AI is disrupting every industry and maybe it’s caused a shake up or 2 in your agency over the last year.  But there’s an opportunity that most agencies are likely overlooking.That’s according to today’s guest, Richard Banfield. Richard is a veteran of agency life, a self-described recovering CEO, multiple time author, now an investor and advisor.  He was the co-founder of Acceleration, which was purchased by WPP several years back.In today’s conversation with Richard, you’ll hear:How the relevancy & appropriate role of agencies has changed in recent yearsThe 2 ways agencies can help clients with AI adoptionAn analogy that will change how you view your agency’s valueResources Mentioned in this Episode:The Ultimate Guide to Capacity Planning by Teamwork.comMeet The Client by Teamwork.comConnect with Logan on LinkedInConnect with Richard on LinkedInWant to watch the video version of the podcast on YouTube?Check it out here: Agency Life Podcast on YouTubeHave a question about today's topic? Text it to us here!Want to get more content to support your agency life? Subscribe to the Agency Life newsletter, check out past episodes & find more content at teamwork.com/agencylife. This podcast is brought to you by Teamwork.com.

Scientific research shows there are common parts of your deck design and delivery that are causing your agency's pitches to fall on deaf ears.  As today’s guest, Tom Martin explains, in some cases, that’s pretty close to literally true: your potential clients aren’t even hearing the words in your pitch as you deliver it.Tom fell into business development during his early days of business development and now as the founder of Converse Digital, he helps agencies of all sizes turn conversations into new clients.In today’s episode, you’ll learn:The common mistakes you’re probably making in pitch meetings that could easily be avoidedResearched-based advice for nailing both the design & delivery of your pitch decksA pitch meeting example you can steal to wow your potential clientsResources Mentioned in this Episode:The Ultimate Guide to Capacity Planning by Teamwork.comMeet The Client by Teamwork.comHow to Create More Memorable Sales & Marketing Decks, from Converse Digital Connect with our host, Logan on LinkedInConnect with our guest, Tom on LinkedInWant to watch the video version of the podcast on YouTube?Check it out here: Agency Life Podcast on YouTubeHave a question about today's topic? Text it to us here!Want to get more content to support your agency life? Subscribe to the Agency Life newsletter, check out past episodes & find more content at teamwork.com/agencylife. This podcast is brought to you by Teamwork.com.

There’s a role in your agency that has a bigger impact on your bottom line than you realize.  Project Managers are often thought to “just” deliver client projects on time, on scope and on budget.But if you aren’t thinking bigger than that “just” mentality, you could be missing the impact of this important role on your agency’s profitability.Galen Low, Co-Founder of The Digital Project Manager, has led numerous agency teams–with time spent on everything from project management to business development to account management.  And all those experiences, and now having managed a huge community of project management professionals, has led him to see the true impact PMs can have on agency profits…and how you can maximize that impact.In today’s conversation with Galen, you’ll hear:How to increase your PMs impact on profitabilityThe 2 most important skills your PMs need to develop (& how to help them level up)How to assess PM talent in an AI-Driven worldA  strange question that might just help you identify the right PM in your next hiring processOther Resources Mentioned in Today’s Episode:The Ultimate Guide to Capacity Planning by Teamwork.comMeet The Client by Teamwork.comSubscribe to The AI-Driven MarketerConnect with Logan on LinkedInConnect with Galen on LinkedInWant to watch the video version of the podcast on YouTube?Check it out here: Agency Life Podcast on YouTubeHave a question about today's topic? Text it to us here!Want to get more content to support your agency life? Subscribe to the Agency Life newsletter, check out past episodes & find more content at teamwork.com/agencylife. This podcast is brought to you by Teamwork.com.

They increased lead conversion by 300%, they broke out of their agency’s growth slump and are now able to take on more right-fit clients for their agency.How did Sean Sweet and his team at Blend Marketing achieve all that from one year to the next?They made a hard decision that most agencies avoid.  One that you might think would limit your agencies growth and ability to win new clients.In today’s conversation, you’ll learn:The decision this agency made that helped them avoid a financial hole of nearly £500KThe 2 operations habits they used to avoid an even worse situationHow to manage team communication when times are tough in your agencyResources Mentioned in this Episode:The Ultimate Guide to Capacity Planning by Teamwork.comMeet The Client by Teamwork.comConnect with our host, Logan on LinkedInConnect with our guest, Sean on LinkedInThe Lead Magnet that Pays for Itself w/ Chris DuBois5 Steps to Better Change Management for Agencies w/ Rob SaylesWant to watch the video version of the podcast on YouTube?Check it out here: Agency Life Podcast on YouTubeHave a question about today's topic? Text it to us here!Want to get more content to support your agency life? Subscribe to the Agency Life newsletter, check out past episodes & find more content at teamwork.com/agencylife. This podcast is brought to you by Teamwork.com.

If your agency does creative work, it’s easy to think that WHAT you deliver to your clients is all that matters.But according to Guy Bauer, Founder of Umault, a B2B video ad agency, that’s only half of the client satisfaction equation.  The other half is something we neglect all the time.  In today’s conversation, you’ll learn:The hidden reason clients become unhappy, even when you’re delivering great workWhat the Domino’s Pizza Tracker can teach us about managing client projectsThe unconventional method Guy uses asynchronous video to keep client informed during ongoing projectsFor additional context: Guy’s agency, Umault, recently partnered with Teamwork.com to bring The Client (& The Client: Part Deux) to life.  If you want to see the end results of the projects Logan & Guy reference in this episode, you can watch both films, see more short-form videos & sign up to get emails directly from The Client himself right here: The Client & The Client: Part DeuxOther Resources Mentioned in Today’s Episode:Connect with Guy on LinkedInFinancial Management of A Marketing Firm (Second Edition) by David C. BakerThe Lead Magnet That Pays for Itself w/ Chris DuBois Want to watch the video version of the podcast on YouTube?Check it out here: Agency Life Podcast on YouTubeHave a question about today's topic? Text it to us here!Want to get more content to support your agency life? Subscribe to the Agency Life newsletter, check out past episodes & find more content at teamwork.com/agencylife. This podcast is brought to you by Teamwork.com.

Have you ever dealt with a client that was acting a little…client-ey?They’d demand you drop everything to meet at a moment’s notice. Maybe they’d beat you up over price all the time.  Maybe, they were the type of client whose demands just kept escalating.  If you’ve dealt with clients acting this way, you’re not alone.  In a special episode of the podcast, we celebrate the launch of the 2nd installment of The Client by sharing 7 stories from agencies leaders who’ve dealt with situations just like these and giving 3 practical ways to deal with the most client-ey of circumstances.Resources Mentioned In This Episode:Watch The Client & The Client: Part DeuxStop Selling Implementation Services (& Do This Instead) w/ Max Traylor3 Steps to Avoid Furious Clients w/ Jackie HermesConnect with today’s contributors:Mark RiggsBruce McMeekinCorey MorrisKyle DufordMike MidgleyTerri HoffmanJerry GennariaWant to watch the video version of the podcast on YouTube?Check it out here: Agency Life Podcast on YouTubeHave a question about today's topic? Text it to us here!Want to get more content to support your agency life? Subscribe to the Agency Life newsletter, check out past episodes & find more content at teamwork.com/agencylife. This podcast is brought to you by Teamwork.com.

