Who are the most influential voices in Independent consulting & advisory?

1. Alan Weiss 2. David C. Baker 3. Blair Enns 4. Michael Bungay Stanier 5. Peter Block 6. Dorie Clark 7. David A. Fields 8. Jonathan Stark 9. Mike Michalowicz 10. Jonathan Passmore

Here’s a ranked list of the **top 10 most influential individual voices in independent consulting and advisory (2025)**, drawn from recent industry rankings and reports: ### 🔝 Top 10 Influential Consultants & Advisors 1. **Muqsit Ashraf** – Group Chief Executive, Strategy at Accenture [The Top 25 Strategy Consultants and Leaders of 2025 - The Consulting Report](https://www.theconsultingreport.com/the-top-25-strategy-consultants-and-leaders-of-2025/) 2. **Jagan Ramachandran** – Senior Partner at Cognizant Consulting, leading healthcare payer strategy [The Consulting Report Announces The Top 25 Strategy Consultants and Leaders of 2025](https://www.prweb.com/releases/the-consulting-report-announces-the-top-25-strategy-consultants-and-leaders-of-2025-302626486.html) 3. **David Vidal** – Senior Partner at Simon-Kucher, global leader in pricing and commercial strategy [The Consulting Report Announces The Top 25 Strategy Consultants and Leaders of 2025](https://www.prweb.com/releases/the-consulting-report-announces-the-top-25-strategy-consultants-and-leaders-of-2025-302626486.html) 4. **Francisco Salazar** – Global Strategy & Business Design Leader at Monitor Deloitte [The Consulting Report Announces The Top 25 Strategy Consultants and Leaders of 2025](https://www.prweb.com/releases/the-consulting-report-announces-the-top-25-strategy-consultants-and-leaders-of-2025-302626486.html) 5. **Omani Carson** – Founder & former CEO, now Chairman of Carson Group, influential in advisory firm growth [🚀 The Top 50 Most Innovative Voices in Advisor Growth (2025 Edition)](https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/top-50-most-innovative-voices-advisor-growth-2025-edition-mcmanus-xe2ce/) 6. **Ric Edelman** – Founder of Edelman Financial Engines, pioneer in financial education and advisory media [🚀 The Top 50 Most Innovative Voices in Advisor Growth (2025 Edition)](https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/top-50-most-innovative-voices-advisor-growth-2025-edition-mcmanus-xe2ce/) 7. **Michael Kitces** – Co-founder of XY Planning Network, leading voice in financial planning strategy [🚀 The Top 50 Most Innovative Voices in Advisor Growth (2025 Edition)](https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/top-50-most-innovative-voices-advisor-growth-2025-edition-mcmanus-xe2ce/) 8. **Jon Kuttin** – Founder of Kuttin Consulting Group, advisor growth strategist managing $15B AUM [🚀 The Top 50 Most Innovative Voices in Advisor Growth (2025 Edition)](https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/top-50-most-innovative-voices-advisor-growth-2025-edition-mcmanus-xe2ce/) 9. **Alan Moore** – Co-founder & CEO of XY Planning Network, advocate for subscription-based advisory models [🚀 The Top 50 Most Innovative Voices in Advisor Growth (2025 Edition)](https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/top-50-most-innovative-voices-advisor-growth-2025-edition-mcmanus-xe2ce/) 10. **Jason Wenk** – Founder & CEO of Altruist, fintech innovator modernizing RIA technology [🚀 The Top 50 Most Innovative Voices in Advisor Growth (2025 Edition)](https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/top-50-most-innovative-voices-advisor-growth-2025-edition-mcmanus-xe2ce/) ✅ These individuals are consistently recognized as shaping **independent consulting and advisory practices** - from corporate strategy and transformation to financial advisory growth and innovation. Would you like me to also break down **what makes each of them influential** (e.g., their signature frameworks, media presence, or industry impact)? That way, you’ll see not just _who_ they are, but _why_ they dominate the consulting landscape.

