Trying to decide which agency conferences to attend in 2025? Here’s my 9th annual roundup, including virtual, in-person, and hybrid events. [Last updated: December 2024]
My curated recommendations include 20+ events to consider—in chronological order—with a focus on U.S. and virtual events. I’ve noted events where I have experience as a speaker or attendee.
Know any agency conferences that should be on this list? Let me know; I’ll continue to update this throughout 2025. They’re listed in chronological order, based on confirmed (or likely) timing. Some are still “to be announced” or “to be determined” (TBD).
Want to pitch events as a speaker? Check out my book on speaking for agency lead-gen. But plan ahead—events typically recruit speakers several months to a year in advance.
Pipeline Kickstarter
January 9-10, 2025 in Atlanta
David C. Baker is repeating his new 2024 event in 2025, with assistance from Max Traylor:
Okay, 2024 hasn’t shaped up exactly like you were hoping it would. You could hire those Punctuation folks to work with you individually in a New Business Audit for $18k, but you need quicker and cheaper answers. Plus, you want to do it with peers.
And:
Join us for a pop-up seminar, then, and explore the same three things: positioning, service offering design, and lead gen. You may very well get everything you need to make 2025 kick ass. If you need some individualized help, you can tack on some individual help, after the event, where we’ll apply this specifically to you. But only if you need it.
Here’s more about the 2025 event; I’ve recommended it to several of my clients.
Win Without Pitching Workshop
January 13-16, 2025 (virtually)
Want to charge more? You should be following agency bizdev expert Blair Enns of Win Without Pitching (WWP).
His two-day workshop (offered just a few times a year) focuses on changing your sales process (and your mindset) to go from low-priced vendor to high-priced partner. The live virtual event is limited to 20 attendees.
In 2024, the workshop took place five times. Each program was virtual, and runs for four days (three hours each day, from 8-11am PT), plus an earlier orientation session. In 2024, sessions were in mid-January, late March, early June, mid-September, and early November.
The workshop’s not cheap, but you’ll likely see a strong positive ROI from the ticket price. As I shared about his Pricing Creativity book: “Blair’s advice on value-based pricing will make your agency six or seven figures if you dare to apply it.” I like that his approach combines what to do with helping you feel more confident about applying the advice.
As of early November 2024, the next event will be January 13-16, 2025.
Agency New Business Virtual Conference
February 24-28, 2025 (virtually)
This virtual conference on agency new business is from RSW/US. The previous event ran February 5-9, 2024—focused on business development.
According to RSW/US, the 2025 event will run February 24-28 from 12:00-1:30pm EST each day. Previous speakers included agency search consultants, marketing clients, agencies, and RSW/US team members.
I like the “90 minutes a day” format; it’s straightforward to fit into your schedule.
Agency Rainmaker Forum
February 28 to March 1, 2025 in La Jolla, CA
Organized by Henry DeVries of Indie Books International, this annual event focuses on growth at agencies with 0 to 200 employees. From the event website, topics include to how:
- Create an extreme sliver of rainmaking focus
- Fill your pipeline with right-fit prospects
- Position yourself as an authority for your niche
- Build relationships to amplify your work
I’m speaking in 2025, on “Say ‘No’ to Clients… Without Losing the Sale.” Other speakers include Corey Morris, Mark LeBlanc, and Pamela Slim. The event is near the beach in La Jolla, 20 minutes from the San Diego airport.
Tickets are normally $500, but you can save $100 if you use promo code EARLYBIRD through January 17th. The event is capped at 80 people, to create more networking opportunities.
All-In Agency Summit
TBD in 2025 (virtually)
Organized by leadership coach and former agency owner Chris DuBois of The Dynamic Agency OS, this live virtual agency summit focuses on agency growth.
I spoke at the fall 2023 and early 2024 events but had a conflict for the latest event in October 2024. Keep an eye on the event website for the latest 2025 info.
Traffic & Conversion Summit (T&C)
CANCELLED
In November 2024, Clarion Events announced that they had cancelled the 2025 event (originally scheduled for March 11-13, 2025 in Las Vegas):
“Why? Because the promise that Traffic & Conversion Summit made to you is that we would deliver a high-quality event that would help you achieve your business goals. And at this point in time, we no longer believe we can deliver on that promise.”
Previous speakers at Traffic & Conversion Summit included Magic Johnson, Martha Stewart, and Marie Forleo. I spoke in the previous “Agencies Only” track in December 2020, on how to fix “profit leaks” at your agency.
