You want to retain your best people...
Many junior team members are expected to take on more responsibility – but they’re not always given the support or guidance to lead effectively. It’s no one’s fault; agency life moves fast. But without the right development in place, it’s easy for people to feel overwhelmed or disengaged. And when they leave, the cost to your culture and bottom line quickly adds up.
Sound familiar?
High turnover and increasing recruitment costs
New managers struggling, burning out or leaving
Teams disengaged, lacking motivation or clarity
Missed opportunities due to lack of commercial awareness
LAUNCHING THIS SEPTEMBER:
The Agency Impact Programme.
A simple, scalable solution to develop your next generation of leaders – and keep them.
Our 6-month programme builds capability, confidence and connection – in as little as 4 hours a month.
In just 6 months, your agency will have...
Clearer communication and stronger collaboration
Happier, more confident and productive employees
New managers who manage – and lead with impact!
A culture people want to stay in
Stronger internal pipelines for succession planning
Employees proactively contributing to agency growth through smarter decisions and stronger leadership
MEET ELLEN
"As an account executive, I don’t have direct reports, but I manage client teams regularly."
"The Hudl course provided practical strategies and insights to improve collaboration and lead within those setups. What really stood out to me was the flexibility. With a busy work schedule, I appreciated how the course was self-paced and broken into manageable modules and drip fed."
Ellen Bundey - Senior Growth Marketing Executive
Ready to future-proof your agency with confident, capable leaders?
ENROL YOUR RISING STARS IN
The Agency Impact Programme
A 6-month, people-first leadership development programme for agencies of all sizes, across every department.
Our 6-month Agency Impact Programme empowers your career starters and new managers with the skills they need to thrive, become strong leaders and make a positive impact on your agency growth.
Hudl students tap into our tailored training, expert coaching, and supportive community, building strategies to help them lead with confidence.
Our holistic approach addresses individual growth while aligning with your agency’s goals. Together, we’ll build a culture of engagement and resilience, ready to tackle whatever the day brings.
MEET THE HUDL TEAM
I’m Claire, founder of Hudl. I’ll be your employees’ guide and cheerleader throughout the programme – along with our small but mighty team.
I know first-hand how tough it can be to navigate those early career years in an agency.
Hi, I’m Claire, the founder of Hudl. I’ve spent over a 15 years working in and with agencies, wearing all the hats – marketing, new business, account management, team culture, and even the occasional stand-in creative.
I know first-hand how tough it can be to navigate those early career years in an agency.
That’s why I created Hudl. Our training isn’t just theory – it’s built on real agency experience, shaped by people who’ve been there, done that, and got the battle scars to prove it.
Our trainers (many of whom come from agency backgrounds) get the pressures, the fast pace, and the unspoken rules of agency life. We know what skills actually matter day-to-day – because we’ve had to learn them the hard way.
This programme is about giving career starters and new managers the confidence, skills, and support to step up, succeed and drive real impact for your agency – without the trial and error.
Let’s set them up for success from day one.
WHAT EXACTLY IS THE PROGRAMME?
I'm so glad you asked, let's break it down...
The Agency Impact Programme is a comprehensive, self-paced online course covering the essential skills your future agency leaders need to drive impact for your agency. Here's how it works...
6 self-paced training modules, with 6 lessons each, created by industry experts
6 monthly group coaching sessions with Emma Jefferys
Access to trainers, mentors, resources, webinars and peer support through our community platform
Workbooks, templates, tools and resources that embed learning
Built-in accountability via mentors or line managers
Graduation Party! 🎉
MEET GEORGIA
"Balancing multiple projects, managing colleagues, and meeting client demands often means professional development takes a backseat. This course has been a brilliant opportunity to step back and reflect on how I approach team management and contribute to a supportive agency culture."
Georgia Gale - Senior Account Manager
This programme is for agencies who...
Are serious about retention and culture
Need new managers to step up fast
Want a affordable, scaleable and flexible solution for team development
Are ready to future-proof their leadership pipeline
Want to increase employee engagement and motivation
Believe in nurturing talent to drive long-term agency growth
What does the programme cover?
