Agency Bytes (Agency Outsight)

In episode 096 of Agency Bytes, I had the pleasure of speaking with Jason Kramer, founder and CEO of Cultivize, about how to improve the sales process through better lead nurturing and CRM strategies. We covered topics like identifying and converting leads, picking the right CRM tools, and the mindset shifts that make CRM usage more effective. Jason shared some great insights on evaluating past marketing efforts, making sense of key metrics, and positioning agencies for success. He also introduced some exciting tools and resources from Cultivize, including a Google Sheets-based CRM system called Profit Path, which helps businesses track leads and marketing expenses more effectively.

Key Bytes

• Cultivize focuses on helping businesses identify, nurture, and convert leads. • Proper CRM implementation requires ongoing adjustments and strategy. • Many companies jump into technology without understanding their needs. • Evaluating past marketing efforts is crucial for future success. • Metrics should inform decisions, not just provide data. • Agencies often struggle with self-marketing due to proximity to their own business. • Positioning and niche marketing are essential for agency success. • New tools like Profit Path can simplify lead tracking and marketing costs. • Behavioral changes are necessary for effective CRM usage. • Asking for help can accelerate business growth.

Chapters

00:00 Introduction to Cultivize and Sales Optimization 05:55 Choosing the Right CRM Tools 11:58 Evaluating Past Marketing Efforts 17:54 Marketing for Agencies: The Importance of Positioning 24:04 Rapid Fire Questions and Final Thoughts

Jason Kramer is the founder and CEO of Cultivize, a consulting firm dedicated to improving lead nurturing and CRM implementation. With more than two decades of experience, Jason has collaborated with both global and local brands to help align marketing and sales efforts. His expertise lies in optimizing sales processes, evaluating underperforming marketing campaigns, and fostering better integration between marketing and sales teams.

Contact Jason on his website and use code “Agency Bytes” to save $50 on Profit Path.

In this episode, Wayne Pelletier, founder of Resonant Pixel Co, discusses the process of productizing agency services and the benefits it brings. He shares his journey from being a marketing assistant to launching his own agency and explains why he chose to focus on Squarespace as the platform for his services. Wayne emphasizes the importance of niching down and serving a specific audience, as well as the mindset shift required to transition from a project-based model to a subscription-based model. He also highlights the challenges and rewards of productization and the potential for scalability and growth.

Key Takeaways

• Productizing agency services involves niching down and focusing on a specific audience or platform.

• A subscription-based model can provide more predictable revenue and eliminate the feast and famine cycle of project-based work.

• Choosing the right platform, such as Squarespace, can offer stability, scalability, and the ability to hire predictably for talent.

• Productization requires a mindset shift from being a designer to being a business owner, focusing on access to expertise and lifetime value.

Chapters

00:00 Introduction and Pronunciation 08:10 Transitioning to a Subscription-Based Model 12:54 The Benefits of Productization and Lifetime Value 23:04 Serving Small Businesses and Providing Relief

Wayne came up working at world-renowned digital agencies as a designer, art director, and creative director. He has helped some of the world's best brands with award-winning strategic design and customer experiences. After 24 years of agency life, he founded Resonant Pixel Company in 2020 and is helping small businesses go beyond brochure-ware websites. And he's doing it with a productized subscription business model.

Contact Wayne on his website or on LinkedIn.

In this episode I got to speak to Steve Jeffreys from Your Shift from across the pond. We dug into how his big agency experience led to his big shift and why he made the life changing shift of focus into helping develop people into breakthrough leaders. He outlines some of the aspects that define a true breakthrough leader - in and out of the agency space. Steve believes that everyone on the team has the ability to be a creative force for good and how that can help a recruitment team can lean into raw talent of candidates. He believes there’s no better way to build the leaders of tomorrow than by asking them to “give things a think” and encourage them to be curious so they can learn to be brave.

Steve Jeffreys spent 18 years in marketing agencies leading client relationships across Financial Services, Telecoms, Retail, and Not-for-profit. Through this, he found that his passion lay with connecting with and developing people - something he now does full time in his work helping people in their first step up into leadership - in the marketing industry and beyond.

Contact Steve on his website or LinkedIn.

In this episode, Lisa and I solved every agency’s project management and systems challenges. But really, we just explored some of their challenges, discussed a few amazing solutions, and why now, more than ever, the right tools and procedures are needed to help agencies win.

Lisa has been managing marketing projects in agencies and corporate marketing departments for more than 12 years and now serves agencies as Project Management and Operations consultant. She provides audits and system builds for small to medium-sized agencies that are booked with client work but require assistance in setting up or strengthening their systems as they scale.

Connect with Lisa on her website or on LinkedIn.

In episode 070, I got to dive into the world of agency mergers and acquisitions with Jonathan Baker, the head of the M&A practice at Punctuation. Jonathan uncovers the secrets behind successful deals in the marketing services industry, shedding light on common pitfalls like leadership changes and cultural mismatches that can derail even the most promising mergers.

Discover the key elements that make an agency stand out to potential buyers, including the power of recurring revenue and strategic positioning. Jonathan shares his expert insights on valuation and talks through the sellability index, a tool that helps agencies measure their readiness for acquisition.

We explore the latest trends in M&A, the art of succession planning, and why it's crucial for founders to delegate and step back from daily operations. Whether you're looking to buy, sell, or simply learn more about the dynamics of agency mergers, this episode is packed with valuable information and actionable advice.

Key Takeaways

• Factors that can cause deals to fail include leadership changes and cultural fit issues.

• Recurring revenue and positioning are important factors in making an agency attractive for acquisition.

• Valuation should be done annually as part of the business planning process.

• The sellability index can help agencies track their progress towards becoming sellable.

• Trends in M&A include a higher number of interested buyers than sellers.

• Succession planning should consider factors such as age, long-term goals, and the presence of a capable successor.

• Founders should delegate and extract themselves from day-to-day operations to enable growth.

• Personal goals and fulfillment should guide business decisions.

Chapters

00:00 Introduction and Background

02:11 Factors that Impact the Success of M&A Deals

05:59 The Importance of Recurring Revenue and Positioning in Agency Acquisition

08:41 Valuation and the Sellability Index: Tools for Agency Planning

19:58 Succession Planning: Considerations for Founders

22:38 Delegation and Growth: Extracting Founders from Day-to-Day Operations

25:02 Aligning Business Decisions with Personal Goals

Punctuation is a small advisory practice working exclusively with small- to mid-sized independent marketing services firms. Founded by industry veteran David C. Baker, Punctuation helps firms with positioning, lead generation, benchmarking, valuation, and succession planning.

Jonathan heads up the M&A practice at Punctuation. He has worked on dozens of deals both inside and outside the industry and brings a unique perspective as a fellow owner who has gone through the process himself.

He graduated from Emory University’s Goizueta Business School in 2005. His career began working at a small boutique marketing strategy consultancy. There, he was able to do marketing strategy and positioning work for many well-known Fortune 500 CPG companies.

In 2011, he left to start a craft brewery, Monday Night Brewing where his focus was on marketing, sales, and taprooms. After helping his business partners grow to 180+ employees and numerous locations, Jonathan stepped away from the day-to-day to head up the M&A practice for Punctuation.

He loves cocktails, music, and hiking, and lives in Atlanta with his wife, two kids, and entitled rescue Australian Shepherd, Oscar Snugs.

Contact Jonathan:

Website: https://punctuation.com/

Personal LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jonathandavidbaker/

Company LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/wearepunctuation/

Podcast: https://punctuation.com/insights/

In this episode, I got to interview Brooke Sellas, CEO of B Squared Media, a boutique digital marketing agency. We discuss Brooke's journey of starting her agency, the importance of social care, and bridging the gap between marketing and sales. Brooke shares valuable insights and advice for agency owners from her book, “Conversations that Connect.” and insights on how they leverage social care for their clients. We also briefly touched on navigating the intricacies of working side-by-side with a spouse.

Key Takeaways

• Starting an agency requires taking risks and seizing opportunities. • Social care is about acquiring and retaining customers through social media. • Social engagement is crucial for building brand loyalty and trust. • Bridging the gap between marketing and sales is essential for business success.

Chapters

00:00 Introduction and Background 03:00 Starting B Squared Media 06:00 Working with Spouse and Team Dynamics 09:00 Brooke's Role as CEO and Visionary 12:00 Defining Social Care 16:00 The Importance of Social Engagement 20:00 Bridging the Gap Between Marketing and Sales 28:00 New Hobbies, Tools, and Business Advice

Brooke Sellas is shaping the future of digital marketing, one conversation at a time. As a CEO, she's the visionary behind B Squared Media, a boutique digital marketing agency that's redefining 'social care' for industry giants like Brother International, Endless Pools, and BCU. With her groundbreaking 2022 book, "Conversations That Connect," she's charting a course for authentic digital interactions. Dive into her insights on the Marketing Agency Show podcast, or from one of two courses she teaches at the University of California, Irvine.

Contact Brooke and download B Squared Media’s 2023 Social Care Report here.

Does your agency respond to RFPs for business development? If so, you have to dig into this episode where I get to speak to Yolanda Tucker, from Tucker Trained, about how to navigate the ins and outs of procurement, RFPs, and the nuances that can give your agency the edge in these otherwise painful business development efforts. She shares some of her tips on how agency owners can disrupt the RFP process to get ahead and what procurement teams look for in a potential winner of an RFP. Yolanda’s expertise in understanding where to find and how to navigate RFPs, contract negotiation, and procurement processes helps businesses go far beyond winning RFPs and how they can lead to higher revenue and profits. She also shares about the benefits of small business certifications, including women-owned, minority-owned, and veteran-owned, to name a few, that open doors to billions of dollars of business opportunities.

Yolanda M. Tucker has over twenty years of procurement experience as a Contracts Manager in various industries. Yolanda holds an MBA in Business Administration, a second Master’s degree in Acquisition and Contracts, and a Certification of Transportation Regulatory Law from the Florida Coastal School of Law.

Connect with Yolanda on her website.

In this episode, I got the opportunity to talk with someone who has truly impacted my current career and to who I’m just so grateful in many ways. To many, Kelly would be seen as a direct competitor, but the truth is, I’d be honored to lose a client to her. And, I’d recommend anyone who can work with her, should. All that to say, we talked a lot about her amazing coaching style, what lead her to this season of her career, what the exit from her agency looked like from an emotional decision-making standpoint, and how she’s helping make a global ripple effect in the consciousness leadership space.

After 14 years of starting, scaling and selling my own digital agency in New York, I love helping other agency leaders do the same. I work with established agencies in the creative and tech industries, typically from just under $1MM to $10+MM in annual revenue, looking to transform and committed to investing in themselves and the healthy growth of their organization. As a Conscious Leadership Coach, I take a unique and holistic approach to helping agencies level-up—and helping CEOs define the life they want to live. From first-hand experience I understand that agency ownership transcends numbers; it’s a journey that can be an emotional roller coaster or lead to a spiritual awakening. Usually both.

Before establishing Agency Growth Consultant LLC, I founded a digital marketing agency in 2003 (sold in 2016)—which was the recipient of several national and international awards for creative excellence and web technology innovation. I also founded a holistic health and wellness company in 2007 (sold in 2011), to educate consumers and help practitioners gain online visibility, as well as to increase enrollment at related educational programs across the United States.

Prior to these entrepreneurial successes, I served as Art Director for an international e-learning platform, Art Director for the web technology division of a financial services firm, and Graphic Designer for a branding and advertising firm. I am the IA & SEO Consultant to Facebook, and have been a consultant to dozens of nonprofits and creative agencies across the country, as well as organizations in the science, education, printing, publishing, luxury goods, manufacturing, distribution, entertainment, healthcare, wellness and technology industries.

I was trained by Al Gore and the Climate Reality Project as a Climate Reality Leader. I’m a proud graduate of the Goldman Sachs 10,000 Small Businesses Program, a member of the Forbes Business Council, and a writer for Forbes.com, as well as a volunteer with Soup Angels soup kitchen in Nyack, NY—serving those among the homeless, working poor, or living with mental or behavioral challenges.

Connect with Kelly on her website, on Consciousness Leaders, or grab her agency growth book.

In episode 099 of Agency Bytes, I got to have our first-ever repeat guest: Kelly Campbell. Kelly is a trauma-informed leadership coach, author of Heal to Lead, and creator of The New TLC: Trauma, Leadership, and Consciousness on Substack. They aren’t just talking about leadership—they’re redefining what it means to be a leader in today’s world, starting from the inside out.

This conversation goes deep. We’re talking about the unspoken struggles that agency owners face—the hidden emotional baggage, the past experiences that shape how we lead, and why doing the inner work isn’t just self-care, but a leadership imperative.

Kelly shares how their own journey led to a radical shift in understanding leadership—not as a performance, but as an extension of our healing. We unpack why self-awareness is the foundation of trust, how compassion (not control) is the key to stronger teams, and why integrating past trauma is essential for leading with clarity and confidence.

We also get into:

• Why so many leaders struggle with reactivity, trust, and burnout—and how to break the cycle.

• The real difference between empathy and compassion (and why one is more effective in leadership).

• The danger of people-pleasing in leadership—when “being supportive” crosses into self-sacrifice.

• How agency leaders can create cultures of psychological safety, especially in uncertain times.

• Kelly’s bold decision to step away from LinkedIn for a year—and why they’re doubling down on deeper, more meaningful conversations on The New TLC.

• The agency landscape in 2025—why some agencies are thriving while others are struggling, and what owners need to focus on to stay ahead.

If you’ve ever felt like leadership was more exhausting than it should be—if you’ve questioned why certain situations trigger you, or if you want to create a more human, connected, and resilient agency culture—this episode will challenge you in all the right ways.

Kelly’s insights are game-changing, their wisdom is undeniable, and this conversation is one you don’t want to miss.

Key Bytes

• Publishing a book is a unique and challenging journey. • The feedback from my book has led many to seek therapy. • Vulnerability in leadership fosters trust and connection. • Creating supportive environments is crucial for employee well-being. • Compassionate leadership can reduce attrition and enhance collaboration. • Personal experiences shape our leadership styles and effectiveness. • Building community is essential for personal and professional growth. • Experimenting with social media can lead to clearer boundaries. • Daily practices can significantly impact overall well-being. • Self-awareness is key to effective leadership.

Chapters

00:00 The Journey of Healing Leadership 06:30 The Creative Process of Writing a Book 12:00 Personal Growth Through Vulnerability 19:22 Navigating Leadership and Emotional Intelligence 23:44 Creating Supportive Work Environments 29:11 The Future of Leadership in a Changing World 33:12 Building Community and Personal Practices 39:53 Experimenting with Social Media and Boundaries

Kelly L. Campbell (they/them) is a Trauma-Informed Leadership Coach to emerging and established leaders who want to live, lead, and love with confidence and freedom. They are the author of HEAL TO LEAD: Revolutionizing Leadership through Trauma Healing. As a Sacred Trauma Healing practitioner, they work one-on-one with those who have experienced trauma in childhood or adulthood. Kelly has written for Entrepreneur, Fast Company and Forbes, and currently writes on Substack about “The New TLC: Trauma, Leadership, and Consciousness.” Their vision is for more than half of humanity to heal its childhood trauma so that we may reimagine and rebuild the world together.

Contact Kelly on their website, LinkedIn, or Instagram, and be sure to subscribe to their Substack here.

In episode 067, I had an enlightening conversation with Jenny Magic, founder and author of "Build Better Change." We delved into the tough but crucial challenges of implementing internal change within organizations and explored how agencies can play a pivotal role in fostering adoption. Jenny passionately emphasizes the significance of building long-term client relationships and partnering through the change and adoption journey.

Jenny sheds light on the necessity for agencies to identify potential roadblocks early and engage in difficult conversations upfront to ensure smooth implementation. She shares invaluable tips, such as validating project needs with multiple stakeholders, conducting confidential inquiry interviews to uncover hidden challenges, and prioritizing trust and rapport with clients. Jenny also underscores the importance of empathy, employee engagement, and psychological safety within organizations.

This episode is packed with practical advice and insights for agencies looking to drive successful change and make a lasting impact. Don’t miss out on Jenny’s expert strategies and thoughtful perspectives!

Key Takeaways

• Building long-term relationships with clients is crucial for agencies to ensure successful implementation of projects.

• Agencies should surface potential roadblocks and have difficult conversations early on in the process.

• Validating the need for a project with multiple stakeholders and obtaining senior-level buy-in is important for successful adoption.

• Conducting confidential inquiry interviews can help uncover potential challenges and build trust with clients.

• Empathy, employee engagement, and psychological safety are key factors in fostering adoption within organizations.

Chapters

00:00 Introduction and Background

07:08 The Impact on Agencies

12:11 Surfacing Roadblocks: Having Difficult Conversations

23:11 The Importance of Relationships and Change

27:04 Final Advice: This Too Shall Pass

When leaders want to win back employee willingness, accelerate innovation, and reduce change fatigue, they call Jenny Magic. As a nationally recognized speaker, author, and advisor, Jenny is the founder of Build Better Change and co-author of the organizational change bestseller, Change Fatigue: Flip Teams From Burnout to Buy-In (2023). She has successfully led extensive projects with renowned organizations throughout her career, including Sesame Workshop, AARP, Citrix, Prudential, Acxiom, Alcon, Purdue University, Experian, US Bank, Cisco, and many others. She loves using the marketing strategies she's honed over two decades to motivate teams to do their best work.

Contact Jenny on her website or LinkedIn and learn about her book here.

In Episode 073, I sat down with the brilliant Rachel Gertz, Co-founder of Louder Than Ten, to uncover the real power behind project management. We didn’t just talk about deadlines and deliverables—we dove into how effective project management can transform your agency from the inside out. Rachel shared game-changing insights on leadership, empowering your team, and rethinking the way digital agencies operate. From hiring the right talent to using the right tools for growth, this conversation is packed with strategies you can start using today to take your agency to the next level. Tune in now!

Key Takeaways

• Project management is a powerful conduit for empowering individuals and driving project success.

• Leadership challenges within digital agencies often stem from a lack of delegation and a scarcity mindset.

• The integration of project management tools and the development of financial literacy are crucial for effective project management.

• The role of project managers extends beyond traditional project delivery, encompassing strategic thinking, revenue growth, and team empowerment.

• Personal growth tools, such as journal trackers, can provide valuable insights and self-awareness for professional development.

Rachel Gertz is a Co-founder and Direc­tor of Deliv­ery and Growth at Loud­er Than Ten. She helps small to medi­um sized dig­i­tal agen­cies trans­form their dig­i­tal PM oper­a­tions through hands-on train­ing and con­sult­ing. Her mis­sion at Loud­er Than Ten is to pro­pel tech work­ers through an uncer­tain future by train­ing dig­i­tal com­pa­nies how to give pow­er to the peo­ple lead­ing their projects.

Contact Rachel on her website or LinkedIn.

In this episode, I sat down with Aalap Shah from 1o8, a minority-owned digital agency. Aalap shares his journey to agency ownership, starting with his background in accounting and e-commerce. He discusses how he fell in love with marketing and eventually started his own social media agency. Aalap also talks about the recent acquisition of Heart Creative, which adds content production capabilities to 1o8. He emphasizes the importance of the pillars of values that his organization stands for, how culture and community are imperative in his agency, and the value of certifications like being a minority-owned business. Aalap also shares his passion for giving back and his love for running and nature.

Key Takeaways

• Agency ownership can happen by accident, as it did for Aalap Shah, who started his agency after realizing he wanted to work for himself • Acquiring another business can help fill gaps in services and provide new opportunities for growth • Building a strong culture and community within an agency is essential for success • Certifications, such as being a minority-owned business, can open doors and lead to new business opportunities • Giving back to the community and being involved in philanthropic efforts can be a valuable part of an agency's mission • Finding a hobby or activity, like running, can provide personal fulfillment and balance in the midst of running a business

Chapters

00:00 Accidental Agency Ownership 05:35 The Meaning Behind 1o8 09:35 Building Pillars of Expertise 13:36 Driving Consumer-Based Traffic 22:33 The Power of Looker Studio for GA4 26:27 The Value of Niching Down

Aalap Shah is a Chicago-born entrepreneur, public speaker, philanthropist, and the founder of 1o8, a fresh digital marketing start-up focused on deepening brand awareness and increasing sales for amazon + e-commerce companies nationwide. Aalap and his team at 1o8 have worked with companies like Gildan, Sweet Leaf Tea, Vetnique Labs, OHi Superfood Bars and Tio Gazpacho—just to name a few.

Aalap happily shares his personal entrepreneurial story and his passion for crafting digital strategy, creating content, navigating the ever-evolving digital marketplace, and captaining the entrepreneurs’ life at events far and wide. As a registered CPA and the child of Indian immigrant-entrepreneurs, business is a key part of Aalap’s DNA and integral to his own personal American Dream. Aalap started his first business, a toy store, at the age of 23. Maneuvering the marketplace while building his business’ brand awareness sparked a love of marketing and promotion. Aalap worked in digital marketing for years thereafter, and is now the strategic brain behind 1o8, an amazon and ecomm focused growth agency in Chicago.

