MUMBAI, Mar 17: Deep Shah and Divyank Jain, partners at Mumbai-based marketing agency The Wise Idiot, hosted the Second Edition of The Agency Meetup on Saturday, 14th March 2026, at FinX Commune, Kemp’s Corner. The curated, closed-door gathering brought together 30+ agency founders and marketing leaders for an afternoon of candid conversations, meaningful connections, and collaborative opportunities.
The event brought together 40+ agency founders, independent marketers, and marketing leaders in what organisers describe as a deliberate antidote to transactional networking – a space for the industry to slow down, get honest, and grow together.
A Community Takes Shape
The Second Edition built on the momentum of a successful first run, and by all accounts, it exceeded expectations. Attendees engaged in open business discussions, shared strengths and challenges, and celebrated each other’s successes – over networking, conversation, and a spread of high tea and evening snacks.
What organisers found most notable was not the agenda, but the energy. The event’s community-first spirit was evident from the start, with attendees initiating conversations, exchanging referral opportunities, and exploring white-label arrangements – all without any formal prompting.
“This is no longer just The Wise Idiot’s event. The moment 30+ marketers walk in and make it their own, you know something real has started. What we saw on the 14th wasn’t just networking – it was the beginning of a genuine ecosystem. Agencies are beginning to see each other as partners, not competitors, and that shift in mindset is exactly what our industry needs.”
– Deep Shah, Partner, The Wise Idiot
Redefining How Agencies Grow
The premise behind Agency Meetup is rooted in a simple but powerful observation: after interacting with over 1,000 marketing agency owners over nearly a decade, Deep Shah noticed that the most successful agencies aren’t those that try to do everything themselves – they’re the ones that build networks of specialists.
When an agency doesn’t have a capability in-house, the most effective move is to refer to a trusted partner – and share in the opportunity. This is the engine Agency Meetup is designed to fuel. The event creates a room where agencies can whitelabel for each other, pass referrals, and grow together – turning what might have been lost leads into shared revenue.
“Deep and I have been running The Wise Idiot for almost ten years, and I can tell you honestly – no two founders can figure everything out alone. Whether it’s tax filings, scaling challenges, or hiring decisions, the answers we needed most often came from other founders who’d already been through it. Agency Meetup is built on that truth. The most valuable part of the room isn’t the presentations. It’s one founder saying ‘I’m struggling with this’ and another saying ‘Here’s what worked for us.’”
– Divyank Jain, Partner, The Wise Idiot
What’s Next: Fireside Chat and a Growing Community
The Second Edition concluded with plans already in motion for the community’s next chapter. A virtual Fireside Chat, open to agency founders from the meetup community, is scheduled for later this week – continuing the candid conversations that began in person.
The Fireside Chat format mirrors the ethos of the organizers itself: no polished presentations, no scripted pitches – just founders helping other agency founders with what they know or have learnt: what’s working, what isn’t, and what they’re still figuring out. This knowledge-sharing helps everydone do more!
For The Wise Idiot, the event signals something bigger than a single afternoon gathering. It is a proof-of-concept for an emerging model of community-driven agency growth in India – one where collaboration is the competitive advantage.
