Small Spark Theory: a marginal gains approach to new business and marketing

isabelle@gunpowderconsulting.com

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EP106: How to stay profitable | Anna Appleton | Rofinery

June 01, 2026

Ask most agency owners how profitable their last project was, and you'll get one of two answers: a rough guess, or a long pause. This kind of data is rarely readily available, and when it is, it's usually buried in a spreadsheet that someone else built, that nobody's updated since for months, with a formula that breaks in the click of a mouse.  And whilst there are a multitude of agency management platforms available, finding one that works for your agency, at your size, and providing ALL o...

EP105: Saving the Client–Agency Relationship | Nigel Sarbutts | Structured Mediation

April 09, 2026

In this episode of Small Spark Theory, we're continuing our exploration of the true value of client relationships, but this time, we're asking: what happens when things go wrong? I'm joined by Nigel Sarbutts, former agency MD and founder of Structured Mediation, who now specialises in resolving disputes in the PR, comms and broader creative industries. Drawing on his years on both the agency and client side, as well as his PR Cavalry talent platform, Nigel explains why so many client–agency r...

EP104: A Deeper Dive into Client Development | Catherine Allison | Master the Art

February 03, 2026

In a market where new business feels harder, slower, and more competitive than ever, agencies can no longer afford to overlook the opportunity sitting right in front of them. Industry pressure, procurement complexity, and shrinking marketing budgets mean that relying solely on new client acquisition is risky. And yet, many agencies still underinvest in the skills, processes, and mindset required to truly grow existing client relationships. In this episode, I'm joined by friend of the podcast ...