Three years at Agency Hackers Ibiza - What have we learned?
Three summers. Three summits. One key lesson.
We’ve been part of every Agency Hackers Ibiza Super Summit since it launched in 2023 and each year, we’ve left with new ideas, stronger connections, and a clearer sense of what makes agencies thrive.
The agencies that last aren’t just creative.
They’re commercially confident.
Here’s what we’ve learned from 2023 → 2025, and how those lessons shape how we work with the agencies we support.
2023 — The Debut: Measuring the ROI of Getting on a Plane
When the first Ibiza Super Summit was announced, we asked ourselves a fair question: Is it really worth it for an accountant to go to a marketing conference on a Spanish island?
(Short answer: yes.)
In our post-event review, we found the value went far beyond the talks.
- Connections formed fast — before sessions even began.
- Speakers delivered substance — Carrie Rose, Rob Mayhew and the Knowltons – all blending creativity with commercial reality.
- Downtime mattered — sunrise walks and impromptu chats often turned into learnings and inspiration.
2024 — Accountants Belong in the Creative Conversation
2024’s agenda mixed heavy-hitters like Rory Sutherland, Dave Harland and Sophie Miller with open panels on leadership, operations, and personal branding.
Our takeaway:
- Founders wanted partners who could speak agency.
- Creativity and financial discipline aren’t opposites – they’re allies.
- The best accountants are fluent in both the numbers and the nuance.
2025 — Profit, Pricing & Perspective
Fast-forward to 2025, and this time I was joined by 3 of our managers. The conversation in Ibiza has evolved again.
Revenue headlines are out; profit, pricing, and sustainability are in.
AI featured everywhere – but framed as a fast-learning intern, not a replacement for real people.
And every founder we spoke to wanted to understand their numbers more deeply:
- What happens if we raise prices by 5 per cent?
- Which clients actually drive margin?
- Where are we leaking profit we don’t see?
These are exactly the conversations we love — because when you connect insight with data, you get action.
Why We Keep Going Back
Agency Hackers Ibiza isn’t just another conference.
It’s where agency founders drop the façade and talk honestly about what’s working, what’s not, and what they’re still figuring out.
For us, it’s a reminder of why we do what we do: helping agencies turn their vision into insights and those insights into a commercially sustainable business.
At de Jong Phillips, we don’t just do your accounts – we work with you to ensure your agency runs profitably and sustainably.