With more than a decade at the helm of Scooter, Anna Hodgson has grown the agency from its early days into an operation spanning creative, retail and beyond, all while keeping it’s independence in tact.
As CEO, Hodgson has steered the agency through a rapidly changing industry and in 2025 was named as a Marketing Scholar in recognition of that leadership.
In this week’s Fast 10, B&T’s very own David Hovenden and Hodgson chat all things AI, free pitching and what it takes to build a business that lasts.
1. You’ve had a brilliant career. From account director at Collier Creative to CEO of Scooter. If you had to pick one, what would be your career highlight so far?
Anna Hodgson: Starting Scooter has to be the highlight, it was a leap into the unknown and it was either sink or swim but luckily I’m a strong swimmer and we’re thriving 12 years later.
2. You were a 2025 Marketing Academy Scholar. How has it changed the way you approach the job?
AH: Network, network, network….what an incredible bunch of people that all have your back.
3. As a young girl, what did you want to be when you grew up?
AH: There is a piece of paper in a time capsule under the ground at Nagambie Primary School that was buried in the 80’s that says I want to be a hairdresser when I grow up.
4. You launched Scooter Retail in May of this year, why did it feel like a natural next step for the business?
AH: We’d been partnering with Daniel from Popcorn for over a decade, so it made sense for us to join forces and bring creative and retail in under the one roof. It’s given us more control and agility to support clients with innovative POS solutions.
5. How do you keep culture strong as Scooter scales?
AH: Hiring good people who do great work and don’t have an ego.
6. The BMW Group has been a Scooter client for eight years. What’s the secret to keeping a client that long that nobody talks about?
AH: Caring about and knowing a clients products, services and distribution network as well as they do – it builds a whole other level of trust.
7. As an industry, what’s one thing you would change to make us all better?
AH: I think we all agree that free pitching isn’t good for anyone, imagine what we could do with that time if free pitching wasn’t a thing?
8. What’s the best career advice you’ve ever been given?
AH: Keep your network close and good things happen to good people (a clairvoyant once told me that).
9. What’s one thing not on your LinkedIn profile?
AH: I’m also the wrangler of a chaotic neourospicy household with my husband, 2 girls and 2 dogs.
10. Important last question: Does your mum really know what you do?
AH: Not really, just that I’m incredibly busy and sometimes I get my photo in the industry news.
