Season 16 | Ep 189 | Unlocking Growth Through Automation with William Christensen

Can you identify repetitive tasks in your agency that can be automated, delegated, or eliminated? When done correctly, automation can help you overcome overwhelm and scale your businesses effectively. 

In this episode of The Agency Blueprint, I’m joined by William Christensen to discuss the importance of automation, delegation, and elimination in scaling creative agencies. Will is the founder of Entrepreneurs Apprentice and the co-founder of Data Automation. He is known for his automate, delegate, eliminate framework and unique 15-1-1-5 rule, which identifies key tasks to automate or delegate. He is also a Zapier-certified expert with deep expertise and workflow optimization. 

Listen in to learn the importance of niching down to create a scalable, automatable business model. You will also learn the value of mentorship programs and mastermind communities in providing guidance and accountability to overwhelmed agency owners. 

Key Questions: 

• [02:16] What are some of the biggest mistakes creatives or business owners make when trying to grow their businesses? 
• [14:59] How can creative agency owners embrace systems and structure without losing their sense of creative freedom?  
• [17:03] What strategies can help agency owners stay updated with the latest technology and automation trends?  
• [21:38] What steps should an overwhelmed agency owner take to start automating and systemizing their business?  

What You’ll Discover:  

• [00:56] How Will’s early experiences with Zapier shaped his approach to automation and business scaling.  
• [02:42] Why niching down is the first step to creating a scalable, automatable business model.  
• [05:46] The 15-1-1-5 rule, a framework for identifying tasks that should be automated, delegated, or eliminated.  
• [07:26] The adrenaline-junkie tendencies of creative entrepreneurs and how to channel that energy into scalable growth.  
• [08:55] Will’s tactical approach to handling out-of-scope projects by charging a project deposit and providing a detailed blueprint.    
• [11:46] How to evaluate whether a project aligns with your agency’s core expertise and contributes to long-term growth.  
• [13:06] Why performing a task manually five times is crucial before automating or delegating it.  
• [15:17] How creating a structured "black box" business model can provide true freedom and allow for more creative exploration.  
• [17:34] How to stay updated with the latest technology trends by following content creators and platforms.  
• [22:09] Why hiring a counterpart for sales or fulfilment is a critical first step for scaling your agency.  
• [22:59] The transformative power of mentorship and mastermind groups in providing accountability and fresh perspectives.  
• [26:22] The profound impact of community and mentorship on personal and professional growth.  
• [27:23] Why niching down and standardizing sales processes are essential before delegating sales or fulfilment roles.