Agency Growth Club

Agencies Must Integrate or Fade Away 👉 Book a call here with my SEO recruitment agency - https://www.seoforhire.co/What does it take to build an agency that stands out, not just delivers?In this episode, I sat down with Ray Saddiq, Global Head of Marketing at Rise at Seven, to unpack how they transformed their brand into one of the most talked-about agencies in the world.Ray breaks down:

• The strategy behind Rise’s viral rebrand (and why most agencies get it wrong)
• How to turn your agency into a category leader, not just another service provider
• Why relationships, not cold outreach, drive success in the U.S.
• How AI and integrated teams are reshaping the marketing landscape
• The mindset shift every founder needs to stay relevant

Timestamps:00:00 Intro02:00 Rise at Seven’s rebrand story06:00 How global brands like Ninja choose agencies10:00 The power of relationships in the U.S. market12:00 LinkedIn growth + personal branding18:00 How agencies must evolve with AI and integration26:00 The future of search and marketing27:00 Ray’s message to anxious agency owners👉 Check your market worth now: https://www.salaryguide.com👉 SEO Recruitment Agency - https://www.seoforhire.co/👉 Are You An Agency Owner? Get access to all our free systems, frameworks and resources - https://www.seoforhire.co/hiring-os-gpt/ 📱 Connect With Ray:  / ray-saddiq  📱 Connect With Me:  / joshpeacock-seoforhire  

How Top Agencies Are Using AI to 10x OutputIf you run an agency, you’re bleeding time on work AI can handle. In this episode, Jason Berkowitz, Founder of Break the Web shows exactly how his team cuts busywork from hours to minutes, uses deep research to find real prospects, and builds trust with clear “AI-assisted” workflows that clients actually love.👉 Check your market worth now: https://www.salaryguide.com👉 SEO Recruitment Agency - https://www.seoforhire.co/👉 Are You An Agency Owner? Get access to all our free systems, frameworks and resources - https://www.seoforhire.co/hiring-os-gpt/ 📱 Connect With Me:Linkedin - / https://www.linkedin.com/in/joshpeacock-seoforhire/Follow Jason on:Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasonberkowitzseo/Website: https://breaktheweb.agency

What does it take to grow, and keep growing, a digital agency through recessions, AI disruption, and the chaos of SEO? In this episode, we’re joined by Rob from Timmerman Group, a 20-year agency veteran who shares the real playbook behind building a sustainable, high-growth agency.

AI Killed Their Sales: Joe Davies Shares How They Grew Back 30% StrongerAre you looking for SEO specialists to join your team? 👉 https://www.seoforhire.co/contact-us/Is your team in need of Paid Media specialists? 👉 https://paidmediajobs.com/contact/In this episode, Joe Davies (Founder of Fat Joe) breaks down how his agency survived a 50% revenue crash during the AI content wave, and came back 30% stronger.We dive deep into how Joe uses AI as a personal assistant, the exact structure of his week as an agency owner, and why productization is the key to scaling with a lean team. He also shares how Fat Joe sells £50K+ services with zero sales calls, his take on outsourcing vs. in-house hiring, and the mindset needed to recession-proof your business.🔍 What you’ll learn:- How Joe uses ChatGPT to analyze pricing and speed up decisions- Why most agency problems boil down to needing more leads- The framework that saved Fat Joe from AI disruption- The case for outsourcing and lean team models- How to turn your services into scalable products- Why your agency site should convert clients without a call📱 Connect With Me:Linkedin - / https://www.linkedin.com/in/joshpeacock-seoforhire/🔔 Subscribe for weekly episodes featuring the brightest minds in SEO and agency growth.Find Joe Davies on: https://www.linkedin.com/in/joe-davies-seo/

In this deep-dive episode, CEO and Co-Founder of Rankability, Nathan Gotch reveals the real reasons agencies plateau, and the strategies that actually drive growth. It’s a must-watch for agency owners ready to move beyond guesswork and build a high-margin, specialized business that scales.

In this episode, we dive into the hard-earned startup lessons of Rand Fishkin, co-founder of SparkToro and former CEO of Moz. From raising $30M in venture capital to building a lean, profitable SaaS company without chasing hypergrowth, Rand gets real about the cost of scaling too fast, the pressure of investor expectations, and what he’d do differently today.In this episode, we cover:- The VC trap- The danger of chasing growth over focus- How SparkToro hit $1–15M ARR organically- Why an email list of 200,000 subscribers is more powerful than paid ads- How to build small, smart, self-sufficient teams- Lessons every startup founder should hear👉 Subscribe for more expert advice on growing your agency and running a successful digital marketing business.👉 Are You An Agency Owner? Unlock all our free systems, frameworks, and resources - https://www.seoforhire.co/resource-vault/📱 Connect With Me:Linkedin - / https://www.linkedin.com/in/joshpeacock-seoforhire/Connect with Rand Fishkin:SparkToro: SparkToro.com Snackbar: SnackbarStudio.com Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/randfishkin/

In this episode, Kevin Gibbons, Founder of Re:Signal reveals the real challenges behind agency growth—from surviving a £40k overdraft and losing top clients, to rebuilding with better hiring, cash flow systems, and client retention strategies.

