Oliver Duffy-Lee's Linkedin Analytics

"If you can articulate your clients' problems better than they can, they'll automatically assume you can solve them." After 12+ years in the agency world, I can confirm: → Problem articulation is the most underrated skill in sales → Most agencies focus entirely on solutions → And that's why they struggle to stand out Think about it... When you perfectly describe someone's problem, what happens? They lean forward. Their eyes widen. They think "this person gets me." ❌ No more leading with your solutions ❌ No more talking about your processes ❌ No more sharing your agency's awards None of these create that magical "you get me" moment. Here's your minimum viable strategy for better problem articulation: 1. Spend 80% of your research understanding the problem 2. Use your client's exact language in your proposals 3. Describe the secondary effects of their problem (the ones they haven't even recognised) The distinction matters: - Solution-first agencies compete on price - Problem-first agencies compete on insight Most agencies are drowning in a sea of sameness. Every agency promises "strategic creative that drives results." But only a handful can make clients feel truly understood. Be that handful. P.s. 20+ Problem Articulation Frameworks in the below doc. Help yourself 😊

The Airport Lounge industry is broken and I might know how to fix it… Anyone that flies a lot will know the situation… They're overcrowded, underwhelming, and overpriced. The industry is fundamentally broken. The old membership model got completely dismantled by one-off pay-to-play options. Now everyone with a shiny credit card has "exclusive access" – which means exclusivity no longer exists. But there’s a simple fix… Look at the gym industry. Specifically, what Equinox did. While everyone raced to the bottom with cheap memberships, Equinox went the other way… They moved from Gym as a space to being a Longevity Partner that looks after the holistic health of their members. There’s space for this in the airport lounge world too… A hyper-premium tier aimed at business travellers who need productivity, not just a place to sit. Think Soho Works at the airport. The opportunity is massive: ✓ True privacy and space to work ✓ Quality food and drinks ✓ Professional atmosphere ✓ Technology that doesn't make you want to scream ✓ Podcast / content studios ??? Will it be expensive? Yes. Will companies pay for it? Absolutely. Because what's more expensive than the mental strife of 3 hours fighting for a power outlet? Anyone want to chuck a few hundred mil £££ at this??

Everyone talks about passion and purpose… Nobody mentions the chip. That massive, uncomfortable chip on your shoulder that powers you through the hard days. I wasn't happy until I embraced mine. And I never would have been. That’s the truth about entrepreneurship... → It's not about "following your passion" → It's about proving something To yourself. To others. Maybe to that boss who didn't promote you. And people will tell you that’s unhealthy… It’s just how entrepreneurs work… We're all just grown-up kids trying to show someone they were wrong. ❌ Thinking your business needs a noble purpose ❌ Believing you need perfect work-life balance Your chip evolves as you grow. First, it's "I'll show them I can make money." Then, "I'll show them I can build something lasting." The chip remains. It just gets more sophisticated. The happiest agency owners I know aren't chipless. They've just learned to harness their chip. They've turned "I'll show them" into "I'll build something remarkable." Your chip isn't something to overcome. It's your secret weapon. Embrace it, channel it, and watch what happens. Because without that chip, you'd probably be happily employed somewhere, blissfully unaware of what you could have built. And where's the fun in that?

We’re entering the age of nuance. Where tech can help us produce high quality creative execution in seconds… The power shifts to those who revel in the detail. Those who are disciplined enough to listen intently Who are observant enough to notice almost imperceptible patterns Who can remain still and think clearly amongst the chaos I love working with people like this… The curious. People who instinctively understand that richness and meaning is found in messiness and complexity. As the world speeds up, and us agency folk can now easily combine quality and speed… The ones that win will be those that master a new skill - The ability to harness the nuance. The future belongs not to the loudest voices, but to the deepest - most curious - listeners. Are you ready to lean in?

Every agency claims to be "client centric." It's on their websites, their pitch decks, their business cards. But have you noticed how few can actually explain what that means? Client centricity isn't a tagline. It's a philosophy that demands sacrifice. A radical commitment to passing value downstream while systematically eliminating friction. Most agencies get this fundamentally wrong. They think client centricity means: ❌ Answering emails quickly ❌ Delivering projects on time ❌ Consistently sharing exceptional ideas That's not client centricity. Those are basics. True client centricity is an economic decision. It’s the decision to pass all value and convenience downstream to the client business. That’s partnership… It's the systematic redistribution of value. Client centricity isn't a department or a role. It's a way of seeing business as a flow rather than a transaction. The moment you're tempted to keep value for yourself—that's the exact moment to give it away. Because in that paradoxical act of giving, you create something far more valuable: A relationship that transcends the typical agency-client dynamic… And it’s these relationships that build great agencies.