Navigating Entrepreneurship: From Engineer to Agency Founder

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Do you feel stuck in your agency journey? Are you trying to figure out the next step to grow? Don’t know what you don’t know but you DO know something is holding you back? These can be hard questions to figure out when you feel you have little to no support to help you identify areas of improvement and make necessary changes. This featured guest felt her agency was doing well with their defined niche, and capabilities. However, something was missing — as an owner, she felt isolated. This all changed when she joined an agency owner community where she could openly share her doubts and struggles while receiving actionable feedback and support.

This pivotal decision transformed not only how she operated her business but also accelerated her personal development as a leader. Discover her experience building a business, the defining moment when she first identified as a true entrepreneur, and the two critical pivots that marked significant milestones in her agency's growth trajectory.

Jennifer McPherson is the owner of Chickenango Marketing Solutions, a specialized marketing agency focusing on public involvement and marketing for engineering, construction, oil and gas utility clients. She shares her journey from spending 27 years in marketing roles within engineering firms to launching her own agency seven years ago.

She discusses the motivation behind her transition and the challenges of building a business from the ground up. Jennifer reflects on the moment she realized her agency had truly become a real business and why the mastermind community has meant so much in the growth and self-improvement she’s experienced in recent years.

In this episode, we’ll discuss:

• Community as the solution to agency owner isolation.

• Stop relying on project-based work.

• Finding fulfillment in the agency journey. 

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Sponsors and Resources

Wix: Today’s episode of the Smart Agency Masterclass is sponsored by Wix Studio, the all-in-one platform designed to help agencies scale without the headaches. With intuitive tools, robust native business solutions, and low maintenance, Wix Studio lets your team focus on what matters most—delivering exceptional value to your clients. Ready to take your agency to the next level? Visit wix.com/studio and discover how Wix Studio can transform your workflow, boost profits, and strengthen client relationships.

The Leap from Corporate Marketing to Agency Founder

Jennifer spent most of her career working on marketing roles within engineering firms, taking the step to venture on her own just seven years ago. Feeling a need for a change in direction, she set out to create an agency that would focus more on the engineering, construction, and oil & gas niche.

Building her business, Jennifer quickly discovered that agency ownership extended far beyond simply practicing her marketing expertise independently. It demanded she master numerous aspects of running a company and navigate countless unexpected challenges. Despite these hurdles, she didn't fully perceive her venture as a legitimate business until she began hiring employees. Suddenly, her agency was no longer just a personal side hustle but an enterprise supporting other people's livelihoods, adding a profound layer of responsibility to her role as founder.

2 Pivots That Changed the Agency’s Growth Trajectory

In the years following her agency's launch, Jennifer achieved notable success and growth. Despite her professional achievement, she felt increasingly isolated in her role as an agency owner. Without connections to peers facing similar challenges, she lacked a support network of individuals who truly understood her unique experiences. Looking back, two important shifts got her out of that place:

1. Community. Discovering Agency Mastery was a complete game changer for Jennifer. (This isn’t just a shameless plug — but if not us, then find your people!) In addition to being the support she needed, this agency owner community also completely changed the way she ran her agency. With the mastermind’s support, she went from figuring things out on her own to hiring a Chief Operating Officer, implementing efficient systems, and shifting her focus from being an operator to a true leader. The community also helped Jennifer get over the need to compare her success to others. The inherently competitive nature of the agency world often fosters unhealthy comparisons based on incomplete information about others' successes. Through her mastermind involvement, Jennifer gained insight into fellow owners' challenges, recognizing most face similar obstacles. She’s also learned that community, a laser focus, and the right systems are the only things that will help you get by during rough patches.

2. Predictable Cash Flow. Another pivotal moment was restructuring her business model to reduce dependency on project-based work. Her agency's focus on public involvement had previously meant operating on a project-by-project basis, a very difficult model to sustain since you’re always choosing a next project and not building recurring revenue. With this pivot, her agency can now focus more on growth and building a pipeline to secure recurring revenue. This way, she is finally stepping out of being in the business to working on the business and focusing on its future. She is able to see that the future of her agency is beyond just her involvement.

Finding Fulfillment in the Agency Journey

Entrepreneurs often become fixated on end goals—whether it’s selling a business, achieving financial independence, or reaching a certain level of market dominance. However, to make your business journey a truly fulfilling one, you’ll need to do more.

The journey of entrepreneurship is not just about hard work and determination. Luck and having the right team and community all play a role in what you enjoy doing and what you come to know as your agency’s success. Many agency owners may feel frustrated by the daily grind and dream of selling their agency to feel free, but come to miss team work and sense of accomplishment after selling. Recognizing that the journey involves both struggle and triumph allows entrepreneurs to appreciate their efforts and find value in the process.

In her experience, Jennifer loves the relationship building and connections as much as she loves winning. This is why she has come to define success as a journey is rich with learning opportunities, personal growth, and meaningful connections that contribute to a fulfilling entrepreneurial life.

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