A lot! We’ve brought together a team of industry experts who each bring something unique to the table – from commercial know-how to cultural insight. Whether you’re developing doers, thinkers or creators, the Agency Impact Programme equips them with the essential skills to become confident, capable leaders who drive real impact for your agency.
MODULE 1
From Do-er to Leader
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Finding Your Leadership Voice
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Building Brilliant Relationships
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What Makes a Great Team?
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Motivation & Morale
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Delegation That Empowers
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Difficult Conversations & Constructive Feedback
Trainer: Paul Burns, The Burns Unit TLC
MODULE 3
Resilience & Wellbeing
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Understanding Change & Challenge
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Processing Uncertainty & Setbacks
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Supporting Others Through Change
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Wellbeing foundations and your wellbeing pillars
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Boundaries & Non-Negotiables
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Mindset & Motivation
Trainer: Abby Dixon, The Whole Marketer
MODULE 5
People-First Culture
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Unleash Your Cultural Potential
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Hiring for Culture Add
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Onboarding New Employees
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How to Support and Develop Your Team
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Maintaining Team Connection, Community, and Work-Life Balance for Remote Teams
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Building a Culture of Continuous Learning
Trainers: Janine Jacobs & Louisa Mordaunt, HappyHQ
MODULE 2
Speak Up & Stand Out
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Public speaking tips to help manage nerves and structure key messages
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How to deliver impactful presentations and pitch ideas clearly
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Building confidence when sharing ideas in meetings or group settings
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Using your voice effectively across different formats
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Speaking up in moments that matter
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Learning how to influence and be remembered
Trainer: Fran O'Connor, Litmus Communications
MODULE 4
Work Smarter, Not Harder
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Prioritising like a pro, even when everything feels urgent
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Managing multiple projects, deadlines, and client needs without the overwhelm
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Building systems and routines that keep you focused (not frazzled)
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Building self-discipline and a strong mindset to improve performance and your confidence
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Creating a proactive mindset and approach to reduce problems with your colleagues, clients and projects
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Using AI tools to support productivity
Trainer: Ben Willmott, PPM Academy
MODULE 6
Pitch Perfect
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What is New Biz & how to contribute
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How to talk confidently about your agency’s positioning
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Lead Gen 101: How agencies find new opportunities
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Content with Clout
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Demystifying the pitch process
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Develop a commercial mindset and learn how to spot everyday opportunities to support growth
Trainer: Claire Ashdown, Pitch & Bloom
MEET OUR INDUSTRY EXPERTS
Designed by Agency Folk, for Agency Folk 👋
MODULE 1
Paul Burns,
The Burns Unit TLC
Paul spent 25 successful years at Saatchi & Saatchi, where he became their first Director of Knowledge Practices, earning multiple industry awards for his work in Learning and Development. Since launching The Burns Unit tlc in 2009, he has worked with over 60 leading agencies and global trade bodies across the UK, Europe and the Far East, including the IPA, AIA, ISBA, EACA and the 4A’s. His client list spans traditional creative agencies, media and digital specialists, and major blue-chip organisations, making him one of the most respected names in agency training and leadership development.
Having worked across all levels of agency life, Paul knows just how critical it is to invest in junior and emerging talent from the outset. He believes the next generation of industry leaders need more than just technical skills – they need confidence, connection, and real-world support to thrive. With the pace and pressures of agency life only increasing, he sees programmes like Hudl as essential in helping young professionals find their voice, grow their leadership skills, and shape the future of the creative industries.
MODULE 2
Fran O'Connor,
Litmus Communications
Fran is a former PR agency leader turned founder, speaker and podcaster, now co-leading the culture and communications consultancy HappyHQ, following the merger of her business, Litmus Communications.
With a background spanning top international PR agencies and hands-on experience building businesses from scratch, Fran brings both strategic clarity and practical know-how. She’s worked with brands like Gymshark, Heinz and the UK Parliament, as well as start-ups and creative agencies across PR, marketing and advertising.
A qualified coach and certified Lego® Serious Play® facilitator, Fran helps teams collaborate better, leaders communicate with confidence, and businesses build cultures people actually want to be part of. She’s especially passionate about helping women find and own their voice - whether returning to work or stepping into senior roles.
