Smart Agency Masterclass with Jason Swenk: Podcast for Digital Marketing Agencies

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Have you ever questioned your effectiveness as a leader? What steps have you taken to enhance your leadership skills and empower your team to independently address challenges? Today's featured guest experienced significant growth and had to learn to evolve her leadership skills. She has grown a team of now 110 people and built a business that can run without her, all while maintaining the necessary work-life balance. Hear how she went from executive assistant to paving her way as an agency owner in an unconventional niche.

Lauren Von is the founder and CEO of Quintessa Marketing, a unique agency that connects individuals who have been injured in accidents with personal injury lawyers. She shares her unexpected journey into the world of personal injury law, starting as an executive assistant and evolving into a pivotal role in sales and SEO for a company serving lawyers. She discusses the challenges and insights she gained while working closely with legal professionals and how these experiences laid the groundwork for launching her own business.

In this episode, we'll discuss:

• Hiring for cultural fit.

• Becoming the type of leader you wish you'd had.

• Team empowerment - building confidence.

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Sponsors and Resources

E2M Solutions: Today's episode of the Smart Agency Masterclass is sponsored by E2M Solutions, a web design, and development agency that has provided white-label services for the past 10 years to agencies all over the world. Check out e2msolutions.com/smartagency and get 10% off for the first three months of service.

How Corporate Experience Can Shape Agency Success

Working with personal injury lawyers wasn't exactly Lauren's dream. She started as an executive assistant working in sales for AT&T, where her skills quickly shone through. One day, she successfully persuaded a hesitant customer to retain his phone instead of returning it, leaving such a lasting impression that he invited her to join his team.

Transitioning into the realm of personal injury law, Lauren honed her sales abilities over six years, ultimately spearheading the development of the company's SEO division. Her proactive approach led to a significant increase in sales, transforming SEO into a cornerstone of the business. After gaining valuable agency experience, Lauren returned to Oklahoma as a new mother, figuring it was the perfect moment to start her own business.

She credits her time as an executive assistant and her gradual ascent within the company for equipping her with the insights necessary to run her own business. If something's going wrong in the business, she's probably seen it happen before at her previous workplace so she appreciates the experience that made her a better owner when the time came.

Scaling Without a Roadmap: A Key to Agency Expansion

One aspect of ownership that presented the biggest learning curve for Lauren was bringing on outside leadership to help scale and grow her business. Since she built her agency on a relatively new niche, she couldn't just go to a competitor and pluck out their leadership. There was no blueprint so she needed to figure it out.

There was also a constant battle between allowing her team to make mistakes and giving them time to learn while running a profitable business.

Ultimately, Lauren needed to acknowledge the need to ask for help. No leader has all the answers and a key element of getting beyond a certain point in your growth will be accepting that and having the humility to seek guidance and advice from others.

Aligning Values: Hiring for Agency Culture Fit

Lauren's hiring strategy relies on hiring individuals who align with her agency's values. To this effect, she clearly defines her core values and conducts survey assessments that explore candidates' innate characteristics.

These assessments provide insights into candidates' personalities and their suitability for specific roles, particularly in a sales context. For instance, a potential hire might have all the best traits to fill a position, but if they don't care about the company's philanthropic values their motivations will not resonate with the agency's mission. This nuanced understanding of individual capabilities allows Lauren to make informed hiring decisions that prioritize long-term success over immediate financial gain.

Becoming the Type of Leader You Wish You'd Had

Lauren has felt like a bad leader many times during the agency's growth process, but she never stopped striving for improvement. As the business grew, she instated an open-door policy to encourage employees to have open communication with her and the leadership team and make herself more approachable.

As she tried to become the type of leader she'd wanted to have in the past, she realized that she needed to be a different leader for each worker. For instance, she believes the way she leads her accounting team should be different than how she leads her sales team. In this sense, she strives to really understand them to be able to inspire and lead them naturally.

Nowadays, Lauren is proud to say her company continues to thrive and grow, even when she is not physically present. This autonomy is crucial; it demonstrates that the organization is not solely reliant on the founder for direction. Instead, it cultivates a sense of resilience and adaptability, allowing teams to navigate challenges effectively. With this, her role has now evolved to be someone who removes obstacles, solves problems, is a subject-matter expert, and leads their philanthropy mission by investing in the community.

Team Empowerment: Building Confidence for Problem-Solving

With her team now equipped to address 99% of potential issues in her absence, Lauren is now able to enjoy more time with her family, promote the agency brand on podcasts, and meet clients in person.

For agency owners who have yet to reach this level of operational autonomy but aspire to empower their teams, it's essential to train them in a way that encourages independent problem-solving. This is something you can achieve using the one-three-one approach. Instead of coming to you with a problem and expecting you to provide a solution, have them already come up with three possible solutions of how they would personally solve this problem and why, and ask them which of these three solutions they would recommend. Eventually, they'll stop coming to you because they have internalized that they are capable of coming up with an effective approach.

Although agency owners usually dream of accomplishing this level of agency autonomy, it can be hard to adapt to not being needed anymore. In these cases, agency owners should remember that they don't have to let go of the part of the business they truly love doing. If you love being a part of a client's first call then continue to do that. You don't have to be part of the entire process. Just stick to the part of the business you truly enjoy and where you can have the biggest impact.

The two-week audit. The easiest way to figure out what you truly want to continue doing in the agency and what you want to delegate is to do a two-week audit. Take a screenshot of the past two weeks in your calendar and highlight each activity in either red – for the activities that drain you, or green – for the ones you truly enjoy. If you do this while being truly honest with yourself, you can start building the business around you.

Mastering the Art of Balance and Reclaiming Your Time

As a mom of five and an entrepreneur, Lauren manages to balance her personal and professional lives by having clarity and alignment. Together with her husband, she establishes clear goals and daily priorities, which allows them to effectively share responsibilities. She is intentional about her time at home, implementing boundaries that enable her to fully engage in family moments.

This principle extends to her business as well. When entrepreneurs and their teams engage in work that aligns with their core values, they tend to feel more energized and motivated. Such alignment not only boosts productivity but also cultivates a sense of purpose within the organization.

By figuring out how much time you need to focus on your agency to feel fulfilled yet have enough energy to dedicate to your family life, you'll be able to have the proverbial "balance" entrepreneurial life promises and experience the luxury of buying back your time.

Do You Want to Transform Your Agency from a Liability to an Asset?

Looking to dig deeper into your agency's potential? Check out our Agency Blueprint. Designed for agency owners like you, our Agency Blueprint helps you uncover growth opportunities, tackle obstacles, and craft a customized blueprint for your agency's success.

Would you like access to our advanced agency training for FREE? https://www.agencymastery360.com/training

Would you like to remove yourself from the day-to-day agency operations? Do you have an effective hiring process to attract top talent for agency roles? In today's discussion, our featured guest explains how failing to secure the best candidates often stems from a poorly designed hiring process, starting with the job advertisement. She shares essential strategies for crafting an engaging job ad, fostering self-managing teams, and identifying the qualities of an outstanding operations manager. Join us to discover how to effectively find, hire, and train the right operations professional to elevate your agency.

Mandi Ellefson is the founder of Hands Off CEO, a company dedicated to helping busy CEOs drive sustainable growth without sacrificing their lifestyle and family. Mandi shares her journey of building a business that allows for true freedom, discusses the importance of creating an effective hiring funnel to attract the right talent, and provides insights on and crafting job ads that resonate with top candidates. Learn how to effectively delegate responsibilities and build a business that supports your lifestyle.

In this episode, we'll discuss:

• The importance of a compelling job ad.

• Cultivating self-managing employees from day one.

• Key traits of an exceptional ops manager.

