The Agency Collective

Community Cuppa: Speed Networking
2025-08-27 09:30 - 10:30 UTC | Online
It’s that time of the month – our community-wide speed networking session.

Each session will be hosted by a different member of the AC team, who will introduce relevant talking themes to spark engaging conversations.

Join these sessions to:
– Stay informed with the latest news from The AC, including updates on ongoing activities, upcoming events, and any changes being implemented.
– Reconnect with old friends and meet new members, strengthening our vibrant community.
– Share your knowledge and experiences while learning from others.
– Collaborate, grow, and make a positive impact together.

Don’t miss this opportunity to connect, share, and grow with the AC community in our revamped Community Cuppa sessions.

How Can You Be Your Clients’ Strategic Partner?
2025-08-21 09:30 - 10:30 | Online
What happens when your agency outgrows the work your clients think
you do?
For Ashley Rudd, co-founder of MODA PR, that moment came when
clients kept asking for press coverage, but they actually needed
something deeper.
“They’ll say, “I’m a wealth coach looking for press coverage,” she
explains. “But when we dig in, they’re actually running a £12m property
empire. So we reposition them. We rethink the story. That’s the real
value.”
Ashley’s team no longer jumps straight into delivery. Instead they pause,
zoom out, and help clients figure out where they want to go, how PR can
support them getting there and then the changes they need to make for
that to happen. That shift has turned MODA PR from a service-first
agency into a long-term strategic partner.
But it’s not just about the work. It’s also about confidence, boundaries,
and learning when to let go.
“At the start, £500 a month felt like a big deal. Now it barely covers
admin. We’ve outgrown it — and we’ve outgrown some clients too.”
In this session, we’ll explore how Ashley, and co-founder Jennifer, have:
● Reframed MODA PR’s value to focus on outcomes, not just
outputs.
● Introduced commercial boundaries (“Pick my brain? I’ll raise you
an invoice.”).
● Built deeper, longer-lasting client relationships by thinking
beyond the brief.
● Let go of low-fee work — and stopped over-servicing as default.
If your agency is stuck in the delivery trap — doing too much for too
little — this is the session that will help you reset.

The Power in Having a Lean Agency Team
2025-08-19 14:00 - 15:00 | Online
Jake Cawdery thought growth meant more – more people, more
process, more complexity.
But at Curated, that mindset eventually hit a ceiling: £1.2m in revenue,
year after year.
“Every year we’d set the ambition to grow,” says Jake, the agency’s
managing director. “But each year we’d stay still. Ultimately, we realised
we couldn’t keep working the same way.”
So they stopped chasing scale – and started chasing impact.
Jake and his team took a hard look at how they were working, and made
bold changes: trimming the team into a leaner structure, leaning into
automation and AI, and building a hybrid talent model that flexes to
each client’s needs.
The result? A more efficient agency, with £134k revenue per head – and
a culture focused on outcomes, not overhead.
“Agencies always measure success by headcount. On the surface, it
looks like growth. But beneath it? Inefficiencies, bloated structures, and
a lack of real commercial impact.”
In this session, Jake will share how Curated shifted to profit-first
decision-making – and why real success starts with clarity, commercial
thinking, and ditching the vanity metrics.
“It all means diddly squat if you’re not performing.”
If you’re feeling the pressure to grow, or wondering whether your
agency structure is really working for you – this is the session for you.
Short calendar copy:

How Can You Invest in Your Team’s Development?
2025-08-13 12:00 - 13:00 | Online
“It’s very easy for leaders to misunderstand people who don’t want to go
for a promotion as not ambitious … but that’s just not the case.”
Not everyone dreams of becoming a manager. Some people just want
to do a brilliant job right where they are. So, how do you support growth
when promotions aren’t the answer?
Lizzie Boyd’s been figuring that out. In smaller teams – where the
ladder’s short or sometimes even non-existent – she’s built a different
kind of framework, one that recognises mastery as a form of
progression.
“We have a ‘career growth path’ and also a ‘mastery path’,” she says.
“You don’t want the team to stagnate, so if they are happy where they
are on the ladder, they can just embed their roots and upskill.”
In this session, Lizzie, founder and director of The Pod HR, shares how
she has rethought development, so your team can keep learning, stay
motivated, and create a culture where nobody gets left behind just
because they’re not constantly climbing.
We’ll get into:
● What growth can look like without promotion.
● How to build a framework that encourages curiosity and
skill-building.
● Why being ‘good where you are’ isn’t the same as coasting.
“You get the benefit of having really driven people who seek role
advancement – but you’re also nurturing the people who want to come
in and do their role really well.”
If you’re looking for a more flexible, thoughtful way to develop your
team, this online session is one to join.

