Navigating Challenges in Running an Agency

Are you the bottleneck in your own agency's growth? Does the weight of every decision rest on your shoulders, leaving you overworked and your team underutilized? This guest is a successful agency owner who found himself in the industry after being laid off during the global economic crisis. He turned this setback into an opportunity and started his own business. However, as the agency expanded, he realized he was hindering progress. He had to shift away from the superhero mindset and empower his team to move forward. Tune in to learn how unexpected events can lead to new beginnings and the importance of seizing opportunities.

Irwin Hau is a successful entrepreneur running two agencies: Chromatix, an agency focused on stunning web design that drives users to engage faster; and ConversionCow, a SaaS focused on lead conversions. He shares his journey from working at top ad agencies to starting his own businesses. Despite being made redundant during the Global Financial Crisis, Irwin took the opportunity to venture out on his own in a move that ultimately shaped his success in the business world.

In this episode, we discuss:

• Unlocking agency potential by shedding the superhero mentality.

• Rethinking agency roles.

• The Lion Framework.

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Sponsors and Resources

E2M Solutions: Today's episode of the Smart Agency Masterclass is sponsored by E2M Solutions, a web design, and development agency that has provided white-label services for the past 10 years to agencies all over the world. Check out e2msolutions.com/smartagency and get 10% off for the first three months of service.

Going from Redundancy to Resilience

The global financial crisis of fifteen years ago was a pivotal moment for Irwin. Despite having worked at the top two agencies in Melbourne and loving his job, he found himself made redundant – a harsh reality that could have easily crushed his spirit. However, Irwin's philosophy was simple: life's too short to wallow in self-pity, and true character is revealed in how one picks himself up.

Instead of giving up, he seized this unexpected turn of events as an opportunity to pursue his long-harbored entrepreneurial dreams. Yet, as any business owner knows, the path to success is rarely a straight line. He faced challenges, struggled to find clients, and had to take on low-paying projects just to keep the business afloat. However, his passion for making websites fueled his resilience and he continued to push forward.

This unwavering passion fueled Irwan’s resilience, enabling him to push forward despite the obstacles. To him, true resilience isn't merely about bouncing back from failure; it's about adapting, growing, and thriving in the face of challenges. It's a mental toughness and determination to keep going, even when the road ahead seems insurmountable.

Shedding the Superhero Mentality to Unlock Agency Potential

Irwin understood at some point he was becoming the bottleneck at his agency. Everything had to go through him and the first step to solving that was learning to let go.

His initial reluctance to delegate stemmed from a fear of losing control and a belief that he was the only one who could do things the right way. However, as he reflected on his own mindset and the impact it was having on his team and his business, he recognized holding onto this mentality was hindering growth and limiting the potential of his team.

Ultimately, he was working more hours and was constantly tired. The fact that everyone came to him for everything slowed the overall process. Instead of being the central figure, he should’ve been the one bringing superstars together to build something great. The more he was tying himself to every project, the harder it was to scale. In the end, people didn’t necessarily want “Irwin’s results,” they wanted the results Irwin’s team got.

Ask yourself which “line” your agency is currently on: 1. Unfocused line 2. Emergency line 3. Table line

Whenever you find yourself in the emergency line, remember the easiest job in the world is the hardest to do by yourself. Yet, the hardest job can become the most rewarding when you have a team to support you. Trust in your team and rely on them to help you get through the emergency line(s).

Rethinking Agency Roles: Is Someone Else the Better Leader?

Once he decided to address the bottleneck situation, Irwin called his team. Following the “important and urgent matrix,” he instructed them to take care of all important and urgent tasks themselves while deciding what to delegate, delay, or eliminate from the rest.

They also conducted an exercise where mentally every member of the team, including himself, was fired. Then they wrote down who they needed and wanted on the team based on their overall goals and whether they were the right fit for the role.

This exercise can help agency owners not only assess the team but also whether they are the best suited to lead the team or if someone else could be doing a better job. Once you let go of your ego, you may find that delegating most of your workload would greatly improve the overall process so you can get to a place where your team can deliver amazing results without your involvement at any stage of the process. This way, you’ll be closer to the goal of sticking to the parts of the business you really enjoy and reducing working hours.

The Lion Framework for Being Productive Rather Than Being Busy

Most agency owners start their business to do something they’re passionate about while creating more freedom for themselves. However, they often go from being a slave to someone else to being a slave for themselves. During this year’s Elevate event, mastermind member Manish Dudharejia, Founder and CEO of E2M, spoke about the Lion framework. He drew parallels between the hunting habits of lions and the need for agency owners to emulate their balanced approach to work and rest.

It is okay to rest and space out. Don’t fill your day up with activity so you don’t feel lazy and unproductive. Whenever you’re not working you’re exercising or thinking you’ll end up burned out and never have the time to think about the things you need to think about.

Just because you’re moving doesn’t mean you’re going forward, so think about being productive rather than being busy. Being busy all day is not a guarantee that you’re actually being productive and getting things done.

Leaning on Your Agency Experience to Empathize with Your Clients

For Irwin, the biggest success in his career has been starting a business and seeing it through, despite challenges and uncertainties. Turning what was just an idea into a business didn’t happen overnight, but with dedication and perseverance, he was able to build something.

He encourages agency owners to move forward and try, even when faced with obstacles and setbacks. Success is not just about hitting financial goals or being acquired by another company, but about following through with your ideas and commitments.

Moreover, by going through the process of getting from idea to actual business agency owners are better able to understand and relate to clients who come to them for help in designing and building their businesses. This empathy allows them to provide more accurate guidance and support, based on their own experiences and lessons learned.

Do You Want to Transform Your Agency from a Liability to an Asset?

Looking to dig deeper into your agency's potential? Check out our Agency Blueprint. Designed for agency owners like you, our Agency Blueprint helps you uncover growth opportunities, tackle obstacles, and craft a customized blueprint for your agency's success.