The Progressive Agency Podcast

This week on the Progressive Agency podcast, I welcome Tom Schwab to the show. He helps thought leaders (coaches, authors, speakers, consultants, and emerging brands) get featured on leading podcasts their ideal prospects are already listening to. During our conversation, Tom shares how having the right conversations with the right person could be life-changing for your life and business. Hear insights about:

• How guesting on podcasts can help bring your agency out of obscurity
• Why systems and data are essential pieces of modern marketing
• How does having a scalable system and platform impact the growth of your agency
• What are the benefits of hiring within the military spouse network
• Why forecasting is the most confusing part of business finances

Starting Conversations

Marketing at its heart is starting a conversation with someone who could be an ideal customer. My guest this week on the Progressive Agency Podcast, Tom Schwab, helps start those conversations. He is the Founder/CEO of Interview Valet, where he helps thought leaders (coaches, authors, speakers, consultants, and emerging brands) get featured on leading podcasts their ideal prospects are already listening to.

Scalable Systems

Often, agency owners begin their business attempting to "Frankenstein" their systems together to make things work. While this can work in the short term, eventually it can prohibit your ability to grow smoothly. Unfortunately, switching systems can cause a huge mess for many agencies. During our conversation, Tom explains why you should begin your agency using systems and platforms that are scalable.

Un-tapped Markets

Hiring can be an agency's greatest challenge, especially in today's world. Tom shares his thoughts on how to approach hiring and replacing employees. He explains how he has utilized the un-tapped market of military spouses. Listen to the episode to learn more about how to make the right hiring decisions for your agency. Click here to listen:

How to Connect with Tom Schwab:

• Websites: https://interviewvalet.com/
• http://podcastbooktour.com/
• LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/thomasmschwab
• Twitter: https://twitter.com/TMSchwab

About Tom Schwab:

Tom Schwab knows how to build an online business. He's done it successfully several times, and now he helps others find online success with podcast interview marketing. Marketing at its heart is starting a conversation with someone who could be an ideal customer. Tom helps thought leaders (coaches, authors, speakers, consultants, emerging brands) get featured on leading podcasts their ideal prospects are already listening to. The Interview Valet system then helps them to turn listeners into customers.

The author of Podcast Guest Profits: Grow Your Business with a Targeted Interview Strategy, Tom is also the Founder/CEO of Interview Valet, the category king of Podcast Interview Marketing.

This week on the Progressive Agency podcast, I welcome Taja Dockendorf to the show. She's built her agency, Pulp and Wire, into one of the fastest-growing, 100% woman-owned consumer packaging firms. Taja shares how to start and grow an agency as a creative rather than an entrepreneur, and the importance of fostering client relationships. Hear insights about:

• Why it's essential that creatives are directly involved in the process with clients
• How to own a room and secure clients by putting yourself out there and being authentic
• Why not carrying debt is the most important financial lesson that Taja has learned
• What new agency owners can do to build an agency led by creatives
• How to hire and replace employees strategically
• Why tracking hours helps determine profitability and impacts cash flow

Creative Entrepreneur

More and more agency owners began out of need, rather than a desire to be an entrepreneur. My guest this week on the Progressive Agency Podcast, Taja Dockendorf, is one of those agency owners. She began her firm, Pulp and Wire, as a designer without a business background. Now she's built her agency into one of the fastest-growing, 100% woman-owned consumer packaging firms. Taja shares how to start and grow an agency as a creative rather than an entrepreneur.

Clients & Creatives

When starting Pulp and Wire, it became clear to Taja that most agencies have a disconnect between the creatives and clients. With clients being handled by an account manager, those executing the creative work are often siloed. During our conversation, she explains how she approaches this challenge by bridging the gap between the creative and the client to produce better work long term.

