Advertise on podcast: Human Powered: High-performing agency & consultancy teams

How do you take over from an entrepreneurial founder and put more structure into the agency without losing its core culture? Charlie Marchant is CEO of Exposure Ninja, the digital marketing agency. She took over from their founder three years ago. Since then, she’s maintained revenue, reduced headcount through natural attrition and almost doubled their profit. In this episode, Charlie shares how she: Found her own leadership style after initially struggling to see herself as CEO - and why trying to copy the founder would have been a mistakeLearnt to embrace the messiness of experimentation after years of preferring processes, workflows and optimisationLeads change by being explicit about what is changing, what isn’t and whether something is an experiment or a committed decisionShares revenue, profit and EBITDA with the whole team - helping people understand both the health of the agency and the commercial reality their clients faceBuilds connection in a fully remote team through regional hubs, cross-department buddies and personalised recognitionMakes learning part of the weekly rhythm, including company-wide sessions that teach people how other departments and disciplines actually work Charlie offers a thoughtful perspective on what happens when an operator takes over from an entrepreneurial founder - and why structure and experimentation need each other if an agency is going to keep moving forward.

How do you lead through mergers, restructures and AI disruption without losing the trust of your team? Nick Towers is CEO of the digital experience consultancy Remarkable. Since taking over the business, he went on to acquire three more businesses before bringing them together under a single brand. Along the way, he's led restructures, international expansion and difficult redundancies while keeping people and culture at the centre of every decision. In this episode, Nick shares how he: Brings multiple businesses together by involving people early and building trust through constant communicationCreates certainty during change by explaining the process and timelines, even when the outcome isn't yet knownUses the ADKAR change framework to structure communication, training and adoption during major changeBuilds a culture around being a genuine joy to work with - for clients, colleagues and the wider communityTreats AI as a growth opportunity rather than a headcount reduction exercise, positioning it as an enabler instead of a threatBalances global consistency with local culture so teams feel part of one business wherever they work Nick offers a thoughtful perspective on leading through uncertainty, showing that successful change depends as much on trust and communication as it does on strategy.

How do you build an agency where people don't just work – they genuinely want to belong? Julie Oxberry is Co-Founder of Household, the brand experience design agency in London and New York. 22 years after launching the business, she shares how culture is built through trust, communications and giving creative people the freedom to do their best work. In this episode, Julie shares how she: Builds belonging through deliberate rituals, from weekly agency-wide meetings to fast-paced Pecha Kucha sessions that help people get to know each otherUses transparency, shared ownership and B Corp principles to create a culture built on trust rather than hierarchyLinks everyone’s objectives directly back to the agency's growth plan, ensuring performance is measured through both results and valuesBelieves creativity thrives when people have clear commercial boundaries, fast decision-making and the freedom to move without micromanagementApplies the idea of creating "fans, not customers" internally, building a team that stays committed because it understands and believes in the businessLearnt that leadership means communicating before every answer is known and stepping back so others can step forward Julie offers a thoughtful perspective on building an enduring creative business - showing that trust, transparency and a genuine sense of belonging create a stronger business than control ever can.

How do you evolve a founder-led agency into a truly global business - without losing the entrepreneurial spirit that made it successful? Toby Southgate is Global CEO of We Are Social, the socially-led creative agency. Having taken over from the founders, he now leads 1200 people across 16 offices worldwide, helping the business mature into its next stage of growth while protecting the culture that fuelled its success. In this episode, Toby shares how he: Turned 16 independently operating offices into one connected global agency through structure, communication and shared leadershipIntroduced the idea of a global constituency, so everyone sees themselves as part of something much bigger than just their local teamBelieves leaders should communicate change relentlessly, explaining not just what's happening but why it mattersProtects teams by absorbing commercial pressure rather than passing it down through the organisationPreserves an entrepreneurial mindset by giving teams space to adapt inside clear behavioural frameworksEmbeds culture throughout the employee journey instead of relying on values written on office walls Toby offers a thoughtful perspective on leading after founders, building trust through transparency and creating an organisation where people feel connected, supported and able to do their best work.

