From wasted pitch decks to strategic conversations that close. Aaron Hutchinson reveals the Win Without Pitching methodology that's helping agencies stop gambling on low-probability pitches and start winning profitable clients through expert positioning instead of endless presentations.

Aaron Hutchinson is a sales consultant and trainer specializing in the Win Without Pitching methodology for creative agencies and professional services firms. Based in the UK, Aaron helps agency owners and their teams move from reactive order-taking to strategic expert positioning through the Four Conversations framework. After years as Managing Director of a creative agency, Aaron founded The Hutch Consultancy to address the industry's most persistent challenge: winning new business profitably without wasting resources on futile pitches.

This podcast episode is relevant to you if you're an agency owner struggling with new business, tired of losing pitches you spent days preparing for, finding it difficult to have confident pricing conversations, or trying to hire and train salespeople who can sell expertise rather than just deliverables. Find out why your pitch win rate is probably lower than you think, what the "three years from now" question unlocks in sales conversations, and why presenting three options beats a single proposal every time.

Aaron reveals the frameworks that separate expert agencies from vendor agencies, introduces RAB (Revenue Above Budget) as the metric that actually matters, and explains why 25,000 UK agencies are competing in a market more crowded than McDonald's locations. If you're serious about transforming your agency's sales process or finally cracking the code on profitable new business without soul-destroying pitch work, this episode delivers practical, immediately actionable frameworks.

Topics Covered:

00:00 - Introduction: The agency world's oldest question

02:28 - What challenges are agencies facing with sales and new business?

04:18 - Why there are 25,000+ agencies in the UK (more than McDonald's!)

07:22 - The two-year email: How long-term positioning pays off

09:32 - Why pitching is gambling (and the real win rates you're facing)

12:44 - What is Win Without Pitching and why does it work?

14:06 - The Four Conversations framework explained

19:50 - The magic question: "We're having coffee three years from now..."

24:58 - Expert vs Vendor: The doctor analogy

28:08 - Pricing conversations: Why money talks are so uncomfortable

31:42 - The secret to avoiding awkward "we don't have that budget" moments

33:19 - The power of options: Why three is the magic number

38:18 - RAB: Revenue Above Budget explained

42:02 - Staying resilient in agency sales: Avoiding soul-destroying work

45:25 - Conversations not presentations: Why we don't use decks anymore

47:45 - Book recommendation: The Four Conversations by Blair Enns

From necessity to 20 years of building software that adapts to businesses, not the other way around. Angelo Zanetti co-founded Elemental during the dot-com crash and turned it into a Cape Town powerhouse that refuses to compromise on quality, security, or in-office culture.

Angelo Zanetti

Angelo Zanetti is the co-founder and co-CEO of Elemental, a web and software development agency based in Cape Town, South Africa. With over 20 years of hands-on experience, Angelo has built a lean team of 25 specialists who focus on creating bespoke software solutions that truly fit how businesses operate, rather than forcing businesses to adapt to off-the-shelf tools.

This podcast episode is relevant to you if you're building software products, running a development agency, scoping MVPs, or trying to understand why that vibe-coded prototype isn't production-ready. Find out why founders bloat their MVPs with non-core features, what happens when someone hands Angelo a Replit prototype with no brakes, and why Elemental's entire team works in-office five days a week in an increasingly remote world.

Angelo shares the realities of digital transformation, the security nightmares hiding in AI-generated code, and why great SEO has driven their lead generation for two decades. If you're serious about building software that scales or positioning your agency to stand out, this episode delivers practical, battle-tested advice.

Topics Covered:

1:07 - How Angelo got into the agency world out of necessity during the dot-com crash

2:25 - Meeting Richard in a Harry Potter-esque location overlooking King's Cross

4:18 - The current setup: 25 people, lean and mean in Cape Town

5:26 - Why COVID was actually good for Elemental's business

6:59 - The advantage of having strong technical backgrounds as co-founders

8:05 - How SEO has been their secret weapon for lead generation

9:51 - Doing exceptional work leads to referrals and repeat business

10:38 - The mistake of trying to be everything to everyone

11:16 - MVPs and the patterns Angelo sees when founders first approach them

12:33 - Why founders jam-pack MVPs with nice-to-have features

14:04 - The "build it and they will come" fallacy

15:55 - Walking through the Change Cars project: competing with Autotrader

18:55 - How the market tells you what features to build next

21:22 - Philosophy: software should adapt to the business, not the other way around

