327. Cracking the ROI Code, with Sam Piliero

Dec 10, 2025

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On this episode of The Innovative Agency Podcast Sharon Toerek is joined by someone who understands the real pressures agency owners face in today's results-driven digital world. Sam Piliero, Founder of The Moonlighters, went from running entrepreneurial lemonade stands as a kid to leading a high-performing agency serving nearly 100 clients across Facebook, Google, and the ever-shifting digital advertising landscape.

Sam digs into the challenges that keep agency leaders up at night: proving tangible ROI when the metrics get murky, navigating client churn, recruiting and retaining top-tier talent, and staying ahead of AI and platform changes that seem to shift by the week.

He doesn't sugarcoat the realities of scaling an agency, and he's generous with the systems, positioning strategies, and client experience principles that have helped The Moonlighters grow while keeping results and relationships front and center. If you're looking for practical insight from someone who's in the trenches and building sustainably, this conversation will serve you well.

What you will learn in this episode:

Why agencies struggle with the "ROI conversation" and how tackling it head-on can reduce churn and build trust with clients
The challenges and benefits of building an agency model focused on performance, transparency, and client retention
How specialization and saying "no" to services is the key to growth and nearly eliminating funnel problems
How to create additional revenue streams
What the coming changes in AI and digital advertising mean for agencies and their clients right now

Bio

At 17, Sam Piliero was cold-pitching Facebook ads to local pizzerias. By his early 20s, he was working at VaynerMedia alongside Nik Sharma and leading growth strategy for brands like Supergoop and Liquid I.V. Then came the breakout moment: he joined BarkBox just as they were gearing up for aggressive growth and helped lead their advertising through a multi-year blitz that ended in a $2.5B IPO on the NYSE.

Now he's doing it on his own terms. After BarkBox, Sam launched The Moonlighters, a fully independent media buying agency purpose-built for the $1–10 million DTC brands most agencies overlook. With zero outside funding, a lean US/Canada-based team, and a YouTube channel that's become the fastest-growing Facebook Ads resource in the country, The Moonlighters has scaled to nearly 100 active clients—from wellness and beauty to CPG and creator-led brands.

Resources:

Website: https://themoonlighters.com/
LinkedIn Personal: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sampiliero/
LinkedIn Business: https://www.linkedin.com/company/themoonlighters/
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@SamPiliero