacts need to be moved up or down based on criteria like fit and relationship strength. “Time is my scarcest resource. I have a ton of connections, but I can’t spend unlimited time engaging with them and investing in the relationship if there is no real business opportunity,” said one such Activator.
An important place for aspiring Activators to start in thinking about their 150 is by answering the question of who should be in their top tier. It’s here where their time commitment—if misaligned—can cost them a lot. Too often, early career professionals take a “wishful thinking” approach to these connections, spending too much of their precious time on relationships that haven’t shown promise but justifying it by thinking, “One day, they will become a great client.”
Activators know that they have finite time and capacity and are therefore ruthlessly disciplined about who they put in this top tier."
"Being a subject matter expert—which all professionals (and not just those in the Expert profile) are—requires confidence and can encourage tuning out individual client context; fear of exposing a lack of understanding and perhaps losing credibility tends to make professionals avoid delving deeply into client issues. As a result, the average professional is usually focused more on trying to prove their expertise than they are on helping clients accomplish their own objectives.
And they tend to focus narrowly on how to do the specific things they’ve been hired to do rather than more broadly understanding the context surrounding the assignment. It takes a deliberate mindset shift to move into curiosity and empathy and explore the full context of the client’s issues and personal objectives."
"In designing and delivering senior-level programming, I think it’s helpful to think about a firm’s senior professionals as either learners, “tourists,” or “prisoners.” Learners are eager to pick up new skills and understand the behaviors that will lead to greater success. They’re hungry for feedback and development opportunities, including formal training.
Tourists are on the fence. They are open to learning experiences but unsure if they’ll see the benefit themselves. This skepticism tends to be rooted in bad experiences they’ve had in previous training. Perhaps they felt it was a waste of their time—their most precious and constrained resource—and didn’t help them to improve in the ways they expected.
And prisoners are just that—prisoners in the room, because they’d rather be somewhere else. They’re imprisoned by being stuck in their ways and not open to learning new approaches. Some may be high performers who feel like they've figured it out already, whereas others may be average performers but figure they’re only a few years shy of retirement, and things are going OK, so “Why change things up now?”
Confidants are old-school trusted advisors who focus on building competitive moats around their key clients by forging deep relationships predicated on their highly responsive service and exceptional work product.
Debaters are highly opinionated professionals who seek to reframe the client’s own understanding of their needs in a way that creates white space between themselves and other professionals competing for the client’s business.
Realists are truthful, transparent, honest brokers with their clients—a posture that they believe helps instill confidence with the typical client, who has likely been burned in the past by professionals or firms that have overpromised and underdelivered.
Finally, Activators are super-connectors who invest heavily in building and nurturing their professional networks and then converting their network connections into paying client relationships. They do this by proactively bringing new ideas to their clients about new ways to make money, save money, or mitigate risk."
"Activators are extremely proficient at deciding who should be in their 150-person network. They are always evaluating when contacts need to be moved up or down based on criteria like fit and relationship strength. “Time is my scarcest resource. I have a ton of connections, but I can’t spend unlimited time engaging with them and investing in the relationship if there is no real business opportunity,” said one such Activator.
An important place for aspiring Activators to start in thinking about their 150 is by answering the question of who should be in their top tier. It’s here where their time commitment—if misaligned—can cost them a lot. Too often, early career professionals take a “wishful thinking” approach to these connections, spending too much of their precious time on relationships that haven’t shown promise but justifying it by thinking, “One day, they will become a great client.”
Activators know that they have finite time and capacity and are therefore ruthlessly disciplined about who they put in this top tier."
"Being a subject matter expert—which all professionals (and not just those in the Expert profile) are—requires confidence and can encourage tuning out individual client context; fear of exposing a lack of understanding and perhaps losing credibility tends to make professionals avoid delving deeply into client issues. As a result, the average professional is usually focused more on trying to prove their expertise than they are on helping clients accomplish their own objectives.
And they tend to focus narrowly on how to do the specific things they’ve been hired to do rather than more broadly understanding the context surrounding the assignment. It takes a deliberate mindset shift to move into curiosity and empathy and explore the full context of the client’s issues and personal objectives."
