Welcome
My name is John Heenan. I work exclusively with Agencies and Marketers. For Agencies, I provide growth services, including business development, positioning and differentiation, and prospecting. For Marketers, I provide agency search services using the latest techniques and technologies faster and more efficiently.
Whatever got you here, you’ve come to the right place. You may not know the best approach, but I bet you want new clients or a better agency. Let’s talk about the best way to get you there. Click on the calendar and start winning again.
What I Do
A few past examples of new clients I’ve helped agencies win as their new business secret weapon.
What Others Say
Don’t take my word for it. Read what nice things others say about working with me.
Newsletter
Subscribe to my free monthly new business newsletter—advice, analysis, how-to’s, resources and more.
What I’m Thinking About
-
Three Things to Consider in 2026
December is that magical time when agency owners swear next year will be different. Fewer fire drills. Better clients. Cleaner pipelines. More sleep. It’s also the season of denial. So let’s skip the eggnog and talk about what actually makes an agency unignorable: more competitive, more attractive, and more trustworthy. Not trends. Not tools. Not
The Business Development Life
-
Are you using AI in New Business
If your answer is some variation of “we’re experimenting,” that time has passed. I treat AI like a Swiss Army knife strapped to my belt. Not a novelty, not a toy, and definitely not a gimmick. It’s eight tools in one, maybe more, and each one shaves a little more time off my plate so
-
The Next Agency Inflection: 2026’s Blueprint for Growth
Forget “business as usual.” The world agencies once dominated is breaking. The Forrester “Predictions 2026“ already gives us a structural map: agencies must become resellers, product‐builders, embedded partners, not just service vendors. Add to that the real voices of agency leaders (from an Ad Age panel: 8 agency leaders divulge the most pressing issues facing
-
Why September Planning Wins
After working with more than 50 agencies of all shapes and sizes, I’ve learned that the key to consistent growth is simple: early planning. And September is the ideal time to take control of your agency’s future. Yes, September. Why? Because it’s the bold approach that sets successful agencies apart. Agencies that take this window
-
Some Agencies Are Winning Now. How About You?
Let’s not sugarcoat it. 2025 is testing every agency leader’s grit. Margins are under pressure. Marketers are in triage mode. Headcounts are leaner. Budgets are delayed. And the RFP pipeline? For many, it’s either stalled or nonexistent. What is the right agency business development strategy in 2025? But let’s get something straight: marketing demand hasn’t
-
The New Ad Agency Search
If you’re an ad agency owner or business development leader, now’s the time to rethink how you’re tracking and engaging in the search process. While legacy consultants hold on to a declining share of rigid RFI/RFP routines, marketers are increasingly opening the door through less formal and often more revealing non-traditional channels. These informal invitations
-
Winmo. The best tool for agency new business
Full transparency, I’m a big Winmo fan and daily user going way back to when they were the List. I blog about it, speak about it, use it every day and brag about my successes. I want to share a few of the reasons that Winmo gives me a huge advantage over all you non-users.