Intrepid early-career agency talent braved a tube strike and thoroughly miserable weather to make it to the latest Oystercatchers X-Series on Thursday 5th June – they were rewarded with a conversation that was well worth the journey.

The topic was one close to many hearts: how to build a meaningful, fulfilling and long-lasting career in new business. Oystercatchers Managing Director, Becky McKinlay, was joined by three of the UK’s most respected names in the agency growth world: Richard McHardy, co-ounder of The McHardy Collective and The BD100; Sam Jones, New Business & Marketing Director at Joint and The BD100’s Business Developer of the Year; and Lucy Mart, Chief Growth Officer and Co-MD at PrettyGreen, whose team took home The BD100’s Winning Team of the Year.

What followed was an honest conversation about the realities of a career in new business – the highs, the hard parts, and what it really takes to thrive.

New business is unlike any other role. And that’s the point
Richard opened with a line that summed it up perfectly. The ideal new business professional, he suggested, is somewhere between Jason Bourne, Miss Marple and Yoda. Part instinct, part investigator, part wise counsel. Great new business leaders also require an unusually broad range of skills – curiosity, resilience, relationship-building, strategic thinking and creativity under pressure.

The role can also, as the panel acknowledged openly, be a lonely job. You’re often working in isolation, carrying the weight of opportunities that may or may not come off, in a role that isn’t always well understood by the wider agency.

That’s partly why The BD100 exists, Richard explained — not just as a league table, but as a community. A place that shines a light on the profession, celebrates the people in it, and gives them a moment to look back and feel proud of what they’ve built.

Know your role and own it
One of the most practical contributions of the evening came from Lucy, who shared how PrettyGreen has named and defined the roles within their growth team — not by job title, but by function and personality.

Lucy is the Firestarter — the leader who sets direction and ignites energy. Then there is the Hunter, focused on building early-stage relationships. Another is the Convertor, who runs the pitches. There is also the Marketing Amplifier and Protector who safeguards the brand and its identity throughout the process.

Everyone knows what they’re there to do. And that clarity, Lucy argued, is transformative — both for performance and for morale. When people understand the specific value they bring, they show up differently.

Sam added that in a new business role, you are rarely the most creative person in the room. Instead, you are the curator. Your job is to put the right team in front of the client, make them the stars of the show, and trust that your value lies in the making of the room — not in being the loudest voice in it.

Richard added that not everyone will have a new business mentality, and that’s fine. But skilled relationship builders exist throughout every agency. The job of a growth leader is to find the people who get it — and align with them.

Visibility is not optional
The panel were unanimous on one point: if you want to build a career in new business, you have to be seen. Inside your agency, yes — but outside it too.

Lucy’s advice was direct: be a sponge. Make new contacts. Embrace the cringe and start posting on LinkedIn. Go to events. Keep in touch with people. Make new friends. The people who build strong careers in this field are the ones who consistently show up, stay curious and invest in relationships long before they need them.

It may sound counterproductive but the panel noted that those early in the career may not always benefit from connecting with the most senior person in the room. As Sam noted, it it important to invest time in peer-level relationships early. The junior client contact today is the CMO in ten years. Build those connections now.

What they’d tell their younger selves
The session closed with advice the audience could take away that evening.

Richard: Really think carefully about the people you work for and get your priorities straight early. Work/life balance matters more than you think.
Lucy: Don’t wait. Jump in with two feet. Learn what you want and what you don’t want. Take every opportunity and never doubt your ability.
Sam: Invest in relationships at your own level, not just above you. Don’t always chase the CMO. The relationships you build now, with your peers, will be the ones that matter most later.

The Oystercatchers X-Series is designed for emerging agency talent with two to five years’ experience, and is open to Oystercatcher Club member agencies. If you’d like to find out more about joining the Club, get in touch at club@theoystercatchers.com.