Escape to the magical island 🏝️ of Ibiza for an unforgettable adventure of growth, inspiration… and just a little bit of fun.

• Join 200 friendly agency leaders for three days in Ibiza for the second Agency Hackers Ibiza Super Summit.

• You’ll work on your business and work on your tan – all while enjoying cocktails, boat trips and more. During the day you’ll get inspired 💡 to grow your business, and during the evenings you’ll make new friendships ❤️ that will last a lifetime.

• We’re co-creating the “fun” part of the conference with you, the delegates. Nothing is off the table. You will hear from big speakers and agency leaders we could only get with a special event like this.

DAY #1: WELCOME

Get checked in and meet us for welcome drinks 🍸 on the first evening. Thanks to our magic matchmaking system you’ll already have some new friends to meet up with – so head off for dinner or drinks in Ibiza Town and let’s get your Ibiza adventure started! 🎉

DAY #2: CONFERENCE & WELLNESS

If you’re a morning person, we have sunrise 🌅 walks, yoga or pilates on offer. The conference gets going properly with inspiring speakers and workshops. In the evening, you can select from different evening options. There are nocturnal adventures to suit all appetites.

DAY #3: CONFERENCE & BOAT PARTY

Wake up to more morning wellness options 🧘 – or enjoy a well-deserved lie in. The conference continues with more talks and breakouts. In the afternoon we take a sunset boat trip ⚓️, and then we head out to explore Ibiza – again with various options for different tastes.

Solving the Sudoku of Creativity vs Media

Agencies aren’t as creative as they once were.

Whether that’s because of an over-bloated market, the rise of AI, or a lack of effort – it’s anyone’s guess. But Rory Sutherland, vice chairman and creative director at Oglivy UK, has a more comprehensive theory.

“Media agencies and platform owners have become so overly focused on profitable algorithms that they’re leaving the creative side of advertising underfunded and undervalued,” he says. 

Rory named this situation a ‘Sudoku’ problem: problems that can only be solved by understanding an entire system, not by optimising each part separately.

“I call them Sudoku problems because, like a Sudoku, you can only solve them by contemplating the grid in its entirety – not by cutting the grid into nine separate squares and handing each one to a separate specialism to solve.” You could try doing that but, once you reassembled the grid, it would be a mess.”

👉 At the Ibiza Super Summit, Rory will be joining us to walk us through his Sudoku theory, the patterns he’s noticed in marketing’s lack of genuine creativity – and, more importantly, how we can go about fixing it. [Read more]

Finding the Funny in Everything

When Dave Harland, creative director at Copy or Die, was 15, his new English teacher opened his eyes to a startling revelation:

It’s okay to laugh at yourself.

“He said, ‘I know I’ve got massive eyes, you can laugh about it today, but any more after this and you’ll be in detention’. From that day on, we respected him because he could have a bit of a laugh at himself.”

It was from this that Dave’s perspective on writing changed forever. Especially when it comes to copywriting.

“The two big questions you’ve got to ask if you want to have a bit of a laugh at yourself is, what are your flaws?” he says. “Are those flaws going to damage your relationship with your target audience?”

If you show a little humour, your audience will begin to trust you.

👉 At the Ibiza Super Summit, Dave will be walking us through how to find the funny in everything, and how your copywriting and branding can benefit from just a small perspective shift. [Read more]

GROW UP: How We Matured As An Agency by Bringing in a CCO

In 2019, CEO Carrie Rose co-founded Rise at Seven and it grew at an exceedingly rapid rate. But nobody could have prepared her for the rapid growth coming her way.

About six months in, after realising her co-founder’s priorities were elsewhere, she bought him out. But alas, they continued to grow, and with it came more unexpected change – senior members left to start their own agency, taking a few people with them.

Despite these obstacles, Rise at Seven had grown to £7 million by 2022. But now, two more problems had now arisen:

1. They had too many people.
2. Carrie was exhausted.

Enter: Karl Loudon, the now CCO.

“The company had suffered some natural attrition, but it kind of righted itself without having to make any redundancies – which is lovely.”

By 2023, they’d shrunk back down and restabilised at £5.5 million in revenue, now on track to grow back to £7 million – only in a healthier way. Carrie and Karl attribute some of this success to the team’s ability to embrace change and adaptability.

👉 At the Ibiza Super Summit, Carrie and Karl will be joining us to tell the story of how they managed to grow their agency to the level it is now – and how they overcame the obstacles that every agency faces when maturing. [Read more]

Why Becoming a B-Corp Leads to 23% More Client Revenue

While B Corp is mainly about purpose and values, agency decision-makers are more likely to be convinced by its commercial benefits.

Laura Hothersall, director at Truth, understands this. Prior to running Truth, Laura was MD at Clicky. Clicky is a Bcorp and Laura led their process. 