He has served as a keynote speaker, workshop moderator, and panelist at engagements with the National Business Education Association, Clickz, Social Media Week, Media Post, and Bloggers Week Summit and for companies such as Sears, Northwestern University, and DePaul University.

Contact Aalap on his website for 1o8 Agency, Heart Creative, or on LinkedIn.

In this episode, I had the pleasure of conversing with Liz Young, the founder of StudioLabs, a 20-year-old custom software development agency with 45 dedicated team members. Liz's journey began in a unique way when, at the age of 25, she launched her agency on the spot in her first client's lobby. At that time, she was among the few women in the industry. In this episode, she shares the intriguing story of StudioLabs' inception and how she now leads the agency.

Liz delves into the day-to-day operations of the agency, highlighting the systems that keep everything running smoothly. She emphasizes the agency's deliberate efforts to cultivate strong leaders and maintain a vibrant company culture. Tune in to gain insights into how Liz has transformed StudioLabs from a trusted resource for other agencies into a powerhouse that develops software solutions for some of the world's most prominent brands.

After graduating from the University of Hartford as a two-sport D1 athlete, majoring in graphic design and minoring in illustration, Liz started her career in New York City with work ranging from digital design to illustration and storyboarding. Along the way, she learned frontend web development technologies and began building the things she designed. Liz’s passion for technology grew and began to change the way she approached creative conception and execution.

From 2000 until 2003, Liz was fortunate enough to have been part of an incredibly talented, visionary team of creative and engineering professionals who hopped from the agency world, to the publishing world, and back to the agency world again, creating award-winning digital products for Fortune 500 companies and some of the world’s most recognizable brands. It was as part of this team that Liz had the opportunity to help design and build the world’s first-ever live webcast of an international sporting event - the 2000 Paralympic Games in Sydney, Australia.

In 2003, at the age of 25, Liz founded StudioLabs, a product design and development studio that focuses on creative technology. Through her work at StudioLabs, she has helped create software applications, mobile applications, websites, games, and other digital products for clients such as Estee Lauder and ESPN, and she’s partnered with some of the world’s most talented creative teams at agencies like Ogilvy & Mather and RG/A.

Liz’s current responsibilities as CEO and Creative Director have her tasked with leading both creative strategy and business operations. She works hand-in-hand with the StudioLabs internal team and the client-side stakeholders, ensuring that the team is delivering well-designed, smart, engaging digital products that resonate with the end user.

Liz is also a co-founder, board member, and investor in multiple other companies and startups, predominantly in the SaaS (Software as a Service) industry.

Contact Liz.

In this episode, I had the pleasure of chatting with Anne Green, the CEO of GNS Business Communications. We met in an airport lounge and talk about the value of putting oneself “out there” to meet new people and discover new opportunities. Anne shares her journey to becoming CEO, revealing her unique leadership style rooted in compassion and empathy. We dive into the challenges of leadership and the importance of overcoming the 'us versus them' mentality.

Anne opens up about the value of curiosity, enthusiasm, and making meaningful connections in the agency world. We explore the significance of understanding one’s purpose and staying focused amidst rapid technological changes. Anne stresses the importance of agencies revisiting their culture, mission, and values to stay aligned and impactful.

Our conversation also highlights the need for trust-building, inclusivity, and open communication within organizations. Anne’s leadership style, characterized by vulnerability and openness, fosters an environment where team members feel comfortable speaking up. We wrap up by discussing the importance of self-compassion and finding joy in the dynamic world of agency life.

Join us for an engaging and insightful discussion with Anne Green, filled with practical advice and heartfelt reflections on leadership and agency dynamics.

Key Takeaways

• Transitioning to a CEO role requires learning leadership at scale and managing a collaborative matrix style.

• A leader's style should be warm, empathetic, and open, with a focus on being of service and making connections.

• Resisting the 'us versus them' mentality is crucial in both internal agency dynamics and agency-client relationships.

• Compassion and empathy are essential in understanding and supporting clients, as well as fostering a positive agency culture.

• Curiosity and enthusiasm are key traits for agency leaders, as they drive learning, collaboration, and problem-solving. Understanding purpose and staying focused is crucial in the face of technological advancements.

• Agencies should revisit their own culture, mission, and values to stay relevant.

• Trust-building, inclusivity, and open communication are essential for a strong and effective organization.

• Leadership should embrace vulnerability and openness to create an environment where people feel comfortable speaking up.

• Self-compassion and enjoying life are important for personal fulfillment in the agency industry.

Chapters

00:00 Introduction and Background

05:33 Transitioning and Learning Leadership at Scale

14:23 Resisting the 'Us Versus Them' Mentality

27:39 Building Trust and Fostering Inclusivity

36:54 Self-Compassion and Enjoying Life in the Agency Industry

Anne Green taps 30 years of experience in integrated marketing communications in her role as CEO and partner at G&S Business Communications. She is responsible for ensuring excellence across all areas of agency performance and operations, from client service to the agency’s integrated offerings to cultivating a vibrant and growth-oriented culture. Anne was previously President and CEO of CooperKatz & Company, Inc., an award-winning agency she helped to build for more than two decades before it was acquired by G&S in 2018. She began her career with Burson-Marsteller in New York City. In her alternative lives, she would be a singer or literature professor - but agency life ensures she's always creatively engaged.

Connect with Anne on the G&S Communications website or LinkedIn.

In this episode, I got to speak to Melissa Morris from Agency Authority where she works with agencies on process and system optimization. Melissa and I talk about how agencies can leverage the proper systems, tools, and processes to grow healthily and use these tools to optimize agency availability and profitability. Melissa shares some of the benchmarks and areas that agency owners and operations managers should watch for in a growth stage in order to avoid some of the pitfalls that come with scaling.

As the founder of Agency Authority, a project management and operations consultancy for agency owners, I use my 10 years of agency experience to help business owners maximize their teams, increase their productivity, and grow their profits. Firmly committed to breaking the ‘long hours and bad pay’ stigma that plagues the agency world, my team and I help business owners and their team members do the work they love without sacrificing client satisfaction, the bottom line, or their own sanity.

Connect with Melissa on their website, LinkedIn, Instagram, and Facebook.

In this episode, I got to speak with Dan Antonelli, President and Chief Creative Officer of KickCharge Creative. Dan’s agency is by far one of the most deeply niched teams I know of, literally owning the home service branding space and having written the book on it. Dan and I dug into the difference his agency saw once they declared ownership over that space, stopped chasing service-based work that they didn’t find profitable, and rebranded themselves to drink their own cool-aid. Dan experienced a near-death event a few years ago and he spoke about how that was a driving force for him to realign some of his priorities and team structure so they can have more impact and help more people. He also shared how that led to selling some equity in the agency by bringing on a partner this summer and the benefits that will have for KickCharge. Lastly, Dan’s team faces regular copyright infringement, mostly from freelancers stealing their designs and using them as their own. Dan shares how they deal with that, as well as what not to do in instances like that.

Dan Antonelli is the President and Chief Creative Officer of KickCharge Creative, an award-winning New Jersey-based branding agency that specializes in helping home service businesses redefine themselves and stand out with disruptive brands. Dan is a nationally recognized speaker and expert on home service branding, with several books on branding to his credit, including Building a Big Small Business Brand and his new Amazon best-selling book, Branded Not Branded: KickCharge Your Home Service Brand. During more than 25 years running his own agency, Dan’s marketing expertise has been featured on MSNBC and in industry magazines including Entrepreneur, SignCraft, HVACR Business, Plumbing & Mechanical, and Contracting Business, among many others. His signature wrap style that integrates disruptive branding has served as a model for superior home service fleet branding throughout the world. With more than 2,000 home service brands under his belt, Dan and his team have overseen the branding of more home service businesses than any other brand agency in the world.

Contact Dan on his website, LinkedIn, and Instagram, or grab a copy of his book.

In this episode, Brandon and I talk about how playing with Legos can help explore any topic within a workshop. Brandon talks about how building and reverting back to your childhood playtime can build metaphors to answer prompts. By exploring what creativity means to each person, Serious Play can be implemented in an agency, corporate environment, or any other space, to dig into a business’s challenges. Building strategy and exploring values with Legos allows the process to remove the emotion from the results through a flow state under the facilitation of Brandon's expertise. This process allows the process to get at the nuanced insights from a group of people, without the meeting after the meeting.

Brandon Wetzstein is an energetic founder with a futuristic mindset. He believes that everyone has the capacity to be innovative and creative when given the right tools, support, and environment. He is driven by curiosity, makes a mean chili, and loves a good book that shifts his mindset.

Connect with Brandon on his website and on LinkedIn.

In this episode, Marcel talks about how Parakeeto was born – how can smaller agencies leverage their data without enterprise software. Marcel talks about the value of the democratization of data within an organization where the cost of creating data has gone to zero and how to develop data management practices. We dug into systemic profitability issues in small agencies and the key metrics agencies should be watching out for to track predictable profitability. Marcel details the differences between delivery margins or the fundamental profitability of the offer and the cost of your services and what causes your delivery target to be below your goals. Similar to my coaching style, Marcel and his team don’t have a cookie-cutter approach to how an agency tracks numbers and defines success within an agency.

Marcel Petitpas is the CEO & Co-Founder of Parakeeto, a company dedicated to helping agencies measure and improve their profitability by streamlining their operations and reporting systems, a problem he discovered while running his own agency back in his early 20’s.

He’s also the fractional COO at Gold Front, an award-winning creative agency in San Francisco working with brands like Uber, Slack, Keap, and more. As well as the head strategic coach at SaaS Academy by Dan Martell, the #1 coaching program for B2B SaaS businesses in the world.

In his work as a speaker, podcast host, and consultant, specializing in Agency Profitability Optimization, he's helped hundreds of agencies around the world measure the right metrics and improve their operations and profitability.

When he’s not helping agencies make more money, he’s probably watching “The Office” or “Parks and Rec” on a never-ending loop and eating breakfast foods for every meal of the day.

Connect with Marcel on Instagram, Facebook, TikTok, or Twitter.

In Episode 093 of Agency Bytes, I sat down with Jonathan Stark — a former software developer turned pricing consultant — to dig into a topic that trips up so many agencies: hourly billing vs. value-based pricing.

Jonathan shared how he made the shift from trading time for money to focusing on the value his work delivers. What started as a few talks with agencies grew into a full-blown movement — writing books, delivering content, and building a thriving community of creative professionals ditching the hourly model.

We talked about why hourly billing holds agencies back, the importance of deeply understanding client needs, and how to craft pricing options that reflect the true value you provide. Jonathan’s insights on uncovering client motivations and taking a more strategic approach to pricing will help you build stronger client relationships and increase profitability.

If you’re tired of being stuck in the “billable hour” mindset, this episode is packed with actionable advice you won’t want to miss.

Key Bytes

• Hourly billing limits income potential. • Understanding client outcomes is crucial for pricing. • Scope should be defined after understanding client needs. • Value-based pricing can lead to higher profits. • Creating multiple pricing options can attract clients. • Time tracking is unnecessary in a value-based model. • Client motivations should drive the sales conversation. • Different levels of engagement affect pricing strategies. • Value pricing enhances client relationships. • Being unique in your offering is essential for success.

Chapters

00:00 Introduction to Ditching Hourly Billing 06:01 Understanding Client Needs and Outcomes 11:45 Creating Pricing Options for Clients 17:47 Uncovering Client Motivations 23:54 The Home Run of Value Pricing

Jonathan Stark is a former software developer who is on a mission to rid the world of hourly billing. He is the author of Hourly Billing Is Nuts, the host of Ditching Hourly, and writes a daily newsletter on pricing for independent professionals.

Connect with Jonathan and learn about ditching hourly on his website.

In this episode, I got to talk to Jody about what it’s like running one of the first fully distributed CPA firms, and their acquisition process by Anders CPA + Advisors. He talks about how they set out to launch the firm as a change agent in the space and how they flipped the billing model on its head in the creative agency CPA and advisory space. While Jody doesn’t run a creative firm, he lets us in on the immense value of niching down into vertices and how it proves to scalability. Learn the secret of when owners should really start leaning on outsourced CFO services and why. Finally, Jody shares some of the trending KPIs they see agencies actively monitoring.

Jody co-founded Summit CPA Group (Summit) in 2002, which merged with Anders CPAs + Advisors (Anders) in 2022. Summit, now a division of Anders, was the first fully distributed accounting firm. As the leading provider of Virtual CFO Services in North America, Summit provides professional Virtual CFO Services for over 100 companies across the United States, helping business owners dive deep into the financial side of their business to maximize profits, minimize taxes, and increase cash flow.

Jody is also an industry speaker and a published author. He literally wrote the book on helping digital companies create a financial roadmap to success, Digital Dollars and Cents.

Connect with Jody on his website, LinkedIn, or Twitter.

In episode 098 of Agency Bytes, I sit down with Paolo Vidale, CEO of Hidden Gears, for one of the most honest and raw conversations we’ve ever had on this podcast. This isn’t just about agency life—it’s about the real, unfiltered struggles that come with being an entrepreneur and a human being.

Paolo opens up about one of the hardest challenges he and his wife faced—her unexpected cancer diagnosis at just 35 years old. We talk about what happens when life blindsides you, when everything you’ve built suddenly takes a backseat to survival, and how you find the strength to keep going. Paolo shares what it was like to step up as a caregiver, run a business solo, navigate financial pressures, and manage his own mental health—all while figuring out how to show up for his wife, his team, and himself.

We also get into:

• The emotional weight of entrepreneurship—and why so many agency owners feel like they have to have it all together, even when their world is falling apart.

• The unexpected kindness that came from clients and colleagues when he chose to be vulnerable about his situation.

• The hardest leadership lessons he learned while scaling back, delegating, and ultimately growing the agency in a healthier, more sustainable way.

• How this experience completely reframed his approach to work, life, and success—from prioritizing health and setting boundaries to embracing a “YOLO” mentality when it comes to experiencing life fully.

This conversation isn’t just about overcoming setbacks—it’s about redefining what truly matters. If you’ve ever struggled with balancing business and personal challenges, if you’ve ever felt like you had to carry everything alone, or if you need a reminder that it’s okay to step back, ask for help, and build a business that supports your life (not the other way around)—this episode is for you.

Paolo’s story is deeply personal, incredibly inspiring, and a powerful testament to resilience, leadership, and love. Give it a listen—you won’t regret it.

Key Bytes

• Life as an entrepreneur is filled with challenges. • Vulnerability is crucial in business settings. • Having a supportive partner can enhance business success. • Navigating a health crisis requires clear communication. • Delegation is essential for effective leadership. • Prioritizing health can lead to better business outcomes. • Traveling can provide a much-needed reset from work. • Work-life balance is vital for a healthy team culture. • It's important to redefine success beyond financial metrics. • Health crises can shift priorities and perspectives on life.

Chapters

00:00 Introduction to Paolo Vidale and Hidden Gears 07:30 Navigating Personal and Professional Challenges 15:41 Coping with a Life-Altering Diagnosis 22:56 Leadership Lessons from Adversity 30:48 Reframing Life Priorities and Business Goals 39:51 Building a Healthy Work Culture

Paolo Vidali is the CEO and co-owner of Hidden Gears, a distributed web design, development, and marketing agency specializing in e-commerce solutions for growing businesses across the US, with offices in New York and Honolulu. With over 17 years of experience in web development and digital marketing, he focuses on Shopify Plus development, Pay-per-click (PPC) management, SEO, and conversion optimization. A veteran digital strategist and solutions architect, Paolo has a diverse background in managing sustainability initiatives, digital marketing strategy, and omnichannel retail.

Contact Paolo on their website, Instagram, LinkedIn, or on X.

In this episode, Don and I explored why creative and traditional agencies should bring digital in-house. Don lays out the plan for what it takes to build out an in-house digital marketing team to drive long-lasting results for clients and recurring revenue for your agency. Don shares some of his secret sauce on how he’s been leading digital marketing for agencies and really delivering amazing results for everyone.

Don Seckler, the founder of Peak Inbound Marketing, has over 25 years of experience in traditional direct response marketing. He has also been a digital marketer since the beginning. Don was one of the first to use Twitter, Facebook, and Google Ads. He was in the trenches as the web came to life in the mid-1990’s and has been developing and executing successful digital marketing campaigns since then.

Now Don drives digital marketing strategies for clients that generate hundreds of thousands of dollars worth of business.

He also has guest lectured at New York University and Baruch College in New York City. You can see Don speaking at various Meet Up groups and other events for a variety of industries around the U.S.

Don has worked in tv commercials, on the Seaside Heights New Jersey boardwalk, and once roadied for Cheap Trick.

Connect with Don on LinkedIn and his website here.

In this episode, Patrice and I talk about the winding path that she took to get into the world of digital project management, how being fired (twice) set her on her way to mastering her destiny, why college may or may not be for everyone and some of the things agencies do (and don’t do) that are mind-boggling.

Patrice started managing digital projects 20 years ago, starting with a pioneering e-commerce music company during the .com boom in the 90s. Since then, she’s managed projects big and small for companies, agencies, and now as a freelance project manager - projects ranging from mobile apps to large-scale CMS-driven websites, and even print projects on occasion. An active member and writer for the larger Digital Project Management community, she’s always willing to talk about the operations aspect of project management and how agencies can better use PM to strengthen client relationships.

Connect with Patrice on her website.

In episode 080, I had a great conversation with Kevin Rapp, co-founder and chief creative officer of Ultra Friends. We dive into the exploitation of creatives and the crucial role of valuing creativity in business. Kevin shares his journey from working in agencies and studios to going in-house at a fast-growing startup, where he learned to focus not just on the craft, but on delivering real value to the business.

We discuss why creatives should stop pitching for free and start advocating for the true worth of their work. Kevin’s key takeaway? Understand and confidently articulate the immense value that creativity brings to the table.

This episode is a must-listen for any creative professional looking to elevate their impact and take control of their worth in the business world!

Key Takeaways

• Creatives need to shift their focus from the craft alone to delivering value to the business. • Pitching for free devalues creativity and sets an unhealthy dynamic in client relationships. • Understanding and articulating the true value of creativity is crucial for success. • Advocating for fair compensation and valuing creativity leads to better career opportunities and financial growth.

Chapters

00:00 Introduction and Background 03:30 Transitioning from Agency to In-House Startup 06:09 Shifting the Focus to Value and Business Impact 09:55 Starting Ultra Friends and Optimizing Creative Content 15:05 The Importance of Not Pitching for Free 20:59 The Devaluation of Creativity and Self-Worth 26:00 Setting the Tone and Advocating for Fair Compensation 31:53 Understanding and Articulating the True Value of Creativity

Kevin is the co-founder and Chief Creative Officer of the creative agency Ultra Friends. He's an accomplished creative leader with almost two decades of experience in the field. And he's built a mild reputation for himself by shouting into the internet void on Linkedin.

Contact Kevin on his website.

In this episode, Jasz and I talk about the age-old tale of agencies treating their marketing and business development efforts as if they were their own client – and why that doesn’t work. She breaks down why a CRM is so vital to an agency, some of the most vital aspects of a good CRM, and various tricks on how to dig into your pipeline and stages of a business development process. We talk about at what point an agency should outsource their sales and marketing, vs. keeping it in-house and what the differences between the two options are. Finally, we explored various ways agencies can leverage ChatGPT to expedite some of our marketing research efforts.

After spending years working in the agency space and starting her own agency, Jasz quickly realized that the old saying "the shoemaker's kids never have shoes" holds true. Agency owners and consultants spend so much time focusing on growing their clients' businesses that their own sales and marketing goals often fall to the back burner. Not anymore! Jasz partners with boutique agency owners and consultants to develop the systems and growth strategies they need to start generating an influx of sales-ready leads.

Connect with Jasz on her website or on LinkedIn.

In this first-ever two-part episode, Sherri, Reuben, and I talked about how they paved the way into their niche by following a passion that took their marriage to the next level. How implementing EOS lead to a rebrand and informed their overall agency messaging and niche targeting. They shared some of the secret sauce on how they successfully navigate running an agency as a married couple who both have chronic illnesses and ADD. The Fly Duo shared about a few of their side passion projects and how the ambition of eliminating stigma and having sex-positive conversations happen to also be fueling their agency growth. Tune into both episodes to hear the full conversation!

Reuben and Sherri Johnson, affectionately known as the FlyDuo®, are partners in life, love, crime, and everything in between. They are co-founders of Atlanta’s premier award-winning, sex-positive brand agency Fly Media Productions®; co-founders of SexTech n’ Chill™, a handpicked selection of news, products, and experiences thoughtfully curated by the couple for pleasure seekers; and co-hosts of the podcast-style web show The FlyDuo Sex Project™.

In addition to their own projects, Reuben and Sherri currently serve as official ambassadors for The Bureau of Digital and Erika Lust’s “The Porn Conversation”.

Contact the FlyDuo on their websites, FlyMediaProductions.com and ST&C Special Project Website, on LinkedIn for FlyDuo, LinkedIn for FLy Media, Instagram for FlyyMedia, Instagram for ST&C, and on X.

