The quality of consulting advice is bounded by the quality of the brief. A vague ask like “help us grow” produces generic recommendations, because there’s nothing specific to react to.
Come to the first meeting with three things: what’s currently happening (with numbers, even rough ones), what you’ve already tried, and what decision you’re actually trying to make.
It also helps to name what’s off-limits — budget ceilings, headcount constraints, or timelines you can’t move — up front rather than discovering them after a plan is proposed.
The engagements that go well are the ones where the client treats the first session as a working meeting, not a pitch to sit through.