"In designing and delivering senior-level programming, I think it’s helpful to think about a firm’s senior professionals as either learners, “tourists,” or “prisoners.” Learners are eager to pick up new skills and understand the behaviors that will lead to greater success. They’re hungry for feedback and development opportunities, including formal training.
Tourists are on the fence. They are open to learning experiences but unsure if they’ll see the benefit themselves. This skepticism tends to be rooted in bad experiences they’ve had in previous training. Perhaps they felt it was a waste of their time—their most precious and constrained resource—and didn’t help them to improve in the ways they expected.
And prisoners are just that—prisoners in the room, because they’d rather be somewhere else. They’re imprisoned by being stuck in their ways and not open to learning new approaches. Some may be high performers who feel like they've figured it out already, whereas others may be average performers but figure they’re only a few years shy of retirement, and things are going OK, so “Why change things up now?”
July 29, 2025
“The plural of anecdote is not data.” This quote has become a guiding principle of my professional career in ways that I never imagined. This book, The Activator Advantage, is the epitome of that mantra. For far too long, in many areas of the business world, including sales and business development, we’ve suffered from the scourge of conventional wisdom telling us what are the best skills, behaviours, competencies, and practices for success. The same is true for professional services (law, consulting, accounting, executive search, PR, investment banking, etc.).
Dixon, Channer, Freeman, & McKenna have applied a rigorous research, scientific, and data-driven analysis of what makes high-performing “doer-sellers.” There are clearly winners (called “Activators,” based on statistically defined profiles) and then there are the four other profile types, which, let’s say, have a “less winning” approach to business development. If you want to be a high-performing partner in the future, where client relationships no longer confer the same level of repeat business and client loyalty than they used to, then read this book.
Lastly, am I biased because the book’s authors are my old colleagues from CEB? Yes, I am biased, but not for that reason.
I’m biased because the authors are researchers, damn good ones too. This is data-driven analysis of the real world of professional services; it’s not based on one or even several “doer-seller” partners telling you what they *think* makes them successful in their business development approaches. The Activator Advantage scientifically studied what was happening in the real world and brought to light the patterns and success criteria that were always there but that no one (up to now) had ever rigorously analysed. The authors didn’t create or invent these profiles and best practices. They, like any good researcher, discovered what was really going on and then organised these insights so that everyone could learn both the what to do and the how to do it.
Dixon, Channer, Freeman, & McKenna have applied a rigorous research, scientific, and data-driven analysis of what makes high-performing “doer-sellers.” There are clearly winners (called “Activators,” based on statistically defined profiles) and then there are the four other profile types, which, let’s say, have a “less winning” approach to business development. If you want to be a high-performing partner in the future, where client relationships no longer confer the same level of repeat business and client loyalty than they used to, then read this book.
Lastly, am I biased because the book’s authors are my old colleagues from CEB? Yes, I am biased, but not for that reason.
I’m biased because the authors are researchers, damn good ones too. This is data-driven analysis of the real world of professional services; it’s not based on one or even several “doer-seller” partners telling you what they *think* makes them successful in their business development approaches. The Activator Advantage scientifically studied what was happening in the real world and brought to light the patterns and success criteria that were always there but that no one (up to now) had ever rigorously analysed. The authors didn’t create or invent these profiles and best practices. They, like any good researcher, discovered what was really going on and then organised these insights so that everyone could learn both the what to do and the how to do it.
May 21, 2025
This book is an excellent resource for anyone that provides professional services, even if you do not think you are in sales. It clearly explains how business development and sales in these services has shifted over time and why it is harder to hold onto business and clients. Plus, why it matters, even if you like getting the work done and not working on business development.
I own a small consulting firm. As I read this book I not only thought about my own experiences and actions but those of my colleagues, clients, and competitors. The first chapter explains the "Five Types of Professionals" - the experts, confidants, debaters, realist, and the activators. Each of these types can be successful, being an activator is not required. I could clearly see aspects of these types in myself and my colleagues. Personally, I related to the expert, the confidant, and some traits of the activator.
Chapter one finishes by quantifying the "activator advantage". Then, the subsequent chapters explain activators behaviors, habits, mindsets, and pivot points. Each of these chapters compares the behaviors of activators and non-activators, using quotes, testimonials, and examples to highlight the differences. Sometimes these differences are subtle. As I read, I realized that seven years ago, I started squarely in the expert category to win work and I hoped that being a confidant would help me retain work. Last year, when I hit a slow spell, I started doing one business development thing per day. Slowly things started to pick up and I just finished the best quarter of my career. I realize now that many of the habits I adopted align with the activator type.
