Rory Sutherland's On Brand

The monthly podcast, from ALF Insight, that brings together big names from the world of advertising, marketing and media to dissect and debate success, ingenuity and the future opportunities for the industries. Hosted by Vice Chairman of Ogilvy UK, Ror...

  • 38 minutes 14 seconds
    The BD100: Insights and Tips from the co-founders, Rich McHardy and Jody Osman

    In this special episode of 'OnBD with ALF' host and General Manager of ALF Insight, Amanda Rosevear welcomes co-founders of the BD100, Jody Osman and Rich McHardy, to discuss everything you need to know about submitting your application to the prestigious awards. 

     

    Rich and Jody share why they created the BD100, and talk us through the nomination and submission processes, along with tips for crafting a standout entry. 

     

    They also explain additional categories such as Win of the Year, Team of the Year, and the newly introduced Industry Impact Award. With key insights and advice, this episode is essential for anyone in business development looking to boost their sales strategies and gain recognition. 

     

    Listen now to learn how to get involved and make the most of the BD100 community.

     

    00:00 Introduction

    02:06 The Importance of the BD100 Community

    04:44 How to Get Nominated for the BD100

    24:04 Additional Categories and Awards

    26:47 Key Dates and Final Tips

    If you want to do business with the UK’s leading brands, request an ALF Insight demo.

    Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    11 December 2025, 12:01 am
  • 44 minutes 1 second
    People-Powered Marketing with Katie Street

    In this episode, General Manager of ALF Insight and podcast host, Amanda Rosevear meets Katie Street, Founder and MD of Street Agency and podcast host of 'Marketing in the Madness.' 

     

    Katie shares her journey from falling into sales at a young age to running her own successful marketing agency. They delve into the importance of human-centred, people-powered marketing in the age of AI, discuss content creation strategies, and provide insights on building a personal brand in business development. 

     

    Listen in for actionable advice and inspiring stories to elevate your sales game.

     

    00:43 Meet Katie Street: Career Journey and Insights

    04:30 The Power of People-Powered Marketing

    06:33 Challenges and Strategies in Personal Branding

    11:40 Creating Valuable Content for Your Audience

    18:44 Effective Audience Engagement and Outreach

    24:06 The Overwhelming Email Overload

    24:36 Human-Centric Marketing Strategies

    25:12 Company-Wide Marketing Efforts

    26:39 The Future of Personal Branding

    29:07 Gen Z and the Evolution of Sales

    32:11 Creating Authentic Content

    36:55 Quick Fire Questions with Katie

    42:49 Conclusion and Final Thoughts

     

     

    If you want to do business with the UK’s leading brands, request an ALF Insight demo.

    Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    6 November 2025, 12:01 am
  • 44 minutes 37 seconds
    Unlocking Media Sales Success with Debra Sharron

    In this episode, General Manager of ALF Insight and podcast host, Amanda Rosevear, interviews Debra Sharron, a seasoned sales trainer and founder of Media Sales Training

     

    They discuss Debra’s journey into media sales, the current trends and challenges in the industry, and expert advice on sales success. The conversation also touches on the importance of consultative selling, the significance of face-to-face meetings, and strategies for building relationships with clients. Debra also shares insights on how to avoid being ghosted by prospects and explains why there’s a need for authenticity in sales. 

     

    Plus, Debra answers our quickfire questions that reveal her thoughts on sales, success and her favourite hype song.

     

    00:00 Introduction 

    02:00 Debra's Journey into Media Sales

    06:21 Current Trends in Media Sales

    09:14 Consultative Selling in Today's Market

    12:18 The Importance of Face-to-Face Meetings

    20:40 Challenges Faced by Salespeople

    24:05 Impact of Hybrid Working on Sales

    30:30 Building Relationships in Sales

    34:24 Keys to a Successful Sales Team

    36:57 Quickfire Questions with Debra

     

    If you want to do business with the UK’s leading brands, request an ALF Insight demo.

    Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    8 October 2025, 11:01 pm
  • 47 minutes 17 seconds
    Mastering Sales and Business Development with Nick Adams, CEO of Sense

    In this episode, Amanda Rosevear speaks with Nick Adams, CEO of Sense, about the evolution of new business strategies in the experiential marketing sector. 

     

    Nick shares insights from his extensive career, discussing the challenges agencies face in winning clients today, the importance of data in sales, and the shift towards more transactional relationships. 

     

    Find out how Sense identifies their top prospects, the opportunities of collaborating with other agencies and the value of building genuine relationships in a fast-paced industry.

