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Hiring an Agency? This Is Where You’ll Get Burned.
Most founders don’t lose money because they hired a bad agency.
They lose money because they hired wrong, scaled wrong, or expected outcomes without understanding the mechanics behind them.
In this episode of Special Ops Podcast, Emma Rainville sits down with Mitch Barham to unpack what agency ownership really looks like behind the curtain — and what founders must understand before blaming, firing, or replacing their team.
We cover:
→ Why agencies gain experience faster than in-house teams
→ The real reason most agency relationships fail
→ How to tell in 60 seconds if you're talking to a junior team
→ What questions to ask BEFORE signing a contract
→ Why scaling fast creates bigger fires (merchant accounts, inventory, middleware, cash flow)
→ The importance of clear deliverables, outcomes, and accountability
→ What happens when founders override proven strategy
Whether you’re hiring an agency, managing one, or thinking about firing one — this episode gives you the operator-level perspective most founders never hear.
Timestamps:
0:00 Intro: Why founders start blaming their agency
1:07 What owning an agency actually teaches you
3:06 Choosing the right clients (and avoiding the wrong ones)
11:36 Founder red flags & the “asshole tax”
17:54 Agency vs owning your own brand
21:32 Scaling fast: what actually breaks
24:10 What to ask before hiring an agency
27:58 Deliverables, outcomes & accountability
32:23 Final operator takeaway
🎯 Download the Hiring Agencies Checklist (FREE)
Inside the Visionary Vault, you’ll get the exact checklist referenced in this episode — designed to help you vet agencies the right way.
👉 https://specialopspodcast.com/visionary-vault
Get in Touch with Emma Rainville:
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@specialopspodcast
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/emma_rainville512/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/emmarainvilleoperationsguru
Connect with Mitch Barham:
Mastermind: paidadsmastermind.com
Website: Barhammarketing.com
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/beardpreneur/
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@beardpreneur
Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mitch-barham/
📩 Join the Visionary Vault for FREE courses, templates, and checklists to help you eliminate bottlenecks and build operational clarity: https://specialopspodcast.com/visionary-vault
#AgencyLife #StopBlamingYourAgency #DirectResponse #Ecommerce #OperationalExcellence #founderproblems #scaling #SpecialOpsPodcast
View all episodes
By Emma Rainville
4.6
55 ratings
Most founders don’t lose money because they hired a bad agency.
They lose money because they hired wrong, scaled wrong, or expected outcomes without understanding the mechanics behind them.
In this episode of Special Ops Podcast, Emma Rainville sits down with Mitch Barham to unpack what agency ownership really looks like behind the curtain — and what founders must understand before blaming, firing, or replacing their team.
We cover:
→ Why agencies gain experience faster than in-house teams
→ The real reason most agency relationships fail
→ How to tell in 60 seconds if you're talking to a junior team
→ What questions to ask BEFORE signing a contract
→ Why scaling fast creates bigger fires (merchant accounts, inventory, middleware, cash flow)
→ The importance of clear deliverables, outcomes, and accountability
→ What happens when founders override proven strategy
Whether you’re hiring an agency, managing one, or thinking about firing one — this episode gives you the operator-level perspective most founders never hear.
Timestamps:
0:00 Intro: Why founders start blaming their agency
1:07 What owning an agency actually teaches you
3:06 Choosing the right clients (and avoiding the wrong ones)
11:36 Founder red flags & the “asshole tax”
17:54 Agency vs owning your own brand
21:32 Scaling fast: what actually breaks
24:10 What to ask before hiring an agency
27:58 Deliverables, outcomes & accountability
32:23 Final operator takeaway
🎯 Download the Hiring Agencies Checklist (FREE)
Inside the Visionary Vault, you’ll get the exact checklist referenced in this episode — designed to help you vet agencies the right way.
👉 https://specialopspodcast.com/visionary-vault
Get in Touch with Emma Rainville:
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@specialopspodcast
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/emma_rainville512/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/emmarainvilleoperationsguru
Connect with Mitch Barham:
Mastermind: paidadsmastermind.com
Website: Barhammarketing.com
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/beardpreneur/
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@beardpreneur
Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mitch-barham/
📩 Join the Visionary Vault for FREE courses, templates, and checklists to help you eliminate bottlenecks and build operational clarity: https://specialopspodcast.com/visionary-vault
#AgencyLife #StopBlamingYourAgency #DirectResponse #Ecommerce #OperationalExcellence #founderproblems #scaling #SpecialOpsPodcast