Today on The Innovative Agency Podcast, Sharon Toerek is joined by Leslie Carruthers, Founder of The Search Guru, for a conversation that every agency leader needs to hear right now. Generative AI isn't just a shiny new tool, it's rewriting the rules of search, visibility, and how clients find their next partner.

If you've seen your organic traffic slide or you're struggling with how to guide clients through this AI-driven shift, this episode is for you. Leslie brings decades of search expertise and lays out exactly what's at stake for agencies today, along with the bold moves that can turn disruption into opportunity.

From navigating traffic declines to rethinking your agency's value proposition, Leslie shares practical steps to help you stay relevant, profitable, and positioned to thrive in a rapidly changing landscape.

What you will learn in this episode:

• Why AI is causing dramatic drops in organic and paid traffic, and what agencies can do to respond

• How "findability" and SEO are evolving in the era of LLMs, generative engines, and answer-based search

• What agency leaders should be teaching clients about getting cited and discovered by AI-driven platforms

• The critical importance of brand originality, multimodal content, and strategic thought leadership

• How agencies should rethink pricing, value, and positioning in light of AI-powered content creation

• Where human expertise and insight remain indispensable

• Smart ways to experiment with AI tools, agents, and workflow automation

Bio

Leslie Carruthers is the Founder and President of The Search Guru, a digital marketing agency helping B2B enterprises drive measurable growth. With over 25 years of experience, she is a recognized expert in AI-driven marketing, SEO, and conversion optimization. A graduate of Ohio University's E.W. Scripps School of Journalism, Leslie has trained, consulted for, and executed strategies for startups to Fortune 500 companies.

A sought-after speaker, she has presented at Content Marketing World, MAICON, SMX, eTail, and the Direct Marketing Association, delivering actionable insights on AI in marketing, search evolution, and data-driven decision-making. Named a Top 50 Content Marketing Influencer (2018) and one of the Top Women in SEO (2012), Leslie blends technical expertise with strategic vision. Her agency specializes in navigating complex sales cycles, leveraging AI to drive leads and revenue while maximizing ROI in an evolving digital landscape.

Resources:

• Website: https://thesearchguru.com/

• LinkedIn Personal: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lesliecarruthers/

• LinkedIn Business: https://www.linkedin.com/company/thesearchguru/

• X: https://twitter.com/TheSearchGuru

On this episode of The Innovative Agency Podcast Sharon Toerek chats with Justin Rashidi, co-founder of SeedX, for a no-fluff conversation about one of the toughest challenges every agency faces: client churn.

Justin brings a candid, inside look at why expectations so often fall apart between agencies and clients and what to do about it before the relationship unravels. From spotting red flags early, to setting crystal-clear metrics, to redefining what true partnership really looks like, Justin shares practical lessons agencies can put to work right now.

This conversation also digs into why the gap between marketing and sales alignment quietly sabotages long-term growth.

If you've ever wondered how to spot and avoid the pitfalls that derail agency success, this episode delivers unfiltered insights.

What you will learn in this episode:

• How to identify and avoid red flags in new client relationships before they put your agency's stability at risk

• How elite agencies foster true partnership roles instead of remaining just a vendor

• Practical ways to set (and reset) client expectations around metrics, performance, and evolving goals

• Why aligning your agency's work with clients' revenue targets creates longevity, and where agencies most often get tripped up

• Why agencies should invest in strategic thinking as execution becomes increasingly automated through AI

• What recurring revenue and contract expansion reveal about agency health and stability

Bio

Justin Rashidi is the Co-Founder and Chief Strategy Officer at SeedX, a data-driven marketing and business consultancy. With a scientific and engineering background, Justin brings a unique analytical perspective to marketing strategy that differentiates him from traditional marketers who often begin with copywriting or creative skills. Under his strategic leadership, SeedX has served over 153 companies from medium to enterprise scale and helped generate over a billion dollars in revenue for clients.

