The Agency Leadership Podcast with Gini Dietrich and Chip Griffin

Chip and Gini discuss the intricacies of fractional leadership roles within clients.

They share their experiences and provide advice on managing relationships, setting clear boundaries, handling administrative tasks, and positioning yourself accurately in these roles. [read the transcript]

The post ALP 226: Should your agency sell itself as a fractional CxO to clients? appeared first on FIR Podcast Network.

Start-up clients may not have the funds to pay you, but still need service, so why not consider receiving equity as payment?

In this episode, Chip and Gini discuss the potential pitfalls of that approach. They caution against exotic payment schemes such as equity or pay for performance, emphasizing the risks and complexities involved.

They also highlight the importance of legal and tax considerations when entering into equity deals. [read the transcript]

The post ALP 225: Accepting equity as payment for agency services appeared first on FIR Podcast Network.

In this episode, Chip and Gini discuss the fear of hiring employees, the implications of using contractors, the financial considerations, and the benefits of having employees.

They emphasize the need to align hiring decisions with long-term business goals and not to be afraid of hiring employees when it makes sense financially.

The post ALP 224: Get over your fear of hiring employees appeared first on FIR Podcast Network.

Employee complaints? Accountable only to yourself? Trying to create a work culture? Welcome to agency ownership!

In this episode, Chip and Gini discuss the challenges and frustrations of owning an agency, emphasizing the importance of seeking accountability and support, and reflecting on one’s own role in addressing issues.

The discussion also includes reflections on past experiences and lessons learned, as they share insights for agency owners to effectively navigate their responsibilities and address issues in a constructive manner.

The post ALP 223: Handling frustration as an agency owner appeared first on FIR Podcast Network.

How do you deal with clients who ask for different payment terms than the ones your agency offers?

In this episode, Chip and Gini discuss the importance of setting clear expectations from the start and being proactive in following up on overdue invoices. They offer different approaches and creative strategies for handling payment terms with clients.

The post ALP 222: How to handle extended payment term requests from agency clients appeared first on FIR Podcast Network.

Are you and your agency team spending too much time writing proposals, creating capabilities decks, and building brand personas?

It may seem productive, but clients value results – and so should you.

The post ALP 221: Avoiding time-wasting in your agency appeared first on FIR Podcast Network.

In this episode, Chip and Gini discuss the recent wave of layoffs in the media industry and its implications for PR agencies.

The post ALP 220: What recent media layoffs mean for PR agencies appeared first on FIR Podcast Network.

A lot of agencies have told Chip and Gini that 2023 was a bad year for them. Fellow agency adviser Karl Sakas posted on LinkedIn that he has been asked if it was bad for everyone.

In this episode, Chip and Gini share their perspectives — along with things that positioned some agencies for success in what many experienced as a down year.

The post ALP 219: Did your agency have a rough 2023? appeared first on FIR Podcast Network.

When Gini shared in a recent episode that her success has come from doing the same thing for 15 years, a listener pointed out that she has continued to evolve.

The two are not mutually exclusive. In fact, the best agencies usually combine the two.

Rather than chasing trends, successful agencies consistently produce excellent results for a well-defined set of clients.

At the same time, these high-performing agencies continue to evolve and adapt as tools and techniques change.

The post ALP 218: Agencies succeed through consistency and evolution appeared first on FIR Podcast Network.

The Wall Street Journal recently suggested that the era of digital agencies may be over. It’s not that digital services are no longer required, but the label for agencies may no longer make sense.

In this episode, Chip and Gini talk about the need for agencies to find a sustainable focus and be cautious of riding the wave of the latest type of “hot” agency — including digital, social media, cannabis, crypto, and many others that have come and gone.

The post ALP 217: Are digital agencies dead? appeared first on FIR Podcast Network.