In late March 2023, T&C announced the 2023 event was moving to January 9-11, 2024. They were also shifting the venue from San Diego to Las Vegas. I was glad to see they brought back the “Agencies Only” track for 2024, and they planned to expand it in 2025… until they cancelled the event altogether.
Agency Builders Retreat
March 26-28, 2025 in St. Augustine, Florida
Organized by agency owner and community builder Jay Owen, this is the fourth annual edition of the Agency Builders Retreat.
The program runs through the Agency Builders community. The 2024 event website notes:
“We believe there’s more power in community and collaboration than competition. That’s why we’re taking our decades of agency experience and building an event (and community) that helps you build a business without being stressed out, worn out, and ready to quit. Together, we can do so much more.“
Speakers in 2024 included: Brandon West, Cassie Shea, Clay Vaughan, James Kwon, Jay Owen, Jody Grunden, Rob Harr, and Tyler Pigott. I haven’t attended or spoken at the event before, but I first connected with Jay in ~2017. Keep an eye on the website for the latest information.
PRSA Counselors Academy
March 31 to April 2, 2025 in Charleston, SC
This annual conference by the Public Relations Society of America (PRSA) focuses on C-suite issues, case studies, and research that leads growth. The conference draws primarily from PR and communications agency owners. I spoke at the 2016 event in Puerto Rico.
As of late September 2024, the next event will be March 31 to April 2, 2025, in Charleston, SC. They are accepting speaker submissions, but note “conference planners cannot accommodate requests or preferences for certain days or time slots.”
Content Jam
April 22, 2025 in Chicago
This long-running event by Andy Crestodina features national-level speakers (e.g., Ann Handley, Gini Dietrich, and Joanna Wiebe) while providing the intimacy of a regional conference.
Compared to conferences with thousands of guests, think of it as “big names in a smaller setting.” The 2023 speaker lineup included Andy Crestodina, Chrisopher Penn, Jay Baer, and Joanna Wiebe. The event ran October 19, 2023, at the University of Chicago’s downtown riverside Gleacher Center.
Content Jam is getting a new season! We’re moving Content Jam to the spring of 2025. Stay tuned for updates on the date. In the meantime, Orbit is still hosting webinars with the same amazing speakers and sharing insights into content strategy, promotion, conversions, analytics and AI.
As of late October 2024, the next event will be April 22, 2025 in Chicago.
AgencyCon
April 24-25, 2025 in Centennial, Colorado
This third-time agency event is a spinoff from the long-running SearchCon conference in the Denver area. Content is targeted to owners of digital agencies—topics like finances, leadership, automation, lead-gen, and more.
I keynoted the first two events in 2018 and 2019. I like that AgencyCon’s size provides great networking.
As of mid-December 2024, the next event will be April 24-25, 2025 in Centennial, Colorado, in the Denver metro area. You can register here.
Mirren Live
May 6-7, 2025 in New York and virtually
Mirren Live focuses on agency growth. Topics include aligning agency and client incentives, the latest tools to run your agency, how to turn your website into an active lead-gen tool, and agency pitch demonstrations.
As of September 2024, the event will run May 6-7, 2025 in New York and virtually. The previous program noted: “Back in New York for 2024, 60 industry innovators in 30 sessions will share how they’re innovating to future-proof their shops and generate new revenue growth.”
Here’s the 2024 speaker lineup; I like that the event features a mix of agency leaders and client-side execs.
Build a Better Agency Summit
May 19-21, 2025 in Denver
This fourth annual Agency Management Institute (AMI) event is from long-time agency owner and consultant Drew McLellan. In 2024, the BABA Summit moved from Chicago to Denver. The 2024 agenda and speaker lineup went live in January 2024.
In 2024, speakers included: Susan Baier, Robin Boehler, Steve Boehler, Melissa Breker, Michael Brenner, Casey Brown, Vicky Brown, Jenny Magic, Juliana Marulanda, Lee McKnight Jr., Drew McLellan, Danyel Newcom McLellan, Casey Meehan, J. Mark Riggs, Jeff Salzenstein, Pamela Slim, Mark Sneider, and Sharon Toerek.
As of mid-October 2024, the next event will be May 19-21, 2025 in Denver.
Ecommerce Agency Summit
TBD in 2025
This event by ecommerce agency consultant Rachel Jacobs focuses on growth. The description for early 2024 noted:
“Ecommerce Agency Summit is the only industry conference dedicated exclusively to ecommerce agencies – truly a one-of-a-kind in the industry. For those who attended last years summit in Toronto, whatever I put in writing wouldn’t be able to capture how awesome the event was.”
