I help agencies, founders and senior leadership teams make sharper decisions, simplify complex problems, and replace subjective debate with clear strategic judgement.

There are two ways to work with me: short sprints that bring clarity in days, or steady strategic direction over time.

Delivering strategic clarity under decision pressure.

Short sprints.

For moments when decisions are live and clarity is needed quickly.

Short sprints focus on getting the underlying thinking clear enough to use immediately. The work is about setting direction in a way that people can actually carry forward, rather than circling the same questions under decision pressure.

They are often used when teams need to align direction, move a pitch forward, or bring coherence to something that has started to sprawl.

Typical outcomes:

  • Clear positioning and propositions that with a true centre of gravity

  • Messaging that teams feel confident using straight away

  • Pitch and narrative direction that holds together under scrutiny

  • A shared sense of what happens next, and why

Timelines: usually 2-7 working days

Steady direction.

For fast-moving teams, where decisions are frequent and context keeps shifting.

Steady direction provides an ongoing strategic reference point. It helps teams return to the same underlying choices as work evolves, so judgement stays consistent even as people, priorities and pressures change.

Over time, this reduces the amount of interpretation needed. Decisions become easier to make, conversations become clearer, and the work stays aligned.

Typical outcomes:

  • More consistent decision-making across the year

  • Clearer briefs and shared expectations across teams

  • Positioning and messaging that remains coherent as work develops

  • Greater confidence in judgement when pace is high

Cadence: weekly, fortnightly or monthly.

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I’m Ben Brooks-Dutton.

I’ve spent more than twenty-five years working in strategy and creative leadership, often in situations where decisions need to be made quickly and carried by others once the meeting ends.

Over time, a consistent pattern becomes clear. As pace increases and more people become involved, the work depends less on individual insight and more on whether the underlying direction is clear enough to use. When that direction is solid, judgement travels well. When it isn’t, decisions become open to interpretation again.

My work focuses on making strategic direction clear, usable and strong enough to hold shape as work develops. The thinking is set out carefully, written to be returned to, and designed to guide choices as work moves forward. This gives teams a shared reference point they can rely on when pressure rises and context shifts.

Most of the work happens in live conditions. Pitches under time pressure. Organisations growing or changing. Leadership teams making calls that shape months of delivery. The emphasis is always on foundations and judgement, so teams can keep making consistent choices without reopening the same questions.

Alongside client work, I write as The Everyday Strategist, exploring strategy as it shows up in practice rather than in theory, shaped by real decisions, trade-offs and pressure.

How I work.

The clearest picture of the work comes from the people who use it in real situations.

These are reflections from founders, leaders and agency teams who have worked with me in short sprints, and from those who involve me more steadily as direction needs to hold over time.

What clients say.

“Ben came in at a moment where we knew something needed to shift. What he brought was calm, rigorous thinking and a way of cutting through complexity that helped us make real decisions quickly. The work was grounded in the reality of our business and gave us clarity we could actually use, strengthening how we think and act at a critical point for the agency.”

Jo Grierson. CEO, One Green Bean

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“Ben delivers some of the fastest, smartest strategic thinking I’ve seen, while working seamlessly across senior teams.”

Myreete Stanforth. Head of Growth & Marketing, Global Markets, Ketchum

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“Ben quickly distilled a complex brief into something sharp and focused, delivering smart, client-ready work that landed immediately”

Anna Carter. Managing Partner, Ogilvy UK

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“Ben asks the right questions and has a rare ability to articulate what’s already there but as yet unformed. You come away not just with strong work, but clearer thinking too.”

Asad Dhunna. CEO, The Unmistakables

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“Ben has the judgement and empathy to speak in the voice of senior leaders. He helps turn complex thinking into strategies, messages and announcements that land with real authority.”

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Frankie Cory. Co-founder, Hello Tomorrow

“Working with Ben unlocked real, tangible strategy I started using within days. He cuts straight through the noise to what actually matters, resulting in crystal-clear strategy and sharp, usable messaging.”

Sarah Dembitz. Founder, SD Wellbeing

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“Ben grasps a brief quickly without sacrificing depth. His work is intelligent, practical and genuinely useful for driving new business.”

Laura Burch. Founder, Work & Class

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“Ben quickly understands complex challenges and crafts clearer, better solutions than anyone else I know.”

Mitchell Kaye. CEO, The Academy

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“Ben helped us translate a clear vision into a compelling, distinctive brand strategy. The result is direction we can stand behind and use with confidence as the business grows”, better solutions than anyone else I know.”

Antoine Trépant. Founder, Vivre

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How to get in touch.

If you would like to talk something through, you can reach me at ben@luckystart.uk or on 07545 933 682.

I keep space in my week for conversations that help people get clear on what they need, so feel free to get in touch.