Tom Head

The agency world has 18 months left.

Maybe less.

Sir Martin Sorrell's S4 Capital just reported an 11.4% drop in Q1 sales - a canary in the digital coal mine.

It's not just economic headwinds. It's not just Trump's tariffs.
It's that your clients are quietly bringing work in-house.

With AI tools.

We’ve seen this very publicly over the past few weeks with Dualingo, Shopify and Klarna all taking an AI first approach.

The reality today is:
• A junior with Midjourney can replace multiple £50-£70K designers
• AI can draft campaigns faster than your team (who’s reinventing the wheel every time anyway)
• AI analytics outperform your insights department

Sorrell, ever the optimist at 80, promises things will turn around in H2.
But the trend is clear: brands don't need agencies for tasks they can do themselves with AI.

So what's an agency to do?

1. Be brutally honest about what clients can now do in-house
Don't sell services they can easily replicate with AI.

2. Double down on strategic thinking
AI can't replace genuine business understanding.

3. Use AI in an advanced way
Create demand by using AI tools to deliver more value.

We've been teaching teams how to use AI effectively for 18 months.

The results? They still need agencies - just for different things.

The old model is dying:
Creative concept → Design → Media plan → Traffic → Report

The new model is emerging:
Strategic insight → AI workflow design → Internal capability building → Outcomes

Agencies need to go from fighting this shift to leading it.

Follow me for more on navigating the changes in the agency and job market created by AI.

That awful boss who made your life hell?
They might be the most valuable teacher you've ever had.

Not all career lessons come wrapped in inspiration, some just come from surviving toxic leadership.

We spend thousands on leadership books and courses.
Yet sometimes our greatest education costs nothing but our sanity.

It's the quiet lesson no one talks about at networking events:
Bad bosses build better leaders than good ones ever could.

Sounds mad, doesn't it?

But:
When a toxic leader micromanages your every move...
You learn the power of autonomy and trust.

When they take credit for your work...
You discover the importance of recognition.

When they play favourites and create division...
You understand how vital fairness and unity are.

Most people think career growth is just about doing your job well. But the real skill?
Knowing how to lead yourself when your boss doesn’t.

It's not just about avoiding burnout, it's about preserving your sanity, your standards, and your sense of self.

The sad truth? Some bosses teach you more about who NOT to be than who to become.

But the good news? Every toxic leader you outgrow strengthens your leadership muscle.

I've worked under brilliant leaders and absolute nightmares. Guess which ones shaped my leadership philosophy more?

Not the inspiring ones.
The terrible ones.

Because nothing clarifies your values like watching someone trample all over them.

Three powerful truths about surviving toxic leadership:
1. Your resilience builds with every challenge they create
2. Your empathy deepens with every unfair treatment you receive
3. Your leadership vision sharpens with every mistake they make

✅ Protect your peace
✅ Safeguard your progress
✅ And always remember: just because you're under poor leadership doesn't mean you stop leading yourself.

Have you had a toxic leader who inadvertently taught you valuable lessons?

Share your story below. We're all learning from each other's experiences.