Agency Core research makes it possible to observe how agency-reported needs and concerns shift when viewed across multiple study periods. Rather than capturing a single moment, longitudinal data highlights patterns of change, persistence, and uncertainty in how agency leaders describe their realities. This blog surfaces what agencies have reported over time, using comparative findings to show how priorities and pressures evolve without assigning cause or direction.

Across Agency Core research, overall sentiment among agency leaders has changed noticeably. Comparisons between earlier and more recent studies show a broad shift in how leaders describe confidence, optimism, and expectations for the future.

• Declining Optimism Across The Industry

  The share of agency leaders who report feeling strongly optimistic about opportunities has decreased over time. This decline appears consistently across agency sizes, specialties, and leadership segments, suggesting a widespread change in outlook rather than isolated concern.

• Variation By Attitudinal Segment

  While optimism has declined overall, the degree of change varies by leadership mindset. Some segments report sharper drops in confidence, while others show more stability, indicating that agencies are not experiencing industry conditions uniformly.

• From Staffing Shortages To Staffing Sustainability

  Staffing remains a central topic in Agency Core research, but the nature of reported staffing challenges has shifted between research cycles.

• Reduced Hiring Scarcity

  Compared to earlier findings, fewer agency leaders report difficulty finding candidates. The urgency around open roles and immediate shortages appears lower than in previous research periods.

• Increased Focus On Retention And Cost

  At the same time, concerns about salary levels, retention, and long-term affordability have become more prominent. Many agencies report losing employees within the past year, reflecting a change from hiring access issues to sustainability pressures.

Across research cycles, new business development has moved to the center of agency-reported concerns. What was once one challenge among many has become the most widely shared pressure in recent findings.

• Pipeline Difficulty Over Time

  A growing share of agency leaders report that finding new clients is harder than in prior years. The increase is substantial when compared to earlier research, indicating a clear shift in how agencies experience pipeline stability.

• Alignment Across Agency Types

  Pipeline challenges now appear consistently across agency sizes, specialties, and leadership segments. This represents a change from earlier research, where concerns were more unevenly distributed among different types of agencies.

Agency Core research also shows changes in how agencies describe their positioning and perceived expertise. These shifts suggest increased attention to differentiation, alongside persistent gaps.

• Growth In Reported Expertise

  More agencies report having a reputation as a helpful expert than in previous research cycles. This increase suggests a broader emphasis on credibility and specialization over time.

• Ongoing Positioning Challenges

  Despite this shift, many agencies continue to report difficulty clearly differentiating themselves. Research shows that understanding, articulating, and communicating a niche remains uneven across the industry.

Longitudinal findings highlight growing uncertainty about the long-term role of agencies. Rather than consensus, the data reflects divergence in expectations.

• Expectations Of Structural Change

  A significant portion of agency leaders believe agencies will serve a different role in the future than they do today. This represents a shift toward questioning established models rather than assuming continuity.

• Persistent Uncertainty

  At the same time, fewer leaders express certainty that agencies will always be necessary. This does not indicate a single outlook, but rather a wider range of perspectives and unanswered questions.

Viewed together, Agency Core research over time surfaces an industry experiencing both continuity and change. Some challenges remain consistent, while others evolve in form or intensity.

The data highlights shifting pressures, changing sentiment, and growing uncertainty without pointing to a single narrative. Longitudinal research makes it possible to see how agency needs are not static, but shaped by ongoing conditions reported by agency leaders themselves.