Is your agency leaving nearly 2/3rds of your new client acquisition up to chance?If so, you’re not alone.  But it doesn’t have to be that way.According to research from WordStream, 60% of most new agency clients are coming from a channel that you can’t directly control, let alone scale.That scary stat is exactly what today’s guest is helping agencies avoid by building a portfolio of offers you can use to drive more inbound leads and create a re-usable marketing asset that pays for itself.Chris DuBois, Founder of Dynamic Agency OS, fell into agency life after his military service and after years helping grow Lean Labs, a HubSpot Diamond Partner, he’s now helping agencies attract more leads through a portfolio of offers that compel new clients to buy from your agency.In today’s conversation, you’ll learn:The 5 offers every agency should have to meet buyers at different stages of their journeyHow to create a portfolio offers while staying focused on your core serviceThe marketing asset you can create that not only drives more high intent leads, but also pays for itselfResources Mentioned in Today’s Episode:An Agency’s Guide to Measuring And Improving Billable Utilization (Ebook)Connect with Chris on LinkedInStop Selling Implementation Services (& Do This Instead) w/ Max Traylor3 Steps to Owning Your Niche in 90 Days w/ Nick Bennett50% Profit Margins Unlocked with Time-Tracking Data w/ @MarketingMaxThe State of Agency Operations Report by Teamwork.comThe Offer Landing Page Chris MentionedThe Thank You Page Chris MentionedThe Client by Teamwork.com & UmaultWant to watch the video version of the podcast on YouTube?Check it out here: Agency Life Podcast on YouTubeHave a question about today's topic? Text it to us here!Want to get more content to support your agency life? Subscribe to the Agency Life newsletter, check out past episodes & find more content at teamwork.com/agencylife. This podcast is brought to you by Teamwork.com.

Your life as an agency owner is crazy–you’re hiring (and probably firing), doing business development, meeting with clients, preparing pitch decks, trying to lead your team and a million other things.  But, did you know there are only 5 things you should be spending your time on–if you want to successfully scale or sell your agency?Jason Swenk is the Founder of Agency Mastery 360, whose system has helped over 10,000 agencies successfully scale.  Jason's had successful agency exits & is now a repeat author, plus the host of The Smart Agency Podcast.After looking under the hood of thousands of agencies, he’s recognized 2 distinct patterns: the operational metrics you need to hit if you want to sell your agency and the only 5 things you should be doing as the owner to make your agency scalable and sellable.In today’s conversation you’ll hear Jaso explain:Why most agencies aren’t charging enough (& how to successfully raise your prices)The 4 metrics he evaluates when considering to buy an agencyThose 5 things that should demand 100% of your focus as an agency ownerResources Mentioned in Today’s Episode:An Agency’s Guide to Measuring And Improving Billable Utilization (Ebook)Connect with Jason on LinkedInAccelerating Your Agency: An 8 Systems Playbook For Growing Your Agency Faster by Jason SwenkStop Selling Implementation Services (& Do This Instead) w/ Max Traylor3 Keys to Building and Agency Thats Lasts w/ Matt Heinz3 Steps to Avoid Furious Clients w/ Jackie HermesWant to watch the video version of the podcast on YouTube?Check it out here: Agency Life Podcast on YouTubeHave a question about today's topic? Text it to us here!Want to get more content to support your agency life? Subscribe to the Agency Life newsletter, check out past episodes & find more content at teamwork.com/agencylife. This podcast is brought to you by Teamwork.com.

Do you feel like something’s not working in your agency?You’ve got processes that are outdated (or just plain not documented). You’ve got tools that aren’t the right fit or you’re not getting enough out of.Even though you feel the need for change, it terrifies you.If so, you’re not alone, I was at an agency-focused conference in Denver just a few weeks back, and several agency owners I spoke with said that they knew they needed to make a change with a major software platform that helps run their agency, but they were scared to make the switch.Rob Sayles, is an ex-agency founder, a seasoned operations guru, & now veteran agency advisor.  In today’s episode, he takes some of the fear and uncertainity out of change management for agency leaders.In this conversation, you’ll hear:The 3 symptoms to look for to ensure you actually need to change a major tool or processWhat Toyota’s approach to continuous improvement can teach you about change managementThe 5 steps to make a major change in your agency without causing a revolt among your staff (& sleepless nights for yourself)Resources Mentioned in Today’s Episode:An Agency’s Guide to Measuring And Improving Billable Utilization (Ebook)Connect with Rob on LinkedInThe Client (a film by Umault)Atomic Habits by James ClearTools of Titans Tim FerrissThe Goal: A Process of Ongoing Improvement by Eliyahu M. Goldratt, Jeff Cox Want to watch the video version of the podcast on YouTube?Check it out here: Agency Life Podcast on YouTube Have a question about today's topic? Text it to us here!Want to get more content to support your agency life? Subscribe to the Agency Life newsletter, check out past episodes & find more content at teamwork.com/agencylife. This podcast is brought to you by Teamwork.com.

Agency clients often want more strategic consulting from the agencies they hire.  At the same time, many agencies feel like the services they’re delivering are often undervalued by the clients they serve.If both of these are true, then why are so many agencies caught in what Pete Caputa calls the “Tactician’s Trap” where it feels like you’re on an endless hamster wheel selling implementation services without being valued for the strategic insights you can provide to your clients.Today’s guest, Max Traylor, known as The Consultant’s Consultant, unpacks a (maybe slightly controversial) chapter from his book The Agency Survival Guide, entitled Burn Your Implementation Business to the Ground.Now, whether or not you’re whether to do that quite yet, in today’s conversation you’ll hear Max explain:His own journey from selling marketing services to productized consultingThe 1 simple tweak that lead to a 10x price increase for one consulting packageThe 3 steps to start selling strategy that you’re already capable of deliveringResources Mentioned in Today’s Episode:An Agency’s Guide to Measuring And Improving Billable Utilization (Ebook) Connect with Max on LinkedIn Agency Survival Guide: How to Productize Consulting Services by Max Traylor Max Traylor’s Consultant's Survival Guide How to Prepare Your Agency for an Acquisition w/ Karl Heasman The Business of Expertise by David C. Baker The Go-Giver by Bob burg and John David Mann Nearbound and the Rise of the Who Economy by Jared Fuller The Client (a film by Umault)Pete Caputa’s LinkedIn Post about the "Tactician Trap"Want to watch the video version of the podcast on YouTube?Check it out here: Agency Life Podcast on YouTube Have a question about today's topic? Text it to us here!Want to get more content to support your agency life? Subscribe to the Agency Life newsletter, check out past episodes & find more content at teamwork.com/agencylife. This podcast is brought to you by Teamwork.com.

