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Small Spark Theory: a marginal gains approach to new business and marketingAuthor: Lucy Mann
New business is one of those subjects guaranteed to get a reaction from agency owners everywhere. Many will have a nagging feeling they should be doing a bit more, wonder how other agencies manage to land the accounts they covet, have moments of wild inspiration and energy then falter because the day job just, well gets in the way. Gunpowders Lucy Mann has worked in agency new business for over 25 years and has witnessed these scenarios, and many more like them, as an outsourced new business telemarketer, a new business recruitment consultant, in house new business developer, in house head of marketing, and new business mentor across multiple disciplines and agency shapes and sizes. Regardless of size and discipline, many agencies encounter the same new business challenges, and more and more, the solution is not necessarily an ambitious marketing plan, or expensive sales resource, but instead a forensic application of process and a marginal gains approach to performance improvement. Gunpowders podcast, Small Spark Theory explores the small changes we can make to our sales and marketing process to achieve better new business results. With contributions from a range of experts, each episode will examine a single element of the process in detail, providing manageable tips for improvement. Find our more about Gunpowder Consulting, please visit gunpowderconsulting.com Follow us on Twitter @gunpowdertweets and join the conversation at #smallsparktheory With thanks to Matthew Syed for audio extract permission. Host - Lucy Mann Producer - Isabelle Jarvis Language: en Genres: Business, Management, Marketing Contact email: Get it Feed URL: Get it iTunes ID: Get it |
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EP97: Why independent agencies matter | Amar Chohan | DCA
Wednesday, 12 March, 2025
One of the most exciting developments I've spotted so far in 2025 has to be the launch of the Department of Creative Affairs (DCA). So, I was delighted that DCA's founder, Amar Chohan, was able to join me for a chat here on Small Spark Theory. In this episode, Amar shares his career journey—from aspiring lawyer to media sales—before spending 11 years at Contagious, championing creative excellence. Now at the helm of DCA, Amar is on a mission to shine a light on independent agencies, helping them form stronger partnerships and gain the recognition they deserve. We talk about the frustrations with the traditional intermediary model and explore how DCA is taking a fresh, transparent, and content-led approach—giving independent agencies a louder voice and a fairer shot at attracting marketing spend. Amar's recommended read is The Hard Thing About Hard Things by Ben Horowitz—listen in to find out how to win a copy. Get in touch with Amar here if you'd like to learn more about how DCA can support your agency. Also mentioned in the episode: Pay-to-Play Pitch Schemes Are Putting Agency/Client Relationships at Risk One Small Spark – Gunpowder’s monthly challenge email.
