Growth Audit & Roadmap

Margins are flat or shrinking, growth is stalling and the team is stretched. Delivery feels reactive and behind the scenes, things aren’t as clear or consistent as they should be. You’re keeping things moving, but it’s taking more energy than it should.

Without the space to step back, it’s hard to see what’s really getting in the way - let alone how to fix it.

The Growth Audit and Roadmap gives you the clarity, direction and structure you’ve been missing. It’s a practical, agency-specific review of your operations, people, finances and workflow designed to uncover inefficiencies, recover margin and build the foundations you need to scale sustainably.

Alongside operational best practice, you’ll get clear opportunities where automation and AI can free capacity, reduce waste and make your team’s day-to-day work feel lighter. And if you want support putting the plan into action, I can stay involved to help your team embed change without disrupting delivery.

What you’ll gain

• A clear, honest view of where profit is being lost and how to recover it
• Confidence to scale in a measured, sustainable way
• A roadmap tailored to your agency rather than a generic template
• Practical next steps to increase margin, streamline delivery and maximise value
• Opportunities to use automation and AI to save time, reduce costs and ease workload
• More space to lead rather than firefight
• Optional implementation support so progress doesn’t stall

Why this audit works

This isn’t a surface-level review. It’s a targeted operational deep-dive built specifically for creative agencies.

With more than 25 years in the industry, I understand what healthy, scalable agencies look like - and the structural barriers that quietly erode margins, morale and momentum. I cut through the noise and pinpoint what’s holding you back, where money and time are being lost and which changes will make the biggest difference.

Every agency is different, so the roadmap flexes to your priorities. For some, it’s simplifying workflow and reducing resourcing inefficiency. For others, it’s strengthening financial oversight, developing leadership accountability or embedding automation to release hidden margin. Whatever your goals, you’ll leave with a clear, actionable plan you can use immediately.

What the audit covers

The Growth Audit and Roadmap explores four core pillars that shape performance and profitability. Each area is reviewed in depth to give you a structured view of what’s working, what isn’t and where to focus next.

Performance

• Clear goal-setting and effective measurement
• Strong alignment across teams and accountability
• Consistent outcomes delivered through efficient ways of working

Profit

• ‍Revenue, pricing and commercial structure
• Project profitability and resourcing
• Identification of margin leaks and commercial inefficiencies

People‍

• Team structure and capability
• Role clarity, onboarding and development
• Leadership behaviours and succession planning

Process

• How work moves through the agency end to end
• Identifying inefficiencies, overlaps and blockers
• Automation and AI opportunities that improve efficiency

How the audit works

1. Discovery

• Get clarity on what’s working, what’s not and what’s getting in the way
• Understand how your agency really operates day-to-day

2. Evaluation

• Structured assessment across the four pillars
• Identification of strengths, barriers and margin leaks

‍3. Roadmap

• Tailored report with barriers, quick wins and strategic priorities
• Clear automation opportunities and the actions that will drive the biggest impact

4. Implementation Support

• Optional guidance through Ops on Demand, fractional operations or retained support
• Change embedded without overwhelming internal teams

Who this audit is for

Designed for Founders, CEOs, MDs, Finance Directors and Ops Leaders who:

• Are growing but profit isn’t keeping up
• Need clearer visibility and control over financial performance
• Feel stretched across delivery, hiring and decision-making
• Suspect internal complexity is slowing them down
• Want stronger commercial discipline and better margin protection
• Are preparing for exit and want clean, scalable systems

‍‍Why work with me

I’ve helped creative agencies increase margins by 5-10% by focusing on the operational changes that genuinely make a difference.

With more than 25 years of experience, I’ve scaled agency operations to 50 million dollars in revenue, leading to a successful WPP acquisition. I understand the balance between creative excellence and operational discipline - and how to build an agency that’s both commercially strong and enjoyable to run.

I also bring deep experience in automation and AI for agencies, helping teams reduce manual work, increase accuracy and protect margin. You’ll get tailored recommendations based on what actually works rather than a one-size-fits-all report.

What clients say

“Manish was brought on board to help us scale, and he quickly got to the heart of our challenges.

He implemented a thorough agency audit, making the time to speak to every employee, and involving all key stakeholders, which was completed in weeks (not months).

This process in itself generated a positive buzz amongst the agency, thanks to his unique friendly, inclusive, business-therapist style.

The resulting recommendations and actions have immediately improved not just our operations and profit margin, but our company culture too.

We couldn’t recommend him more highly - but would prefer to keep him a secret for ourselves.”

Daniel Glover - Co-founder at The Academy

Frequently asked questions

What is a creative agency audit
It’s a structured review of your operations, people, finances and workflow to identify inefficiencies, margin leaks and barriers to growth. The output is a practical roadmap with clear recommendations and next steps.

‍How long does the audit take
Most audits are completed within a few weeks depending on the size of your agency and access to stakeholders.

‍Do you speak to the team as part of the audit
Yes. Speaking directly to the people delivering the work gives a far clearer view of how the agency really operates.

‍Is this the same as a financial audit
No. This is an operational audit focused on performance, profitability, workflow and team structure. It complements financial audits but serves a different purpose.

‍Do you help with implementation
Yes. Implementation support is optional, but many agencies find it essential for meaningful, lasting change.

Will automation and AI be included
Where automation or AI can meaningfully improve efficiency, accuracy or margin, it will be included with clear, practical recommendations.

Book a free growth strategy call

If you’re not sure whether the Growth Audit and Roadmap is the right fit, let’s talk.

In a focused 30-minute call we’ll look at:

• What’s happening in your agency right now
• Where support could create the most impact
• Whether the audit is the right next step

No pressure and no sales pitch - just honest advice and a fresh perspective. Even if you decide not to move forward, you’ll leave with actionable insight.

Schedule your free call here