A team of Agency Experts to
help you thrive.

Growth on your terms

We don’t believe in growth for growth’s sake or at any cost. We believe that growth should be healthy and sustainable and lead you to achieve your version of success – the reason you started your agency in the first place. 

Over 10 years of supporting our members, we know that growth means something different to each agency owner. Some might want the big exit, while others want to work fewer days or take the summer off with their families.

Our Better Agency Programme and team of AgencyExperts are here to support you on your growth journey and keep it aligned with your personal goals. It’s your agency, your race, so you can decide what works for you.

Access to our Agency Experts is available on our Grow and Exit memberships, you can find out more details here.

Meet Our Agency Experts

Nikky Gatenby

Nikki Gatenby

“I’ve led, owned, managed and grown agencies in London, Paris and Brighton, with a track record for supercharging value and culture. 

I’m now an in-demand agency specialist non-exec director and cognitive behavioural coach, with two best selling books focused on culture and building better business on purpose. I focus on working with agency founders to make good agencies, great.”

Watch the interview to find out more about Nikki 

Paul Muggeridge-Breene

Paul Muggeridge-Breene

“I’m an agency advisor, helping ambitious agency founders achieve their goals using real-world experience to support them on their journey.

I co-founded and grew an agency to 70 team members and £5m turnover in eight years before exiting via an Employee Ownership Trust. I am also a former international journalist and a member of the British Psychological Society (GMBPsS).”

Watch the interview to find out more about Paul 

Louisa Pau

Louisa Pau

“I’m an experienced business owner, coach and mentor with experience in communications agencies and healthcare.

I ran her first business, Woolley Pau, from 1993 to 2007, building it into a healthcare agency with an enviable reputation, both for its creative work and its quality as an employer.

After selling the business, I took on a strategic role to pilot the company through change and growth.”

Watch the interview to find out more about Louisa

Ben Hollom

“I’m a former agency founder / MD who’s built three successful agencies from startup to 20+ staff over the last 30 years, working with brands such as Zurich, Hastings Direct, Go Compare, The FA, AXA, Nestle, Sky and DELL along the way. 

I exited my last agency ‘Q Content’ in 2023 after 12 years and now work as an adviser to ambitious agency founder on a journey from 3 – 20+ staff.”

Watch the interview to find out more about Ben

Ilse Passet

Since 2016, I’ve supported ambitious owners and MDs who are ready to take their agency and team to the next level – with less conflict and overwhelm and more confidence!

I combine 25 years of business and marketing experience, powerful mindset coaching and my Unique Results Method™, to help clients:

1. Remove Growth Blockers
2. Stay focused on the activities that will get them to the next level
3. Improve cooperation and performance at all levels

Watch the interview to find out more about Ilse

Helen Coston

“After spending 5 years as business development lead for a multi-million turnover creative agency, I launched a sales training and consultancy business. In 2023, I began offering business coaching to creative agency owners, freelancers and start-up leaders.

I work 1-2-1 to help my clients grow their businesses, build their client bases and improve their performance.”

Watch the interview to find out more about Helen

Jonathan Leafe

Jonathan Leafe

“I started my agency journey in 1989, which finished in 2017 when I sold to a planned management buy-in. Under my leadership, the agency underwent a significant transformation. What started as a pre-digital publishing specialist in 1989, evolved into a robust 40-strong digital marketing agency by 2017.

I built a strong team with learning and training at its core.

As we grew, I installed systems and processes that would effectively run the business without me, offering a light touch only where needed.

Since then, I’ve been coaching other agency owners to build the best businesses they can. I focus on helping my clients find financial freedom and enjoy the ride!”

 

Simon Penson

Simon Penson

Simon is a career digital entrepreneur having built and sold a group of content affiliate sites in the mid 2000s before then setting up an agency group that was acquired by IPG PLC in 2016. At the time the business employed 125 people but grew quickly during earn out, becoming a business of 270+ people and revenues of >£20m by the end of 2020.

Alongside this Simon started angel investing into SaaS/tech in 2015, realising that the early stage world was in desperate need of not just cash but people who had been there and could help guide and support founders properly. Along that journey he met three other angels with a similar world view and from it an early stage VC Fund called Haatch was born. It continues today having invested in north of 100 B2B businesses.

That business, alongside his consultancy Scaled has been his focus over the last 6 years and he now spends his time helping and supporting B2B businesses grow fast and with less ‘pain’, sitting on a small handful of Boards also.

Are you interested in learning more about our membership?

You can book a call directly with Rob Key, who will tell you all about our amazing community.