Consulting is not about the slides.

It is about what happens when the room goes quiet, when all your plans break down, when your client expects clarity and you are still figuring things out. It is about navigating politics without losing your head, delivering under pressure without missing your weekends, and developing the confidence to speak up before you feel fully formed.

Beyond Slides is a rare, unflinchingly honest guide to making it in consulting without burning out, selling out, or faking it. It blends real stories, battle-tested lessons, sharp insight, and 39 practical exercises to help you build the habits, instincts, and mindset that actually matter over the long haul.

Written for ambitious consultants - whether you are just breaking in or already deep in the trenches, at MBB (McKinsey, BCG, Bain), Big 4 (Deloitte, EY, KPMG, PwC), tech company, or tier-2 player - this is the book no one hands you at the start, but every consultant eventually needs.

What if everything they taught you was only half the story?

What makes this book different

• Apply the hands-on exercises to build the habits that top consultants rely on
• Decode the unspoken rules that drive project staffing, promotions, and influence
• Navigate toxic clients, vague managers, and strict deadlines
• Deliver value before you are told what to do
• Think long-term, even in a culture obsessed with short-term wins
• Make yourself irreplaceable without losing yourself in the process