     

    00:00 Introduction

    00:43 Meet Nick Adams, CEO of Sense

    01:09 Nick Adams' Career Journey

    03:22 Evolution of New Business Strategies

    06:08 Balancing Outbound and Inbound Marketing

    11:10 Challenges in Winning New Clients

    12:10 Specialising vs. Generalising in Brand Experience

    18:58 Importance of Data in New Business

    23:17 Impact of COVID on Client Relationships

    26:08 The Shift in Client Expectations

    27:14 The Importance of Chemistry in Client Relationships

    29:47 The Future of Relationship Building in Sales

    32:26 Adapting New Business Strategies

    34:00 Collaborations and Audience Segmentation

    38:30 Quickfire Questions with Nick

    43:30 Final Thoughts 


    If you want to do business with the UK’s leading brands, request an ALF Insight demo.


    Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    10 September 2025, 11:01 pm
  • 44 minutes 54 seconds
    Unlocking Sales Success with Industry Legend Steve Cox

    In this episode, General Manager of ALF Insight and podcast host, Amanda Rosevear, sits down with Steve Cox, former Marketing Director of JCDecaux, to find out about his 40 years of experience within the media and advertising industry.

     

    Steve shares a comprehensive overview of his illustrious career, from his early days in television to his recent venture into consultancy. He offers invaluable insights into effective sales strategies, emphasising the importance of understanding audience mindset and context. 

     

    Steve also introduces his five-step sales process to ensure successful pitches and shares practical advice for smaller media owners aiming to compete with industry giants. 

     

    00:43 Meet the Legend: Steve Cox

    01:20 Steve Cox's Journey in Media

    03:58 Transition to Out-of-Home Advertising

    05:36 Challenges and Strategies for Smaller Media Owners

    09:06 The Five-Step Sales Process

    19:06 Common Mistakes in Media Sales

    22:55 Understanding Audience Behaviour

    23:41 Marketing to Brands and Agencies

    24:40 The Importance of Agency Relationships

    25:39 Targeting Small and Local Brands

    26:49 Effective Communication with Agencies

    31:30 The Value of Agility and Passion

    33:35 Quickfire Questions with Steve

    42:20 Final Thoughts

     

    If you want to do business with the UK’s leading brands, request an ALF Insight demo.

    Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    13 August 2025, 11:01 pm
  • 35 minutes 22 seconds
    The Power of the Silver Pound - Insights from Boom Radio’s Sales Director, Dawn Le Men

    General Manager of ALF Insight and podcast host, Amanda Rosevear, interviews Dawn Le Men, Sales Director at Boom Radio, to discover the importance of the ‘silver pound’ audience and how Boom Radio has gone from strength to strength in the radio industry.

     

    Dawn discusses her extensive career in media, including the transition from television to radio, and the unique challenges and successes of working in a start-up environment. 

     

    Amanda and Dawn talk about the challenges of selling to brands, the impact of industry changes and the rise of AI. 

     

    00:00 Introduction and Background

    01:00 Career Journey in Media

    05:54 Transition to Radio and a Startup Environment

    11:51 Success of Boom Radio

    14:37 Understanding the Silver Pound Audience

    19:17 Challenges in Selling to Brands

    22:16 Navigating Industry Changes

    24:33 Memorable Wins and Lessons Learned

    29:02 Quickfire Questions and Personal Insights


    If you want to do business with the UK’s leading brands, request an ALF Insight demo.

    Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    17 July 2025, 9:50 am
  • 42 minutes 29 seconds
    Building Community: The Success of Agency Hackers

    Podcast host and General Manager of ALF Insight, Amanda Rosevear, speaks with Ian Harris, founder of Agency Hackers.

     

    Ian shares his journey from journalism to building a thriving membership community for independent agency leaders. 

     

    He discusses the importance of truly understanding what people want, the challenges agencies face in growth and client acquisition, and the successful formula behind his events and why Ibiza has proved to be such a popular location. 

     

    Amanda and Ian also discuss the importance of inclusivity in industry, leveraging LinkedIn for personal branding and business growth, and the value of authentic communication and relationship building in business development. 

     

    00:00 Introduction to Agency Hackers and Ian's Journey

    07:19 Building Community: The Success of Agency Hackers

    10:10 The Formula for Successful Events

    16:55 Challenges in Agency Growth and Client Acquisition

    23:19 Implementing Effective New Business Processes

    28:09 Inclusivity in Agency Leadership

    29:52 The Viral Success of Ibiza Events

    31:33 Navigating LinkedIn for Business Growth

    36:00 The Balance of Personal Branding

    41:09 Effective Communication in Business Development

    46:17 The Importance of Relationship Building

     

    If you want to do business with the UK’s leading brands, request an ALF Insight demo.

    Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    4 June 2025, 3:00 pm
  • 38 minutes 42 seconds
    Unlocking Agency Growth with Laura Vipond from Ogilvy

    In this episode, host and General Manager of ALF Insight, Amanda Rosevear, chats to Laura Vipond, Chief Growth Officer at Ogilvy. 

