18th November 2025
Zihla Salinas on improv-inspired culture, client relationships and acquisition strategy
Episode 53
Zihla Salinas
CEO, Yes&
Today’s guest is Zihla Salinas, CEO of a 40-year-old indie that rebranded as ‘Yes&’. She shares the story behind the name, including how the improv-inspired mindset of ‘accept and build’ has become a blueprint for the business.
This philosophy shapes everything from their M&A strategy and client partnerships, to leadership development and creative delivery. You’ll hear why figure-it-out-ability, curiosity and positivity are Yes&’s measurable values, not just words on a wall.
Zihla also unpacks how Yes& cracked the code for working with complex clients, and how great account service – not just great ideas – is often what makes the difference.
HIGHLIGHTS:
[02:25] The power of positivity
[07:00] The story behind Yes&
[11:04] What makes Yes& different
[16:10] Figure-Out-Ability
[19:30] Communication as a superpower
[21:33] Redefining client service
[23:12] Spotting positive mindsets
[28:42] Cultural alignment in clients
[34:46] Learning from success
[36:47] Smart cross-selling
[40:21] Building strong partnerships
Previous episodes
Excellence as usual
Episode 54
Tyler Turnbull
Global CEO, FCB
Culture, entertainment and commerce
Episode 52
Jarrod Moses
Global CEO, UEG
Unpacking the ‘Power of One’
Episode 51
Loren Grossman
Global CSO, Publicis Groupe
Comedy’s greatest ad agency
Episode 50
Haley Hunter
Co-founder, Party Land
Building modern legends
Episode 49
Jaime Robinson & Lisa Clunie
Co-founders, JOAN
The AI-enabled creative renaissance
Episode 48
Andrew Swinand
CEO, Inspired Thinking Group (ITG)
A balanced take on indies vs HoldCo.s
Episode 47
John Harris
President & CEO, Worldwide Partners Inc.
Bringing contagious positivity
Episode 46
Karen Martin
CEO, BBH London & Dublin
Evolving the business of creativity
Episode 45
Guy Wieynk
Global CEO, AnalogFolk Group
Scaling culture at pace
Episode 44
Dimi Albers
CEO, Dept
Retaining the soul of creativity
Episode 43
Mark Figliulo
Founder, FIG
The power of ownership
Episode 42
Rania Robinson
CEO, Quiet Storm
Pioneering a new agency model
Episode 41
Luke Smith
CEO, Croud
The alchemy of modern media agencies
Episode 40
Richard Morris
CEO, UK and EMEA, IPG Mediabrands
Standing up for the next generation
Episode 39
Tesa Aragones
CEO, The Americas, AKQA
The hidden goldmine of B2B
Episode 38
Valerie Beauchamp
VP Global Head of Agency Development and Marketer Education, LinkedIn
Reinventing your passion
Episode 37
Armando Turco
President, Mojo Supermarket
Building a Market of One
Episode 36
Laurence Green
Director of Effectiveness, IPA
Coaching for commercial growth
Episode 35
Maureen Falvey
Lead Coach & Trainer, Strong Training & Coaching
Differentiating your client experience
Episode 34
Allen Adamson
Co-Founder, Metaforce
Leading the next phase of digital
Episode 33
Michael Olaye
EVP, Huge
AI and the pursuit of happiness
Episode 32
Matt McNeany
President, WPP Open
Knowing the people behind the creds
Episode 31
Lisa Colantuono
President, AAR Partners
Creativity as a process
Episode 30
Eric Zuncic
Global MD & CPO, Forsman & Bodenfors
Subscribe to
Believe in Better
Our regular newsletter helps your agency stand out and grow faster. Packed with new thought pieces and our latest podcast episodes.
"*" indicates required fields
Our regular newsletter helps your agency stand out and grow faster. Packed with new thought pieces and our latest podcast episodes.
