Join us for Episode 10 of the Richmond Leadership Lab. In this episode, co-hosts Christian Mosier and Taylor Quinn engage in a candid, insight-packed conversation with Brian Forrester, the CEO & Co-Founder of Workshop Digital. This episode is a must-watch for leaders interested in scaling service businesses and building award-winning cultures.
Episode Highlights:
**Meet Brian Forrester: From Virginia’s Northern Neck to JMU to audio engineering in Los Angeles, Brian’s path back to Richmond reveals how creativity, timing, and curiosity pulled him into digital marketing—and eventually into launching his own firm.
**From Solo Shop to Agency Merger: Hear how two independent agencies combined in 2015 to create Workshop Digital, why the new name mattered, and what it really takes to merge teams, systems, and cultures successfully.
**Click-to-Close Growth (Not Just Leads): Brian unpacks Workshop Digital’s end-to-end approach—SEO, Paid Search/Social, Analytics, and CRO—and why optimizing conversions beats chasing “more leads” with low close rates.
**Culture That Wins: Anonymous feedback loops, “clear the air” practice, paid volunteer time, and a 4-day workweek—the systems behind earning repeated “Best Places to Work” honors while keeping client outcomes strong.
**Hiring & Leadership Lessons: The real cost of mis-hires, defining roles before filling them, and when founders should (and shouldn’t) replace themselves in key seats.
**Community & RVA Advantage: Why Richmond punches above its weight—Brandcenter talent, The Martin Agency ecosystem, and peer groups like DigitalRVA and the Virginia Council of CEOs.
**Advice to 2009 Brian: Trust your gut, seek mentors and peer councils, and take smart risks—without letting analysis paralysis kill momentum.
Don't forget to subscribe, like, and share! Tune in for more enlightening discussions on leadership, entrepreneurship, and community empowerment.
To learn more about Workshop Digital, visit https://www.workshopdigital.com
Connect with Brian on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rbrianforrester/
Richmond Leadership Lab is Produced and Co-Hosted by:
Taylor Quinn, CEO - Filmspire
https://www.filmspirevideo.com
https://www.linkedin.com/in/taylor-quinn-filmspire/
Christian Mosier, President - BenX
https://benxconsulting.com
https://www.linkedin.com/in/christian-mosier/
To learn more about RLL visit our site:
https://www.richmondleadershiplab.com
This podcast was produced and recorded by Richmond Podcast Studio. Do you want to start a podcast but don't want to deal with the hassle of the tech? With Richmond Podcast Studio, you get your professional video podcast the same day you record. To learn more, visit https://www.richmondpodcaststudio.com