Agencies That Build

Agencies That Build

By TogetherWeShipBusiness
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Agencies That Build episodes

  • Flexibility and Focusing Forward - Carl Smith - Agencies That Build #003

    Carl Smith owns and runs the Bureau of Digital, an organization that supports agencies and provides the leadership training necessary to survive and thrive. Their focus on Digital Leadership, Business Development, Design Leadership, Operations, and Project Management has been invaluable to the digital agency landscape.



    Takeaways:

     

    • In today’s climate, it is important to cater to your clients’ evolving needs and be flexible with them. How can you create a better relationship in the current world?
  • Generalists are what everyone wants out of individuals, but Specialists are what they want out of organizations. The most successful companies are those that are generalists, but promote themselves as specialists.
  • Position yourself as who you want to become versus who you are right now. This will help grow your business, company and community.
  • “If you have to change the fabric of who you are to accomplish something then you have lost part of yourself.” Double down on what makes you different as a company and an individual. ~Carl Smith
  • “Don’t always tell clients what is great about what they have. Sometimes it is better to show them the stuff they don’t want to hear.” ~Carl Smith
  • Career advice from Carl Smith, Nothing matters as much as it feels like it does. Leslie Peters said, “Life is a quest, not a text.”



    • Links:

     

    • Personal/Business Website: https://medium.com/@carlsmith
  • LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/carl-w-smith
  • Twitter: https://twitter.com/carlsmith
  • Company Website: https://bureauofdigital.com



    • Busted Myths:

     

    • There is work out there! Be flexible and open to try something different.

     

    Ways to Tune In:

    iTunes - Apple Podcasts

  • Stitcher - ATB on Stitcher

  • YouTube - Full video - https://youtu.be/rsNpcYKOuJI

     

    1 hr 6 min
  • The Contractor Success Model - Jason Williams - Agencies That Build #002

    Entrepreneur, Strategic thinker, roll up sleeves with multiple hats Jason Williams busts the myth that an agency can’t be formed with independent contractors only! Jason’s personal philosophy is to live a life of abundance, and works towards that for all of his customers and colleagues. 

    “Listening, collaboration only works when you listen… sit down and listen, because you are always going to learn something.” - Jason Williams 



    Takeaways:

     

    • Using a contractor model allows businesses to scale up or down as there is a need
  • Invest in contractors as well, give them access to agency attorney and accountant so they can take charge of their finances
  • Using a subscription based model, customers know that the job will get done in a certain amount of time, given a certain level of service, within a certain capacity
  • The best person for the job should get the job, where the person is based is contextual. 
  • Culture is the collective, and distributed network, that IS the culture. It creates itself and self corrects.

    •  

    Links:

     

    • Personal/Business Website: www.dfuzr.com
  • LinkedIn:       linkedin.com/in/dfuzrceo      



    • Busted Myths:

     

    • To have an agency you need W2 workers not Independent Contractors! 
  • There is less commitment from freelancers / Contractors!
  • Off shore/near shore, the boundaries are becoming irrelevant, whoever is the best person or best group to get the job done

    •  

    Ways to Tune In:

    • YouTube - Full video - https://youtu.be/snszY24vQ3c

     

    1 hr 5 min
  • Finding a Balance - Jay Owen - Agencies That Build #001

    Business builder, marketing agency owner, author and podcaster Jay Owen’s discusses his take on finding a balance between building and growing companies and growing his family and personal life. 

     

    “Building a business that lasts is not that complicated to me, but to do that and care for the other people around me well that’s hard work, and that requires intentionality, focus, and I mess it up plenty of times, but putting that in writing holds me accountable to it and it sets that standard.” - Jay Owen



    Takeaways:

    • Living in a world of extremes, either the hustle mentality which is a false reality of what it has to be like to grow or on the flip side of the coin if you’re not taking 2 naps during the day, 3 yoga sessions you’re not resting enough
  • You need to physically write down your goals, what you want your life to look like in 1 year, 3 years, and 10. Then ask, “what needs to be true today for that to be true tomorrow? What needs to change?” 
  • Define what product looks like,  “what is the product that you are actually really good at producing, that provides real value for people, that you are excited about selling?” Then get a system in place to sell it. 
  • “The customer is not always right, that can be enabling.” Nobody is always right! They hired you for a reason, because you know how to do things they don’t know how to/don’t want to do. You have to decide if you are leading that client to better success or if you are just doing what they are asking you to do.
  • Be intentional about relationships and the people around you- have great people to look up to, people standing beside you and you need someone to look up to you, to mentor.
  • Career advice from Jay Owen, “You need other people, when people say things like, ‘if you want it done right you have to do it yourself!’ that’s garbage- not true and if it is you’re not a very good leader. But if it’s the team, it’s still you- it’s still your fault. You have the opportunity to fix it.”

    •  

    Links:

    • Personal/Business Website: https://jayowenlive.com
  • LinkedIn:          linkedin.com/in/jayowen       
  • Twitter:                designext             ;                owendesign             
  • Company Website:    designextensions.com/  



    • Busted Myths:

    • You don’t have to work 100 hours a week to be successful
  • The customer is not always right!

    •  

    Ways to Tune In:

    • YouTube - https://youtu.be/-GadZmoXasM
    1 hr 10 min

About Agencies That Build

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The experiences and best practices from top digital agency leaders.