New Year, New Scoop! Working Hard and Sometimes Remotely

Jill Fecher is back with a new co-host Maggie Humphrey. Join these two in discussing the pros and cons of the main topic each month. As a listener you get to take a peak behind the curtain here a Cypress North. Discover what we're excited about and what we're struggling with.  This month Jill and Maggie will be discussing working remotely. How do agencies (and other companies) deal with it? We also talk about the recent trends in layoffs, 2022 internet usage stats, and hiring.

Jill has an insightful Q&A with Katie Krawczyk, co-owner of 19 Ideas in Buffalo, NY. We discuss agency life, starting a successful agency on accident while waiting on your next big move, and how the culture of the agency has changed over time. We also talk about the beautiful, luxurious office space that Katie created as a love letter to her employees and the newest venture of 19 Ideas' founders, Went!

This month, I'm joined by Irene Muchai from Online Optimism, a digital agency in New Orleans. We talk about new business strategies including what we look for in a new client, how to make sure your ideas will help them accomplish their goals and ideas for agency growth. 

Jill Fecher and Jordan Siefer talk about the evolution of the creative team at Cypress North. Jordan gives advice for how to understand your clients' challenges and needs, finding inspiration, and setting expectations for a career in design.

Join Jill this month with her special guest, Barry Schwartz, CEO of web service firm Rusty Brick and founder of Search Engine Roundtable. His career began at age 14 when he joined his twin brother in starting a software development business. Their unofficial business started with local and small businesses by helping their businesses become more efficient through their custom software. From there, RustyBrick has evolved and grown to the business it is today. In this episode, we discuss what drives his business, challenges post-pandemic, and his prediction of upcoming trends in the industry.

Join Jill this month with her special guest Lauren Molenda of Riveter Design. Lauren has grown through her career in the agency world and is connected to all of the great agency talent in WNY. Riveter's microagency approach is unique and creative, benefitting clients who may not have connections to these types of resources and providing the hub of freelancers and part time talent a culture that is flexible for their lifestyles. We also discuss Lauren's amazing feat of recently climbing Mt. Kilimanjaro and raising over $25,000 for a girls' school in Tanzania.

This month, Jill Fecher sits down with Tricia Barrett, Chief Operating Officer at Crowley Webb and Praxis. They discuss ways that Crowley Webb has differentiated themselves and diversified their offerings over the past 20 years, as well as the challenges agencies have faced through and after the pandemic.

This month's episode of the Agency Scoop features an interview with Charlie Fashana, Marketing Director of AAA of Western and Central NY. 

We discuss his 20-year career journey from client-side to agency-side and back. Charlie gives great advice for companies looking to hire an agency, advice to agencies about how to serve clients better, and advice for anyone looking to get into marketing and advertising. 

This month I sat down with Sarah Burke, our Data & Analytics Manager at Cypress North. We talk about her journey from digital marketing to focusing on data and analytics. She gives us some insight into what is happening next with our newest division!

This episode is a look behind the scenes at how we go about building world-class websites. It includes a step-by-step process of what to expect in working with us as well as tips for selecting a website vendor to make sure your project goes smoothly.