Whether running a workshop, coaching a founder or speaking on stage, Fran helps people show up with more clarity, chemistry and impact - in their business and in their industry.
In a world where communication is everything, she sees people-first training as essential to building stronger teams and more sustainable agency cultures.
MODULE 3
Abby Dixon,
The Whole Marketer
Abby is the founder of The Whole Marketer author, podcast host and award-winning consultant with over 25 years of experience in brand and marketing. She’s held senior roles at Burger King, Premier Foods and Britvic, and for the past decade has advised, coached and trained thousands of marketers through her work with agencies and industry bodies including the CIM, DMA and IPA. An accredited trainer, mentor and capability consultant, Abby combines deep commercial expertise with a passion for developing holistic marketing capabilities – spanning technical know-how, leadership skills and behaviours and personal development – to build successful, more fulfilled teams.
Abby believes it’s essential to develop the next generation of agency leaders with the personal understanding to truly thrive – not just survive – in our challenging yet rewarding industry. For her, it’s about nurturing leaders who can confidently navigate uncertainty, overcome obstacles, and support and empower others in their care along the way.
MODULE 4
Ben Willmott,
PPM Academy
Ben is a seasoned digital delivery expert with nearly 20 years’ experience leading high-performing project management teams across some of the UK’s most well-known creative agencies, including Karmarama and Wunderman Thompson. He’s built his career on solving complex delivery challenges, supporting the development of project teams, and refining how agencies approach planning, performance and process. Now, through his training at the PPM Academy, Ben shares real-world time, project management and productivity methods that go beyond the textbooks – tools built from experience, designed to work when things don’t go to plan.
Ben knows first-hand just how overwhelming agency life and projects can be – the pressure to always be in control, deliver flawlessly, and support your team through every challenge, regardless of your role. That’s why he believes it’s so important to equip the next generation of agency leaders with the right habits, mindset and frameworks early on – to reduce burnout and help rising stars become confident leaders who drive meaningful impact across their teams.
MODULE 5
Janine Jacobs,
HappyHQ
Janine is the co-founder of HappyHQ, a people-first culture and communications consultancy. HappyHQ helps agencies and scale-ups create thriving workplaces through culture mapping, tailored strategies, and cohort-based training. With over 15 years of experience in public relations, spanning global agency networks and boutique creative shops, Janine has led bold, impactful campaigns for global brands as Communications Director for Creative and Integrated Services. She now applies her PR and agency expertise to her consultancy work and her Fractional People & Culture Partner role at Collaborate Global, recently recognised as a Sunday Times Best Places to Work. In this role, she drives culture strategies that support rapid growth while ensuring the company’s culture remains vibrant.
Having faced the challenges of agency life herself, Janine understands how difficult it can be for new managers to find their footing, especially in fast-paced, hybrid environments where culture can easily be overlooked. She believes Hudl provides the real-world support and connection that Gen Z and early-career managers need, helping agencies retain top talent while nurturing healthier, more human-centred cultures from the ground up.
MODULE 6
Claire Ashdown,
Pitch & Bloom
Claire is a creative and commercially-minded consultant with over 15 years of experience working in and with agencies, leading marketing, new business and brand strategy across a wide range of roles. From launching and repositioning brands to managing pitches, PR, campaigns and culture, she’s seen first-hand what it takes to grow agencies from the inside out. Through her consultancy, Pitch & Bloom, she now supports creative leaders to attract their ideal clients and achieve sustainable growth – combining strategic thinking with hands-on delivery to make things happen.
Having spent years navigating the pressures of new business, Claire believes it shouldn’t just sit with one person or department – everyone in an agency has the power to influence growth. She founded Hudl to give early-stage talent access to practical support and real-world development that builds both personal confidence and professional impact. It’s about helping individuals thrive – and in turn, helping agencies grow.
You don’t need another one-day training session. You need a consistent, people-first approach that grows with your agency.
You know your agency needs to support and grow its future leaders – but something’s getting in the way.