Resources:

• Website: https://seedx.us/

• LinkedIn Personal: https://www.linkedin.com/in/justin-rashidi/

• LinkedIn Business: https://www.linkedin.com/company/seedx-inc/

On this episode of The Innovative Agency Podcast Sharon Toerek welcomes Dan Englander, CEO and Founder of Sales Schema, to dig into what's really ahead for agency business development in 2025 and beyond. Dan has spent years in the trenches with independent agencies, and he's here to share why specialization and perspective are no longer "nice to haves" but are survival skills.

This conversation delves into how the current "trust recession" is reshaping the sales landscape and what it means for the way agencies show up with prospects.

If you're ready to rethink how your agency approaches sales, business development, and thought leadership, and you want to hear it from someone who's been guiding agencies through the same challenges you're facing today, this is an episode you don't want to miss.

What you will learn in this episode:

• Why "specialization" is no longer just a differentiator, but a requirement for sustainable agency growth

• The impact of the "trust recession" on agency sales, and how to overcome credibility hurdles

• The hidden risks of resisting specialization

• How to define and demonstrate a unique agency perspective to attract your ideal clients

• Ways to turn your specialization and unique POV into effective, lead-generating thought leadership

• How to build repeatable, reliable new business systems that blend inbound and outbound approaches

Bio

Dan Englander is the CEO and Founder of Sales Schema, a training firm that helps agencies and B2B service companies implement repeatable new business systems through tasteful outreach and referrals. Since 2014, Sales Schema has supported nearly 200 agencies to drive thousands of opportunities and millions in lifetime revenue. Dan hosts The Digital Agency Growth Podcast and he's the author of Relationship Sales At Scale. He lives in New York City with his wife Sarah, son Adrian, and a dog Crackle.

Resources:

• Website: https://www.salesschema.com/

• LinkedIn Business: https://www.linkedin.com/company/sales-schema/

• LinkedIn Personal: https://www.linkedin.com/in/danenglander/

• Facebook Business: https://www.facebook.com/salesschema

On this episode of The Innovative Agency Podcast Sharon Toerek sits down with Elise Mitchell, Founder of the award-winning Mitchell Communications and trusted leadership coach to agency owners. Elise knows firsthand what it takes to build, scale, and sell an agency. She's bringing that hard-earned wisdom into her work guiding leaders through today's turbulence.

Elise tackles the challenges agencies are facing right now: relentless market uncertainty, leading remote and hybrid teams through cultural shifts, and preparing for the next chapter of leadership and succession. She shares not only the strategies that worked for her, but also the pitfalls to avoid when you're building resilient, high-performing teams in a world that never stops changing.

If you're looking for strategies to strengthen your leadership, future-proof your culture, or set a clear course for succession in 2025's unpredictable environment, this conversation is one you'll want to hear.

What you will learn in this episode:

• Why macroeconomic uncertainty continues to impact agency business development and how leaders can respond to slow client decision cycles

• Practical steps for building and maintaining culture in both virtual and blended agency workplaces

• Frameworks for giving feedback that actually leads to growth

• How generational differences from remote work and the pandemic are impacting agency talent and tactics for bridging the gap

• What you need to know if you're considering succession, an agency exit, or M&A

Bio

Elise Mitchell is a seasoned CEO and entrepreneur with more than 25 years of experience steering leaders and their companies through complex business and leadership challenges. She is a long-time public relations practitioner and agency veteran.

She founded Mitchell Communications Group, which was named a top 10 fastest-growing PR firm globally and a two-time Inc. 500/5000 fastest growing company. Under her leadership, her agency grew more than 500% in five years working with global brands such as Walmart, Tyson Foods, Hilton and P&G. In 2013, Elise led a sale of the agency to Dentsu Inc., taking on a global role to lead M&A for the network's PR investments. In 2019 she launched her own executive coaching and business consultancy, Velocity Collective.

Recognition of her accomplishments include: Agency Professional of the Year (PRWeek), a Top 50 Power Player in Public Relations (PRWeek), Entrepreneur of the Year (NAFE), and induction into the International Communications Consultancy Organization (ICCO) Hall of Fame. Her firm was twice named Agency of the Year (PRovoke and PRWeek).

