Beyond the Pitch: Selling without Selling Out
A digital round-table for agency and consultancy leaders
An invite-only digital gathering for senior leaders in branding, creative, design, innovation, and strategy.
Most of us never trained as salespeople — yet we’re expected to win work, grow accounts, and prove our value in ways that resonate with business decision-makers. In a market shaped by AI, economic shifts, and constant competition, selling creative work is no longer just about the work itself — it’s about how we frame, package, and deliver it.
This curated round-table will bring together 20–40 peers — Creative Directors, Design Directors, Innovation Leads, Strategy Directors, Heads of Design, and Consultancy Partners — for candid, practical conversations on:
Selling design as a non-sales expert — shifting from “order taker” to trusted advisor
Business development for agencies & consultancies — building consistent pipelines without a dedicated sales team
Case studies as living, adaptive storytelling assets — tailoring past work for proposals, pitches, and marketing
Leveraging project materials for more reuse — capturing insights and assets to win future work faster
Why join:
Exclusive access (digital & intimate): Invite-only, limited to 40 leaders for depth and meaningful exchange — online, so you can join from anywhere
Actionable takeaways: Practical approaches you can apply in your next client conversation or proposal
Peer network: Connect with leaders facing the same challenges across branding, design, comms, and consulting
Speakers
Talk: Finding the story that sells your idea
Ben Sauer is an international keynote speaker, coach, and designer, who teaches people the art of strategic storytelling. He’s trained people all over the world, including at NASA, and his frameworks are used by organisations like Amazon, Google, and the BBC. His book, Death by Screens, teaches designers (or anyone with something to pitch) how to present their idea without boring people to tears!
Talk: Business development for agencies & consultancies
Melissa Max-McCarthy is a Strategic Innovation & Growth leader with 15+ years in management consulting. She has built new revenue streams, led global teams, and transformed brands and innovation practices at firms like Accenture and EY, driving pipelines and market growth.
Talk: Case studies as living, adaptive storytelling assets
Ale Argenio is Chief UX Designer at Granstudio, researching future mobility at the intersection of transportation and interaction design. With over 13 years of experience, he has led design teams at IDEO, R&D centres, and startups around the world. He explores emerging technology, playful products, and future speculations.
Samantha Lim & Suresh Chandra Gupta (Relei)
Demo: Leveraging project materials for maximum reuse