In Episode 092 of Agency Bytes, I had the absolute pleasure of interviewing Armin Vit, co-founder of Under Consideration and editor of the wildly popular blog Brand New. As someone who’s followed Armin’s work for nearly two decades, this was a bucket-list conversation for me.

We dove into the early days of design blogging and how Brand New evolved from a passion project into a thriving subscription-based business. Armin shared why he and his partner Bryony chose to lean into events and community-building over running a traditional design agency — and how that shift has shaped their success.

We also got into some fun topics like logo trends, what makes a redesign impactful, and how design can spark conversation. But what really stood out were Armin’s insights for agency owners — from taking calculated risks to staying organized with something as simple (and powerful) as spreadsheets.

If you’re an agency owner or a design enthusiast, you won’t want to miss this episode. Armin’s perspective on balancing creativity, business, and community is inspiring and packed with practical takeaways.

Key Bytes

• The transition to a subscription model was driven by the pandemic. • In-house design is gaining recognition and importance in the industry. • The Brand New blog has evolved in writing style and audience engagement. • Airbnb's logo change is a prime example of design conviction. • Design trends often emerge simultaneously across the industry. • Community engagement through events is a key passion for Armin. • Calculated risks are essential for agency growth and survival. • Spreadsheets help organize thoughts and data effectively. • The design industry is shifting towards valuing in-house talent.

Chapters

00:00 Introduction to Armin Vit and Under Consideration 08:10 Passion for Events and Community Engagement 15:01 The Brand New Blog and Its Evolution 20:59 Identifying Design Trends in Real Time 30:01 Valuable Business Advice for Agency Owners

Born and raised in Mexico City, Armin Vit is a graphic designer and writer now living in Bloomington, IN. He is co-founder of UnderConsideration, a graphic design firm generating its own projects, initiatives, and content. He is the editor and primary writer of the popular blog Brand New. Along with his wife and business partner, Bryony Gomez-Palacio, he is the co-organizer and co-host of the Brand New Conference (established in 2010) as well as of First Round (established in 2018) and In-house In-focus In-person (launching in 2025). Cumulatively they have curated a selection of more than 450 individual speakers and hosted more than 12,000 attendees since 2010.

Contact Armin on any of his Instagram accounts: Personal, Brand New, In-House In-Focus, Brand New Conference, or on the Under Consideration website.

In this episode of Agency Bites, I sat down with Mario Lanzarotti, a business strategist who transformed his entrepreneurial journey through mindfulness and personal growth to focus on joy and making an impact. Mario shared his powerful story of starting an e-commerce business in New York, experiencing a pivotal panic attack that led him to meditation, and ultimately discovering the importance of emotional processing and redefining success. Through practices like Transcendental Meditation and plant medicine ceremonies, Mario developed his Zenpreneur method, which emphasizes that who you are being is more important than what you are doing. We dove deep into how entrepreneurs can break free from the hustle culture, process underlying emotional barriers, and create a more intentional, fulfilling business path. Mario's journey is a testament to the power of choice, inner work, and understanding that true success goes far beyond financial metrics.

Key Takeaways

• Mario's journey began in New York City with an e-commerce brand. • Entrepreneurship is often perceived as a path to freedom. • Stress can lead to a realization that something is off in life. • Meditation provided Mario with a tool to regain control. • Success is not just about financial gain but also personal happiness. • The Landmark Forum helped Mario understand the power of choice. • Agency owners often feel overwhelmed by information overload. • Emotional processing is crucial for personal and professional growth. • Redefining success can lead to a more fulfilling life. • Who you are being is more important than what you are doing.

Chapters

00:00 Introduction to Zenpreneurship 01:00 Mario's Entrepreneurial Journey 04:31 The Turning Point: From Stress to Meditation 10:30 Discovering the Power of Choice 15:05 The Shift from Hustle to Zen 20:04 Emotional Processing and Personal Growth 25:13 Redefining Success Beyond Money 30:05 The Matrix of Entrepreneurship 32:07 Rapid Fire Questions and Closing Thoughts

Mario Lanzarotti is a pioneer in transforming the way agency owners scale their businesses, combining high-performance strategies with inner peace and sustainable success. After successfully exiting his first company, Awl & Sundry, in 2019, Mario embarked on a global journey that led to the creation of the Zenpreneur method—an innovative approach that empowers entrepreneurs to achieve 7-figure success without sacrificing their well-being.

Today, Mario is leading a movement that redefines entrepreneurial success by integrating wealth creation with self-mastery and mindful leadership. He specializes in guiding agency owners from overwhelmed solopreneurs to confident CEOs who build scalable businesses while maintaining freedom, control, and a lasting impact.

With over 1,000 business owners coached, Mario has left an indelible mark on the entrepreneurial community. His TEDx talk, which has amassed over 2 million organic views, underscores his groundbreaking methods for accelerating business growth while fostering a balanced, fulfilling lifestyle.

Mario’s mission is to help agency owners break free from the grind culture, scale with purpose, and create businesses that not only thrive financially but also contribute positively to their lives and the world around them.

Contact Mario on his website or on LinkedIn.

In episode 079, I had the pleasure of speaking with Nicole Ayres, founder of Jumpsuit and creator of Jumpboards. After leaving the big agency world to freelance, Nicole built her own thriving agency—Jumpsuit—with zero paid ads and zero employees. She has since developed Jumpboards, a revolutionary end-to-end solution for agencies that streamlines everything from discovery calls to project handoff.

Nicole shares how Jumpboards empowers freelancers to confidently pitch larger projects and helps agencies operationalize business development, scoping, budgeting, and resource allocation. At the heart of her success? A strong belief in her team and a culture of collaboration and empowerment.

This episode is packed with insights for anyone looking to scale their agency or improve operational efficiency. Don’t miss out on Nicole's inspiring story and the game-changing strategies she’s developed!

Key Takeaways

• Building an agency without paid ads or employees is possible by leveraging a network of trusted freelancers. • Jumpboards is a technology that streamlines the agency process and allows freelancers to pitch larger projects. • Trust in your team is crucial for agency success. • Creating a culture of collaboration and empowerment leads to a more fulfilling and productive work environment.

Chapters

00:00 Introduction and Background 08:21 Transitioning from Freelancer to Agency Owner 19:19 Introducing Jumpboards 27:31 The Future of Agencies and Freelancing 32:01 Personal Interests and Advice

Nicole Ayres left the big agency, freelanced (500k first year, built an agency with zero paid ads and zero employees that runs itself, now building technology to democratize it all.

Contact Nicole at Jumpsuit Agency or Jauntboards.

In this episode, Carl shares his passion for people who run shops and create things and how he shifted from employee to running his own shop to now running Bureau of Digital, the greatest community of agency leaders. The biggest takeaways of this episode are some of the gems on how Carl ran nGen, his dev shop, but Carl also shares how hindsight really was 20/20 in understanding what he saw after opening nGen and some of the decisions his previous boss had made. He talks about how his agency model led to rapid growth by having clients pitch them and having the team choose the work they wanted to do and the type of clients they wanted to work with. Finally, Carl talks about the value of community in the agency space and how agency leaders should embrace their peers and not cut them off as competition.

A theater major who decided to act like he understood business, Carl spent 14 years in advertising before launching his digital agency, nGen Works, in 2003.

nGen ran for 12 years, constantly experimenting with different models of management and team structure, including the Jellyfish Model which was flat before flat was cool.

Towards the end of nGen’s run, Carl attended the very first Bureau event and fell madly in love with the concept of building community in the web industry. So much so that a few years later he closed nGen to take over the Bureau in 2016. Now Carl spends every day connecting digital professionals to give them the support they need.

Connect with Carl on the Bureau of Digital website.

In this episode, I chat with Mike about the evolution his agency, Second Melody, has taken in the 17 years it’s existed. We cover things like when to let an employee go, fighting the niche, saying no to clients, elevating employees as a leader, and the competitive nature of an agency owner.

Mike Graham is the founder and CEO of Second Melody, a branding studio working with organizations to uncover the accurate, ownable, and inclusive narratives that help tell their stories and drive growth.

Connect with Mike and listen to his mix tape at www.secondmelody.com.

In episode 097 of Agency Bytes, I had the pleasure of speaking with Matthew Fox, a project leader, trainer, and operations consultant who specializes in conscious leadership and helping teams work better together.

Matthew opened up about his personal journey with imposter syndrome and how it led him to dive deep into self-development. Over the years, he’s explored frameworks like The 15 Commitments of Conscious Leadership and the Drama Triangle, which have shaped how he approaches leadership and team dynamics.

One of the biggest takeaways from our conversation? Project managers often spot cultural issues before leadership does. If your projects are struggling, it’s probably not just an execution problem—it’s a reflection of your agency’s culture.

We also dove into the importance of self-care for agency owners—something too many of us neglect. Matthew shared how shifting from reactive, fear-based leadership to solution-focused, conscious leadership can improve team morale, retention, and overall agency success.

Key Bytes

• Conscious leadership is essential for agency success. • Self-discovery can lead to better team dynamics. • Project managers are key to understanding agency culture. • The drama triangle can hinder project success. • Cultural challenges often stem from leadership styles. • Self-care is crucial for effective leadership. • Time management can improve agency operations. • Creativity flourishes in a supportive environment. • An open mindset leads to better problem-solving. • Personal growth impacts professional relationships.

Chapters

00:00 Introduction to Conscious Leadership 01:25 The Journey of Self-Discovery 03:27 Integrating Conscious Leadership in Agencies 06:16 Understanding the Drama Triangle 10:12 Cultural Challenges in Agency Leadership 11:34 The Shift from Command and Control 16:56 The Role of Self-Care in Leadership 20:50 Time Management and Agency Culture 24:03 Creativity Under Pressure 26:33 The Importance of an Open Mindset 27:31 Final Thoughts and Personal Reflections

Matthew Fox is a project leader, trainer, and operations consultant with a strong background in public speaking and critique, skilled at delivering constructive feedback that inspires action and change. A true people person with the ability to gain consensus among multiple stakeholders to drive projects to completion and achieve company objectives.

His professional background includes various positions in technology implementation, project management, facilitation, and end-user training. And has led and mentored cross-functional teams.

Matthew loves to give back. He is actively involved in several volunteer organizations, including the Digital Project Manager and the Evolutionary Power Institute.

Contact Matthew on LinkedIn.

In episode 078, Jhana Li, founder of Spyglass Ops, shares her inspiring journey from living van life to building her own successful operations consulting company. She talks about how she helps agency owners scale their businesses while regaining personal freedom by mastering the power of operations.

Jhana highlights how crucial operations are for growth and profitability, explaining how optimizing team performance, delegating tasks effectively, and implementing solid systems and processes allow founders to focus on high-value activities that drive real results. This episode is packed with practical insights for anyone looking to scale their agency while building a more efficient, sustainable business.

Key Takeaways

• Operations is crucial for scaling an agency and maximizing profitability. • Optimizing team performance and implementing systems and processes are key to success. • Founders should focus on high-value activities and delegate tasks to free up time. • Raising the bar for success and setting higher standards can lead to team growth and success.

Chapters

00:00 Introduction and Background 03:04 The Importance of Operations in Scaling 08:23 Maximizing Team Performance 17:23 Raising the Bar for Success

Jhana Li, founder of Spyglass Ops. Jhana started as a COO for multiple startups - while living van life. After seeing countless founders stall out & trap themselves without the proper Operations, 3 years ago Jhana decided to start Spyglass Ops. Since then she has helped more than 100 businesses scale past 7 & 8-figures. Through Operations consulting, recruitment, and training, Spyglass Ops empowers founders to simultaneously scale their businesses while regaining their personal freedom.

Jhana Li started as a COO for multiple startups (while simultaneously traveling full-time in a converted van through N & S America). After seeing countless founders stall out & trap themselves without the proper Operations, 3 years ago Jhana decided to start her own company, Spyglass Ops. Since then she has helped 100+ businesses scale past 7 & 8-figures. Through Operations consulting, recruitment, and training, Spyglass Ops empowers founders to simultaneously scale their businesses while regaining their personal freedom.

Contact Jhana on their website, Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, and YouTube.

In episode 091 of Agency Bytes, I had the pleasure of chatting with Brad Farris from Anchor Advisors about one of the biggest challenges agency owners face — scaling their businesses. Together, we dig through some of the must-have habits that a CEO needs to find their version of success.

We dove into the mindset shifts that are crucial for growth, the tricky transition from being a consultant to stepping into a true coaching role, and why trust is absolutely essential when it comes to delegation.

Brad shared some incredible insights on how agency owners can break through that million-dollar revenue barrier, find real satisfaction in leadership, and avoid the endless cycle of overwork that so many of us fall into.

We also talked about building a healthy work culture and how shifting your perspective can make all the difference in solving problems.

And of course, we wrapped things up with some rapid-fire questions to get a few personal insights from Brad — always a fun way to end the conversation!

It’s a great episode packed with value, and I can’t wait for you to listen.

Key Bytes

• Success is driven less by what you do than who you decide to be. • The biggest hurdle to growth is often internal. • Transitioning from doing to orchestrating is crucial for agency growth. • Micromanaging can lead to decreased performance in teams. • Finding satisfaction in seeing others succeed is key. • Overworking does not equate to better results. • Taking breaks can simplify overwhelming problems. • A healthy work culture is essential for team morale. • Trusting your team is vital for effective delegation. • It's important to recognize that not everything is as critical as it seems.

Chapters

00:00 Introduction to Agency Growth Challenges 03:02 Mindset Shift: From Consulting to Coaching 05:50 Overcoming the Million-Dollar Barrier 08:58 The Importance of Trust in Delegation 12:07 Finding Satisfaction Beyond the Craft 15:07 Breaking the Cycle of Overwork 18:01 The Power of Perspective in Problem Solving 20:58 Creating a Healthy Work Culture 23:51 Rapid Fire Questions and Closing Thoughts

Brad Harris from Anchor Advisors is known for helping agency and expert firm owners grow through the $1M—2M barrier to become thriving $3M —$5M agencies.

For over twenty years, Brad has worked alongside agency owners to help them sharpen their focus, raise their prices, and hire better people so that their firms can scale.

In his work with hundreds of agency owners, he’s learned that success is driven less by what you do than who you decide to be, and the biggest hurdle to your agency’s growth is between your ears.

Contact Brad on his website, or take his leadership assessment.

In episode 090 of Agency Bites, I'm thrilled to chat with Jon Tsourakis, the owner and president of Oyova, a dynamic national marketing and web development agency. Jon has an inspiring story about his journey into the agency world, and I can't wait for you to hear how Oyova has evolved over the years and the lessons Jon has learned along the way.

We dive into the challenges that agencies face in today’s ever-changing market and discuss the critical role of niche marketing and how personalized service can help retain clients. Jon shares his valuable insights on adapting to market conditions and his exciting plans for future growth, including potential acquisitions.

To wrap things up, we have some fun with rapid-fire questions that reveal personal insights and practical business advice. Join us for what promises to be an engaging and informative conversation!

Key Bytes

• Jon's journey into the agency space began after leaving a family business. • The merger of Oyova in 2019 led to rapid growth initially. • The agency faced challenges due to economic downturns and client pullbacks. • Niche marketing is crucial for agency success in a competitive landscape. • Client retention is achieved through personalized, white glove service. • The agency offers a digital marketing suite and web development services. • Future growth strategies include focusing on specialization and potential acquisitions. • Maintaining a healthy billing rate is essential for agency profitability. • The agency space is evolving, and adaptation is key to survival. • It's important to push oneself beyond perceived limits to achieve success.

Chapters

00:00 Introduction to Agency Bites and Guest Background 02:30 The Evolution of Oyova and Market Challenges 06:53 Niche Marketing: The Key to Agency Success 11:14 Client Retention and White Glove Service 14:55 Service Offerings: Digital Marketing and Web Development 21:02 Future Outlook: Adaptation and Growth Strategies 27:38 Rapid Fire Questions and Closing Thoughts

Jon Tsourakis is a seasoned leader, marketer and sales expert. He’s the co-owner and President of Oyova, a national marketing and web development agency where he helps the firm identify and capitalize on new opportunities.

Contact Jon on LinkedIn or the Oyova website.

In episode 082, I sit down with Chris Martinez, CEO and founder of Bloom Partners, who shares his journey from building a successful marketing agency to transitioning into management consulting. Chris dives into the importance of data-driven strategies and setting clear KPIs for each department, emphasizing how these metrics fuel growth. We discuss the impact of AI on the industry, and Chris encourages agency owners to embrace the new possibilities it brings. He also talks about the critical role of personal fulfillment in business success—how finding joy in all areas of life directly boosts both individual and company performance.

Key Takeaways

• Set clear KPIs for each department in your agency and track them using simple tools like Google Sheets. • Embrace AI and leverage its capabilities to improve efficiency and productivity in your agency. • Focus on personal fulfillment in physical health, mental health, relationships, and business to achieve overall success. • The business is a reflection of you, so ensure that other areas of your life are in balance for optimal performance.

Chapters

00:00 Introduction and Background 03:08 Building a Marketing Agency and Transitioning to Management Consulting 05:54 Data-Driven Strategies and Clear KPIs 09:00 Embracing AI in the Agency Industry 12:56 The Importance of Personal Fulfillment in Business

Chris Martinez, CEO and Founder of BLOOMAgency.io, has turned his passion for helping underdogs into a thriving business, growing his company from zero to millions in revenue. Recognized with a 2021 Stevie Award for Minority-Owned Business of the Year, Chris also hosts the popular podcast *Operation Agency Freedom*. He is the author of four books, including the Amazon Bestseller *It’s Not JUST A Website*, and his latest release, *Facts Not Feelings*, offers insights on scaling a marketing agency with data-driven strategies.

Contact Chris on his website, on Instagram, or learn about Agency Freedom Live.

In this episode, I spoke with Khalil Stults from Lima Partners and I Know a Guy about his career path that lead to him discovering his entrepreneurial bug and how he leaned into it. He shares some of his experience in growing a digital marketing agency by 240% after buying into it as an equity partner. He also talks about how he leverages capital through liquidity events for growth strategies. Khalil is an M&A advisor and expert and shared his insights on the ideal DNA of a sellable agency and how to get to that stature. He shares how owners can put their company through the “vacation test” to see how the business will collapse or thrive in their absence, and what those results mean for the growth and possible acquisition of the company.

Khalil Stultz is an Investor | Growth Consultant | Actively Acquiring & Growing Small to Medium-Sized Businesses If You're In Need of an Exit or Expansion...I'm the Guy.

Connect with Khalil on LinkedIn or his website.

For the first time in the history of this podcast, I got to have two guests on board when I spoke to Chris Puma and Steph Hasting of the Inturnship. The Inturnship is their response to the impact of covid on student internships and how they're flipping this part of the industry on its head. Acting as an agency, led by seasoned agency veterans, The Inturnship is pulling in talented interns who are mentored to do real-world client work – for pay. Competing with the “mock-up world” of most ad schools, their teams handle creative assignments ranging from full brand strategy and identity to ongoing social content to interactive websites and content strategy. To date, The Inturnship has a placement rate of nearly 90%, delivering well-trained interns into their first “grown-up” jobs in the industry.

Chris Puma is Associate Creative Director at BASIC/DEPT® the most webby-awarded agency of the past decade. In 2020, he Co-Founded The Inturnship to help create a new process and pipeline for emerging talent. When he’s not working on his own career, or helping others begin theirs, you can find him tending to his indoor plant collection or snowboarding at Mt. Hood.

Steph Hastings is a Senior Web Designer at prAna Living, a small active clothing brand based in Southern California. The right mix of good storytelling and functional design is a beloved daily practice and one that we focus closely on at The Inturnship. When not leading the charge with design projects, Steph is walking her corgi jasper, or hitting the trails for distance runs.

Connect with The Inturnship here.

In this episode, Leslie Compacho introduces us to EOS (Entrepreneurial Operating System). As an EOS implementer working with agencies, Leslie shares the benefits of implementing such a system. Leslie shares how EOS, or a system like it, can get an agency ready for scaling by helping build a leadership team that is all rowing in the same direction, towards the same vision while giving visibility to properly prioritized goals, and how to lead meetings that have true substance and encourage difficult decisions where teams are supporting each others challenges.

Leslie is a Professional EOS Implementer® with 25+ years leading entrepreneurial companies as an owner, CEO, COO/Integrator, and coach. He helps teams implement a simple set of tools and principles to get them in charge and control of their business so they can have a big impact and build a legacy that honors their values — without sacrificing themselves, their team, and especially their families.

Contact Leslie on Linkedin or his website.

In episode 104, I sit down with Adam Nathan, the CEO and co-founder of Blaze.ai, the AI-powered marketing tool that’s making big waves—especially for small teams. Adam and I get into his wild journey of scaling Blaze to over $10 million in revenue in just 15 months with a lean team of 25. We talk about how AI is no longer just for the big guys—it’s helping small businesses, solopreneurs, and yes, even agencies, punch way above their weight.

