Why agencies must redesign their value model

Welcome to episode 164. This episode is going to be particularly useful if you’re thinking about how agencies can stay profitable and relevant as AI reshapes the way work is delivered and valued.

Brian Kessman, Founder and Principal Consultant at Lodestar Agency Consulting, joins me to talk about why the traditional agency model is under so much pressure, what it really means to move from selling hours to selling solutions and outcomes, and how agencies can start packaging their expertise in a more scalable way.

Lodestar helps CEOs and CFOs of independent agencies, multinational networks, and holding companies redesign their value models - the commercial system that connects how they define, package, deliver, and price their expertise using solutions and outcomes, not hours and headcount.

Brian and I also talk about pricing, procurement, productised offers, and why so much strategic value is often being given away without agencies even realising it.

There’s a lot in this conversation for agency owners and client-facing teams alike.

You can connect with Brian here:

https://www.linkedin.com/in/briankessman/

https://www.lodestaragencyconsulting.com/

https://www.lodestaragencyconsulting.com/agency-model-map

VoxComm's Redesigning the Agency Value Model: https://voxcomm.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/Redesigning-the-agency-value-model.pdf

IPA Pricing Playbook: https://ipa.co.uk/knowledge/publications-reports/the-ipa-pricing-playbook/

And, if you’d like to stay updated with changes in the agency world as they relate to account management, client retention and growth, or speak to me about training options for your team, head over to the Home page and subscribe.