The Better Agency Programme: Get More from Your Team with Coaching Skills
2025-08-05 09:30 - 10:30 | Online
What if you could get better performance from your team – by doing
less?
Coaching helps your people take ownership. It builds confidence and
clearer thinking. You stop solving every problem, and they start stepping
up – it’s a win win!
We’ll be joined by Trenton Moss, qualified executive coach, exited
agency founder and creator of the Team Sterka people skills
programme. He’ll be showing you how coaching can help you level up
your team’s performance.
In this fast-paced, practical session, you’ll learn:
● The difference between coaching, mentoring and managing – and
when to use each.
● What good coaching actually looks like in an agency setting.
● Five proven coaching techniques you can use in everyday team
conversations.
● How to ask better questions and get your team thinking for
themselves.
You’ll see a live coaching demo, join short breakout chats with other
agency folk and leave with ideas you can apply immediately.
If you want to lead more effectively – and stop rescuing your team from
situations they should be able to handle themselves – this is the session
for you.

Community Cuppa
2025-07-30 09:30 - 10:30 | Online

New Business Clinic: The Psychology of New Biz
2025-07-29 12:00 - 13:00 | Online
“A lot of people go into new biz calls and pitches with an air of desperation, or a need,” says Jack Frimston, co-director at We Have a Meeting.
“But it’s all about the psychology and mindset of relaxing and not having the attachment to the outcome – that will make all the difference.”
Your agency’s pipeline is likely clogged with maybes and “get back to me later”s. Potential clients seem interested, but deals keep stalling. You’re starting to wonder: is it them, or is it you?
Jack and Zac Thompson, Jack’s fellow co-director, believe that mastering the psychology of winning new biz is key to transforming your approach and achieving sustainable growth. In this session, they will share their practical, psychology-based techniques for transforming your agency’s approach to new business.
From reframing your mindset to refining your discovery process, you’ll gain insights that can immediately impact your agency’s growth and success.

The AC Summer Party
2025-07-23 18:30 - 20:30 | The House of Lords Terrace, The House of Lords Terrace, Westminster, London, The House of Lords Terrace, SW1A 0PW
This summer, join fellow members of The Agency Collective for a special evening at one of the UK’s most iconic venues: the House of Lords Terrace overlooking the Thames. We’ll be showcasing fresh insights gathered from conversations across our membership, giving you a clear picture of how agencies are performing and helping you benchmark your own progress.
Expect an evening of great conversation, good company, and a chance to connect face-to-face with other agency leaders. Whether you want to swap ideas, share challenges, or simply enjoy the view with a drink in hand, this event is all about connection and conversation.
Here’s what to expect:

A presentation of insights from our membership
A relaxed, sociable evening with fellow agency leaders
Informal chats about agency life, challenges and wins
Drinks and views from the exclusive House of Lords terrace
The chance to continue the evening in a local pub*This is a member-only event for The Agency Collective and included as part of your membership. Spaces are limited to one person per agency*

Location: House of Lords Terrace, Houses of Parliament
Time: 6:30 pm to 8:30 pm (with the option to head for drinks afterwards)

Please Note: You’ll need to bring a valid ID to enter the Houses of Parliament.

Come for the company, stay for the conversations. Let’s celebrate summer together.

How Can You Make the Most of Your Client Relationships?
2025-07-22 09:30 - 10:30 | Online
How Can You Make the Most of Your Client Relationships?
You might think your agency has solid relationships with its clients, built on trust and results. But here’s the rub: satisfaction is not the same as commitment. This is something Amie Hill, client director at Relationships Audits, knows better than most. Her team speaks directly to clients on behalf of agencies to see how their relationship is working – and to find out what clients are really thinking.
“One of the questions we typically ask is, ‘What is the one piece of advice you would give to your agency or service provider?’ and a lot of the time, it’s about having a better understanding of what the client does and what they need,” says Amie.
In this session, Amie will reveal what she has learned from years of RADAR® audits – a structured framework that looks at five crucial areas including Attitude and Added Value – her insights into agency-client relationships, and how you can really make the most of them yourself.

How Can You Stop Hiring on ‘Vibes’?
2025-07-17 09:30 - 10:30
If you’re growing your agency and starting to make more hires – or perhaps even your first one – chances are, you’ve never had much training on how to actually run an interview.

You might be the founder, or part of a small leadership team. But that doesn’t mean you’ve got a hiring playbook ready to go. Most agency leaders figure it out as they go along – and more often than not, that means relying on ‘vibes’ or gut feel.

But that only gets you so far. What if your radar’s off? What if someone dazzles you in the room but turns out to be totally wrong for the role?
For Jo Carter, co-founder of Concept Onyx Recruitment, the key is learning how to dig deeper.

