{"podcast":{"title":"The Immortal Life of Agencies","slug":"the-immortal-life-of-agencies-6797269","podcast_index_feed_id":6797269,"rss_url":"https://feeds.captivate.fm/the-immortal-life-of-ag/","website_url":"https://the-immortal-life-of-ag.captivate.fm","image_url":"https://artwork.captivate.fm/618b8c2e-0acf-455e-ac03-69504a7b123c/8OIjkLnizCqFSW9uzOslimFG.jpg","author":"Co:definery","episode_count":83,"summary":"Fancy a bit more positivity around the business of running an agency? Welcome to Co:definery’s podcast ‘The Immortal Life of Agencies’. Here we celebrate the visionaries and change-makers who are actively future-proofing the agency sector. Each episode features our CEO Robin Bonn having short, sharp conversations - sometimes even friendly arguments - with some of the biggest, broadest and deepest thinkers in our industry. These are the leaders who’ve been there, done that and are happy to talk about the t-shirt - even if it’s a bit grubby. Expect untold stories of progress - always optimistic and never dull.","last_synced_at":"2026-07-28T12:22:26.264373+00:00","page_url":"https://stenobird.com/podcast/the-immortal-life-of-agencies-6797269"},"episode":{"title":"Rethink’s Global Chief Strategy Officer: Showing up with a point of view – Sean McDonald","slug":"rethink-s-global-chief-strategy-officer-showing-up-with-a-point-of-view-sean-mcdonald","published_at":"2026-02-17T03:00:00+00:00","page_url":"https://stenobird.com/podcast/the-immortal-life-of-agencies-6797269/rethink-s-global-chief-strategy-officer-showing-up-with-a-point-of-view-sean-mcdonald","show_page_url":"https://stenobird.com/podcast/the-immortal-life-of-agencies-6797269","url":"https://the-immortal-life-of-ag.captivate.fm","audio_url":"https://episodes.captivate.fm/episode/cc7eec95-143a-4b02-8a30-28888051cf40.mp3","summary":"Today’s episode features Sean McDonald, Global CSO and Partner at Rethink, exploring the power of belief. Sean’s built a reputation for candour, competitive ambition and an unwavering belief in setting the standard. But he hasn’t always led that way. He reflects on how letting go of the need to ‘win’ every meeting transformed his leadership and why discovering the answer matters more than having it. Following his journey from politics and public affairs into advertising, Sean unpacks the myth of the ‘all-knowing’ strategist, explains why strong opinions must be loosely held and shares how envy can raise standards. The conversation also looks ahead, exploring growth, independence and why agencies must commit to what they optimise for. HIGHLIGHTS [02:10] Bluntness with manners [06:22] Discovering over knowing [12:08] Cult of the hero [15:38] Competition and respect [20:32] Setting global standard [24:51] Have an opinion [29:00] The goal isn't growth [31:18] Making bets [33:21] Growth versus ‘good’ [38:00] Embracing the future MORE ABOUT SEAN: LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/seanamcdonald 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","meta_description":"Today’s episode features Sean McDonald, Global CSO and Partner at Rethink, exploring the power of belief. Sean’s built a reputation for candour, competiti…","key_points":[],"chapters":[],"topics":[],"duration_seconds":2421,"processing_state":"not_requested","actions":[{"name":"request_transcript","method":"POST","url":"https://stenobird.com/v1/public/podcasts/the-immortal-life-of-agencies-6797269/episodes/rethink-s-global-chief-strategy-officer-showing-up-with-a-point-of-view-sean-mcdonald/transcription-requests","description":"Idempotently request low-priority transcript generation for this episode."},{"name":"read_markdown","method":"GET","url":"https://stenobird.com/podcast/the-immortal-life-of-agencies-6797269/rethink-s-global-chief-strategy-officer-showing-up-with-a-point-of-view-sean-mcdonald.md","description":"Read the agent-friendly Markdown representation of this episode resource."}]}}