“Stay lean, flexible and deliberately profitable.”
Miles Welch, Partner, Milestone Advisory
“It’s been a challenging year for many businesses with lots of headwinds still present going into 2025. Larger firms are able to absorb more shocks and sacrifice some profit to weather the storm. Smaller ones can’t do that without feeling the cash flow impact and a few have balanced on a knife edge this year. With uncertainty heading into next year, those best placed will be the ones who can keep lean, flexible and deliberately profitable. Being able to make the tough choices, not being afraid of reinventing the model and looking for positive changes will be the winning formula in 2025.”
“Filter out the noise and focus on delivering value.”
Chris Wright, Founder, Fifty Five and Five
“A key lesson was accepting that change is pretty much constant in our world now. We are raising for an AI startup, and focusing our existing B2B agency on AI powered services. The pace of change is incredible. But that is OK. We have learned to stay on top of what is new, filter out the noise, and focus on what delivers value to our investors and customers.”
“Create a cast-iron case for outsourcing production.”
Ben Wylson, Creative Director & Co-Founder, The Big Sky
“Agencies and brands going in-house with production hit us production companies hard, so we asked ourselves why companies would want in-house in the first place? (too close to brand, less experienced, fewer connections, vast overheads, especially post-Reeves’ budget). We kept sane by developing our Subscription Service so that we can out-do in-house by replacing in-house!’
“Partner with peers to drive growth.”
Ritam Gandhi, Founder, Studio Graphene
“This year we placed a strong emphasis on partnerships, especially with peers. Building genuine connections with others who face similar challenges created a space where we could exchange ideas, share experiences, and lean on each other. This approach not only helped us drive growth but also provided a sense of camaraderie, making the journey feel less isolating and more rewarding.”
“Deliver work that drives real impact.”
Ian Millner, Global Chair, Iris Worldwide
“This year has made one thing clear: it’s time to get back into creating things – ideas, platforms and solutions – that deliver definite value and do what clients simply can’t do for themselves. In an industry atmosphere defined by one crisis after another, we need to embrace change with urgency and face reality head-on. Motivated talent can’t be taken for granted. Now more than ever, our focus must be on what we do best, delivering work that not only stands out but drives real impact.”
“Delegate to grow.”
Kevin Gibbons, CEO, Re:signal
“To grow by 30%, you need to delegate a third of what you did before.” I heard this quote a few years ago at a conference, and it really stuck with me. That’s something I’ve really tried to embrace this year, in a similar spirit to “what got us here, won’t get us there.”
For me personally, that meant building capability, hiring for gaps, and trusting our senior leadership team at Re:signal, to allow them to step-up and grow the business. In turn, that frees my time to focus on new growth opportunities, which I simply wouldn’t have been able to do if I stuck to what I was doing previously. We didn’t quite grow by 30%, but we did come pretty close – and the key to 2025, is challenging myself to do that again so that we can make things happen!”
“AI helps optimise processes and unlock innovative solutions.”
Elizabeth Lukas, chief executive office, Americas, AutogenAI
“This year, one transformative shift I made was fully embracing AI in my day-to-day work. By leveraging AI tools to accelerate mundane, time-consuming tasks like data analysis, drafting initial content, and project planning, I freed up valuable time to focus on high-impact strategic initiatives. Beyond efficiency, I used AI as a springboard for creativity—exploring new ideas, generating fresh perspectives, and enhancing storytelling approaches that resonate more deeply with audiences. The lesson I took away is that AI isn’t just a productivity tool—it’s a collaborator that amplifies human creativity and decision-making. Going forward, I’ll continue integrating AI into my workflows to not only optimize processes but also unlock innovative solutions that drive business transformation. Embracing AI has not only retained my sanity during busy periods but has also redefined how I approach challenges with agility and vision.”
“Explore Accounts Based Experience for Pipeline and Growth.”