He went from working 70-80 hour weeks to building a 7-figure agency with 50% profit margins while only working about 1 hour per week.Today he’s the founder of GrowthDaily.com & AgencyReviews.io & he’s known by his 45,000 followers on X as @MarketingMax, but several years ago he was an agency co-owner struggling to make the sort of money he wanted to make (and enjoy the work in the process).That’s when a timely LinkedIn post came across his feed & recommended a book that change the course of his agency–and his life–forever.In today’s conversation with @MarketingMax, you’ll learn:The book that changed the game for his agencyThe 2 core principles that he learned (& how to implement them in your agency)How he used time-tracking and project profitability data to double his agency’s growth nearly over nightResources Mentioned in Today’s Episode:An Agency’s Guide to Measuring And Improving Billable Utilization (Ebook) Follow @MarketingMax on X Subscribe to the Growth Daily Newsletter Built to Sell: Creating a Business That Can Thrive Without You by John Warrillow The Client (a film by Umault)Hiring Secrets from an 8-Figure Agency CEO w/ Eric Siu Want to watch the video version of the podcast on YouTube?Check it out here: Agency Life Podcast on YouTube Have a question about today's topic? Text it to us here!Want to get more content to support your agency life? Subscribe to the Agency Life newsletter, check out past episodes & find more content at teamwork.com/agencylife. This podcast is brought to you by Teamwork.com.

How can you leverage thought leadership to gain new followers, win new clients, keep them longer and increase referrals for your agency?Susan Baier, Founder of Audience Audit, where they help agencies create thought leadership content based on quantitative research that builds trust with potential clients, has seen thought leadership done well (with great results) and has seen it done poorly (with wasted time and money).Based on her team’s on research into the topic, in today’s conversation you’ll hear from Susan:The 3 specific elements you have to have to execute great thought leadershipWhat potential clients want (and don’t want) to see from your content effortsHow to discover your agency’s point-of-view (the foundation to your thought leadership efforts) through a process Susan calls “The Rant”Resources Mentioned in This Episode:An Agency’s Guide to Measuring And Improving Billable Utilization (Ebook)Connect with Susan on LinkedIn Achieving Managed Growth for Your Agency w/ Joe Sullivan 3 Steps to Owning Your Niche in 90 Days w/ Nick BennettA Simple Formula for Setting Your Growth Goals w/ Drew McLellan (Webinar)The Client (a film by Umault)Want to watch the video version of the podcast on YouTube?Check it out here: Agency Life Podcast on YouTube Have a question about today's topic? Text it to us here!Want to get more content to support your agency life? Subscribe to the Agency Life newsletter, check out past episodes & find more content at teamwork.com/agencylife. This podcast is brought to you by Teamwork.com.

Over 1/3 of agencies frequently struggle with overservicing clients.  You’ve likely felt the pain yourself.When projects are going well out of scope and things are taking longer than your team planned, it can have a major impact on your agency’s profitability.Alyson Caffrey, Founder & COO of Operations Agency, has identified the 5 biggest scoping mistakes across dozens of agencies that are often leading to this overservicing problem–and ultimately underperforming profit margins.  In today’s conversation, you’ll learn:What those 5 common mistakes areHow to spot & avoid them (to improve your agency’s performance & profit)A talk track for managing revision requests that’ll make your team & your clients much happier (because what is agency life without those additional client demands?)Resources Mentioned in This Episode:Connect with Alyson on LinkedIn Connect with Operations Agency on InstagramAn Agency’s Guide to Measuring And Improving Billable Utilization (Ebook)How to Avoid Unprofitable Client Work (Webinar) 3 Steps to Simplify Your Capacity Planning (Webinar)How To Drive Client Results 70% Faster w/ Kate VasylenkoThe Client (a film by Umault)Want to watch the video version of the podcast on YouTube?Check it out here: Agency Life Podcast on YouTubeHave a question about today's topic? Text it to us here!Want to get more content to support your agency life? Subscribe to the Agency Life newsletter, check out past episodes & find more content at teamwork.com/agencylife. This podcast is brought to you by Teamwork.com.

Clients who are “happy” may still leave you.  But clients who are seeing results–and seeing them fast?Now, that increases the value you deliver and decreases the chances that new clients will churn.So, how did this digital marketing agency drive client results 70% faster, increase customer satisfaction scores and start getting glowing feedback from more clients?It was all about strategy.More specifically, they did away with the old divide between their strategy and client services teams and introduced a new client-facing role solely responsible for consistently updating the client’s strategy and delivering client results.By creating this new role that now works alongside their project managers, they’ve been able to decrease the feedback loop between performance data and the strategy the agency is executing for their clients.In today’s conversation with Kate Vasylenko, CEO of 42DM, you’ll hear:Why they hired marketers with more in-house experience for this new roleThe questions they asked to find the right talent How they made this structural change to their client delivery team (so you can learn how to do the same)Resources Mentioned in This Episode:An Agency’s Guide to Measuring And Improving Billable Utilization (Ebook)Connect with Kate on LinkedInThe State of Agency Operations ReportHiring Secrets from an 8-Figure Agency CEOWant to watch the video version of the podcast on YouTube?Check it out here: Agency Life Podcast on YouTubeHave a question about today's topic? Text it to us here!Want to get more content to support your agency life? Subscribe to the Agency Life newsletter, check out past episodes & find more content at teamwork.com/agencylife. This podcast is brought to you by Teamwork.com.

Isn’t it refreshing when someone further down the path is willing to share the successes AND failures they’ve seen along the way?That’s exactly the type of conversation you’ll get from today’s episode with Eric Siu, CEO of Single Grain, Founder of Leveling Up and Co-Host of the top-ranked Marketing School Podcast.Eric’s journey has taken him from having “no idea how to run a business” at 27 to now having scaled his agency into 8-figures, all while building a media brand, authoring a book and becoming a recognizable name in SEO and modern marketing more broadly.Despite his successes, Eric does hold back from sharing his missteps along the way and (most importantly) the lessons you can take from them.For instance, you’ll hear:What roles should be contractors vs FTEs in your agencyThe CEO’s actual role in hiring during times of growthCounterintuitive ways to identify and recruit new talentIn addition to sharing his hard learned hiring secrets, Eric shares:The 2 best operating systems you can steal from to make your agency run more efficientlyWhen and where pay-for-performance pricing makes sense for most agenciesResources Mentioned in This Episode:An Agency’s Guide to Measuring And Improving Billable Utilization (Ebook)Connect with Eric on LinkedInThe Agency Owner’s Association with Eric Siu & Neil Patel  Working Backwards by Colin Bryar & Bill Carr Free Tool to Run Your L10 Meetings in EOS: Instant Agency Tools.comThe State of Agency Operations ReportNever Split thHave a question about today's topic? Text it to us here!Want to get more content to support your agency life? Subscribe to the Agency Life newsletter, check out past episodes & find more content at teamwork.com/agencylife. This podcast is brought to you by Teamwork.com.