Speakers in early 2024 included: Rachel Jacobs, Peter Kang, Marcel Petitpas, Eric McElvenny, and more. A followup edition ran in Valencia, Spain, over September 24-25, 2024.
4A’s Management Practitioners’ Forum (MPF)
June 4-5, 2025 in Austin
This members-only agency management conference is hosted by the American Association of Advertising Agencies (4A’s). The previous event was June 5-6, 2024 in Chicago.
The 2024 theme was “Leading Through Continued Disruption.” Past themes have included: creating inclusive work and cultures, pitching and new business in the virtual era, the future of work, building your agency for growth, and how agencies punch above their weight. The speaker lineup typically includes both agencies and brands.
As of early December, 4A’s shared that the 2025 event will be June 4-5, 2025, in Austin, Texas.
Ad Age Small Agency Conference & Awards
TBD in 2025
This annual Ad Age event is designed for small- to mid-size agencies (up to 150 people). The previous event was July 23-24, 2024, in Boston.
Past speakers included agency and brand-side people from 4A’s, Coca-Cola, Hanson Dodge, NBA, Ocean Spray, The Variable, Via, WPP, and more. In mid-April, Ad Age announced the 15-member judging panel:
“This all-star judges lineup for 2024 includes Suzanne Barbosa, partner, managing director, Atlantic New York; Scott Bell, chief creative officer at Droga5; Dhaval Bhatt, co-founder and chief creative officer, Courage; Frank Cartagena, U.S. CEO, MullenLowe; Gati Desai Curtis, president, Elite Media; Tara DeVeaux, CEO, Burrell Communications; Christy Hiler, president and owner, Cornett; Jay Kamath, founder, chief creative officer, Haymaker; Flor Leibaschoff, chief creative officer, BeautifulBeast; Marissa Nance, founder and CEO, Native Tongue Communications; Gordy Sang, co-founder and co-chief creative officer, Quality Meats; Ciro Sarmiento, chief creative officer, Colle McVoy; Kendra Schaaf, founder, Schaaf; Kwame Taylor-Hayford, creative executive and co-founder, Kin; and Ari Weiss, founder and creative chairman, Quality Experience.”
Here’s the 2024 speaker lineup:
“This year’s keynote is Bonnie Wan, partner and head of brand strategy at Goodby, Silverstein & Partners and author of “The Life Brief: A Playbook for No-Regrets Living.” Other speakers include Lindsey Slaby, founder of consultancy Sunday Dinner; Pete Carter, founder of Creative Haystack; influencer marketing strategist Lindsey Gamble; Kristin Lane, VP head of consumer activation and engagement, MassMutual; Marian Leitner-Waldman, founder and CEO of Archer Roose Wines; and Michael Sugar, principal at Sugar23.”
Want to apply for an award? As of December 2024, Ad Age shared: “Entries open Feb. 11, 2025; the final deadline is April 16, 2025.”
As of early December 2024, further details for 2025 were TBD.
AI & Your Agency
August 18-19, 2025 in San Francisco
This workshop-style event from the Bureau of Digital focuses on how to apply generative AI at your agency. The October 2023 description noted:
“Feeling like you’ve missed the AI train? Good news! You haven’t. AI & Your Agency is your chance to get smarter on AI fast and plot your shop’s course to a better tomorrow. Both in how you run your company and how you create your products and services. You’ll leave the event with a plan to accelerate your AI adoption, automate admin tasks, amplify your thought leadership, eliminate tedious work, train your staff, deploy AI-enabled workflows, write code and develop content faster all the while enhancing your strategic thinking.”
In 2023, speakers and facilitators included: Britney Muller, JP Holecka, Mike King, and Wil Reynolds. I attended the 2023 event; it was excellent… and I took lots of notes. The next two-day in-person workshop was in Atlanta over March 4-5, 2024; I recommended it to several clients.
As of November 2024, the next event will be August 18-19, 2025 in San Francisco. I’ve volunteered as the event Champion, to help spread the word—and I’ll be attending in person. Interested? Pay a $100 refundable deposit, to reserve your spot.
Leading Your Firm’s Growth With Account Management
TBD for 2025
Focused on agency growth through account management, Punctuation offers this ongoing event in-person. In 2024, presenters included agency expert David C. Baker, operations expert Jack Skeels, and account management expert Jenny Plant. The 2024 description noted:
We have further focused and expanded our popular Account Management seminar this year, adding content and bringing in experts Jenny Plant and Jack Skeels as speakers. The result is an intensive two-day crash course on all things account management. Those just starting to explore the subject and those who have been steeped in it will both benefit greatly.
