Chats with Chip

For the past decade, Rohit Bhargava has written about non-obvious trends in an annual book series. He recently capped it off with a final volume: Non-Obvious Mega Trends. A self-described "reluctant futurist," Rohit went from working in agencies to examining the trends that impact business and society.

In this episode, he and Chip discuss some of the observations, as well as an approach to looking at trends that may help agency leaders be more effective. One of the best pieces of advice he offers is this: "being more observant really is about paying attention to detail." Sometimes it takes the realization of the obvious to discover the non-obvious.

Nobody likes to think about lawyers until they need one. Agency owners are no different, but planning ahead can make a world of difference in the outcome when it comes to legal matters.

Sharon Toerek, founder of Toerek Law and host of The Innovative Agency podcast brings a wealth of knowledge and experience on agency legal issues to the latest episode of Chats with Chip. She shares her experience and insight with listeners to help avoid common mistakes.

Among the topics that Chip and Sharon discuss:

• Client contract structure and principles
• Freelancer agreements
• Brand protection
• California's new law on independent contractors
• The intersection of business and legal decisions

Have you ever wondered what it would be like to sell your agency to one of the big holding companies? How does the dream compare to reality? What should you know before you make that decision?

Mitch Joel shares the perspective of someone who has done just that. He and his partners sold Twist Image to WPP. After remaining with the firm for several years after the acquisition, Mitch is now a prolific writer, podcaster, speaker, and more.

He is the host of one of the longest running podcasts, and he just welcomed Seth Godin as his guest on the 700th episode of his Six Pixels of Separation show. As an accomplished communicator and entrepreneur, he has lots of useful advice for listeners.

Most agencies are looking for any leg up that they can get in the business development process. That's why some agencies should consider getting certified. No this isn't a discussion about a seal of approval for the quality of your work, it is about certifying the ownership structure of your business in a category that some organizations prefer.

Dr. Sandra Wills Hannon of The Hannon Group discusses how getting certified has helped her agency win more business, both from government agencies and the private sector. She describes some of the available programs and what it takes to win the certification.

In this episode, Hannon explains that it does take a lot of time and effort to receive the certifications, but she believes that the ROI has clearly been there for her business. She also explores how consultants can help speed up the process, albeit at a cost.

Finally, Dr. Hannon points out that there are certification programs available for just about every type of agency, so you don't need to feel left out if you are not running a woman, minority, or veteran-owned business.

Scope creep and over-servicing clients erodes profitability and many -- if not most -- agencies. Keeping work within the agreed parameters will not only make projects better, it will ensure that they contribute to the financial health of the business.

As founder of The Digital Project Manager, Ben Aston knows all about successful agency project management. He joins Chip to discuss techniques to avoid scope creep -- starting even before a prospect becomes a client.

Most agency owners don't bring prior business experience to the role -- let alone formal business education. Paul Benson is an exception to that rule of thumb. He earned his MBA before he took the leap into agency ownership.

In this episode, Paul shares his experience running a digital marketing agency and how the business training he received at Babson College has impacted his success.

Agency owners need to keep tabs on the financial health of their businesses, but many lack the backgrounds to know the numbers that matter most. Darryl Salerno's long experience in advising agencies on financial matters makes him an excellent resource on this vital topic.

In this episode, Darryl explains which numbers agencies should be focused on and what benchmarks can help them evaluate their own success. He takes the mystery out of money matters and provides practical advice that any agency leader can put to work today.

Ronn Torossian has built one of the largest independent PR agencies in the U.S., and in this episode he shares some of the lessons he has learned along the way. A prolific content creator, Ronn frequently writes and speaks about issues facing the industry, and he is passionate about finding ways to improve modern public relations.

Ronn's agency, 5WPR, recently announced that they were looking for small agencies to acquire. He explains exactly what he's looking for and why he wants to supplement his firm's already strong organic growth.

Agency businesses have some challenges unique to the individual owners and circumstances. But many of the growing pains are predictable and follow patterns established by other similar businesses.

Leaders can take comfort in knowing that they are not likely the first to experience any particular challenge, nor are other agencies immune from the obstacles.

Brad Farris has spent decades advising businesses and helping them overcome these growing pains so that they can continue to thrive. In this episode of Chats with Chip, Brad shares his observations on each of the key stages that agencies experience, along with advice on how to forge ahead at every step.

Katie Robbert never planned to be an expert in AI and analytics, but she says she likes "numbers to add up" even though she considers herself bad at math. As a self-professed planner, Katie found herself telling stories with data, first for a pharmaceutical company and later for a PR agency.

Today, Katie is the co-founder and CEO of Trust Insights, a consultancy dedicated to working with clients to uncover valuable nuggets in the data that often piles up unused in many businesses.

Chip talks with Katie about how agencies can leverage data on their own behalf, as well as for their clients.