Growing Slowly

Often an agency owner's goal is to achieve rapid growth. Taja has spent 20 years slowly growing her firm to the force that it is today. She explains that while exciting, rapid growth requires a level of infrastructure that many new agencies don't yet have. Taja explains why she prioritized growing Pulp and Wire slowly, and how it's allowed her to build strong relationships with clients. Listen to the episode to learn more:

How to Connect with Taja Dockendorf:

• Websites: pulpandwire.com
• whatthehelvetica.com/
• LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/tajadockendorf
• Twitter: https://twitter.com/PulpandWire

About Taja Dockendorf:

Taja, a graphic designer by education, has built Pulp+Wire into one of the fastest-growing, 100% woman-owned consumer packaging firms, with a focus on natural and organic CPG brands, in the U.S. Her accessible creative style and intuitive marketing instincts have made her a natural fit for organic and natural foods, lifestyle, and cannabis CPG brands seeking to launch new businesses or accelerate current growth.

The collaborative workflow she administers within the walls of Pulp+Wire from strategic brand ideation, to packaging, to digital marketing and revenue growth is scaled to meet each client's unique needs, with both humor and insight. Taja's working style is that of an eternal optimist while being grounded in reality, a combination of futuristic, optimistic, and realistic that brands and clients deeply appreciate and look to maximize when working with her. When not guiding brands or her team of twenty at P+W Taja also writes for Forbes focusing on team culture within the creative space and retreats to the woods and lakes of Maine with her husband and two kids, some rescue animals to stay grounded.

Versatility allows Taja to manage multi-million-dollar marketing accounts while also creating award-winning designs for small businesses. Her talent has built P+W into one of the most in-demand, most-referred design houses in the Northeast. Honing her creative skills in both New York and Boston, Taja's unique approach to a client-centric (and holistic) business model has been vital in consistently earning P+W graphic design and advertising awards over the years.

Taja has also garnered numerous awards and accolades for her work and has been featured in: The Dieline, Graphic Design USA, Food Manufacturing Magazine, Packaging Magazine, American Package Design Awards, InTouch Magazine, Saveur, GDR UK, and L'Odyssee Du Pack — both Innovation trend forecasting magazines and The Dieline to name a few. Additional to this, her clients have also earned media attention on the Today Show, Good Morning America, and Fox Business Morning.

This week on the Progressive Agency podcast, I welcome Susan Baier to the show. She's been a marketing strategist for thirty years and began her company, Audience Audit, in 2009. Susan helps marketing organizations understand their best audiences based on attitudes and needs, rather than just demographics or purchase behavior. Susan shares how research can build your credibility as a thought leader, and give you a year's worth of valuable content for your audience. Hear insights about:

• What is attitudinal research and how can you do it with qualitative research tactics
• How attitudinal research helps marketing agencies and their clients get better results
• What types of advice do consumers want from their thought leaders
• Why research helps thought leaders with both strategic and tactical advice
• How research adds credibility to thought leadership

Relevant and Impactful

Attitudinal research can make your marketing initiatives more relevant, efficient, and impactful. My guest this week on the Progressive Agency Podcast, Susan Baier, knows that firsthand. She has been a marketing strategist for 30 years and began her company, Audience Audit, in 2009. Today, Susan helps marketing organizations understand their best audiences based on attitudes and needs rather than just demographics or purchase behavior. She shares how research can make thought leaders more credible and offer more valuable content ideas for marketers and agencies.

Proving Them Wrong

Many people think that attitudinal research can only be conducted through quantitative measures, like surveys. However, Susan Baier proves them wrong with her company Audience Audit. She uses qualitative research tactics, like focus groups, to understand the reasoning behind a buyer's decision. During our conversation, Susan explains how marketing agencies can benefit from understanding the intent of their unique audiences.

Aiding the Buyer's Decision

In today's world, buyers conduct so much of their own research before making a purchase. Typically a buyer has already decided to work with you before you have the opportunity to sell to them. This means that your content and credibility as a thought leader are doing most of the work for you. Susan explains how conducting attitudinal research helps you create relevant content for your audience while increasing your credibility in your industry. Listen to the episode to learn more:

How to Connect with Susan Baier:

• Websites: https://audienceaudit.com
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AudienceAudit/
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/susanbaieraz/
• Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/susanbaier

About Susan Baier:

A marketing strategist for over 30 years, Susan Baier founded Audience Audit in 2009 to help organizations understand their best audiences based on attitudes and needs rather than just demographics or purchase behavior. She develops custom segmentation research for marketers and agencies around the world, supporting their efforts to create marketing initiatives that are more relevant, more efficient, and more impactful.