“By asking the right questions, you can interpret tone, body language, and responses – and that gives you a much clearer sense of whether someone’s actually right for your culture and clients,” she says.

In this session, Jo will help you turn casual chats into confident decisions. She’ll show you how to:

Ask smarter questions that get beneath the surface.

Spot red flags – in what candidates say and how they say it.

Judge real potential, not just how polished someone seems.

Get clear on whether someone’s truly the right fit – for the role, the team, and the chaos of agency life.

If you’ve ever left an interview thinking, “They were nice, but I’ve no idea if they can do the job…” – this one’s for you.

How Can You Create Real Clarity Around Job Roles?
2025-07-10 14:00 - 15:00 | Online
As agencies grow, roles do too – but not always in the right direction. As people get busier, and responsibilities become blurred, you end up with grey areas, clashing priorities, and jobs that quietly fall through the cracks. This is something Tom Wilson sees all the time.
“Most of the agencies I work with have people doing things they were never really hired to do,” says Tom, a former ops director, and guide at The Agency Adventure. “Stuff just gets bolted on, and you end up with these Frankenstein roles. Nobody then really stops to ask, ‘Is this still the right setup for what we’re trying to achieve?’”
In this session, Tom will walk us through how he helps agencies define roles with clarity and confidence, without turning your business into a bureaucratic monster. “You can’t hold people accountable if the goalposts keep moving,” says Tom. “And you definitely can’t scale.”

The Better Agency Programme: How to Get New Clients when Nothing is Working
2025-07-02 09:30 - 10:30 | Online
It can be hard to keep up the momentum and get results when, as a business owner,s we are facing
adverse outside factors. But, with the right mindset, laser focus and effective strategies, we can
create the shifts required to take our business to the next level.
In this webinar, Ilse Passet shares powerful mindset and marketing tactics learned in her 25 years of
Marketing, corporate experience, and the results achieved for clients over the last 10 years.
In this webinar, you will:
 Reset your mindset – even if the last few months have been difficult
 Learn the most effective marketing strategies to acquire new clients
 Get a simple framework to apply to concepts and get results.
About Ilse Passet
As a Business Growth and Team Performance coach, Ilse supports ambitious business owners
Who are ready to take their business and teams to the next level, with less overwhelm and conflict
and with more confidence.
She helps clients stay focused on their goal week in and week out, break through growth blockers
and increase collaboration and performance. This leads to lower costs, better client outcomes, and
often significant pipeline and revenue growth.

Group Mentoring: Solving your Biggest Challenge
2025-07-01 12:00 - 13:00 | Online
Group Mentoring: Solving your Biggest Challenge

Tuesday 1st July, 12pm – 1pm

Expert Guidance
Join The Agency Collective’s co-founder, Peter Czapp, as he facilitates a group mentoring session to help you solve your biggest challenge.

Tailored to You
Ahead of the session, Peter invites you to share your no.1 challenge. He’ll then guide you through a process to help you unlock fresh thinking.

Ideas and Inspiration from Your Peers
You’ll also have the opportunity to split into small groups to receive further ideas from other agency owners and will leave with a clear action plan to take your agency up a level.
Join here: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/83696762815

Community Cuppa: Speed Networking
2025-06-25 09:30 - 10:30 | Online
A fast-paced and engaging online agency speed networking session where you’ll connect one-on-one with fellow founders in 5-minute intervals. Whether you’re looking to build new partnerships, exchange ideas, or explore collaboration opportunities, this is the perfect chance to expand your network in a dynamic and efficient way.
Join here: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/85401608078

How Can You Use AI to Really Maximise Your Time? [MEMBER ONLY]
2025-06-19 09:30 - 10:30
In the agency world, time is finite – you have to make the most out of every hour in the day.
AI can help you do that. But most agencies are still only scratching the surface.
“The overwhelming majority of people I speak to every day use it to translate their emails into a different tone. That’s it. They still believe that’s all it can do,” says Heather Murray, founder of AI for Non-Techies.
But there’s a whole world of ways it can make your life easier – both in and out of work.
“I needed to hire an ops manager, but I couldn’t afford one,” says Heather. “So I thought – what if AI could cover 30% of that role? And it can. That’s when it gets exciting.”
Used in the right way, AI can free up hours of your day – no coding, no jargon, and no need to start from scratch every time.
In this session, Heather will share her time-saving tricks for prompting AI effectively – from smarter email workflows and admin shortcuts, to structuring your thoughts and navigating tricky client conversations.
It’s all about using AI in a way that works for you – boosting your output, not replacing your input.
This session will help you find that balance, so you can get more done with less stress (and fewer AI-induced meltdowns).
This event is for members. To join, email Rob@theagencycollective.co.uk