👉 Subscribe for more expert advice on growing your agency and running a successful digital marketing business.👉 Are You An Agency Owner? Unlock all our free systems, frameworks, and resources - https://www.seoforhire.co/resource-vault/📱 Connect With Me:Linkedin - / https://www.linkedin.com/in/joshpeacock-seoforhire/Connect with Kevin Gibbons:Agency: https://resignal.comKevin's Website: https://kevingibbons.co.uk

Cody Jensen, founder of Search Bloom, joins us on SEO Leadership to share how he's built a digital marketing agency with an average team member retention of 4.7 years — a rare feat in the agency world.In this episode celebrating Search Bloom’s 10-year anniversary, Cody breaks down the realities of running and scaling a successful SEO agency. From managing cash flow and hiring the right people, to structuring a remote team and building culture from afar — this conversation is packed with actionable insights.

Danny Gavin, the founder of Optidge, a leading digital marketing agency, explains how he successfully doubled his agency's revenue. 💡 In 2024, Optidge was ranked #2536 on the Inc. 5000 list of the fastest-growing private companies in the U.S., with a 3-year revenue growth of 203%.💡 In 2025, Optidge was named a Google Premier Partner, recognizing its expertise in digital advertising and commitment to helping clients achieve measurable results.Danny shares the 5 key strategies that helped him grow his business without burning out. Whether you're a digital marketing agency owner or looking to scale your business, these insights are a game-changer!Here are the 5 strategies Danny used to double his revenue:- Delegation for Growth - Referrals as a Primary Client Acquisition Tool -Upselling and Cross-Selling- Selective Client Acquisition and Pricing Adjustments- Investing in Systems and Tools for Efficiency 👉 Subscribe for more expert advice on growing your agency and running a successful digital marketing business.👉 Are You An Agency Owner? Unlock all our free systems, frameworks, and resources - https://www.seoforhire.co/resource-vault/📱 Connect With Me:Linkedin - / https://www.linkedin.com/in/joshpeacock-seoforhire/Follow Danny Gavin: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dannygavin/ Agency: https://optidge.com/Podcast: https://optidge.com/tdmm/Course: https://odeoacademy.com/ ⏰ Timestamps: 00:00:00 - Understanding the Problem00:00:21 - The Fractional CEO Experience00:01:45 - Learning to Delegate00:03:20 - Tracking Tasks for Delegation00:05:14 - Hiring Strategies00:07:44 - Client Vetting Process00:10:23 - Referral-Based Client Acquisition00:13:33 - Upselling Strategies00:15:54 - Managing Cash Flow Challenges00:17:50 - Expensive Lessons in Agency Life00:19:31 - Wishes for Agency Journey00:19:34 - The Importance of Delegation00:20:41 - People-First Philosophy00:20:59 - Revenue Doubling Strategies00:21:45 - Mastering Change and Feedback00:22:41 - Communication in Remote Teams00:23:06 - Book Recommendation00:23:30 - Finding Danny Online

Corey Quinn, Agency Growth Advisor and former executive at Scorpion, reveals how he helped scale the agency from 100 to 1,000+ employees and 14,000 clients, all by making one game-changing move: vertical specialisation. 💥Our conversation is packed with tactical advice for agency founders ready to niche down, build scalable systems, and escape founder-led sales.✅ In this episode, we cover:- Why most agencies get stuck as generalists- How to test and choose the right niche- Using current clients as a safety net while you pivot- Systems and hiring strategies that enable scaling- How to escape founder-led sales and grow with confidence👉 Are You An Agency Owner? Unlock all our free systems, frameworks, and resources - https://www.seoforhire.co/resource-vault/📱 Connect With Me:Linkedin - / https://www.linkedin.com/in/joshpeacock-seoforhire/🔑 Follow Corey Quinn on: Linkedin - https://www.linkedin.com/in/coreyquinn/Anyone Not Everyone: https://www.anyonenoteveryone.comNewsletter: https://www.coreyquinn.com/newsletter⏰ Timestamps:00:00:00 – Introduction to Agency Growth00:00:26 – Why Choosing a Vertical Changes Everything00:00:34 – The “Generalist Trap” Explained00:02:10 – How Long to Test Vertical Specialization00:02:24 – Finding the Right Market Fit00:03:37 – Market Size & Client Affordability00:05:42 – You MUST Care About Your Vertical00:08:19 – Signs a Vertical Isn’t Working00:09:37 – How to Keep Clients While You Pivot00:11:03 – Corey’s Journey Scaling Scorpion00:12:06 – Systems That Make Scaling Possible00:15:18 – Smart Hiring Strategies for Growth00:16:57 – How Scorpion Retained 93% of Clients00:19:01 – Solving Problems Clients Didn’t Know They Had00:21:43 – Leadership & Culture Lessons from Scorpion00:23:39 – Common Agency Owner Struggles00:23:49 – The Cost of Staying a Generalist00:25:22 – How to Escape Founder-Led Sales00:26:24 – Free Book: “Anyone Not Everyone”