Today he runs an agency doing $25MM in ARR with around 150 employees.  But–as the story usually goes–this success didn’t come overnight & started with much more humble beginnings.  From not getting paid by one of his first clients to gaining traction with small monthly retainers on Fiverr to now running a successful performance marketing agency for SaaS companies, Garrett Mehrguth, CEO of Directive, has learned a forecasting model that’s allowed him to scale his agency well beyond those humble beginnings.In today’s conversation, he shares:The 2 part financial forecasting model you need to grow your agencyThe common mistake agency owners make regarding executive payHow to set goals that are meaningful, yet attainable, for your teamResources Mentioned in This Episode:An Agency’s Guide to Measuring And Improving Billable Utilization (Ebook)Connect with Garrett on LinkedIn Sign Up for Garrett’s Agency Academy Course The 3 Benefits of Productizing Your Services w/ Sam Shepler 3 Steps to Owning Your Niche in 90 Days w/ Nick Bennett 5 Steps to Win More Clients with Benchmark Data w/ Chris NaultWant to watch the video version of the podcast on YouTube?Check it out here: Agency Life Podcast on YouTubeHave a question about today's topic? Text it to us here!Want to get more content to support your agency life? Subscribe to the Agency Life newsletter, check out past episodes & find more content at teamwork.com/agencylife. This podcast is brought to you by Teamwork.com.

It can be terrifying to allow your clients to “see how the sausage is made,” and this is one of the main concerns related to handling client communications within your project management or professional service automation software.While there are benefits to streamlining your client communications and inviting them into the system that runs your agency–benefits like visibility, client perception & efficiency–each of those benefits comes with some pretty intimidating risks.What if internal communication accidentally goes to a client?What if we give clients “too much visibility?In today’s conversation with Susan Fennema, CEO at Beyond the Chaos (an operations consulting firm that helps service-based businesses bring order to the chaos), she answers those questions and also shares:The 3 primary risks to client communications within the software where you manage client workHow to mitigate those risks through a few key communication strategiesTactical tips for making your team more efficient without making it harder on your clients (hint: it has to do with a few specific integrations you can leverage)Resources Mentioned in This Episode:Connect with Susan on LinkedInAn Agency’s Guide to Measuring And Improving Billable Utilization (Ebook)3 Steps to Avoid Furious Clients w/ Jackie HermesHow This Agency Reduced Churn by 50% (with AI's Help) w/ Erik HubermanHow to Talk to Your Clients about Money (Blog)Want to watch the video version of the podcast on YouTube?Check it out here: Agency Life Podcast on YouTubeHave a question about today's topic? Text it to us here!Want to get more content to support your agency life? Subscribe to the Agency Life newsletter, check out past episodes & find more content at teamwork.com/agencylife. This podcast is brought to you by Teamwork.com.

Wanna know how a 200-person agency reduced churn by 50% from one year to the next?Even though Hawke Media is one of the most successful marketing agencies in the United States and they’ve scaled to hundreds of millions in annual revenue, their journey hasn’t been without bumps in the road.At the beginning of 2022,  they saw client churn on the rise and their CEO, Erik Huberman, knew he had to adjust their strategy to address a new challenge.In today’s conversation, you’ll hear from Erik:How they created intense focus throughout the agency to reduce client churnThe role of incentive structures & systematic churn analysis in their impressive churn reductionHow they retrained their sales team to head off churn early in the client lifecycleWhat they realized was the Number 1 KPI impacting client churn (based on systematic AI analysis)Have a question about today's topic? Text it to us here!Want to get more content to support your agency life? Subscribe to the Agency Life newsletter, check out past episodes & find more content at teamwork.com/agencylife. This podcast is brought to you by Teamwork.com.

What’s one mistake you’ve made as an agency leader you’ll never forget?Several guests on this show have shared the same exact answer:  “I wish I’d invested in my own financial literacy sooner!”But, what financial metrics should you focus on the most?  Even if you answer that question—how do you (and your team) impact those financial metrics that matter most for your agency?To answer these questions, in today’s episode, you’ll hear from Ryan Watson from Upsourced Accounting, where he & the team help agencies just like yours avoid financial pitfalls & achieve financial health.  Ryan’s a former agency COO & CFO himself, so he comes with financial know-how but also real agency life experience.In today’s episode you’ll learn:The 5 Financial Metrics successful agencies get right (from Upsourced’s own analysis of agency client data)An introduction to the Hierarchy of Financial Needs (that will help you determine the right financial metric to prioritize right now)The building blocks to a successful Project Profitability Analysis (which Ryan says is the most important thing you can do to getting a handle on your agency’s gross margin)Want to watch this episode on YouTube to see the visuals?Check it out here: Agency Life Podcast on YouTubeResources Mentioned in This Episode:Connect with Ryan on LinkedInSubscribe to the Upsourced Accounting YouTube ChannelThe State of Agency Operations ReportTeamwork.com Profitability ReportingThe 4 P’s of Time-Tracking Your Team Won’t HateHave a question about today's topic? Text it to us here!Want to get more content to support your agency life? Subscribe to the Agency Life newsletter, check out past episodes & find more content at teamwork.com/agencylife. This podcast is brought to you by Teamwork.com.

Want to win more clients (and keep them longer) in 2024?Of course you do!Offering a free benchmark consultation as part of your sales process might just be the key to doing both this year.In this episode with Chris Nault, Founder and CEO of Growth, he breaks down the process and results from his agency's 5-week experiment of adding a benchmark consultation into their sales and renewal processes.In this episode, you’ll hear from Chris:When and how to invite clients into a Databox benchmark groupHow it can impact your close rates (for both new & renewal business)sThe role benchmark data can play in on-going client managementHow to leverage benchmark data to build a tight-knit community for your clients and prospectsResources Mentioned in This Episode:Connect with Chris on LinkedIn5 Reasons Your Firm Should Offer a Free Benchmark ConsultationThe State of Agency Operations ReportDatabox (Free) Benchmark GroupsHow 200+ Agencies Invest in Their Own Marketing w/ Pete Caputa & Karl SakasHave a question about today's topic? Text it to us here!Want to get more content to support your agency life? Subscribe to the Agency Life newsletter, check out past episodes & find more content at teamwork.com/agencylife. This podcast is brought to you by Teamwork.com.

38% of agencies struggle with frequently overservicing clients.  Of the 500+ agencies surveyed for the 2023 State of Agency Operations Report, 44% also said that client demands have become tougher to meet.    Are you finding clients more demanding? Is overservicing happening more frequently in your agency?If so, 2024 can be different on both fronts.Ken Yarmosh, Business Coach, Fractional COO and Founder of The Remote Solopreneur, recently joined the Agency Life webinar series and laid out a clear path forward so that agency leaders like you can help your team to stop overservicing clients (for good).In today's episode you'll learn:The root causes of consistently overservicing clientsHow to stop selling widgets and start selling outcomesThe 5 steps to scale up your agency's offersWhy you need to flip the "Communication Pyramid" with clients to deliver client work without the typical headachesResources mentioned in today’s conversation:Connect with Ken on LinkedInWatch the video replay (complete with slide deck) of this conversation: How to Stop Overservicing Clients for GoodHave a question about today's topic? Text it to us here!Want to get more content to support your agency life? Subscribe to the Agency Life newsletter, check out past episodes & find more content at teamwork.com/agencylife. This podcast is brought to you by Teamwork.com.

