Independent Agency: From a stalled account to $1.4M in year-one billing
Independent Agency: From a stalled account to $1.4M in year-one billing
Independent Agency: From a stalled account to $1.4M in year-one billing
Account Growth Accelerator
$900K
annual billing, static for 14 months
$1.4m
up from $900k, year 1 billing
$2.1m
in active scope discussions
The relationship wasn’t the problem. The growth path was
A 50-person independent creative agency had a $900K consumer healthcare account that looked healthy. The relationship was strong. The work was respected. The client was positive. But after 14 months, billing hadn’t moved. The agency had mistaken warmth for a growth path. While the team continued to pursue expansion through its original client relationship, two external agencies were already in discussions with the new Head of Digital. That person had CFO access, a live measurement problem, and a clearer path to the budget. The incumbent agency was liked. But it wasn’t in the room where the next growth decision was being shaped.
What the Account Growth Accelerator exposed
In 10 days, Kevin tested whether the account had the authority, urgency, budget path, and internal support required to grow. The sprint exposed three issues.
The agency was close to influence, not authority. The Marketing Director valued the relationship, but an internal restructure had shifted budget control toward procurement and a new CFO. Her support mattered, but she could not approve the next level of work.
The agency’s ideas were credible, but aimed at the wrong problem. The team was still leading with campaign and creative ideas. The fundable issue was different: digital performance, measurement, and a stronger commercial case for investment.
The real opportunity had a different owner. The new Head of Digital had the pressure, the problem, the CFO access, and the path to budget.
What changed
The agency stopped trying to sell more work through the old relationship path. Instead, it used that relationship to engage the Head of Digital around a funded measurement and performance problem. The account plan changed from “grow the relationship” to “build the business case.” The team now knew who mattered, what had changed, what problem was fundable, and which conversation needed to happen next.
The result
Before the sprint, the account had been static at $900K for 14 months. Within four months, the agency secured a $180K first project from a new budget owner. Year-one billing grew from $900K to $1.4M, with a further $2.1M in active scope discussions.
The relationship wasn’t the problem. The growth path was
A 50-person independent creative agency had a $900K consumer healthcare account that looked healthy. The relationship was strong. The work was respected. The client was positive. But after 14 months, billing hadn’t moved. The agency had mistaken warmth for a growth path. While the team continued to pursue expansion through its original client relationship, two external agencies were already in discussions with the new Head of Digital. That person had CFO access, a live measurement problem, and a clearer path to the budget. The incumbent agency was liked. But it wasn’t in the room where the next growth decision was being shaped.
What the Account Growth Accelerator exposed
In 10 days, Kevin tested whether the account had the authority, urgency, budget path, and internal support required to grow. The sprint exposed three issues.
The agency was close to influence, not authority. The Marketing Director valued the relationship, but an internal restructure had shifted budget control toward procurement and a new CFO. Her support mattered, but she could not approve the next level of work.
The agency’s ideas were credible, but aimed at the wrong problem. The team was still leading with campaign and creative ideas. The fundable issue was different: digital performance, measurement, and a stronger commercial case for investment.
The real opportunity had a different owner. The new Head of Digital had the pressure, the problem, the CFO access, and the path to budget.
What changed
The agency stopped trying to sell more work through the old relationship path. Instead, it used that relationship to engage the Head of Digital around a funded measurement and performance problem. The account plan changed from “grow the relationship” to “build the business case.” The team now knew who mattered, what had changed, what problem was fundable, and which conversation needed to happen next.
The result
Before the sprint, the account had been static at $900K for 14 months. Within four months, the agency secured a $180K first project from a new budget owner. Year-one billing grew from $900K to $1.4M, with a further $2.1M in active scope discussions.
“Kevin showed us the difference between a warm relationship and a real growth opportunity. In ten days, he exposed the decision-maker we weren’t speaking to, the assumptions we had mistaken for truth, and the senior time we were wasting. I wish we had done it a year earlier.”
CEO
Independent Creative Agency, NYC
“Kevin showed us the difference between a warm relationship and a real growth opportunity. In ten days, he exposed the decision-maker we weren’t speaking to, the assumptions we had mistaken for truth, and the senior time we were wasting. I wish we had done it a year earlier.”
CEO
Independent Creative Agency, NYC