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Sponsors and Resources

Join us in Feb 2025 to ELEVATE YOUR AGENCY! You don't know what you don't know. But you can learn a ton and get connected with a small group of like-minded agency owners plus me and some game-changing speakers at our exclusive event. We're meeting in Phoenix, AZ for two days of transformative insights where you'll make meaningful connections with top-tier leaders, master inbound and outbound strategies, and elevate your agency to achieve 10x growth. Check out ElevateMyAgency.com and grab your spot!

Hiring and Training for Success: Build an Agency That Thrives Without You

Mandi started Hands Off twelve years ago when she ran into a big problem as she was about to take maternity leave: her business could not run or grow without her. Her search for a solution led her to accidentally start a consulting company to prevent other business owners from getting to the stressful point she found herself in years ago.

Most agency owners are not hands-off and can't even say they own their agency, more like it owns them. This is why they need strategic hiring practices and methodologies to ensure they recruit individuals who can truly add value to their operations.

The crux of the hiring process lies in identifying candidates who not only possess the requisite skills but also align with the company's culture and vision. For Mandi, this all hinges on putting together the right hiring funnel, which starts with the right ad that outlines the responsibilities of the role and highlights what makes the agency an attractive workplace.

An ineffective hiring funnel usually leads to:

• Hiring a person that is well below the level you need.

• Not knowing how to effectively train this person you hire.

Even if you do find someone who is the right fit for the job and your agency, they could end up failing without the right structure to learn how to operate your business.

The Importance of Compelling Job Ad to Attract the Right Candidates

To create a well-structured hiring process start with a compelling job ad that clearly outlines the responsibilities for the role and resonates with potential candidates. A great ad emphasizes the company culture, growth opportunities, and the impact they can have within the organization.

A strong ad serves as the first filter, ensuring only those who are genuinely interested in the position apply. Add small 'mousetraps', like asking them to email you with a specific subject or with the CV attached, and watch as many of the candidates get themselves out of the race just by not following directions.

In terms of experience, Mandi recommends looking for people who not only have relevant operational experience but also possess the ability to adapt and grow within the role. This includes assessing their problem-solving skills, their capacity to manage teams, and their understanding of the agency's specific goals and challenges.

Additionally, Mandi recommends assigning candidates a detailed project plan. This exercise allows them to demonstrate their proficiency with project management software and their grasp of the complexities involved in juggling multiple tasks. By engaging candidates in practical assessments, agency owners can effectively distinguish between those who may be skilled at talking the talk but cannot walk the walk. This method of assessment is crucial for identifying genuine talent and reducing the risk of hiring individuals who may not deliver on their promises.

Finally, it's normal to find a failure point during the hiring process. It doesn't necessarily have to be a deal breaker but something that concerns you enough to be unsure about the hire. It could be that they're too shy or a people-pleaser. If you encounter this type of risk, assess it and find out if it can be retrained.

Cultivating Self-Managing Employees from Day One

Once the right candidates are onboarded, it is crucial to establish a structured training plan that reinforces their proactive engagement in their roles. Mandi advocates for empowering operations managers to create week-by-week plans that outline their responsibilities and milestones. This approach not only fosters accountability but also encourages managers to take ownership of their projects. Agency owners play a supportive role by regularly checking in on progress, asking questions, and providing assistance as needed.

Agency leaders need to shift from a traditional management style to a more empowering approach where they recognize their role is not to micromanage but to create an environment where team members can thrive independently. You want them to be self-managing. This perspective is crucial; when team members are given the autonomy to take ownership of their work, they become more engaged, motivated, and accountable. Empowering individuals to manage their own tasks not only alleviates the burden on leaders but also cultivates a culture of trust and collaboration.

Eventually, the implementation of key pieces, such as client health scoring, project management, and communication protocols serve as critical tools to exit the agency owner out of account management and operations management and ultimately have a right-hand employee who will be in charge of driving growth.

Key Traits of an Exceptional Ops Manager

When it comes to hiring the right Operations Manager you'll need to be handing off control to someone with a keen eye for detail, who is assertive, and can question decisions.

Impeccable attention to detail and follow-through is not merely a desirable trait; it is essential for ensuring that tasks are completed accurately and efficiently and serves as the foundation for operational excellence.

Additionally, this person is different from the typical Visionary/ CEO. Essentially, they adopt a more structured and perhaps serious approach, which is perfectly acceptable since ops managers operate in a very different way than a CEO does. Just make sure there's good chemistry with this person and that they are not only skilled but also proactive in seeking efficiencies and cost savings.

This mindset is crucial in an operations role, where the ability to identify and eliminate waste can significantly impact the bottom line. However, the focus should not solely be on minor cost savings; rather, it should be about understanding where the greatest impact can be made.

Delegating Results, Not Processes

Entrepreneurs often fall into the trap of trying to dictate how tasks should be accomplished, which can stifle creativity and initiative. Instead, a true leader should clearly articulate their desired outcomes—such as improved profitability or streamlined operations—and empower their teams to devise the methods for achieving these goals. This shift in mindset allows team members to take ownership of their work, fostering a sense of responsibility and encouraging innovative problem-solving.

When your operations staff is empowered to take the lead in optimizing systems and processes, you'll be able to redirect your energy toward strategic initiatives, such as sales and market expansion. This delegation not only enhances productivity but also maximizes the return on investment for your business.

First and foremost, effective leadership in operations starts with providing a clear strategic direction. CEOs must articulate the organization's vision and objectives to their operations leaders instead of merely assigning tasks and expecting results. This clarity allows operations leaders to align their efforts with the broader goals of the organization.

Do You Want to Transform Your Agency from a Liability to an Asset?

Looking to dig deeper into your agency's potential? Check out our Agency Blueprint. Designed for agency owners like you, our Agency Blueprint helps you uncover growth opportunities, tackle obstacles, and craft a customized blueprint for your agency's success.

Would you like access to our advanced agency training for FREE? https://www.agencymastery360.com/training

Do you use storytelling to connect with prospects and clients? Many agency owners know how to share great stories but use them to talk about their agency capabilities. Instead, today's guest says we should use stories to connect with potential clients, creating content that resonates and engages them. Today's featured guest is a creator of powerful brand stories who helps his clients understand the value of starting with a strong story framework. He believes clarity beats creativity when it comes to standing out in today's market. Tune in to learn about his transition from agency life to consulting, teaching, and speaking on the power of story.

Park Howell is an EMMY award-winning business storytelling coach at The Business of Story. He is also a story strategist, keynote speaker, and podcaster known as the world's most industrious storyteller. He started as an agency guy, founding his agency Park & Co. in 1995, and then the digital era compelled him to transition to storytelling and the creative arts.

He discusses the valuable lessons learned while working with small and midsize agencies and how his unique background and insights into the power of story have shaped his career and approach to creativity.

In this interview, we'll discuss:

• How clarity beats creativity in today's marketing.

• The ABT Framework.

• Selling to emotion, not logic.

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Sponsors and Resources

E2M Solutions: Today's episode of the Smart Agency Masterclass is sponsored by E2M Solutions, a web design, and development agency that has provided white-label services for the past 10 years to agencies all over the world. Check out e2msolutions.com/smartagency and get 10% off for the first three months of service.

Embracing Storytelling in a Noisy Digital World

Park always knew he wanted to use creativity to make a living and advertising seemed like the perfect vehicle to access what he calls the commerce of arts. After studying music theory and communications at Washington State University, he worked for several small and mid-size agencies in different roles including writer, account executive, media planner, and more.

At the time, he believed that the key to financial success was working for the big agencies. However, in hindsight, it was working at these smaller agencies and learning from so many sides of the business that gave him the experience he needed to launch his own agency in 1995.

Park opened a traditional advertising agency, which is what he knew, and found himself at a loss once the digital era kicked in and changed everything. The traditional way was no longer working and Park started to look for ways to communicate in the new, noisy, digital world where the masses were becoming the media.

