The Top Business Consulting Firms for Small and Midsize Businesses

Large companies looking for business consulting firms have plenty of options. Advisors such as Accenture, Bain & Company, IBM and McKenzie are impressive providers with global reach and deep offerings.

However, their billing rates are equally steep and out of consideration for most small and midsize businesses (SMBs). And beyond the cost, these smaller companies just aren’t able to absorb and manage the larger teams that accompany the larger business consulting firms.

Fortunately, there are professional service firms that focus on SMBs. They know how to work with clients that have fewer resources. They know how to minimize business disruption. And they know how to package their services, so they are affordable.

But who are the best business consulting firms for small and midsize businesses? Well, it depends upon who you ask. So, we did plenty of asking. Based on our survey, four providers ranked above all others.

The Best Business Consulting Firms for Small and Midsize Companies

In an increasingly competitive landscape, it’s no longer enough to get by. If you are not growing, you are dying. There is no staying the same. That’s why SMB leaders seek help to accelerate company growth.

It’s also why our survey questions were designed to measure the services that have the most impact on company growth. The survey posed questions in the categories of strategy, process and technology services.

In alphabetical order, the top four business consulting firms for SMBs include the following.

1. BDO USA

BDO USA is the U.S. member firm of BDO International, a global network of independent accounting and consulting firms. The name originates from the initials of the three founding European firms: Binder (UK), Dijker (Netherlands), and Otte (Germany).

This firm is employee-owned and one of the nation's largest alliances of independently owned local and regional accounting, consulting and service firms.

The company offers strategy, technology, risk management, and transformation services. The advisory and digital services fit especially well with smaller companies.

They have strong industry-specific experience in the healthcare, financial services, manufacturing, and technology sectors.

Like others in this article, they are well known for their client-centric services and long-term customer relationships.

Consider BDO USA when:

• You seek a mix of financial and technical services.
• You are in the legal industry. This firm’s proprietary Athenagy is a business intelligence platform for legal professionals.
• You are in the furniture industry. This company is a clear leader in the furniture industry and essentially developed the first furniture plant costing system.
• You are looking for strategy, innovation, sustainability or M&A support services.
• You manage operations abroad. As part of BDO International, their customers benefit from a broad global network, facilitating cross-border services.

2. Forvis Mazars

US-based Forvis acquired the operations of Mazars and now operates under the brand Forvis Mazars.

This global accounting and consulting business is well versed in helping SMBs develop technology solutions to accelerate growth and expansion.

Key services include strategic technology planning, software selection, enterprise architecture, cloud adoption, and IT Financial Management.

This firm is well skilled in systems migration to the cloud, implementing enterprise resource planning (ERP) systems, and artificial intelligence. In fact, the company is both a reseller and implementor for SMB business applications such as Sage ERP, Microsoft Dynamics (Business Central and Finance & Operations) and NetSuite ERP.

They are also well versed in applying ERP AI capabilities to streamline financial processes and automate accounting activities such as allocations, consolidations and reconciliations.

The company has strong industry experience in construction, dealerships, financial services, higher education, public sector, real estate, life sciences, manufacturing and private equity.

Consider Forvis Mazars when:

• You need help to migrate business systems to the cloud. Forvis Mazars has deep experience with Microsoft Azure, Google Cloud, AWS, SAP, and Oracle Cloud.
• You need help with business management software or an ERP application, such as Microsoft Dynamics 365, NetSuite or Sage ERP. The company also provides managed services and has expertise in related ERP technologies such as Power Apps and CRM systems.
• You want to leverage artificial intelligence (AI) as part of your underlying business applications.
• You seek business consulting projects such as digital transformation, operational transformation, change management and post-merger integration.
• You want to uncover new company or product innovation. The company’s EDGE team is focused on surfacing new product innovation.

3. Johnny Grow

Johnny Grow is the smallest of the business growth consulting firms. The company has about a dozen senior partners and a network of several dozen specialists that are called on when their expertise is needed.

The company founders spent decades at the largest business consulting firms, such as Accenture and IBM. They created Johnny Grow to deliver business growth consulting services, which have been mostly limited to the largest companies, to small and medium sized businesses.

They offer an array of services to increase revenue growth, profit growth and company valuation. The company was recently named the Revenue Operations Service Provider of the Year in the USA.

Unlike the others, they don’t use the pyramid staffing model. Instead, services are delivered entirely from very experienced leaders. Despite that, their fees tend to be about 30% less than others on this list.

Consider Johnny Grow when:

• You are focused on accelerating revenue growth quickly.
• You seek operational excellence or Best-in-Class performance across your revenue cycle.
• You seek an automated revenue cycle. The company pioneered the Growth Engine. It’s a growth operating system that applies technology to automate business processes, deliver real-time reporting, and auto-adjust programs for continuous process improvements. It’s an autopilot approach to drive scalable revenue growth.
• You want a coaching or advisory relationship from extremely experienced business leaders.

4. RSM US

RSM US is an audit, tax, and consulting firm focused on the middle market in the United States and Canada.

As part of a full-service accounting and advisory firm, they provide a holistic approach by combining consulting with audit, tax, and other accounting services.

The company has specialized business services for automotive, construction, energy, and manufacturing industries. It’s also particularly strong with internal controls and regulatory compliance, making it a fit for companies in regulated industries such as finance and healthcare.

Similar to Forvis Mazars, RSM has deep ERP expertise. It also has specialized services for other business applications such as CRM, HCM, procurement, e-commerce, and IT service management.

It goes a step further by combining business systems with vertical markets for more tailored industry solutions. For example, it delivers an adapted NetSuite solution for professional service companies and also offers focused professional service automation systems.

Consider RSM US when:

• You seek finance modernization or transformation.
• You are planning for private equity or an IPO.
• You want a provider with a broad suite of accounting and advisory services.
• Your company is in a regulated industry, such as finance and healthcare, and in need of help with regulatory or compliance requirements.
• You are considering a big 4 accounting firm but want more agility. A midsize firm like RSM may offer more flexibility and personalized attention.
• You want to implement digital transformation or step up your product innovation.
• RSM US is also a good fit for companies growing by acquisition, multiple site organizations, or US companies with satellite offices abroad. RSM US is a member of the global accounting network RSM International.

What Sets the Top Small Business Consulting Firms Apart

SMBs are no different from larger companies when it comes to the mandate of fueling company growth. However, they have fewer resources, and fewer specialists. They have unique limitations and operate with smaller budgets.

The top business consulting firms for small and midsize businesses have each figured out how to serve companies with these constraints. They apply repeatable methods and package their services in ways that make them easier to consume.

They partner with their clients to minimize business interruption, accelerate time to value, and deliver clear ROI. Most of all, they act as trusted advisors that their clients can count on for insights and advice.