We also explore some of the trickier topics like AI’s ethical impact, the looming question of government oversight, and even the ecological footprint of AI technology. Adam shares some powerful stories from real users—including how one guy was finally able to take a vacation after 13 years because Blaze gave him time back. Whether you’re excited or anxious about AI, this conversation is packed with useful insights—and a refreshing take on where the future of marketing might be heading.

Key Bytes • Adam Nathan's entrepreneurial background influenced the creation of Blaze. • Blaze serves as a virtual marketer for small businesses. • AI helps small businesses produce high-quality content efficiently. • Many small businesses were previously doing little to no marketing. • AI allows small businesses to compete with larger companies. • The impact of AI on marketing is largely positive for small businesses. • Agencies can scale their client base using AI tools like Blaze. • Ethical considerations around AI usage are important for agencies. • Government oversight should focus on outputs rather than inputs. • The ecological impact of AI may decrease as technology advances.

Chapters 00:00 Introduction to Blaze and Adam Nathan's Journey 03:00 The Need for AI in Marketing 06:02 Blaze's Rapid Growth and Team Structure 08:54 AI's Impact on Small Businesses vs. Large Corporations 11:54 The Role of AI in Marketing and Content Creation 14:48 Ethics and Disclosure in AI Usage 17:57 The Future of Work and AI's Role 20:59 Government Oversight and Ecological Impact of AI 24:05 Final Thoughts and Rapid Fire Questions

Adam Nathan is the CEO and co-founder of Blaze, the #1 marketing AI tool for teams of one.

Get Blaze CEO Adam Nathan's cheat codes to building and growing a $150M company in your inbox every week with Startup Tycoon. Powered by Adam's experience shipping product to millions, raising $46M, and hyperscaling to $7M+ in revenue in 15 months with only 25 people.

Learn about Blaze.ai or subscribe to Startup Tycoon.

In this episode, I had the incredible opportunity to interview Gabe Levine from Matchstick Legal, a top-notch attorney specializing in representing creative businesses. Gabe brings a wealth of knowledge and expertise to the table, making this a must-listen episode for anyone in the creative industry.

We dive deep into some of the hottest topics facing agencies today. Ever worried about protecting your creative work from copycats? Gabe shares essential strategies and legal insights to safeguard your intellectual property. We also tackle the crucial task of reviewing and updating contracts to ensure they’re airtight and up-to-date with the latest legal standards.

Gabe unpacks the complexities of GDPR and privacy regulations, breaking down what they mean for your agency and how to stay compliant. He also emphasizes the importance of perspective and leverage in negotiations, providing practical tips to help you navigate these often challenging discussions.

Whether you're an agency owner, creative professional, or just interested in the legal side of the creative world, this episode is packed with valuable insights and actionable advice. Don't miss out on this engaging conversation with one of the leading legal minds in the industry!

Key Takeaways

• Having a relationship with an attorney as an agency owner is important for protecting creative work and navigating legal issues.

• Registering trademarks and copyrights can help protect creative work from copycats.

• Contracts should be reviewed and updated regularly to ensure they align with the agency's current practices and protect their interests.

• GDPR and privacy regulations are important considerations for agencies, and compliance can be complex.

• Having perspective and creating leverage are key in negotiations, but sometimes compromises need to be made to secure work.

Chapters

00:00 Introduction and Background

05:28 Protecting Creative Work from Copycats

11:38 Reviewing and Updating Contracts

Gabe is an attorney specializing in representing creative and technical businesses in commercial transactions. He's a shareholder in and president of Matchstick Legal, Inc. Gabe lives in Marin County, California with his wife Holly, daughter Kate and dog Scully. He's a very average gravel cyclist but enjoys it quite a bit.

Connect with Gabe on his website and LinkedIn

In episode 103 of Agency Bytes, I sit down with Greg Hickman, founder of Alt Agency and an expert at helping agency owners break free from the time-for-money grind. Greg shares his fascinating journey from the world of big agencies to building his own seven-figure business—while working just 25 hours a week! We dive deep into the pitfalls of the traditional agency model and explore how the Alt Agency approach helps owners productize their services, streamline operations, and reclaim their time.

Greg and I also unpack the difference between productizing and commoditizing agency work (hint: you don’t have to sacrifice creativity for efficiency!). We talk about scaling smart, building systems that don’t drain your soul, and why redefining wealth goes beyond the numbers in your bank account. Plus, Greg shares some personal stories and life lessons about being present for the moments that really matter, in business and at home.

If you’re looking to run a more sustainable and rewarding agency, this is one you won’t want to miss.

Key Bytes • Greg Hickman transitioned from traditional agency roles to founding AllAgency. • The Alt Agency model focuses on monetizing expertise rather than just labor. • Productization of services can lead to greater scalability and efficiency. • Wealth is defined not just by money, but by time and health. • Agencies can benefit from creating multiple service tiers to cater to different client needs. • The lines between agencies, SaaS, and coaching are increasingly blurred. • Building a scalable business requires a shift in mindset and operations. • Automation and systems are key to reducing workload and increasing profits. • Greg's journey highlights the importance of adapting to market needs. • The impact of helping 800 agencies showcases the ripple effect of effective coaching. • Productized services focus on specific outcomes. • Systematization helps agencies improve efficiency and profitability. • Lead generation is crucial for agency success. • Productization simplifies marketing and client management. • Agencies often lose money due to inefficient pricing models. • Creativity can thrive within a productized framework. • Differentiation is key to avoiding commoditization. • Personal growth involves learning from past experiences. • Being present in personal life enhances overall happiness. • Enjoying the journey is as important as the destination.

Chapters 00:00 Introduction to Agency Bites and Guest Background 01:30 Greg's Journey in the Agency World 04:21 Transitioning to the Alt Agency Model 07:37 The Evolution of Services and Client Focus 10:40 Impact and Scale of the Alt Agency Model 12:59 Defining Wealth Beyond Money 13:31 Understanding the Alt Agency Model 19:54 Building a Scalable Offer Suite 21:31 Transforming Agency Services into Productized Offerings 24:33 The Importance of Systematization in Agencies 27:52 Lead Generation and Client Retention Challenges 30:19 Differentiating Productization from Commoditization 33:21 Personal Insights and Life Lessons

Greg Hickman helps agency owners and consultants escape the trap of trading time for money. After nearly two decades working with brands like Pepsi, AT&T, and the NY Jets, Greg built his own marketing automation agency and built funnels and systems for entrepreneurs like Dan Martell, Chris Ducker, John Lee Dumas, Jasmin Star, Nerd Fitness, and more. Now through AltAgency, he's helped over 800+ service providers build profitable, sustainable businesses by productizing their services and monetizing their expertise. Greg runs his 7-figure business working 3-4 days per week (most weeks), taking Fridays off for mountain biking, and wants to help others learn how to do the same. His unique approach helps owners ‘scale’ profits without scaling the complexity or sacrificing their lives.

Contact Greg on his website or his YouTube channel.

In this episode, Lou and I spoke a lot about how his agency, BCS Interactive really digs into their niche industry of non-profits and the services they provide them. Lou brought us into the secret ingredient of his agency and how they lead with this ingredient to make bigger impacts for their clients. We talked about some of the tools and systems his team relies on for their success as a fully remote agency.

Lou Kotsinis is co-founder and CEO of BCS Interactive, a digital agency that works exclusively with nonprofit and educational organizations, focusing on the areas of impact, awareness, and efficiency.

Connect with Lou on his website and on LinkedIn.

In this episode, I had the privilege of speaking with Robert Patin, an agency expert and coach from Creative Agency Success. Robert's expertise centers on benchmarks and the comprehensive analysis of agency performance, emphasizing measurable metrics. Together, we explore key metrics that every agency should be monitoring. We delve into the absence of essential systems that many "accidental" agency owners overlook at different stages of their business evolution.

Robert guides us through activities that can optimize agency operations, aiding in the focus on ideal clients and the reasons behind those choices. During our discussion on agency differentiation, Robert candidly points out that most agencies tend to sound alike, offering valuable insights on how to authentically stand out in a crowded market.

Robert Patin is the founder of Creative Agency Success, a consulting firm dedicated to helping creative agencies scale. Robert is known for being a deeply inquisitive and analytical leader with a distinct ability to devise solutions that elevate companies and lifestyles. He is a two-time international best-selling author and is passionate about sharing his next-level strategies so that creative agency leaders will find fulfillment and growth.

Contact Robert and download agency freebies here.

In this episode, I got to speak to Matt Wolach from Ringbot. We dug into the benefits of SMS marketing and outreach and how it dovetails into bigger picture marketing strategies. Matt breaksdown how consumers interact with SMS vs. email, web chats, and other communication tools that brands are using. He leans into conversational vendor lead generation for building funnels and how to continue the one-to-one conversation.

Meet Matt, CEO of RingBot (a texting tool that helps agencies get better results for their clients), and personal Coach to business owners.

With 3 startup exits, he has a lot of experience to share. His focus is primarily on growth including sales, marketing, and specific tactics for increasing revenues quickly.

Contact Matt on his website or on Twitter.

In episode 089 of Agency Bites, I had the pleasure of sitting down with Dan Englander, CEO of Sales Schema. We dove into the world of strategic sales planning for marketing agencies and unpacked some of the biggest challenges agency owners face—things like relying too much on referrals, struggling with time, and not having a clear idea of their target market.

Dan breaks down why building trust and leveraging connections is so critical for effective outreach, and we talk about where automation fits (and doesn’t fit) into the sales process. He also explains why it’s so important to create a solid sales system before you start hiring salespeople, and how understanding sales cycles can help set better expectations.

We also touch on hiring the right salesperson and why the human element in sales can’t be overlooked. And of course, we wrap up with some fun rapid-fire questions that give us a glimpse into Dan’s personal and professional side.

If you’re an agency owner looking to make your sales process smoother, more human, and more effective—this one’s for you!

Key Bytes

• Many agencies rely too much on referrals for growth. • Lack of time and clarity are major stumbling blocks for agency owners. • Outbound sales should start as a clarity-building exercise. • Agencies should define their target markets and specialize. • Building trust is crucial in a competitive landscape. • Leveraging connections can enhance outreach effectiveness. • Automation in sales processes is essential but quality matters. • Most agency clients have owner-led sales teams. • It's important to build a sales system before hiring a salesperson. • Understanding sales cycles is key to setting expectations.

Chapters

00:00 Introduction to Agency Growth Strategies 01:50 The Importance of Strategic Sales Planning 04:41 Overcoming Common Agency Growth Challenges 09:10 Building Trust in a Competitive Landscape 12:52 Leveraging Connections for Effective Outreach 15:24 The Role of Automation in Sales Processes 18:46 Creating a Sales System Before Hiring 21:55 Understanding Sales Cycles and Expectations 26:51 The Human Element in Sales

Dan Englander is the CEO and Founder of Sales Schema, a fractional new business team for marketing agencies, and he hosts The Digital Agency Growth Podcast. Previously Dan was the first employee head of new business at IdeaRocket, and before that, Account Coordinator at DXagency. He's also the author of Relationship Sales at Scale: How to Find Your Virtual Tribe and Reliably Grow Your Professional Service Business, Mastering Account Management and The B2B Sales Blueprint. In his spare time, he enjoys developing new aches and pains via Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu and spending time with his wife Sarah and their son Adrian in NYC.

Contact Dan on his company website, LinkedIn, Facebook, or personal LinkedIn.

In Episode 101 of Agency Bytes, I sit down with Kyra Cavanaugh, a wellbeing consultant, meditation coach, and Qigong instructor, for a conversation that feels like a deep breath in the middle of a hectic workday. We explore what it really means to prioritize wellbeing—not just for ourselves but for our teams and the people we lead.

Kyra shares practical, down-to-earth strategies for finding balance in a world that pushes us to hustle nonstop. We talk about how small, intentional moments of self-care can ripple into productivity, creativity, and stronger connections—both at work and in life. From recognizing when a teammate (or you) might need a breather, to breaking the cycle of “push through and crash later” culture, this episode is all about giving yourself permission to slow down in order to show up fully.

If you’ve ever struggled with burnout, felt the pressure to always be “on,” or wondered how to create a healthier, more human-centered workplace, this conversation is for you. Take a pause and join us.

Key Bytes • Wellbeing is essential for productivity and creativity. • Connection and mental health challenges have been prevalent for years. • Daily self-care practices can help mitigate stress. • Leaders must model wellbeing for their teams. • Emotional intelligence is crucial in leadership. • Establishing boundaries is key to healthy workplace relationships. • Investing in oneself is a necessary practice. • Simple check-ins can foster team connection. • Recognizing the impact of personal struggles is important. • Human connection should be prioritized in the workplace.

Chapters 00:00 Introduction to Wellbeing in the Workplace 05:55 Shifting Mindsets: From Work-Life Balance to Daily Wellbeing 11:48 Practical Strategies for Self-Care and Team Support 17:50 Emotional Intelligence in Leadership 23:50 Fostering Human Connection in the Workplace

Kyra Cavanaugh is a well-being consultant, meditation and healing coach, and Qigong instructor. She's worked with hundreds of businesses and thousands of leaders to improve personal, team and organizational well-being. She's an author, podcaster, speaker, coach and serial entrepreneur based in Asheville, NC where she loves to hike and listen to local, live music.

Contact Kyra on 15be.com, freeyourself.world, or on their YouTube channel.

This is a pretty special, and heavy episode that I’m excited to share with you. This episode was recorded and released within a week in order to get it out during October, near national mental health awareness day and during suicide prevention month.

Chris Free, President of Chromatic opened up to us all about the difficulties he faces with his mental health as a result of running his agency. We talked about the impact that overworking himself, being unable to define his actual role, and his inability to let go had on his physical and mental health. And, what he’s done to work on recovering and the positive impact that this has had on Chromatic’s culture of openness and vulnerability. If you or someone you know is struggling, please reach out and get some support. The national suicide prevention helpline is 988.

Chris is an accidental agency owner and recovering control freak. He's spent the last 15 years helping build an award-winning digital agency with a truly unique culture in the Drupal/WordPress space.

Connect with Chris on Twitter and his website here.

In this episode I got to sit with Mary Ann Pruitt, CEO and president of Mosaic Media, and discuss the need for specialized media buying expertise in the agency space. She explains how Mosaic Media helps agencies by providing media buying services without the high overhead costs. Mary Ann emphasizes the importance of collaboration and partnership between agencies and specialized service providers. She also discusses the evolution of media consumption and the impact of COVID-19 on media habits. Mary Ann recommends the book 'Miracle Morning' and advises listeners to trust their gut instincts in business.

Key Takeaways

• Specialized media buying expertise is crucial in the agency space to optimize return on investment.

• Collaboration and partnership between agencies and specialized service providers can lead to stronger client outcomes.

• The COVID-19 pandemic accelerated changes in media consumption habits, with older generations embracing online platforms and younger generations rediscovering traditional media.

• The book 'Miracle Morning' offers valuable insights on establishing morning routines for personal and professional growth.

• Trusting your gut instincts is important in business decision-making.

Chapters

00:00 Introduction and Background

07:01 The High Overhead Costs of Media

13:04 The Impact of Data and Micro-Targeting

27:24 Hobbies, Tools, and Business Advice

Mary Ann Pruitt is the CEO and President at Mosaic Media, a collection of media-buying experts and creative strategists who negotiate, purchase, and monitor advertising space and airtime. Mary Ann started her career in media by working as a senior sales executive for some of the nation’s largest media outlets. After discovering her talent and love for all things media strategy, she founded Mosaic as a way to provide niche expert experience to agencies and marketing departments across the country.

Her hard work and savvy strategy skills have led Mosaic to year-over-year growth, and have expanded her impact as an industry leader in all things traditional, digital, and everything in between. Reflecting this is a 2020 award from Cynopsis Media naming her as a Top Woman in Media.

Mary Ann has helped develop effective marketing strategies for agencies of all sizes, small businesses, service businesses, private educational institutions, and legal and professional services businesses along

with many others. She is passionate about passing on the experience that she has gained to eager professionals looking for actionable marketing tips.

Contact Mary Ann on her website.

In this episode, I had a great chat with Jared Gibson, co-founder of Outworks.io. Jared takes us through the journey of how Outworks.io came to be and how it shifted its focus to LinkedIn engagement for B2B professionals. We dive into the common struggles small business owners face in drumming up new leads. Originally, Outworks.io was all about email lead generation, but they soon found their sweet spot on LinkedIn. Jared shares why building trust through LinkedIn engagement is key and gives us some tips on what kind of content really clicks on the platform. He also shares some top-level strategy on how to leverage relationship building tactics on LinkedIn to convert comments into sales. Plus, he talks about the importance of having an abundance mindset, being your true authentic self, and the benefits of working with competitors. Don't miss out on Jared's valuable insights!

Key Takeaways

• Outworks started as an email lead generation service before pivoting to focus solely on LinkedIn engagement for B2B professionals. • Building trust through engagement is key on LinkedIn, and it is important to take a networking approach rather than a sales approach. • Posting valuable and authentic content on LinkedIn can help establish credibility and attract engagement. • Optimizing LinkedIn profiles and engaging with other users' posts can help break through the noise and build relationships. • Having an abundance mindset and collaborating with competitors can lead to new opportunities and growth.

Chapters

00:00 Origin of Outworks.io 01:00 Starting with Email Lead Generation 02:27 Pivoting to Focus on LinkedIn 03:42 Combining Email and LinkedIn Strategies 05:11 Posting Organic Content on LinkedIn 06:54 Engaging with the LinkedIn Algorithm 09:26 Types of Content that Work on LinkedIn 11:16 Bringing Authenticity to LinkedIn 13:56 Building Relationships and Trust on LinkedIn 17:07 Breaking Through the Noise on LinkedIn 18:24 Optimizing LinkedIn Profiles 20:18 Having an Abundance Mindset on LinkedIn 23:15 Personal Favorites and Tools 27:39 Invaluable Business Advice

Jared lives in Chicago (with his wife and two kids 5,7) where he is well-networked within the Chicago business community.

He co-founded a company called Outworks. They work with B2B CEOs, Entrepreneurs, and Sales & Marketing leaders who are looking to generate revenue through LinkedIn. He's a big believer in the power of networking on the platform to generate warm leads and has built a healthy engagement system that focuses on relationship-building over pushy sales tactics.

He's spent his career building and scaling businesses using these growth marketing and selling systems and decided to take that experience and provide the same value and support for other small to midsize businesses.

Connect with Jared on LinkedIn or on the Outworks.io website.

In episode 069, I had the pleasure of chatting with Taylor McMaster, the founder of Dot and Co. Taylor shares her inspiring journey from launching her own agency to revolutionizing it into a fractional account management service for other agencies. Her story is full of valuable insights and lessons for anyone in the industry.

Taylor dives into the importance of proactive communication and strategies for expanding client accounts. She sheds light on the often daunting task of hiring and training account managers, revealing the incredible advantages of outsourcing this crucial role. Her advice to agency owners? Hire individuals who complement your weaknesses rather than those who mirror your strengths.

But it's not all business! Taylor also shares her passion for golfing and how she recently integrated a fractional sales director into her company, adding a new layer of expertise to her team.

Join us for this exciting conversation with Taylor McMaster, filled with actionable tips, personal anecdotes, and a fresh perspective on agency growth and management.

Key Takeaways

• Proactive communication is crucial in account management to keep clients informed and satisfied.

• Outsourcing account management can help agency owners focus on other aspects of their business and achieve a better work-life balance.

• Hiring account managers who complement your weaknesses can lead to a more well-rounded team.

• Golfing can be a fulfilling hobby and a way to relax and recharge.

• Bringing in a fractional sales director can provide expertise and support in growing your business.

Chapters

00:00 Introduction and Background

02:49 Starting Dot and Co and the Genesis of the Fractional Model

08:31 Integrating Account Managers into Agency Culture

11:36 Stepping into Existing Systems and Optimizing Processes

22:26 Personal and Professional Insights

25:06 Rapid Fire Questions

27:39 Valuable Business Advice

Taylor McMaster is the founder of DOT & Company where she and her team help digital marketing agencies keep their clients happy—and keep agency owners focused on what they do best—with full-service client account management (CAM) services.

Taylor leads a team of Client Account Managers at DOT & Company, training the CAMs to work with different agencies. To date, they have helped dozens of digital marketing agencies free up their time to prioritize the money-makers in their businesses, while the DOT & Co. team ensures their client experience is smooth like butter.

She is also the host of The Happy Clients podcast, where she interviews top names in the industry, diving deep into what makes clients happy in the agency world.

Contact Taylor:

Press: www.dotandcompany.co/press Email: taylor@dotandcompany.co Website: www.dotandcompany.co Podcast: www.dotandcompany.co/podcast Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/dotandcompany Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/taylormcmaster/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dot_and_company/ YouTube: ​​https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC9_2hri1R1uaNTGeZr0Oyxg/ X: ​​https://X.com/CompanyDot

In this episode, I got to sit with Mark Riggs from Pemberton, a consultant and coach for agencies. He shares his insights on shifting from the RFP rat race to building organic growth of existing and new clients. He emphasizes the importance of solving client problems and being proactive in account growth. Mark discusses the need to set expectations with clients from the beginning and continuously communicate and collaborate with them. He also highlights the value of focusing on organic growth and investing the same energy and innovation into existing clients as in winning new business. Mark advises agency owners to start out with defined principles and have patience in their journey. Tune in to hear his top secrets on nailing organic account growth.

