René Spijker, founder of Spijker en Co, was recently a guest on the Agency Hour podcast hosted by Troy Dean (Agency Mavericks). An hour-long conversation about something that has kept him engaged for over thirty years: how to stay agile as an agency when technology keeps shifting under your feet. From the first Mac and desktop publishing, through the rise of WordPress, to today’s AI revolution.
What the conversation was about
Troy and René talked about the journey of Spijker en Co since 1991, the shift from production work to strategy, the role of AI in the daily operations of an agency, and why René believes 2026 is one of the most interesting moments in history to run an agency. They also covered vibe coding, the future of WordPress, and serving mid market clients.
Three takeaways from the conversation
1. Technology changes, the need for strategy stays. Clients don’t want tools or deliverables. They want direction, control and results. That was true in 1995 and it’s no different now. The most valuable position in the ecosystem is the one between the client and the technology.
2. Treat AI like an intern. AI only delivers consistent quality when you invest time in training it: examples, context, brand guidelines. Quality in, quality out. Use AI sloppily and you get sloppy output. Set it up properly and you scale productivity and quality at the same time.
3. Sell the plan first, then the execution. For mid market clients a strategic approach works better than standalone projects. Understand the question behind the question first, then build. That leads to stronger partnerships, higher satisfaction and more recurring revenue.
Watch or listen
The episode is available on YouTube, Spotify and Apple Podcasts.
Watch on YouTube: Why 2026 is the Best Time to Run a Digital Agency
Listen on Spotify: Play the episode
Listen on Apple Podcasts: Play the episode
Does any of this sound familiar, or are you working on modernising your marketing with AI and strategy? Feel free to reach out to Spijker en Co.