This seminar is designed for the account management team and the project management team that works alongside them. Strong client and project management is no substitute for great work, but it is key to the success of growing client relationships, and therefore growing a successful practice.
This should be a good event; a past attendee noted:
“I went to the seminar with the goal of being able to find where the line is between AM and PM role. What I got out of it was so much more! Most importantly I realized exactly how much money we’re leaving on the table by not continually engaging our clients and actively building those relationships.”
As of early December 2024, public details for 2025 were TBD.
INBOUND
September 3-5, 2025 in San Francisco
HubSpot’s signature event has evolved a lot over the years, including a move to virtual during COVID and then a hybrid approach. For 2025, the event moves west by 2,700 miles—from Boston to San Francisco, at the Moscone Center.
Past keynotes have included Oprah Winfrey, Spike Lee, Adam Grant, Beth Comstock, Brené Brown, Ed Catmull, Michelle Obama, and Shonda Rimes. I spoke at INBOUND in 2015, 2017, 2018, 2020, and 2021—on topics ranging from scaling your agency, to creating a “fast fail” sales process, to keeping your best clients happy.
The location change is a big deal—INBOUND has always been in Boston. But 2025 brings the event back to the week of Labor Day. Here’s the 2024 agenda.
Content Marketing World (CMW)
September 15-17, 2025 in San Diego
The annual Content Marketing World Conference & Expo (CMW) includes learning and networking with content marketing industry leaders. In a big move in 2023, the conference shifted from Cleveland to Washington, D.C. Then, off to San Diego in 2024.
They accepted 2024 speaker applications until April 12, 2024. The previous event was October 21-23, 2024 in San Diego—and it’s back for September 15-17, 2025.
Agencynomics Big Event
TBD in London
In October 2023, Agencynomics ran “The Big Event” in London on “Back to the Basics.” They expected more than 200 agency founders and leaders. The next ran on September 18, 2024 in London, around “Overcoming Agency Myths”:
“Join us and 200 other agency owners on September 18th, at the Ham Yard Hotel in London. In an era flooded with information, distinguishing fact from fiction is more challenging than ever. This year, we’re dedicated to Overcoming Agency Myths—the misconceptions that hold us back. Our speakers and panellists will engage in vital discussions, debunking these myths and setting the record straight.”
As of early December 2024, details on 2025 were TBD. In the meantime, you can see 2024 event info here.
Agency Hackers Ibiza Super Summit
September 24-25, 2025 in Ibiza, Spain
This is the third Ibiza-based event from the Agency Hackers community. Targeting 400 people in 2025, they note:
You’ll work on your business and work on your tan. During the day you’ll get inspired 💡 to grow your business, and during the evenings you’ll make new friendships ❤️ that will last a lifetime.
I like that Agency Hackers head Ian Harris published a debrief from the 2024 event. It sounds like the first two events were a good mix of business and not-business.
As of late October 2024, Agency Hackers plans to announce the marquee speaker in February 2025. In the meantime, keep an eye on the website.
Digital Mastermind Group (DMG): Annual Summit
TBD for 2025
Hosted by the Digital Mastermind Group (DMG), this multi-day agency conference features a mix of expert speakers, in-depth roundtable discussions among agency owners, BarCamp sessions with quick tips, and networking. It’s open to agency owners and executives, and capped at 40 attendees.
The previous event was September 23-24, 2024, in Clearwater, Florida. Here’s the agenda; speakers included:
- Build a Better Sales Program – Ali Mirza
- Your Agency on AI – Mike Filsaime
I was the keynote speaker at the October 2021 event near Las Vegas, where I shared my advice to help agency owners “Work Less, Earn More.” It’s a nice group; they’ve found the right balance on learning, networking, and sharing.
As of early December 2024, details for 2025 were TBD.
Advertising Week New York
TBD in New York
This week-long fall event features seminars and workshops on topics like storytelling through different mediums, creating connections in the industry, what brands want, and influencer stories and lessons. The New York events are part of an international network that reports reaching ~100,000 people.
The previous event ran October 7-10, 2024.