How Can You Use Thought Leadership as a New Biz Tool? [MEMBER ONLY]
2025-06-17 14:00 - 15:00
Katy Howell is tired of seeing agencies treat thought leadership like a quick fix.
“It drives me mad,” says Katy, founder and MD of immediate future.
“If you’re not prepared to be relentless, and to show up even when it feels awkward or pointless, then don’t bother.”
After years steering her agency through turbulent times, Katy has learned that visibility isn’t optional. It’s all about how you stay front of mind. It’s how you spark the conversations that lead to work, especially when budgets tighten. And thought leadership is a vital part of that strategy.
In this session, Katy will unpack:

Why showing up once in a while isn’t enough — and what makes thought leadership stick.
What she’s learned from the things that didn’t work, as well as what’s made the difference.
How becoming more vocal (even if it feels uncomfortable) can spark real new biz opportunities.
Why most agency leaders struggle with visibility — and how you can do it differently.

If you want to make thought leadership a serious part of your new business strategy, even if it doesn’t come naturally, this is for you.
This event is for members. To join, email Rob@theagencycollective.co.uk

What Should You Consider on the M&A Path? [MEMBER ONLY]
2025-06-12 09:30 - 10:30
A lot of agency leaders consider M&A at some point in their business journey and the idea of making an acquisition to support growth or meet a different objective.
But do you know what you should consider before you go down this path?
To help you figure this out, we’ll be joined by Milestone Advisory’s Miles Welch and Paul Kingsley, who will take you through an intro to the world of M&A and what you should consider before you buy.
Miles suggests before doing anything else, you should first take a step back and ask yourself why you want to acquire another agency in the first place.
“There are lots of advantages for sure, but also some common pitfalls that need to be avoided at all costs,” says Miles.
“When you’re buying a business, you’re buying a whole bunch of different benefits but also some issues. If your own house isn’t in order, then you’re just going to overlay those on top of your own, turning a great opportunity into an anchor around the business.
“Acquiring an agency is one of a few different options for growth,” Miles adds. “It might be the best option but that depends on what you’re trying to achieve.”
Miles and Paul will talk you through the benefits of acquisition, and what you should be prepared for before buying and acquiring a whole new business empire.
This event is for members. To join, email Rob@theagencycollective.co.uk

Tackling performance issues [MEMBER ONLY]
2025-06-10 14:00 - 15:00
“Right now, we’re spending more time advising clients on how to manage individuals than anything else,” says Helen Manson, co-founder of Complex HR.
Absence and low performance seem to go hand in hand at the moment. Teams are stressed, leaders are stressed that their teams are stressed, and all the while quality of work is slipping – or there’s not enough being done full stop.
But the moment you finally get around to addressing someone’s low performance or lack of productivity – they go off sick! It’s a game you can never win.
“We’ve got 39 individual clients and I cannot tell you how many of those are dealing with this,” says Complex HR co-founder, Helen Kirk-Blythe.
“Mental health is obviously super important. But we’re seeing a lot of instances where the business owner finally goes through the process to address an individual’s low performance, but because they’ve never dealt with it before, the individual starts claiming, ‘I’ve got anxiety’ after they’ve received a disciplinary. But they’d never once mentioned having anxiety before that.”
How do you even respond to that?
According to Helen and Helen, there’s a particular level within a business where this seems to be happening a lot.
“We don’t like to generalise, but there is an age bracket that we can very clearly define as to whom this affects,” says Helen Manson. “If we are having performance issues, they will fall in that age bracket. And it’s such a pain for the people who work really hard, know what they’re doing and want to get on.”
In this session, the Complex HR duo will take you through:

Why is performance so low at the moment?
Why is absence so high?
What process should you have in place to address low performance?
How do you handle those conversations?
What do you do when team members claim sickness as an excuse for low productivity?

Come along to figure out what to do when you find yourself in this scenario and quiz the experts on how to handle these difficult conversations.
This event is for members. To join, email Rob@theagencycollective.co.uk

