How to Grow an SEO Agency from $0 to 8 Figures (with Lessons from 21 SEO Experiments) - James Reynolds

Jun 14, 2025

Ask episode

Chapters

Transcript

Episode notes

E710: How do you grow an SEO agency from $0 to 8 figures? James Reynolds, founder of SEO Sherpa, shares just this - exactly how he built his agency from the ground up.

We cover: - How James scaled SEO Sherpa from a solo consulting business to an 8-figure agency with a 65-person team - The strategy behind his 21 SEO Experiments article - How to build a scalable agency without getting stuck in client work - How to get your first clients with no money and no network - Using AI to improve agency operations and client retention - How to structure your first deals and avoid common mistakes that cause client churn - The growing importance of video and modern link-building for SEO

If you run an agency, work as a freelancer, or do SEO for clients, this conversation will give you practical ideas you can use.

⭐️ James Reynolds on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/jameshreynolds/

⭐️ 21 SEO Experiments That Will Change The Way You Think About SEO (Forever) - https://seosherpa.com/seo-experiments/

⭐️ SEO Sherpa - Home - https://seosherpa.com/

💎 Compact Keywords - My SEO Course - Get paying customers through SEO - Clear step-by-step video breakdowns - SEO templates to be copied and adapted for your products and services: https://compactkeywords.com/

00:00 Introduction and Background 01:10 The Impact of SEO Experiments 03:57 Creating Linkable Assets 11:11 Starting an SEO Agency from Scratch 19:53 Building Client Relationships and Networking 26:20 Mentorship and Scaling Your Business 33:34 Perception in Public Speaking 34:23 Leveraging Speaking Engagements for Marketing 35:31 Business Landscape in Dubai Circa 2010 38:40 Challenges and Strategies in Client Management 44:42 Starting an SEO Business from Scratch 49:25 The Role of AI in Modern Agencies 55:01 Effective Client Acquisition Channels 57:47 The Impact of Short-Form Video Content 01:04:32 Advice for Aspiring SEO Professionals 01:07:46 Growing Your Presence on LinkedIn 01:09:32 Conclusion and Final Thoughts

The Edward Show. Your daily search engine optimization podcast: https://edwardsturm.com/the-edward-show/

#searchengineoptimization #consultingtips #agencytips #digitalmarketing