288. CEO Essentials, with Brad Farris

Mar 12, 2025

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Sharon Toerek sits down with Brad Farris, Principal of Anchor Advisors, for a powerful conversation on The Innovative Agency Podcast. This episode tackles a critical yet often overlooked question: What is the real role of a CEO in an agency?

Brad breaks down the key responsibilities that separate working in the business from working on it—and why that distinction is vital for growth and innovation. Packed with practical strategies, this discussion is a must-listen for agency leaders ready to elevate their leadership and scale with intention.

What you will learn in this episode:

How to strategically divide time between working on versus in your business.
The critical role of the CEO in setting agency strategy, culture, and driving major deals.
Techniques for effective resource allocation that align both CEO and owner goals.
Distinguishing between the roles of CEO and owner for agency success.
How to leverage team feedback and performance reviews to improve leadership.
Strategies to combat common bottlenecks and foster middle management growth.
The transformative impact of taking time off to enhance creative and strategic thinking.

Bio

Brad Farris is known for helping agency owners grow through the $1M—$2M barrier to become thriving $3M —$5M agencies.

For over twenty years, Brad has worked alongside agency owners to help them sharpen their focus, raise their prices, and hire better people to scale their firms.

In his work with hundreds of agency owners, he’s learned that success is driven less by what you do than who you decide to be, and the biggest hurdle to your agency’s growth is between your ears.

Resources:

Website: https://anchoradvisors.com/
LinkedIn Personal: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bradfarris/
LinkedIn Business: https://www.linkedin.com/company/anchor-advisors-ltd./
Business Growth Phase Assessment: https://anchoradvisors.com/accelerate-your-business-growth/
Self-Leadership Assessment: https://anchoradvisors.com/self-leadership-assessment/