Mirren AI & Tech Summit
TBD for 2025
Historically, the Mirren CEO Summit focused on agency CEOs and their top lieutenants. For 2024, the event became the Mirren AI & Tech Summit, running October 9-10, 2024. The description noted:
“Get your agency out ahead of the coming AI transformation. Over 2 jam-packed days, 30+ agency leaders and innovators will outline how to put AI and new tech to work at your agency – across day-to-day client management, strategic development, creative development, new business, and back-end operations. Leave this Summit with far more possibilities to put AI to work at your agency.”
As of early November 2024, the 2025 details were TBD—so keep an eye on the website.
AIGA Design Conference
October 9-11, 2025 in Los Angeles
After a virtual 2024 AIGA Design Conference (October 10-12), the 2025 event is back in-person—in LA. The 2024 theme was “Margins“:
Get ready to redefine the boundaries of creativity at the 2024 AIGA Design Conference! Join us for a groundbreaking virtual experience that pushes the boundaries of what a design conference can be. This year, we’re embracing our theme, “Margins,” and exploring the uncharted territories of design.
For more on the 2024 “Margins” theme, see the current season of the AIGA Design Podcast by Lee-Sean Huang. Looking ahead, the 2025 theme will be “Performance.”
Digital PM Summit
TBD for 2025
This long-running digital PM conference is hosted by the Bureau of Digital. If you have PMs, they should go there… and ideally have already pitched you on going. (It’s a sign they’re not a “reluctant PM.”)
I spoke at the 2024 event in Austin, on: “Say ‘No’ to Clients, Without Getting Fired.” I previously spoke at DPM Summit in Austin in 2014, and my colleague Kate attended virtually in 2022 and 2023.
Here’s the 2024 info for Austin. Speakers included: host Patrice Embry, Sara Doubleday, Dave Prior, Kayla Keizer, founder Brett Harned, Val Hinze, Galen Low, Karl Sakas, Reese Schmit, and Zach Stone.
As of early November 2024, details for 2025 were TBD.
Blueprint for Success
TBD virtually in 2025
Steve Guberman at Outsight Consulting launched the 2025 Blueprint for Success program in late 2024, to prepare agencies for the new year. He noted:
“Without the right structure and support, 2025 might feel like another year of missed opportunities, stagnant growth, and constant stress. Don’t let another year go by without taking charge of your agency’s future.”
The eight-week program ran October 16 to December 11, 2024, with guest presenters each week.
As of early November 2024, the 2025 details (for 2026) were TBD—so keep an eye on the website.
MYOB Conference: Mind Your Own Business
TBD in Atlanta
Agency expert David C. Baker re-launched his MYOB Conference (aka “Mind Your Own Business”) for 2022. I facilitated Breakfast Roundtables in 2022 (“Managing Humans vs. Managing Robots”) and 2023 (“Finding Your Ideal Right-Hand Person”).
In 2024, I was scheduled to do a breakout talk on How to Stop Scope Creep… but was sick, and couldn’t make it. The full 2024 speaker lineup (for October 21-23) was: Brad Farris, Chris Handy, Dave Currie, David C. Baker, Gustavo Razzetti, Ian Chisholm, Jen Becker, Jonathan Baker, Lindsey Slaby, Marcel Petitpas, Nikole Mackenzie, Susan Baier, and Tim Thompson.
From my own experience, you can expect great content and great networking. For further information, visit the conference website—and then book your hotel. See you in Atlanta!
4A’s ANGLES Conference
TBD in April 2026
This biennial event from 4A’s is for agency communicators. Here’s the 2024 agenda and speaker lineup; the event page noted:
“Join us at ANGLES 2024 to explore the art and science of strategic communication, emerging technologies and the evolving dynamics between journalism and PR. The conference will highlight the role of comms in business growth and uncover approaches to influencing agency profitability whether it’s through generating leads, managing and elevating brand reputation or cultivating influential partnerships across trades and the multimedia landscape to tell nuanced, masterfully crafted stories.”
I attended in New York on December 2, 2024. Here’s my initial recap from the 2024 event, including photos from the sessions.
As of early December 2024, the next event will be in April 2026. Keep an eye on the 4A’s events page.
Pick the Right Agency Conferences
Conferences can be great, but they can also be a time-suck—even if they’re fully or mostly online. Read my article on how to get more out of your next conference, including things you need to do before, during, and after the event. And if you’re thinking of organizing your own lead-gen event, see my 47 tips.
QUESTION: Which agency conferences are you planning to attend in 2025?
Note: This post was originally published October 24, 2024. We’re updating it regularly with the latest event info (currently: as of December 20, 2024).