25:18 - Why off-the-shelf tools force businesses into broken workflows

28:21 - The commercial model: discovery, build, then ongoing support and maintenance

32:01 - Why Elemental keeps everyone in-office five days a week

36:06 - The advantages: culture, collaboration, mentoring, and quality control

38:53 - The major challenge: hiring in a world that wants remote work

42:18 - How Angelo stays connected to the technical side without writing code anymore

43:18 - The reality of vibe coding: it looks good but has no brakes

46:32 - Security nightmares in AI-generated prototypes

48:07 - Using AI tools like Copilot and Cursor responsibly

50:58 - Building SEO calculators with vibe coding versus proper development

52:18 - Advice for agencies looking to scale: stop being too generalist

55:23 - Positioning yourself as a specialist and marketing to that niche

57:24 - Book recommendation: $100,000,000 Offers by Alex Hormozi

Learn more about scaling your agency at eComOne.com

From a ski slope conversation to 120+ staff. That's the journey of Impression, one of the UK's fastest-growing performance marketing agencies.

Mikey Emery started in a server room with three co-founders and built an agency that's broken through every glass ceiling—staying profitable, debt-free, and people-first the entire way.

Mikey Emery

Mikey Emery is the Commercial Director and co-owner of Impression, a performance marketing agency with offices in Nottingham, London, and Manchester. After joining the founders in 2014, Mikey has been instrumental in scaling the business from 4 people to over 120 staff while maintaining a relentless focus on automation, AI, and client-centric delivery.

This podcast episode is relevant to you if you're navigating agency growth, struggling with team structure, or wondering how to invest in automation without losing the human touch.

Find out how Impression restructured from channel-based teams to client-centric pods, why they paused client billing during COVID (and grew 50% anyway), and what it really takes to launch into the US market as a UK agency. Mikey shares the honest truths about leadership evolution, making decisions even when you're not sure, and why learning from pitch losses has driven more change than celebrating wins.

If you're serious about scaling your agency while keeping culture intact, this episode is packed with real, usable lessons.

Topics Covered:

1:34 - How Mikey got into the agency world (and why his e-commerce business failed)

3:37 - From bedroom freelancers to first office in 2014

4:46 - Growing from 4 people to 120+ staff across three UK offices

6:22 - The step changes that pushed through growth glass ceilings

8:00 - Why moving into an office space was a pivotal moment

10:18 - Winning seven-figure accounts that changed the trajectory

12:24 - How servicing bigger clients is less operationally complex than you think

14:13 - Splitting time as Commercial Director across growth, marketing, and client services

15:54 - Using data and forecasting to stay 95% accurate on the next 4 months

18:55 - Leadership evolution: from impatient decision-maker to trusting the team

21:22 - Why "a decision is better than no decision" became his guiding principle

23:22 - The agency's approach to AI and automation (it's been core for 10 years)

26:32 - Launching their proprietary AI content production tool

29:19 - Investing in full-time developers and data scientists to build tech in-house

32:16 - The US expansion: why every state is its own country

34:24 - Going from UK-based clients marketing in the US to building a proper US presence

36:02 - Setting up offices in New York, Chicago, Atlanta, and Miami

40:14 - The biggest challenge: COVID and the decision to pause client billing

43:52 - Why they chose not to furlough staff and how it paid off

46:59 - The importance of having a war chest of cash reserves

47:58 - What's on the roadmap: US growth, AI acceleration, and restructuring into pods

49:41 - Moving from 20+ people on accounts to lean, client-centric pod structures

52:40 - One piece of advice: Make a decision, even if it's wrong

53:47 - Why failures drive more change than successes

54:26 - Book recommendation: The Good Company by Arthur Blank

Retainers? Contracts? Slow approvals? Forget it.

Adrienn Major is breaking every rule of the traditional agency model with POD LDN — a global post-production powerhouse built on flexibility, speed, and trust.

No retainers. No big contracts. Just on-demand creative firepower that scales up or down instantly.

From managing 80 in-house artists and 1,500 freelancers, to building AI tools and automation into her workflows, Adrienn shows what it really takes to stay lean, reactive, and cashflow smart in a chaotic industry.