With your business, clients and the world changing so fast around you, it can be tough to know what your growth goals should be--or how to even approach setting them in the first place.Thankfully, Drew McLellan, CEO of the Agency Management Institute (and agency vet himself), joins the podcast today to break down the numbers in a simple formula you can use to set attainable goals in any market. In today's episode you'll learn:How to determine which of the 5 phases of agency maturity you're in todayWhy you shouldn't set your goals based on top-line revenue alone (and how to use AGI instead)How to ideally split your AGI (Adjust Gross Income) between Loaded Salaries, Overhead, and ProfitResources mentioned in today’s conversation:Connect with Drew on LinkedInWatch the video replay (complete with slide deck) of this conversation: Growing Your Agency Too Fast or Not Fast EnoughHave a question about today's topic? Text it to us here!Want to get more content to support your agency life? Subscribe to the Agency Life newsletter, check out past episodes & find more content at teamwork.com/agencylife. This podcast is brought to you by Teamwork.com.

Whether you're looking at 2024 with aggressive growth goals or simply trying to maintain your existing trajectory, one thing's for sure:It's about more than top-line revenue.No matter what your agency's size, maximizing your profitability is a key part of thriving (or even just surviving in 2024).That's why I'm excited to share my conversation with Megan Bowen, Chief Operating Officer at Refine Labs.  Megan was the very first guest speaker on our Agency Life webinar series and this conversation was too relevant to this time of year not to share.In today's episode you'll learn:How to leverage "time studies" to uncover inefficienciesHow to stagger client onboardings to match capacity and client needsHow to adjust your pricing model as your services evolveResources mentioned in today’s conversation:Connect with Megan on LinkedInWatch the video replay (complete with slide deck) of this conversation: Mastering Agency Profitability: People, Process, and PricingHave a question about today's topic? Text it to us here!Want to get more content to support your agency life? Subscribe to the Agency Life newsletter, check out past episodes & find more content at teamwork.com/agencylife. This podcast is brought to you by Teamwork.com.

Are you sick of content about AI that just talks about how big of a game-changer it is without giving you practical tips on what to do with this technology?We were too.That's why we hosted Chris Mathieu, Chief Services Officer at New Breed, an Elite HubSpot Solutions Partner onto our Agency Life webinar series to discuss:5 specific ways they're testing & leveraging AI within their agency, and how to avoid the most. common pitfalls with AI adoption right now.We also broke down data from our recent State of Agency Operations Report that illuminated the divide in the agency community over AI.Plus, Chris answered live questions from the community about the various AI use-cases we discussed.Resources mentioned in today’s conversation:Read the full report The State of HubSpot ReportGet your copy of The State of Agency Operations Report (2023)Register for the upcoming webinar Lead to Loyalty: How to Optimize Your Client Lifecycle with HubSpot & Teamwork.comConnect with Chris on LinkedInWatch the video replay (complete with slide deck) of this conversation: AI for Agencies: Growth Tool or Threat?Have a question about today's topic? Text it to us here!Want to get more content to support your agency life? Subscribe to the Agency Life newsletter, check out past episodes & find more content at teamwork.com/agencylife. This podcast is brought to you by Teamwork.com.

What got you here won’t get you there.  You’ve probably heard that phrase before.  And it probably couldn’t feel more applicable than it does right now as we round out 2023.So, the question is: Are you going to keep doing more of the same?  Or do something different in 2024?If you’re in that latter camp, then you’re going to get some encouragement (and hopefully some useful ideas to implement) from today’s guests, Pete Caputa and Karl Sakas.You probably already know, but in case you don’t:Pete is the CEO of Databox, a business analytics platform that helps agencies provide transparent performance management to their clients.Karl is an author, speaker, consultant and the founder of Sakas & Company, a consulting firm helping agency owners work less and earn more.Their two organizations recently teamed up to survey over 200 agencies about their own marketing efforts. The survey continues to collect new responses even up to the time of this recording, and the insights have been published (ungated, I might add) in their new report, How High Performing Agencies Market Themselves.As we unpack this new report with Pete & Karl, you’ll hear:Why most agencies would fire the agency if they had themselves as a clientHow much agencies are investing in their own marketing todayWhat channels your peers are investing in (and which are yielding the highest ROI)Pete and Karl’s advice for you to change the status quo in 2024 (remember what got you here won’t get you there)Resources mentioned in today’s conversation:Read the full report How High Performing Agencies Market ThemselvesGet your copy of The State of Agency Operations Report (2023)Register for the upcoming webinar Lead to Loyalty: How to Optimize Your Client Lifecycle with HubSpot & Teamwork.comConnect with Pete on LinkedInConnect with Karl on LinkedInGet a copy of Karl's book Work Less, Earn MoreJoin the (free) Databox Benchmark GroupsHave a question about today's topic? Text it to us here!Want to get more content to support your agency life? Subscribe to the Agency Life newsletter, check out past episodes & find more content at teamwork.com/agencylife. This podcast is brought to you by Teamwork.com.

What are you concerned about as you plan ahead for 2024?How will next year be different than this year?These were among a few of the topics we discussed this week in a rare in-person recording with Peter Coppinger, Co-Founder and CEO of Teamwork.com, during his recent trip to Denver.You see, before Teamwork.com was the growing SaaS company we are today, serving agencies with a platform to run client work, Peter and his Co-Founder, Daniel Mackey, were doing client work–building a web design agency that eventually led them to start building the platform we provide to thousands of customers today.In this conversation, you'll hear:The 3 consistent stages of growth in scaling an agency.  What are they and how do you recognize which stage you’re in.The utilization benchmarks Peter recommends from his own agency experiencePeter’s take on the age old question: to niche or not to niche (especially in this economic environment)His take on whether or not you should be embracing AI as an agencyResources mentioned in today’s conversation:Download The Ultimate Guide to Scaling Your AgencyGet your copy of The State of Agency Operations Report (2023)Connect with Peter on LinkedInThe 12 biggest mistakes our web agency made — and how we fixed them Have a question about today's topic? Text it to us here!Want to get more content to support your agency life? Subscribe to the Agency Life newsletter, check out past episodes & find more content at teamwork.com/agencylife. This podcast is brought to you by Teamwork.com.

You probably heard recently on this show, from the dozens of agency owners & leaders we spoke to at INBOUND this year, that the number one place they'd invest extra budget dollars (if they magically had them tomorrow) was in marketing their own agency.This begs 2 questions:1) Why is this such a common answer? 2) What can you as an agency owner start doing to address this common need?(because an extra $10,000/mo isn't likely showing up in your mailbox tomorrow)In this week's episode, Danielle Fauteaux, with Momentum Marketing, share some tactical advice on how to answer that second question.Danielle has run her own firm, and now specifically helps other agencies implement The Momentum Framework to build a repeatable revenue generation system.In this conversation, Danielle shares:How to free up founder time for more business development & marketing effortsHow to involve your entire team in your agency's marketing with what she calls "structured volunteering"How you could use a podcast for your agency as a strategic sales tacticThe surprising persona within your team that just might make for your next great salespersonResources mentioned in today’s conversation:Get your copy of The State of Agency Operations Report (2023)Connect with Danielle on LinkedIn2023 Ad Agency New Business ReportHow To Stop Overservicing Clients For Good (Agency Life Webinar)Have a question about today's topic? Text it to us here!Want to get more content to support your agency life? Subscribe to the Agency Life newsletter, check out past episodes & find more content at teamwork.com/agencylife. This podcast is brought to you by Teamwork.com.

