What happens when experienced marketing professionals step into consultancy after years spent on the agency and brand side?
We asked two of the newest members of the AAR team to share their observations on the transition, the perspectives they’ve gained and what has surprised them most since making the move.
Different organisations, same challenges
By Paul Stevenson
One of the questions I get asked most often is whether working as a consultant is what I expected it to be. The honest answer is yes and no. After spending more than 30 years working inside organisations, I thought I had a pretty good understanding of the challenges marketing leaders face.
I’ve led large teams, managed significant budgets, delivered transformation programmes and sat through more planning, budget and governance meetings than I care to remember.
What I hadn’t fully appreciated was how similar many organisations are once you step outside and start looking across multiple businesses.
When you’re working inside a company, the challenges naturally feel unique. The organisation structure is unique. The technology landscape is unique. The history, politics, culture and personalities are unique. Everything feels highly specific to that business.
Then you start working across different industries, different leadership teams and different operating models, and patterns begin to emerge.
The names change. The logos change. The sectors change. The challenges often don’t.
This year I’ve worked with organisations across professional services, hospitality, banking, risk management, telecoms and the charity sector. On the surface, they couldn’t be more different. Yet many of the conversations have centred around remarkably similar themes.
- How do we get more value from our technology investments?
- How do we improve collaboration across teams?
- How do we speed up delivery without compromising quality?
- How do we create clarity when priorities keep changing?
- How do we build an operating model that supports where we’re trying to get to, rather than where we’ve been?
What has surprised me most is that successful transformation rarely comes from a revolutionary new idea. More often, it comes from creating clarity around problems that have been sitting in plain sight for years.
My years working brand side gave me empathy for the realities leaders face every day. I understand why decisions take longer than people would like. I understand competing priorities, limited resources and the challenge of driving change while still delivering business as usual.
Consulting has added something different. It has given me perspective. It allows me to recognise patterns more quickly, challenge assumptions more confidently and help organisations avoid mistakes that I’ve seen others make before.
Perhaps that’s the biggest lesson I’ve taken from moving to consultancy. The organisations are all different. The challenges are often familiar.
And the fundamentals of good leadership, clear priorities, strong operating models and disciplined execution remain remarkably consistent, regardless of industry, size or sector.
_____________________
From Agency to Consultancy: A Broader Perspective
By Tobi Asare
Moving from agency life into consultancy has been fascinating. It’s allowed me to see an industry I love from a different angle. In many ways, it has deepened my appreciation for it.
Agency life gave me incredibly strong foundations. It helped me develop a deep understanding of the market, how agencies position themselves and what truly differentiates them. I learned how agencies stack up in competitive pitches and the importance of building a clear point of view on where an agency can genuinely win.
Most importantly, I developed a real appreciation for the breadth of talent and capability that exists within agencies. There is something special about seeing different disciplines come together to solve complex business challenges.
Moving into consultancy has required a different mindset.
The market knowledge remains valuable, but it is applied through a more independent and objective lens. Rather than representing a single agency perspective, the focus is on what is right for the client, their business and the future operating model they are trying to build.
That shift has given me a real appreciation for strategic decision making and the importance of looking beyond immediate needs to consider longer-term outcomes.
It has also given me a different perspective on pitching. Having spent years viewing pitches from within an agency environment, I now have the opportunity to see them through a much wider lens. If anything, it has made me even more in awe of what these moments represent for both agencies and brands. The ambition, energy and commitment invested on all sides is extraordinary. Seeing the process from a different perspective has only deepened my appreciation for the role pitches play in shaping the future of businesses, partnerships and people.
One of the things I have enjoyed most is the entrepreneurial nature of consultancy. There is broader ownership across many aspects of the business and a greater need to be adaptable. Success relies heavily on collaboration and a willingness to contribute wherever needed.
It has also been an ongoing process of rewiring how I work. That has been both challenging and rewarding, pushing me to think differently and become more comfortable operating across a wider range of issues.
I love being at the forefront of helping to grow and shape a brilliant business. There is something incredibly energising about contributing beyond your immediate role, helping to build for the future and working alongside talented people who share the same ambition and commitment.
I now have the opportunity to see how brands are evolving, how agencies are adapting and how different business models are responding to change. In many ways, it feels like a front-row seat to an industry that is constantly reinventing itself.
A significant part of my work involves helping organisations tackle larger, more structural challenges. That includes thinking about marketing operating models, organisational design and the relationship between in-house capabilities, agency partners and the broader ecosystem.
These conversations feel particularly relevant as AI becomes more embedded in marketing. Businesses are rethinking how work gets done, how teams are structured and where value is created. Agency models are evolving, too. Being part of that evolution is both exciting and important.
Another rewarding aspect of the move has been the opportunity to build relationships across a broader network of clients, agencies and partners. Those connections often lead to better discussions, stronger collaboration and ultimately better outcomes. They also provide a richer understanding of the wider marketing ecosystem.
While the role has changed, my enthusiasm for the industry has not.
We are fortunate to work in a sector that helps shape culture, grow businesses and create meaningful impact. That continues to be a huge source of motivation for me.
The difference today is the vantage point. I can look across the market and help organisations navigate change at a time of enormous transformation. It is a privilege to be part of those conversations and one of the reasons I remain so excited about what comes next.