If you're planning to travel for work, you've likely thought about deducting business travel expenses. Listen to this episode to hear insights about:

• How business travel documentation rules differ between corporations and proprietorships
• Why you need to report your business travel on your business taxes rather than your personal taxes
• The four elements you must be able to prove and therefore should keep a record of
• Why travel meals are separate from other travel expenses
• Which travel expenses you should keep receipts for, and if you can use credit card statements instead
• What constitutes a timely kept record of your tax expenses for the IRS
• How to properly submit travel expenses to your corporation
• The most important piece of information that you need to keep a record of for business travel expenses
• What are the two different types of tax-deductible business travel expenses
• How do you know if you can deduct business trips, even if you'll be on the trip for more than just business
• How travel deductions differ between US travel and international travel

Travel Expense Rules

Traveling for work can be a great way to experience more and grow your business. However, all travel is not the same. This week on the Progressive Agency Podcast, I discuss deducting your business travel expenses. I explain the differences in travel documentation rules if you're a corporation or a proprietorship. During this solocast. I also discuss how to properly keep a record of your expenses. Listen to the episode to learn more.

Proving It

If you plan to deduct your business travel, you must be prepared to prove your expenses to the IRS if needed. There are four elements that you should always keep a record of to prove your business travel. The first being the amount of each expenditure, the second is the dates of travel, departure and return. Third, you should keep a description of the location of your trip. Last, and most importantly, is the business purpose for your trip. During our conversation, I explain how to easily maintain this record.

Business or Personal

When you plan a business trip, it's possible that you may plan to extend your trip for longer. A common thought is, if you stay longer on a professional trip for personal reasons, can you still expense it? In this episode, I explain how this differs when traveling within the United States and internationally. Listen to the episode to learn how many days of your trip you're required to work in order for it to be covered as a business expense. Click here to learn more:

Resources:

• The 12 Biggest Tax Mistakes That Cost Agency Owners Thousands:https://www.amazon.com/Biggest-Mistakes-Agency-Owners-Thousands/dp/B088B6DPG9/ref=sr_1_1?qid=1639661450&refinements=p_27%3ACraig+Cody&s=books&sr=1-1

Additional Resources:

• Website: www.craigcodyandcompany.com
• Twitter: @CraigC2742
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/craigcodycpa

About Craig Cody:

Craig Cody is a Certified Public Accountant, Certified Tax Coach™, business owner, and the host of The Progressive Dentist Podcast and The Progressive Agency Owner Podcast. Prior to his current work, Craig spent seventeen years with the NYPD, where he retired as a Lieutenant in September 2000. Craig is an expert in helping his clients legally reduce their tax liabilities and keep more of their money. Through his podcast, Craig helps dentists grow their practices through smart financial decisions and through financial education of the kind that isn't offered in dental school.

This week on the Progressive Agency podcast, I welcome Tim Kilroy to the show. He's founded three agencies and successfully sold two. Today, he helps digital agencies generate more revenue, more profit, and more happiness. Tim shares his forecasting and planning tips that help agency owners hire better and scale their business. Hear insights about:

• The three largest financial errors that agency owners make
• How to label clients to help forecast the fragility of your business
• Why choosing to work with contractors over employees can be more expensive
• Why agency owners should prioritize capacity planning and forecasting
• How tracking hours allows you to provide more accurate quotes and profits
• Why it's important to forecast and have a plan for all of your profit before receiving it
• What an agency CEO's role should encompass, and why it doesn't revolve around creating happy clients

More Revenue and Profit

Digital agencies can generate more revenue and more profit without working a million hours. Just ask Tim Kilroy, my guest this week on the Progressive Agency Podcast. Tim has founded three agencies, successfully selling two. Today, he helps digital agencies generate more revenue, more profit, and more happiness. Tim shares his forecasting and planning tips that help agency owners hire better and scale their business.

Financial Errors

Tim finds that there are three large financial errors that digital agency owners make in their businesses. The first is relying solely on contractors rather than hiring employees. The second is assuming that their clients will never fire them. The final major mistake that many agency owners make is not treating themselves as a reasonable business expense. During our conversation, Tim explains these financial errors in detail – and how to avoid them.