Creds decks that convert [MEMBER ONLY]
2025-06-05 12:00 - 13:00
What problem does your agency solve?
That’s what you should keep in mind when writing agency credentials, according to advisor Rachel Raphael, co-founder of Outskirt Collective.
“We have seen a lot of creds,” she says. “We work with clients and intermediaries, so we know what they’re interested in.”
“It’s all about telling a compelling story in your deck, and putting the client in the centre of it. Talk about benefits, not features. What are the problems that you solve? And for whom?”
Think of your creds deck as your agency’s CV. You want to demonstrate the value you can add, not just reel off the things you’ve done in the past.
Rachel’s business partner Caroline Sparkes says the biggest mistake founders make during this process is being too ‘agency-centric’.
“You’ve got to think about who are you actually talking to, and what’s going to chime with them,” says Caroline. “It’s that old age thing of, ‘Don’t tell me you’re funny, make me laugh’. With creds, it’s: ‘Don’t tell me you’re a storyteller, tell me a story.’”
Often, the first hurdle agency leaders succumb to is finding the right person to write the creds. A lot of founders believe this is something they can do themselves, but they might not actually be armed with the right skillset, or the right perspective, to do so.
“It’s really hard to find people that are going to dedicate time to this and do it well. Even if you’ve got a dedicated marketing person, we find again and again that they are not equipped to write an effective set of creds,” says Caroline.
“People think they can do it all themselves, but actually, bringing in a specialist copywriter can be golden, because they can make it more succinct and snappy. This is a document that people need to sit up and pay attention to, so creds copy really needs crafting.”
In this session, Rachel and Caroline will be taking you through how to create a set of creds that really showcases your agency’s value, and the things all leaders do, but really shouldn’t.
If you’re feeling uninspired by your agency creds, or perhaps you’re not winning as many pitches as you think you should be, come along to pick up some tips.
This event is for members. To join, email Rob@theagencycollective.co.uk

The Better Agency Programme: Client Services Excellence [MEMBER ONLY]
2025-06-04 09:30 - 10:30
Client Services Excellence
Client service sits at the heart of every successful agency. Get it right, and you’ll build long-term relationships, unlock growth, and create real value in your business. Get it wrong, and even the best creative work can struggle to make an impact.
In this special edition of The Better Agency Programme, we’re bringing you not just one expert but three guest speakers, each bringing their own perspective on what it takes to master client services—from legal foundations to growth strategies and frontline client management.

What to Expect:

Building & Protecting Value in Your Agency – William Anderson, Clarke & Son

Understand the legal essentials every agency needs to safeguard client relationships, protect intellectual property, and prevent costly disputes.
Will Anderson, Head of Corporate and Commercial Law at Clarke & Son, will break down the key legal essentials every agency needs to safeguard client relationships, prevent disputes, and build long-term value. Will takes a pragmatic, commercial approach to client law, helping agency founders make informed decisions that strengthen their business while avoiding unnecessary legal headaches.
If you are reviewing contracts, preparing for growth, or just want to make sure your agency is legally protected, this session will better equip you to take legally sound steps.

Why Client Services Might Hold the Key to Unlocking Your Agency’s Growth – Ben Hollom

Discover how refining your client service approach can fuel sustainable agency growth, without the usual hustle of lead generation and hiring.
In this session, Ben will discuss why developing your client services in the right way can have a monumental impact on your growth plans and your sanity!
With over 25 years’ experience as an agency founder and MD, Ben’s seen most things… Client wins and losses, post-pitch celebrations and post-mortems, recessions and booms, scaling up and scaling down, rebrands and reinvention.
Now, he uses his experience of taking three agencies from startup to 20+ staff to support other ambitious agencies on their journey as a business adviser / mentor. Ben has been working with the Agency Collective as one of our Growth Experts since September 2024.

Lessons from 18 Years on the Frontline of Client Services – Helenka Hodnett, 438 Marketing

Get a real-world playbook on what great client service really looks like, how to build strong client relationships, and avoid common pitfalls.
Helenka Hodnett, Managing Director at 438 Marketing, knows this better than most. Having worked her way up from Account Executive to leading a thriving brand communications agency, she has spent the past 18 years managing and developing client relationships for major brands like TNT Express, Pritt, Isuzu, PepsiCo, JCB, and Willis Towers Watson.
In this insightful, real-world session, Helenka will break down what it truly takes to implement client service excellence in an agency environment. She’ll share the do’s, don’ts, and key lessons she’s learned along the way
This isn’t just another webinar—it’s an opportunity to rethink how you approach client services in your agency. Whether you’re looking to tighten up your legal processes, refine your client experience, or leverage client relationships to drive growth, this is the event for you.
This event is for members. To join, email Rob@theagencycollective.co.uk

AI Strategy Briefing: Unlocking AI for Competitive Advantage
2025-06-02 14:00 - 15:00 | Online
Join Scott Bowler, founder of DCS Digital, for a strategic session on how forward-thinking companies are using AI to improve efficiency, decision-making, and service delivery—without falling into the trap of tactical, piecemeal experimentation.
Learn how Scott helps leadership teams:
• Identify and prioritise high-impact AI opportunities
• Navigate cultural and technical challenges
• Move from hype to operational value
This session is ideal for CEOs, COOs, and operational leaders looking to move beyond AI curiosity into structured, measurable adoption.

