The rise of small independent agencies with Tom Salmon

ByKelly Molson

In this episode of Lifestyle is a Plan, I’m joined by Tom Salmon, Co‑Founder of Agency by Agency, which provides data and intelligence to the UK’s marketing, advertising, creative and media agency sector.

Its mapping and insights on 25,500 UK agencies represents the only comprehensive dataset of its kind, helping agencies, investors, media owners, martech and adtech platforms, brands and procurement teams identify the right partners, accelerate growth and make better decisions.

Tom is a people‑centric business leader, strategist and marketer with extensive experience advising agencies, investors and brands. Previously Managing Director of award‑winning digital agency Epiphany, a £12m turnover agency with 190 staff across London, Leeds and Sydney. During his tenure, the agency was named Large Integrated Agency of the Year in 2018 and worked with major brands including Savills, First Direct, Waterstones, TK Maxx and Dixons Carphone.

What you’ll discover in this episode

  • What the 25,495 agencies active in our sector look like
  • Why we need more diverse industry representation in the media
  • Why policymakers don’t fully understand the makeup of the agency sector and what need to change
  • That founders are now prioritising personal well-being and choice over aggressive growth
  • A future where agencies specialise and partner, rather than building large, full-service teams
  • If 2026 is the year of the independent agencies

If you’re curious about where the agency world is truly heading – and where the biggest opportunities lie for small but mighty independents – this episode is a must‑listen.

Listen here

Guest details

Website: https://agencybyagency.com/
Company LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/agency-by-agency/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tomsalmonleeds/
Sprint 2025 Industry Report: https://agencybyagency.com/report/industry-report-spring-2025/
The WOW Company Benchpress Report: https://www.thewowcompany.com/benchpress

Podcast recommendations

The Immortal Life of Agencies with Robin Bonn and Zoe Scaman
https://www.codefinery.com/podcast_episode/episode-60-zoe-scaman/

Brought to you by

Lifestyle is a Plan is brought to you by me, Kelly Molson – an agency advisor on a mission to support solo founders build the agency they want.

I’m here to show the agency world that “lifestyle agency” isn’t a cop out. It’s the future of sustainable growth.

Join my Lifestyle is a Plan newsletter at kellymolson.co.uk.

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