His search for effective communication strategies led him to delve into the principles of storytelling, as taught in film schools. He discovered that Hollywood had mastered the art of engaging audiences in ways that traditional advertising had not. Seeing the power of storytelling, he realized very few people knew how to use these proven frameworks and started teaching his clients how to master this skill.

As his clients experienced success, new opportunities arose, including a teaching position in storytelling at the University of Arizona. Over time, Park realized that he had evolved beyond his identity as an 'ad guy' and was embarking on a new journey as a teacher and coach.

Clarity Beats Creativity in Today's Marketing

Most agencies never really get storytelling and stick to exposing their audiences to death. According to Park, the emphasis on creativity in advertising no longer suffices now that it is not as exclusive as it used to be. Nowadays, creativity has become democratized as users create hysterical and clever memes all the time, which makes it harder for agencies to stand out on creativity.

Instead, clarity has taken precedence, offering a more effective means of connecting with audiences. If you're not using the proper frameworks in communication then you're not creating the clarity to stand out and really move the needle.

Clarity in storytelling means distilling complex ideas into digestible and relatable narratives. Every sale is a fictional story you get the client to buy into and then are expected to deliver on. Many agencies claim to be great storytellers, yet they often overwhelm their audiences resorting to an endless stream of exposition, failing to create a meaningful connection.

Park advocates for the use of narrative frameworks that enhance clarity. Personally, he prefers to use the "and, but, therefore" structure, which helps simplify storytelling process and ensure that the message resonates with the audience.

What is the ABT Framework?

• And - a statement of agreement, the setup or act one of any message. This statement of agreement should be written from the audience's point of view and demonstrate you understand them and appreciate what they want.

• But - after establishing agreement, the narrative must introduce a conflict or problem knows as the 'but'. This element serves as a plot twist that captures attention and resonates with the audience's frustrations and challenges.

• Therefore - this presents a solution or a vision for what life could look like if the audience addresses the identified problem. This part of the narrative not only inspires hope but also encourages action, whether that means purchasing a product or engaging with a service.

Many brands fail to connect with their audiences because they focus too heavily on their own narratives and offerings, rather than positioning their messages from the audience's perspective. By shifting the focus to the audience and employing the ABT framework, brands can create narratives that resonate on a personal level, fostering a sense of connection and loyalty.

Simplifying Storytelling for Maximum Impact

Park believes people often fall into the trap of selling to logic when instead they should be selling to emotions. Consumers often make purchase decisions driven by emotion, so appeal to that first and foremost and then justify the purchase using logic and reason.

To create compelling narratives that resonate on an emotional level, ask yourself: 1. What does the client want? 2. What do they want to avoid? 3. Why should they listen to you? For instance, rather than starting with a statement about the brand's greatness, the narrative should begin with the audience's needs and challenges. Agencies like Venable Bells Partners and companies like Patagonia and Nike exemplify using storytelling to highlight customers' pain points and highlight an experience or an outcome instead of a product to great success.

The truth is people mostly don't care about your agency or your offering. They care about what's in it for them, which should serve as a wake-up call for marketers who may be overly invested in their own narratives. While there is certainly a place for showcasing your expertise and credentials, framing the conversation around your audience's desires and challenges will foster a more engaging and relatable message.

Good Problems vs. Bad Problems: Redefining Agency Focus

Having recently read The Subtle Art of Not Giving a Fuck by Mark Manson, the main takeaway for Park and what he advises agency owners to do is to look at life as a series of problems and focus on the "good problems" while minimizing or eliminating the "bad problems." This distinction is crucial for agency owners and professionals seeking to thrive in their respective fields.

To effectively get the bad problems out of your life takes real focus on what you do, what you're good on, and what you like to do. Bad problems arise when you're not focused, have clarity and try to be too many things at once, which likely leads to burnout. On the contrary, when you're solving good problems aligned with your agency's strengths and market niche you'll feel a sense of flow and the work becomes not just a job, but a fulfilling endeavor.

Do You Want to Transform Your Agency from a Liability to an Asset?

Looking to dig deeper into your agency's potential? Check out our Agency Blueprint. Designed for agency owners like you, our Agency Blueprint helps you uncover growth opportunities, tackle obstacles, and craft a customized blueprint for your agency's success.

Would you like access to our advanced agency training for FREE? https://www.agencymastery360.com/training

Are you currently utilizing AI or fear it will replace digital agencies? Most agency owners fall into one of these two categories. However, those open to exploring this technology's potential and maintaining a sense of curiosity will lead the way in innovation. Today's featured guest lost some clients who opted for in-house ChatGPT services over his agency's offering.

Instead of staying fearful of losing all his clients to this technology, he was prompted to explore how AI could be leveraged to enhance his services. Through experimentation, he created what has become a very effective foot-in-the-door to showcase good results with very little investment. Tune in to discover valuable lessons about creativity, collaboration, and the evolution of marketing strategies.

Abraham Bree is the founder of Brand:Whatever, a full-scale, small-sized branding agency based in Brooklyn, New York. With over 15 years of experience in the marketing, branding, and advertising landscape, Abraham shares insights into his journey from traditional ad agencies to becoming an agency owner.

He discusses the creative processes learned in the agency world and highlights the challenges of navigating interactions outside the creative bubble, particularly with non-creative roles like accounting.

In this episode, we'll discuss:

• Why success in marketing requires more than creativity.

• Creating value-add AI-powered solutions.

• Leveraging relationships to sell your high-impact low-budget solution.

Subscribe

Apple | Spotify | iHeart Radio

Sponsors and Resources

Join us in Feb 2025 to ELEVATE YOUR AGENCY! You don't know what you don't know. But you can learn a ton and get connected with a small group of like-minded agency owners plus me and some game-changing speakers at our exclusive event. We're meeting in Phoenix, AZ for two days of transformative insights where you'll make meaningful connections with top-tier leaders, master inbound and outbound strategies, and elevate your agency to achieve 10x growth. Check out ElevateMyAgency.com and grab your spot!

Forging Agency Leadership Through Diverse Roles

Although owning an agency was not originally part of Abraham's career plan, he began his journey in advertising, dedicating eight years to traditional ad agencies where he refined his creative abilities. However, he soon discovered true success in marketing requires more than just creativity. It demands understanding of how to work with diverse teams and navigate corporate structures. In his view, creatives operate in a bubble without ever interacting with people outside the client who have different ideas and opinions.

This realization came as he transitioned from the creative agency life to a corporate role as a marketing director. In this role, Abraham not only had to deal with his creative team but also the accounting, sales, and HR departments. This experience taught him the importance of cross-departmental collaboration, as he strived to align everyone with his vision while allowing them the autonomy to pursue their own initiatives.

Following this successful transition, Abraham continued to ascend the corporate ladder, seemingly reaching the pinnacle of his career until the onset of the pandemic. The ensuing uncertainty around the lockdowns and the impact Covid would have on different companies ultimately affected his standing. His new employer could no longer sustain his role as Chief Marketing Officer and he was offered to continue as a consultant. It was the pivot he needed to launch his own agency.

Turning AI Anxiety into an Agency Advantage

By now, companies are either embracing the use of AI or fearing it. Abraham had chosen to embrace it, even before a client dropped his agency and brought their content creation in-house using Chat GPT. He had been toying with ChatGPT himself, but now felt worried he was starting to lose clients to this innovation. How could he use AI to sell more marketing campaigns?

Abraham understood that effective marketing is not just about promoting a product or service; it is fundamentally about solving problems for clients. He decided he could use this technology to help people with their pain points and create innovative solutions that added value.

In his first venture using AI in this way, Abraham created an app designed to assist families in planning their Passover vacations. This not only addressed the immediate concern of families looking for vacation ideas but also opened up avenues for marketing partnerships with kosher food companies. It effectively addressed consumer needs while presenting these businesses with an opportunity for direct engagement with clients, offering more value than a traditional print ad campaign.