Elise is the author of "Leading Through the Turn" (McGraw Hill), endorsed by John Maxwell. She is a keynote speaker, chair of a TIGER 21 cohort for ultra-high-net-worth individuals, and serves as an independent board director. When she's not working with clients, you can find Elise motorcycling with her husband, running the trails near their home or planning their next journey off the beaten path.

Resources:

• Website: https://elisemitchell.com/

• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/elisemitch/

This episode of The Innovative Agency Podcast welcomes back Mandi Ellefson, Founder of Hands Off CEO, for a candid and timely conversation about profits, client value, and the hidden levers that drive sustainable growth.

Too often, agency leaders obsess over monthly revenue or the size of the next contract while missing the real game-changer: long-term, high-profit "sweet spot" clients who fuel exponential growth.

Mandi reveals how to uncover your agency's unique invisible advantage, reshape your business model for lasting profitability, and develop the kind of bold mindset that allows you to step out of the grind while scaling bigger impact.

If you've ever questioned whether you're squeezing the most value, not just revenue, from your best client relationships, this episode will give you the clarity, courage, and strategies you need to transform how your agency grows.

What you will learn in this episode:

• Why most agency leaders use the wrong metrics to evaluate client profitability and what you should focus on instead

• The definition of a "profit sweet spot" client and how to identify them within your existing book of business

• How uncovering your agency's invisible advantage can 10x your client results

• How to uncover your agency's invisible advantage and reposition your offers around true transformation instead of merely deliverables

• The steps necessary to boldly reposition your agency for new, more profitable client relationships

• How to approach existing client relationships when you need to "upgrade" your standards and pricing

• Strategies for weathering tough business moments while making the transition to higher-value clients

Bio

Mandi Ellefson went from $175K in debt and working around the clock to building a multimillion-dollar consulting business that runs without her — and now she helps other agency owners do the same. As Founder of Hands-Off CEO, she's helped hundreds of firms 2X–6X fees, shorten delivery time, and free up the CEO by scaling smarter, not harder. A former business exit advisor, Mandi is known for helping agencies win premium clients and build companies they can grow — or sell — on their terms.

Resources:

Website: https://www.handsoffceo.com/

LinkedIn Personal: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mandiellefson/

LinkedIn Business: https://www.linkedin.com/company/hands-off-ceo

handsoffceo.com/map

handsoffceo.com/book

Today on the Innovative Agency Podcast, Sharon Torek is joined by Paula Bruno, CEO and Founder of Intuition Media Group, and influencer marketing pioneer who's been navigating the creator economy for more than 15 years.

Paula gets candid about the real challenges marketing agencies are facing, including how to separate creators with genuine communities from those chasing vanity metrics, the contractual and compliance landmines that can derail a campaign, and why smaller, deeply engaged audiences are rewriting the rules of influence.

She shares hard-won lessons on spotting red flags before it's too late, and the systems every agency needs to protect clients, safeguard budgets, and build partnerships that actually move the needle. If your agency is serious about leading instead of following in the influencer space, this is a conversation you won't want to miss.

What you will learn in this episode:

• Why agencies must rethink their influencer vetting strategies in an era of content overload and shifting audience expectations

• How micro-communities are reshaping the influencer space

• Why brands can find more ROI in depth over breadth

• Key red flags agencies should avoid when negotiating influencer partnerships

• The must-have processes and legal guardrails you need in place before, during, and after deploying influencer campaigns

• Why shoppable content, live selling, and platform curation are the next big things in influencer marketing

• Insights on handling tricky influencer/brand relationships and avoiding potential legal pitfalls

Bio

Paula Bruno is a seasoned marketer and brand builder with nearly 25 years of experience, including 15 years as the CEO of Intuition Media Group. Intuition Media Group is an independent women-owned agency established in 2008. Intuition specializes in influencer marketing, brand strategy and consulting, experiential events, live streaming, digital media, talent sourcing, negotiation, social media, and more.