Key Takeaways

• Focus on solving client problems and being proactive in account growth.

• Set expectations with clients from the beginning and continuously communicate and collaborate with them.

• Invest the same energy and innovation into existing clients as in winning new business.

• Start out with defined principles and have patience in your agency journey.

Chapters

00:00 Introduction and Background

01:04 Shift in Biz Dev and Account Growth

09:36 Setting Expectations and Scoping

14:21 Operational Scoping and Profitability

23:08 Lessons from Marketing During Downturns

25:49 Invaluable Business Advice

Mark is the founder and CEO of Pemberton which is a management consultancy that exists to be the go-to resource for marketing/communications agencies to discover and reveal pathways to organic growth while changing the mindset of an RFP-obsessed industry.

Before starting Pemberton, Mark spent 20-plus years in the agency world working for IPG’s Mullen Lowe, an Ad Age A-List Agency, Taylor, the Holmes Report’s Consumer Agency of the Decade, MWWPR and French/West/Vaughan, the Southeast’s largest independent agency.

Mark has spent a career learning the art of integrated communication developing and executing award-winning consumer programs for brands and companies like Allstate, Honda, Ford, Kimberly-Clark, Polaris, Coke, Diageo, RJ Reynolds, SunTrust Banks, the U.S. Navy, the Atlantic Coast Conference and ESPN, to name a few.

Mark has a reputation as a business-builder and a strategic counselor and has experience in leading client services, insights and planning functions, as well as developing talent. A creative thinker and problem-solver, Mark believes that great thinking can “come from anywhere,” it’s the ability to harness it and leverage it for clients that makes the intellectual property of the agency valuable and an integral part of the marketing mix.

Contact Mark on his website, his personal LinkedIn, or his company LinkedIn.

In episode 081, I sit down with David C. Baker, a renowned consultant, author, and speaker in the advertising agency world. We explore David's journey from grad school to founding his consultancy, Punctuation, and later bringing his son into the business. David shares key traits that drive successful agencies—courage, discipline, strategic positioning, and effective team management. We discuss business resets, lead generation, and the science behind agency positioning, along with the advantages of running an agency with future acquisition in mind. Beyond business, David talks about his personal passions like motorcycling, woodworking, and photography. Tune in for valuable insights into managing and scaling a creative agency.

Key Takeaways

• Courage and discipline are key traits for agency leaders • Positioning is crucial for agency success and requires testing and refinement • Running an agency as if you're going to sell it can lead to better overall performance • Woodworking, motorcycle racing, and photography are David's hobbies • Stop things that no longer serve you and simplify your life

Chapters

00:00 Introduction and Background 03:07 The Importance of Courage and Discipline in Agency Leadership 06:29 The Process of Positioning and Testing 11:17 Keys to Making an Agency Attractive for Sale 15:16 David's Hobbies: Woodworking, Motorcycle Racing, and Photography 18:20 Advice for Agency Owners: Stop and Simplify

David C. Baker is an author, speaker, and advisor to entrepreneurial creatives worldwide. He has written 6 books, advised 1,000+ firms, and keynoted conferences in 30+ countries. His work has been discussed in the Wall Street Journal, Fast Company, Forbes, USA Today, BusinessWeek, CBS News, Newsweek, AdWeek, and Inc. Magazine. He lives in Nashville, TN. His two most recent books are at http://www.expertise.is and https://www.tradecraft.is His work has also been featured in the NY Times, where he was recently referred to as “the expert’s expert”. He co-hosts the most listened-to podcast in the creative services field (2Bobs).

Contact David on his website, or LinkedIn, or learn about his MYOB Conference.

With the launch of Season Two of Agency Bytes, I'm thrilled to introduce an extraordinary guest for this momentous occasion – Ilise Benun from Marketing Mentor. Ilise is not only a longtime friend but also someone I've admired for decades. In this episode, I had the privilege of delving into Ilise's invaluable insights on her "Simplest Marketing Plan" and how she guides creative professionals to success by helping them focus and identify their market. We discuss the importance of cultivating a deep, focused niche and Ilise lays out actionable steps to achieve this.

Ilise believes that building your business should be enjoyable and shares her observations on why many agency owners struggle with their marketing efforts due to being too close to their businesses. We dissect the difference between horizontal and vertical niches, exploring how the latter can significantly boost marketing endeavors. Ilise also emphasizes the significance of sub-niches and provides guidance on expanding into new niches.

Furthermore, Ilise outlines her comprehensive program focusing on marketing, money, and mindset, identifying these as key areas of weakness for most creatives. We also challenge the notion that referrals are always beneficial and discuss strategies to overcome complacency in business development.

Tune in to uncover some of the invaluable secrets Ilise has accumulated over her more than 30 years as a creative business coach. This episode is packed with actionable insights and wisdom you won't want to miss!

For the past 35 years, Ilise Benun has made it her business to teach basic business skills – that is mindset, money, and marketing – to creative professionals and solopreneurs who should have learned them in school but, alas, did not because it’s not taught in school. This has, for years, perpetuated a “starving artist” mentality amongst creative professionals, who are naturally talented and could easily bring their creativity to the business side of their business, if only they knew how. That’s the mission she’s on with all of her work through marketing-mentor.com, including The Simplest Marketing Plan, The Marketing Mentor Podcast, 7 books including The Creative Professional’s Guide to Money, multiple online courses for Creative Live and Domestika.org and much more.

Contact Ilise: https://bit.ly/agencyoutsight-qt https://www.marketing-mentor.com/ https://quicktips.marketing-mentor.com/ https://www.linkedin.com/in/iliseben

In episode 076, I got to sit with Lisa Mullis from Paraphrase Communications. Lisa and I got to discuss the importance of effective brand messaging and copywriting for creative professionals. Lisa shares her journey from running a graphic design studio to focusing on copywriting and helping clients communicate their message. We discuss the challenges of writing copy, especially for oneself, and the impact of poor copy on sales. Lisa also emphasizes the need for a comprehensive approach to brand messaging and the role of mindset work in business success.

Key Takeaways

• Effective brand messaging and copywriting are crucial for creative professionals to attract and convert clients. • Writing copy can be challenging, especially when it comes to writing about oneself. • Poor copy can negatively impact sales and the overall perception of a brand. • A comprehensive approach to brand messaging is necessary, addressing all aspects of the business. • Mindset work is essential for overcoming resistance, fear, and anxiety in business.

Chapters

00:00 Introduction and Background 03:06 Challenges of Writing Copy 05:39 Positioning and Communication Challenges for Creative Professionals 10:44 Common Challenges Faced by Creative Professionals 14:27 The Impact of Poor Copy on Sales 26:10 The Importance of Mindset Work in Business Success

As a strategic brand coach and copywriter, Lisa helps service-based professionals clarify their messaging and streamline their marketing so they work with better clients, regain their time, and take home more money.

Lisa brings a unique skillset that encompasses both sides of brand messaging—the visual and the verbal. As a kid she lived in the world of language, exploring its many forms through writing, art, and music. You could find her either scribbling stories in notebooks or sketching doodles in art pads. At university, she was formally trained as an ad copywriter through her Journalism degree and as a graphic designer through the Fine Arts program.

During the first 18 years of her career as a graphic designer and owner-operator of a design studio, Lisa witnessed many clients struggle with what to put on their websites and other marketing collateral—in other words, the words. Keen to help and flex her moves as a wordsmith, she started helping clients develop sales-savvy language. In 2016, she officially transitioned her primary focus from design to copywriting.

Today as the head of Paraphrase Communications, Lisa supplements her decades of messaging, design, marketing, and small business acumen with a team of tech specialists for full support from brand strategy to execution. Together they help coaches, consultants, and creative professionals build their businesses through words that win clients—online and in real life—and high-converting marketing funnels that increase productivity and profitability.

With a do-it-together approach to brand messaging and implementation, clients gain much-needed clarity through the process, feel emotionally connected to their message which helps them sell more effectively, and grow their impact through an essential business-building skill—writing—which serves them for the life of their business.

Throughout the year, Lisa holds live events on messaging, copywriting, and marketing strategies for service providers and shares actionable ideas through her weekly newsletter. To stay in the loop, join her here: https://www.paraphrasecomm.com/em-signup

Contact Lisa:

Email: lisa@paraphrasecomm.com Web: https://www.paraphrasecomm.com/ IG: https://www.instagram.com/paraphrasecommunications/ LI: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lhmullis/ FB: https://www.facebook.com/paraphrasecomm

Are your words winning or costing you clients? CLIENT CONVERSION QUIZ – Gain instant insight into the gaps in your messaging and marketing so you can improve your connections and conversions. Takes less than 5 minutes and it's free! https://paraphrasecomm.scoreapp.com/

In this engaging episode, I'm joined by fellow agency coach Danielle Fauteaux for an insightful conversation about the world of agencies. We dive deep into the importance of niche specialization and how it can transform agency dynamics. Danielle shares valuable insights on how agencies can harness their niches to establish a stronger position, and effectively direct their marketing efforts within that space. We explore how this strategic niche focus can steer agencies away from the common "new business plateau" and optimize their overall operations.

Danielle also reveals her approach to helping agencies not only grow but also cultivate resilience and stability. Much like my philosophy, she empowers agency owners to define their unique vision of success and lets that vision guide their strategic efforts. Tune in for a rich discussion on agency dynamics and how to chart a course for lasting success.

Danielle is passionate about helping creatives recognize their value and place in this world; passionate about helping leaders regain control over their responsibilities; passionate about encouraging others to live more meaningful lives; and passionate about doing more with less.

While serving in support, client-facing, and leadership roles at multiple agencies, Danielle realized nobody really knows what they are doing; everyone’s just doing the best that they know how.

From there, she became determined to participate in the iterative building and optimization of various agencies to “level up” the entire ecosystems they likewise service through their own books of business.

A fellow agency coach, Danielle guides agencies through the Momentum Framework to achieve their revenue and profit goals while falling back in love with the mission they originally set out with.

Contact Danielle and listen to her podcast on her website.

In Episode 083, I had the pleasure of chatting with Jody Sutter, owner of Sutter Company, about her journey in business development and our shared mission of supporting small marketing agencies with their sales and marketing efforts. Jody introduces her Build Win Scale System—a practical, step-by-step approach to help agencies identify their ideal clients, improve messaging, and strengthen their teams for business growth.

Throughout our conversation, Jody shares why it's crucial for agencies to focus on sales and marketing fundamentals, like pinpointing the right clients and solving their unique challenges. We also explore how to tackle seasonality in the agency world and the power of prioritizing one thing at a time for sustainable success. Don’t miss this insightful episode!

Key Takeaways

• Focus on the basics of sales and marketing, such as identifying your ideal client and solving their problems. • Prioritize and focus on one thing at a time to make progress. • Use the dips in business to work on strategic projects and improve your agency. • Consider integrating AI tools to streamline processes and improve efficiency. • Reflect on the value you provide to your clients and turn it into a compelling message.

Chapters

00:00 Introduction and Background 06:32 The BuildWin Scale System 12:58 Challenges and Pitfalls in Agency Business Development 17:41 Managing Seasonality in the Agency Business 20:12 Prioritization and Focus 25:15 Integrating AI in Agency Operations 31:05 Turning Value into a Compelling Message 32:40 Closing Remarks

Jody is the owner of The Sutter Company, a business development coaching and advisory firm, and the inventor of the BUILD WIN SCALETM system, a step-by-step process designed to help leaders of small marketing agencies identify and activate their natural talents for sales and marketing, leading to a sustainable approach to winning new business.

Contact Jody on her website.

In Episode 087 of Agency Bytes, I had an inspiring conversation with Peter Kang, co-founder and chairman of Barrel Holdings. Peter shared his journey of building Barrel, a standout eCommerce agency specializing in Shopify, and how his vision evolved into creating multiple specialized agencies under the Barrel Holdings umbrella.

We dove into the challenges and rewards of growing an agency, the strategic decisions that shaped his path, and what it’s like to step back from daily operations to focus on the bigger picture. Peter is passionate about investing in the right people and systems to build an ecosystem of agency services that truly thrives and writes about it weekly in his newsletter.

He also opened up about the importance of transparency in communication, their bold Omakase experiment in funnel building, and launching *Agency Habits*, a resource-packed platform for agency operators. Throughout our chat, Peter emphasized the power of relationships in business and the fulfillment that comes from pursuing work you’re truly passionate about.

This episode is packed with actionable insights and inspiration—don’t miss it!

Key Takeaways

• Peter Kang co-founded Barrel in 2006 with a focus on digital transformation. • The agency evolved to specialize in e-commerce, particularly Shopify. • Barrel Holdings was created to manage multiple agencies under one umbrella. • Transparency in communication has been a core value for Peter and his team. • The Omakase experiment allowed clients to receive branding for free, building a portfolio. • Separate agencies allow for tailored staffing and focused strategies. • Agency Habits aims to share resources and insights among agency operators. • Building relationships is crucial for long-term success in business. • The importance of passion-driven work over purely strategic planning. • Peter emphasizes the need for a succession plan in agency leadership.

Chapters

00:00 Introduction to Agency Bites and Peter Kang 05:10 Focusing on E-commerce and Shopify 10:16 The Strategy Behind Separate Agencies 14:35 The Importance of Transparency in Communication 16:20 The Omakase Experiment: A Bold Approach 23:01 Building a Diverse Agency Portfolio 24:56 Launching Agency Habits: A New Venture 28:41 Rapid Fire Questions and Personal Insights

Peter Kang is co-founder and Chairman of Barrel Holdings, a portfolio of digital agency businesses that includes Barrel, a leading Shopify agency, and BX Studio, a leading Webflow agency. Peter enjoys working closely with agency leaders both in and outside of Barrel Holdings, being a sounding board and sharing lessons learned from years of operating agency businesses.

Contact Peter at Barrel Holdings, his personal website, or on Agency Habits.

In this episode, I had the pleasure of conversing with Ilia Markov, the head of the marketing team at Toggl, a widely-used time-tracking tool. Together, we explore the dynamic realm of time-tracking and challenge the notion that it's a dull subject. Brace yourself for a deep dive into the advantages of meticulous time tracking, emphasizing its significance as a top-down, culturally-driven initiative within a team. Drawing from his agency background, Ilia shares valuable insights into optimal practices for agency time tracking, shedding light on how they foster more efficient teams, heightened capacity awareness, robust utilization support, and enhanced forecasting accuracy. Tune in for a fresh perspective on the excitement inherent in mastering the art of time tracking.

Ilia is leading the Toggl marketing team on a mission to help knowledge-based service businesses bring transparency to their time, bill clients with precision, and plan capacity and utilization free of stress and burnout. He believes agencies, consultancies, and everyone who sells their time only stand to benefit from understanding how their time is spent.

Contact Ilia on Twitter, LinkedIn, or grab a discount on Toggl – use code “BRIEFS” for 20% off any annual plan for new clients, good through Feb. 11, 2024

In episode 094 of Agency Bytes, I had the pleasure of sitting down with Chris Dubois, a seasoned marketing expert and non-founder CEO. Chris shares his fascinating journey from being an infantry officer to leading a successful agency that not only got recognized as an Inc 5000 honoree but also earned the prestigious Two Comma Club award. During our conversation, Chris dives deep into the Dynamic Agency OS, his framework for helping agencies achieve alignment and growth. Key areas of focus from the podcast include:

• Transformational Leadership: How Chris advanced from head of operations to CEO and his insights on effective leadership.

• Strategic Specialization: The importance of niching based on problem-solving and creating differentiated offers.

• Team Optimization: Evaluating and leveraging team strengths to maintain high standards and improve agency culture.

• Quarterly Planning: The benefits of conducting quarterly strategy sessions to stay aligned with client goals and maintain focus.

• Practical Tools: Chris's take on invaluable tools like the AI-powered calendar tool, Motion, and its impact on productivity.

Tune in to explore valuable strategies and actionable insights that can help marketing agency owners thrive and grow their businesses.

Key Bytes

• Chris DuBois transitioned from military service to agency leadership. • The Dynamic Agency OS framework focuses on operators, offers, and operations. • Agencies often struggle with client requests outside their expertise. • Leadership in agencies is about maintaining a strong culture and standard. • Hiring the right people is crucial for delivering quality work. • Understanding client needs requires digging deeper into their problems. • Quarterly strategies help keep clients focused and accountable. • Soft skills can be broken down into quantifiable hard skills for training. • Delegation is key for agency owners to focus on growth. • Networking with other experts can provide valuable insights and solutions.

Chapters

00:00 Introduction to Agency Bites and Chris DuBois 06:32 The Dynamic Agency OS: A Framework for Success 12:51 Navigating Client Requests and Agency Expertise 23:39 Personal Insights and Recommendations from Chris DuBois

Chris DuBois helps marketing agencies build a solid go-to-market foundation while avoiding common roadblocks by aligning business design with personal goals through the Dynamic Agency OS. A former head of operations and non-founder CEO at an agency, he is an INC 5000 honoree and 2 Comma Club awardee.

Contact Chris on his website or on LinkedIn.

In Episode 086 of *Agency Bytes*, I sit down with Christian Banach, a business development expert with a fascinating backstory—from concert promotions to helping agencies land big-ticket clients. Christian’s journey is packed with lessons for anyone looking to level up their business development game.

We dive into the power of relationship marketing, the magic of positioning and specialization, and how agencies can stand out in a crowded marketplace. Christian shares actionable strategies for building and nurturing an email list and why thought leadership (like newsletters!) is key to staying top of mind with prospects.

We also chat about creating consistent, meaningful content and using LinkedIn to boost visibility and credibility. If you’re wondering how to turn casual readers into real connections, this episode is a goldmine.

It’s a must-listen for agency owners ready to take their business development to the next level!

Key Takeaways

• Asking like an auctioneer involves maximizing potential asks. • Rejection should be seen as a sign of success, not failure. • Design your asks based on what you truly want, not what you think you can get. • Understanding the perceived value is crucial in negotiations. • The offer inside the ask should benefit both parties involved. • Mindset plays a significant role in how we approach asking for what we want. • It's important to communicate your dreams to those around you. • Asking for more can lead to greater outcomes than anticipated. • The process of auctioneering provides valuable insights into effective communication. • Honesty and generosity should guide your asks, not manipulation.

Chapters

00:00 Introduction to Asking Like an Auctioneer 05:16 The Connection Between Asking and Auctioneering 10:28 Mindset: Embracing Rejection 15:30 Designing Your Ask 20:57 The Offer Inside the Ask 27:03 Final Thoughts and Rapid Fire Questions

Christian Banach is a seasoned business development expert who began his entrepreneurial journey in high school by running a successful concert promotions business. He's worked with big names like Lady Gaga and Pitbull and led marketing activations for brands like Disney and Toyota. After navigating the challenges of the 2008 recession, Christian pivoted to business development, helping agencies generate millions in revenue with clients like Kohl's and Constellation Brands. Now, he's on a mission to help agencies and consultancies land 6 and 7-figure opportunities predictably. Welcome to the show, Christian!

Contact Christian on his website or on LinkedIn.

In this episode, I had the pleasure of chatting with Jacob Cass from JUST Creative about his remarkable journey from digital nomad and designer to his current roles as an agency owner, educator, and blogger. We delve into how Jacob manages to juggle multiple ventures while maintaining focus and standing out in the industry. His pursuit of creative freedom drives him to embrace new technologies and innovative ideas, such as the AI bots he's developed to support branding efforts for agencies. We also explore topics like affiliate marketing, value-based pricing, marketplace positioning, and more. Tune in for the full conversation and gain insights from Jacob's wealth of experience!

Key Takeaways

• Embrace AI in design and see how it can improve your process and productivity.

• Diversify your revenue streams to create a more stable and sustainable business.

• Consider value-based pricing to reflect the value you bring to clients rather than charging by the hour.

• Reflect, recalibrate, and refocus regularly to adapt to changes in the market and set new goals.

• Try new tools and don't be afraid to experiment and find what works best for you.

Chapters

00:00 Introduction and Background

08:24 The Role of Design in Jacob's Business

23:55 Experimenting with Tools and Embracing Change

Jacob Cass is a brand designer, strategist, educator, podcaster, business coach, community builder, and the founder of JUST Creative, a branding & design consultancy that doubles as an industry-leading blog and community.

Jacob helps grow brands strategically and has worked for clients such as Disney, Nintendo, and Jerry Seinfeld however he is now focused on bringing this global brand experience to smaller businesses.

For Jacob, design is a lifelong journey of continuously honing his craft, as well as empowering other fellow designers & entrepreneurs to build on theirs, which has allowed him to build a large and loyal following, including his JUST Creative website which has been viewed over 70 million times.

Jacob has spoken at TEDx and been featured in Entrepreneur, Forbes, and a number of high-profile design books including The Best of Logo Lounge Master Series.