“What we experienced was increased client revenue, new client wins, employee retention and attraction.In her new role at Truth she wants to help agency owners become B Corp certified not only because it is about purpose and planet, but because it is a certification for the for-profit sector that has a direct impact on revenue growth.

“I see it from a commercial angle,” says Laura. “And I think the benefit of my experience makes it more relevant to agency owners.”

So, what are the commercial benefits of becoming a B Corp?

1. Boost revenue – B Corp can bring you 23% more client revenue 
2. Attract purpose-driven clients – “We found recruiters and clients were asking whether we were B Corp yet, and if not, why? ”
3. Provides a framework for continuous improvement – “It’s not about saying you’re perfect right now – you do an impact report every 12 months, and recertify every three years. It’s a journey, a gradual progression of getting better.”

👉 At the Ibiza Super Summit, Laura will be joining us to discuss the benefits of becoming B Corp certified, whether it’s right for your agency, and how you can go about doing it. [Read more]

“What We’ve Learned From Making 700 Outreach Attempts Per Day“

“Prospects get at least 30 calls a day from agencies,” says Henry Regan. “At that point, you shouldn’t be selling – you should be seeing if there’s synergy between you.”

When everyone else is trying to sell to their prospects with charm, the best tool at your disposal is transparency. 

No one knows this better than Henry Regan and Sam Lawrence from Carbon Global – who focus on providing value to their clients, rather than aggressive sales tactics. Their business requires their team to make 700 outreaches per day to different sectors.

“Our USP is that we let our clients watch us work,” says Henry, managing partner at Carbon Global. “We don’t report to them, they literally watch us work from Google Sheets 24/7, because we don’t have anything to hide.”

“If they see us fail, within a pre-set boundary, then that is meant to be. Failure is just innovation.”

It’s a refreshing approach, and it drives results. With 16 clients across different sectors and 700 outreaches per day, they’ve developed their own tactics for keeping their sales pipeline moving.

👉 At the Ibiza Super Summit, Henry and Sam will be joining us to discuss how they’ve developed their own tactics for keeping their clients’ business development pipeline moving so consistently, a toolkit on how you can implement the same strategies and a Q&A for specific pain points. [Read more]

Should You Be Selling Creativity?

After 10 years of running his agency, Simon Corbett, founder and CEO of the Industry Insights Group, was frustrated.

“I was just getting fed up with all this 10%, 15% growth,” says Simon. “It was all a bit limp, boring, and slow. I wanted to do more – and quicker.”

From here on out, he would set his sights on the world of acquisitions.

“I just started learning, reading books, listening to podcasts; I put myself on a couple of different courses about acquisitions and how to buy and build businesses,” he explains. “I tried to get in with other people doing this, to learn from them, and I developed a sort of buy and build strategy.” 

Eventually, after acquiring businesses between £25,000 and £75,000, he began hunting for bigger deals at £1 million.

👉 At the Ibiza Super Summit, we’ll be having an in-depth conversation with Simon, drawing on his story to find out some of the best practices and processes of acquiring agencies, and how to go about getting it right. [Read more]

What I Learned Selling My Small Agency

Holly Tennock didn’t plan on selling her agency – yet in 2019, she did just that. 

“I had the worst ‘decision hangover’ ever. My anxiety yelled at me 24/7, ‘You’ve made the wrong decision, you’re going to let everyone down.’ All the problems that I’d been neglecting because I was too busy being a founder had suddenly come to the surface.”

The pressure of the sale, the culture shock, the imposter syndrome – it all became too much. It became increasingly difficult to prioritise herself. 

It all came to a head when, during her earn-out period (where the agency seller continues to work for the acquiring company for a period of time after the sale), Holly was pitching to a company that outsourced back, hip and knee operations – all of them spinal surgeons.

At the time, her back was causing her severe pain – she was unable to stand up or sit down.

“I was hopping, visibly trying to hide the pain in my face,” she says. “I just tried to ride it out. Afterwards, I remember one of the surgeons saying, ‘Are you okay? You shouldn’t be here.’ And in the end I just quit.

“I completely stopped having the use of my right leg and ended up in a wheelchair. Even today my leg is still numb because of the nerve damage the delay caused.”

Now that she’s in a better place, she’s able to reflect on the lessons she’s learned:

1. Don’t neglect your health and self-care for a future payout. 
2. Get continuous  coaching support during the earn out, not just before selling.
3. Maintain the networks and support systems post-acquisition that give your work  identity.

👉 Join us at the Ibiza Super Summit to hear Holly’s incredible, jaw-dropping story about her experience selling her agency. She’ll be there to share what she learned and to answer any questions you might have. [Read more]

How to Grow on LinkedIn (& Not Embarrass Yourself Doing It)

So how can you succeed on LinkedIn when there’s seemingly so much competition?

And how do you do so without feeling embarrassed?

Lewis Kemp, CEO of Lightbulb Media, says that in order to stand out, you should write in the way you speak, rather than using stodgy corporate language.