If you are looking for a new way to think about your professional services work and how to engage with clients and potential clients, this book offers guidance that is easy to understand and test out. I suspect most people will pick and chose what works for them.
Thank you to Netgalley for an ARC.
I own a small consulting firm. As I read this book I not only thought about my own experiences and actions but those of my colleagues, clients, and competitors. The first chapter explains the "Five Types of Professionals" - the experts, confidants, debaters, realist, and the activators. Each of these types can be successful, being an activator is not required. I could clearly see aspects of these types in myself and my colleagues. Personally, I related to the expert, the confidant, and some traits of the activator.
Chapter one finishes by quantifying the "activator advantage". Then, the subsequent chapters explain activators behaviors, habits, mindsets, and pivot points. Each of these chapters compares the behaviors of activators and non-activators, using quotes, testimonials, and examples to highlight the differences. Sometimes these differences are subtle. As I read, I realized that seven years ago, I started squarely in the expert category to win work and I hoped that being a confidant would help me retain work. Last year, when I hit a slow spell, I started doing one business development thing per day. Slowly things started to pick up and I just finished the best quarter of my career. I realize now that many of the habits I adopted align with the activator type.
If you are looking for a new way to think about your professional services work and how to engage with clients and potential clients, this book offers guidance that is easy to understand and test out. I suspect most people will pick and chose what works for them.
Thank you to Netgalley for an ARC.
September 2, 2025
This isn’t just another book about sales or client development, it’s a roadmap for professionals who need to drive real, sustainable growth.
I recently partnered with the authors [Matt & Ted] to speak at an industry conference, and their message, grounded in data from nearly 3,000 professionals resonated deeply because it reframed rainmaking as something learnable, not mystical.
The book breaks down five distinct partner types and reveals why only one, the Activator, consistently wins. Activators don’t wait for opportunity; they create it. They carve out time each day for proactive outreach, they activate both internal and external networks, and they deliver insights that clients didn’t even know they needed.
What stood out to me, and to many others in attendance, is how practical the behaviors are. The difference between stagnation and sustainable growth often comes down to simple, repeatable habits. In professional services, and especially in fields like accounting, too many firms rely on relationships or reputation alone. The Activator Advantage proves that growth comes when professionals consistently initiate value-creating conversations.
For anyone leading a team, running a firm, or advising clients, this book is more than research, it’s a playbook for revenue durability. I’ve seen firsthand the impact Matt and Ted’s frameworks can have, and I believe this book will push many more firms out of survival mode and into intentional momentum.
If you’re serious about growth, don’t just read it. Put it into practice.
I recently partnered with the authors [Matt & Ted] to speak at an industry conference, and their message, grounded in data from nearly 3,000 professionals resonated deeply because it reframed rainmaking as something learnable, not mystical.
The book breaks down five distinct partner types and reveals why only one, the Activator, consistently wins. Activators don’t wait for opportunity; they create it. They carve out time each day for proactive outreach, they activate both internal and external networks, and they deliver insights that clients didn’t even know they needed.
What stood out to me, and to many others in attendance, is how practical the behaviors are. The difference between stagnation and sustainable growth often comes down to simple, repeatable habits. In professional services, and especially in fields like accounting, too many firms rely on relationships or reputation alone. The Activator Advantage proves that growth comes when professionals consistently initiate value-creating conversations.
For anyone leading a team, running a firm, or advising clients, this book is more than research, it’s a playbook for revenue durability. I’ve seen firsthand the impact Matt and Ted’s frameworks can have, and I believe this book will push many more firms out of survival mode and into intentional momentum.
If you’re serious about growth, don’t just read it. Put it into practice.
January 28, 2025
This book addresses a critical, often under-discussed challenge in the industry: declining client loyalty. While many firms struggle with outdated business development strategies, this insightful guide offers a bold, data-driven solution rooted in the practices of today’s most successful partners.