Jacob holds a Bachelor of Visual Communication (Graphic Design Major) from The University of Newcastle, Sydney, Australia, and a Brand Master Certification from Brand Master Academy, and over 17 years of experience in the industry with multiple awards on his belt.

Jacob co-hosts the JUST Branding Podcast which helps designers & entrepreneurs grow brands.

He also coaches creatives in his Inner Triangle Coaching Program, either 1:1 or in a group mastermind setting. Yahoo! recently declared him as the “Best Brand Coach”.

Jacob also runs the membership community Exponential Creatives which helps creatives grow exponentially.

Jacob is a digital nomad and travels the world now isolated in Sydney with his family of four while running JUST Creative.

He has visited 88 countries thus far with travel guides most of them available at his travel blog, JUST Globetrotting.

Contact Justin on his website, listen to his podcast, download his newsletter.

In today’s episode, Jamie and I dug into the need for agencies to solidify their project management systems, what’s needed for an agency owner to really scale their operations, how and why to charge for project management, and the key differences between project management and account management. Having recently brought her husband into her company, we also spent some time talking about the benefits and ways to navigate successfully working with your spouse.

Altitude Operations is a fractional COO and project management company that focuses on helping marketing agencies grow and scale by removing agency owners from the day-to-day allowing them to focus on bringing in sales.

Connect with Jamie on LinkedIn or her website.

In this first-ever two-part episode, Sherri, Reuben, and I talked about how they paved the way into their niche by following a passion that took their marriage to the next level. How implementing EOS lead to a rebrand and informed their overall agency messaging and niche targeting. They shared some of the secret sauce on how they successfully navigate running an agency as a married couple who both have chronic illnesses and ADD. The Fly Duo shared about a few of their side passion projects and how the ambition of eliminating stigma and having sex-positive conversations happen to also be fueling their agency growth. Tune into both episodes to hear the full conversation!

Reuben and Sherri Johnson, affectionately known as the FlyDuo®, are partners in life, love, crime, and everything in between. They are co-founders of Atlanta’s premier award-winning, sex-positive brand agency Fly Media Productions®; co-founders of SexTech n’ Chill™, a handpicked selection of news, products, and experiences thoughtfully curated by the couple for pleasure seekers; and co-hosts of the podcast-style web show The FlyDuo Sex Project™.

In addition to their own projects, Reuben and Sherri currently serve as official ambassadors for The Bureau of Digital and Erika Lust’s “The Porn Conversation”.

Contact the FlyDuo on their websites, FlyMediaProductions.com and ST&C Special Project Website, on LinkedIn for FlyDuo, LinkedIn for FLy Media, Instagram for FlyyMedia, Instagram for ST&C, and on X.

In this episode, Todd and I spent time talking about a range of topics including various forms of content marketing, helpful vs. hypeful content marketing, leveling up your own identity through various forms of coaching, and the importance of putting out great energy.

Todd Giannattasio is a veteran marketing expert who has been featured by Entrepreneur, Forbes, and Huffington Post for his proven systems to grow brands online and build engaged audiences in our constantly evolving, digital world. His combination of fundamental principles and modern marketing strategies are what create a force multiplier for businesses.

Todd has been working in digital communications and marketing since 2003. Over that time, he's worked with some of the biggest companies in the world from Universal Records to BASF, and with growing startups and small businesses.

Connect with Todd:

http://tresnicmedia.com/ https://www.instagram.com/growthsuite/ https://www.linkedin.com/in/toddgiannattasio/ https://www.facebook.com/todd.giannattasio https://twitter.com/growthsuite/ Free Resources: https://thegrowthsuite.com/free-resources/

In this episode, Jenny and I talk about how an agency owner can benefit from being a digital nomad and what that means for their perspective on business and life. Jenny joined me from Argentina and talked about how her agency is going through a metamorphosis from focusing on web 2.0 technology and marketing and moving into web 3 solutions for their clients and how you can bring web 3 solutions to your clients.

Jennifer De Witt is a communication design pioneer who got her start on the web by building physical computer networks at the University of Georgia. Since that time she has made it her mission to be at the forefront of new media and emerging technology such as website design, social media, and live video.

She holds a Master's in Instructional Design and combines her experience as an educator, strategist, designer, and internet marketer to build exceptional customer experience (CX) environments.

She is currently in Buenos Aires and heads up a fully remote collective of professionals dedicated to building the future of the web.

Connect with Jenny at rebrandedmedia.com.

In Episode 074, I sat down with Iggy Odigizua, CEO and founder of AISetters.com, to explore how agencies can harness AI tools to book qualified appointments effortlessly. Iggy shares insights from his Leeds Management System, a done-for-you service that helps agencies streamline their operations. We dive into his entrepreneurial journey, from dominating the health and fitness industry to coaching and building successful online businesses. Iggy reveals the benefits of the Leeds system, the challenges agencies face in adopting AI, and why embracing technology is crucial for boosting efficiency and productivity.

Key Takeaways

• The Leeds Management System is a done-for-you service that uses AI to book vetted and qualified appointments for service-based businesses like agencies. • AI technology can improve efficiency and productivity in agency operations by automating lead management and follow-up processes. • Adopting AI tools in agencies can be challenging due to the learning curve and fear of technology replacing human jobs. • Using AI in agencies can help bridge the gap between sales and marketing, improve lead quality, and enhance client results. • The key to success in business is understanding your target audience and focusing on the boring, but essential, work that gets results.

Chapters

00:00 Introduction and Background 04:23 Building High-Ticket Online Coaching Businesses 07:56 Automating Lead Management with AI 10:43 Overcoming Barriers to Adopting AI in Agencies 13:36 Bridging the Gap Between Sales and Marketing with AI 16:11 Enhancing Lead Quality and Client Results with AI 25:24 AI in B2C and D2C 27:24 Rapid Fire Questions 29:32 Invaluable Business Advice

Iggy Odighizuwa, CEO and Founder of Ai-setters.com and The Leads Pre-Conversion System a DONE FOR YOU Service That Uses Charlie Ai To Book Vetted & Qualified Appointments For Coaches, Consultants, Agency Owners and Service Based Businesses.

Iggy Built his first 7-figure high ticket online coaching business called "Tril 80 Coaching” Since then Iggy has helped to build 20 other 7-figure online coaching businesses and helped build two 8-figure online coaching businesses one of them called "The 4% Club," and over 100 6-figure online coaching businesses. Iggy spent 8 years of his life in Benin a small village in an African country called Nigeria.

Contact Iggy on LinkedIn, or his personal or company Facebook pages.

In this episode, Lee and I talked a lot about how business development for agencies has evolved, what agencies can be doing to deepen their relationships and pipeline, some of the systems they could be using, and ways to differentiate themselves from other agencies. We also talked about the economics and logistics of keeping business development efforts in-house vs. outsourcing.

Lee McKnight Jr. is the Vice President of Sales for RSW/US in Cincinnati, Ohio. They are a new business development firm that works solely with agencies, PR, and marketing services firms. Lee earned his undergraduate degree at the University of Kentucky and JD from Cumberland School of Law in Birmingham, Alabama. After graduating from law school, he worked for an internet healthcare start-up in Nashville until the bubble burst in 2000.

Fast forward through some interesting marketing and sales positions to RSW/US where Lee has worked with agencies of all types to help drive their new business efforts. Married with two children, he’s a big fan of history, comics and horror novels, and plays in a few bands in Louisville and Cincinnati when time permits.

Connect with Lee at www.rswus.com or via email.

In this episode, I had a fascinating conversation with Ben Guttmann, the author of "Simply Put: Why Clear Messages Win – and How to Design Them." We delved into Ben's journey of founding, managing, and eventually selling his agency, Digital Natives. He discussed the strategic steps they took during the agency's exit, including segmenting sales with different partners to ensure every employee found a new job and every client had a smooth transition. Ben also shared valuable insights into the reasons and goals behind exiting and acquisitions, offering guidance for those considering a similar path.

Additionally, we explored Ben's role as a professor at Baruch College, discovering why it's more than just a paycheck for him – it's a fulfilling passion. He discussed his aspiration to become an author and what drove him to write his book. Furthermore, Ben emphasized how his agency experience equipped him with the necessary tools for a successful writing endeavor. Tune in for the full story and gain valuable insights from our conversation.

Ben Guttmann is a marketing and communications expert and author of Simply Put: Why Clear Messages Win — and How to Design Them. He’s an experienced marketing executive and educator on a mission to get leaders to more effectively connect by simplifying their message. Ben is a former co-founder and managing partner at Digital Natives Group, an award-winning agency that worked with the NFL, I Love NY, Comcast NBCUniversal, Hachette Book Group, The Nature Conservancy, and other major clients. Ben teaches digital marketing at Baruch College in New York City and consults with a range of thought leaders, venture-backed startups, and other brands.

Contact Ben on LinkedIn or grab his book or sample chapter.

In episode 095 of Agency Bytes, I’m joined by Chip Griffin, founder of the Small Agency Growth Alliance (SAGA). With over 30 years of experience as an agency owner and entrepreneur, Chip shares how small PR, marketing, and creative agency owners can build businesses they truly love.

We dig into some of agency owners' pitfalls, including why chasing “copycat goals” and outdated benchmarks often leads to burnout, and why focusing on profit and personal satisfaction is key. Chip also breaks down his “floor-to-ceiling” pricing model, the importance of time tracking, and how finding focus (a.k.a. niching) can make your agency more efficient and profitable. Plus, we discuss how owners can step back from the grind and take control of their day-to-day.

If you’re ready to rethink your approach to running your agency, this episode is packed with actionable tips to help you grow sustainably and love what you do. Tune in now!

Key Bytes

• Commit to building a business you want to own. • Define personal goals to shape your agency. • Focus on profit, not just revenue or headcount. • Time tracking is essential for understanding costs. • Pricing should be based on project budgets and value. • Finding focus helps improve efficiency and results. • Agency owners often work too many hours on the wrong tasks. • Control your day to enhance satisfaction. • Selling an agency is often not a life-changing event. • Life is too short to be miserable in your work.

Chapters

00:00 Introduction to Agency Growth 06:36 The Importance of Time Tracking 12:51 Pricing Strategies for Agencies 19:23 Common Pain Points for Agency Owners 25:19 Rapid Fire Questions and Final Thoughts

As the founder of the Small Agency Growth Alliance (SAGA), Chip Griffin helps small PR and marketing agency owners build businesses that they want to own. He works with them to grow profits, eliminate overwork, and improve their overall satisfaction.

As an experienced entrepreneur and agency owner himself, Chip shares the wisdom of his successes and the lessons from his failures. He understands the challenges and opportunities that face agency owners because he sat in the same chair and faced similar decisions.

Chip joined his first agency 30 years ago as a Junior Account Executive and has had an appreciation for the highs and lows these firms have experienced ever since.

Contact Chip on his website or on LinkedIn.

Episode 75 is by far the Swenkiest of all episodes. I had the absolute pleasure of sitting with Jason Swenk, who is hands-down one of the most systemized agency coaches I’ve had the opportunity to speak with. Jason shares the secrets behind building and selling a successful agency, highlighting the power of clarity, positioning, and a solid offering. We dive into the essential pillars of agency growth, from prospecting and sales to leadership and operations. His advice? Stay committed to one goal until you succeed and keep showing up consistently. This is a must-listen for any agency owner looking to scale!

Key Takeaways

• Clarity, positioning, and offering are foundational elements for building a successful agency. • Prospecting, sales, delivery, operations, and leadership are key systems for agency growth. • Focus on one commitment until success and be consistent in your efforts. • Building strategic partnerships and relationships is crucial for agency success. • Regularly assess and reset your agency's systems and processes to adapt to growth and changes in the market.

Chapters

00:00 Introduction and Background 03:01 The Foundation of Clarity, Positioning, and Offering 09:59 The Key Systems for Agency Growth 22:55 Strategic Partnerships: Unlocking New Opportunities for Agency Growth 26:04 Assessing and Resetting: Adapting Your Agency's Systems for Growth

Jason Swenk is the agency advisor & coach who guides marketing agencies through a proven framework for growing their agency faster.

Jason is the author of the definitive guide to growing an agency from scratch to two 8-figure enterprises. He is one of the most sought-after advisors to agencies worldwide, thanks to his 8-system framework that has proven successful in scaling his own agency. His expertise has attracted clients like AT&T, Hitachi, and Lotus Cars, ultimately leading to the successful sale of his agency.

Contact Jason on his website.

In Episode 48, I engaged in an enlightening conversation with Kelly Berrk, a passionate advocate for brand strategy and yoga. We explored Kelly's journey of resetting after experiencing burnout, and the profound impact it had on her creative inspiration following a much-needed period of refocus. Kelly delved into the concept of brand therapy, an integral part of her brand strategy process, influenced by her commitment to self-care and life balance. She shared insights on how these practices serve as tools to connect the dots, helping brands articulate their messages and define their "why" and purpose.

Throughout the episode, Kelly emphasized the importance of exploration and connection with others to identify the common thread that ties together brands and relationships. She encouraged listeners to reflect on how they are fostering connections, practicing empathy, and building bridges to create meaningful openings in both professional and personal spheres.

Kelly is an entrepreneur, writer, and teacher who is interested in the study of consciousness and introspection. She is a brand strategist working with agencies and brands operating in the health, wellness, and lifestyle markets. Her background leading marketing and communications teams at public relations agencies, tech startups, and lifestyle brands in combination with her functional movement expertise through the disciplines of yoga, Pilates, and bodywork – fun fact she was the lead curator of the yoga program at the U.S. Department of State and teacher to athletes including the Washington Mystics – informs the way in which she approaches developing brand stories and verbal brand identities for her clients.

Contact Kelly on her website or Instagram.

In Episode 085 of Agency Bytes, I had the privilege of sitting down with Dia Bondi, a communications expert and author of Ask Like an Auctioneer. Dia shares her fascinating journey from the world of auctioneering to becoming a sought-after communication coach.

We dive deep into the art of asking effectively in high-stakes situations, exploring how to embrace rejection, craft impactful asks, and understand the value behind what you're offering. Dia introduces her powerful framework for building and delivering asks with confidence and clarity.

This episode is packed with insights on training your mindset to recognize what you truly want, articulate it boldly, and go after it fearlessly. Dia inspires us to make our dreams known and actively chase our goals with intention and determination.

If you’ve ever struggled with asking for what you deserve, this conversation is one you don’t want to miss!

Key Takeaways

• Asking like an auctioneer involves maximizing potential asks. • Rejection should be seen as a sign of success, not failure. • Design your asks based on what you truly want, not what you think you can get. • Understanding the perceived value is crucial in negotiations. • The offer inside the ask should benefit both parties involved. • Mindset plays a significant role in how we approach asking for what we want. • It's important to communicate your dreams to those around you. • Asking for more can lead to greater outcomes than anticipated. • The process of auctioneering provides valuable insights into effective communication. • Honesty and generosity should guide your asks, not manipulation.

Chapters

00:00 Introduction to Asking Like an Auctioneer 05:16 The Connection Between Asking and Auctioneering 10:28 Mindset: Embracing Rejection 15:30 Designing Your Ask 20:57 The Offer Inside the Ask 27:03 Final Thoughts and Rapid Fire Questions

Dia Bondi is a Communications Catalyst, Speaker, and Author of Ask Like an Auctioneer: How to Ask for More and Get It. She coaches VC-backed founders, executives, and ambitious professionals to speak powerfully when the stakes are high. She helped Rio de Janeiro win the right to host the 2016 Summer Olympics and has helped countless leaders secure hundreds of millions in decisions and resources. A hobbyist fundraising auctioneer, Dia’s TEDx Talk was selected as a TED Editors’ Pick, showcasing how to make the kinds of asks that can change everything.

Learn more about Dia and her services on her website.

In this episode, Ryan Watson from Upsourced Accounting delivers an exciting talk about agency numbers, accounting, benchmarking, and things to watch for in agency growth. He and his team are deeply niched as an agency accounting firm and he shares some of their viewpoints on how they help agencies monitor the “right numbers” at the right stage of their lifecycle. These lifecycle stages bring forth the hierarchy of financial needs for agencies and how they differentiate from stage to stage.

Ryan is an experienced operations and finance leader for creative agencies and venture-funded startups. As a partner at Upsourced, he helps scaling agencies build better plans, see the future, and drive profits. Prior to Upsourced, Ryan led operations and finance for a large influencer marketing and ad agency, Ahalogy, where they built the team to over 50 people and $10M in annual AGI before selling to Quotient Technology (NYSE: QUOT) in June 2018.

Connect with Ryan on their website, YouTube Podcast, and blog.

In episode 072, I had the incredible opportunity to sit down with Peleg Top, a talented artist and spiritual director, to tackle a topic every creative professional faces: overcoming creative burnout. If you’ve ever felt drained or stuck in your creative journey, this episode is for you.

Peleg and I go way back—over 20 years—and in this conversation, he opens up about his transformative journey from agency owner to guiding others through burnout and into spiritual alignment. Peleg’s insights on the importance of self-love, shifting from a fear-based mindset to one of abundance, and saying "no" more often are powerful reminders for anyone in the creative field.

We dive deep into recognizing and transforming toxic beliefs and discuss the fascinating role that plant medicine plays in his work. This episode is packed with wisdom for agency owners and creatives looking to reconnect with their passion and purpose. Don’t miss it!

Key Takeaways

• Recognize the symptoms of burnout as an opportunity for self-examination and spiritual growth. • Shift from a fear-based mindset to one of abundance and self-love. • Identify and transform toxic beliefs that are holding you back. • Say no more often and trust your intuition. • Create a life and business that aligns with your values and allows you to express your creativity.

Bytes of Note

00:00 Introduction and Background 06:06 Recognizing Burnout and Seeking Spiritual Alignment 14:15 Shifting from Fear to Abundance 25:09 The Power of Saying No and Trusting Your Intuition 31:31 Creating a Life and Business Aligned with Your Values

Peleg Top is an artist, a trained spiritual director, and a teacher who mentors accomplished creatives and agency owners who meet themselves at a crossroads.

His background comes from being an agency owner himself. He ran a leading design and branding firm in Los Angeles for twenty years until he experienced his own spiritual crisis at the age of 40 and decided to shift direction, sell his agency, and become a guide and a coach who teaches creatives how to reinvent themselves.

Peleg is the creator of the "Creative High Growth" process, which teaches creatives to rediscover their creative free spirit and guides them to create a life of abundance and prosperity.

A world traveler, trained chef, DJ, and breathwork facilitator, Peleg’s mission is to activate and bring more love into the world.

Contact Peleg:

website: www.PelegTop.com

LinkedIn: @PelegTop

IG: @PelegTop

Free Sample: https://www.pelegtop.com/chg-sample

In episode 102 of Agency Bites, I’m joined by Rena DeLevie—a leader and teacher who gets real about what it actually takes to show up fully and compassionately in today’s world. Yes, she’s got the corporate leadership chops and has been on a mission to end fear-based management, but what resonated most with me in this conversation was how personal and human her journey is.

Rena shares how, as someone with deep empathy and anxiety in her DNA, she learned to soothe her nervous system so she could show up with clarity and compassion—not just at work, but everywhere. We talk about the practices she leans on every day—meditation, breathwork, walking in the woods, connecting with nature, and even humor—as ways to ground herself and navigate stress, overwhelm, and tough decisions.

She’s lived through corporate toxicity, hard layoffs, and the pressure to “toughen up” as a leader. But instead of staying stuck in survival mode, she learned how to reconnect with herself, how to be present, and how to lead with kindness without losing her edge.

This isn’t just a conversation about business—it’s about how we take care of ourselves so we can take care of others. It’s about slowing down enough to be intentional in how we speak, lead, and live. It’s about taking care of ourselves all ways, always.

If you’ve been feeling stretched thin, reactive, or stuck in fight-or-flight mode, this episode will give you some simple but powerful ways to reset and recenter. Let’s get into it.

Key Bytes

• Compassion can radically transform agency culture and leadership. • Fear-based management often leads to anxiety and burnout. • Authenticity in leadership energizes both the leader and the team. • Compassion and accountability must coexist in effective leadership. • Daily meditation can help manage anxiety and foster self-awareness. • Choosing yourself means prioritizing self-compassion and understanding. • Humor can shift the energy of a toxic work environment. • Compassionate leadership requires setting boundaries and not being a doormat. • Navigating toxic environments often requires personal resilience and strategy. • Modeling compassionate behavior can influence workplace culture positively.

Chapters

00:00 Introduction to Compassionate Leadership 01:15 The Shift from Fear-Based to Compassionate Leadership 04:06 The Energizing Power of Authenticity 10:00 Navigating Toxic Work Environments 12:56 Compassion and Accountability in Leadership 19:46 Daily Practices for Compassionate Living 25:52 Choosing Yourself: The Path to Self-Compassion 31:50 The Importance of Humor and Perspective in Leadership

Rena combines over 25 years with Fortune 500 companies and 20 years as a practitioner of mindfulness/meditation to show us the path to eliminating the fear-based culture so prevalent in

corporate America. Her book, Compassionate Management, How Ambitious Creatives Become Kick-Ass Leaders, and her TEDxTalk, Compassionate Management -- using compassion as a business tool has been used in businesses around the globe as a model to radically change leadership culture and how we treat one another.