The app attracted over 40,000 users in a one-week span. Although the number of users dropped after the first week, but it was still a success for a high-impact low-budget campaign made with AI. By leveraging AI to solve pain points, Abraham was able to enhance strategies, foster meaningful connections with clients, and ultimately drive impactful results.

Creating Value-Add Using AI for Agency Clients

One of his best strategies with this project was coming to companies with an idea they could easily adopt. To gain support for this initiative, he targeted existing relationships, leveraging connections he had nurtured over the years and asking for just five minutes to explain his project.

Companies quickly recognized the potential to get in front of clients with little cost and signed on. Abraham then utilized this platform again on several similar projects and continued to drive results with these short and impactful campaigns.

These projects offer an excellent chance to demonstrate value to potential clients without the need for substantial retainers. This way, Abraham was able to generate buzz while also establishing a foundation for ongoing relationships.

For agency owners who want to try this approach to AI, Abraham recommends using it as a tool. Don't go and try to build your own language model and become the next Open AI. Instead, focus on the many ancillary services you can bring to the table using AI. Figure out how you slice off a piece of your current offering and use it as a foot-in-the-door — that is where you'll find your goldmine.

Overall, Abraham's advice to agency owners is to stay curious, a good guiding principle for anyone aspiring to grow in their field. The moment you think you have figured everything out is the moment you'll cease to progress. Let your curiosity fuel innovation, push you to explore new ideas, and seek out diverse perspectives, and you'll ultimately discover new avenues for success.

Do You Want to Transform Your Agency from a Liability to an Asset?

Looking to dig deeper into your agency's potential? Check out our Agency Blueprint. Designed for agency owners like you, our Agency Blueprint helps you uncover growth opportunities, tackle obstacles, and craft a customized blueprint for your agency's success.

Would you like access to our advanced agency training for FREE? https://www.agencymastery360.com/training

How can you grow your agency's client list beyond referral clients? Would you sacrifice price or length of contracts in order to attract new business? Today's featured guest has successfully established his agency by prioritizing higher prices and maintaining a clear vision of his offerings. He emphasizes the importance of being selective with the opportunities that arise. He shares the challenges and strategies involved in growing his agency, as well as how he prioritized long-term relationships over new business.

Seth Odell is the founder and CEO of Kanahoma, a performance marketing agency specializing in the education sector. With over 15 years of experience in marketing and education, Seth shares his journey from being a chief marketing officer at a university to launching his own agency during the pandemic.

He discusses the pivotal moment when UCLA became his first client, propelling him to leap into entrepreneurship and the strategies he used to secure more clients and start managing the agency's growth.

In this episode, we'll discuss:

• Getting your agency on its feet with a clear strategy from day one.

• Tactics for landing long-term contracts and increasing client retention.

• Getting the agency owner out of sales.

Subscribe

Apple | Spotify | iHeart Radio

Sponsors and Resources

E2M Solutions: Today's episode of the Smart Agency Masterclass is sponsored by E2M Solutions, a web design, and development agency that has provided white-label services for the past 10 years to agencies all over the world. Check out e2msolutions.com/smartagency and get 10% off for the first three months of service.

When CMO Isn't the Final Destination

Seth had dedicated fifteen years to marketing in the education industry before starting his agency, working in-house in roles like Chief Marketing Officer at a university system in San Diego.

Initially, becoming a CMO seemed like the pinnacle of his career. However, after achieving this position, he realized he could keep pushing himself and decided to take the leap into entrepreneurship.

Seth's first client at his agency was UCLA, an amazing opportunity for a starter agency and a great chance to launch his business to success. It was a consulting agreement that covered Seth's salary, his mortgage, and most of his expenses.

3 Strategies for Long-Term Agency Growth

1. Build Relationships After landing UCLA as his first client, Seth formed a plan to send personalized letters and small gifts to fifty industry contacts who had influenced his career over the past 15 years. It was a sincere acknowledgment of the relationships he had built throughout his career and a good way to announce his new venture. This tactic had a tremendous impact and his agency secured two additional clients through referrals generated by this strategy. It led to immediate business opportunities and also laid the groundwork for long-term relationships.

2. Strategic Hiring Seth was also very intentional about his service offering right from the get-go, being very selective with the opportunities he pursued, and handling things himself whenever possible. Once he started to hire, Seth took the risk of over-hiring for some positions. It could've backfired, but he trusted the move of hiring people he trusted and who could quickly grow into their role and make it their own.

3. Price on Value Seth recommends charging as much as you reasonably can right from the start. He made the decision to position on premium and be both the new agency around and the one that charged the most. It seems counterintuitive, but he was willing to turn down work to keep his prices up. To him, losing work over price is an indicator that you're pricing correctly and he was willing to lose up to 20% of new business with this strategy. He knew people were paying for more than just performance, they were paying for the confidence in future results. This way, he could hire better teams, drive better performance, and build a better reputation.

Tactics for Landing Long Term Contracts and Increasing Client Retention

Whenever possible, Seth likes to start client engagements with a twelve-month contract. If it's not an option, he's willing to do a six-month pilot. Recently, he has also introduced paid media audits, where his team conducts a thorough analysis of the client's account and provides consulting services.

His agency's growth strategy focuses primarily on client retention, aiming to maintain relationships for five to ten years rather than solely pursuing new business. There have been a couple of occasions where Seth wished he tested a client before committing to a year-long relationship. Consequently, his team is trained to assess each potential client with the mindset of determining whether the engagement is a "winnable game." They also don't hesitate to turn down clients who come in with unrealistic expectations.

More recently, he has been able to move some of his paid media clients to three-year contracts by offering a discount and an offer to exit the contract with a 90-day notice. This alleviates the fear of being locked into a long-term commitment without recourse. While clients might feel a sense of freedom with this provision, the reality is that a 90-day notice period is substantial enough to encourage open communication about any concerns that may arise during the engagement.

A successful collaboration begins with understanding the client's needs and challenges and a great way to achieve this is through a collaborative project. Jason suggests a foot-in-the-door project where they'll participate in identifying their biggest challenges and creating an action plan. It's a great way to create a sense of ownership in the outcomes and help build trust as clients see their input being valued and integrated into the final product.

Shifting Focus and Getting the Agency Owner Out of Sales

Seth has come to recognize the importance of distinguishing between promoting himself and advocating for the solutions his agency provides. Like many agency owners, he was deeply involved in the sales process, leading clients to believe he would also be heavily engaged in product delivery. While he initially played a significant role in sales, as the agency grew, he began to step back, which resulted in some mismanaged expectations.

He has since adopted a new approach, positioning himself as the product architect and his team as the driving force behind the product. By surrounding himself with a team that excels in their respective areas, he has shifted client focus away from his involvement. This allows the client space to appreciate the capabilities of the team.

Additionally, Seth was taken aback by the extensive responsibilities that come with ownership. Running a large in-house agency was a challenge, but it paled in comparison to the diverse duties associated with owning a business. From managing human resources and legal obligations to overseeing finances and IT, the vast array of tasks can be overwhelming.

This realization has highlighted the need to delegate responsibilities—not only to alleviate his workload but also as a vital strategy for ensuring mental clarity and operational efficiency.

Do You Want to Transform Your Agency from a Liability to an Asset?

Looking to dig deeper into your agency's potential? Check out our Agency Blueprint. Designed for agency owners like you, our Agency Blueprint helps you uncover growth opportunities, tackle obstacles, and craft a customized blueprint for your agency's success.

Would you like access to our advanced agency training for FREE? https://www.agencymastery360.com/training

How can you step away from daily operations and embrace the role of the agency visionary? Is there a team member who could take over the things you don't love doing? If so, how would you begin to prepare them for this transition? Today's guests built a relationship with a key employee that most agency owners dream of when they think about delegating and reclaiming their time.

It took a lot of work, investing in growth, and trusting that someone who started as an employee could evolve into a partner in the agency, but they managed to do it in a way that has only benefitted the agency and the team. Join them for an engaging conversation filled with insights into delegating and slowly transitioning from being a hands-in agency owner to being the visionary and face of the agency.

