A few years ago I started talking to agency owners about the hardest part of running a marketing agency. It wasn't winning clients. It wasn't hiring. It was the loneliness of the founder's seat: the big decisions that affect the whole business, with no one to pressure-test them against.
Non-Executive Directors solve that. But finding a good one — someone who has actually grown and sold a marketing agency, not just advised one — is slow, expensive and full of dead ends. Retainers, introductions, months of courtship. Most founders give up before they find the right person.
That is why we rebuilt AgencyNXD.
What AgencyNXD is now
AgencyNXD is a private marketplace of Non-Executive Directors who have built, scaled and exited marketing agencies. Agency owners can browse their profiles, book a one-hour video consultation directly in their calendar, and pay the advisor's hourly rate when they book. No retainer. No minimum term.
If you need straight advice on pricing, succession, exit readiness, a difficult client, or whether to hire a managing director, you can book the person who has done it already — this week.
What's new in this version
The original AgencyNXD was a directory with a contact form. Useful, but passive. This version is built for action.
Advisors set their own rate. The old model fixed every session at £400 + VAT. Now each advisor sets their own hourly rate, and most are charging less than £400. The price you see on the profile is the price you pay.
Live calendar booking. Each advisor connects their Google Calendar or Microsoft Outlook/Teams calendar. When you book, you pick a real slot that is already free. The meeting invite is created automatically, and the advisor's calendar stays in sync.
Fuller advisor profiles. Every Non-Executive Director has a published track record: the agencies they built, the exits they led, the specialisms they focus on, their rate, location and links — all before you reach out.
A free Agency Healthcheck Scorecard. Not sure which conversation you need? The scorecard benchmarks your agency across six areas — strategy, operations, commercial, people, sales and marketing, and leadership — in about five minutes. You get an instant breakdown of where you are strong and where a one-hour conversation could move the needle.
How it works
- Browse the directory. Filter by specialism, read the full profile, and choose someone whose experience matches your challenge.
- Book an hour. Pick 60, 90 or 120 minutes from the advisor's live calendar, enter your details, and pay the advisor's rate to confirm the booking.
- Solve your challenge. Join the video call and use the time however you need. Re-book later, only if you want to.
Who this is for
This is for owners of marketing agencies who are tired of generic advice and want input from someone who has been in their seat. It is also for the experienced operators who want to make that experience available without signing a year-long NED contract.
If that sounds like you, browse the directory or take the free Agency Healthcheck Scorecard first.
We are starting small, with a hand-picked group of advisors, and we will add more over the coming months. If you have questions, email us at hello@agencynxd.com.
— Richard Gregory, Founder, AgencyNXD