In the first year of running an agency, we do anything to survive, in effect we are just trying to prove we can make the new business work but after that, if we don’t have a clear vision and plan, we are in danger of going around in circles - working longer hours for a much tougher boss!

There are so many reasons you need to have a clear vision, strategy and plan for your agency. But the process can get overly complex, end up not being helpful and can feel like a ‘tick box’ exercise.

Yet hands down, the biggest thing that held me back from growing my agency as fast as I wanted whilst feeling in control, was not being clear enough about where the business was headed.

It wasn’t that I had no idea what I wanted – it’s just that no one ever told me how crucial it was to have an exact destination in mind when setting out to grow your agency.

And without that vision, it can be easy to feel lost, directionless and demotivated.

Time Stamp

[01:21] Why you need to have a clear vision, strategy and plan for your agency

[02:44] The importance of having a proactive plan to drive your business forwards

[03:15] Focus on putting the infrastructure in place to create a platform for growth

[03:45] Likening your vision to a journey - what could possibly go wrong?!!

[05:20] Create a plan for your agency in the same way you would map out a journey

[05:40] Start with your longer-term vision and work backwards

[06:15] Never cast a plan in stone but instead update it on what you know today that you didn’t know yesterday

[06:58] The way to break your bigger vision down into tangible action steps

[09:00] Don’t let external factors drive the direction of your agency

[09:28] Bring your team along with you - a situation to avoid

[11:45] Ideas to keep your plan alive

Quotations

“Without having a clear vision, you can feel lost, directionless and demotivated” - Rob Da Costa

“Never cast a plan in stone but instead update it on what you know today that you didn’t know yesterday” - Rob Da Costa

“Your business vision and plan is so much more than just a finance plan” - Rob Da Costa

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Useful links mentioned in this episode:

861: Helping Others Feel Heard, Valued, and Understood through Active Listening with Heather Younger

How to Be Awesome at Your Job

The Power of Proactive Feedback

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