The Art of Feedback [MEMBER ONLY]
2025-05-29 09:30 - 10:30
“Giving and receiving feedback is all about diving in. The more you do it, the better you get.”
For many, feedback is a bit like flossing: you know it’s important, but it’s easy to put off.
Sometimes you avoid it because it feels awkward. Other times you think, “I’ll let it slide” – and suddenly six months have passed and the issue’s still there.
Or worse: it’s grown teeth.
Andy Brown, leadership coach and non-exec, sees this happen all the time. And a lot of it, he says, is psychological.
“Giving feedback is as psychological a process as receiving it,’ he explains.
“It’s about being open to hearing feedback, but also being inquisitive and observing yourself. Good leadership is about being able to observe your own behaviour, and get out of your own head.”
In this session, we’ll be exploring:

The JFDI approach to giving feedback.
The different ways of giving and receiving feedback – and finding what works for you, and your team.
How practice makes perfect.

If you’re trying to get better at giving feedback, or you want to embed a more better feedback culture within your agency, this is the perfect session.
This event is for members. To join, email Rob@theagencycollective.co.uk

How Could an Effective Awards Strategy Help Your Agency Achieve Its Goals? [MEMBER ONLY]
2025-05-28 12:00 - 13:00
An awards strategy? What’s one of those?
As it turns out, it’s just as important as a social media or marketing strategy. Plus, it could actually be key in helping your agency achieve more than just a trophy.
“Like business development or content marketing, agencies have to create a strategy that links into their business objectives,” explains Stephanie Brown, an awards expert and agency marketing consultant.
“People look at awards as a way of boosting their CV, but they don’t consider how and why awards should actually loop into overall business objectives. That’s where agencies go wrong right at the beginning.”
There are so many awards, in even more categories, that it’s hard to know where to start.
If you haven’t planned in advance, you might find yourself scrambling a couple of weeks before a deadline to get an entry together. Or perhaps you’re applying to lots of creative awards, thinking they will improve your creative reputation.
“You don’t need to win creative awards to prove that you are creative,” argues Stef. “But I do believe there’s a place for more business effectiveness, or business impact, awards that prove a business case – those that prove that the agency’s creative work actually worked.”
It’s all about defining the exact reason why you’re entering particular awards, and what you hope to achieve if and when you win them. And planning out exactly which awards to enter could help you figure out if your awards budget is actually worth it.
“If you set aside X thousand pounds for awards in order to attract talent, what other things could you do with that money that would get you face to face with the talent instead?” muses Stef.
In this session we’ll talk all about working out which awards are right for you and your agency’s objectives, budgeting and investing in awards wisely, and integrating an effective awards strategy to improve your agency’s overall progression.
If you’ve been trying and failing to see results in the awards world, this session will help you work out where you’ve been going wrong.
This event is for members. To join, email Rob@theagencycollective.co.uk

What Are Your Clients Thinking in 2025? [MEMBER ONLY]
2025-05-22 14:00 - 15:00
Do you know what your clients really think?
You might have an idea, an iota of understanding, but ultimately, without speaking to them or doing any research, you won’t ever truly know.
That’s why Jonathan Kirk, founder of Up to the Light, produces the annual What Clients Think report – now in its 11th year. It’s based on a staggering 680 in-depth client interviews, and offers a brutally honest look at what’s really going on inside the minds of marketing decision-makers.
“We do more client interviews on behalf of agencies than anyone else,” says Jonathan. “It’s not a survey – these are frank, one-to-one conversations. It gives agencies a unique lens into how they’re being seen.”
In this year’s edition, the themes are louder than ever:

Clients are overwhelmed. 83% say they’re finding it very difficult to prioritise projects – and 55% say their biggest challenges are internal, not external.
Budgets are tight. 70% say they’re being asked to do more with less. That means agencies need to be faster, sharper – and more supportive.
AI is coming – ready or not. 73% expect marketing investment in gen AI to increase, but 67% also believe it poses serious risks. Most say their org isn’t ready.
And relationships are under pressure. 45% say agencies should be bolder in their recommendations, and only 58% view their agency as a true ‘partner’.

So what do agencies do with all this?
Join us as Jonathan unpacks the key takeaways and what they mean for agency leaders today. He’ll cover:

How clients perceive your service (versus what you think they do).
Where agencies are slipping – and where there’s opportunity to stand out.
Why in-house teams are gaining ground, and what agencies can still offer.
The danger of being seen as “just another supplier” – and how to fix it.