     

    They discuss Laura's career journey, the importance of new business culture, and the strategies Ogilvy employs for agency growth. Laura shares her knowledge of how best to understand client needs, the evolving pitch process, and why she promotes the Positive Pitch Pledge, aimed at improving the pitching experience for both agencies and clients. 

     

    The conversation also touches on the importance of emotional intelligence in business development and the long-term strategies for building client relationships.

     

    Plus, Laura answers the OnBD Quickfire Questions revealing which animated movie title best describes her career.

     

    00:00 Introduction to Laura Vipond and Her Career Journey

    03:53 Understanding Agency Growth Models

    08:13 The Importance of New Business Culture

    11:06 Ogilvy's New Business Strategy

    15:02 Identifying and Filling the Pipeline

    18:47 The Long Game: Asparagus Growth Strategy

    21:12 Evolving Pitch Processes and Client Expectations

    27:04 The Positive Pitch Pledge

    32:50 Quickfire Questions and Key Takeaways

     

    If you want to do business with the UK’s leading brands, request an ALF Insight demo.

    Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    7 May 2025, 11:01 pm
  • 42 minutes 44 seconds
    Adapting to Change with The Standard’s Steve Cording

    Host and General Manager of ALF Insight, Amanda Rosevear is joined by Steve Cording, Head of Culture, Sport and TelCo at The Standard, the long-established regional newspaper for London. 

     

    Steve shares his journey from sports journalism to media sales, the evolution of The Standard, the importance of storytelling, and the need for adaptability in the changing media landscape. 

     

    Amanda and Steve also chat about navigating redundancy, the impact of AI on media, the future of audience engagement and the importance of multi-platform strategies. 

     

    00:00 Introduction to Steve Cording and His Role

    06:06 The Evolution of The Standard

    08:49 Adapting to Change in Media

    11:55 Team Dynamics and Learning

    15:02 Skills and Adaptation in a Changing Environment

    18:07 The Impact of AI on Media

    21:07 Future Predictions for Media and Audience Engagement

    26:30 The Importance of Affiliate Partnerships and Loyalty

    27:18 Multi-Platform Strategies for Modern Brands

    29:47 Adapting to Change

    30:35 Support and Optimism for the Future

    32:03 The Role of Sports in Media Engagement

    32:57 Navigating Redundancies in the Media Industry

    36:10 Transitioning from Editorial to Sales

    39:06 The Role of Video in Sales Communication

    41:03 Advice for Newcomers in the Industry

    42:12 What Makes a Great Salesperson?

    45:30 OnBD Quickfire Questions

     

    If you want to do business with the UK’s leading brands, request an ALF Insight demo.

    Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    9 April 2025, 11:01 pm
  • 41 minutes 41 seconds
    What makes a ‘GOOD’ Business Developer ‘GREAT’?

    In this first episode of the new series, 'OnBD with ALF', host and General Manager of ALF Insight, Amanda Rosevear, delves into the intricacies of successful business development with guests, Rich McHardy, founder of The McHardy Collective, and Jody Osman, Chief Growth Officer at Propeller Group. The pair are also known for being the founders of The BD100. 


    The episode explores what differentiates a good business developer from a great one, through the lens of The BD100—a community and annual awards event recognising top-performing business developers. 


    Rich and Jody discuss the evolving nature of business development roles, characteristics of standout professionals, and the significance of creativity, strategy, and personality in sales. 


    Plus hear what advice our guests would give their younger selves and what they’d name a movie about their life, as Amanda tasks them with answering the OnBD quickfire questions.  


    The episode concludes with insights on future trends in business development and information about the upcoming BD100 Awards event at The Drum Labs.


    00:00 Introduction to OnBD with ALF

    00:47 Meet the Guests: Jody Osman and Rich McHardy

    01:18 The BD100: Origins and Purpose

    02:01 The BD100: Nomination and Judging Process

    03:21 Key Traits of Top Business Developers

    04:55 The Importance of Personality in BD

    17:35 Recognising Rising Stars in BD

    20:44 Evolution of Business Development

    22:49 The Expanding Role of Business Developers

    23:58 The Evolution of Business Development

    24:23 Balancing Stress and Support in Business Development

    26:07 The Importance of Research and Personalisation

    27:23 Building and Leveraging Relationships

    28:40 Advice for Aspiring Business Developers

    31:24 Quick Fire Questions: Insights and Reflections

    39:12 Upcoming BD100 Event and Conclusion


    If you want to do business with the UK’s leading brands, request an ALF Insight demo.

    Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    6 March 2025, 12:01 am
  • 49 seconds
    OnBD with ALF - New series coming soon!
    Welcome to ALF Insight’s brand-new series focusing on everything you wanted to know about business development.

    Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    5 March 2025, 10:10 am
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