Resources:

• Website: https://www.intuitionmediagroup.com/

• LinkedIn Personal: https://www.linkedin.com/in/paulabruno/

• LinkedIn Business: https://www.linkedin.com/company/intuitionmediagroup/

Today on the Innovative Agency Podcast, Sharon Torek is joined by Emily Hatton, an expert at turning bold ideas into real, measurable progress. If your agency has ever wrestled with too many opportunities, scattered priorities, or half-finished projects collecting dust, you'll want to lean into this conversation.

Emily unpacks the hidden barriers that keep agencies stuck in "idea mode" instead of execution, and more importantly, how to break free. From rescuing abandoned initiatives to deciding which opportunities truly deserve your team's energy, Emily shares practical frameworks every agency leader needs right now. She also lays out clear strategies for triaging ideas, empowering your team, and applying the right operational tools to keep innovation alive and growth on track.

Move from inspiration to action, and keep your agency's best ideas from slipping through the cracks.

What you will learn in this episode:

• Why agencies are often tempted to expand their service offerings too quickly and the risks that come with that

• Concrete strategies to help agency leaders filter and prioritize ideas before investing time and resources

• How founders and teams can use simple, systematic frameworks to separate truly valuable opportunities from distracting shiny objects

• Ways agency leaders can empower their teams to vet and present innovative ideas, without losing sight of business goals

• How to strike a balance between chasing innovation and maintaining operational focus in today's volatile market

• The overlooked power of using existing tech stacks and automation tools for operational efficiency

Bio

Emily Hatton is a strategic growth consultant providing operational excellence, and financial precision for ambitious agency founders. She is Founder of The Female Founder Space.

Resources:

• Website: https://emily-hatton.com/

• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/emily-hatton/

AI isn't just a buzzword anymore. It's reshaping how agencies build, deliver, and scale creative at lightning speed. But for every opportunity it unlocks, there are just as many questions: How do you keep your creative edge? What are the legal landmines? And how do you actually integrate AI in a way that drives results and protects your agency?

On this episode of The Innovative Agency Podcast Sharon Toerek sits down with Hikari Senju, Omneky Founder and CEO. Omneky is at the forefront of AI-powered advertising and Hikari shares what it really looks like to adopt AI inside a creative business. This conversation covers how agencies can strike the right balance between human brilliance and machine efficiency, how to navigate intellectual property concerns, and how to build systems that amplify, not replace, your team's best work.

If you want to make AI a true asset in your agency, this episode is a must-listen.

What you will learn in this episode:

• How AI is being used to supercharge creative and production processes within agencies

• Common fears and misconceptions agency leaders have about AI adoption

• Strategies for navigating intellectual property and liability risks when working with generative AI

• Where the true power of AI lies, and where human ingenuity still makes all the difference

• What questions to ask and what red flags to look for when evaluating AI tools for your agency's workflow

• How agencies can begin integrating AI today to gain a competitive edge, without compromising creative integrity

Bio

Hikari Senju is a computer science graduate from Harvard University with a passion for technology and design.

He founded his first startup, QuickHelp, an on-demand tutoring app, which he later sold to Yup.com and became their Head of Growth.

During his time at Yup.com, Senju observed inefficiencies in content spending and the potential of AI in advertising, which inspired him to establish Omneky in 2018.

Senju's background in computer science, entrepreneurship, and his experience with AI technologies led him to create Omneky, an AI platform that generates, analyzes, and optimizes personalized ad creatives at scale.

Resources:

• Website: https://www.omneky.com/

• LinkedIn Personal: https://www.linkedin.com/in/hikari-senju-63780199/

• LinkedIn Business: https://www.linkedin.com/company/omneky/

• X: https://x.com/hisenju

Today on The Innovative Agency Podcast, Sharon Toerek sits down with Bill Swanston, co-founder and President of Bosun, for a raw and revealing conversation about what it really takes to reinvent a legacy agency.

