# Boathouse's CEO: Going back to basics – John Connors

Page: https://stenobird.com/podcast/the-immortal-life-of-agencies-6797269/boathouse-s-ceo-going-back-to-basics-john-connors
Text version: https://stenobird.com/podcast/the-immortal-life-of-agencies-6797269/boathouse-s-ceo-going-back-to-basics-john-connors.md
Podcast: [The Immortal Life of Agencies](https://stenobird.com/podcast/the-immortal-life-of-agencies-6797269)
Published: 2026-06-30T03:00:00+00:00
Episode link: https://the-immortal-life-of-ag.captivate.fm
Audio file: https://episodes.captivate.fm/episode/8d2c5209-591a-454a-9a22-924ed8ca458d.mp3
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JSON: https://stenobird.com/v1/public/podcasts/the-immortal-life-of-agencies-6797269/episodes/boathouse-s-ceo-going-back-to-basics-john-connors
Duration seconds: 2654

## Resource

Today’s guest is John Connors, CEO of the Boston-based, full-service agency, Boathouse. John argues that agencies have become too transactional, weakening client relationships as well as their impact on business outcomes. So he’s built a client-centric culture that deeply understands the drivers of commercial performance. The conversation explores the disconnect between client-side CEOs and CMOs, and how to justify brand investment alongside digital media. Thoughtful, practical and optimistic, this is a conversation about building trust, commercial credibility and brand value. HIGHLIGHTS: [03:54] Studying the CEO [08:13] Execution over consultancy [09:45] The CEO disconnect [13:44] Halfway to transformation [19:40] Map the revenue [25:40] Partner vs employee mindset [30:13] Relationships over transactions [36:07] Anchored to the P&L [39:23] The numbers behind AI MORE ABOUT JOHN: LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/john-connors Website: boathouseinc.com MENTIONED IN THE EPISODE: Boathouse CEO research Richard Huntington in Campaign: It's time to stop talking about “brand” and “creativity” (paywalled) HOST SOCIALS: LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/robinbonn Twitter: twitter.com/robonn MORE ABOUT CO:DEFINERY: Website: codefinery.com Book: Market of One Mentioned in this episode: Get Co:definery's diagnostic questionnaire Is your agency really as differentiated as you think? And have you fully embraced the commercial disruption that AI is bringing? To find out, take five minutes to complete Co:definery's diagnostic questionnaire. It's quick, free, and thought provoking, and you get a tailored report with practical guidance for sharpening your competitive edge. Visit codefinery.com/dq

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