Our Inspiration to Found Sharp Minds
Never underestimate the power of a single conversation.
In early 2023, our founders reached a tipping point. At the time, they had each spent over 6 years as management consultants at BCG. Then, everything changed.
What started as a simple conversation in Dubai evolved into an impromptu strategy session. As fresh independent consultants, they had grown frustrated with communication gaps, poor transparency, and cultural misalignments when working with established talent platforms.
Not surprisingly, their clients shared the same frustrations. Recognizing the need for better matching of clients and consultants, Joerg Michaelis and his colleagues decided to found Sharp Minds. Their vision? To revolutionize the talent-on-demand industry.
Our Exponential Ascent
With a focus on top organizations throughout the Middle East, our founders quickly differentiated their approach. In the words of Joerg, our Founder and Managing Director, “we were committed to solving challenges on both sides of the talent equation.”
To achieve the best possible results, we leveraged a three-step framework:
1. Hand-selecting talent from the Big 3, including McKinsey, BCG, and Bain
2. Building in-depth consultant profiles to ensure a 100% fit with our requirements
3. Matching the right talent with the right opportunities based on culture and expertise
From there, we manage independent talent end-to-end, allowing our clients to focus on key priorities. Our approach has been instrumental to our ascent. Best said by Joerg, “when our initial projects succeeded, organizations began bombarding us with opportunities. Everything took off from there.”
The Value of Our Approach
For our clients, the value of our approach is clear through the results we deliver. For example, we recently assembled a team of top consultants within the ESG and sustainability space. Our client had strict project requirements that demanded creative ideation and practical execution.
By identifying several consultant profiles that aligned with our client’s needs, we met and exceeded the desired project outcomes. According to Joerg, “our consultants become an extension of the organizations we work with. To accomplish this, we select only the most talented professionals for each project.”
With each new project, transparency has been essential, especially given the current landscape that exposes professionals to opaque fees of up to 50% of their daily rate. By maintaining open, honest, and proactive communication with our talent and clients, we have overcome some of the most complex operational bottlenecks and communication shortfalls.
Our Long-Term Vision
As we continue to grow, we have our sights set on becoming the top-tier talent-on-demand platform within the Middle East and beyond. In the years to come, we plan to continue focusing on the same efforts that have driven our success.
These efforts include not only building enduring relationships with industry-leading clients, but also sharing knowledge to turn our talent into a regional economic engine. Along the way, our meticulous approach to selecting, vetting, and matching talent for each project will continue to propel our growth.
How could your next project benefit from our consultants at Sharp Minds? Across industries, we pride ourselves on bringing some of the world’s most ambitious initiatives to fruition. It all starts with a single conversation. To get started, we invite you to reach out via phone at +971 50 208 7537 or email at joerg@sharpminds.io.
