Project Guardian
An expert on your side, right to launch.
You've appointed an agency. Now the real work starts. I stay on to protect your brief, manage the relationship and make sure what gets delivered is what you actually signed up for.
Why agency choices go wrong.
01
The brief is vague
Agencies can only pitch against what you tell them. A loose brief gets you loose proposals, and prices you can't compare.
02
The cultures don’t align
The cliche line “we’re an extension of your team” can only work if your company cultures actually match.
03
The size is wrong
Too big and you're a small fish handed to a junior team. Too small and they can't keep up as you grow.
04
The slick pitch
The decision comes down to who presented best on the day, not who'll do the best work for the next three years.
Two ways to find your agency.
Free
Introductions
For brands who have a clear brief and want introductions to agencies worth speaking to, from a shortlist they can trust.
What you get:
A discovery call about your brand, platform and goals
2-3 agencies matched to your brief, budget and style
Direct introductions: you talk to them and you decide
A sounding board for your big decisions
Practical output you can actually use
Free to you. The agency you appoint pays me a standard referral fee, and it never changes what you pay them.
£3,000 +VAT
Facilitated Search
For brands who need an objective partner to run the whole process with them, start to finish.
What you get:
I help you write a brief agencies can actually price
Longlist and shortlist against criteria we agree together
A structured pitch process that fits you
Scoring, references and a confident decision
A 30-day check-in once the work is underway
One fixed fee. No open-ended process.
Facilitated Search
Step by step, start to finish.
01 Brief
A structured workshop session to work through your goals, scope, budget and timeline, and turn them into a brief agencies can price accurately and you can compare fairly.
02 Longlist
I match your brief against my roster and the wider market, and agree a longlist with you. If there's an agency you already have in mind, they're in.
03 Shortlist
Short chemistry calls with each agency narrow it to the three or four worth inviting to a proper pitch.
04 Proposals
Every agency pitches in the same format, on the same day, against the same criteria. You score them. I help you read between the lines.
05 Appointment
References, follow-up questions and a confident decision. Then I check in 30 days after kick-off to make sure it's started well.
The work doesn’t stop at the contract.
Most projects that go wrong, do so after the agency is appointed.
The brief drifts, scope creeps and the relationship gets strained. As your Project Guardian, I stay on to hold the brief and keep everyone pulling the same way.
About Project Guardian →
Impartial by design
Introductions are free because the agency you appoint pays me a standard referral fee. Every agency is on the same terms, so I've no reason to favour one over another. Want to include an agency you already know? I'll bring them in on the same basis.
How I stay impartial →
Questions brands ask me.
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Yes. Introductions cost you nothing. If you appoint one of the agencies, they pay me a standard referral fee. It doesn't change what you pay them.
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Introductions usually happen within 2-3 working days of our discovery call. A Facilitated Search typically runs 4 to 6 weeks, depending on your timeline and availability.
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Of course. I'll approach them and they join the process on the same terms as everyone else.
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Then we look again. There's no obligation to appoint anyone.
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No. For introductions, a clear idea of what you need is enough. If you need help getting there, that's what Facilitated Search is for.