Rena has given a TEDx Talk, presented at over 30 conferences, led over 60 workshops, and been on

dozens of podcasts. Rena is a high-energy presenter and interactively engages audience members to show compassionate leadership in action. This experiential approach empowers attendees to redefine their own leadership style and evolve their expectations of leadership culture.

Contact Rena on their website.

In this episode, Chelsea and I talked about everything related to online reviews. We cover the need for reviews, how to ask for them - or not to ask for them - how and when to respond to them, and how brands need to leverage all the platforms at their disposal. We also really explored the need for brands to claim their pages and leverage employee reviews to attract better talent.

Chelsea, the founder of Rhino Reviews, works with businesses to protect their online reputation by growing and leveraging their online customer reviews. They offer the only fully managed review generation and reputation management program on the market. Every client receives a unique strategy based on their current reputation, where they wish to go, and the headwinds they might encounter. They work to improve both the external (Google, Yelp, FB, etc) as well as internal (Glassdoor, Indeed) reputation and take businesses from a reactive to a proactive position.

Chelsea has worked with over 80 businesses in all industries, including luxury construction, digital, energy, property management, healthcare, retail, hospitality, and education, to help build or repair their online reputation. She is both Google and Reputation Management certified and is a coach for Mike Volkin's Masterclass, teaching how to leverage testimonials to accelerate your business growth. She has also had the opportunity to be a guest on a variety of shows discussing industry changes, small business strategy, and how to build your reputation in the digital space.

Connect with Chris on LinkedIn and her website here.

In this episode of Agency Bites, I had the pleasure of sitting down with David Yasky and Jacqueline Laufer, the dynamic duo behind Driver Digital. Let me tell you, their story of building a thriving agency in the fashion and e-commerce space is nothing short of inspiring!

We dove deep into the secret sauce of their partnership, and it's all about knowing your strengths and playing to them. David and Jacqueline shared some golden nuggets on how they've defined their roles and fostered a culture that keeps their team excited to come to work every day. They've cracked the code on maintaining joy in the workplace!

We also got into the nitty-gritty of building those long-lasting client relationships that are the lifeblood of any agency. And if you're looking to level up your leadership game, you won't want to miss their thoughts on effective leadership and the power of mentorship.

If you're ready for a dose of inspiration, practical wisdom, and maybe a laugh or two, tune in to this episode. Trust me, you won't regret it!

Key Takeaways

• Both David and Jacqueline ran their own agencies before partnering. • Driver Digital specializes in fashion, beauty, and e-commerce. • Defining roles in a partnership is crucial for efficiency. • Fostering a positive culture is essential for team morale. • Maintaining joy in the workplace enhances productivity. • Building lasting relationships with clients leads to success. • Effective leadership involves immediate feedback and open communication. • Mentorship plays a vital role in personal and professional growth. • Success is attributed to strong relationships and quality work. • Saying no to projects that aren't a good fit is empowering.

Chapters

00:00 Introduction to Driver Digital 01:01 The Journey to Partnership 02:58 Niche Focus in Fashion and E-commerce 06:16 Defining Roles in the Agency 10:26 Fostering a Positive Agency Culture 15:41 Maintaining Joy in the Workplace 19:31 Building Lasting Client Relationships 22:01 Leadership Styles and Team Management 25:04 The Importance of Mentorship 29:03 Success Through Relationships 33:02 Rapid Fire Questions and Key Takeaways

David Yassky is a creative leader and brand developer with over eighteen years of dynamic experience combining the worlds of editorial, fashion, retail and ecommerce. His editorial roots, entrepreneurial acumen, and strong industry relationships make him a unique asset that artfully straddles the creative and business worlds. David began his career as a Fashion Editor at Women’s Wear Daily and W Magazine before going on to consult for a variety of iconic brands including Tory Burch, Anthropologie, and Gap. David was the co-founder and President of The Aisle New York, a progressive digital startup in the bridal ecommerce space, and later he served as Fashion and Editorial Director of the large American ecommerce site, IDEELI. He is the founder and creative director of Driver Creative & Driver Digital – helping transform iconic brands including Anne Klein, Bergdorf Goodman, and Joseph Abboud.

Jacquelyn Laufer, is an E-Commerce, Digital Marketing, Solutions, and Project Management consultant with over 14 years of experience specializing in the luxury fashion, beauty, and travel industries. Having launched Henri Bendel’s first ecommerce website, Bond No. 9’s second, and built online experiences with Estee Lauder Companies, Coty, Edit New York and Blissworld, Jacquelyn is known for helping companies scale their business. Most notably, Jacquelyn founded e-commerce consulting and project management firm Rebuild Girl, which led the re-platforms for brands such as L’Objet, Anne Klein, Joseph Abboud, Creed Boutique, Hanky Panky, and more. Jacquelyn enjoys building consensus, effectively motivating and helping teams hit their mark, defining digital solutions and integrations to help brands grow, and most importantly hanging out with her husband and rescue dog.

Contact Jacquelyn and David on their website, Instagram, or LinkedIn.

In this episode, seasoned sales maven, Nikki Rausch shares some of the secrets in B2B sales, how to show up in opening relationships that lead to sales, and the full-circle benefits of asking for and making introductions and referrals. Her experience in setting up sales systems and guiding sales leaders in their systems is invaluable for agencies and salespeople alike. Nikki shares some secrets about how to create curiosity in account-based marketing, so we can learn to grow current accounts and increase the lifetime value of clients and offers.

With 25+ years of selling experience, entrepreneurs and small business owners now hire Nikki to show them how to sell successfully and authentically.

Nikki has written 3 books, all available on Amazon. And she has a podcast called Sales Maven which you can find on your favorite podcast platform.

Connect with Nikki on Sales Maven, Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, and grab her free video training gift for listeners.

Episode 077 features David Durer, an expert in training and development. He shares insights on empowering people to reach their maximum speaking potential. He discusses the principles of adult learning theory, including ownership, complexity, and primacy and recency. He also provides tips for engaging virtual audiences and delivering impactful presentations. David emphasizes the importance of understanding the audience, practicing, and using relatable stories. He also highlights the challenges of virtual presentations and suggests incorporating theater of the mind techniques. Lastly, he advises taking things one step at a time and not getting overwhelmed.

Key Takeaways

• Understand your audience and deliver your message in a way that connects with them. • Practice, practice, practice to improve your presentation skills. • Use relatable stories to engage your audience and make complex concepts more understandable. • In virtual presentations, incorporate theater of the mind techniques to compensate for the lack of visual and auditory cues. • Take things one step at a time and avoid getting overwhelmed.

Chapters

00:00 Introduction and Background 03:46 The Principles of Adult Learning Theory 07:08 Engaging Virtual Audiences and Delivering Impactful Presentations 16:17 The Importance of Opening and Closing a Presentation 26:18 Advice for Business Professionals

With over 30 years of experience in training and development, instructional design, leadership, corporate training, public speaking, and an expert in the Adult Learning Theory, David is passionate about empowering people to reach their maximum speaking potential.

Known for his engaging style and ability to connect with his audience, David is in high demand as a speaker and trainer at industry conferences, corporate events, and educational institutions nationwide.

He has a knack for simplifying complex concepts and delivering practical insights that enable his clients to elevate their presentation skills.

Contact David on his website, on LinkedIn, or grab his free eBook, “Eight Principles of Engagement”

In episode 070, I got to dive into the world of agency mergers and acquisitions with Jonathan Baker, the head of the M&A practice at Punctuation. Jonathan uncovers the secrets behind successful deals in the marketing services industry, shedding light on common pitfalls like leadership changes and cultural mismatches that can derail even the most promising mergers.

Discover the key elements that make an agency stand out to potential buyers, including the power of recurring revenue and strategic positioning. Jonathan shares his expert insights on valuation and talks through the sellability index, a tool that helps agencies measure their readiness for acquisition.

We explore the latest trends in M&A, the art of succession planning, and why it's crucial for founders to delegate and step back from daily operations. Whether you're looking to buy, sell, or simply learn more about the dynamics of agency mergers, this episode is packed with valuable information and actionable advice.

Bytes of Interest

• Factors that can cause deals to fail include leadership changes and cultural fit issues. • Recurring revenue and positioning are important factors in making an agency attractive for acquisition. • Valuation should be done annually as part of the business planning process. • The sellability index can help agencies track their progress towards becoming sellable. • Trends in M&A include a higher number of interested buyers than sellers. • Succession planning should consider factors such as age, long-term goals, and the presence of a capable successor. • Founders should delegate and extract themselves from day-to-day operations to enable growth. • Personal goals and fulfillment should guide business decisions.

Chapters

00:00 Introduction and Background 02:11 Factors that Impact the Success of M&A Deals 05:59 The Importance of Recurring Revenue and Positioning in Agency Acquisition 08:41 Valuation and the Sellability Index: Tools for Agency Planning 19:58 Succession Planning: Considerations for Founders 22:38 Delegation and Growth: Extracting Founders from Day-to-Day Operations 25:02 Aligning Business Decisions with Personal Goals

Karl Sakas helps digital agency owners ‘Work Less’ and ‘Earn More’… while rewarding their best employees. Drawing on his background in agency operations, Karl has personally advised hundreds of agencies on every inhabited continent. An international speaker, he is the author of three books—including 'Work Less, Earn More'—and more than 400 articles on agency management. When he’s not helping clients, Karl volunteers as a bartender on an antique train.

Contact Karl:

Articles: https://sakasandcompany.com/adding-new-services/

Freebies: https://sakasandcompany.com/free-resources-for-agencies/

Book: https://worklessearnmorebook.com/

Workshop: https://sakasandcompany.com/agency-lead-gen-training/

In this episode, Monica and I spoke about what it’s like running a global team of content creators and project managers, and how they manage culture with intention as a remote team for more than 12 years. Her agency has scaled in a healthy way over the years, and as a leader, she talks about how important it has been to work smarter, not harder, and how they lean heavily on processes. Monica gave some insight as to how her team and clients prioritize human-made content for humans over leveraging robots for the sake of profit.  

Monica manages global content for MDINC, a content creation company. Her goal is to help make small companies grow, and large companies painlessly maintain their digital presence.

Connect with Monica on her website, LinkedIn, or Instagram.

Having recently published a book, Culture Built My Brand, Mark and I spoke all about the driving force behind the book and how it helped define the success story of an agency previously in trouble. We spoke about how he and his agency took action to create intentional culture, drive out the negativity from the team, and build processes to deliver work for clients that were previously unheard of. Mark shares his and his team's bravery in how they faced tough times and as a result of an actual culture, are stronger than ever.

Mark is the author of Culture Built My Brand: How to win more customers with company culture, and the founder of Historic Agency, a branding and design thinking agency for nonprofits.

Connect with Mark on his agency website, on LinkedIn, and grab his book here.

In this episode, I got to talk to Niki about how she intentionally transformed her agency prior to covid, and how these changes have helped them be more selective on client acquisition and more successful with client retention. She shares the secrets behind their team structure and how they win with company culture.

Veronica “Niki” Fielding is the founder and president of Digital Brand Expressions. DBE excels at delivering quantifiable success against goals for middle market B2B and B2C companies through paid search, paid social, and search engine optimization. They’re all about setting goals with their clients, defining clear pathways to success, and then delivering on, and surpassing those goals.

Connect with Niki on her company website or LinkedIn.

In this episode, I got to talk to Tracy Goodheart from The PR Accelerator about her journey from being a journalist to helping individuals and brands attract sustained media attention without a publicist. She discusses the evolution of social media and its impact on journalism, emphasizing the importance of earned media over social media for brand credibility. Tracy also highlights the value of creating a messaging system and leveraging ghostwriting to elevate thought leadership within agencies. She advises agency owners to seek external validation and shares her insights on standout strategies in the marketplace.

Key Takeaways

• Earned media is more valuable than social media for brand credibility. • Creating a messaging system can help streamline communication and ensure consistency. • Ghostwriting can elevate thought leadership within agencies and humanize senior leadership. • Seeking external validation can boost self-confidence and protect against workplace bullying.

Chapters

00:00 Introduction and Background 03:16 The Evolution of Social Media and Journalism 06:46 Leveraging Social Media and Earned Media 09:21 Creating a Messaging System 10:59 Ghostwriting and Thought Leadership 13:30 The Impact of Ghostwriting on Agency Culture 20:36 Random Rapid-Fire Questions 24:06 Invaluable Business Advice

Tracy Samantha Goodheart is the founder of The PR Accelerator, a different kind of PR company. Simply put, she helps individuals and brands nail their messaging and attract positive, sustained media attention without a publicist. She also teaches marketing globally for the University of Chicago and has advised more than 75 brands on their marketing and communications.

A journalist by training, Tracy has 15 years of media experience working in every type of newsroom. She began her career as a reporter at TIME Magazine, where she covered the rise of Facebook and developed new methods for reporting breaking news. She also created a blog network for the Chicago Tribune, led global social media strategy for Crain Communications – the publisher of titles like Ad Age, InvestmentNews, and Modern Healthcare – and has trained hundreds of working journalists how to find original story ideas. Tracy has also been a frequent TV commentator and taught graduate journalism school.

A Chicago native, she now lives in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan, where she and her husband are renovating a historic general store and starting a lavender farm.

Contact Tracy through her website or on LinkedIn.

In this episode, Nick and I speak about his evolution from launching an agency to it exploding without the proper systems and people in place, and how he was able to turn that growth into both a sustainable and healthy agency and a booming side business of offshore talent. That side business eventually became his main focus as he helps agencies match with amazing offshore talent to help them scale their agencies.

Fellow marketing industry veteran, agency owner, and offshore delegation enthusiast, Nick Deck has a deep understanding of the intricacies of building a highly profitable, low-stress digital agency.

Nick says the secret largely comes down to who you have working for you, which is why he launched Agency Sidekicks a few years ago to support his peers in the achievement of their business AND personal goals (he's all about balance after having experienced some serious burnout in his own agency).

Agency Sidekicks helps you source, train, onboard and manage true offshore marketing rockstars (not just your average VA's) so you can delegate 80% of your operations to dedicated or fractional team members that cost up to 70% less than comparable local talent.

They also provide A TON of other hands-on support and bonuses for their agency clients.

Originally from San Diego, California, Nick now lives in Playa Del Carmen, Mexico with his family while helping business owners get time back into their calendars with the support of smooth delegation processes and offshore help!

Connect with Nick on his website or LinkedIn.

In this episode, I got to speak to Nick Pretroski from Promethean Research and we dig into the topic of recurring revenue generation for agencies. Nick breaks down some Revgen strategies and talks about how essential it is to build a machine (AKA a system that works for YOU) that companies can use to repeatedly generate new leads, converting them into sales, bringing them through delightful delivery processes, and turning them into evangelists. We talk about the four key areas of Revgen and the owners’ role in these areas, and ways to shift some of those responsibilities off of the owner's plate to expand the efforts of the team. Nick also lays out some of the key metrics to keep your eye on to measure the results of your RevGen efforts.

Key Takeaways

• Having a system in place for repeatable revenue generation (RevGen) is crucial for digital agencies to grow reliably and with higher margins. • Transitioning from a practitioner role to a business development leadership role is essential for agency owners to focus on strategic growth. • The RevGen system consists of four roles: biz dev, sales, account management, and marketing, each responsible for specific stages of the client lifecycle. • Avoiding bloated spending and tracking key metrics are important for the success of the RevGen system. • Being methodical in building a RevGen system can help alleviate stress and make running a business easier.

Chapters

00:00 Introduction and Background 03:44 Understanding Repeatable RevGen 09:14 Transitioning from Practitioner to Biz Dev Leadership 13:49 The Four Roles in the RevGen System 16:18 Implementing the RevGen System 20:16 Key Metrics for RevGen Success 24:16 Hobbies and New Tools 26:01 Valuable Business Advice

I’m Nick. I run Promethean. A boutique consultancy that helps digital agencies grow more reliably with higher margins and simpler operations.

Since 2015, I’ve been helping digital firms better understand their industry and chart more effective paths to success.

Prior to co-founding Promethean, I worked as an equity analyst at a Wall St. firm where I covered the enterprise software and semiconductor industries. Before that, I spent a bit of time in corporate finance.

When I’m not in the office, you can find me backpacking around the Midwest or making fancy firewood in my woodshop.

Contact Nick on his website, on LinkedIn, or learn about repeatable RevGen for Digital Agencies here.

In this episode, I got to speak with Alyson Caffrey of Operations Agency about how she works with agencies to operationalize their business, allowing owners to live a life outside of their agency. She introduced her new book, The Sabbatical Method: How to Leverage Rest and Grow Your Business in our conversation and talks about the need for rest, repair, and rejuvenation after working hard and breaking things. Tune in to learn why she’s often referred to as “The Wolf” by her clients.

Alyson Caffrey is the founder of Operations Agency, co-creator of the Operations Simplified™ Framework, and best-selling author of The Sabbatical Method: How to Leverage Rest and Grow Your Business. She's commonly called ‘The Wolf' among her clients because she just gets sh*t done. Alyson is best known for helping streamline the back-end ops for many brands and digital and creative agencies.

As a fractional COO for many high-growth businesses, Alyson fell in love with the results that clear ops bring to a service business. She and the team at Operations Agency are determined to help businesses thrive profitably, serve more clients, and create high-performing teams. Alyson is a mom to two sons and enjoys spending time at home with her growing family.

Contact Alyson on Instagram, Facebook, and YouTube, her website, LinkedIn, or her personal Instagram.

In this episode, I got to speak with Owen Williams from Outside Lines, a creative industry talent strategy and recruitment company. We spent time talking about how Outside Lines helps transform agencies with their experience in building solid and nimble teams. Owen shares how important it is to focus on roles that develop skills in rising stars and how lessons can be learned from all experiences, no matter how good or bad they seem to be. He breaks down how vital it is to approach recruitment from a strategy standpoint, to dig under the hood of the shop, and to get a deeper understanding of the day-to-day and long-term goals and how recruitment can help accomplish them. We also dug into the need for more diverse leadership in the industry and how we’re already seeing a shift in the lower third of the teams being developed now.

Owen has led global organizations in attracting, hiring, and retaining talent. He has restructured and opened new offices in the United States, EMEA, LATAM and APAC regions, and has built recruiting departments from the ground up.

His career has been driven by his passion for cultivating great teams who go on to make things that affect and change the modern culture. Before founding Outside Lines, Owen had the privilege of working for some of the world’s best creative agencies, including TBWA\Media Arts Lab, Mother, and 72andSunny.

It was in those leading organizations that he honed his craft for identifying unique, divergent talent, in and out of the advertising industry, shaping teams that would go on to create world-class work.

When not working, you can find him spending time with family and friends, introducing his son to art and design, golfing (whenever possible…), and eating his way through cities across the globe.

Contact Own on his website or on Instagram.

In the 100th episode of Agency Bytes, I couldn’t think of a more fitting guest to mark this milestone than the legendary Debbie Millman. As a designer, writer, educator, and the pioneering host of Design Matters, Debbie has shaped the creative industry in ways that continue to inspire me and so many others. In this conversation, we dive into her remarkable journey—from leading Sterling Brands to an Omnicom acquisition, to her impact on branding and design education, and even the evolution of her own 20-year podcasting career. She shares invaluable insights on leadership, overcoming rejection, embracing an abundance mindset, and finding inspiration in unexpected places. Plus, we discuss her upcoming book Love Letter to a Garden and the deeply personal connection between creativity and growth. It’s an episode filled with wisdom, warmth, and a celebration of resilience in the creative industry.

In this episode, we dig into:

• Debbie’s leadership at Sterling Brands and the journey to an Omnicom acquisition • The evolution of Design Matters and what 20 years of podcasting has taught her • How an abundance vs. scarcity mindset changed her creative path • The impact of Milton Glaser’s mentorship and his powerful five-year vision exercise • Advocating for women in design and her role in Omnicom’s Omniwomen network • Dealing with rejection, imposter syndrome, and the realities of a creative career • Her new book Love Letter to a Garden and the inspiration behind it

So, whether you’ve been here since episode one or you’re tuning in for the first time, thank you for being part of this journey with me. I sincerely hope you enjoy this special 100th episode of Agency Bytes with the one and only Debbie Millman!

Key Bytes

• Debbie became a shareholder at Sterling Brands in 1998. • Leadership requires balancing financial acumen with creative passion. • Debbie's management style was demanding yet fair. • The acquisition by Omnicom was a pivotal moment for Sterling Brands. • Debbie actively mentors and advocates for women in the industry. • Her podcast, Design Matters, has evolved significantly over 20 years. • Debbie's closing statement reflects her commitment to making a difference. • The podcast has maintained a loyal audience despite industry changes. • Debbie's early writing for Armin Vitt's blog sparked her design journey. • Milton Glaser's teachings on scarcity and abundance were transformative for Debbie. • Writing a five-year plan helped Debbie visualize her future. • Debbie emphasizes the importance of teaching and sharing knowledge. • Rejections are a common experience, and feelings are temporary. • Travel serves as a major source of inspiration for Debbie's work. • Debbie's upcoming book combines her love for gardening and visual storytelling. • Debbie encourages embracing both successes and failures in one's career. • Believing in oneself is crucial for achieving goals.