Capacity Planning

The ability to plan and forecast in your agency is critical for long-term success and scalability. Throughout our conversation, Tim discusses the importance of planning and forecasting in several ways. One of the most pertinent is through capacity-planning. He explains that capacity-planning gives you the ability to make informed hiring decisions, as well as provide more accurate quotes. He shares how tracking hours aids in capacity-planning, and why employees should not view it as a weapon. Listen to the episode to learn more:

How to Connect with Tim Kilroy:

• Website: TimKilroy.com
• https://timkilroy.com/agency-growth-consulting/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/timkilroy
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/timkilroy/
• Twitter: https://twitter.com/timkilroy

About Tim Kilroy:

"I help digital agencies (and digital agency owners) generate more revenue, more profit & more happiness without working a million hours, being 'sales-y' or doing anything else gross," Tim says of his business strategy.

Tim has worked with over 100 agencies to help them solve problems ranging from "How do I get my 1st client?" to "How do we maximize our exit value?" Tim also focuses on driving dramatic growth by collaborating with agency owners and management teams. He has helped his clients do amazing things – like grow 8x in a year, or by 3x in 90 days. In addition, Tim has helped agencies create account management structures, and coached them through various situations, such as a founder moving to another opportunity.

This week on the Progressive Agency podcast, I welcome A.J. Wilcox to the show. He's managed over $150M in ad spend as the Founder of B2Linked.com, a LinkedIn Ads-specific ad agency. A.J. shares his productivity and business tips that have helped him start and scale his agency. Hear insights about:

• Why delegating is the most important thing to learn as a business owner
• How hiring an accounting firm allowed A.J. to be a better entrepreneur
• What is the tool AutoHotKey and how to use it to save time and become more productive
• Why data analysis is a crucial part of running LinkedIn ads
• What is the most complex part of running business finances
• How charging lower prices initially has helped him develop a successful business model

Proving Your Business Model

There are no other LinkedIn ad agencies managing as much spend as B2Linked. My guest this week on the Progressive Agency Podcast is A.J. Wilcox. He's managed over $150M in ad spend as the Founder of B2Linked.com, a LinkedIn Ads-specific ad agency.

A.J. shares the unconventional way he started his agency, and how it helped him prove that his business model would be successful long-term. Listen to our conversation to hear his story and agency tips.

Sharing Your Expertise

Entrepreneurs are typically self-starters, who feel at ease handling tasks on their own. My guest, A.J. Wilcox explains that he felt most comfortable taking everything on and doing it all himself. Unfortunately, that method prevents businesses from growing beyond the owner. A.J. explains that all of the knowledge and expertise he had could not be shared without expanding his team. Listen as he explains the initial difficulties of hiring employees, and when he began to see the benefit.

More than Marketing

Most marketing agencies manage ads for their clients. Most of those agencies are filled with team members who studied marketing in college, or have been self-taught through the various sources found online today. During our conversation, A.J. explains that although he works as a marketer, he would have chosen not to study marketing in school if given the chance to go back. He shares the importance of data science as an ads manager, and why it's difficult to learn data science on your own. Listen to the episode to learn more:

How to Connect with A.J. Wilcox:

• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/wilcoxaj/
• Website: B2Linked.com/podcast

About A.J. Wilcox:

AJ Wilcox is a LinkedIn Ads pro who founded B2Linked.com, a LinkedIn Ads-specific ad agency, in 2014. He's managed over $150M in spend on the platform, they're official LinkedIn partners, he's the host of the LinkedIn Ads Show podcast, and has managed 5 of the world's top 10 LinkedIn Ads accounts. He's a ginger and triathlete. He lives in Utah, has 4 adorable kids, and his company car is a wicked-fast go-kart.

This week on the Progressive Agency podcast, I welcome Lindsey Huettner to the show. After starting and selling multiple businesses, she decided to start the marketing agency that she needed as a young entrepreneur. Lindsey shares her pricing structure and operational methodology that helps her business grow and run with ease. Hear insights about:

• What limitations are found when hiring in-house employees for marketing
• What are fractional marketing agencies, and how they differ from traditional agencies
• How to set and implement a pricing structure when charging the same price for all services
• The "profit first" accounting method, and how does it help entrepreneurs begin making a profit
• How to save more time with the Entrepreneur Operating System (EOS) methodology
• What is the most confusing part of finances in relation to running an agency
• What number should you check weekly to ensure that you are being paid on time
• Why obtaining a line of credit can help you be more proactive financially

Create What You Need

After building, growing, and selling multiple businesses it becomes pretty clear what an entrepreneur really needs from a marketing agency. My guest this week on the Progressive Agency Podcast is Lindsey Huettner. Lindsey is a serial entrepreneur who decided to create the type of agency that she always needed. Lindsey shares the structure for her fractional marketing agency, and her operational tips and strategies.