If you want to know what your clients really think, this session will lift the lid and give you some very interesting insights…
This event is for members. To join, email Rob@theagencycollective.co.uk

New Business Clinic Live (London)
2025-05-20 14:00 - 17:00
An afternoon of learning from experts, upskilling with other agency owners and, as always, complimentary refreshments.
Our ever-popular New Business Clinic LIVE is back, this time at The Lightwell at Techspace 25.
Aside from the usual stuff you’d expect from an AC event (a packed-out room of agency owners enjoying free drinks and snacks), you’ll also be spoilt by three masterclasses, delivered by our cherry-picked speakers.
Book now and get:

Early-bird pricing
An afternoon of learning from experts
The chance to mingle with a room full of other agency owners
Drinks on us (soft and…not soft)
Free snacks of better-than-average quality

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Who’s Speaking?
Catherine Watkin | Selling from the Heart – for businesses who love to serve but hate the hard sell
“Sales doesn’t have to feel icky – it can be natural, genuine, and joyful.”
As the founder of Selling from the Heart, Catherine Watkin teaches business owners how to win new clients without being pushy.
She knows how to create genuine conversations that help clients feel excited and safe about working with you, rather than rushed into a deal.
“You can make sales an act of service,” says Catherine. “It shouldn’t be a pushy, awkward manoeuvre.”
Catherine will share:
Why traditional sales techniques often backfire – and what to do instead.
How to sell without “closing” – the secret to making your clients excited to work with you.
The importance of an effective follow-up – how to secure interested clients who haven’t yet sealed the deal.
Catherine’s methodology is perfect for agency owners who hate the idea of the hard sell, but struggle with closing the deal.

Peter Banerjea | How to Acquire Clients Abroad – US, Europe & Beyond
The best way to protect your agency in an uncertain economy?
According to Peter Banerjea, the answer’s simple: you need to diversify.
“You can’t predict shocks. But by working across markets, you’re far less exposed if something goes wrong,” says Peter.
When Peter founded Startup Voyager, the lack of opportunity in his native market meant looking abroad wasn’t optional — it was essential. Now, he believes UK agency leaders face a similar choice.
In the current climate, expanding abroad is no longer just an opportunity – it’s fast becoming a necessity.
Through his proven strategies, Peter helped fintech brand Vinovest scale from zero SEO traffic to 100,000 global monthly visitors in just 10 months – showing the true power of smart, international growth.
Interested in branching out? Peter will guide you through:

Where the biggest budgets are based and how to access them.
The cultural differences that could make or break global deals.
The operational adjustments you’ll need to make when working across borders.
How to position your agency to win international clients.

Peter can help you to land higher-value clients, tap into bigger opportunities, and create stability for your agency.

Adam Faulkner | The Power of Creativity, Conversations & Humour to Win New Business
Adam’s marketing strategy is short but sweet:
“Show, don’t tell.”
As a digital strategist and founder of CreativeAF, Adam Faulkner produces his best marketing material when he leans into his strengths – being creative, starting conversations, and using humour.
“The best marketing shouldn’t feel like marketing,” says Adam.
Rather than telling potential clients that he can make them stand out, Adam proves it by creating fun, relatable content that’s true to his brand and makes him stand out from the crowd.
And this is something he thinks agencies often overlook themselves.
“There’s never been an easier time to get your creativity in front of people – if you’re not doing it, you’re missing out.”
Adam will be sharing:

How creativity and humour can drive conversations.
Why it’s time to stop telling, start showing and make your brand stand out.
A simple framework for applying creativity to your own marketing.
Adam’s approach isn’t about rewriting the marketing rulebook – it’s about showing the world what you do best.

How Can You Get Better at Negotiating with Clients? [MEMBER EVENT]
2025-05-15 14:00 - 15:00
What actually makes a client switch agencies?
Mike Lander has spent years negotiating multi-million contracts as a buyer and seller – but when it comes to smaller agencies, every deal counts, no matter the size.
All the better if they’re profitable deals too.
“You don’t lose clients because somebody else is cheaper,” says Mike. “You lose them because someone else appears to offer better value.”
For smaller agencies, the real challenge isn’t new business acquisition, it’s keeping and growing the clients you’ve already got. It’s also about working out what to do when they start saying, “We’re thinking of re-tendering the work”.
In this session, negotiation practitioner and former procurement director Mike Lander, founder of Piscari, will show you how to:

Reframe client relationships around value, not price.
Win before clients even start talking about going to pitch.
Negotiate more profitable contracts with less drama.

