In this episode of The Innovative Agency Podcast, host Sharon Toerek speaks with Katie Wagner, CEO and founder of KWSM, a digital agency. They explore the topic of talent recruitment and retention through the unique lens of lead generation. Katie shares her innovative strategies for attracting and retaining top talent, including the use of storytelling, employer branding, and partnership agreements, offering valuable insights for agency leaders aiming to foster a successful and thriving workplace culture.

 

What you will learn in this episode: 

 

• How talent acquisition and retention can be approached as lead generation, applying client-attraction tactics to hiring.

• The power of storytelling to engage both clients and potential employees, showcasing agency culture and employee success stories.

• Key steps in creating a strong employer brand, from optimizing the careers page to building a consistent narrative.

• The concept of partnership agreements as a commitment to job security, fostering trust and open communication.

• How proactive check-ins and regular feedback contribute to a positive and engaged work culture.

• Using metrics to track success in recruitment efforts, similar to tracking client lead generation.

Bio

 

Katie spent more than 15 years as a journalist. After graduating Magna Cum Laude from Boston University with a B.S. in Broadcast Journalism and a B.A. in International Relations, she began her career as an investigative reporter, and then spent a decade as a television and radio news anchor. Katie has worked at CBS, ABC, Fox, CNN and National Public Radio. In addition, she has appeared on dozens of commercials, educational videos and websites. She has hosted her own talk show, had columns published in major newspapers and blogs, and is a popular public speaker.

 

In 2010, Katie realized that she could use the skills she learned in the newsroom to help business owners connect with their clients online. She opened KWSM to help companies and organizations tell their story, building the agency with journalists, whom she knew understood how to establish a relationship with their audience and convey information in an engaging and educational way.

 

Katie is a proud member of Vistage, Provisors and the Young Entrepreneur Council. She has served as a member of the Advisory Board for Web Wise Kids, a non-profit focused on keeping kids safe on the internet and social media. In 2012, she was honored with the organization’s ‘Champion for Children Award.’ Over the years she has served as an Entrepreneur in Residence at Chapman University’s Leatherby Center for Entrepreneurship and Business Ethics, a Mentor for Chapman’s MBA Program, and a guest lecturer for Chapman, California Southern University and California State University, Fullerton.

 

Katie is also a certified first responder with the American Humane Association (She was one of the first rescuers allowed into New Orleans after Hurricane Katrina) and has worked and volunteered in dozens of animal shelters across the country. In her free time, you can find her hiking with her 5 rescue dogs, or at the barn with her horse.

Resources:

 

• Website: www.kwsmdigital.com

• LinkedIn Personal: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kwsocialmedia/

• LinkedIn Business: https://www.linkedin.com/company/kwsmteam

• Facebook Business: https://www.facebook.com/kwsmteam/

• Instagram Business: https://x.com/KWSMTeam