Tiffany Sauder is CEO and Kyler Mason is president of Element Three. They run a full-service marketing agency that modernizes go-to-market strategies for manufacturers with complex distribution channels.

Tiffany and Kyler discuss their journey in the marketing industry and the dynamics of running a business, how their open communication gave way to a lasting partnership, and the balancing act of successfully adopting new roles at the agency while ensuring its continuous growth.

In this interview, we'll discuss:

• Learning to pivot in an economic crisis.

• Turning short-term hires into long-term assets.

• Rewarding the ownership mentality.

• Moving beyond the founder's shadow.

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Join us in Feb 2025 to ELEVATE YOUR AGENCY! You don't know what you don't know. But you can learn a ton and get connected with a small group of like-minded agency owners plus me and some game-changing speakers at our exclusive event. We're meeting in Phoenix, AZ for two days of transformative insights where you'll make meaningful connections with top-tier leaders, master inbound and outbound strategies, and elevate your agency to achieve 10x growth. Check out ElevateMyAgency.com and grab your spot!

Turning a Struggling Agency Into a Career Catalyst

There are very few stories of people who start their agency on purpose and Tiffany is one of them. She grew up in a heavily entrepreneurial-focused household and, coupled with her dissatisfaction with the bureaucratic environment of a large pharmaceutical company, compelled her to try something different. She convinced her father to invest in a small marketing agency, where she took on the role of a "naive sweat equity partner."

According to Tiffany, at that time the agency was a dysfunctional project shop with one major client that accounted for most of its business. However, it provided her with an environment where she was exposed to the work and learned about the industry. Although the journey was challenging, Tiffany felt very confident in the unknown, excited to learn, and worked to transform her initial ignorance into knowledge and competence by seeking mentorship and asking questions.

Despite its imperfections, the agency served as a crucial platform for her development, allowing her to learn, experiment, and connect with industry professionals who would have otherwise been difficult to reach.

Ultimately, her willingness to step into the unknown led to invaluable learning opportunities, developing resilience, and significant achievements.

Pivoting During Changing Times and Economic Crisis

The agency's rapid growth and success during the first few years gave Tiffany a false sense of confidence. However, she faced a rude awakening during the economic downturn of 2008-2009. This period was not only financially devastating for many businesses but also coincided with the birth of her first child, both equally significant.

During this time, she saw larger agencies struggling to adapt to the digital landscape, grappling with the unfamiliarity of new business dynamics. Lacking robust analytics capabilities, they found it difficult to pivot.

Coming from a finance background, Tiffany recognized an opportunity to get ahead of the curve, particularly as e-commerce began to emerge. She was able to invest strategically in the future without facing the cultural resistance that established agencies encountered. This unique position, combined with her willingness to embrace risk, provided her with a distinct advantage.

Turning Short-Term Agency Hires into Long-Term Assets

When Kyler first came to work at the agency he was the first digital marketing hire. He was excited to learn and gain a more well-rounded experience in taking a company to market. He initially thought he'd stay at the agency for a few years, learn as much as he could, and then start his own business.

For her part, Tiffany appreciated Kyler's honesty about his future plans and recognized the potential in his aspirations. She chose to embrace his ambition rather than view it as a threat. She figured both parties could succeed without diminishing each other's potential. Hence, she invested in Kyler's growth.

This commitment, coupled with the open communication that defined their relationship, encouraged Kyler to extend his tenure beyond his initial expectations. He became actively involved in shaping his growth trajectory within the agency and felt valued when voicing concerns about the direction set by executive leadership.

To retain key employees, agency owners must be in tune with their aspirations and show them a clear path for success. They need to feel significant and heard. When they don't, that's when they leave.

Rewarding the Ownership Mentality

Through their ongoing dialogue, Tiffany and Kyler managed to build a strong relationship based on trust, aligning interests, and creating a motivating environment that contributed to the agency's collective success.

As Kyler stepped into the role of president, Tiffany sought assurance that even in her absence, he would consistently prioritize the agency's ownership and make long-term decisions that reflected its best interests. To foster this alignment, she decided to offer him shares in the business, ensuring he would be as invested in the agency's success as she was.

Kyler had already demonstrated an ownership mentality prior to his official role, and his behavior remained unchanged after the transition. This was very important to Tiffany who didn't want to create handcuffs of loyalty, but rather to reward exemplary behavior and encourage him to keep acting in the best interest of the business.

This transition also allowed Tiffany to redefine her role within the agency, providing her with the opportunity to step back from certain responsibilities. She now describes her position as still being front and center in their marketing, as well as offering mentorship and support, where her experience and insights serve to guide Kyler and the team. By positioning herself as a synthesizer and communicator, she creates a space for collaboration, allowing team members to thrive and develop their skills. This approach not only enhances individual capabilities but also strengthens the overall fabric of the organization.

Growing the Agency Beyond the Founder's Shadow

Kyler's role has also changed significantly as he now wears many hats, running the account services team, being very involved in new business sales, and balancing that with his primary role of growth and strategy. He's been trying to build an agency that does not need Tiffany, which requires a well-defined strategy, targeting the right clientele, and implementing effective marketing initiatives.

Going from relying on the agency owner's reputation to successfully promoting the agency's services without their direct involvement is quite challenging. Sharing the spotlight and highlighting the talents of your team is key to achieving this. Focus on enhancing the overall performance of the agency and explain why your team will do a better job than you'd do on your own. Furthermore, build a transparent process where the client understands what's going on at every step of the process. This way, they won't constantly reach out to try to get you involved.

Transition Slowly for Lasting Success

For many agency owners, transitioning out of day-to-day tasks and watching their team solve things without them can leave them feeling redundant. Thankfully, Tiffany already had other projects lined up by this point and was able to pour her energy into those endeavors.

She did, however, feel a sense of loneliness. For so long she'd been the heart of the team and knew exactly what everyone was working on and now suddenly she didn't feel like part of a team. It took some time to adapt to this new reality but eventually, she adopted a new mindset where she recognized the contributions she could only make from her new role as the agency visionary.

Moreover, she believes a slower and more intentional approach to the transition helped get the best results. It took approximately three years of careful planning for Tiffany and Kyler to lay the necessary groundwork and ensure that when changes were implemented, they were met with clarity and cohesion.

Do You Want to Transform Your Agency from a Liability to an Asset?

Looking to dig deeper into your agency's potential? Check out our Agency Blueprint. Designed for agency owners like you, our Agency Blueprint helps you uncover growth opportunities, tackle obstacles, and craft a customized blueprint for your agency's success.

Would you like access to our advanced agency training for FREE? https://www.agencymastery360.com/training

Have you ever rushed your hiring process out of eagerness to fill a position and delegate responsibilities? Did you later regret the decision to hire fast? There is a reason they say hire slow, fire fast. Finding the right people to fill the roles on your growing team is an integral part of growing. In this interview, learn from one agency owner who takes immense pride in cultivating a core team that shares his vision. However, getting there has not been without its challenges. One of the most valuable lessons he learned is that hiring takes patience and a well-structured process. Check out this thoughtful discussion on the importance of having the right people in the right positions to ensure success and peace of mind as the agency expands.

Bryant Walker is the founder and CEO of Tavo Media Group, a growing full-service agency with team members scattered around the country. He discusses the challenges and excitement of growing his agency and talks about the balance between intentional growth and losing control, emphasizing the importance of investing in the right talent for the right roles. Bryant shares insights on past hiring mistakes, particularly in account management and design roles, and highlights the ongoing learning process of finding the perfect fit for his team.

In this episode, we'll discuss:

• The costly results of rushed hiring.

• A hiring process that guarantees better results.

• Investing in team building to cultivate commitment.