What sets this book apart is its groundbreaking research. By analyzing the behaviors of nearly 3,000 partners across diverse fields—law, accounting, consulting, and beyond—it identifies a clear distinction between traditional rainmakers and the new gold standard: Activators. These professionals integrate business development into their daily routines, prioritize both business and personal value for clients, and harness the power of networks to build lasting, meaningful relationships. The actionable insights and frameworks provided here are not only practical but transformational.
What sets this book apart is its groundbreaking research. By analyzing the behaviors of nearly 3,000 partners across diverse fields—law, accounting, consulting, and beyond—it identifies a clear distinction between traditional rainmakers and the new gold standard: Activators. These professionals integrate business development into their daily routines, prioritize both business and personal value for clients, and harness the power of networks to build lasting, meaningful relationships. The actionable insights and frameworks provided here are not only practical but transformational.
January 11, 2026
Lots to learn from this book. The concept of the Activator appeals to me as I think I naturally bring people together. So kinda nice to be validated by the deeply researched insights in this book.
Like the best business books there’s lots of anecdotes to support the premise.
To me, the most thought provoking sections were the start (“Why” and “How” - the characteristics of an Activator) and the end (Building an Activator Firm).
The authors did gloss over the question of whether the approach can / should be adopted by all types of firm. The research felt like it was weighted to large, national / international type firms who provide corporate advisory type advice. Find myself questioning how it could be adopted in my firm (smaller, multi-office, corporate, private and gov clients).
Like the best business books there’s lots of anecdotes to support the premise.
To me, the most thought provoking sections were the start (“Why” and “How” - the characteristics of an Activator) and the end (Building an Activator Firm).
The authors did gloss over the question of whether the approach can / should be adopted by all types of firm. The research felt like it was weighted to large, national / international type firms who provide corporate advisory type advice. Find myself questioning how it could be adopted in my firm (smaller, multi-office, corporate, private and gov clients).
September 12, 2025
This felt like a blast from 2012.
You should spend a little time every day building your network!
One company made a newsletter to let leads know about stuff it learned!
Be on LinkedIn every day!
Make sales dev a habit (summarizes Atomic Habits like it didn't sell 20 million copies)!
These aren't rainmakers, they are the people shovelling the same garbage willing up my LI feeds.
I 100% regret spending time with it. An d from the people who write Challenger Sale, this was deeply disappointing.
You should spend a little time every day building your network!
One company made a newsletter to let leads know about stuff it learned!
Be on LinkedIn every day!
Make sales dev a habit (summarizes Atomic Habits like it didn't sell 20 million copies)!
These aren't rainmakers, they are the people shovelling the same garbage willing up my LI feeds.
I 100% regret spending time with it. An d from the people who write Challenger Sale, this was deeply disappointing.
July 4, 2025
You will benefit greatly from this book especially if you are working in professional services industry (law, accounting, consulting, etc). The authors provided compelling insights why being an Activator in this field will help a professional be successful. The book explained what is an Activator compared to other profile such as Realist, Expert, Debater, etc. You may recognize yourself in any of these while being predominant in one.
August 8, 2025
i read this book for my job, and it was a great resource for the professional services industry. there were a lot of great tips and stories to encourage collaboration and empathy in sales.
the last 80 pages did seem kinda boring to me unfortunately, but overall the book was great & applicable to my field.
the last 80 pages did seem kinda boring to me unfortunately, but overall the book was great & applicable to my field.
July 10, 2025
Superb book and well worth a read! Packed for of actionable insight - if you're in professional services and want build deeper relationships, generate more revenue whilst being more effective then this book is right up your alley!
July 18, 2025
Presented some interesting ideas. I think the thing I like the most about this book, is that he doesn't make his activator a personality type (Although having the right personality can be helpful). He teaches that all people can be an activator, they just have to set themselves up for success.
June 17, 2025
I enjoyed this. It gave me a lot of good ideas for BD and I will come back to it again in future I’m sure.
August 26, 2025
very relevant to my current role as a consultant with technical pre-sales, solutioning, delivery, and account growth responsibilities. be an activator!
September 18, 2025
Little dry but great insights. Took of lots of notes and going to share with my team.
New way to compete beyond working more hours in today’s market.
New way to compete beyond working more hours in today’s market.
January 6, 2026
Explains a lot but still doesn’t quite provide the answers I was looking for.
Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews