The Agency Accelerator

What’s it like to scale an agency? And what challenges do you need to overcome? That’s the topic of today’s podcast and I am joined by someone who is extremely qualified to answer these questions!   Erik Huberman, CEO of Hawke Media and author of the brand new book, The Hawke Method. Erik went from making only $350 his first year in business to growing and selling two successful companies. Today Hawke Media is the fastest growing marketing consultancy in the US and has been valued at over $150 million with 250+ employees and offices across the world. Erik was very generous in sharing the knowledge he has gained, the mistakes he has made and some key tips for planning your agency’s growth. So grab your pen & paper, your favourite drink and let’s get on with the show. Time Stamp [02:30] Why and how Erik started Hawk Media and grew it to over 300 staff in 8 years [03:25] Why so many marketers and agencies are not great at what they do! [06:25] What were your plans for growing Hawk Media? [07:00] Hawk Media’s most painful years [08:30[ The importance of a simple business plan - use a scoreboard - don’t overcomplicate things [09:30] What are your future plans and how did Covid impact you? [16:25] Key challenges and hurdles that get in the way to agency growth [17:50] The importance of thinking of your agency as a SPORTS TEAM rather than a FAMILY [18:30] Don’t hire ahead (i.e. don't base recruitment decisions on projections rather than actuals) [19:15] Don't be the main salesmen as you grow [21:00} How do you define success? [23:45] Most successful business owners never sell their businesses (so build a self-running agency!) [24:50] The importance of work/life balance [30:35] Don’t think of the challenges your agency faces as ‘difficult’ - it's an unhealthy way to look at your business [32:29] Don’t get frustrated when your team don’t perform like you. They are not entrepreneurs! [33:28} Erik's new book: The Hawk Method [36:00] Don’t catastrophise the challenges your agency faces every day! Change your mindset from ‘problems’ to ‘challenges’ Quotations “99% of agencies and marketers have no idea what they are doing!” - Erik Huberman  “We were in our puberty stage as an agency - everything didn't quite fit! Every agency goes through this as they grow” - Erik Huberman  “Think of your agency as a sports team, not a family” - Erik Huberman  Rate, Review, & Subscribe on Apple Podcasts “I enjoy listening to The Agency Accelerator Podcast. I always learn something from every episode.” If that sounds like you, please consider rating and reviewing my show! This helps me support more people — just like you — move towards a Self-Running Agency. Scroll to the bottom, tap to rate with five stars, and select “Write a Review.” Then be sure to let me know what you loved most about the episode! Also, if you haven’t done so already, subscribe to the podcast. I’m adding a bunch of bonus episodes to the feed and, if you’re not subscribed, there’s a good chance you’ll miss out. Subscribe now! Useful links mentioned in this episode: Get your copy of The Hawk Method BookHawk Media WebsiteBuild your own self-running agencyFree resources to help you scale your agency

I’ve just come back from spending a month in South Africa. It’s something I’ve done several times before and I’m fortunate to be able to work from anywhere so this suits me really well and it allows me to escape some of the British winter! On this trip, I was reminded of how aware one is when you are on vacation because you’re in new surroundings and experiencing new things. I realise when we are out of our normal routine, we are much more present yet when we are in our usual day-to-day grind we can spend too much time thinking about the past or worrying about the future. This is really unhealthy. As Leo Tolstoy said, "There is only one time that is important - Now! It is the most important time because it is the only time when we have any power” so in today’s episode we explore more on this topic.  Time Stamp [1:01] How I manage to spend a month in South Africa every year [1:53] Why is it when we are on vacation, we are so much more present? [2:20] Use all your senses to be much more present [2:40] Why is it important to live in the present? [3:40] My story of not living in the present [4:45] The consequence of not living in the present [5:45] We are creatures of habit, so you need to work on more positive habits (such as not living in the past or future!) [6:45] Time is not real it’s just a human-made construct [7:00] My terrifying flight – an example of living every moment! [7:55] Right now is the only time that is important, because this is time we can control [8:25] How this impacts day to day agency life [8:57] How walking my dog helps me be present [9:21] What can you consciously do to be more present? Quotations “Living in the past is just a memory you can’t change. Living in the future is a story we tell ourselves.” – Rob Da Costa “The ability to be in the present moment is a major component of mental wellness” – Abraham Maslow “There is only one time that is important - Now! It is the most important time because it is the only time when we have any power" – Leo Tolstoy Rate, Review, & Subscribe on Apple Podcasts “I enjoy listening to The Agency Accelerator Podcast. I always learn something from every episode.” If that sounds like you, please consider rating and reviewing my show! This helps me support more people — just like you — move towards a Self-Running Agency. Scroll to the bottom, tap to rate with five stars, and select “Write a Review.” Then be sure to let me know what you loved most about the episode! Also, if you haven’t done so already, subscribe to the podcast. I’m adding a bunch of bonus episodes to the feed and, if you’re not subscribed, there’s a good chance you’ll miss out. Subscribe now! Useful links mentioned in this episode: My blog on my time in South Africa Free mindset guide

In a recent Self-Running Agency Group Call, I was asked how much time the owner should be investing in working on the future of their agency. I said approx 30% of the time.  Many agency owners wish they could grow their businesses but are stuck on the “client service hamster wheel of doom” servicing clients and have no time to focus on the future of their agency.  In today’s episode, I outline how you can start to change this. Time Stamp [01:35] Many agency owners are so entrenched in the day to day work - that is not a good way to run an agency! [02:05] Why so many agency owners are the bottleneck to growth? [02:05] 9 tips and ideas to start to change this [02:27] Tip 1: The importance of having a clear vision so you maintain control of the direction of your agency [03:56] Tip 2: Hire as soon as possible [05:02] Tip 3: Hire the best you can afford [05:50] Tip 4: Be a great delegator (unlike most entrepreneurs) [06:36] Tip 5: Build your brand rather than making the brand YOU [07:25] Tip 6: “Train your clients” - manage boundaries with them [08:27] Tip 7: Be less available to your clients and protect your time [10:25] Tip 8: Build a foundation for growth: put scalable systems & processes in place [12:51] Tip 9: Develop an entrepreneurial mindset from day 1 [14:43] Recap of 9 tips Quotations “Hire the best you can and don’t be scared of being challenged” - Rob Da Costa “Step off the client service hamster wheel by putting systems & processes in place” - Rob Da Costa “Develop your entrepreneurial mindset from day 1 - be willing to step out of your comfort zone” - Rob Da Costa Rate, Review, & Subscribe on Apple Podcasts “I enjoy listening to The Agency Accelerator Podcast. I always learn something from every episode.” If that sounds like you, please consider rating and reviewing my show! This helps me support more people — just like you — move towards a Self-Running Agency. Scroll to the bottom, tap to rate with five stars, and select “Write a Review.” Then be sure to let me know what you loved most about the episode! Also, if you haven’t done so already, subscribe to the podcast. I’m adding a bunch of bonus episodes to the feed and, if you’re not subscribed, there’s a good chance you’ll miss out. Subscribe now! Useful links mentioned in this episode: The Self-Running Agency Implementation GroupFree Guide: 9 steps to effective delegationLoom for screen recording

I want to start today's episode of the podcast with a bit of a rant: Why is it that many businesses think that they can do a little ad-hoc marketing and then get frustrated when they don't get enough leads or convert those leads into customers? So, in today's episode, I want to talk all about understanding and plotting your buyer’s journey and consequently being able to connect your sales & marketing functions together more effectively and generate & convert more leads. Time Stamp [0:57] This episode is sponsored by my new FREE email marketing masterclass that outlines 7 strategies to build, nurture and convert leads into loyal customers. You can save your seat here [1:41] ‘Jane’ is frustrated that her agency’s website isn’t converting more leads [2:06] The typical mistakes most agency websites make [2:55] The importance of providing value to your audience [3:35] Connecting your marketing function to your sales function [4:00] The 7 steps in the buyer’s journey [4:40] ‘Contact us’ buttons and forms on websites don’t work! [5:35] The importance of building KNOW, LIKE & TRUST before prospects will buy [6:15] Nurturing your leads with more value-added content (e.g., this podcast) [7:29] How might you change your website to support the buyer’s journey? [8:44] Plotting out your audience’s buyer’s journey – esp. steps 2,3 & 4 [9:32] The importance of getting your audience to make micro-commitments [10:40] Avoid jumping into sales too quickly! Quotations “The middle of the funnel is where you do your education-based marketing.” - Rob Da Costa “This podcast is a good example of education-based marketing.” - Rob Da Costa “It’s crucial to give your audience some quick wins.” - Rob Da Costa Rate, Review, & Subscribe on Apple Podcasts “I enjoy listening to The Agency Accelerator Podcast. I always learn something from every episode.” If that sounds like you, please consider rating and reviewing my show! This helps me support more people — just like you — move towards a Self-Running Agency. Scroll to the bottom, tap to rate with five stars, and select “Write a Review.” Then be sure to let me know what you loved most about the episode! Also, if you haven’t done so already, subscribe to the podcast. I’m adding a bunch of bonus episodes to the feed and, if you’re not subscribed, there’s a good chance you’ll miss out. Subscribe now! Useful links mentioned in this episode: Enrol on my free Email Marketing Masterclass: How to Build, Nurture & Convert an Engaged Email List ​Rob Da Costa’s YouTube Channel Get in touch with Rob at robert@dacostacoaching.co.uk 

In this episode of the podcast we are exploring the differences between rural and city-based agencies as well as regional differences generally across the UK. We dig into the WOW Company’s new regional Bench Press Reports with Rory Spence. Time Stamp [01:06] The advantages and disadvantages of city v rural agency and differences regionally [02:01] The value of 3rd party market research data (i.e. The Bench Press Reports) [03:09] Interesting findings from the regional research especially the pricing league table [03:53] The UK average hourly rate for agencies is £91 but how does it differ in different regions? Some surprising results! [05:15] Gross Profit Margin analysis by region - again more surprising results [07:44] Do you think the regional differences are caused because of mindset? [09:02] Everyone can now compete with London Agencies! [10:22] What are agencies planning to do with their offices in 2022? [12:02] Lead with value to be able to charge higher fees (and compete with London agency pricing) [14:11] Are agencies planning to recruit remotely? [16:08] 83% want to keep their office yet 78% will recruit remotely! [18:04] How do you embed culture with remote workforces? [22:36] Rory shares his views on using freelance staff v in-house employees [23:43] The impact of IR35 [25:15] External support to hiring people on your team [27:49] What advice would you give yourself, just starting out in the agency world? Quotations “The average GP Margin for a UK agency is 44%” - Rory Spence, The WOW Company“It doesn't matter where you are based anymore. Everyone is working remotely serving clients all over the world.” - Rob Da Costa“73% of agencies are planning to keep an office” - Rory Spence, The WOW Company Rate, Review, & Subscribe on Apple Podcasts “I enjoy listening to The Agency Accelerator Podcast. I always learn something from every episode.” If that sounds like you, please consider rating and reviewing my show! This helps me support more people — just like you — move towards a Self-Running Agency. Scroll to the bottom, tap to rate with five stars, and select “Write a Review.” Then be sure to let me know what you loved most about the episode! Also, if you haven’t done so already, subscribe to the podcast. I’m adding a bunch of bonus episodes to the feed and, if you’re not subscribed, there’s a good chance you’ll miss out. Subscribe now! Useful links mentioned in this episode: Listen to Rory’s take on pricing in episode 102Take part in the 2022 BenchPress survey: https://www.surveymonkey.co.uk/r/QW58SHVDownload all of the previous BenchPress reports: http://wowco.uk/benchpress2021