Are you an agency owner who could never imagine handing over your agency's sales process to someone besides yourself?Or have you tried to hand over your agency's new business development to a salesperson you hired only to have it crash and burn?If so,  advice from Lee McKnight Jr, VP of Sales at RSW/US, an outsourced business development firm built specifically for agencies may be able to help.In today’s conversation, he shares:The 4 common mistakes agency owners make when hiring a new salespersonSeveral compelling stats from their recent 2023 Ad Agency New Business ReportA 4-Part framework to make your new business development efforts more manageableResources mentioned in today’s conversation:Get your copy of The State of Agency Operations Report (2023)Connect with Lee on LinkedIn2023 Ad Agency New Business ReportAI for Agencies: Growth Tool or Threat? (Agency Life Webinar)3 Steps to Owning Your Niche in 90 Days w/ Nick BennettHow To Build A Kick-Ass Advertising AgencyHave a question about today's topic? Text it to us here!Want to get more content to support your agency life? Subscribe to the Agency Life newsletter, check out past episodes & find more content at teamwork.com/agencylife. This podcast is brought to you by Teamwork.com.

Many peers & consultants have said she's crazy for committing to this pricing model as a software development agency, but Amanda Moriuchi, CEO of AppIt Ventures, says the only crazy thing is to think any structure for your agency will be challenge free.Amanda & her team have made a name for themselves in Colorado & beyond, not only for doing great app development work for their clients, but also by committing to a pricing & delivery model of Fixed Bid project pricing when most other agencies of their type are consistently sticking with a Time & Materials approach.As we unpack the learnings from their journey at AppIt, she shares:How their choice of pricing model allows them to better manage team capacityHow it impacts both their sales close rates & service deliveryHow it's allowed them to improve the client communication training the provide to their team membersResources mentioned in today's conversation:Get your copy of The State of Agency Operations Report (2023)Connect with Amanda on LinkedIn$100M Offers: How To Make Offers So Good People Feel Stupid Saying No by Alex Hormozi$100M Leads: How to Get Strangers To Want To Buy Your Stuff by Alex HormoziHave a question about today's topic? Text it to us here!Want to get more content to support your agency life? Subscribe to the Agency Life newsletter, check out past episodes & find more content at teamwork.com/agencylife. This podcast is brought to you by Teamwork.com.

Many agency owners don't begin with the end in mind.  Did you?If you answer questions like "How much do we need to make?" with "I don't know...more!" or "When will I be able to retire?" with  "Not now!"......you're not alone.Seasoned agency owner, Karl Heasman, Founder of Greycott Consultancy has had his own successful exits and now helps other agency owners prepare for acquisition--by beginning with the end in mind.In this episode, he shares:Where to start looking for potential buyers for your agency (with a few surprising additions to the typical list)How to determine a potential timeline for an exitThe important financial metrics you should be tracking nowKarl also shares practical advice for managing conversations internally when you've decided to pursue a relationship with a "growth partner."Resources mentioned in today's conversation:Get your copy of The State of Agency Operations Report (2023)Connect with Karl on LinkedIn3 Keys to Building and Agency Thats Lasts w/ Matt HeinzThe Merger that Accelerated their Agency’s Growth w/ Bob RuffoloTraction by Gino WickmanHave a question about today's topic? Text it to us here!Want to get more content to support your agency life? Subscribe to the Agency Life newsletter, check out past episodes & find more content at teamwork.com/agencylife. This podcast is brought to you by Teamwork.com.

Many agencies--just like yours--are echoing this common refrain:Either it’s feast or famine right now.  In today's episode, Joe Sullivan shares how his agency, Gorilla 76, is experiencing a "feast" season where demand is exceeding supply.  They’re having to tell clients they can’t start working with them for several months–even if they’re ready to sign and start today.It’s a good problem to have, but one that they’ve still got to solve.  An aim for what Joe refers to as “managed growth.”For context, Joe and his co-founder, Jon, lead their team of 29 full time employees in a marketing agency focused on the industrial and manufacturing sector.In this conversation Joe shares:What they’ve been doing that’s likely lead to this increased demand for their servicesThe tools they use as a leadership team to spot issues (like growing too fast or too slow) ahead of time and proactively address them before they fester(Hint: Joe’s team are big believers in some EOS tools we also use here at Teamwork.com) Specific recommendations on how to avoid burning out your team during times of high growth, and how to manage demanding clientsResources mentioned in today's conversation:Get your copy of The State of Agency Operations Report (2023)Connect with Joe on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/gorilla76joe/3 Keys to Capacity Management w/ Amber KemmisOfficevibe (employee survey tool Joe's team uses)The Level 10 Meeting FormatInstantAgencyTools.comSecret Tradecraft of Elite Advisors by David C. BakerHave a question about today's topic? Text it to us here!Want to get more content to support your agency life? Subscribe to the Agency Life newsletter, check out past episodes & find more content at teamwork.com/agencylife. This podcast is brought to you by Teamwork.com.

Should you productize your services?Does a productized service business completely differ from the standard agency model?Can both models co-exist within the same business?These are all questions we answer in today's conversation with Sam Shepler, CEO of Testimonial Hero.  He transitioned from leading a full-service video production agency to founding a productized service business in 2018.  In this episode, Sam shares the 3 specific benefits of productizing your services--and the potential pitfalls to look out for.Sam's team has some good successes to learn from, hitting Number 342 on the Inc. 500 list in 2022 and having successfully scaled beyond $3MM in annual revenue.As he shares the lessons from their journey, we touch on:The "trinity" of benefits in productizing your servicesHow to avoid competition from AI and low-cost service providers (even with a highly repeatable service offering)Specific financial do's and don'ts to keep in mind if you're heading down this path.Resources mentioned in today's conversation:Get your copy of The State of Agency Operations Report (2023)Connect with Sam on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/samshepler/Follow Sam on X: https://twitter.com/SamShepler Sam's tweet thread we discussed: 7 things I’ve learned running a $3MM Productized AgencyThe webinar about agency profitability metrics (gross margin, net margin, etc): Growing Your Agency Too Fast or Too Slow w/ Drew McLellanHave a question about today's topic? Text it to us here!Want to get more content to support your agency life? Subscribe to the Agency Life newsletter, check out past episodes & find more content at teamwork.com/agencylife. This podcast is brought to you by Teamwork.com.

