Why 6-Month Consulting Projects Are Dead (And What Smart CEOs Do Instead

The Death of Slow Consulting

Last month, I spoke with a CEO who hired a Big Four firm for a "rapid transformation" project. Six months and €800,000 later, they received a beautiful 200-page report recommending strategies for challenges that no longer existed.

Their main competitor had launched two new products, entered three new markets, and acquired a key supplier—all while this CEO was waiting for "insights."

This isn't an isolated case. It's the norm.

Traditional consulting operates on industrial-age timelines in a digital-age world.

What Killed the 6-Month Model

Three fundamental shifts have made traditional consulting obsolete:

1. Market Velocity Has Exploded

Product cycles: 3 years → 6 months

Customer expectations: Monthly updates → Real-time responses

Competitive moves: Annual → Weekly

Strategic windows: Quarters → Days

2. Data Became Instant

Market research: 3 months → 3 hours

Competitive analysis: Weeks → Minutes

Customer insights: Surveys → Real-time analytics

Financial modeling: Manual → AI-powered

3. Implementation Speed Accelerated

Technology deployment: Months → Days

Team scaling: Quarters → Weeks

Process changes: Years → Months

Market entry: Decades → Quarters

The math is simple: 6-month consulting projects solve yesterday's problems with tomorrow's budgets.

What Smart CEOs Do Instead

The most successful CEOs I work with have adopted a radically different approach:

Speed Over Perfection

They'd rather have an 80% solution in 48 hours than a 95% solution in 6 months. Why? Because they can iterate, improve, and adapt in real-time.

Implementation Over Analysis

They want actionable roadmaps, not theoretical frameworks. Every recommendation must answer: "What do we do Monday morning?"

Agility Over Comprehensiveness

They prefer focused, targeted insights they can act on immediately rather than comprehensive analyses that become outdated before implementation.

The 48-Hour Strategic Revolution

Here's what modern strategic consulting looks like:

Day 1: Deep-dive analysis using AI-powered tools and real-time data Day 2: Strategic framework development and opportunity identification
Day 3: Actionable roadmap delivery with immediate next steps

Result: Complete strategic direction in 72 hours, not 6 months.

This isn't about cutting corners—it's about leveraging technology, expertise, and focused execution to deliver what businesses actually need: fast, actionable, strategic direction.

Case Study: From Analysis Paralysis to Market Leadership

A logistics software company was losing market share while their traditional consultants spent 4 months analyzing "market dynamics."

In 48 hours, we:

Identified 3 untapped market segments worth €2.3M annually

Developed a 90-day market entry strategy

Created operational scaling framework for 300% growth

Delivered implementation roadmap with weekly milestones

Result: €67,000 in new revenue within 30 days of implementation.

The difference: While their competitors were still in "discovery phase," they were capturing market share.

The New Consulting Reality

Modern businesses need consulting that matches their pace:

Strategic Health Checks: 48-hour business diagnostics (€999)

Rapid Strategic Analysis: Complete market and operational review (€4,999)

Implementation Partnerships: Strategy + execution support (€15,000-€35,000)

All delivered faster than traditional firms can schedule their first meeting.

Why This Matters Now

Every day you wait for strategic clarity is a day your competitors gain ground. Every week spent in "analysis phase" is a week of missed opportunities.

The question isn't whether you need strategic direction—it's whether you can afford to wait 6 months to get it.

Smart CEOs have already made the switch. The question is: will you be next?

Ready to experience 48-hour strategic consulting? Contact EPG today and get the strategic clarity you need to win in your market—this week, not next quarter.