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Hosted by Lucy Mann · EN · 107 episodes
Established thought leaders with verified media credentials.
New business is one of those subjects guaranteed to get a reaction from agency owners everywhere. Many will have a nagging feeling they should be doing a bit more, wonder how other agencies manage to land the accounts they covet, have moments of wild inspiration and energy then falter because the day job just, well gets in the way.Gunpowder's Lucy Mann has worked in agency new business for over 25 years and has witnessed these scenarios, and many more like them, as an outsourced new business telemarketer, a new business recruitment consultant, in house new business developer, in house head of marketing, and new business mentor across multiple disciplines and agency shapes and sizes.Regardless of size and discipline, many agencies encounter the same new business challenges, and more and more, the solution is not necessarily an ambitious marketing plan, or expensive sales resource, but instead a forensic application of process and a marginal gains approach to performance improvement.G
Lucy Mann hosts Small Spark Theory: a marginal gains approach to new business and marketing, a business show with 107 episodes published.
Ask most agency owners how profitable their last project was, and you'll get one of two answers: a rough guess, or a long pause. This kind of data is rarely readily available, and when it is, it's usually buried in a spr
In this episode of Small Spark Theory, we're continuing our exploration of the true value of client relationships, but this time, we're asking: what happens when things go wrong? I'm joined by Nigel Sarbutts , former age
In a market where new business feels harder, slower, and more competitive than ever, agencies can no longer afford to overlook the opportunity sitting right in front of them. Industry pressure, procurement complexity, an
Here we are at the end of 2025 and our last episode of the year. I know this year has been a tough one for many agencies, for many reasons. So I wanted to finish with a good news story. A case study of an independent age
New business, business development, lead generation, prospecting. Call it what you will – for agencies, the practice of attracting and winning new clients has evolved. Technology continues to diversify our services and e
Finally – an episode dedicated to AI! Not the big "future of our industry" debate, but a practical look at the contractual and IP implications of our growing use of AI tools in agency life. While the larger networked age
Welcome to the 100th episode of Small Spark Theory! You may have spotted that earlier this summer, Emily Penny and Joel Stein released the Fully Saturated UK Design Agency Positioning Audit. Packed full of insights, anal
I'm always fascinated with innovations in the space that exists between agencies and their potentail clients, whether that's new marketing channels (hello podcasting!) or services that are designed to make the process of
Against a backdrop of news disproportionately full of business headlines, this month felt like the perfect opportunity to bring a client perspective to this podcast. And who better to guide us through todays challenging
One of the most exciting developments I've spotted so far in 2025 has to be the launch of the Department of Creative Affairs (DCA ). So, I was delighted that DCA's founder, Amar Chohan , was able to join me for a chat he
Can you believe we're already in February? In this episode, we're diving deep into one of the most crucial (yet often overlooked) aspects of agency sales and marketing— measurement . If you've ever struggled with trackin
Kicking off our 2025 line-up, we catch up with previous guest Jim Hawker . Since discussing client development with us back in 2019 ( see EP28 ), Jim has gone on to sell Threepipe, the agency he co-founded 20 years earli
As we wrap up 2024 with this final episode, I've been reflecting on the many conversations I've had with agencies throughout the year, as well as the recurring themes shared by our amazing podcast guests. It's been a cha
As we discussed in episode 92 with Stephen Kenwright, a solid sales and marketing strategy is crucial for agency growth. However, realising that growth brings its own set of challenges. Having experienced rapid growth th
The thing with marginal gains is that it feels small. And we could be forgiven for thinking that applying this approach to agency growth is simply about tinkering around the edges, making small improvements and seeing sm
It's been 6 years since Tony Walford from Green Square joined me on Small Spark Theory to discuss the practicalities of selling an agency. To say a lot has happened since then would be an understatement. Aside from the o
Of all of the marketing tools available to agencies, I'd wager that one of the most effective, yet most overlooked, is the humble email newsletter. Which of course, makes it the perfect candidate for marginal gains and t
Small Spark Theory has always been about a mindset. When I started this podcast back in 2017 I wanted to harness the marginal gains thinking that was and still is, so prevalent in elite sport and apply it to an altogethe
Early on in my agency career I often used to hear the expression 'great creative work will sell itself', and its close cousin 'do great work and the clients will come'. Of course we know that in reality, certainly for th
Over the recent months, I have observed how agencies have been experiencing the impact of economic uncertainty - including the stalling of client decision-making, frozen budgets, disappearing pipelines, and everything in
Catherine Allison
3 appearances on this show
John Gleason
1 appearance on this show
Rachel Cook
Deputy Head of Discipline · ThreeTenSeven
1 appearance on this show
Joe Ardeeser
founder and former CEO
1 appearance on this show
Matt Watkinson
Methodical
1 appearance on this show
Mark Wilson
Legal Assistant/Policy Associate · Mental Health Foundation of New Zealand
1 appearance on this show
Gareth Turner
Ex-Brand Marketing Director · Big Black Door
1 appearance on this show
Adam Graham
apprentice · Weir Insurance Ltd
1 appearance on this show
Joe Perkins
VP of National Sales · Sans Pareil Cigars
1 appearance on this show
Trenton Moss
executive coach, author, seasoned leader · Team Sterka
1 appearance on this show
Rory Spence
The Wow Company
1 appearance on this show
Blair Enns
The Professor of Pricing · Win Without Pitching
3 appearances on this show
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Small Spark Theory: a marginal gains approach to new business and marketing is hosted by Lucy Mann. The show is categorised under business (marketing) and has published 107 episodes.
Small Spark Theory: a marginal gains approach to new business and marketing has published 107 episodes.
Small Spark Theory: a marginal gains approach to new business and marketing regularly covers business, marketing, management. It sits in the business category, with a marketing focus.
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Episodes of Small Spark Theory: a marginal gains approach to new business and marketing average 37 minutes. a focused format where a clear narrative arc and tight preparation matter most.
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