How do you scale a consultancy without becoming the bottleneck yourself? Ben Tye is CEO of Gate One, the growth transformation consultancy within Havas. Alongside leading a 300-person business across three continents, he also works as a psychotherapist - giving him a unique perspective on leadership, organisational change and human behaviour. In this episode, Ben shares how he: Explains why giving someone your complete attention is often more valuable than offering a quick solutionUses psychotherapy principles to uncover what sits beneath resistance, conflict and indecision inside leadership teamsTrains managers to coach rather than rescue, reducing dependency and encouraging genuine accountabilityOrganises a growing consultancy around “bases” that give people both a sense of belonging and a platform to grow fromTransitioned Gate One from founder-led decision-making to distributed leadership with clearer ownership across the businessLearnt that the hardest leadership shift is letting teams solve problems without stepping in to fix them Ben offers a thoughtful perspective on what leaders need to unlearn as their organisations grow - and why curiosity often beats certainty.

How do you transform an established agency without losing the people who made it successful in the first place? Chris Jones is CEO of Space & Time, the growth marketing agency he acquired through a management buyout in 2018. Since then, he’s led the business through a major repositioning to focus on commercial growth, innovation and long-term client impact. In this episode, Chris shares how he: Protected the agency’s strongest qualities while redesigning how the business delivers value to clientsReframed client conversations around revenue, business outcomes and commercial impact rather than marketing metricsDeveloped a 10-year AI vision centred on amplifying human talent rather than replacing it, helping drive adoption across the businessBuilt an innovation culture by giving employees the confidence to experiment with AI and lead new initiativesCreated an internal ‘Netflix-style’ learning platform where teams share innovations, experiments and lessons across the agencyHelped sceptical employees embrace major change through direct conversations, transparency and relentless communication Chris offers a practical perspective on agency transformation, showing that change is rarely about processes alone. It comes from creating clarity, communicating consistently and helping people build confidence in the journey ahead.

How do you step into your first CEO role, make difficult restructuring decisions whilst merging two businesses and still build trust quickly? Rebecca Crook is CEO of MSQ DX, the digital impact company. She leads a 150-person business across the UK and Spain as part of the wider 550-person global MSQ DX group. In this episode, Rebecca shares how she: Learned that first-time CEOs should throw away their perfect 100-day plan and spend far longer listening than actingRedefined high performance around client commercial outcomes - and not utilisation, delivery milestones or agency outputBuilt trust during a major merger through radical transparency, open access and a genuine “Ask Me Anything” cultureCreated unusually high engagement with internal comms with optional all-hands deep dives, team-led sessions and practical forumsHired an AI Collaboration Director to align the business around an AI strategy for its peopleUses office culture deliberately to accelerate learning - especially for younger talent who benefit from informal day-to-day exposure Rebecca offers a candid look at leading through uncertainty, making difficult calls early and why trust is the operating system behind meaningful change.

How do you transform a 1600-person global agency without leaving your people behind? Annabelle Walters is Global Chief People Officer at Jellyfish, leading the people and talent strategy across 30 offices in 22 countries. She’s helping reshape performance, culture and leadership while preparing the business for an AI-driven future. In this episode, Annabelle shares how she: Defines high performance around impact - and not visibility, busyness or activityPushes leaders to talk openly about change, rather than letting uncertainty fill the gapsTreats AI adoption as a shared responsibility between the business and individual employeesRebuilt performance management to connect individual goals to wider business outcomesExplains why removing line managers created distance between leaders and their peopleUses radical transparency, frequent town halls and open dialogue to keep a global business aligned Annabelle offers a candid perspective on how to lead people through large-scale transformation and prepare teams for an AI-shaped future.

How do you build a culture that people believe in - and behave differently because of? Alex Willcocks is Founder and Managing Director of Engage, a 60-person digital agency. He’s grown the business over the past 18 years with a relentless focus on people, culture and performance. More recently, he transitioned the business to employee ownership. In this episode, Alex shares how he: Created three values that are deliberately impossible to copy into any other businessUses those values as an anchor for performance and to shape how people think and actBuilt a detailed competency framework where behaviours map directly back to each value at every levelReframes performance improvement plans as a way to support people back to their best, not manage them outIntroduced employee representatives on the board to improve decisions and remove a “them and us” dynamicRuns the “Elympics” to drive energy, wellbeing and connection - while raising money for local charities Alex shows what it looks like when culture is consistent over time, and how clarity, ownership and shared standards compound into real performance.