We speak to agency leaders all the time who want to invest in their team but feel stuck on the how. It's not that you don't care – far from it. You're just juggling competing priorities, and finding a programme that fits your culture, budget and time constraints feels like a challenge in itself.
You’re not sure where to start or what a great development programme should look like
You’ve tried training before and it didn’t stick
Your career starters or new managers feel disconnected or unsure of their next step
You’re stretched for time and resources
You’re unsure how to prove the ROI of people-first development
You worry the team might not engage or make time for it
The Agency Impact Programme was shaped by agency life.
We understand the struggle of balancing agency culture, growth and development with limited time and budget. Hudl gives you:
Confidence that your juniors are getting the right kind of support from people with hands-on industry experience
A clear, repeatable structure that creates a foundation level for leadership and L&D within your agency
Engaged team members who feel supported and ready to grow
A cost-effective way to build internal leadership pipelines
Real-time coaching and mentorship for accountability and support, whilst employees put their training into practice
An easier way to show your team – and the industry – you invest in your people
With GenZ making up 12% of the UK working population and set to soar to 33% by 2033, it's clear that the future of our industry lies in their hands.
GROUP DISCOUNTS AVAILABLE
For less than the cost of losing just one team member, you can invest in a scalable, long-term leadership solution that strengthens your agency from within.
So, how does it work?
//01
Choose your cohort size (September intake open now!)
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Onboard with Hudl support - each employee set's up their own logins
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Your future leaders start the 6-month journey (Sept cohort or rolling intake)
ARE YOUR TEAM READY?
If your rising stars are eager to progress in their agency career, we're here to support them on their journey.
Increased confidence and resilience
No more Imposter Syndrome!
Combat loneliness from remote / hybrid working
Accountability to keep them on track
Engaging, practical learning that fits around busy agency life
Find their tribe - connect and network with likeminded peers
Decrease overwhelm and anxiety
Allan McLaughlin
CEO at BD Network
"Abby is hugely energetic, positive, insightful and organised. Everyone who's worked with and for Abby at BD has benefited from her engaging approach, ability to make the key points quickly and succinctly and provide the right solutions and tools to improve how to think and communicate strategically more effectively. We'll continue to work with Abby as she's adding real value to our people and the agency."
Daphne
Student @ The PPM Academy
"Ben distills his extensive experience into practical advice, emphasising core soft skills over complex frameworks. I've picked up several valuable insights on bettering how I manage my time, team, and projects."
Fiona Hamilton
Managing Director, William Murray PR and Marketing
"I couldn’t recommend the Culture Cohort training from HappyHQ more.
💡 Thought-provoking
⚡ Insightful
💭 Lots to reflect on
It’s been really useful to step away from the day job and learn with other businesses who – no matter the industry or size – face similar challenges."
Student
The Burns Unit TLC
“A fantastic course, I benefited greatly. I’ve used examples Paul gave us on more than one occasion to resolve client issues”
Student
Litmus Communications
"Fran is one of the few people i've come across who makes you actually want to move out of your comfort zone. She has made that scary sandbox a safe space and has been the perfect mix of encouraging and honest."
Becky Irwin
Account & New Business Director
"Hudl's course with HappyHQ was packed with actionable strategies to build a more supportive workplace. From understanding culture mapping to leading with empathy, it’s given me a solid foundation to enhance my management style and drive better results. Hudl’s additional coaching opportunities helped me embed what I learned, making the experience incredibly impactful."
Christ Turner
Student @ The PPM Academy
"The training was fantastic, it met my goal and exceeded expectations. I've learnt new techniques that I have already put into practice, and I have also shared the knowledge with my colleagues when navigating a recent challenge."
Emma Porter
Business Development Manager
"As someone who often navigates tricky client conversations, this course was invaluable in helping me approach them with clarity and empathy. Having everything under one roof - training, coaching, and inspirational webinars - made it so practical, especially with the self-paced format. It’s something I know I’ll keep referring back to whenever I need it, which has made a real difference in how I work and support my team."
Carey Trevill
Client @ The Whole Marketer
"I would unhesitatingly recommend Abigail and her team to the industry for capability training and knowledge with a clear understanding of what marketers need to do the job."