Developing New Options

When it's time to prioritize your marketing efforts, most entrepreneurs find that they have two options — outsource to a traditional marketing agency or hire help to work in-house. Unfortunately, both solutions have their downsides. Traditional agencies offer help at varying prices, and if at any time your needs change, so does your price. On the other hand, in-house employees have their limitations. There will always be a capacity issue, and any time you have a project that is outside of your team's expertise, you'll find yourself outsourcing again. During our conversation, Lindsey explains how her fractional agency is an alternate solution aimed at solving the limitations within traditional agencies and in-house teams.

Becoming Proactive

Much of the stress that agency owners face is due to a lack of process, organization, and structure. During our conversation, Lindsey shares how she has implemented the Entrepreneur Operating System (EOS) to help build foundations within her business that increase efficiency and allow her to feel at ease. She also explains how following a "profit first" accounting method and securing a line of credit allow her to be proactive financially. Listen to the episode to learn more:

How to Connect with Lindsey Huettner:

• Website: www.theitcrowd.com
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/theitcrowdmarketing
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lindsey-huettner-ba095b16/
• Twitter: https://twitter.com/theitcrowdmktng?lang=en

About Lindsey Huettner:

Serial Entrepreneur, Lindsey Harrison is a seasoned veteran of starting and selling businesses. She seized her first opportunity to make it in the real world with a job in commercial real estate for a UK firm. Juggling key territories (Manhattan, Chicago, D.C.), Lindsey's initiation was a trial-by-fire sort she loved every moment of the fast-paced, jet-setting lifestyle! When she was presented with an opportunity to stay closer to the Big D, she jumped at the chance as an advertising exec with an impressive book of clientele.

Lindsey learned a tremendous amount working in the corporate world but banker's hours weren't her thing. While climbing the corporate ladder, she was also finding her wings as an entrepreneur. Her pet sitting hobby turned into a 1,200-client empire, she bought a snow-cone stand and DVD-rental machines, and while those were fun and profitable, she felt the undeniable pull of the tech world. She sold the 25,000-subscriber online deal-a-day website she created to a national brand after just 2 years. That payday allowed her to purchase Krimson & Klover, which she transitioned from one small clothing store to two buzzworthy brick-and-mortar stores and a thriving e-commerce store.

In 2014 it was time for the next chapter, Lindsey is putting her business acumen to work helping other businesses to achieve success with a fractional marketing agency, The it Crowd. The agency started small but has exploded as the word has gotten out on how different their approach is to marketing. Lindsey has been positioned as a national marketing expert and regularly gives speeches as well as radio and tv interviews based on marketing. She also gives seminars in coordination with microloan programs around the world to teach and promote business ownership to climb out of poverty.

If you've always wanted to be part of the "it crowd", consider yourself IN. Lindsey and her team are ready to jump right in and help you achieve your goals just say the word!

This week on the Progressive Agency podcast, I welcome Cris Rodriguez to the show. After building a successful martial arts business, she accidentally fell into digital marketing. Now Cris shares her tips and strategies for running multiple growing businesses. Hear insights about:

• What caused Cris to look to paid digital ads as a brick and mortar business
• Why Cris chooses to have her entire team in person rather than remote
• What is the biggest financial lesson that Cris learned building a digital marketing agency
• Why martial arts champions often struggle to keep their business running
• What is the #1 strategy that Cris would recommend to new agency owners
• What three things can you implement to make the most of your time
• Why the #1 productivity hack is delegation
• How being mindful of your habits can help you manage cash flow

Accidental Agency Owner

Running multiple businesses presents unique challenges. Accidentally running multiple businesses takes skill. My guest this week on the Progressive Agency Podcast is Cris Rodriguez. After building a successful martial arts business, she accidentally fell into digital marketing and started an agency. Cris shares her greatest time-saving and productivity hacks for entrepreneurs running multiple businesses.

