Podcast Summary: On Strategy Showcase – Episode #2: Life After Agency Life
Release Date: March 30, 2025
Host: Fergus O’Carroll
Guests:
- Marcus Collins – Former Chief Strategy Officer at Wieden + Kennedy and Translation, Author of For the Culture, Professor of Marketing at the University of Michigan
- Suzanne Powers – Former Chief Strategy Officer and President of McCann World Group, Founder and CEO at Powers Creativity
- Gareth Kay – Former Chief Strategy Officer at Goodby, Partner at The Intangibles
Introduction and Overview
Fergus O’Carroll opens the episode with excitement about upcoming live recordings in Sydney, Australia, and Auckland, New Zealand. He introduces the guests—Marcus Collins, Suzanne Powers, and Gareth Kay—and sets the stage for a deep dive into "Life After Agency Life." The focus of this episode is to explore how seasoned strategists transition from traditional agency roles to new ventures, leveraging their planning skills in diverse environments.
Journey Beyond the Agency
Marcus Collins shares his attraction to ambiguity within organizations, seeking out the "gray areas" where innovation thrives. He emphasizes the importance of moving beyond clear-cut, well-trodden paths to explore more nuanced and impactful strategies.
"As planners, we know this. Whatever is very clear, black or white. That's already, people have already tried that road. We've seen that before. It's obvious."
[00:00:00 - 02:08]
Gareth Kay recounts his 20-year tenure in advertising, highlighting the allure of culturally influential and creatively challenging work. Despite his love for the industry, he felt a growing disconnect as agencies became more risk-averse and less inclined to act on strategic insights.
"I just felt there was a bigger stage that we could play on."
[09:16]
Transitioning to New Ventures
Suzanne Powers discusses her eclectic career path, from preschool teaching to retail marketing, ultimately finding her passion in account planning. Her entrepreneurial spirit drove her to push for innovation within large agencies, leading her to eventually start her own venture.
"I was never really satisfied with how everything was just kind of working,"
[21:16]
Challenges of Leaving Prestigious Agencies
The conversation delves into why top talent like Marcus, Suzanne, and Gareth depart from renowned agencies. Marcus Collins cites a desire to scale his impact beyond the confines of agency work, leading him to author For the Culture and pursue broader strategic roles.
"I was like, I want to scale my impact. I could just do more things."
[35:43 - 37:26]
Gareth Kay echoes similar sentiments, emphasizing the relentless urge to find better ways to create value for businesses. He highlights the importance of collaborative environments and the challenges of maintaining creative independence within large agency structures.
"There's no one way of doing planning or strategy. There's lots of different ways."
[37:41 - 39:54]
The Importance of Learning and Adaptability
Suzanne Powers underscores the value of versatility and continuous learning. She advocates for embracing discomfort as a catalyst for growth, encouraging strategists to explore diverse areas such as organizational design and talent management.
"Use every single moment to just learn and grow. And the more uncomfortable you feel, that's probably the bigger stretch."
[33:30]
Marcus Collins adds that strategists must constantly seek to understand the underlying mechanisms of cultural dynamics to effectively drive behavior change. His focus on culture as a critical driver in marketing differentiates his approach from traditional models.
"Invest ourselves in the scholarship and not necessarily, like the academic work, but the understanding of the underlying physics of why a thing happens."
[19:20 - 20:59]
Building Effective Teams and Networks
The discussion highlights the significance of surrounding oneself with the right partners and fostering strong professional relationships. Marcus Collins and Suzanne Powers emphasize the magic of collaborative environments where each member contributes uniquely to the collective success.
"We are social animals by nature, so we do what we can to crash into each other."
[42:18]
Gareth Kay advises strategists to seek diverse experiences and work with a broad range of people to enhance their strategic acumen and creativity.
"Expose yourself to lots of different types of strategists in your career, particularly early on, is really, really important."
[37:28 - 58:37]
Regrets and Lessons Learned
When asked about regrets, Suzanne Powers reflects on staying too long in certain roles and emphasizes the importance of recognizing when it's time to move on. She advises listening to one's instincts to avoid stagnation.
"Tell us about that confidence issue... I personally didn't have the confidence to go do my own thing."
[47:40 - 48:55]
Marcus Collins shares his regret about not having the conviction to make tough decisions earlier, such as letting go of team members misaligned with his vision. He highlights the importance of ideological alignment to achieve optimal team performance.
"When I realized they weren't going to convert, I should have popped them then."
[51:42 - 53:51]
Fergus adds his own reflection on lacking a strong strategic lead within agencies, leading to a misalignment between his aspirations and organizational culture.
"I always struggled because I never got to work with a guy like Gareth."
[55:00 - 56:12]
Finding Fulfillment Outside the Agency
As the conversation wraps up, the guests reflect on how they've discovered their core passions outside traditional agency roles. Marcus Collins finds joy in helping others become their best selves, whether in classrooms, boardrooms, or through writing. Gareth Kay enjoys the diverse and impactful work available to strategists beyond the advertising industry.
"What gets me excited every day is helping people be the best version of themselves."
[59:46 - 61:02]
"There's ever been, I don't think, a better, more interesting time to be a strategist."
[61:02 - 61:36]
Conclusion
Fergus summarizes the key takeaways, thanking the guests for their invaluable insights into transitioning from agency life to broader strategic roles. The episode emphasizes the importance of adaptability, continuous learning, and finding the right collaborative environments to drive meaningful impact in the marketing world.
"Have you sort of figured that out, Marcus, that through your career that you've now discovered the essence of what you love, the component part, and you're now all in on the component."
[58:37 - 62:50]
Final Remarks:
The guests express their gratitude for being part of the show, with Fergus highlighting their ongoing contributions to the field of strategic planning outside traditional agency structures.
Notable Quotes:
-
Marcus Collins [00:00:00 - 02:08]:
"As planners, we know this. Whatever is very clear, black or white. That's already, people have already tried that road. We've seen that before. It's obvious." -
Suzanne Powers [33:30]:
"Use every single moment to just learn and grow. And the more uncomfortable you feel, that's probably the bigger stretch." -
Gareth Kay [37:28]:
"Expose yourself to lots of different types of strategists in your career, particularly early on, is really, really important." -
Fergus O'Carroll [58:37]:
"Have you sort of figured that out, Marcus, that through your career that you've now discovered the essence of what you love, the component part, and you're now all in on the component."
Further Information:
- Marcus Collins' Book: For the Culture (Next Release: 2026)
- Gareth Kay's Venture: The Intangibles
- Suzanne Powers: Founder and CEO at Powers Creativity
Sponsors:
Tracksuit – An affordable, always-on-brand tracking tool for consumer marketers and agencies. Visit gotracksuit.com
Join the Conversation:
For upcoming live shows in Sydney and Auckland, visit the podcast's website and navigate to the "Live Tour" tab to secure your tickets.
This detailed summary captures the essence of Episode #2 of On Strategy Showcase, highlighting the transformative journeys of seasoned strategists as they navigate life beyond traditional agency roles, emphasizing continuous growth, collaboration, and the pursuit of meaningful impact.