From receiving expert help and guidance to benchmarking your business’ performance, the Members’ Area is a gateway to resources, services and support specifically developed for those working in the field of design.
Some sections are exclusively accessible to DBA members, connecting you to the extensive range of benefits your membership provides.
DBA membership extends to everyone working within your business – all members of your team can register for their own password – ensuring the whole team benefits.
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DBA Members’ Forum
The DBA Members’ Forum is the essential monthly meeting for senior leaders at DBA member businesses, offering exclusive access to insights and discussions that will impact you and the way you run your business.
Exchange ideas and insights with your peers across the industry, hear the latest thinking from DBA Experts and industry-leading speakers, stay informed on critical industry issues, shape the DBA agenda, and, most importantly, be an active part of your design community.
One inclusive and friendly hour a month to engage with your industry at a level you won’t get access to anywhere else.
Join us for the first Members' Forum of 2025 | Monday 13 January | 4pm GMT | Online
Sell and price like the expert you are: don’t miss our first Members’ Forum of 2025 when we’ll be joined by Blair Enns, founder of Win Without Pitching and the author of three books on selling and pricing for expert advisors and practitioners, including the brand new ‘The Four Conversations: A New Model for Selling Expertise’. Blair also co-hosts, along with David C. Baker, the popular podcast 2Bobs: Conversations on the Art of Creative Entrepreneurship.
Get 2025 off to a flying start; join us on Monday 13 January at 4pm. Details of how to join can be found below.
How do you attend?
Led by DBA Chief Executive Deborah Dawton, the Forums are held online from 4pm on the first Monday of each month and are exclusive to DBA members.
Invitations to participate will be sent from Deborah. If you do not receive an invitation but feel that you should have, please contact Adam Fennelow to get added to the invite list. Reminders for the meeting will be sent 2 weeks before, followed by a reminder on the day of the meeting.
If you are not yet a DBA member but would like to participate in the Forums, get in touch with Adam to find out how to join the DBA and access the many benefits of membership.
What can you expect?
Each one-hour meeting dives into a particular topic or issue affecting your business, your team or the industry as a whole. By taking part, you’ll have an unparalleled opportunity to:
- Engage in conversations on global, national, and local issues impacting your business and the wider design industry, from policy shifts to emerging trends.
- Gain perspectives from high-profile speakers across various sectors to broaden your perspectives on current issues.
- Stay informed on the DBA’s conversations with government and contribute your feedback to deliver the change you need.
- Receive concise summaries and highlights from major industry events, helping you stay up-to-date.
- Connect with senior-level peers, sharing ideas and solutions that will change your business practices.
- Raise pertinent issues with the DBA senior team, ensuring your voice shapes the industry’s future.
The meetings are conducted under Chatham House Rule and anonymised summaries of each Forum are shared the day after each meeting – browse the back catalogue.
What have we covered?
In our November Members’ Forum we had a fantastic conversation focused on the 2024 DBA Annual Survey Report, the most comprehensive analysis of fees, salaries, and trends in the UK design sector. Read a summary of the conversation.
In recent Forums we’ve discussed and shared resources to support DBA members in developing new business, what clients really want from agencies and the skills agencies desire most in their team, amongst a range of other topics.
Guests who’ve contributed to the discussions include Blair Enns, Founder of Win Without Pitching, Garen Kouyoumjian, Associate Partner at McKinsey, John Gleason, Founder and Chief Executive Officer of A Better View Strategic Consulting, High-Stakes Leadership Mentor Sally Henderson, Executive Coach Laura Bartlett, and Head of Global Retail Environments at PUMA, Sigrid Brewka-Steeves, and American consultant David C. Baker amongst many others.