LERMA/

Taylor Smiley

Principal

As Principal of Partnerships and New Business at LERMA/, Taylor is all smiles. He began his career at the National Basketball Association, activating partnerships around the NBA All-Star Game and NBA Draft, then coordinating NBA Cares events in South Africa, China, and Brazil. He founded a basketball-based nonprofit in post-Katrina New Orleans which is now in its 14th year. And, before joining LERMA/, Taylor served as Principal at The Richards Group, co-leading the agency’s partnerships practice. Now, he’s helping LERMA/ grow at rocket speed. In its first two years as an independent agency, LERMA/ has grown by more than 100%, won AdAge’s Small Agency of the Year award, landed three ads in this year’s Super Bowl, rebranded Jesus, and joined the AOR rosters of Avocados from Mexico, Jim Beam, and Maker’s Mark. Outside of work, you’ll find Taylor coaching his kids in whatever youth sport is in season with a big smile on his face.

This Speaker's Sessions

New Business Leaders: Where We’re Seeing the Biggest Opportunities

May 16, 2023 | 10:30 am

Here, new business chiefs from agencies with exceptionally high win rates will reveal the trends ahead for the agency pipeline. As a group, they’ll answer key questions about the future of business development:

- Where are the most profitable new business opportunities right now?
- Where will they be in 12 - 24 months?
- Which clients?
- What types of assignments?
- What size of agency?

We’ll unpack the coming changes to client needs, the implications for agencies, and how the industry must continue to evolve its approach to pursuing new business.

Opportunity will be provided for audience Q/A.