Chapters

00:00 Celebrating Milestones: The 100th Episode 12:37 Navigating Challenges in a Changing Market 18:06 Empowering Women in Creative Industries 24:42 The Evolution of Design Conversations 33:35 Navigating Rejections and Setbacks 42:05 Upcoming Projects and Personal Growth

Named “one of the most creative people in business” by Fast Company, “one of the most influential designers working today” by GDUSA, and a “Woman of Influence” by Success magazine, Debbie Millman is also an author, educator, designer, and podcast pioneer. Debbie is the host of the Webby and Signal award-winning podcast Design Matters, one of the first and longest-running podcasts in the world; Chair of the first-ever Masters in Branding Program at the School of Visual Arts, Co-owner and Editorial Director of PrintMag.com, and the author of seven books on design and branding. Debbie is the recipient of a Cooper Hewitt National Design Award and a Lifetime Achievement award from AIGA, the Professional Association for Design. She is currently a Harvard Business School Executive Fellow and was recently invited to the Design Advisory Board of Canva.

Contact Debbie on their website or through the SVA Branding program.

In this episode, Traci and I talk a lot about what drives people to make life-changing shifts in their lives, whether being personal or professional. And how people can look at their lives to see if they’re living them with intention and significance. Traci shares about the ups and downs of being part of the launch of a billion-dollar media empire and what her driving force to suddenly leave that life to live one of more significance is. We talked about how success is different for everyone and how Traci’s program and book help people find better paths forward than being driven by success.

Traci Schubert Barrett is an author, speaker, business owner, and podcast host. She is the President and founder of Navigate the Journey, a business consulting firm that comes alongside entrepreneurial companies helping them scale their businesses and build healthy teams and leaders. She was also one of the founders of the national cable television network HGTV. She enjoyed the amazing ride of taking a fledgling idea and turning it into a billion-dollar media empire. She spent over 20 years in the television industry before taking the leap of faith to create a new path. She writes about that journey in her new book, What If There’s More? Finding Significance Beyond Success.

Contact Traci on their websites, tracischubertbarrett.com, and navigatethejourney.com.

In my conversation with Bill, the CEO of a B2B Brand building agency that lives “Brand First,”, we discussed what he and his partners have done to scale at the rate they have while maintaining their culture, staunch values, and amazing work. We talked about how integrating EOS and surrendering to niching down were game changers for their agency.

Bill Kenney is co-founder, partner, and CEO of Focus Lab, a global B2B branding agency helping B2B companies connect with customers while leading their industries. Focus Lab’s past and current clients include Marketo, Salesloft, Zuora, Braze, Outreach, Launch Darkly, Twilio, Adobe, ASAPP, Luminate, Netflix, Shopify, and many others. Kenney is a member of the Fast Company Executive Board. He was born and raised on Martha’s Vineyard, MA. He holds a BFA from the University of Tampa, FL. He enjoys running, reading, and camping and currently resides in New Jersey with his wife and son.

Connect with Bill on LinkedIn and his website here.

In Episode 57, I had the privilege of sitting down with the dynamic duo behind Casa Davka – Emily Cohen and Hunter Vargas. This episode is jam-packed with valuable insights for agency owners looking to master their positioning, niching, and client relationships. We dive deep into strategic approaches for expanding expertise and fostering stronger client connections. From navigating business development to addressing harmful industry practices, we cover it all. We also explore the evolving landscape of remote work and its impact on team effectiveness, while emphasizing the importance of fair compensation and trust-building in remote agencies. Plus, we discuss the advantages of global talent, vertical niching strategies, achieving work-life balance, and fostering a culture of trust. As always, expect a no-nonsense conversation that cuts through the noise. Don't miss out on this episode!

Key Takeaways

• Clients are taking longer to close deals, so patience is key.

• Strategy is becoming increasingly important in the design industry.

• Ethical business practices, such as fair contracts and pricing, are crucial.

Work-life balance and setting boundaries are essential for personal and professional well-being.

• Capturing metrics is important to measure success and prove the value of design.

• Take action and don't wait for perfection.Chapters

Emily Cohen, Founder & Partner at Casa Davka, is a no-nonsense business consultant who has partnered with 500+ leading creative firms worldwide. At Casa Davka, Emily offers customized business solutions to creative businesses so they are able to: envision and plan for their future, position themselves to stay competitive, attract and qualify new business prospects and talent, refine, evolve, and elevate their organizational structure and reimagine existing processes to increase efficiency and effectiveness.

Emily is a frequently requested main stage speaker within the creative industry and has spoken at hundreds of international, national, and local conferences and events for organizations such as Creative Mornings, AIGA, Association of Registered Graphic Designers (RGD), and Creative South.

In 2018, she self-published her business book for creatives, Brutally Honest: No-bullshit business strategies to evolve your creative business. Brutally Honest has become a go-to business book for creative industry professionals worldwide and several universities use it as a teaching tool.

Emily is a designer by degree, an avid reader, a dog-lover, a trend-spotter, a connection-builder, and an industry advocate.

After working with multiple creative firms, Hunter officially joined Emily’s practice in Summer 2022 to grow our practice, elevate our offerings, and provide a fresh perspective to our clients. Her experience as a marketer, project manager, client partner, and business development manager paired with her on-the-ground insight and unique, younger perspective is a huge asset to our consulting practice. Hunter truly knows our industry inside and out.

She also happens to be Emily’s daughter and can read her mind so they work together seamlessly, complementing each other in many ways.

Contact Casa Davka on their website, or Emily or Hunter’s LinkedIn pages.

In this episode, Ken and I got to talk about the difference between being an owner and a true leader, how to lead and inspire in times of uncertainty, how transparent leads can or should be, and the differences between consulting, training, and coaching. We also tried really hard to remember the name of the book Ken was reading at the time of the recording. The book is "Give and Take. Why Helping Others Drives Our Success." by Adam Grant.   

Ken Jacobs is the principal of Jacobs Consulting & Executive Coaching, which helps empower PR and communications leaders and executives to become more effective leaders. It does so via executive coaching.

His company also helps agencies grow business, manage for profitability, improve client service, and enhance team performance, communications and leadership skills, via training and consulting.

Prior to launching his companies, Jacobs spent 25 years in management and leadership positions with a number of PR agencies, including Ogilvy & Mather PR, Marina Maher (pronounced “Mar” like “Star!”) communications, Maloney & Fox, and Lippe Taylor.

Jacobs discusses leadership with some of the PR and communications industry’s most respected leaders via “Taking the Lead,” his quarterly leadership column in PRSA’s Strategies & Tactics, and the similarly named video podcast on his website and YouTube channel.

He's a regular presenter at PRSA Counselors Academy and various PRSA chapters. He loves living “Down The Shore” in Asbury Park, New Jersey. No Bruce sightings yet.

Connect with Ken via email, LinkedIn, Twitter, or YouTube.

In episode 051, I had the great privilege of speaking with my long-time friend, Debra Rizzi, partner and president of Rizco, a women-owned brand-led marketing agency. We got to discuss the launch and evolution of her agency nearly 25 years ago, the benefits of becoming a certified woman-owned business, and the integration of new tools and processes like EOS. She emphasizes the importance of community involvement and maintaining core values and culture in her agency. She also talks about her day-to-day responsibilities and offers business advice, including the significance of gratitude and self-acknowledgment.

Key Takeaways

• Launching a business can arise from unexpected circumstances and opportunities. • Becoming a certified woman-owned business can open doors and provide access to funding and resources. • Integrating new tools and processes can enhance efficiency and effectiveness. • Community involvement and maintaining core values and culture are essential for long-term success. • Expressing gratitude and acknowledging personal achievements are important for personal and professional growth.

Chapters

00:00 Introduction and Background 01:08 The Launch of Rizco 05:47 Certification as a Women-Owned Business 07:04 Benefits of Women-Owned Business Certification 09:34 Integration of New Tools and Processes 10:17 Business Development Opportunities 12:40 Involvement in the Community 20:53 Day-to-Day Responsibilities 25:23 Binging and New Tools 27:15 Business Advice 29:36 Gratitude and Self-Acknowledgment 29:59 Closing Remarks

Debra Rizzi has over 25 years of experience in developing brand strategies for local, national, and international companies. She is a partner and president of Rizco, a woman-owned, brand-led marketing agency, which she co-founded in 2000.

Upon graduating from Bucknell University, Debra worked in the finance department of corporate Lord & Taylor. Later, she managed the creative department of the global public relations firm, Porter Novelli.

Debra is a past NJ Biz “40 Under 40” recipient and 2020 NJBIZ’s “50 Best Women in Business” Award. She is a member of many business organizations, currently serves on Wall High School’s Business and Finance Academy’s Advisory Board, and served 8 years on Bucknell University’s Alumni Association Board of Directors.

On a personal level, Debra’s partner in life and in business is her husband, Keith, and together they balance the lives of their three daughters, Mia, Marley, and Monroe.

Contact Debra through her agency website, Facebook, Instagram, or on Linkedin.

In this episode, I got to talk with Rahul Raj, founder of 5&Vine. They help challenger brands win. It’s in their DNA and their whole reason for showing up each day. Our conversation dug into the nuances of living in your niche, how to define the edge of that niche, and how they evaluate wavering outside of the laser focus of who they work with. Rahul spoke about the inherent risks of being too deeply niched what tier diversification means to them, and how they define it. We went on a side tangent about the lack of authenticity in personal communication, specifically on social media.

Takeaways

• Building a purpose-driven agency focused on helping challenger brands make a positive impact in the world • The importance of authenticity, community, and engagement in brand building • Challenges of staying true to a niche and the risks and opportunities presented by AI • The responsibility of leveraging privilege to help others

Chapters

00:00 Introduction and Background 01:10 The Journey of Five and Vine 05:23 Building Brands that Better the World 06:18 Staying True to a Niche 09:27 The Importance of Authenticity and Learning from Mistakes 11:18 Diversification and Engaging the Team 14:51 The Role of AI in Branding 22:41 Navigating Risks and Opportunities 26:09 Final Thoughts and Rapid Fire Questions

I help Challenger Brands win.

I started 5&Vine to help build, launch and grow meaningful brands that disrupt categories and better society. To date, our impact has helped our partners close over $1.6B in follow on financing, and two have gone public.

My expertise in Challenger Brands was born from my time as CMO at ecobee, where I helped transform the brand from relative obscurity into the #2 thermostat brand in North America with a 30% share and developed a playbook on how Challengers could take down industry incumbents.

I know what a brand needs to take on Goliath. Prior to ecobee, I ran an incubator for Walmart in San Francisco. After seeing an opportunity to extract more value out of products that already existed, I built a refurbishing infrastructure that turned costly customer returns into a multi-billion dollar revenue stream. For these efforts, I was honored with Walmart's Innovation Champion Award, a fellowship with the Aspen Institute, and by GOOD magazine as 1 of 100 people pushing the world forward.

My commitment to bettering the world started when I was young. At the age of 17, I founded and developed Meal Exchange to build healthy, just and environmentally sustainable food systems across Canada. Our work has been recognized by TIME magazine as "revolutionary”.

Today, alongside my work at 5&Vine, I'm actively engaged in inspiring and empowering others to make their own positive impact. As well as being on the Design Team of the Aspen First Movers fellowship, I mentor entrepreneurs at First Round Capital, Tech Stars, the American Marketing Association, the University of Toronto’s Venture Mentoring Program, the Presidio Graduate School, and delivered a TEDx talk on the power of Challenger Thinking.

Contact Rahul at www.5andvine.com

In Episode 064, I had the pleasure of having an inspiring conversation with Justine Clay, a business coach and ADHD life coach for creative entrepreneurs. Justine shares her journey from working in the creative industry to launching her own coaching business, and how these experiences have shaped her current work. She delves into the unique challenges and strengths of individuals with ADHD and the importance of fostering a supportive and inclusive work environment. Justine discusses the need for leadership to understand and accommodate neurodivergent team members and examines the impact of remote work on those with ADHD. Throughout the conversation, Justine emphasizes creating spaces that foster connection and meaningful experiences, and the importance of being present and taking care of ourselves in our daily lives. She also shares valuable business advice on focusing on solutions rather than problems and keeping the client at the center of our thoughts and messaging.

Key Takeaways

• Understanding the unique challenges and strengths of individuals with ADHD is crucial for creating a supportive work environment. • Leadership should strive to accommodate the needs of neurodivergent team members and provide them with the tools and resources they need to thrive. • Remote work can be beneficial for individuals with ADHD, as it allows for greater flexibility and control over their work environment. • Creating an open and inclusive culture where individuals feel comfortable communicating their needs is essential for fostering productivity and well-being.

Chapters

00:00 Introduction and Background 03:00 Becoming an Independent Creative Professional 06:00 Starting a Creative Management Agency 09:00 Transitioning to Coaching 13:00 Becoming an ADHD Coach 15:00 ADHD as a Superpower, or not 19:00 Supporting Neurodivergent Individuals 21:00 Coaching Leadership on Working with Neurodivergent Team Members 25:00 The Impact of Remote Work on ADHD 35:00 Personal Hobbies and Tools 38:02 Creating Spaces for Connection and Experience 39:12 Focus on Solutions, Not Problems

Justine Clay is a speaker, writer, business coach, and ADHD life coach for creative entrepreneurs and freelancers. Justine’s lifelong passion for supporting creatives started as a career in talent management, where she got to work with some of the best independent talent in New York City. Seeing a need in the market to empower freelance creatives with the business and marketing skills they needed to thrive, Justine launched her coaching business in 2010 and has not looked back since.

Using her actionable Profitable by Design framework, Justine helps creative entrepreneurs of all stripes and neurotypes identify and articulate their unique value and build a fulfilling, efficient, and profitable creative business.

Contact Justine on her website, download a Free guide: How to get more high -quality clients and get paid what you're worth, or find Justine on Instagram or LinkedIn.

In this episode I have a great conversation with Selena Thiele, the founder of Office Mercenary, about why the key to winning is delegation. She discusses the concept of virtual assistants and the benefits they bring to businesses. She shares her own experience of feeling overwhelmed as a small business owner and how she started Office Mercenary to provide specialized support to entrepreneurs. Selena emphasizes the importance of finding the right virtual assistant and building long-term client relationships. She also highlights the challenges of delegating tasks and setting boundaries. Selena provides insights into the types of tasks Office Mercenary handles and the role of standard operating procedures (SOPs) in effective delegation. She concludes with valuable business advice, including the importance of letting go of perfectionism and striving for good enough.

Key Takeaways

• Virtual assistants can provide specialized support to overwhelmed small business owners.

• Building long-term client relationships is beneficial for both the client and the virtual assistant.

• Delegating tasks and setting boundaries are essential for effective collaboration with a virtual assistant.

• Standard operating procedures (SOPs) can streamline delegation and ensure consistent quality.

Chapters

00:00 Introduction and Background 01:02 The Concept of Office Mercenaries 02:23 The Impact of the Pandemic on the Virtual Assistant Industry 03:08 The Importance of Finding the Right Virtual Assistant 04:06 The Benefits of Long-Term Client Relationships 04:49 The Transformation After Delegating Tasks 06:16 The Types of Tasks Office Mercenary Handles 08:42 The Challenges of Delegating and Setting Boundaries 11:05 The Importance of Letting Go and Accepting 85% Quality 13:03 Low-Hanging Fruit for Delegation 15:44 The Definition of a Good Virtual Assistant 17:54 The Role of SOPs and Systems in Delegation 19:59 Misconceptions About Virtual Assistants 22:57 Rapid Fire Questions 25:35 Invaluable Business Advice

Selena Thiele, with her business partner Alyssa, combined their almost 30 years of experience in office administration to found Office Mercenary in 2019. She is an expert in virtual assistance, bookkeeping, business services, and helping business owners get out of their own way. She and the Office Mercenary team provide various services to businesses that help them conquer their day-to-day struggles and focus on the most important goals. Online Business Management services are also provided for those ready to take the next step in growth, organization, and kicking butt. Selena enjoys her pets, travel, video games, reading, and gardening in her spare time.

Contact Selena on her website, Instagram, Facebook, personal LinkedIn, company LinkedIn, or TikTok.

In this episode, I had the pleasure of conversing with Claire Hutchings from Chime Agency in the UK, renowned as the marketing agency for agencies. Claire and her team have developed a remarkable agency benchmark, showcasing how an agency can effectively create content for thought leadership and pipeline development. At the time of this recording, Chime had witnessed an astounding 100X increase in revenue in its pipeline. Furthermore, they secured speaking engagements and other opportunities, all stemming from this thought leadership initiative. Claire delves into the investment her agency made in this project and reveals the remarkable return on investment (ROI) it yielded. Spoiler alert: It's a no-brainer!

Claire is on a mission to solve the challenge all agencies face – their own marketing. She has 15 years of experience spanning boutique independents like We Are Collider, HLabs, Climbing Trees, and Quickfire Digital to global networked agencies Publicis Groupe, Hotwire, and Fleishman Hillard.

She has a passion for content, bridging strategy and delivery seamlessly bringing her extensive agency knowledge to all of Chime Agency’s clients.

Claire won Best New Business at the 2022 Women’s Business Awards and was Commended at the Global Women in Marketing Awards 2022.

Contact Claire on Linkedin, the Chime Agency website, the Chime Agency LinkedIn page, or grab your copy of the Agency Marketing Report.

In Episode 065, I have the exciting opportunity to speak with James Martin, also known as Made By James, a talented UK-based designer renowned for his dedication to design education and his candid presence on social media. I invited James because I deeply admire how he’s grown his following and how he communicates with his audience.

James shares his journey from a solopreneur to becoming a design partner at Lincoln Design, highlighting the evolution of his career and the importance of giving back to the design community. He openly discusses the range of emotions he experiences during the design process, including imposter syndrome, and provides valuable Adobe tips and tricks.

In our conversation, James talks about understanding your worth and pricing your services appropriately. He emphasizes the fear of saying no and its impact on self-worth, sharing his 13% rule for pricing to help increase confidence in charging higher rates. James also underscores the importance of setting the right prices and not undervaluing oneself.

Finally, James reflects on the significance of letting go to grow and the importance of celebrating achievements along the way. This episode is packed with insights for designers at any stage of their careers, offering practical advice and inspiration for building a successful and fulfilling design practice.

Key Takeaways

• Building a community and giving back through design education can lead to personal and professional growth. • Consistency and authenticity in sharing your work and knowledge on social media can help establish your personal brand. • Transitioning from a solopreneur to working with an agency can provide new opportunities and a larger team to collaborate with. • Understanding your worth as a designer and pricing your services accordingly is crucial for sustainable business growth. • Saying no to clients who don't align with your value and pricing can lead to better opportunities and a stronger business. Don't let fear and self-doubt dictate your pricing. Set the right prices based on your value and expertise. • Use the 13% rule to increase your prices incrementally and build confidence in charging higher rates. • Focus on proving your value to clients through case studies and demonstrating the impact of your work. • Let go of certain tasks and responsibilities to allow for growth and scalability in your business. • Take the time to celebrate your achievements and enjoy the journey rather than constantly chasing the next goal.

Chapters

00:00 Introduction and Background 02:06 Starting to Share Work on Social Media 05:00 Evolution as a Designer 06:45 Transition to Working with Lincoln Design 09:11 Giving Back and Building a Community 12:09 Transition from Solopreneur to Agency Partner 19:15 False Sense of Security on Social Media 21:22 Knowing Your Worth and Evolving as a Designer 23:15 Saying No to Clients to Say Yes to Yourself 23:47 The Fear of Saying No and Self-Worth 25:06 Setting the Right Prices 26:28 Proving Your Value to Clients 27:27 The 13% Rule for Pricing 29:22 The Evolution of the Partnership with Lincoln 30:28 Focusing on Helping Designers 33:29 Letting Go to Grow

James Martin, better known as Made By James, is transforming the design education landscape with his rebellious creativity and relentless determination. He has dedicated 20 years of his life to achieving creative excellence, being sought after by clients for the impact his work has on businesses and the meticulously crafted experiences he delivers.

He now has one purpose: to build the best designers on the planet.

Through his real-world experience, he understands that to land your 'dream client,' you first need to become a 'dream designer.' The status quo within the design education space is focused solely on external outcomes when the real focus should be on internal transformation. He knows if he can help designers become comfortable with the unpredictability of the real creative world, then the predictable stuff becomes even easier to manage.

His full focus is as an educator to brand designers, but he is also a best-selling author, public speaker, and creative partner at Lincoln Design Co., where the team works daily with the likes of Disney, Liquid Death, and Nike. He is dedicated to guiding the next generation of designers with action, honesty, and love, creating a future where designers and clients thrive together.

Connect with James on his website or Instagram.