Celebrating 2023: Agency Hackers Members Share Their Event Highlights

As we wave goodbye to 2023, it seems like the perfect time to chat about the incredible year Agency Hackers has had.

It’s been a blast from start to finish, with loads of exciting events and a community of talented and interesting people that just keeps growing. We’ve been all ears, taking in what you guys think, and trust us, it’s all been noted.

Our goal for 2024? To make our events the absolute best out there.

We’ve had everything from brainy online sessions to in-person all day meet-ups – it’s been a mix of learning, laughing, and a bit of everything in between.

And to end the year with a bit of reflection, the Agency Hackers team have picked their favourite events of a busy and impactful year.

Ian

Agency Comedy Night – This year the team started the popular, and free, Agency Comedy Night at the iconic Comedy Store, London.

This event proved popular for most, selling out completely both times. And Ian has big plans to take the event even further next year, with three comedy nights planned for Texas, USA. Ian shared: “It felt so easy to promote, people really got behind it, and I think it’s a format we can really do a lot with in the future.”

Sophie

Dream Team – This event focused on the HR world and gave people the opportunity to have open and vulnerable conversations. John Stacey shared his thoughts on shaking things up at Social Change, while Debbie Bissell from Clickthrough Marketing spoke about the rollercoaster of HR life.

Gareth Hoyle shared how he’s loving the four-day week at Marketing Signals, and Paddy Carey opened up about creating a welcoming space at his agency after his ADD diagnosis.

Neurodiversity Online Panel – The HR & People Mastermind event on neurodiversity was a real eye-opener for attendees. Sarah Brewster from Fresh Seed dropped some wisdom on why diversity matters big time for businesses and Tom Lanaway and Rachel Perry from Connective3 shared their take on the unique challenges and strengths of neurodiverse folks.

There was also candid discussions about how to create a supportive and inclusive vibe at work can make a huge difference, especially for women who might have been flying under the radar with their needs.

Kirstie

Happy Clients – This event was all about enhancing client services in agencies. It featured insights from:

Bethany Sharma from Hallam, who discussed integrating project and account management
Domenica di Lieto of Emerging Communications, who shared strategies for creating memorable client experiences
Will Cookson of Pangolin, focusing on leveraging social content for client relations
Louise Palmer of Wildfire, emphasizing empowering client service teams
Jonathan Kirk of Up to the Light, providing data-driven insights on client-agency relationships.

Tackling the Fear of Public Speaking – Many people are terrified of speaking in public and this online event aimed to hep agency leaders overcome their fear.

The session featured Becki Wilson, MD and creative director of The Loft, and Max Hopkinson from Bind. They shared their experiences and techniques to overcome the nerves before taking to the public stage. The pair also focused on building confidence, the importance of practice and shared their tips and tricks for effective communication.

Anne

Clockwork London: The Agency Process and Operations Forum – Clockwork at the dynamic Hijingo Bingo also proved popular. It focused on enabling agency leaders to build businesses that operate smoothly and predictably without having constant involvement.

It featured speakers like Peter Czapp from The Wow Company and Tony Restell from Social-Hire.com, who shared their expertise on creating profitable and enjoyable agencies.

Abi

Good Agencies Roadshow – The hugely successful Good Agencies Roadshow was an ambitious multi-city event spanning Bristol, Manchester, and Leeds, featuring different speakers at each location. The roadshow focused on agency purpose, exploring themes like employee well-being, creativity, sustainability, diversity, and the B Corp process.

In Bristol, James Skirrow and Danielle Thompson discussed prioritising purpose and building a regenerative business.
Manchester’s lineup included Alex Holliman and Claire Quansah, covering topics like B Corp impact and fostering a diverse team.
In Leeds, speakers like Zoë Ogden and Alex Willcocks shared insights on transparent work culture and balancing purpose with profit.

Here’s to making 2024 even bigger and even better. You can find all upcoming live events here.

Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year from Agency Hackers 🎄✨🎆