If you’re a founder or you sit on a board, chances are you’ve heard it: the pitch that promises to reinvent your brand, shake up your sector, and deliver a bold new future. It sounds exciting. After all, who doesn’t want to lead the next wave of innovation? 

But here’s the part no one really says out loud: reinvention carries risk. A lot of it. 

Working both inside agencies and at the boardroom table, I’ve seen the tension from both sides. Agencies thrive on creativity, it's their lifeblood. Their job is to bring energy, bold thinking, and standout ideas. And when they’re pitching, they’re usually competing against other agencies doing the exact same thing. Which means they often look sideways - to peers and trends - rather than deeply into your business reality. 

And that’s where the disconnect is.  

Because when every agency starts with “disruption” or “reinvention,” they’re not always stopping to ask how that feels from the other side. 

For many founders and boards, the idea of throwing everything in the air isn’t just uncomfortable, it’s unworkable. You’re managing risk, stakeholder expectations, funding rounds, operational delivery… and sometimes, just keeping the engine running well is a win in itself.   

And if you’re the Marketing Director, selling in radical change is unlikely to come with the ability to promise results – never mind a solid prediction of ROI. 

Here’s what most companies actually want: 

Fresh thinking, not chaos. 

Innovation, grounded in commercial sense. 

Strategy that builds on what’s there - not scorches the earth and starts again. 

Marketing leaders are open to bold ideas - we got into this industry because we believe in the power of change.  

But market disruption isn’t always possible, and absolute change isn’t always needed. The best work happens when agencies and businesses meet each other where they are - not where a pitch deck says they should be. 

I’ve sat on both sides of the table - pitching big ideas and justifying them to boards. I understand what it takes to unlock growth in a way that’s exciting, but also executable. My job isn’t to sell reinvention. It’s to help businesses move forward - confidently, credibly, and with creativity that actually lands.