Bill doesn't just share the highlight reel. He takes us inside the emotional highs and lows of letting go of a longtime identity, including the one literally tied to the founders' names.

From wrestling with fear and uncertainty to rallying his team around a bold new vision, Bill walks through the pivotal moments that turned a daunting rebrand into a launchpad for growth.

You'll hear how he navigated the practical landmines like renaming the agency, earning internal buy-in, and communicating the transformation to clients and the industry. Bill also shares the unexpected lessons that come from shedding old skin and stepping fully into the future.

If your agency has ever felt stuck in its own story or you've wondered what it takes to truly reimagine your brand, this episode is your playbook packed with hard-won wisdom.

What you will learn in this episode:

• The internal catalysts for legacy agencies deciding to rebrand

• The unique challenges and opportunities of renaming an agency when the "client" is yourself

• How to balance founder legacy and agency evolution, while still respecting the past as you build for the future

• The steps to a successful internal roll-out, including building consensus, fostering team buy-in, and reinforcing agency culture

• What it means to communicate a rebrand to clients and prospects

• How a thoughtful rollout can lead to unexpected new business

• Lessons learned from navigating trademark and domain obstacles, and why every agency should do careful due diligence

Bio

Since 1991, Bill Swanston has been creating ad campaigns helping brands connect with people. His strategically-driven, clear-headed thinking has helped companies build relationships with customers by simply speaking their language. He co-founded the agency in 2000, co-authored A Guide to Surviving the Seismic Shift in Advertising and is an avid eater of foods. Bill's creative credentials include work that has been recognized in almost every advertising award show including Cannes, One Show, Addy's, Communication Arts, Hatch, Obies and Tellies.

Resources:

• Website: https://bosuncrew.com/

• LinkedIn Personal: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bill-swanston-185a014/

• LinkedIn Business: https://www.linkedin.com/company/bosun-crew/

Today on The Innovative Agency Podcast Sharon Toerek is joined by President and Co-Founder of Uproar PR Mike Harris. Mike brings the kind of hard-earned wisdom you only get from selling an agency. Not once, but twice.

If you've ever wrestled with the idea of letting go of something you built from the ground up, this conversation is going to hit home. Mike takes us behind the scenes of the emotional rollercoaster and the operational grit required to transition out of agency ownership.

He shares the real story behind why he and his co-founder wife made the leap toward strategic acquisition, the blind spots most agency leaders don't see coming during M&A, and what it really takes to protect your team, your culture, and your momentum when disruption strikes.

Mike's journey offers a rare inside look at resilience, reinvention, and rethinking success. If you're starting to think about your agency's next chapter, or want to be ready when that day comes, don't miss this conversation.

What you will learn in this episode:

• The insider view of selling your agency twice, and what makes each experience emotionally and practically different

• The breaking point in agency growth and how to recognize when it's time to consider a sale or merger

• Key financial metrics acquirers look for

• Why culture and honesty with your team matter most, especially during uncertain transitions

• How to prepare for due diligence even if a sale seems far away

• The impact of COVID-19 on agency value and morale

• Why the right buyers and support team can completely change your future

Bio

Mike Harris is President and Co-Founder of Uproar PR. Founded in 2011, Uproar PR is a consumer and technology public relations agency with offices in New York, San Francisco, Tel Aviv, Miami, and Orlando.

Harris works directly with clients to devise creative, out-of-the-box public relations campaigns. He creates high-level strategy for clients including Planet Fitness, Rakuten, and Delsey Luggage Paris.

Harris is in charge of the strategic direction of the agency. He focuses on helping clients tell their brand stories through an integrated PR campaign centered around the company goals. Harris and his team have regularly garnered coverage for clients on CNN, MSNBC, ABC Nightly News, The Today Show, and a product demonstration on the CBS Show CSI.

Resources:

• Website: https://uproarpr.com/

• LinkedIn Personal: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mike-harris-a828931/

• LinkedIn Business: https://www.linkedin.com/company/uproar-by-moburst/

• Facebook Business: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Uproar-PR/189640744390783