In this episode of The Consultant’s Way Podcast, hosts Dean McMann and Anthony Paluska welcome Dan Sacchitella, a seasoned professional with a background in sales strategy, consulting, and complex solution development. Dan shares insights from his journey, starting with selling simple instrumentation and progressing into more sophisticated software solutions and consulting engagements. His expertise lies in helping clients define and solve their true problems—many of which they struggle to articulate themselves.

Dan emphasizes the critical role consultants play as "corporate therapists," working to uncover the real issues beneath surface-level concerns. He illustrates this with an example from the food and beverage industry, where clients may believe recipe errors are the problem, but the real issue lies in outdated systems and infrastructure. His approach involves deeply understanding the business, stakeholders, and underlying causes before crafting a solution, ensuring that clients feel involved in the process rather than being handed a pre-packaged answer.

The conversation also touches on the challenges of shifting organizations from product-based selling to more solution-driven consulting. Dan recounts times when executives resisted this evolution, preferring to sell straightforward products rather than complex solutions requiring consulting and professional services. He discusses navigating internal resistance by selectively adopting leadership guidance while also demonstrating the value of a more holistic, outcome-driven sales approach. A major theme of the discussion is trust. Dan highlights that successful consulting isn’t just about having the right technical solution—it’s about fostering strong relationships. Clients buy from people they trust, and trust is built by understanding their needs, providing early value in conversations, and making them feel like co-creators of the solution.

Dean and Anthony praise Dan’s ability to craft his own messaging and solutions, noting how he’s thrived even in organizations that failed to provide structured marketing or positioning support. The episode closes with a key takeaway: success in consulting is rooted in relationships, trust, and a problem-solving mindset. By focusing on the customer experience and working backward from there, consultants can drive meaningful, lasting impact.