Nigel shares his journey from scaling his London agency from three Founders to 25 staff and multi-million pound turnover, to ultimately watching it collapse.

In this episode of eCom@One with Richard Hill, Richard interviews Nigel Davies, former WPP design veteran, Co-Founder of 300 Million Agency and now Solo Consultant at Pin Creative. He discusses the dangers of relying too heavily on one large client, the pitfalls of over-investing in admin roles too early and the lessons learned from rapid growth & hiring.

Nigel reflects on how agency work has evolved, the significance of having a physical office and the value of building long-term client relationships versus chasing short-term projects. Now thriving as an independent consultant, he emphasises clarity in branding, using even his 6,000-strong vinyl collection to explain branding simply.

The episode offers candid insights into the highs and lows of agency life and the importance of adaptability and brand clarity.

Topics Covered

00:00 - How Nigel became a brand consultant after years of running an agency

04:20 – Formed a band as a playful bet, highlighting team camaraderie and creative bonding

08:18 – Launched his business by leveraging contacts, securing early clients and establishing credibility with a standout office in Exmouth Market

12:28 – Experienced profitable early growth with minimal advisors/admin. Scaling from 12 to 20 staff brought operational and managerial challenges

16:31 – Community workspaces enhance well-being and appeal to businesses by offering vibrant team and client hubs, more effective than remote setups

19:26 – Emphasises billing senior staff time to maintain profitability and quality; over-reliance on junior teams can lead to inefficiencies

22:21 – Monitoring utilisation rates across roles is essential for balancing workloads and maximising billable hours

25:09 – Long-term client relationships are key to stable business; balancing creative branding with routine delivery is an ongoing challenge

29:41 – High-value projects can stretch teams, drive profits, and spur financial growth

32:46 – Profitability is boosted by mixing project work with retainers and forming strategic partnerships (e.g., printing deals)

36:48 – Managed internal challenges with care, always prioritising team dynamics and relationships

37:46 – Running an agency requires resilience; Nigel left agency life for independent work but stayed in the branding space

41:11 – Staying personally connected to clients helps leaders remain attuned to real-world issues as teams grow

47:10 – Recommends "A Technique for Producing Ideas", a short, classic creativity guide by a New York ad professional

Amanda Walls, Founder and Director of Cedarwood Digital, a Manchester-based agency specialising in SEO, paid media, and digital PR and international speaker sits down with Richard Hill to share her agency journey.

Amanda gives an honest and frank account into the journey of launching Cedarwood as a solo venture nine years ago to growing it into an award-winning team with impressive client retention and a thriving agency culture.

You’ll hear Amanda’s insights on why specialising beats trying to be everything to everyone, her go-to strategies for scaling boutique agencies without losing your soul and the real frameworks that help keep both clients and staff happy.

Plus, Amanda opens up about the challenges of managing growth, building a standout agency brand and her approach to handling client relationships, even when things go wrong.

Whether you’re building your own agency, leading a team or seeking inspiration from those who’ve been there, this conversation is packed with real-world advice you won’t want to miss.

Listen now!

Topics Covered

1:39 - Journey of Cedarwood Digital

5:14 - Investing in your people and helping them do their best work

6:30 - Building a buzz around your brand

8:12 - The 6month appraisal process

11:46 - Getting speaking gigs

16:15 - Retention starts at acquisition

20:50 - Why Amanda doesn’t ask for client referrals

23:50 - Client challenges

29:20 - Tools to run the agency

34: 22 - 3 years until they won one award and how they finally secured their first one

45:24 - The next 6 months for Cedarwood Digital

48:08 - Book recommendation

Welcome to a milestone episode of Agency Intensive. In this special 10th installment, we take a look back at the most insightful and inspiring moments from our conversations so far.

Host Richard Hill revisits the memorable stories and strategies shared by a stellar line-up of agency founders and industry leaders, from the explosive growth tactics of Stephen Kenwright at Rise at Seven to Chris Thomas’s authentic niche-building at Cake Agency and Nathan Lomax’s whirlwind 45-event networking marathon.

We’ll hear powerful lessons on trust from Richard Mawer, explore how cultural alignment led Simon Penson’s agency to a £37 million exit and get a candid take on resilience and focus from Ady Collins after his personal battle with cancer.

Kelly Evans shares her passion for leading a purpose-driven B Corp at Social Change, while Adam Pearce reveals how his focus on community and CRO helped Blend Commerce achieve an impressive client retention rate.

Tune in as we celebrate these moments of bold risk-taking, genuine relationship-building and transparent leadership, all culminating in our double-digit milestone.

Whether you’re just starting out or looking to scale your agency, this episode is packed with the wisdom and motivation you need for the road ahead. Let’s dive in!