In this episode, Lisa Paasche, Founder at EKTE Vision, breaks down the exact pivot she made in 2015 that transformed her agency from a low-margin link-building shop into a creative powerhouse landing coverage on BBC, The Guardian, CNN, and even the Tonight Show.
She shares why she made 40% of her team redundant to move forward, how she hired people with no industry experience on purpose, and what buyers like Omnicom are actually looking for when they acquire an agency.
Lisa and Austin also go deep on leadership, transparency, and what it really takes to build a team that stays. From open-book financials to involving staff in hiring decisions, Lisa's approach to running a business is as unconventional as it is effective.
They also discuss the current AI opportunity in SEO, why Digital PR is more important than ever for LLM visibility, and the neuroscience behind why founders burn out and what to do about it.
Whether you are trying to grow your agency, prep for an exit, or just get out of your own way, this episode is packed with hard-won lessons from someone who has done it all, including a brief detour into stand-up comedy.
Get Your Exclusive AIO Growth Plan - We’ll kick off with a Live AIO Audit to see how shoppers find you, followed by Competitor Research to steal their spotlight: https://lunacal.ai/team/dws/dws-meetings
In this episode, we discuss:
00:00 - 01:00: Introduction & How Lisa Repurposes Her Podcasts
01:00 - 02:30: Using Opus Clip to Turn Episodes Into Short-Form Content
02:30 - 04:00: Lisa's Background & Getting Into SEO in 2005
04:00 - 05:30: The Algorithm Updates That Changed Everything
05:30 - 07:10: The Bold Pivot That Transformed the Agency
07:10 - 08:30: Landing Coverage on BBC, The Guardian, and the Tonight Show
08:30 - 10:00: How Lisa and Austin Met at SEO Week
10:00 - 11:30: The Hardest Decision — Making 40% of the Team Redundant
11:30 - 13:00: Why Lisa Hired for Mindset Over Experience
13:00 - 14:30: The Chiropractor Story — Finding Talent in Unexpected Places
14:30 - 16:00: Enthusiasm, Grit, and the Three Keys to Success
16:00 - 17:30: Why Big Creative Campaigns Still Win
17:30 - 19:00: The Roger Bannister Effect and Belief in What's Possible
19:00 - 20:30: Balancing Virality With Niche and Specific Content
20:30 - 22:00: Why Lisa Always Knew She Wanted to Sell
22:00 - 23:30: What Acquirers Are Actually Looking For
23:30 - 25:30: De-Risking Your Agency Before a Sale
25:30 - 27:30: Open-Book Financials and Teaching Your Team How Business Works
27:30 - 29:30: Transparent Pay Structures and Involving Staff in Decisions
29:30 - 31:30: The Employee Who Stayed Because of Trust, Not Money
31:30 - 33:30: What Is EKTE and Why Lisa Built It
33:30 - 35:30: Why Founders Lose Steam and How to Get It Back
35:30 - 37:30: Hiring a COO and Getting Out of Your Own Way
37:30 - 39:00: The Neuroscience Behind Founder Burnout
39:00 - 40:30: Why Founders Are Almost Always Doing Too Much
40:30 - 42:00: The Importance of Space, Nature, and Slowing Down
42:00 - 43:30: Authenticity as the Foundation of Everything
43:30 - 45:50: Where to Find Lisa and Free Consultation Offer
Book a free 1-hr session with Lisa Paasche: https://lisapaaschecoaching.youcanbook.me/
Connect with Lisa Paasche
https://www.linkedin.com/in/lisapaasche/
https://ekte-vision.com/
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