Speed of Implementation

In the past year, Cris has grown all of her businesses exponentially. She credits part of her success to taking advantage of her resources and finding knowledgeable mentors. She also acknowledges her rapid consumption of courses and lack of fear when it comes to simply Googling things to help hone her skills. Cris advises that the difference between a good entrepreneur and a great entrepreneur is their speed of implementation. Once you learn new skills and strategies, it's crucial that you take action and begin implementing them.

Prioritizing Cash Flow

Successfully running an agency is tough, but running multiple businesses successfully cannot be done without the ability to manage time. Cris makes every productive minute count so that she can still spend time with her family and enjoy her life. During our conversation, Cris shares how she is able to work regular 9 to 5 hours after implementing three steps to make the most of her time. She also shares her best productivity hacks for entrepreneurs. Listen to the episode to learn more:

How to Connect with Cris Rodriguez:

• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/CristinaLeeRodriguez/
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/cris-rodriguez-803bb13b/
• Twitter: https://twitter.com/midgettwister

About Cris Rodriguez:

Professor Cris Rodriguez has 27 years of Martial Arts experience and 20 years of teaching experience. She is a 1st Degree Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Black Belt, 3rd Degree TKD Black Belt, and Co-Owns Gracie PAC MMA, a BJJ & MMA School in Tampa, Florida, with her wife Stephanie.

She has been obsessed with Internet Marketing for the past 10 years and is the Founder of Grow Pro Agency, a Digital Marketing Agency for Martial Arts Academies with over 240 clients. As a Partner in Marketing with Schools, their core focus is to help school owners gain the freedom they want in their business.

She is also the Digital Marketing Consultant for the Martial Arts Industry Association and runs her own Mastermind Program called The A-Team and Business Event called 7 Figure CEO.

She earned her Elementary Education Degree from the University of South Florida which has helped her to become an expert in Children's Jiu-Jitsu Training & Development.

Cris lives in Tampa, Florida with Stephanie and their three sons Darion, Nate, & Cruz.

This week, I welcome Aalap Shah to the show. He is a CPA turned marketer and is now on his fourth successful business. Aalap shares his insights and tips on building an agency with predictable growth. Hear insights about:

• How Aalap transitioned from being a CPA to a marketer
• How a disciplined approach to goal setting aided Aalap in his fourth business
• The most common financial mistakes made in the marketing industry
• Why new agencies should operationalize their business processes and standards to build predictable business growth
• How setting expectations with clients and your team impacts success outcomes
• Why agency owners should prioritize maxing out their 401k

Making it Happen Building a business that is successful enough to exit is difficult. My guest this week on the Progressive Agency Podcast has made it happen multiple times. Aalap Shah is an entrepreneur currently on his fourth business. As a CPA turned marketer, he shares his insights and tips on building an agency with predictable growth.

Taking a Disciplined Approach

Every agency owner's goal should be to build a business that is built to sell. To ensure that your agency is made to sell, even if you're not taking on more work, you need to be organizational. During our conversation, Aalap shares his disciplined approach to goal setting and developing systems and processes to set your business up for predictable growth.

Prioritizing Cash Flow

Aalap has learned a lot during his years as an entrepreneur. The most common financial mistake he's seen agencies make – cash flow. He explains that agencies are ultimately just a cash business. The higher your growth rate, the more pressure you'll have on cash. Aalap details the importance of getting a handle on cash flow forecasting and management. Listen to the episode to learn more.

How to Connect with Aalap Shah:

• Website: https://1o8.agency/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/1o8Agency/
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/shahaalap/
• Twitter: https://twitter.com/aalapshah1

About Aalap Shah:

Aalap Shah is a Chicago-born entrepreneur, public speaker, philanthropist, and the founder of 1o8, a fresh digital marketing start-up focused on deepening brand awareness and increasing sales for amazon + e-commerce companies nationwide. Aalap and his team at 1o8 have worked with companies like Gildan, Sweet Leaf Tea, Vetnique Labs, OHi Superfood Bars, and Tio Gazpacho—just to name a few.

Aalap happily shares his personal entrepreneurial story and his passion for crafting digital strategy, creating content, navigating the ever-evolving digital marketplace, and captaining the entrepreneurs' life at events far and wide. As a registered CPA and the child of Indian immigrant entrepreneurs, business is a key part of Aalap's DNA and integral to his own personal American Dream. Aalap started his first business, a toy store, at the age of 23. Maneuvering the marketplace while building his business' brand awareness sparked a love of marketing and promotion. Aalap worked in digital marketing for years thereafter, and is now the strategic brain behind 1o8, an amazon and ecomm focused growth agency in Chicago.

He has served as a keynote speaker, workshop moderator, and panelist at engagements with the National Business Education Association, Clickz, Social Media Week, Media Post, and Bloggers Week Summit and for companies such as Sears, Northwestern University, and DePaul University.

This week, I welcome Nick Hoard to the show. Nick is a passionate entrepreneur who has spent the last 14 years helping small businesses develop and grow their brand. Nick discusses the most common agency mistakes and how to avoid them. Hear insights about:

• How Nick's agency pivoted and found a new niche during the pandemic
• The most important financial lesson of running an agency
• Why it's important to invest in your business early on (and quickly)
• The biggest mistakes that agencies are making
• Two useful strategies for new agency owners to grow their business
• What questions should you ask to successfully filter your leads to save time
• How to overcome the most confusing parts of running an agency
• Why cash flow and savings is a crucial part of successful agencies

Starting On the Right Foot

Starting a new business usually requires that you leverage your network. However, starting a marketing agency puts you in a unique position to leverage your unique skill set — digital marketing. My guest this week on the Progressive Agency Podcast is Nick Hoard. Nick shares how he leveraged his knowledge of running ads early on in his business with the help of his initial clients.

Nick is a passionate entrepreneur who has spent the last 14 years helping small businesses develop and grow their brand. As the Founder of Nick the Marketer and Urgent Care Marketing Pros, Nick is the chief visionary of Brands. He spends his time creating opportunities, identifying strategic business relationships, and developing leaders. Nick joins me to discuss how he pivoted during the pandemic, and shares advice for new agency owners.

Avoiding Financial Mistakes

The biggest mistake that new agencies make is filtering 100% of everything through their company on the client's behalf. This is a huge financial mistake. During our conversation, Nick shares how many agencies make the mistake of not disclosing how they disperse their services.

Nick describes how early on in his business, he took on the risk with a couple of accounts where he was left with their Google Ads bill because they decided not to pay the agency. Nick stresses that although you may be new in business, and really need a client, you must take the time to have proper documents and agreements signed to avoid paying the "stupid tax."

Finding Qualified Leads

Nick believes that running ads can be a huge driver for business. However, you need to have the systems and teammates in place to be able to handle the results of the ads. You have to capture those leads, and you must take the time to set up processes and people to effectively capture your leads. Don't forget that you're paying for it!

You should also put a filtering process in place for your leads. Nick explains how his agency filters through a survey. He describes some of the important questions he asks to qualify leads. Additionally, Nick shares the thank you message that unqualified leads receive after completing the survey. This process saves time and money that could have been wasted on unnecessary phone calls.

How to Connect with Nick Hoard:

• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/marketmenick
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nick-hoard-6454838/

About Nick Hoard

Nick is a passionate entrepreneur who has spent the last 14 years helping small businesses develop and grow their brand. Well versed in advertising, messaging, and marketing strategy, Nick has developed a winning formula of applying traditional marketing strategies to digital media platforms.

As the Founder of Nick the Marketer and Urgent Care Marketing Pros, Nick is the chief visionary of Brands. He spends his time creating opportunities, identifying strategic business relationships, and developing leaders. This has led to multiple company recognition awards, as well as being recognized as one of the fastest-growing agencies in the Southeast.

Nick and his wife, Heather, moved from Memphis, TN to Birmingham, AL in 2009. From there they grew their family and added 3 boys and a dog to the mix. Nick is currently in the passionate throes of Aviation as he pursues his pilot's license. When not building a business or flying, you can generally find them at the swimming pool, watching the latest Netflix show, huddled around the XBOX, or in an intense nerf gun crossfire.