Community edition

Notes from this week's show & tell, introducing the MPG, and our usual curiosity stream and gigs from across the stratosphere.

This week's guest edition from Caitlin Mayance, AI in the Kitchen from Rowan Kisby, and don't forget to join next week's huddle. Happy easter weekend!

Landmark ruling on social media; introducing Tina Thompson, and our usual digest of curiosity and gigs from the community.

Get out of the house more. Upcoming huddles with community members, meet Mani Schlisser, and our usual curiousitystream and gigs.

12 months of sibling with Lucinda Bounsall, National Freelancer Day, slides from our recent huddle, and our usual gigs and curiosity stream.

Reflections from Camp Thrive, this month's huddle, getting ready for MTD, and introducing Nicole Pilcher. Plus #curiositystream and #gigs.

This week's takeover from Mark Brownlee, explores the importance of unlearning and designing how work could be better, and his curated curiosity stream, plus shares from the community and gigs.

It's half-term, and Matthew is away, so Rory Natkiel shares his take on the role of sponsorship, introducing Rachel Campbell, and the usual inspiration and gigs.

New models from Bonsai, introducing Paula Righetti, and our usual curiosity stream and gigs.

Should we be adding randomness, Andrea Lau on good spam, introducing Alessandro Pascoli, and get your OP mugs here. Plus gigs and curiositystream.

Do we need more writers or readers? Alex Morris on Freelance Feedback, introducing Emily Smith, and our usual curiosity stream and gigs.

Where is strategy happening now, Stefan P on not drinking the Kool-aid, introducing Ed Bass, and our usual curiositystream from across the stratosphere.

My goal is more in-person connection this year, because it fuels both innovation and wellbeing. Plus Jody Orsborn Medina from RECESS, our first huddle of the year, and introducing Christopher Haywood.

The new year can also be a time to simply continue to do what you already started.

Our last issue of the Community Newsletter for 2025. Thanks for being here!

Does waiting for the xmas holiday mean we're more exhausted?; further reflections on 2025 from community members; researching diversity in strategy; and our usual #curiositystream and #gigs

Bad news from the holding groups; reflections upon the year from our members; Rob Estreitinho is prioritising influence over control; supporting our friends at NABS; plus gigs and curiosity.

Amy Daroukakis on trends, Amy McNichol on things she's thought a lot about, and Laura Gran on the marketing foundations for curly-hair.

Getting external help to tell our own stories, Simon Knockton on critical questions we can ask ourself, introducing Saima Akram, and our usual Curiosity Stream and Gigs.

Forget brand vs. performance, the real battle is effectiveness vs strategy. Diego Chicharro on the essentialism of effectiveness, and our role in it.

Conversations, Candles, the John Lewis ad (naturally), Zohran wins, and plenty of stuff from across the stratosphere, plus introducing Ed Staples, and our usual gig digest.

Ghosts, breadcrumbs, algorithms - introducing Bizhan Govindji, and our usual curiosity stream and gigs. Woooooooo.

Where do we go to learn from each other, run clubs and culture, introducing Alice Lowdon, and our usual curiosity stream from across the stratosphere.

Independent strategists eating agency margins, creative toolkits, dating strategists, and meet Saliha Khan.

A longer version of the interview from this week's community edition.

It's world mental health day, the semiotic sisterhood, introducing Dionysis Livanis, and our curiosity stream and gigs.

It's time for the Leapers annual mental health and self-employment study - make sure you're taking part. Plus Zenia Duell on depth vs craft, and our usual curiosity stream and gigs.

You looking for a bit of stability for the next few months? Take a look at this if you're London-based and love some media strategy.

Is effective work enough or does good work need something ... more? Plus, we hear about SheSays' Night School, updates on upcoming huddles, introducing Nye Jones, and our usual stuff.

Challenging times demand for more things to be challenged, Sarah Housley on designing hopeful futures, and our usual curiousity stream and gigs from across the community.

What's the market like right now, Willem van der Horst on playing outdoors, and the regular curiosity stream and gigs.

Tackling the issue of late payments, Mike Plunkett on overstories, register for our Show&Tell, come say hello at the Effies - and our usual curiosity stream and gigs.

Our goal to showcase strategists from across the community, ITV's cultural influence, meet Tea Maffei, and the usual gigs and curiosity stream from across the stratosphere.

Oops. We're late. Why? Because school holidays, freelancing and personal projects don't mix effectively. Maybe we should forget the concept of schedules entirely?

This week's takeover by Stephanie Ressort, independent strategist, writer and one of the founding members of the Outside Perspective.

This week's takeover by Joel Stein, Chief Weird Officer @ Common Miracles.

The rebel alliance, a love letter to staying small, thinking from across the stratosphere, gigs from this week, and hello to Sally Skinner.

There's a role at KHWS.

Support for redundancy, Joe Burns on strategy, insight and inspiration from our friends, and our weekly gigs from brands including Tribal and Pepsico.

Opening the doors to those facing redundancy, coworking in London, backlash towards creators, killer slides for comms strats, and introducing Giles Calver.

Lucy Barbor on voices that don't normally get platformed, LinkedIn taking down our friends posts, meet outsider Su Luo, and Happy Independents Day.

Kathryn Ellis on the diversity gaps in strategy; last week's huddle on productisation and next week's huddle on AI, plus thinking from Lucinda Bounsell, Joe Burns, Eliza Easton, and Lea Abud.

I'm not sipping rose, but I am drinking my electrolytes. Perhaps I'm just getting old?

Should we have an opinion, community takeover from Dubose Cole, June's Huddle on productisation, and this week's curiosity stream and gigs.

Have a break. Have a {branded value proposition}.

Getting bored of the 'broken agency' narrative, 10 years of planner pints, past and future huddles, introducing Jo Kerr, and our usual Curiosity Stream and Gigs Digest.

I'm getting old.

Are we chasing the wrong thing?

Is this valuable? Am I valuable? OMG. Existential crisis ahoy.

Working on the wrong problem.

Oops. I broke me.

Learning to be strategic.

Should we all be doing more than thinking?

This you?

So very tired.

Is "strategy" a dirty word right now?

What is senior, really?

$5k for $5bn?

What do you do when you don't feel good enough?

This you?

What's the shortest possible amount of time?

This you?

Do our brains ever get to take a break?

Are you London-based, and have experience in consumer tech, digitally savvy, and have availability from next week for 1-3 months?

What's been happening in the community this week.

Roles we've found and shared via the community for w/c February 10, 2025.

Are you available tomorrow for a couple of weeks?

A little explainer as to why we're moving from one platform to another.

For w/c February 3rd, 2025.

A community and platform for independent strategists.