Unlock your potential with a flexible and affordable source of external guidance.
If you’re like 99% of the agency leaders we work with, then growth is top of your agenda. It’s also highly likely that you spend 99% of your time balancing ambition and overwhelm.
Of course, ambition doesn’t mean shamelessly chasing numbers (although it might). And overwhelm doesn’t mean crying in the bathroom (although it sometimes does).
But you do face the predictably unpredictable disruption of new-business, as well as the battle to escape day-to-day client responsibilities. Not to mention the frustration of having a head full of ideas, but no time to prioritise and action them.
This creates an endless tension between aspiration and getting shit done. Every day can feel like a double whammy of opportunity cost and BAU hamster wheel.
Relentlessness grows
Let’s be honest – agency life is also getting more intense. Everything’s become both urgent and important – a massive red flag for wellbeing and commercial success.
Each news cycle delivers a new challenge, from economic headwinds and an entitled workforce, to a revolving door of must-chase opportunities, like the metaverse or AI.
If you’re an indie, it can feel like you’re drowning in competitors. And for network agencies, alongside the endless pressure to do more with less, you’re dealing with regular changes in global leadership, not to mention the looming threat of a ‘merger’ (aka consolidation).
Even if you share the load with a harmonious leadership team, many of you still yearn to change gear and reach your potential.
So what can you do?
Find your catalyst
The most successful leaders we see find a way to make good decisions quickly and then stay on point, despite the distractions and seductive shiny objects.
To maintain that kind of focus and accountability, many choose to work with one or more external advisors. After all, why waste time figuring out what someone else has already perfected? And it’s much easier to stick to your commitments under a third party’s watchful eye.
Less helpfully, our industry is awash with consultants, coaches and gurus, armed with a dizzying mix of ‘proven processes’ and ‘unique frameworks’ – as well as similarly punchy pricing.
The investment is doubly daunting if you’re also facing the chicken-or-egg need to win new-business before you can afford the support required to do it.
Thankfully getting help doesn’t have to be a leap of faith.
What do need to do… today?
Step one is to remember that agency leadership is a classic 80:20 scenario. So rather than half killing yourself by trying to do it all, focus on the 20% that creates 80% of the impact.
That’s why choosing the right external perspective is so important. Gather some ‘possibles’ and ask probing questions around the following criteria:
Experience
- If something’s blocking growth, are you treating the symptoms or the underlying cause?
- Do you need a generalist non-exec or ‘business’ consultant? Or would an agency specialist be better, with deep knowledge in, say, finance or new-business?
- How important is expertise that’s specific to your agency discipline, scale or lifestage?
Timeframe
- Are you facing a standalone challenge or do you need ongoing support?
- Would you prefer a one-off investment or long-term commitment?
- How might your needs change over time?
Model
- Would you prefer hands-on, specialist support or a less operational critical friend?
- What’s the right approach for you – consulting, coaching, mentoring or training?
In fairness, that’s quite a list, right? Even after some detailed conversations, you might still not have all the clarity you need.
The key here is flexibility.
Advice designed around you
Co:definery’s Growth Advisory model is built around you. Rather than choosing a fixed solution for a yet-to-be-defined challenge, imagine having a personal trainer for agency growth.
With regular, bespoke support, you can navigate the changing variables. Our starting point is hourly sessions every two weeks, all based on three principles:
- Flexibility – your sessions can be scaled up or paused as required, with no long-term commitment
- Personalisation – a blend of growth-focused consulting, coaching and mentoring, tailored to your evolving needs
- Breadth– access to a wider pool of specialist advisors, to cater for your emerging priorities.
Sometimes you need strategic thinking, other days you just want fresh eyes on a critical pitch. In each case, you benefit from a safe, dedicated space in which to think, be challenged and to grow.
To find out how Co:definery’s Growth Advisory model could work for you, get in touch.