Chats with Chip

In this episode, Chip talks with David C. Baker, who has been dubbed “the expert’s expert.” He leads the advisory firm Punctuation, and has worked with more than 1,000 agencies to help them get better positioned for success.

The discussion focuses on improving agency management and scalability by emphasizing the importance of understanding business fundamentals and integrating them alongside the creative and strategic solutions.

Key topics include the benefits of proper positioning, effective client communication, strategic pricing, and the importance of sharing expertise. [read the transcript]

The post CWC 101: Expert advice on putting your agency in a position to succeed (featuring David C. Baker) appeared first on FIR Podcast Network.

Patrick Rogan of Ignition HR joins Chip to discuss the FTC’s new ruling on non-compete agreements and expected adjustments to overtime pay regulations.

They discuss strategies for managing overtime and compensation issues in small agencies, highlighting the importance of compliance, proactive planning, and seeking HR assistance when necessary. [read the transcript]

The post CWC 100: Practical HR advice on new overtime and non-compete rules (featuring Patrick Rogan) appeared first on FIR Podcast Network.

Meetings have evolved over the last few decades, so shouldn’t the agency owner’s role have changed?

In this episode, Chip and Brad Farris of Anchor Advisors discuss the importance of effective leadership and meetings in agencies, emphasizing the owner’s unique role in providing vision and direction.

They explore the need for well-structured meetings with agendas, purpose, and active participation from all members.

The conversation touches on techniques for better meetings, the role of leaders in encouraging participation, and the value of appreciating contributions and creating positive meeting experiences. [read the transcript]

The post CWC 99: Modernizing leadership in meetings (featuring Brad Farris) appeared first on FIR Podcast Network.

Author of Start with the Story: Brand-Building in a Narrative Economy, Kristian Alomá knows the value of brand storytelling for agencies and businesses.

In this episode, Kristian shares insights about his agency, Threadline, and the art of crafting a narrative that is relevant, meaningful, and inspiring to the audience. He and Chip cover the evolution of brand stories over time and the need for agencies to live their own brand stories.

Chip and Kristian also discuss the value of a helpfulness mindset for growing a thriving agency. The importance of building trust and evolving with customers is highlighted throughout the conversation.

The post CWC 98: Storytelling and a helpfulness mindset for agency owners (featuring Kristian Alomá) appeared first on FIR Podcast Network.

In this episode, Chip talks with Nicholas Petroski, founder of Promethean Research.

Chip and Nick discuss digital agency salaries and the findings of a recent research report on the topic. They delve into the importance of balancing billable hours, the impact of pricing on agency profitability, and the role of benefits and stipends in attracting and retaining talent.

They also touch on the need for standardization of job titles in the agency industry.

The post CWC 97: Agency salary and compensation trends in 2024 (featuring Nicholas Petroski) appeared first on FIR Podcast Network.

Xaña Winans of Golden Proportions Marketing says that resiliency may be her superpower, and that’s a characteristic many agency owners needed to tap into as the pandemic upset existing business structures.

Like many owners, Xaña has kept her team remote. She shares some of her experience about how she made that transition and manages a team that is no longer full-time in the office. She talks about some of the challenges, as well as opportunities that creates.

The post CWC 96: Resiliency and remote teams in an agency (featuring Xaña Winans) appeared first on FIR Podcast Network.

In this episode, Chip talks with Jason Swenk of Agency Mastery 360 about the intricate dynamics of agency growth, operations, and sales. The discussion touches upon multiple challenges that agency owners grapple with daily, offering a number of actionable insights.

Chip and Jason highlight the importance of evolving with the agency. Whether it’s adjusting the business model, understanding financial metrics, or pivoting strategies, staying proactive ensures sustained growth and success.

The post CWC 95: Evolving as your agency grows (featuring Jason Swenk) appeared first on FIR Podcast Network.

Few people in the agency world know more about the effective use of Wikipedia than Bill Beutler. As the founder of Beutler Ink, he and his team don’t just advise people about this popular platform, they also help clients communicate more effectively with infographics and other formats.

In this episode, Chip talks with Bill about the evolution of Wikipedia in recent years and how agencies can help their clients navigate the sometimes confusing editing ecosystem without getting themselves into trouble.

The post CWC 94: How agencies should think about Wikipedia in 2023 appeared first on FIR Podcast Network.

If you dread difficult conversations, Allyns Melendez of HR Transformed has some great tips to make them easier — or perhaps to head them off altogether with better communications.

In this episode, Chip and Allyns talk about ways that you can solicit ongoing feedback from agency employees and build a management structure that encourages meaningful two-way conversations.

The post CWC 93: How to make conversations with your agency employees less difficult (featuring Allyns Melendez) appeared first on FIR Podcast Network.

In this episode of Chats with Chip, Juliana Marulanda of ScaleTime explains why creating and documenting repeatable processes for your agency can make a big difference in outcomes for your business and your clients.

The post CWC 92: Process matters for agencies (featuring Juliana Marulanda) appeared first on FIR Podcast Network.