“If your client leaves, it’s usually because of two big things. They either don’t understand the economic value you bring – or you’ve messed up the relationship,” says Mike.
We’ll talk about why clients really go to pitch, how to stop them, and what to do if they do it anyway.
If you’re looking to strike profitable deals, retain clients, or simply feel more confident handling negotiations – this one’s for you.
This event is for members. To join, email Rob@theagencycollective.co.uk

How to Optimise Your Agency for Cold Outreach [MEMBER ONLY]
2025-05-14 12:00 - 13:00
Agencies are geared up to convert one type of sales lead better than any other: referrals.
So when it’s time to go looking for new leads in the “much-maligned” cold-channel, they’re rarely set up to convert.
“Most agencies have creds that convert well for referrals, so everyone convinces themselves that their collateral is in really good shape,” says Steve Fair, co-founder of Sponge New Business. “But it turns out that to convert referrals, you could drop a spider in some ink and let it run around on a page and you’d still win.”
“Cold outreach is much more demanding. And if you can’t communicate what your business can do for a client concisely, you can’t communicate it at all.”
In this session, Steve will take us through how to make your cold outreach more effective, ensuring you leave with ideas you can put into play straight away.
He’ll cover the four key areas of marketing collateral:

Website
Email outreach
Social media presence
Creds deck

“It’s a brutal segment of your prospecting plan,” says Steve. “But there are things you can do to stay in the hunt longer and convert more of your hard-sought opportunities.”
“Working in cold outreach is tough anyway – there’s no easy way. So you only need to find those little 1% advantages here and there.”
If your cold outreach strategy is in need of a refresh (or a jumpstart), don’t miss out on this session, where Steve will share some of the best lead gen advice he’s picked up over 20 years of working in new business.
This event is for members. To join, email Rob@theagencycollective.co.uk

How Can You Nail Your Agency’s Positioning? [MEMBER ONLY]
2025-05-13 12:00 - 13:00
Even the most established agencies get it wrong.
Roland Gurney has seen it all – cluttered websites, vague messaging, value props that don’t say anything. And as the founder of Treacle, he’s made a career out of calling it out.
Through his ‘agency teardown’ service, Roland goes through agency’s websites page by page, and tries to understand what they’re about. He then tells them candidly exactly what it is they’re getting completely wrong when it comes to their positioning.
“Sometimes it’s positioning, sometimes it’s messaging, sometimes it’s brand,” he says. “But most of the time, people are sticking plasters on a much bigger problem.”
He takes things back to square one to help agency leaders see and understand exactly what they’re missing, and how they can get back on the right track – he even has a scoring system for this.
“It’s right back to the beginning. You can keep sticking plasters on everything, but if you’re badly positioned, it’s obvious,” he says.
Roland will be taking you through all the things he’s noticed as part of his ‘teardown’ service, and what you should be avoiding if you really want to nail your positioning.
This event is for members. To join, email Rob@theagencycollective.co.uk

The Better Agency Programme: We Are Not Robots Yet! Creating Value Through Brilliant Teams [MEMBER EVENT]
2025-05-07 09:30 - 10:30
People, Leadership & Building a Magnetic Agency
Do you know exactly where your agency is headed? Are you enjoying the journey? And is it attracting the right people to help you grow?
Or does it sometimes feel like a grind—running to stand still, feeling overwhelmed, and wondering if there’s a better way?
In this practical session on People and Leadership, Nikki Gatenby will share ideas and actionable strategies to help you create a clear vision, energize your team, and tackle the challenges you may be wrestling with. Wherever you are on the motivation scale, this session will give you fresh insights and a renewed sense of direction, and no question is off-limits.
In this session, you’ll discover how to:

Define a compelling agency vision that excites and motivates your team
Create a culture that attracts and retains the best talent
Implement leadership practices that drive growth—while having fun along the way

About Nikki Gatenby
With nearly three decades of experience leading and scaling agencies in London, Paris, and Brighton, Nikki Gatenby is an in-demand agency specialist NED and cognitive behavioural coach. She’s also the author of two best-selling books on the agency journey.
Since successfully exiting her last agency in 2019, Nikki has been on a mission to help other good agencies become great—helping founders build highly valuable businesses while keeping the journey fun.

Agency Energiser [OPEN EVENT]
2025-04-30 12:00 - 13:00
We love bringing Agency Founders together, offering the opportunity to meet fellow agency humans, connect and share challenges and ideas.
Our founder, Peter Czapp, is hosting a monthly Agency Energiser call. This 60-minute call will give you an experience of what it’s like to be part of The Agency Collective.
The Session:

Intro
Speed networking – Meet your fellow founders
How The AC can help your agency
Meet an AC member
Ask Peter anything – get answers to your challenges

Throughout 2025, Peter is providing quarterly group mentoring to Agency Collective members to help you thrive. Peter’s been helping agencies build profitable and commercially sustainable businesses for over 20 years and is excited to share what he’s learned with you. As well as working with Peter, you’ll also have an opportunity to:

Attend a monthly webinar with an industry expert to help you grow your agency
Join an Accountability Group of similar-sized agencies to implement what you learn
Ask our Agency Experts questions relating to your business on Slack
Solve your new business challenges with monthly sales & marketing clinics
Connect with other agencies to learn, grow and collaborate together

Sign up here