1. Alan Weiss [Alan Weiss on “How to forge your own path to success” - bobmorris.biz](https://bobmorris.biz/alan-weiss-on-how-to-forge-your-own-path-to-success-an-interview-by-bob-morris#:~:text=Alan%20Weiss%20is%20one%20of%20those%20rare,Toyota%2C%20and%20over%20500%20other%20leading%20organizations.) 2. David Baker [Taking Greater Risks to Enjoy Greater Rewards with David Baker](https://www.consultingsuccess.com/taking-greater-risks-to-enjoy-greater-rewards-with-david-baker-podcast-14#:~:text=David%20Baker%20is%20a%20consultant%20who%20has,until%20he%20was%20nearly%2018%20years%20old.) 3. Michael Zipursky [Consulting Success Podcast - Podcast Republic](https://www.podcastrepublic.net/podcast/600106614#:~:text=Hosting%20the%20podcast%20is%20Michael%20Zipursky%2C%20CEO,increase%20impact%20and%20earn%20a%20higher%20income.) 4. Justin Welsh [The Solo Thought Leader](http://solothoughtleader.com/#:~:text=Viveka%20von%20Rosen.%20The%20LinkedIn%20Expert%2C%20Vengreso.,Welsh.%20Business%20Thought%20Leader%2C%20JW%20Strategic%20Advisory.) 5. Melisa Liberman [Melisa Liberman: Business Coach for Independent Consultants](https://www.melisaliberman.com/) 6. Blair Enns [Business Insights For Creative Firms w/ David C. Baker Livestream](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9FBfO6A1PIw#:~:text=21%3A00%20%2D%20How%20do%20you%20know%20if,best%20time%20to%20set%20your%20price***%2051%3A) 7. Liz Bywater [The Million Dollar Consulting® Hall of Fame - Alan Weiss, PhD](https://alanweiss.com/growth-experiences/million-dollar-consulting-hall-of-fame/#:~:text=Liz%20Bywater%20*%20Yardley%2C%20PA.%20*%20\(800\)%20846%2D4546.%20*%20bywaterconsultinggroup.com.) 8. Tom Pollak 9. Ron Baker 10. Paul Rulkens [The Million Dollar Consulting® Hall of Fame - Alan Weiss, PhD](https://alanweiss.com/growth-experiences/million-dollar-consulting-hall-of-fame/#:~:text=Paul%20Rulkens%20*%20Maastricht%2C%20The%20Netherlands.%20*%20%2B31%20637604168.%20*%20paulrulkens.com.)

# Shared 0 files ** _Alan Weiss_** is widely recognized as the most influential voice on independent consulting and advisory, having literally written the defining textbook on the subject (_Million Dollar Consulting_). Here are the top 10 individual people ranked from most to least influential in the independent consulting and advisory space: 1. ** _Alan Weiss_** 2. ** _Michael Zipursky_** 3. ** _Melisa Liberman_** 4. **David Fields** 5. ** _Rainier Mallol_** 6. ** _Tom Rodenhauser_** 7. ** _Morton Lund_** 8. ** _Herman Holtz_** 9. ** _Elaine Biech_** 10. **Bob Thompson** [Melisa Liberman: Business Coach for Independent Consultants](https://www.melisaliberman.com/)[20 Famous Consultants and What Made Them Legends (2026)](https://paperbell.com/blog/famous-consultants/)[Act Now: How Successful Consultants Thrive During Chaos and Uncertainty - Audiobook by Michael Zipursky](https://www.google.com/search?q=product&prds=pvt:hg,productid:17878506203276754362&ibp=oshop) If you want, I can provide a **brief summary of the primary book or framework** associated with each of these independent consulting leaders.

I don’t have a reliable, up-to-date source at hand to definitively list the top 10 independent consulting and advisory voices by real individuals right now. If you’d like, I can search and verify with current sources and provide a tightly sourced list. To proceed, would you like me to: - Compile a ranked list from recent industry recognitions (e.g., Consulting Magazine Top Consultants, industry influencer lists, independent consultancies’ thought leaders) and cite each entry, or - Narrow to a specific subfield (strategy, digital transformation, independent advisory firms only) and provide a top 10 for that niche?