Keynotes, Workshops, and Webinars for Agency Leaders
Lodestar's founder, Brian Kessman, presents for industry conferences, agency associations and networks, webinar events, and individual agency leadership teams.
"For our agency conferences, we are exceptionally selective about who addresses our audience. It's rare to find someone operating at the forefront of the industry who can challenge how agencies think about value, pricing, and growth — and do so in a way that is immediately practical. Brian is one of those rare voices. His perspective on redesigning agency value models consistently leads to some of the highest-rated sessions at our events."
Brian Kessman helps independent agency leaders redesign their value model — the system that connects how they define, design, deliver, and capture value. As Founder and Principal Consultant at Lodestar Agency Consulting, he guides agencies from effort-based economics to solution-based growth: sharper positioning, productized expertise, and pricing aligned with impact rather than hours.
Brian brings more than 25 years of agency industry experience and is an inaugural member of the 4A's Expert Network. He is the co-author of the VoxComm white paper Redesigning the Agency Value Model and creator of the Agency Value Model™ — a diagnostic framework used by agency leadership teams worldwide to identify the structural constraints limiting their growth.
"Brian's session — Model Before Message: The Value Framework For Pricing Your Impact — was one of the highest-rated sessions of our 4A's MPF 2025 conference. He consistently delivers his content in a confident, approachable manner that is well-received by his audiences."
"Brian has contributed generously to the thinking and adaptation that 4A's members need in order to thrive in the current environment. He provides a well informed, pragmatic approach to reshaping agency value models that align with changing client expectations, both in light of AI as well as other market forces. Bottom line — it's smart stuff, and Brian makes a difference."
"Brian's sessions regularly receive outstanding evaluations from attendees, and as a result, AMIN has asked him to speak at its National Conferences. His strong reputation, combined with his ability to deliver high-value, actionable insights, makes him an exceptional presenter and resource for agencies."
"Brian Kessman has been one of our top-rated speakers for a number of years. He always brings refreshing and valuable insights to agency leaders."
When Time Is No Longer the Unit of Value
Your agency's commercial model was built to sell time. AI is removing time from the equation. When agentic solutions compress delivery and automate production, clients and procurement don't see more value — they see fewer hours and expect lower fees. This session gives senior leaders a diagnosis of why pricing changes break down, proof that procurement conversations actually shift when agencies sell defined solutions instead of staffing plans, and a clear view of the path forward with two options and a direct recommendation on which produces lasting change.
Model Before Message
Agencies that jump to pricing tactics without examining what they're selling hit a predictable ceiling. This session reveals why pricing is where tension shows up first — but not where the work begins — and walks leaders through the four-lever sequence that connects positioning, product design, delivery, and pricing into a coherent commercial model.
Redesigning How Your Agency Defines Value
Most agencies are more differentiated than their positioning suggests. The gap between what they actually do best and how they describe themselves creates pricing pressure, misfit clients, and competition on availability instead of expertise. This session shows leaders how to close that gap — and why positioning must come first in any value model redesign.
Redesigning How Your Agency Sells Value
Most agencies fall into one of four economic patterns — and three of them cap margin, pricing power, and growth regardless of how hard the team works. The root cause isn't pricing. It's what's being sold. This session introduces the Agency Value Model and shows leaders how to codify their expertise into repeatable, outcome-focused solutions that shift client conversations from cost to impact.
All presentations can be tailored to your audience, format, and time constraints. Brian also designs bespoke sessions for specific themes, verticals, or strategic priorities.
Conference Keynotes & Sessions
Stage-ready presentations for 25–90 minutes, adaptable to your conference theme.
Association & Network Sessions
Designed for mixed-agency audiences where leaders from different firms share a room.
Webinars
High-engagement virtual sessions for 25–90 minutes.
Private Workshops
Customized sessions for individual agencies, typically half-day to full-day, designed around your specific business challenges.
Book Brian for Your Event
Available for keynotes, conference sessions, workshops, webinars, and private leadership team sessions.