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Sponsors and Resources

E2M Solutions: Today's episode of the Smart Agency Masterclass is sponsored by E2M Solutions, a web design, and development agency that has provided white-label services for the past 10 years to agencies all over the world. Check out e2msolutions.com/smartagency and get 10% off for the first three months of service.

The Costly Mistake of Rushed Hiring

One of Bryant's early missteps in his agency was an overreliance on individuals who were ultimately not right for their roles. He has since learned that hiring is an exercise in patience and that acting impulsively leads to poor hiring decisions.

For instance, he hired senior designers based on their impressive portfolios without delving deeper into their actual roles and responsibilities in previous projects. This led to subpar results and a disconnect between the work he saw in the portfolios and the work being produced by the team.

In his eagerness to delegate responsibilities and focus on the agency's growth, Bryant granted too much autonomy while also delaying necessary corrective actions, which negatively impacted the quality of the agency's work.

After addressing this issue and making more informed hiring choices, Bryant has shifted his perspective on recruitment. He advocates for a more intentional approach, taking the time to find the right fit for the role and ensuring that the candidate has the necessary skills and experience to excel in the position and avoids making rushed decisions just to fill a position quickly.

When to Cut Ties: Addressing Underperformance Quickly

In cases like what Bryant's senior designer situation, reluctance to fire quickly is a common reaction based on the fear of disrupting the team. Nonetheless, this can often lead to holding on to underperforming employees for longer than necessary.

Despite his efforts to foster productive discussions with these team members, Bryant ultimately found himself reverting to their tasks. In spite of this, he held on to those workers hoping it would eventually get better. Many times agency owners delay these decisions fearing that firing the wrong hires would result in more work for themselves and the rest of the team. However, letting go of the wrong talent sooner rather than later is essential for the growth and success of the agency.

Changing Your Hiring Process to Guarantee Better Results

To attract the most qualified candidates for a position, Jason recommends implementing a deliberate and strategic hiring process right from the job posting stage. When you advertise the position on any platform, include specific instructions—essentially "mouse traps"—that only attentive candidates will notice. For instance, leave instructions to email you with a specific subject line and send a video explaining why they want to work with you. This way, you'll be able to quickly dismiss the applications that don't meet these standards.

Next, focus solely on the applications from candidates who submitted a video and, after selecting the best ones, ask them to complete a paid test project. Only the candidates who submit that test get to move onto the following stage of the actual interview.

Normally, Bryant can get up to 800 applications for one job, which is already too many and will only fill up his inbox. Instead, by building a hiring process with strong and strict criteria, you'll greatly reduce the number of applicants to those who truly deserve your attention, ultimately leading to interviews with candidates who are a better fit for your agency.

Once you've interviewed the candidates, have your preferred choice prepare a 90-day success plan. Will they truly make an impact in your agency in 90 days? Not really, but you can track their activity based on the plan. If they can't even follow through with their own plan then they're not the right choice for your team.

Investing in Team Building to Cultivate Commitment

To some business owners, investing in a team sounds like an unnecessary headache when they can just find freelancers to do the job. However, a dedicated and motivated team can have a huge impact on the overall success of a business.

Bryant has never taken more pride in growing his agency than now that he has found a core team that believe in his vision as much as he does. To him, the difference is evident in the work that's put out compared to before when he was doing it alone.

Once he overcame his freelancer mentality, Bryant saw real change in the agency's growth. By prioritizing the recruitment, development, and support of talented individuals who are aligned with the company's values, agency owners can build a strong foundation for growth and sustainability.

Setting Your Sales Team Up for Success

Implementing the Entrepreneur Operating System (EOS) as an organizational and accountability tool has greatly helped Bryant track employee's road to success with a lot more intention.

He realized that having everything leading back to him made it impossible for the agency to scale so he hired new salespeople last year. However, it seemed none of them could close as many deals as Bryant could while he was still handling sales by himself.

In the beginning, salespeople need a lot of handholding and support, so having a system to share success stories and experiences can motivate and inspire them to perform at their best. Create a framework categorizing each story based on relevance so your team can something to draw from while developing their own stories and improve their sales techniques.

Moreover, managers can also debrief their team's sales calls to step them up for success. Ask them to send you their best and worst sales calls of the week and provide helpful advice while also pointing out what they should keep doing. This hands-on approach not only helps in the initial training phase but also in continuously developing and refining the sales team's capabilities. Eventually, you'll get them to a place where you're no longer needed.

Hot to Stop Waiting for the Perfect Moment and Take Action

Finally letting go of sales has also helped Bryant embrace his "F*ck It, Let's Do It" mode, which has become his mantra. With this mindset, he aims to be proactive and not wait for the perfect scenario to present itself before taking action. Instead, it stresses the need to make quick decisions, execute them, and learn from the results.

Looking back on his agency journey, Bryant mostly regrets the things he didn't do and moments where he took too long to make a decision.

He now embraces the fact that indecision is the worst decision and strives to trust his instincts, make decisions confidently, and be willing to learn from both successes and failures. There'll never be a "perfect" time to do something but there will always be a possibility to learn from something that didn't go as planned.

Similarly, he's also learning to say no to certain opportunities in order to protect the time and focus he dedicates to business growth.

By taking action, being intentional with your time, and surrounding yourself with the right people, you can set yourself up for success in both your personal and professional endeavors.

Do You Want to Transform Your Agency from a Liability to an Asset?

Looking to dig deeper into your agency's potential? Check out our Agency Blueprint. Designed for agency owners like you, our Agency Blueprint helps you uncover growth opportunities, tackle obstacles, and craft a customized blueprint for your agency's success.

Would you like access to our advanced agency training for FREE? https://www.agencymastery360.com/training

Do you want to sell your agency someday? Can you imagine a profitable sale and exit agency in the future? Do you feel an acquisition is the mark of business success? Selling your agency shows you've built a robust and profitable business, which is a noteworthy achievement. Today's featured guest helps his clients get ready to find a perfect buyer and reach a deal that withstands the test of time. He'll discuss why the common reasons to sell are not necessarily the best reasons as well as why undervaluing yourself could hurt your valuation. He also shares common deal killers and deal makers. He highlights the importance of considering personal fulfillment and financial objectives when deciding to sell an agency.

Jonathan Baker is the co-owner of Punctuation, an all-in-one advisory practice that helps marketing firms position themselves with lead-generation plans. In particular, Jonathan helps small to medium-sized companies get ready to sell.

He discusses the process of selling marketing services firms and challenges the idea that selling is always the pinnacle of success, emphasizing that success should be what truly drives individuals.

In this episode, we'll discuss:

• What does the $1 million mark communicate?

• Deal killers and deal makers.

• The true cost of undervaluing yourself.

• What if you don't want to sell?

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Sponsors and Resources

E2M Solutions: Today's episode of the Smart Agency Masterclass is sponsored by E2M Solutions, a web design, and development agency that has provided white-label services for the past 10 years to agencies all over the world. Check out e2msolutions.com/smartagency and get 10% off for the first three months of service.

Why Do Most Agency Owners Choose to Sell Their Digital Agency?

Many people build agencies with the ultimate goal of selling them at some point. There's an innate drive to sell and, to most people, selling seems like the pinnacle of success. However, selling is not always the right answer. According to Jonathan, success should be defined as whatever drives an individual.

Common reasons to sell an agency include lack of enjoyment, approaching retirement, financial goals, burnout, or desire for a career change. Overall, selling should not be the default option and it's most advisable if you know exactly what you want to do after selling. However, if you just want to sell in order to have a ton of money or because you feel burnout, maybe it's time to start looking into some key hires to take over the tasks that are most draining for you while also increasing profits.

In some cases, owners that are growing too much or too fast choose to sell. They may have started their business to do work they love and can continue to do so with a small team of employees However, when it comes to further scaling the agency and reaching maybe 100 employees, it seems impossible to manage.

