Sister Sessions

Join us in an engaging conversation with Rosie Robertson, Client Service Director at Untold Fable, as we delve into the world of diverse creative production in agencies. Discover how technology and diversity intertwine at Untold Fable, a global production studio, to democratise access to production briefs and the importance of working with local talents. Key topics include: Rosie's inspiring journey from a social media intern to a leadership role, navigating agency buyouts, and the role of AI in modern content production. Don't miss insights on building trust with clients and future growth plans at Untold Fable. Want more support? Join Women in Agencies – womeninagencies.co.uk.

In this episode of the Women in Agencies Podcast, we’re joined by Madeline Yervant, Client Services Director at 400 Communications, a B-Corp accredited design agency focused on purpose-driven work.With nearly two decades of experience in the creative industry, Maddie shares her journey through the agency world — from project management roles to leadership — and how relationships, mentorship and curiosity have shaped her career along the way.We talk about the realities of agency life, including how networking is less about working a room and more about building meaningful professional relationships. Maddie also shares how 400 Communications has built a culture rooted in respect, collaboration and impact, and what it really means to operate as a B-Corp agency.The conversation explores:How agencies can build healthier, more supportive workplace culturesWhy mentorship and peer learning are essential for developing talentThe role of purpose-driven work in motivating teams and producing meaningful resultsThe evolving opportunities for women in creative and client services rolesWhy growth doesn’t always mean getting bigger — sometimes it means getting betterMaddie also reflects on the importance of advocating for women in leadership, creating opportunities for others, and fostering workplaces where people feel heard, valued and empowered.If you’re working in an agency or building your career in the creative industry, this episode offers thoughtful insights on leadership, culture and creating meaningful impact through your work.Want more support? Join Women in Agencies – womeninagencies.co.uk

What happens when you go all-in on one service? In this episode of Women in Agencies, host Beth chats with Margaret Ward, founder of Claddagh Creative, a specialist email marketing agency. Margaret shares the candid journey of pivoting her agency from a multi-service offering to focusing solely on email marketing.  Key topics discussed include:- The decision and transition process of narrowing services to just email- How specialisation has improved client referrals and outreach- Practical insights into pricing, packaging, and one-off service models- Common mistakes businesses make in email marketing- The benefits of agency collaboration If you've ever debated whether to niche down or how to make your agency more profitable, this conversation offers real-life strategies and reflections.  Want more support? Join Women in Agencies – womeninagencies.co.ukhttps://www.claddaghcreative.com

Discover Kim Somerville's insights on agency benchmarking, female founders, and sustainable success in this Women in Agencies episode.How do you measure success as a creative agency founder beyond headcount and turnover? In this episode, Beth chats with Kim Somerville, co-founder of Agency by Agency, about benchmarking your agency against industry-wide data to find both sustainability and joy in how you do business. Drawing from her own experiences leading agencies and working client-side in the charity sector, Kim shares why access to reliable, non self-reported data is empowering agency leaders—especially women—in making informed decisions.  Highlights include:- The current state of the UK's agency landscape with over 25,000 agencies mapped- Why 27% of UK agencies founded by women is worth celebrating—but why we need more- What defines micro and small agencies and their £1.3B contribution to the economy- The “sweet spot” in agency size for growth and agility- Why data is critical for setting your own benchmarks, not just chasing revenue goals Want more support? Join Women in Agencies – womeninagencies.co.uk

What does it really take to thrive in agency life as a parent, a woman, and a leader? In this powerful Sister Sessions episode, host from Women in Agencies sits down with Ellie Hale, Partnerships Director at Reflect Digital and founder of Agency Land. With honesty and humour, Ellie dives into the realities of agency work, motherhood, and building more compassionate and diverse workplaces.Key topics covered:- Why agency cultures need more than box-ticking on policies- The pressure and pitfalls of the 'build to sell' agency model- Navigating miscarriage, fertility, and maternity experiences courageously- How Reflect Digital and Agency Land are championing transparency and inclusion in the marketing space- Advice for agency founders on building authentic support systemsWant more support? Join Women in Agencies – womeninagencies.co.uk

How do you grow an agency from scratch while staying visible as a founder? In this relaxed but insight-packed episode, we sit down with Ellie from Sage, a content and social agency that has quickly made a name for itself in the organic marketing space.Ellie shares how she launched the agency in 2024 after years as an in-house marketing lead, and how she’s now managing rapid growth, client work and team building while still showing up with a strong personal brand.We cover:- How her personal brand on LinkedIn generated 90% of her early clients- What founders can do when they have “no time and no content”- Building systems, hiring early team members and learning to say “we” not “I”- The value of repurposing content for scale while staying on-message- Agency collaborations, red flags, and the power of not seeing others as competitionEllie’s honesty about the scrappy early days and the mindset shifts that come with growth make this episode a must-listen for anyone growing a service-led agency.Want more support? Join Women in Agencies – womeninagencies.co.uk

What does it really take to scale a successful agency? In this episode of the Women and Agencies podcast, Emily Hatton, a business operations consultant, breaks down the practical strategies founders can use to grow their agencies more sustainably. Drawing on her experience helping agencies through growth phases, Emily shares what’s often missing behind the scenes of successful businesses.In this conversation, we cover:- Key growth pinch points for agencies at team sizes of 10 and 25- The role of founders versus operations specialists in sustaining growth- Common mistakes around hiring, people management, and financial planning- Why scorecards and tracking KPIs are essential — even for solo founders- Unique challenges faced by female founders in business developmentWhether you're running a lean team or looking to scale, this episode is packed with actionable insight.Want more support? Join Women in Agencies – womeninagencies.co.uk

How can marketing agency leaders use AI to improve client outcomes, team efficiency, and business sustainability? In this episode of the Women in Agencies podcast, we sit down with agency founder Mary Anne Da Marzo to explore exactly that. Known for her hands-on digital expertise and content creation background, Mary Anne shares practical strategies and personal stories that shaped her journey from startup to streamlined success.Covered in this episode:- How Mary Anne built her agency from scratch by learning from 30 other agency pitches- Lessons from sales brutality, cold calling, and early career resilience- Where and how AI creates real value across client delivery and internal ops- How her custom GPTs boost content creation, reporting and performance- Why running a smaller, profitable agency can be a strategic choice, not a limitationWant more support? Join Women in Agencies – womeninagencies.co.uk