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 workCharlie 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 workNick 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 forwardJulie 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 wallsToby 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 themBen offers a thoughtful perspective on what leaders need to unlearn as their organisations grow - and why curiosity often beats certainty.