How do you keep culture sharp, standards high and people engaged as an agency grows? Jessica Hargreaves Paczek is CEO of Pretty Green, the creative comms agency behind global fame-making campaigns. She leads a 70-person team and has helped build an agency that’s been named a Best Place to Work for four years in a row. In this episode, Jess shares how she: Uses EOS to give everyone clear accountabilities, quarterly priorities and a strong sense of where they fitTreats people, purpose and performance as inseparable (rather than seeing culture as a side project)Has turned their values into behaviours, giving teams practical permission to take smart risks and give clearer feedbackInvests heavily in team feedback, from CEO one-to-ones to internal focus groups that surface issues leadership might otherwise missBrings talent, onboarding, retention and social impact close together through a heavily resourced people functionRuns the ‘CanCanLion’ Awards, to recognise and reward outstanding ‘less ordinary’ and creative work Jess offers a thoughtful look at what it takes to build a high-performing agency culture - more clarity, more listening, more repetition and a willingness to keep tightening the system as the business evolves.

How do you grow 37% in a tough market without letting culture, trust or performance slip? Chris Pearce is Managing Director of Greenpark, the global digital content agency. He’s been running the business for the past 18 months, leading a team of 250 people across six countries during a period of rapid growth. In this episode, Chris shares how he: Defines high performance using the trust equation - credibility, reliability and intimacy Recognises that leaders cast a shadow - and that people copy what you do, not what you say Knows that impact intended and impact felt are rarely the same Uses multi-channel repetition to keep values front of mind across a remote, global team Resists panic hiring during rapid growth, even when teams are stretched and momentum is high Invests heavily in operational rigour, recognising that growth can easily mask deeper problems Chris offers a grounded perspective on scaling at pace - and on why humility and trust matter most when momentum is high.

How do you take over from agency founders and scale the business without losing trust, culture or momentum? James Leavesley is CEO of Torchbox, the digital agency for innovative nonprofits. He leads a 110-person team, having taken over as the agency transitioned to employee ownership. In this episode, James shares how he: Scaled Torchbox from 50 to 110 people by changing how decisions are made, owned and communicated Replaced intuitive founder-style leadership with clear processes, without slowing the business down Took over from long-standing founders without trying to replace them or their personalities Shifted from protecting people in internal comms to being transparent with context, preventing speculation and unhelpful stories filling the gaps Keeps teams aligned using practical frameworks like the SCARF model and the Vital Few, even in a fully remote business Protects innovation from BAU through a dedicated innovation lab, close links to delivery teams and a client co-funding model James offers a candid look at what really changes once an agency moves beyond founder-led scale, and what it takes to keep the business healthy as it grows.

How do you build an agency group that’s more than the sum of its parts? Tina Judic is Co-Founder and Chairman of the independent agency network Tomorrow Group. She founded the search agency, Found, 17 years ago and has since built this into a group of five agencies. In this episode, Tina shares how she: Stepped aside from running her own agency to lead at group level, overseeing and empowering MDs across the businesses Protects the distinct culture of each agency while aligning them to deliver greater group-wide impact Spun out the data team into a standalone business with its own brand - and learnt some hard lessons along the way Acquired agencies and learned why protecting rhythm and culture matters, deliberately keeping each one independent Created group-wide roles across AI, delivery and growth to connect the businesses and drive consistency Anchors impact around four core traits across the group - curiosity, drive, honesty and empathy   Tina candidly explains what it really takes to move from running one agency to leading a group of businesses that thrive together.

How do you align an entire business around a set of outcomes? Zoë Blogg is Managing Director of the search marketing and digital PR agency Reboot. She took over the business from its founders just six months ago. In this episode, Zoë shares how she: Shifted from Operations Director, focused on fixing everything, to leading the entire business Runs two weekly sprint cycles with the Senior Leadership Team, focused on outcomes tied to annual OKRs Shares weekly OKR progress with the entire team, so everyone understands how the business is performing Works to an annual plan - but no longer plans further ahead due to rapid market shifts Uses the 9-box grid to track performance and potential, and to monitor people’s progress over time Runs a weekly client-skills session for all client-facing team members Zoë leads Reboot on a 4-day working week, which has driven clear gains in productivity, utilisation, creativity, revenue and profit.

How do you get the absolute best out of everyone in your team? Jon Goulding is Founder & CEO of the creative agency Atomic. He runs a group of four agencies united by one mission: to unleash the superpower in brands. In this episode, Jon shares how he: Grounds the agency’s work in four principles - being unmistakable, unmissable, unforgettable, and unlimited - to unleash the superpower in brands Believes every person has a superpower, and that his job is to identify, describe and nurture it Focuses on amplifying people’s superpowers (rather than fixing their weaknesses) Builds teams around complementary superpowers Encourages healthy collisions, bringing together different people and skills to create something new and exciting Inspires everyone in the team to have an unhealthy need for responsibility Jon fundamentally believes in the power of the superpower - and that each one is shaped by three major life events, all experienced before the age of 25.