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It's time to set SAIL once again!
Second Wind is excited to host our Small Agency Idea Lab (SAIL) for agency principals and key managers in 2025. Building on the success of our 2023 event, which was filled with innovative ideas, insightful discussions, and a shared enthusiasm for the future of our industry, we're eager to continue that momentum.
In a competitive industry, it’s crucial for agency leaders to periodically step back from daily routines to reassess and refine their business strategies. Staying ahead means not only keeping up with evolving advertising trends and client demands but also focusing on sustainable growth. SAIL offers the perfect opportunity to do just that.
Our 2025 agenda is designed to inspire, motivate, and educate. Key topics will include identifying and nurturing leadership within your agency, early planning to ensure a smooth transition and long-term success, and leveraging niche markets to drive growth beyond expectations. We’ll also delve into enhancing creative processes and talent management to achieve outstanding results and uncover strategies to deepen client relationships by elevating your agency’s value proposition.
These sessions are crafted to drive growth, help you plan for the future, and strengthen client relationships. And, as always, we’ve dedicated ample time for discussion, networking, and idea sharing. Join us for this dynamic two-day event, where innovative ideas will be transformed into actionable strategies.
SAIL 2025 Agenda
Day 1: Thursday, February 13
8:00 - 8:30 AM
Breakfast
8:30 - 9:30 AM
Welcome & Introductions
9:30 - 10:30 AM
Purposeful Planning
Bryan Earnest • President & CEO • AMPERAGE
Bryan has always been a planner. From the start of his career as an agency owner, his primary goal was to build long-term value. He was focused not only on his own exit but also on ensuring a lasting legacy for future generations of owners. In his talk, Bryan will outline the steps he took over the past 20 years to enhance the value of his agency, sharing valuable lessons learned along the way. He will also highlight the importance of strategic mergers and acquisitions in their growth strategy. Bryan's insights provide a blueprint for creating a thriving agency that endures for years to come.
10:30 - 10:45 AM
Break & Networking Time
10:45 - 11:45 AM
The Power of Niche Positioning
Anita Nelson • President • In Food Marketing & Design
Over 16 years ago, Anita made a bold move by rebranding her agency to focus exclusively on the food industry. This strategic shift not only redefined her agency’s identity but also unlocked new opportunities for growth and specialization. In this session, you'll hear firsthand how niche positioning transformed her agency, allowing it to stand out in a competitive market, acquire sought-after clients and build deep expertise within the food sector.
11:45 - 12:15PM
Group Activity
12:15 - 12:30PM
Sponsor Presentation: Workamajig
12:30 - 1:30 PM
Lunch Sponsored by Workamajig
1:30 - 3:00 PM
Setting the Table for Client Relations
Mona Amodeo, Ph.D. • Founder • idgroup
As the agency business continues to evolve, many leaders are left questioning their role and relevance within their clients' organizations. The traditional boundaries between agency and client are blurring, and agencies are being challenged to prove their value. In this session, Mona will guide participants through an interactive dialogue to identify strategies for elevating an agency's value proposition. Participants will leave with actionable insights on how to deepen client relationships, enhance service offerings, and position their agency as a critical asset in today's rapidly changing landscape.
3:00 - 3:30 PM
Vendor Meet & Greet
3:30 - 4:30 PM
Help Seat
During this segment, volunteers from the group will share a current problem or challenge they are facing at their agency. Attendees will then spend 15-20 minutes offering suggestions and advice, which will be captured on a whiteboard. At the end of the session, the volunteer will be asked which solution(s) they intend to pursue and make a commitment to implement the advice when they return to the agency. There is nothing your agency faces that someone else hasn’t already solved. Spending time in the help seat will send you home with tangible solutions for addressing the issue head-on.
4:30 PM
Adjourn
5:00 - 6:00 PM
Cocktail Party Sponsored by e•silentpartner
Day 2: Friday, February 14
8:00 - 8:30 AM
Breakfast
8:30 - 9:30 AM
Getting Creative
Brian Winkeler • Founder • Robot House
Do your clients love the creative you present to them? How satisfied are your creatives with their work? Do you understand their needs, and do they understand yours? Brian is the founder of award-winning creative agency Robot House. In this sesson, he will discuss 33 years of discoveries he’s made on both sides of the creative/agency owner relationship and how that insight could benefit your agency's creative output. He will also walk through Robot House’s development process, which has an almost 100% success rate in clients immediately embracing the work, often with no revisions at all.
9:30 - 10:00 AM
Group Activity
10:00 - 11:00 AM
Minding the Gap - Lessons Learned On The Transition from Doer to Leader
Trent Summers • President • Red Letter
Most people who find success in the marketing industry originally have success because they are outstanding doers - creatives, account managers, project managers or some other speciality. More often than not, the assets that make a great doer are not the same skills to be a great leader. However, we often promote standout doers to leadership without any thought or guidance on how their priorities, expectations and success measurement are all different. Trent will share lessons learned on successfully managing this transition and how you can better prepare your key people to be better leaders.
11:00 - 11:15 AM
Break & Networking Time
11:15 - 12:15 PM
Help Seat
Once again, volunteers from the group will share a current problem or challenge they are facing at their agency. Attendees will then spend 15-20 minutes offering suggestions and advice, which will be captured on a whiteboard. At the end of the session, the volunteer will be asked which solution(s) they intend to pursue and make a commitment to implement the advice when they return to the agency. There is nothing your agency faces that someone else hasn’t already solved. Spending time in the help seat will send you home with tangible solutions for addressing the issue head-on.
12:15 - 12:30 PM
Sponsor Presentation: Vici Media
12:30 - 1:30 PM
Lunch Sponsored by Vici Media
1:30 - 2:15 PM
It's Good to Be Small
Laurie Mikes • COO • Second Wind
Recent industry trends demonstrate that large brands are increasingly turning to smaller agencies, valuing the distinct advantages they offer. As a result, smaller creative agencies are gaining momentum and securing significant accounts. Key factors driving this shift include creative prowess, agility, and direct access to agency leaders. This presentation will explore the unique opportunity smaller agencies have in attracting larger brands and will showcase success stories of smaller agencies collaborating with major brands. While the large agency holding companies remain strong, smaller agencies are well-positioned to compete for large accounts. Now is the time to prove that, in the agency business, size doesn’t dictate success.
2:15 - 3:00 PM
Wrap-up Discussion
3:00 PM
Adjourn
Event Sponsors
Second Wind
1424 Penn Ave.
PO Box 6284
Wyomissing, PA 19610
P: 610-374-9093
info@secondwindonline.com
© 2023 Second Wind
1424 Penn Ave.
PO Box 6284
Wyomissing, PA 19610
P: 610-374-9093
info@secondwindonline.com
© 2023 Second Wind