Lessons From the Operations Trenches, with Ryan McNamara

6 snips

Jan 8, 2025

Ryan McNamara, Head of Operations at Rise at Seven, shares his journey from startup founder to agency operations leader. He discusses the agency's rapid growth and the critical role of operational leadership in navigating challenges. Highlights include adapting to competition, the significance of Personal Development Plans, and balancing rigid processes with creative flexibility. McNamara also emphasizes the importance of managing team growth and mitigating churn while fostering a culture of performance and innovation.

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ANECDOTE

Ryan's Career Journey

Ryan McNamara's career began in web design/development after the 2008 recession.
He co-founded a company, later transitioned to operations at another agency, and then joined Rise at Seven.

INSIGHT

The Rise of Operations

Agencies now face increased competition and shrinking margins, demanding more attention to operations and finance.
Factors like COVID and AI accelerated this shift, raising the bar for survival in the industry.

INSIGHT

Revenue Recognition's Ripple Effect

Focusing on revenue recognition reveals underlying delivery issues and prompts deeper analysis of agency workflows.
It shifts the focus from vanity metrics to the reality of work completion and efficiency.

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Points of Interest

00:49 – 01:50 – Introduction to Ryan McNamara: Marcel introduces Ryan McNamara, Head of Operations at Rise at Seven, and highlights his impressive journey from startup founder to agency leader.
01:51 – 03:00 – Building Rise at Seven: Ryan discusses the rapid growth of Rise at Seven, their creative-first, search-driven approach, and their international presence in the UK and US.
04:21 – 05:40 – Defining Operational Leadership: Ryan explains the challenges and responsibilities of operational leadership, emphasizing the importance of understanding finance, team dynamics, and business goals.
08:11 – 09:20 – The Rise of Operations in Agencies: The growing emphasis on operations and finance as key to agency survival is discussed, with insights on how agencies are adapting to a more competitive and demanding market.
10:41 – 12:00 – Leveraging Personal Development Plans: The importance of structured PDPs (Personal Development Plans) and appraisals to help team members see their growth trajectory and contribution to the business is explored.
12:01 – 13:20 – Process vs. Flexibility: Ryan explains the balance between setting processes for consistency and allowing flexibility for creativity and innovation within teams.
13:21 – 14:50 – Managing Team Growth and Churn: The challenge of managing team growth in alignment with business needs while mitigating churn and ensuring cultural fit is unpacked.
17:21 – 18:40 – Balancing Risk and Innovation: The discussion explores how agencies can manage operational risks without stifling creativity, enabling teams to focus on outcomes while maintaining flexibility in their processes.
21:31 – 22:50 – Fostering Team Accountability: Insights are shared on creating systems where every team member understands their role in driving the business forward and how their contributions impact overall performance.
24:01 – 25:30 – The Evolving Role of Operations: The conversation shifts to how operations professionals are becoming pivotal thought leaders, connecting finance, delivery, and team dynamics in modern agencies.
25:31 – 26:50 – Challenges in Standardizing Processes: Ryan discusses the difficulty of standardizing processes in a creative environment, where flexibility is often required to deliver exceptional outcomes.
29:41 – 31:00 – Advice for Aspiring Operators: Ryan offers advice for those stepping into operational roles, encouraging them to focus on outcomes, embrace adaptability, and prioritize team empowerment.

Show Notes

Connect with Ryan
- LinkedIn
- Rise at Seven

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