“I initially thought LinkedIn was full of grey haired, corporate kn*bs,” says Lewis. “I started doing what everyone else did: shared blog posts and spoke like I’m from the 1800s. But honestly? That just started annoying me.” 

“So I just thought, ‘Screw it. What’s the worst that can happen? I’m going to start writing like I speak.’”

In the same vein, Lea Turner, founder and director of membership community The HoLT and well-known LinkedIn trainer, believes that being your authentic self is one of the top priorities for success on the platform.

So what should you actually focus on?

1. Don’t get hung up on the wrong metrics – “I think a lot of people get so hung up on the platform metrics – the likes, followers and impressions. You need to find your voice first, and then measure the metrics that matter.” – Lewis
2. Be consistent – “You get better and better and better as you do it, and you’ll become faster and faster at creating content you know is going to work.” – Lea
3. Don’t be afraid to repel some people – “Unless you pay me or you’re related to me, I don’t really care about your opinion. So, if you want to attract the people you want to attract, you need to repel everybody else. You’re never going to please everybody.”

👉 Join us at the Ibiza Super Summit, where Lea and Lewis will be on hand to offer some sage LinkedIn advice to anyone who’s looking to grow their personal brand but need that extra push to do so. [Read more]

How to Get the Most Out of Your Social Media Marketing with No budget

ilding a community brand on social media can be daunting.

Trying to do so without a solid budget is even scarier… but not impossible.

No one knows this more than Sophie Miller, director at Pretty Little Marketer, who has mastered the art of building a community of 500,000 people through just organic marketing.

So how do you figure out where to put your time and effort?

1. Understand your message and audience – “Yes, please algorithms, but first and foremost, please  your direct audience.”
2. Content goals –  “Give each piece of content a goal, rather than expecting and hoping that all of your posts will do the same thing.”
3. Find the channels that work for you – Sophie says you don’t have to spend days on TikTok if you don’t want to, “You can make organic marketing work for you and the brands you work for. 

“I believe that community is the future in every sense of marketing. So the more you prepare now, the less you’ll get left behind later.”

👉 At the Ibiza Super Summit, we’ll be joined by the one and only Sophie Miller to help you build more brand awareness through organic marketing and community. If you’re constantly juggling budgets and marketing ambition, this is the one for you. [Read more]

Why Agency Owners Should Take on Board Positions

“When you’ve been an agency owner and you’ve walked away with a pot of cash, your brain doesn’t turn off,” says Sadie Groom, CEO of Bubble Agency.

This is a problem a lot of exiting agency founders find themselves in. They sell their business, work their earnout, and… then what?

What are you meant to do once you’ve done everything?

For Sadie, the answer lies in board roles. She currently sits on three boards, including a university board and a hotel board.

“A lot of agency owners go, ‘Oh, I’m going to get on a board after I’ve sold my agency.’” says Sadie. “But they’ve just left it too late by then.” 

“It’s the people that you meet on these boards. I’ve met some fascinating people and just learned about different businesses,” adds Sadie.

👉 At Ibiza Super Summit, Sadie will discuss how to apply and prepare for board roles, the skills agency owners bring to the table, and how to leverage board experiences to enhance your current agency leadership. Whether you’re planning your exit strategy or looking to diversify your experiences, this session will provide valuable insights into life in and beyond agency ownership. [Read more]

With Ibiza Super Summit, we are trying to create a special event that will become part of the agency calendar for years – perhaps even decades.

• Escape 🛼 A lot of agency owners never take a holiday. Or if they do, they spend most of it dealing with problems. They are saying sorry to their staff for being away, explaining to their clients why they aren’t around – and grovelling to their family who can’t understand why they keep opening their laptop.

• Get inspired ⚡️ You get your best ideas when you’re away. What if you were in a place where people encouraged you, rather than telling you to stop thinking about work? With inspiring speakers and the enthusiasm of 200 other agency leaders, you never know what will fall into place when you’re on an adventure with 200 other people like you.

• Make new friends ❤️ Immersing yourself in three days of learning and fun is a great way to make new friends. Many of the people who came to our first event still meet up to this day.

Ibiza Super Summit gives you a bona fide opportunity to escape into the sun with people who have the same pressure, responsibility as you.

“A magical few days and I couldn’t have loved it more.” Simon Bollon, Boutique

“Beyond the food and fun, I’ve brought back a treasure trove of insights and at such an exciting time for Curated too.” Jake Cawdery, Curated

“The last 4 days in Ibiza have been 👌🌅 Made some amazing friends and great time to do some blue sky thinking”. Carrie Rose, Rise at Seven

“WOW – Met so many awesome people, learned LOADS and have so many like minded #Agency friends 😍” Christine Bookless, Sagittarius

“Thank you to all of you for being so welcoming. I actually cannot believe what I’ve been missing out on. 🤯” Mary-Anne Da’Marzo, Firebelly Media