Burnout and frustration are scenarios that could be solved without necessarily selling and still guaranteeing you'll be able to continue to do the work you love while enjoying more free time. In the end, giving up too soon can prevent you from reaching your full potential and achieving greater success.

Why the $1 Million EBITDA Translates Into a Sellable Agency

How do you know when you've reached your full potential? When you build an agency with at least $1 million in EBITDA, you're definitely doing something right and most likely just inches away from greater success. Most owners encounter many obstacles in this stage, but once you start focusing on the problems and the things you don't have you start to give up.

The $1 million in EBITDA goal is a common measure for a sellable agency since it'll open up the pool of buyers interested in your business. It also says something about the way you run your agency, which will create more competition among prospective buyers and, in turn, increase your multiples and price.

Ultimately, it's a mark that will communicate that you're not as integral to the business as when you're running a 10-person firm.

Maximizing Your Agency's Value: Key Considerations Before Selling

It's important to understand that your agency's worth is not guaranteed as it is contingent on a variety of factors such as client concentration and employee retention.

The way a purchase deal is usually structured is you'll get a percentage of the valuation paid upfront and the rest is earned based on hitting performance targets over the next few years. However, earnouts are also seen as a potential pitfall, as they can be designed in a way that makes it difficult for the seller to succeed. Usually, the higher the client concentration the lower you can expect to get upfront.

Selling your agency means losing control over it and your performance post-acquisition could be impacted by the new owners. Hence, it is crucial for sellers to carefully consider the terms of the deal and ensure they have a level of control until the earnout is paid in full.

As a seller, your primary focus should be on negotiating a deal where you're happy with the money you get upfront, since it may be the only money you'll see.

Agency Acquisition Deal Killers and Deal Makers

Even if you're financially sound and get a good offer, several things could still be potential deal killers. From a seller's perspective, culture plays a significant role in the success of a deal. The transition from being the boss to having a boss again can be a deal breaker if the cultural fit is not right. The earn-out period, where the seller continues to work for the buyer for a few years, can be challenging if the culture clash is too great. This can lead to the seller walking away from a potentially lucrative deal in favor of maintaining their autonomy.

Additionally, the buyer's long-term plans for the agency can either make or break the deal. Even though they say all the right things at first, as negotiations progress their true intentions may become clear. Sellers need to be strategic and discerning in their interactions with potential buyers to ensure that their agency is in good hands.

On the other hand, from a buyer's perspective, having clean books and transparent financial practices will be key in securing a successful deal. Buyers will scrutinize the financials of the agency to ensure that they are making a sound investment. Sellers need to be honest about their expenses and factor in any non-essential costs that may not transfer to the new owner. It's a step that can help sellers increase their EBITDA and make their agency more attractive to potential buyers.

The True Cost of Undervaluing Your Agency

Agencies often overestimate their financial position, which is why it is essential to seek professional guidance rather than relying solely on QuickBooks. A financial expert can analyze your numbers and pinpoint areas for improvement. A lot of agency owners think their profit is higher than it really is because they're not paying themselves enough. Once the buyer comes in and takes a look at the numbers, they'll realize replacing the agency owner will cost much more than what they're currently paying themselves.

How much should you be paying yourself? It'll of course depend on a number of factors including the number of employees; however, if your agency has reached $1 million in EBITDA, that number should be above $200K. This will not only be important for the negotiations, but it will also be relevant if you sell with an earnout. If you sign up to be an employee for the next three years while a certain goal is reached, do you really want your salary to be $100K? It's a lot easier to argue for a higher salary if you've been paying yourself a higher salary all along.

Navigating the Post-Sale Period with Agency Clients

Once a deal is reached how long should you wait before letting clients know you're selling? It depends. Most of the time you want to wait at least six months before telling them. You don't want them to jump ship and it's better they get the news once they can see the service quality has not declined during that time and hopefully has even improved. However, if one of your clients accounts for 70% or more of the business then you'll probably want them to be on board from the get-go.

It also depends on the way the buyer wants to handle the transaction. Are they trying to get the agency under a brand name immediately after purchase? Are they comfortable with not making drastic changes right out of the gate? In that case, waiting a couple of months could be the best course of action.

To safeguard your interests, include a clause in your contracts that allows for the transfer of clients with written notice. This way, you'll minimize the need for client cooperation and won't risk losing the deal.

What if You Don't Want to Sell Your Agency?

Most agencies will never sell. If this is your case, then make the right moves to build a profitable agency that will give you the quality of life you want. A lot of the adjustments you'd have to make to attract buyers are the same things that make a good business, even if you're not selling it.

If you built a profitable business, love the work, and delegate enough so you have the time to enjoy the fruits of your labor, then you've already created a fulfilling business and life.

Many business owners end up selling because they feel isolated and hope being part of a bigger firm will solve this problem. However, more often than not they end up creating more problems than they're solving.

Instead of selling, try finding a competent number two employee you can trust. Having a strong second-in-command can make it easier to delegate tasks, make important decisions, and ultimately, grow your agency. It's not easy but once you find the perfect fit growing the agency will go back to being a fun experience.

However, in case you really can't find this person, maybe it's time to question whether you're managing and incentivizing people the right way.

Do You Want to Transform Your Agency from a Liability to an Asset?

Looking to dig deeper into your agency's potential? Check out our Agency Blueprint. Designed for agency owners like you, our Agency Blueprint helps you uncover growth opportunities, tackle obstacles, and craft a customized blueprint for your agency's success.

Would you like access to our advanced agency training for FREE? https://www.agencymastery360.com/training

What would you do to keep growing your agency if new leads dried up? How would you guarantee increased business? How would you ensure continued success? Our guest today emphasizes the importance of revisiting your CRM as a vital tool for driving business expansion. After years of collecting contacts for her database, a new CRM system revealed previously overlooked opportunities. Rather than seeking new leads, she realized the value of delving deeper into her existing contacts. Learn how this agency owner transitioned into building a scalable subscription-based agency model.

Wendy Lieber is the CEO and co-founder of ContentBacon, a leading content subscription service that provides resources for clients to tell their unique stories and establish themselves as experts in their field with custom content. Wendy shares her journey from running a traditional boutique agency to founding a successful content-as-a-service company. She reflects on her entrepreneurial experiences and discusses how agency owners could use personalized human connection to maximize their CRM potential.

In this episode, we'll discuss:

• Mining your CRM for overlooked gold.

• Maximizing your CRM's potential without new leads.

• Effective agency leadership strategies to help your agency grow.

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Sponsors and Resources

E2M Solutions: Today's episode of the Smart Agency Masterclass is sponsored by E2M Solutions, a web design, and development agency that has provided white-label services for the past 10 years to agencies all over the world. Check out e2msolutions.com/smartagency and get 10% off for the first three months of service.

Choosing Content Over Traditional Agency Growth

ContentBacon is Wendy's second company venture. Her initial venture was with a more traditional boutique agency, where she worked with private equity groups and created customized solutions.

By the time she grew that agency to $500,000, Wendy joined a program called Entrepreneur Accelerator designed to grow companies over $1 million. Even though she highly enjoyed the work for a while, she realized she wasn't very interested in continuing to scale that particular model past what they'd already reached.

Around that time, she had been testing a content subscription-based model with her clients and had seen a great response. With the rise of social media and having a social presence becoming more and more important, Wendy saw the value of a service like this for struggling businesses. This was the model Wendy wanted to grow.

Mining for Gold in Your Agency's CRM

Through doing their own inbound and outbound marketing, Wendy's agency has been collecting a lot of contacts to their database over the years. Once they moved to a more sophisticated CRM with HubSpot, they started to analyze and utilize the data they had and found they didn't need anything new, rather they needed to go much deeper into what they had.

There's a tendency in the marketing industry to always chase after the next new thing or shiny object. Wendy cautions against falling into the trap of constantly seeking out new technologies or strategies without fully utilizing the data and resources already available. Instead, she advocates for going back to the basics and focusing on simple, effective strategies that can drive growth and success.

