Agency Business

Janet Balis, a BCG managing director who advises CMOs and agencies on AI and growth, explains why AI demands new operating models and partnerships. She discusses where work should sit between agencies and in-house teams. She urges agencies to design flexible, account-specific models that align creative, media, and technology.

Tucker Lake, a Madison & Wall consultant who led research into agency AI, shares findings on how large agency groups are approaching AI. He explains why many AI offerings look surprisingly similar. Topics include debates about AI replacing creative roles, shifts from FTE fees to SaaS models, and the split between data maximalists and minimalists.

Andrea Bendzick, CEO of independent digital agency Wpromote with a finance and tech-led operations background. She discusses combining creativity with performance. She explains the strategic acquisition of Giant Spoon and how Polaris IQ connects media and insights. She covers capital allocation, tech investment choices, and talent strategies for scaling upmarket.

Rick Millenthal, founder and CEO of The Shipyard and a 40+ year agency veteran, discusses building an integrated agency that combines media, PR, creative, and experiential. He explains their mid-market focus, why Columbus and San Diego work, and the opportunity in media buying for $50–$100M clients. He also covers acquisition-as-talent strategy and how the agency handles ethically fraught work.

Dan Khabie, cofounder and CEO of Court Avenue and veteran agency builder, discusses digital ecosystems, retail media, physical-digital experiences, AI transformation and building engineering scale. He outlines contract and pod models, how in-housing and SaaS tools reshape teams, and the firm’s approach to acquisitions, centralized ops and content/data priorities.

Beth Ann Kaminkow, CEO of Americas and Global Chief Client Officer at Dentsu, is a seasoned leader from major holding companies focused on creative commerce and client transformation. She discusses Dentsu’s refocus on Japan and the U.S., doubling down on power brands like Merkle, integration lessons from past acquisitions, managing talent turnover, and exploring partnership models to accelerate growth.

John Elder, co-founder and CEO of Supergood and builder of agency tech, talks data-first creative strategy. He explains how linking datasets to LLMs speeds research and preserves margins. He argues that data ownership, not AI alone, creates competitive advantage. He also covers pricing models, platform costs, and how independents stay nimble.

Tommy Henvey, co-founder and CCO who leads creative strategy and studio production, and Patti McConnell, co-founder and managing partner who shapes their flexible studio model. They talk about a studio approach that expands and contracts around client needs. They cover pitching chemistry, disciplined scoping to protect margins, cautious new-business investment, rising security and transparency demands, and prioritizing creative fulfillment over pure scale.

Judith Carr-Rodriguez, CEO and partner at independent creative agency FIG, brings experience in integrated brand storytelling and long-term client relationships. She discusses why small senior teams are winning, FIG’s controlled growth and selective new-business approach, the agency’s storytelling-first model, and the StoryData system for analyzing creative at scale.

Andrew Cohen, CEO of St. Louis creative agency Moosylvania, built the firm on senior talent, continuity, and hybrid culture. He shares the agency’s origin story and family roots. Conversations cover prioritizing seasoned teams over junior scale, balancing in-house production with outsourcing, Midwest advantage for national work, and growth-focused reinvestment in people and products.