Hopefully you've managed to get some rest and recuperate over the summer, after an intensely busy year so far. Maybe you even had time to reflect on your business and get your mojo fired up for getting to work on it again.

We've been busy preparing lots of useful things to help you run a healthy agency, and feel happy and confident as a leader.

Here's a roundup of what's new, so you can catch up...

In the Agency Playbook

Members on one of our 'advisory board' plans get access to the full Agency Playbook. This is a continuously expanding vital manual for owners of creative and digital agencies. During August we:

  • Added a section on Agency Advisory Boards (start here), bringing together all our advice on this to date that was previously in multiple different places. More will be added to this section in the coming weeks, so it contains everything you need to know to set up and run a highly effective agency board.
  • Added a section on the Annual Agency Owners Retreat that we recommend, including how to prepare an Owners Briefing and an Owners Mandate to prepare for and
  • Expanded the page on Behaviours/Values in the Pyramid of Purpose section, to show how to identify and curate these.
  • Added a section on how to do continuous professional development in your agency, including a lightweight process to provide the momentum to make it happen.
  • Added a section how to set up a healthy recruitment process, including guidance for more effective interviews, and some key template documents for job descriptions and so on.

On the blog — summer reflections

Over the summer we published a series of prompts for agency owners to reflect on in any quiet moments:

Coming up in September

  • Advisory Board: After the summer break, it's back to monthly board meetings and the September board papers will go out at the start of the month.
  • Playbook: We'll add a section on agency finances, and expand the sections on continuous agency transformation, and the pyramid of purpose.
  • Agency Radar: We're working on the next edition of the Agency Radar report, which tells agency founders what issues may affect their agency, their clients and their market. In the 2021 report we warned agency leaders that 2022 would bring global conflict, inflation and recession. Want to know what's in store for 2023 ready for your annual planning? The next report will be out soon.
  • Workshops: We're giving two live workshops, one on Horizon Scanning for Agency Owners, and one on Powering up your agency with culture, strategy and purpose (The Pyramid of Purpose). These are half day session via Zoom, designed to be affordable and accessible for all agency founders (and Convivio Advisory Board plan members get a free place on any courses they like). Book now!
  • Office Hours: Steve's office hours monthly zoom is back after the summer break. This is a casual chance to ask questions about the playbook, anything from our training, or just shoot the breeze about running agencies. Members will already have the link to book in, but email hello@convivio.com if you need a reminder.

Welcome back, and have a fantastic September!

Steve