Stefan Ferguson, Managing Partner, Hex Digital
“The last 18-24 months have been tough trading conditions in agency land. Historically – like many agencies – we grew 80% on word of mouth and referrals. We relied upon this for growth.
This is no longer enough.
Although we’ve known we needed to build an inbound engine for some time, it was only this year that we really leaned into ABX.
ABX (or Accounts Based Experience) is the latest iteration of accounts-based marketing. I’m generally very sceptical of one-size-fits-all frameworks and processes but ABX is all about building a demand and lead generation engine around what makes you great.
We spent a lot of time focusing on our Ideal Customer Profile and their jobs to be done – mapping the buying centres and personas then tailoring our positioning, offering and content strategy accordingly.
Similarly to the concept of product-market-fit, you feel when it’s easy to produce engaging content, have lead-generating conversations with the right people, and ultimately win new work off the back of activity. If you are struggling for pipeline – and growth of existing client accounts – I’d recommend looking at ABX.”
"The value of making decisions grounded in real, context-driven insights."
Bethan Vincent, Managing Partner, Open Velocity
“This year, I truly grasped the tangible value of making decisions grounded in real, context-driven insights. In a time of rapid change and uncertainty, we recognised that relying on past assumptions or generic, third-party trends wasn’t sufficient. To gain a genuine understanding of our market and client needs, we used a blend of qualitative and quantitative insights: direct conversations with clients and our ICP, coupled with a survey of over 100 CEOs and business leaders, revealing both their current challenges and anticipated needs. The insights from this combined approach empowered us to develop new propositions and expanded service lines with confidence. This culminated in the launch of our new agency training programme. By validating the specific pain points it addresses, understanding client needs, and refining our positioning, we ensured it would be both relevant and impactful. Looking forward, we’re committed to moving away from guesswork and grounding our decisions firmly in reality.”
"A collaborative, adaptable approach is no longer just a nice-to-have. It’s a competitive advantage.”
Tina Fegent, Global Marketing Procurement Consultant
“From a marketing procurement point of view in relation to the uncertainty we have seen in the marketplace during 2024, the approach would be to flex and focus on the importance of building agility through internal, empowered teams and collaborative relationships with clients. This helps build a greater level of resilience within the marketing marketplace and routes to new opportunities.
Marketing teams need to focus on driving ownership and agility. Encourage teams to bring forward solutions, providing autonomy to respond quickly to client needs or market shifts. This approach will drive two outcomes. It improves talent retention, since people feel valued and impactful. And strengthens client relationships, as clients sense a proactive, committed team working toward their success. Vital in today’s environment.
In marketing procurement, this agility means agencies move away from rigid control like organisational structure or ways of working. Instead look to co-create solutions with partners to align goals, manage risk, and unlock innovation. A collaborative, adaptable approach is no longer just a nice-to-have. It’s a competitive advantage.”
"Reprioritising the ideal target customer."
Nathan Anibaba, Founder & Managing Director, Bridge Growth
“The biggest shift in my business this year has been reprioritising my ideal target customer. When growth stagnates in one market, pivoting to another market with significant pain points my business can address is essential.
Here are the key factors I consider when transitioning to a new market:
1. Does this market have a pressing pain point my product can solve? Without a compelling problem to address, sales efforts will struggle, resulting in small, low-impact deals.
2. Do my target customers have purchasing power? Targeting people who lack the authority to make purchasing decisions often leads to drawn-out processes involving multiple approvals, which can hinder momentum and sales efficiency.
3. Can I easily reach this market? Effective prospecting relies on being able to target customers without costly, time-consuming strategies like ABM. Access through LinkedIn, email, phone, or other scalable online tools makes outreach more predictable and efficient.
4. Is this market growing? While profits can still be made in stagnant or declining markets, the process is more challenging. I prioritise markets that grow above the average rate of 5-8%, as these companies are driven to expand and remain competitive to meet their goals.
Making these changes has had a big impact on my business this year and has given me a lot more confidence and enthusiasm for the future.
