A different kind of successful exit, with Claire Hutchings

ByKelly Molson

In this episode of Lifestyle is a Plan, I’m joined by Claire Hutchings, an experienced agency leader, founder, and now Agency Adventure Guide, supporting independent agency owners to make better decisions and build businesses that genuinely work for them.

Claire spent almost 20 years working across independent boutique and global network agencies, before founding Chime Agency – a business created to tackle one of the biggest challenges agencies face: their own marketing. Through Chime, Claire led game‑changing research into agency marketing and supported more than 40 agencies to grow with confidence and clarity.

Claire and I first met in 2021, when I called on Chime’s brilliance to help me create my agency’s hero moment – an annual benchmarking report that became the foundation of our marketing strategy.

On this podcast, we’re talking about something that’s discussed far less openly: the mental health toll of agency ownership, and Claire’s own successful exit from Chime – one that offers a genuine alternative to the traditional (and often disappointing) agency sale.

What you’ll discover in this episode:

  • The mental health toll agency ownership can take over time
  • How founders can avoid creating the “owner’s show”
  • What a different, successful agency exit can look like
  • Why a well‑managed wind‑down really matters
  • The importance of building a strong support network around you

If you’re an agency founder questioning the long‑term sustainability of your role, or wondering whether exit has to look a certain way, this episode offers a refreshing, deeply honest perspective.

Listen here

Guest details

Website: https://www.agency-adventure.com/who-we-are
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/claire-hutchings/

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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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