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