If the word "networking" makes you want to run and hide, you're not alone. It feels gross for many of us because it's not natural.
It’s this weird mix of awkward smiles, sizing-you-up energy, and questions like “Who helps you with XYZ?” when you’d rather talk about literally anything else.
But what if networking didn’t have to feel that way? What if it wasn’t "networking" at all?
From my vantage point, perched above a thousand conversations, I see some shops excelling with AI and others dipping their toes in the water cautiously.
What's the difference? Read on to find out what they’re doing and what you can start doing today!
Can you believe it’s almost tax day already? Where does the time go? Seriously, though, 2025 is flying by, and the Bureau has been crazy busy. Between preparing a sale of exceptional events for the year and engaging with our brilliant members, there’s just so much going on. I love talking with this remarkable collection of talent dedicated to helping each other achieve success. If you’re not part of the Bureau, we have a chat where people share their wisdom, and I like to dispense some of these pearls in our weekly email newsletter. It’s worth checking out, and you can sign up for it here.
Here’s a recap of what we covered in our March newsletters!
How are you on this fine day? You look amazing! Have you been working out? New hair cut? Oh, right, this is a blog post. Let's get to it!
Based on recent conversations in the community, a lot of agencies are seeing their internal roles and team structures shifting a little. Fewer people, tighter budgets, and changing needs have more project managers stepping into account management roles. But as lines blur, one key question keeps popping up: Who really owns the client relationship? Read on... if you dare!
Greetings Humans! If you're like me, keeping up is ridiculously hard. I mean, what the heck is an AI Agent? I just figured out the whole private GPT thing. (No, I didn't!)
Look, using AI is no longer a future concept. It is reshaping digital agencies, helping us work smarter, faster, and more efficiently. The rise of AI agents is one of the biggest shifts happening that's still confusing for a lot of us.
AI Agents go beyond simple automation. They analyze data, optimize campaigns in real-time, and take on complex tasks with minimal human input. If you choose not to use them, let's make sure it's an informed decision.
The agency landscape is shifting, and staying ahead means understanding the trends shaping the industry. The State of Digital Services 2025 breaks down what's working, what's not, and the steps agency leaders are taking to grow in a challenging market. Special thanks to our friends at Promethean Research and Parallax for making this research possible. As well as the 151 shops who participated, y'all rock! Now keep reading to find the key insights and how to get your copy.
Are ya tired of dealing with revenue leaks, scope creep, resource overload, and the constant pressure to keep your team happy and your clients satisfied? There’s one thing you can improve that will help you fix them all: fine tuning your operations.
Keep reading to find out more and get asked repeatedly to join us for Operations Summit!
Who’s ready for a beautiful spring? I love this time of year, with the newborn chicks, bunnies, eggs – okay, I’m just thinking about Easter candy. But everything really does seem fresh and new in the spring, and even if the winter derailed our goals a little bit we can recenter ourselves and push forward with renewed determination.
One thing that always picks me up is talking to our incredible Bureau members as they share their wisdom. I’m a better leader and better person for knowing this amazing group of people, and our Slack discussions are full of useful resources and inspiring experiences, and each week I collect select topics to share in our weekly newsletter. I hope you’ll sign up for the newsletter here. But if not, here’s what we talked about in February!
Recently, we’ve seen a quiet trend of companies scrubbing DEI language and other related content from their websites. Some are responding to political pressure. Some fear losing business. Some are just trying to avoid controversy.
It’s a sign of the times, but it raises an important question: Are you shaping your company’s identity based on external pressure, or on what you stand for?
Whew! It's been another whiplash week with a news cycle that has exhausted a lot of us. How are you feeling? How about your people?
This week, we’re diving into practical ways to support your team, prevent burnout, and build a culture of recognition and trust. Let’s make sure your team feels cared for as the world keeps turning.
If you follow me on LinkedIn, you probably saw my recent post on the intertwined nature of business and politics in recent weeks.
So the idea of no talking about politics at work has become really challenging when politics is impacting our businesses. It's freezing budgets, canceling contracts, impacting our teams’ ability to work, and makes it even more expensive to run an agency that was already operating on tight margins.
