The Agency Accelerator debrief
What 25 founders learnt at our first Agency Accelerator workshop.
We got 26 agency founders to step away from their desks for a full day to level up their skills and build growth plans for 2026 at our first Agency Accelerator.
It did not disappoint.
Here’s what went down ⬇️
Session 1: Building your agency proposition with Sedge Beswick
Sedge opened the day with a packed session that hit the core struggles every founder knows:
What she wished she knew sooner when founding, running and exiting her agency
How to sharpen your positioning, client matrices and client profiles
How to define a real business vision, not just a fluffy statement
Creating airtight commercial plans for 2026
A rulebook for growing an agency without losing your sanity
A few gems from the rulebook:
Make it easy to buy from you. Confusion kills conversions.
Solve real problems. Someone else’s challenge is your opportunity.
Understand what your clients actually need. What do they want to achieve and how can you help them do that? Growing existing accounts is always easier than winning new ones.
Session 2: What brands actually want from agencies with Eve Williams
Every founder knows the feeling of being in the dark after losing a pitch you thought you were a shoe in for. So we invited Eve Williams (General Manager at eBay) to give us a real brand perspective.
After Sedge’s session, she sat down with Eve for a fireside chat. Except it was less fireside, and more two directors chairs in an Everyman screen on a sunny winter day at Kings Cross.
This went down a treat. The Q&A was popping off and there were so. many. notes.
Top hits:
Agencies are still power players. Even in a shaky economy where every retainer feels “under review”, big brands rely on agencies for outside-in thinking and shaping how they show up in the world. But they need to feel like you’re an extension of their team, not a vendor.
The winning agencies address the brand’s real problem. The one behind the brief, not the one written on it.
To be indispensable: be curious and take risks to stay ahead; be flexible to change; and bring calm to the chaos. Basically: be the partner they want next to them in the trenches.
Session 3: Growing your existing client base with Rachel Raphael
Before the workshop, we asked founders what keeps them up at night. More than half said new business.
Enter Rachel Raphael: commercial powerhouse.
This session re-wired how founders can empower their teams to take on more of the business development load.
Rachel’s biggest piece of advice? Account planning templates are non-negotiable for key accounts. They:
Make growth intentional
Align even the smallest teams on what actually matters
Keep everyone accountable on what to deliver and where to focus their efforts
Expose client knowledge gaps fast
Shift the team from “delivery mode” to “development mode”
Session 4: Integrating AI into your operating model with George Wiscombe
The ultimate buzzword across every industry: AI.
We all know we need to be using it, but there are so many questions around how, best practise, and cost. George covered it all.
His core message:
Your opportunity with AI is to do more and make more money, not reduce headcount.
But he also went through a few routes for how to pay for AI integration. TL;DR:
Self-funding through R&D tax credits: a simple way to reduce early build costs
Grants and Innovate UK: useful for ambitious, more experimental build
Raising capital: good for when you need speed, scale or a larger runway
Final session: Media training with Felicity Barr
We rounded out the day with some much-loved audience participation (no, genuinely - we had too any volunteers).
Felicity from Composure Media covered how to perfect your pitch: delivering one clear message with clarity, confidence and presence.
The pitch practises really made this session, but she did leave us with an iconic quote:
“Be a tortoise called Beyoncé.”
Translation? Speak slowly, engage your audience with eye contact, and demonstrate calmness and authority through your body language.
Pics or it didn’t happen…
What’s next
We’re just getting started. In 2026, we’re rolling out even more workshops to help agencies accelerate their growth and brands to build stronger businesses.
Got a challenge in your agency or brand you want to tackle? Message us what’s keeping you up at night.