This episode is a masterclass in running a modern creative business — from scaling teams globally to rethinking pricing models, leadership, diversity, and the role of AI in post-production.

Adrienn Major

Founder of POD LDN, Adrienn shares her journey from growing up in Hungary to building one of the most agile post-production companies in the world. She explains how ditching retainers and complex pricing in favor of flat day rates created speed and trust with clients, and how a massive freelance pool gives POD the flexibility to handle anything from VFX to CGI on demand.

She also opens up about leadership in a male-dominated industry, why agencies need to embrace automation and AI (including creating an AI version of herself), and the surprising lessons she’s taken from The Wolf of Wall Street.

Whether you’re scaling an agency, exploring automation, or looking for inspiration on building flexible business models, this episode is packed with insights you won’t want to miss.

Listen to the full episode now and learn how to scale without burning cash or slowing down.

Topics Covered

00:08 — Introduction: Meet Adrienn Major and POD LDN

01:32 — Adrienn’s journey from Hungary to launching her own company

05:29 — Scaling POD: 80 in-house artists + 1,500 freelancers worldwide

08:31 — Why traditional agencies struggle with reactivity (and how POD solved it)

09:55 — Building a business without retainers or long contracts

12:09 — Flat-rate pricing: £290 per artist per day, £40/hour for smaller tasks

15:16 — How POD helps agencies, in-house teams, and post houses scale flexibly

18:45 — The advantage of tapping into global talent pools

21:41 — Managing a decentralized, international team day-to-day

24:34 — Reinventing workflows: morning check-ins, gamification, and agile leadership

25:25 — How AI and automation power POD’s operations (from onboarding to project setup)

28:52 — Creating an AI version of Adrienn for onboarding and training

32:31 — The future of AI in creative work: threats, opportunities, and collaboration

36:41 — Keeping pace with fast-moving AI tools and platforms

37:11 — Diversity in agencies: challenges and the need for male allies

40:19 — Scaling lessons: staying flexible, keeping overheads low, and cashflow smart

43:16 — Book recommendation: The Way of the Wolf by Jordan Belfort

44:57 — How to connect with Adrienn and learn more about POD LDN

Jason Hennessey’s entrepreneurial journey began when he shared his impressive results in e-commerce and affiliate marketing during a presentation. The audience—mostly lawyers—were so impressed that several approached him afterward, asking if he could help them achieve similar success. Though he hadn’t considered starting an agency before, he left the room that day with seven business cards and the beginnings of $30,000 per month in recurring revenue. That single, 45-minute presentation marked the start of his agency and set him on the path to building a thriving business.

In today’s episode, Richard and Jason explore Jason’s journey from his early days as a self-taught SEO freelancer to building a global team of over 130 people. Along the way, you’ll hear insights on the power of niching down, the importance of agency culture, and how to transition from a lifestyle business to a scalable operation. Jason also shares advice on hiring key leadership roles, leveraging executive assistants to maximize impact, and integrating AI and innovation into agency processes.

Topics Covered:

00:00 Scaling Agencies: Insights from Jason Hennessey

03:29 Leading Law SEO Agency Insights

08:30 Scaling Business by Hiring Experts

12:22 Documenting Time and Task Management

15:04 Hiring and Business Culture Insight

17:05 "Building a Team-First Culture"

19:59 Hackathon Innovation: HD Translate

25:24 Adapting SEO with AI Innovation

26:32 "Personal Branding for Agency Success"

29:45 "Book as Unique Selling Point"

33:01 Navigating Burnout and Business Challenges

36:29 Balancing Work and Personal Life

39:43 Email Management and Availability

43:07 "My Grandfather, My Greatest Mentor"

46:26 "Balancing Growth and Risk"

Nigel shares his journey from scaling his London agency from three Founders to 25 staff and multi-million pound turnover, to ultimately watching it collapse.

In this episode of eCom@One with Richard Hill, Richard interviews Nigel Davies, former WPP design veteran, Co-Founder of 300 Million Agency and now Solo Consultant at Pin Creative. He discusses the dangers of relying too heavily on one large client, the pitfalls of over-investing in admin roles too early and the lessons learned from rapid growth & hiring.

