Jordan Warren Launches Agency C-Suite
Veteran agency founder and longtime champion of the independent agency world Jordan Warren has launched Agency C-Suite, a specialised fractional executive consultancy designed to provide start-ups and emerging independent agencies with senior-level leadership they typically cannot access, or afford, full time.
Jordan, who has spent more than 25 years founding and scaling independent agencies, developed Agency C-Suite in response to a rapidly shifting industry landscape. As consolidation, layoffs and executive churn reshape the talent market, many seasoned leaders are considering launching their own shops. At the same time, early-stage independents are facing increased pressure to mature their operational, financial and business development functions without assuming the cost of full-time C-suite hires.
“Independent agencies are entering a new chapter,” said Jordan, founder of Agency C-Suite and Fractional CEO. “The industry is filled with brilliant creatives and strategists who want to build something of their own, but they’re being asked to make major business decisions without the experience, mentorship or infrastructure they need. Fractional leadership gives them a way to compete, scale and avoid the mistakes that often derail new agencies in their first few years.”
A New Model for Modern Agency Building
In addition to Warren advising agency founders as a Fractional CEO, Agency C-Suite has assembled a team of fractional experts with extensive agency experience in areas like finance, legal, recruiting, HR, new business, marketing, PR, operations, IT and mergers and acquisitions tailored specifically for creative agencies. The offering covers:
- Company formation, partnership alignment and business planning
- Positioning, branding and go-to-market strategy
- New business strategy and growth planning
- Financial modeling, pricing and scoping
- Client satisfaction, contracts and procurement negotiation
- Talent strategy, organisation design, recruiting and employee engagement
- Long-term strategic and exit planning
Jordan's model is based on the lessons he learned starting and building three successful independent agencies over the past two decades: Eleven, founded in 1999 as one of the first integrated shops built to meet the breakneck demands of the dot-com era; Argonaut, launched in 2012 to fuse Silicon Valley’s emerging technology culture with brand storytelling, and TBD Advertising, founded in 2017 as a purpose-first agency well before “purpose-led” became an industry norm. His client experience has ranged from start-ups at the time like Shutterfly and Fitbit, to major global brands like Apple, AT&T, Google, Nike and VW.
A Proven Partner to Indie Founders
Jordan has served as an advisor to several emerging shops, including Adolescent Content and Hogwash Studios. His work spans business planning, agency positioning and marketing, business development strategy, proposal development (scoping, pricing, negotiation), client relations, operational excellence, financial planning and management, organisation and growth planning, and hands-on leadership coaching and development.
“Jordan has been a trusted advisor for Adolescent Content and has helped us grow into a full-service advertising agency,” said Ramaa Mosley, founder and chief creative officer of Adolescent Content. “We brought the vision and the creative, and he brought the business strategy, planning, new-business expertise, and operational rigor that were essential to our growth. His influence has been transformational for our team.”
Meeting a Market Moment
The launch comes at a time when many senior leaders are reevaluating their careers and a new wave of agency formation is expected. Simultaneously, leaner independent shops are being asked to compete at the level of holding companies without the internal infrastructure or senior-level experience those competitors take for granted.
“There has never been more opportunity for independent agencies,” Jordan added. “But opportunity only becomes success when the right leadership is in place. Agency C-Suite exists to give founders the guidance, stability, and strategic depth they need from day one.”
