Eight Years In: Staying True to Why We Started

An interview with Nua Group Partners Elizabeth McFarlan Scott, Gerry Murphy, and Joe Farris

Eight years ago, the founding partners of Nua Group — after years in senior leadership roles at major HR consulting firms — came to a shared conclusion: the traditional consulting model wasn’t working. At least not for the clients, or for the consultants who cared about doing their best work. Pitching clients constant new projects just to hit sales targets. Selling third-party services to pocket commissions. Prioritizing internal firm goals over what clients needed. It didn’t sit right. And it didn’t have to be that way.

“There had to be an HR consulting firm where companies could get what they actually needed — not just pay for a service, but get real expertise, delivered with heart, care, and a true above-and-beyond attitude,” the founding partners thought. And so, Nua Group was born — and it wasn’t long before others who shared that vision began to join.

Choosing a different path

“We felt a different path could be better for clients and better for consultants. And here we are eight years later, that path has proven itself,” shares Gerry Murphy.

Since the beginning, Nua has lived by a simple but powerful principle: do exceptional work, the right way, with people you trust. Over the years, the firm has grown and adapted alongside its clients — but the core values haven’t changed.

As Nua Group marks eight years, we sat down with Nua Group partners Gerry Murphy, Joe Farris, and Elizabeth McFarlan Scott to reflect on the journey so far — and where they’re headed next.

What inspired you to start Nua Group?

Joe and Gerry: When we started Nua, we wanted to get back to what we loved most about consulting — helping clients solve real problems in a way that felt personal and deeply useful. We had all spent time at large firms, and while there were great people and moments in those places, we felt the work was too often bogged down by internal priorities, sales targets, and a one-size-fits-all approach.

At Nua, we built something different: a firm where the work comes first, the advice is honest, and the relationships are genuine. We wanted to focus on the long game — helping our clients succeed, not just selling them services.

Can you please share a moment when you thought, “This is exactly what makes us different”

Gerry: Early on, a client said to me, “We talked to all the big consulting firms, and nobody could solve our problem. We engaged you because we needed someone who could.” That really stuck with me — we’re trusted to take on our clients’ most difficult challenges.

Joe: A while back, a client told me, “I’ve worked with all the large consulting firms. Their work is technically correct, but I don’t get the insights and objectivity that comes with Nua’s advice.” I thought that perfectly summed up what we’re trying to achieve.

How would you describe what makes Nua different today?

Elizabeth: It’s easy to say you’re different — living it every day is much harder. What truly sets us apart is that we stay small on purpose. We’re not chasing growth for the sake of growth. Every consultant at Nua is someone we trust to deliver thoughtful, independent advice. There’s no bait-and-switch — the people you meet are the people doing the work.

We also don’t have “products” to sell or internal revenue targets to hit. That frees us up to be laser-focused on what’s best for our clients, even if that means recommending something we don’t deliver ourselves. It’s a different kind of consulting — one where clients see us as an extension of their team, not just another vendor.

What’s a fun or unexpected memory from your time growing the company?

Gerry: I once met a stranger at an event who proceeded to tell me he had almost joined Nua (he hadn’t). I realized then that when people want to claim they worked for you, it means you’ve built a good reputation that goes beyond just the original partners.

Joe: In the first year of the company, we shared an office with a magazine and an architectural firm. It was fun working alongside businesses doing very different types of work. We were so scrappy in those early days and had a lot of fun building something new from the ground up.

How have your personal and professional experiences shaped what Nua Group is today?

Gerry: Throughout my career, I’ve always enjoyed and appreciated working with the best people — and that’s something I wanted to continue at Nua. I also feel that the journey we’ve been on — through COVID, the pre-IPO bust, tariffs, and more — shows that we can survive and thrive in any environment.

Joe: Being in the consulting business for years taught me that if you have the best people, you don’t need to “sell” anything. I couldn’t be more proud of the team we have — and, as a result, the clients we have the privilege to serve.

What has been the most rewarding part of building Nua?

Elizabeth: Without a doubt, it’s the people — both our team and our clients. We’ve been lucky to attract incredibly talented consultants who could easily work anywhere but choose Nua because they value the same things we do: meaningful work, a real partnership, and a culture of trust.

Watching our team grow and support each other — and seeing the way clients trust and rely on us — has been incredibly rewarding. When a client tells us, “You helped us get through one of the hardest things we’ve faced,” or, “You made this easier and better for our employees,” it reminds us why we built Nua in the first place.

Why do you think people stay at Nua for so many years?

Gerry: They get to do interesting work, are treated fairly, and Nua fits well into the rest of their lives. It’s also a collaborative and fun environment where people get to do meaningful work and know they’ll be treated fairly.

How do you help the team grow their careers?

Elizabeth: We look for opportunities to help people advance their skills in practical, client-focused ways. We encourage them to step outside their comfort zone while making sure they have the support they need. We also don’t assign unnecessary or arbitrary goals just for the sake of measuring progress.

It’s our goal that this happens every day through the work itself. Partners and senior consultants are deeply involved in delivering for clients, but we also try to set an example when it comes to maintaining a good balance.

What does Nua Group offer clients that sets it apart from other firms?

Gerry: A quality team offering quality advice — unbiased, practical, and delivered at a reasonable price. We integrate closely with our clients’ teams, making their goals our goals.

Joe: In some ways, it’s what we don’t offer that sets us apart. Being “advice-only” and agnostic to products and solutions allows us to stay fully aligned with the client’s perspective and deliver completely objective advice.

How has your approach to client work evolved over the last eight years?

Elizabeth: One thing that’s stayed constant is our belief in meeting clients where they are — not forcing them into a particular methodology or template. But we’ve become even more tuned in to what organizations need today.

We’re working more cross-functionally than ever, helping HR teams collaborate with finance, legal, DE&I, and beyond. We’re also more involved in helping clients navigate not just big strategic decisions, but the operational realities that come after those decisions are made. It’s not just about designing a beautiful plan — but also helping our clients bring it to life in a complicated, real-world environment.

And we’ve continued to invest in making ourselves better. Whether that’s building expertise in pay equity, job architecture, or the future of benefits, we’re always learning because that’s what our clients deserve.

What’s one common problem that you see many clients share?

Gerry: Building the necessary infrastructure to enable them to scale and grow.

Joe: Being under-resourced. Most of our clients are trying to do more with fewer resources.

What’s a small habit or tradition at Nua that makes a big difference to the team?

Joe: Work from wherever. While we’re back in a physical office now, many of our team members have spent significant time working from locations all over the world.

What’s next for Nua?

Elizabeth: We’re excited to keep doing what we do best — staying small, staying focused, and delivering great work. We’re not trying to become the biggest firm on the block. We’re focused on deepening our expertise, expanding into areas where we can make an even bigger difference, and continuing to be a place where talented consultants can do the best work of their careers.

Ultimately, it’s about staying true to why we started Nua in the first place — helping our clients solve their toughest challenges in a way that’s smart, practical, and handled with the attention the clients deserve.

And finally...

Eight years in, Nua Group isn’t just another consulting firm — and that’s exactly the point. Gerry, Joe, Elizabeth, and the entire Nua team have shown that it’s possible to do exceptional work while staying true to the principles they believed in from the start.

As we move into the next chapter, the focus for us remains the same: building, learning, and supporting clients with honesty, creativity, and commitment to making a real difference — the Nua way.

Would you like us to help you solve a problem? Get in touch!