Meet Jonathan Greenstein, the Founder and Managing Director of Lagom Consulting, a management consulting firm empowering financial, professional, and technology service businesses to grow with balance and purpose. What makes Jonathan’s story inspiring is his resilience — turning an unexpected career challenge into an opportunity to build something of his own. Through Lagom Consulting, he champions structured growth, leadership development, and inclusivity, reflecting the very values Humans of Fuzia celebrates — creating a world where collaboration and empowerment drive success.
Q: Jonathan, what inspired you to start Lagom Consulting?
A: It was actually a challenge that pushed me. I left my previous employer unexpectedly and found it difficult to secure a new permanent position. But I always wanted to set up my own business. I realized I had the knowledge, the context, and the experience to do it — so I did. I spent two and a half months on solid business development and brand building, cold-calling from seven till seven, and I was lucky to sign my first client on my very first day of trading.
Q: Tell us a bit about Lagom Consulting and what it stands for.
A: Lagom Consulting is a management consulting firm that supports financial services, professional services, technology firms, and trade associations with growth — whether that’s organic or inorganic. We write strategy, develop new service lines, support international expansion, and help with M&A. When I started, it was mainly a vehicle to gain clients as a fractional CMO or CCO. Over time, it evolved into a more sophisticated business.
Q: What were the biggest challenges you faced when you began?
A: One of the biggest challenges was that many businesses didn’t realize they needed support. Often, I’d hear, “We’re fine; we do it all in-house.” To overcome this, I started coming to every meeting extremely well-researched so I could anticipate and refute objections. I even built a Marketing Maturity Index on my website, a free self-assessment that helps companies evaluate where they stand in terms of marketing effectiveness. It helps people see the gaps themselves — which is the first step to solving them.
Q: Are you a solopreneur, or do you have a team supporting you now?
A: I started off as a solopreneur, but I do have a team now. My Head of Growth Strategy is phenomenal — she’s the Ferrari to my Mercedes, honestly! I’ve also made offers to two potential partners, both women with deep expertise in commercial strategy and fintech. I truly believe in building my business by uplifting others alongside me.
Q: You mentioned your team includes incredible women leaders. What are your thoughts on women in leadership today?
A: I think there should be more women in leadership. It shouldn’t be about “making big moves” — it should be about continuing to make them. The CEO of my last company was a woman, and she was exceptional. The consultants I’ve hired have all been women, and I’m committed to helping them grow. I’m even starting a podcast for the fintech industry, and one episode will focus on female founders. I’ve asked female moderators to lead that episode because I think those conversations should come from women themselves — not from me. Empowerment means giving space, not just offering support.
Q: What message would you like to share with future women leaders and entrepreneurs?
A: I think women often have to give 200% where men give 100%, and that’s not fair. But by continuing to take on leadership roles and by mentoring other women, we can normalize equality in leadership. The system was broken, but it can be fixed — and I’d love to play a part in fixing it.
Q: How do you personally define success?
A: For me, success is happiness. I’ve been in roles where I was financially successful but not happy. Now, with Lagom, I genuinely enjoy what I do — work doesn’t feel like work. I’m happy to send emails first thing in the morning and last thing before bed because I love what I do. If you’re not happy, no amount of professional success will matter. Life’s too short for that.
“True success isn’t about titles or profits — it’s about waking up every day excited to do what you love.” – Jonathan Greenstein
Connect with Jonathan Greenstein:
Jonathan Greenstein | LinkedIn
https://www.lagomconsulting.co.uk/
Want to be featured?
If you’d like to be featured in the Humans of Fuzia series, email us at fuziatalent@fuzia.com.