Nigel reflects on how agency work has evolved, the significance of having a physical office and the value of building long-term client relationships versus chasing short-term projects. Now thriving as an independent consultant, he emphasises clarity in branding, using even his 6,000-strong vinyl collection to explain branding simply.

The episode offers candid insights into the highs and lows of agency life and the importance of adaptability and brand clarity.

Topics Covered

00:00 - How Nigel became a brand consultant after years of running an agency

04:20 – Formed a band as a playful bet, highlighting team camaraderie and creative bonding

08:18 – Launched his business by leveraging contacts, securing early clients and establishing credibility with a standout office in Exmouth Market

12:28 – Experienced profitable early growth with minimal advisors/admin. Scaling from 12 to 20 staff brought operational and managerial challenges

16:31 – Community workspaces enhance well-being and appeal to businesses by offering vibrant team and client hubs, more effective than remote setups

19:26 – Emphasises billing senior staff time to maintain profitability and quality; over-reliance on junior teams can lead to inefficiencies

22:21 – Monitoring utilisation rates across roles is essential for balancing workloads and maximising billable hours

25:09 – Long-term client relationships are key to stable business; balancing creative branding with routine delivery is an ongoing challenge

29:41 – High-value projects can stretch teams, drive profits, and spur financial growth

32:46 – Profitability is boosted by mixing project work with retainers and forming strategic partnerships (e.g., printing deals)

36:48 – Managed internal challenges with care, always prioritising team dynamics and relationships

37:46 – Running an agency requires resilience; Nigel left agency life for independent work but stayed in the branding space

41:11 – Staying personally connected to clients helps leaders remain attuned to real-world issues as teams grow

47:10 – Recommends "A Technique for Producing Ideas", a short, classic creativity guide by a New York ad professional

Amanda Walls, Founder and Director of Cedarwood Digital, a Manchester-based agency specialising in SEO, paid media, and digital PR and international speaker sits down with Richard Hill to share her agency journey.

Amanda gives an honest and frank account into the journey of launching Cedarwood as a solo venture nine years ago to growing it into an award-winning team with impressive client retention and a thriving agency culture.

You’ll hear Amanda’s insights on why specialising beats trying to be everything to everyone, her go-to strategies for scaling boutique agencies without losing your soul and the real frameworks that help keep both clients and staff happy.

Plus, Amanda opens up about the challenges of managing growth, building a standout agency brand and her approach to handling client relationships, even when things go wrong.

Whether you’re building your own agency, leading a team or seeking inspiration from those who’ve been there, this conversation is packed with real-world advice you won’t want to miss.

Listen now!

Topics Covered

1:39 - Journey of Cedarwood Digital

5:14 - Investing in your people and helping them do their best work

6:30 - Building a buzz around your brand

8:12 - The 6month appraisal process

11:46 - Getting speaking gigs

16:15 - Retention starts at acquisition

20:50 - Why Amanda doesn’t ask for client referrals

23:50 - Client challenges

29:20 - Tools to run the agency

34: 22 - 3 years until they won one award and how they finally secured their first one

45:24 - The next 6 months for Cedarwood Digital

48:08 - Book recommendation

Welcome to a milestone episode of Agency Intensive. In this special 10th installment, we take a look back at the most insightful and inspiring moments from our conversations so far.

Host Richard Hill revisits the memorable stories and strategies shared by a stellar line-up of agency founders and industry leaders, from the explosive growth tactics of Stephen Kenwright at Rise at Seven to Chris Thomas’s authentic niche-building at Cake Agency and Nathan Lomax’s whirlwind 45-event networking marathon.

We’ll hear powerful lessons on trust from Richard Mawer, explore how cultural alignment led Simon Penson’s agency to a £37 million exit and get a candid take on resilience and focus from Ady Collins after his personal battle with cancer.

Kelly Evans shares her passion for leading a purpose-driven B Corp at Social Change, while Adam Pearce reveals how his focus on community and CRO helped Blend Commerce achieve an impressive client retention rate.

Tune in as we celebrate these moments of bold risk-taking, genuine relationship-building and transparent leadership, all culminating in our double-digit milestone.

Whether you’re just starting out or looking to scale your agency, this episode is packed with the wisdom and motivation you need for the road ahead. Let’s dive in!