Over 500 agencies surveyed.  Agencies from around the world with different specialities: marketing, creative, web development & PR agnecies included.Agencies of all sizes, from those with less than 10 to those with more than 500 employees.The team here at Teamwork.com recently partnered with Audience Audit, a research agency who focuses on this sort of analysis for agencies themselves, to take on an extensive analysis of the state of agency operations.In The State of Agency Operations Report, you'll find insights into how you as an agency leader (and your company) benchmark against your peers in key areas:client churntime-tracking effectivenessbillable utilization ratesover-servicing clients, andyour approach to new AI toolsThis week, we brought 3 panelists onto the Agency Life monthly livestream to discuss some of the key findings in a roundtable discussion & this week you'll get a chance to listen in if you didn't get a chance to join the discussion live.Connect with each of the panelists here:Susan Baier, Founder of Audience AuditGray MacKenzie, Co-Founder of ZenPilotNicole Pereira, Founder of  CULTURISHDownload your copy of the report here:The State of Agency Operations ReportHave a question about today's topic? Text it to us here!Want to get more content to support your agency life? Subscribe to the Agency Life newsletter, check out past episodes & find more content at teamwork.com/agencylife. This podcast is brought to you by Teamwork.com.

If your agency’s become a trusted advisor to your clients, then you’re probably getting asked for recommendations and advice all the time.I can border on a feeling of frustration if you’ve faced this enough:Can you help with this?Do you know anyone you’d recommend for that?If your clients are asking about other areas where you *can’t* help, you hate to not be able to help.But…What if you could add more value to your clients AND tap into partnerships that could generate net-new clients for your agency?Sam Dunning, Co-Owner of Web Choice, an SEO, Web Design and Web Development Agency serving B2B brands, has done exactly that–quite successfully as you’ll hear from a few examples he shares in today’s episode.Sam and his team at Web Choice have intentionally built partnerships with two types of organizations that have created two new sources of pipeline for their agency:Software companies offering solutions related to their area of expertise and other agencies offering the services they don’t.In this episode, you'll learn:How to identify the right potential partners based on your niche and ICPThe two ways to engage with these partners to drive new pipeline for your agencyThree specific tactics you can use once you’ve established a new partnershipAnd, since SEO is their agency’s specialty, he also shares three specific blog collaboration plays you can run with a partner company.Connect with Sam on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/samdunning/Find his podcast here: Business Growth ShowHave a question about today's topic? Text it to us here!Want to get more content to support your agency life? Subscribe to the Agency Life newsletter, check out past episodes & find more content at teamwork.com/agencylife. This podcast is brought to you by Teamwork.com.

Where would you spend an extra $10,000 a month if you suddenly had that extra cash to invest in your agency? No strings attached--available today--where would you use that sudden infusion of capital? That's the 1st of our Fast Five questions you've likely heard us ask before on every episode of this show. Last week we had the chance to ask this same question to more than 20 agency owners and their team members while several members of the Teamwork.com team descended on Boston for INBOUND 23.In this #INBOUND23 recap episode, you'll learn:The 5 response types we got from agency leaders to this questionThe #1 response that got nearly 40% of the votesAnd, 3 things you can do if you feel the same as the majority of agency leaders that we polled in BostonYou'll also get a unique chance to hear from more than 20 agency leaders as you hear clips from them sharing candid responses on the convention center floor at INBOUND.  The full list of interviewees is listed below.Also, mentioned in this episode:Last week's episode (in case you missed it) 3 Steps to Owning Your Niche in 90 Days w/ Nick BennettThe Agency Niche Design PlaybookThank you to all the agency owners & team members who contributed to this conversation (in no particular order):Nathan ReicheKevin EnglandMike EastwoodPasha IrshadSuma EPAbhinav SahaiShana SteigerwaltJailyn GlassStefan LyntonMichael SamsonChris Carolan Selim MaaloufRob JonesNate TurnerJustine Gaignard-ParentAdam StahlTim DavidsonAmara OmoregieÃndrea PeckCameron CollinsHave a question about today's topic? Text it to us here!Want to get more content to support your agency life? Subscribe to the Agency Life newsletter, check out past episodes & find more content at teamwork.com/agencylife. This podcast is brought to you by Teamwork.com.

Do you feel the pressure of having to rely almost solely on word of mouth and referrals to continue growing your agency?If so, you're not alone.Even if you have all the systems and capabilities to grow your agency, you may not be effectively marketing your firm...and it's often for a common reason: You've become an "interchangeable agency."If you're like most marketing agencies, it's difficult for you to tell clients the problem you really solve.You struggle to get clients to see (and believe) that you're different.If that's you, you've been unknowingly positioning yourself as an interchangeable agency.The answer is to stop marketing your solutions and trying to convince buyers that you're better.  Instead, start marketing the problem (and become the default solution).In today's episode with Nick Bennett, Founder of Harness & Hone, he shares the 3 steps you can take to clearly define (and dominate) your niche.You'll hear from Nick:How to go beyond the typical niching by vertical marketHow to clearly define the problem you solveHow to develop your POV around that problemHow to deploy that POV out into the market and into the right discovery channels for your unique audience.Get access to the free, ungated resource Nick mentioned in this episode:The Agency Niche Design PlaybookConnect with Nick on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nichbennett/Have a question about today's topic? Text it to us here!Want to get more content to support your agency life? Subscribe to the Agency Life newsletter, check out past episodes & find more content at teamwork.com/agencylife. This podcast is brought to you by Teamwork.com.

Just because you're a good baker, doesn't mean you can run a successful bakery. It's the same for agency life. You may be great at content marketing, branding, website development or building custom software, but none of that means you'll be great at all the things required to run an agency that delivers those services.It also doesn't mean you'll enjoy all the necessary elements of running an agency either.Maybe you've felt this typical pain that's described in The E Myth by Michael Gerber,  must-read for every entrepreneur and agency owner.Matt Heinz, Founder & President of Heinz Marketing, has felt these realities in the nearly 15 years, he spent building and maintaining his agency, which employs about 20 people today. In this episode, Matt shares the role EOS, the Entrepreneurial Operating System, has played in helping him scale beyond himself as an individual consultant about 15 years back. You'll hear from Matt, the 3 things that have been critical to the journey of longevity for his agency:How to define a purpose for the business (that's beyond how much money you want to make)How to recognize your working genius and hire for the parts that you can't master (or don't want to)How to document your plan of action and put it into a system that's actually visible to the whole team.Connect with Matt on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mattheinz/Have a question about today's topic? Text it to us here!Want to get more content to support your agency life? Subscribe to the Agency Life newsletter, check out past episodes & find more content at teamwork.com/agencylife. This podcast is brought to you by Teamwork.com.

Do you have less in your agency's pipeline  now than you did at this point last year? If so, you're probably not alone.But, what's even better?  There's something you can do about it--something that doesn't require anything spammy or even overly salesy.You can leverage what Dev Basu calls The Dead Lead Reviver. It's a 5-step process that he & his team have leveraged to...Revive old dealsAdd more to their existing pipeline, andClose new clients that had previously told them "No."Dev's agency Powered by Search is an SEO focused digital agency for B2B SaaS companies, and he completely understands the desire not to be pushy with prospects in your agency's pipeline. At the same time he shares a very effective (yet surprisingly simple) framework in this episode, that can revive old deals in 5 easy steps.Connect with Dev on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/devbasu/?originalSubdomain=caHave a question about today's topic? Text it to us here!Want to get more content to support your agency life? Subscribe to the Agency Life newsletter, check out past episodes & find more content at teamwork.com/agencylife. This podcast is brought to you by Teamwork.com.