Try to identify the low-hanging fruit you can leverage to your benefit and understand and segment those contacts. This way, you can identify high-value leads, personalize your marketing efforts, and drive better results rather than constantly chasing after new trends.

Maximizing Your CRM Potential Without New Leads

If you feel like you've invested a lot in a good CRM system but are not seeing the benefits of your investment, take a look at the work being done. Is there a CRM champion on the team? Is there at least one person who owns it and develops a strategy around it? A CRM is a tool, but you should really build a strategy around it.

As a helpful exercise, Wendy suggests thinking about what you would do if you couldn't get a new lead for 90 days. How would you generate new business with what you have? Ask yourself this question and use it to challenge yourself to find the gold that's probably in your CRM.

Check your contact list and reach out to old clients and prospects. You may uncover valuable opportunities that have been overlooked. To this point, Wendy suggests trying to establish a real conversation instead of just using automation. This way, you'll be able to build stronger relationships, foster trust with your audience, and ultimately achieve greater success in your marketing efforts.

From Putting Out Fires to Effective Agency Leadership

After running two businesses, Wendy continues to be surprised by the challenge of keeping both customers and employees satisfied. Balancing the needs of her clientele and her team while simultaneously focusing on business growth is an ongoing endeavor. Despite her extensive experience, just when she believes everything is on track something will happen that throws her back to working on the business instead of in the business.

Ultimately, a big part of business management revolves around continuous problem-solving. Those naturally inclined to navigate these challenges are probably better suited for the role. However, the best way to stop constantly putting out fires is to train and empower your team to make decisions based on the overall goals and directions set for the agency.

A clear leadership that sets the course for the business will lead to a team that is better equipped to make decisions and take initiative without constantly seeking approval from the leader, leading to a more efficient and effective work environment.

At the end of the day, most agency owners started a business not only looking to have more money but also to gain more time and freedom. Once you start to find the right people to take over the tasks you hate and form a team that works well together, things will flow naturally. This is why Wendy doesn't believe in coaching and developing a person to fit in with the culture. If things are right, she says, it'll flow. Sometimes if it feels too hard for someone to adapt to the team, you're just trying to put the wrong person in the wrong seat.

Do You Want to Transform Your Agency from a Liability to an Asset?

Looking to dig deeper into your agency's potential? Check out our Agency Blueprint. Designed for agency owners like you, our Agency Blueprint helps you uncover growth opportunities, tackle obstacles, and craft a customized blueprint for your agency's success.

Would you like access to our advanced agency training for FREE? https://www.agencymastery360.com/training

Have you ever fired a client? If you could do it without repercussions on cash flow, would you? Most agency owners have horror stories about toxic clients who created an unhealthy environment for the team. Deciding to cut ties can be particularly daunting, especially when the client in question represents a significant portion of your revenue.

Today's featured guest decided to prioritize herself and her team's well-being by firing a client before the situation escalated. She looks back on a long and successful career in marketing and highlights how she came back from losing major clients and how she learned to advocate for herself and her team.

Susan Finch is a seasoned entrepreneur, writer, and podcaster with nearly four decades of experience in the advertising and marketing industry. She began her career as a teenager at a recreational boating company and eventually transitioned to an agency in the 1990s, during the transformative rise of the internet.

After a few key clients parted ways with the agency she was presented with the chance to start her own firm and continue to work with the remaining clients. With thirty years of industry experience under her belt, she is eager to share valuable insights, discuss the challenges of losing significant clients, and explore the strategies she's been using to focus on working on the business rather than in the business.

In this episode, we'll discuss:

• Susa's early mistake and learning to build a sustainable agency.

• Cutting ties with tosic clients.

• On impactful networking.

• Love, hate, delegate.

How Early Success Can Mask the Need to Build Systems and Processes

In 1996, when the web was still very new, Susan started to work for an agency where she had the opportunity to work with clients like the City of Anaheim on interesting projects and fell in love with the work.

However, the agency took a big hit once this client moved their work in-house. The agency owner suggested that Susan establish her own agency offering to become her first client. At the time, she was nine months pregnant, and the idea of launching her own business felt overwhelming. Nevertheless, she embraced the opportunity and never looked back.

The transition to building her own agency was relatively smooth, with introductions being made, clients satisfied, and the work continuing without much fuss. However, looking back, Susan realizes this made her too comfortable. She was late to create her own prospecting processes to keep the pipeline full when referrals dried up.

Having landed on a business, Susan failed to plan for the future and have the different pieces in place to guarantee its proper functioning. Without those pieces in place, an agency will scale for a while but ultimately crash. The lack of vision, goals, and processes led her to work on the business all the time.

Longterm Benefit to Cutting Ties with a Toxic Client

The breaking point that led to the ultimate change for Susan was getting rid of a toxic client. This specific client was causing her and her team immense stress and draining their creativity and joy. It came down to making the difficult decision to fire them, despite accounting for 40% of the agency's business, to guarantee a healthy and abuse-free work environment.

The immediate aftermath of this decision was a rough patch where thankfully Susan was not shy about calling up all her contacts and being very open about looking for small and big projects alike and the type of client she wanted to work with.

She began working as a fractional CMO with several companies and sometimes became the full-time solution they were looking for. Before long, Susan secured a new high-profile client, whose esteemed reputation gave her the confidence she needed to network effectively in her industry, having conversations with big-time CEOs and CMOs. Ultimately, firing her toxic client was a painful decision but the right one in the long run.

Rebuilding Your Agency's Momentum & Bouncing Back from Firing a Major Client

Firing a client is intimidating, especially when they account for a significant part of your revenue. However, Susan knew it was time to stand up for herself and her team. Every agency owner has stories about difficult clients but it's important to advocate for yourself and your team.

Don't wait too long to raise the issue once you notice the problematic behavior is affecting the team and set clear boundaries This assertiveness can foster a more positive working relationship or lead to a necessary separation. Regardless of the outcome, your team will appreciate your commitment to their well-being, reinforcing the standards of treatment you expect.

In the end, the problematic individual at that old client's company left and the company approached Susan to continue the working relationship months later. By standing up for herself, Susan was able to maintain her integrity, build stronger relationships, and create a more positive work environment.

Lessons on the Power of Personal Touch for Impactful Networking

Networking provided Susan with the opportunity to meet new people and make a lasting impression. She credits this to the fact that she's not afraid to pick up the phone or schedule an in-person meeting.

People nowadays tend to rely on emails and social media to start conversations and don't realize this can create a sense of detachment. By picking up the phone, meeting for coffee, attending events, and engaging in real conversations, agency owners can establish genuine connections that can lead to new opportunities, collaborations, and friendships.

In-person interactions allow for spontaneity, creativity, and a deeper level of understanding that may not be achieved through digital communication alone.

Consider your agency's email list. If you have a few high-engagement contacts who are yet to become clients, why not reach out with a simple phone call to express your gratitude for their engagement? They will likely be pleasantly surprised to learn that your sole intention is to thank them, leaving a memorable impression.

Making that phone call demonstrates your commitment to going the extra mile to connect, engage, and show genuine interest in others. This approach can lead to stronger relationships, enhanced trust, and a profound sense of connection among individuals.

The Love, Hate, Delegate Approach to Leadership

Just like choosing to work with the right clients will help you create the type of work you love to do and motivate you to do great things, Susan advocates for the "love, hate, delegate" approach—an effective method she's learning to use to regain focus on her business operations. This system involves categorizing tasks into three distinct groups: those she loves to handle personally, those she can eliminate, and those that can be delegated to others.

At the end of the day, agency owners don't just want to scale their business, they want to get to a point where they can build a team that can take over and get their time back. Time is irreplaceable so find ways to keep building your business while still doing the work you love. Get your ego out of it and allow other people to come in and make you look better.

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