But being frustrated won't get us through this. And letting our beliefs about how things deflate our motivation is even worse. So let's share our collective experience on how things are actually going, and I bet we can find a path forward together. Keep reading to learn about our plan to get answers...
When we think about AI, it's easy to get caught up in its ability to streamline tasks, analyze data, and improve efficiency. But AI has another, less obvious use. It can help us connect with our teams on a more human level.
Empathy has always been a cornerstone of great leadership. It builds trust, strengthens relationships, and fosters an environment where people feel valued. But in the chaos of managing daily responsibilities, it’s easy for even the most empathetic leaders to lose sight of what matters. That’s where AI can help us.
Keep reading for a few tips and tricks to keeping yourself on a solid leadership path!
How’s your 2025 treating you so far? And, not to give away my own answer, why does January always seem so long? Whether you’re in the frigid north or enjoying a milder climate, I think everyone is always ready to move on to February.
But you know, January wasn’t all about the polar vortex and political turmoil. Here at the Bureau we’ve been having some great conversations. Every week I attempt to string together some pearls of wisdom to share with everyone who is interested, via our free newsletter, which you can sign up for here. So let’s take a look at what we learned in January.
The Bureau is built on connection, collaboration, and the incredible contributions of our members. So we’re thrilled to honor our 2024 Member of the Year and recipient of the Bureau Award of Dedication. Be sure to check out his Bureau appreciation story below and share your own experiences with... Karl Sakas!
When we think about AI, it's easy to get caught up in its ability to streamline tasks, analyze data, and improve efficiency. But AI has another, less obvious use. It can help us connect with our teams on a more human level.
Empathy has always been a cornerstone of great leadership. It builds trust, strengthens relationships, and fosters an environment where people feel valued. But in the chaos of managing daily responsibilities, it’s easy for even the most empathetic leaders to lose sight of what matters. That’s where AI can help us.
Keep reading for a few tips and tricks to keeping yourself on a solid leadership path!
As we're still taking the shrink wrap off of 2025, it's time to share the first big update: your event calendar is coming into focus! After countless conversations, ideas, and votes, the 2025 Bureau events lineup is ready to take the spotlight. These events are designed to meet you where you are. Whether you’re investing in your team's leadership, putting the pedal to the metal on AI or just looking to connect with others who “get it" and can help.
But this is just the beginning. Over the next few weeks, we’ll be rolling out other exciting initiatives: updated membership levels, new programs, and some fun surprises.
So start planning your year ahead. We can’t wait to see you !
We made it, everybody! 2024 is history, and surely the new year will be less tumultuous, right? (wink) Still, despite lots of uncertainty and the constant need to make adjustments on the fly, I'm proud of everything we've accomplished this last year.
Each week I send out a free newsletter with the best tips and insights from the Bureau community, which you can sign up for here. I also collect the very best of that info and share it here each month. So, what did we learn in December?
It’s a new season here at the Bureau, and we’re excited to share a first look at what’s coming in 2025. The community’s feedback, along with insights from our newly formed Bureau Advisory Council, has helped shape this new season. Read on to learn about new membership options, our first-ever loyalty program, and the fate of your favorite in-person events!
As the holiday season approaches, it’s tempting to let the chaos of the year-end wrap-up take over. But now’s the perfect time to reflect on how we can ensure our clients stay firmly on the “nice” list—because no one wants a “naughty” client to start the new year.
And whether a client stays on the nice list or slips onto the naughty list often comes down to how we manage the relationship.
So read on to unwrap a few tips to keep things merry and bright!
As I sit here in my post-Thanksgiving stretchy pants, I'm especially grateful for the opportunity I have to work with such great people every day with the Bureau. We have the best community, and I try to never forget that. I love seeing everyone jump in to help one another solve problems and share helpful info.
As I do every week, in November I sent out some weekly-ish newsletters full of useful topics. I hope you consider signing up for those emails, because I think they're full of valuable insights. But if you missed them, here's a quick recap of the content from last month.
