Why more strategists are going independent

Strategy legends Suzanne Powers and Tom Morton left agency-land to build their own independent strategy businesses, discovering brands need new solutions to strategy problems outside of the agency model. They join WARC's David Tiltman to discuss what they've learned so far, the opportunities for strategists in going indie, and how to build a successful independent strategy proposition.

Guests:
Suzanne Powers, Co-Founder, All&
Tom Morton, Founder, Narratory Capital
David Tiltman, Chief Content Officer, WARC

Chapters:
(00:00) — Intro: Why more senior strategists are going indie
(02:07) — Why independent strategists are finding success
(04:30) — How to build a independent strategy consultancy
(05:27) — Reclaiming power and confidence
(08:21) — Value propositions for strategy beyond ad briefs
(10:56) — Is the independent strategy market becoming more competitive?
(13:09) — New opportunities in brand strategy consulting
(15:42) — Strategic planning for business pivots and growth
(18:57) — Making brand strategy Board-ready
(23:12) — How CMOs Can drive growth beyond advertising
(24:38) — Finding hidden strengths
(27:23) — Productized strategy vs. bespoke consulting
(31:37) — Using AI to improve marketing workflows
(35:44) — Why optimism matters for strategists

For 40 years, WARC has been providing the marketing industry with rigorous, unbiased evidence and expert effectiveness guidance. The WARC Podcast publishes a new episode every Tuesday and Thursday.

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