How can you get your team to track their time, let alone do it accurately? That's a question that we've heard so many times from agency leaders, and it's one that many struggle to answer effectively.Deb Andrews, Owner of Marketri, a successful marketing agency with nearly 20 years in business, says it all comes down to 4 P's that help you explain the WHY of time-tracking to your team.In in this conversation, we'll answer questions like: What are the 4 P's of Time-Tracking?How do they connect to one another?How can you create a culture where time-tracking is a valuable operational tool?Connect w/ Deb on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/marketridebbieandrews/ Have a question about today's topic? Text it to us here!Want to get more content to support your agency life? Subscribe to the Agency Life newsletter, check out past episodes & find more content at teamwork.com/agencylife. This podcast is brought to you by Teamwork.com.

 41% profit margins. Sounds good. Right? That's exactly what one marketing agency has been able to drive with a results-oriented workplace & corresponding compensation model. Courtney Tarrant, Owner & COO of The Ad Girls shares in today's episode that when they went away from this model for a short period,  profit margins shrank closer to typical industry norms. In this episode you'll hear from Courtney, how they structure a results-oriented workplace within their agency, how they've implemented a unique variable pay structure within this model and how to tell if this model is right for your agency.Connect w/ Courtney on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/courtneytarrant/Have a question about today's topic? Text it to us here!Want to get more content to support your agency life? Subscribe to the Agency Life newsletter, check out past episodes & find more content at teamwork.com/agencylife. This podcast is brought to you by Teamwork.com.

What happens when you’re faced with an upset client…and it’s actually your team’s fault?Kyle Duford, President and Executive Creative Director at The Brand Leader, and author of Twice Found, joins the podcast to talk about leading with grace and learning through failure. He also discusses balance in all things — how to balance challenges, healthy vs. unhealthy failure, and transparency in the face of furious clients.Connect w/ Kyle: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kyleduford/Have a question about today's topic? Text it to us here!Want to get more content to support your agency life? Subscribe to the Agency Life newsletter, check out past episodes & find more content at teamwork.com/agencylife. This podcast is brought to you by Teamwork.com.

Have you ever found yourself facing a dreaded downsize with nowhere to turn for guidance?Nicole Pereira, founder of Remotish and CULTURISH, joins the podcast to talk about the difficult decision she faced when forced to downsize her agency. She discusses the importance of communicating clearly and candidly with your team in the face of layoffs and shares where agency owners like herself can go to for support when needed.Connect w/ Nicole: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nicolepereira/Have a question about today's topic? Text it to us here!Want to get more content to support your agency life? Subscribe to the Agency Life newsletter, check out past episodes & find more content at teamwork.com/agencylife. This podcast is brought to you by Teamwork.com.

What if we told you there was a way to improve your client relationships and reduce churn before retention is even a concern?Jonathan Ewing, Director of APCO Worldwide, joins the podcast to talk about how agencies can foster positive relationships with clients and reduce churn even before the onboarding process is finished. He discusses the importance of predicting and acting on client needs, and how adjusting your services and strategies accordingly improves retention and keeps clients happy and satisfied from day one.Connect w/ Jonathan: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jonathanewing/Have a question about today's topic? Text it to us here!Want to get more content to support your agency life? Subscribe to the Agency Life newsletter, check out past episodes & find more content at teamwork.com/agencylife. This podcast is brought to you by Teamwork.com.

How can you balance your agency’s workload in a way that benefits both the productivity and health of your team?Amber Kemmis, COO of Instrumental Group and Remote Culture Advisor at CULTURISH, joins the podcast to talk about the key components of capacity management for agencies of all sizes: revenue management, time estimates, and individual capacity assessments.Drawing on her experience within multiple agencies of different sizes, she shares a unique approach to leveraging all three of these data points when analyzing your team’s capacity within the agency.Connect w/ Amber: https://www.linkedin.com/in/amberkemmis/Have a question about today's topic? Text it to us here!Want to get more content to support your agency life? Subscribe to the Agency Life newsletter, check out past episodes & find more content at teamwork.com/agencylife. This podcast is brought to you by Teamwork.com.

Have you ever had a client who asked too much of you, but you just didn’t know how to say “no?" What about a client who disrespected your team and needed to be cut loose? How do you even begin to have those tough but necessary conversations?Jackie Hermes, founder and CEO of Accelity and host of The Art of Entrepreneurship, joins the podcast to talk about parting ways with clients that just aren’t a good fit for your agency. She discusses the importance of clear lines of communication, expectations, and boundaries, as well as what to do when those boundaries are crossed.Connect w/ Jackie: https://www.linkedin.com/in/thejackiehermes/Check out The Art of Entrepreneurship: https://www.jackiehermes.com/podcastHave a question about today's topic? Text it to us here!Want to get more content to support your agency life? Subscribe to the Agency Life newsletter, check out past episodes & find more content at teamwork.com/agencylife. This podcast is brought to you by Teamwork.com.

What happens when you’re ready to hit the next stage of growth in your business, but the day-to-day management is too much for you to handle alone?Jay Owen, founder and CEO of Business Builders, joins the podcast to talk about how EOS provided the solution he needed to take his business to the next level. He discusses how his journey with the system helped him recognize his own limits, and underlines the importance of delegating the right roles to the right people for the overall health of the workplace and your employees.Connect w/ Jay: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jayowen/Have a question about today's topic? Text it to us here!Want to get more content to support your agency life? Subscribe to the Agency Life newsletter, check out past episodes & find more content at teamwork.com/agencylife. This podcast is brought to you by Teamwork.com.

When you find yourself spread thin across multiple services and client needs, it’s time to ask yourself—is niching down the right choice for your business?Mike & Gaby Grinberg, dual founders of Proofpoint Marketing, join the podcast to talk about finding their niche in the face of the pandemic and how their business has flourished in the aftermath. They discuss the importance of building a strategic narrative around your core business beliefs, and how to use that narrative to drive both growth and client connection.Connect w/ Mike: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mikegrinberg/Connect w/ Gaby: https://www.linkedin.com/in/gabriellaisrael/Have a question about today's topic? Text it to us here!Want to get more content to support your agency life? Subscribe to the Agency Life newsletter, check out past episodes & find more content at teamwork.com/agencylife. This podcast is brought to you by Teamwork.com.

How do you step away from an agency you spent years building and growing when it begins to threaten your home life? How do you restructure for the sake of a new, healthier lifestyle?Carlos Hidalgo, former CEO of ANNUITAS and now co-founder and CEO of Digital Exhaust, joins the podcast to talk about his journey with leaving agency life behind to focus on his family, and how he made his triumphant return with a new business and outlook that prioritizes his personal life goals and relationships. He discusses the truth about work/life balance and how to divorce your career and your identity enough to live the life you choose, not the life work chooses for you.Connect w/ Carlos: https://www.linkedin.com/in/carlosahidalgo/Have a question about today's topic? Text it to us here!Want to get more content to support your agency life? Subscribe to the Agency Life newsletter, check out past episodes & find more content at teamwork.com/agencylife. This podcast is brought to you by Teamwork.com.