Agency Squared Evolution

It’s over two years since I launched Agency Squared.

I say launched; really, I stumbled into the idea courtesy of Hayley Williams. We met at a networking event called Drive where I spoke about my adventures in running a marcoms agency, and we hit it off.

I have been having great fun running Agency Squared ever since and getting to know Hayley well.

I haven’t followed a defined business plan or set any objectives to base a strategy. In truth, at times, it has felt like fumbling around in the dark (stop it). 

But, I have learnt a lot and personally developed in areas I would have said were weaknesses.   

I managed to take some time out to reflect during the summer.

I took most of August off as much for my sanity as it was to consider where I had got to and, crucially, where I wanted to go next.

In a nutshell, I started out trying to build a community for independent agency owners. This community evolved into providing training courses, then group mastermind sessions and then a ridiculously infrequent podcast and newsletter.

A client-side marketer then asked me to draw up a shortlist of agencies to help her with a new product launch. That evolved into an agency search and appointment service. It has been great to be on the client-side of a pitch for a change.

I have more recently started having conversations with investors and agency owners looking to buy, sell or exit. I am far from a corporate finance guy, but this is an exciting world.

What started with a presentation at a networking event in Bedford has evolved into a business with three core focus areas:

1. Helping agencies to be better agencies
2. Advising client-side marketers on which agencies can solve their challenges
3. Connecting agency owners with investors when they want to sell or take on capital to fuel growth

It all started to sound very grown-up, so it was time the business plan and the look and feel evolved too.

As you might expect, I looked to the Agency Squared community for help and in came Baz Richardson from Bravo Creative. It was as much a case of Baz telling me I needed to update the branding as it was me looking for help.

It was interesting to see Baz at work.

He took me through a positioning exercise followed by a brand refresh.

This process involved a good look at:

• where I wanted to take the business
• what the competition was up to
• serious self-reflection and
• design work of course

And I have to say I am thrilled with how the positioning and identity work has moved Agency Squared on.

It reflects the more confident, considered and complex business it has become, and I’m proud of what we achieved together.

Here’s the kicker, poor Baz has had to watch me take his work and translate it across Agency Squared’s various online spaces. I hope I have done it justice… 😄

What does all this mean for you?

2022 will be a year of more targeted growth. I now have a plan for what I want to achieve with Agency Squared, and you know what they say about the importance of plans.

If you’re an agency, look out for more ways we can support your business growth: more community, training, masterminds, our new quality management framework, original research and new business opportunities.

If you’re a client-side marketer, we can help you find the right agency to solve your challenge. Our new quality framework will help you identify the good from the bad, and our streamlined pitch process can get past procurement in record time. 

If you’re an investor, as our network grows, so will the opportunities for you to find business opportunities to buy or sell.

If you are interested in finding out more, get in touch. I’m always happy to talk to anyone in the marketing industry.

Here’s to the next two years.