In 2021 I moved to work a 4-day working week. Too many entrepreneurs go the other way and work a lot longer than the average 40-hour workweek, so in this episode, I want to share with you WHY I chose to move to 4-days a week and HOW I am managing to make it happen. Time Stamp [01:26] Why do so many entrepreneurs work such long working hours? But remember, we make the rules! [02:47] WHY did I decide to work a 4-day working week? [03:37] I have tried (and failed) this before, so what did I do differently this time? [04:01] A key tip is to have another project to focus on [05:43] Have clear boundaries with clients and get the right mindset [06:40] The importance of organisation (so you don’t end up working 4 x 10 hour days) [07:17] Use the 4Ds (Ditch, Delegate, Defer, Do it) to help prioritse your tasks [07:58] Keep meetings to 30 mins (which really focuses all the people in the meeting) [08:56] Learn to say NO  [09:24] Communicate effectively to your team and your clients [10:33] Give your team the tools & training to effectively work a 4-day week (without working longer hours!) [11:02] Fill your 5th day with non work related tasks [11:39] Use these 3 questions to decide if a shorter week is right for you [13:15] The benefits I have found from working a 4-day week Quotations “It’s vital you know what you are going to do on the day you are not working” - Rob Da Costa “Being super organised is vital as it knowing the things you need to let go of” - Rob Da Costa “When you say YES to something you are saying NO to something else” - Rob Da Costa Rate, Review, & Subscribe on Apple Podcasts “I enjoy listening to The Agency Accelerator Podcast. I always learn something from every episode.”  If that sounds like you, please consider rating and reviewing my show! This helps me support more people — just like you — move towards a Self-Running Agency. Scroll to the bottom, tap to rate with five stars, and select “Write a Review.” Then be sure to let me know what you loved most about the episode! Also, if you haven’t done so already, subscribe to the podcast. I’m adding a bunch of bonus episodes to the feed and, if you’re not subscribed, there’s a good chance you’ll miss out. Subscribe now! Useful links mentioned in this episode: My campervan YouTube Channel: OnTheRoadAgainMy FREE productivity GuideDa Costa Coaching YouTube Channel (please subscribe!)

In this week's episode of The Agency Accelerator Podcast, I am joined by Rory Spence from The Wow Company. If you are in the agency world, there’s no doubt you have heard of The Wow Company and particularly the BenchPress market research reports they produce. Rory started out his career in the company as an accountant, and progressed to a client manager, and currently works as an account manager. He loves helping ambitious agency owners who want to grow more profitably and sustainably. He’s helped thousands of agencies across the UK, advising them on their pricing strategy, project management, and financial processes - all focused on helping them increase their profit. In this part 1 of a 2-part special, Rory shares his top tips on how to increase your prices.   Many agencies think it is difficult to increase their prices (especially in a pandemic) so Rory shares his advice as well as what he is seeing across the industry. So grab a pen and get ready to take notes in the action-packed episode. Time Stamp [1:04] How the pandemic has affected agencies: Rory’s overview [3:27] Should we increase pricing every year? [5:18] The best time of the year to review your prices [5:33] Rory’s tip on how to avoid losing current clients when you increase your prices [7:00] 3 possible outcomes from increasing prices [9:21] Pricing is a confidence game [10:34] Value-based pricing: what is it? [13:04] Value-based pricing vs time & materials [14:54] How to implement value pricing as an agency owner [17:04] The 3-pricing-options approach: how to beat your competitors [21:44] The importance of anchoring prices [23:01] Rory’s view on tracking time within your agency [24:36] How to measure efficiency and capacity of your team  [25:40] How to track your gross profit correctly [27:01] Target margins: what you should aim for [28:32] The importance of having a clear niche [29:28] Rory’s number one tip on pricing Quotations “87% of agencies still use a fixed-fee pricing model... 60% of agencies still use time and materials.” - Rory Spence“If you're just selling time for money, it's gonna be tough. It's gonna be really difficult for you.” - Rory Spence“When we talk about selling time and materials, we’re selling inputs and outputs. When we're selling using a value-based approach, we're selling outcomes and impacts, and that's what the clients are buying.” - Rob Da Costa“Pricing is an art, not a science.” - Rory Spence Rate, Review, & Subscribe on Apple Podcasts “I enjoy listening to The Agency Accelerator Podcast. I always learn something from every episode.” If that sounds like you, please consider rating and reviewing my show! This helps me support more people — just like you — move towards a Self-Running Agency. Scroll to the bottom, tap to rate with five stars, and select “Write a Review.” Then be sure to let me know what you loved most about the episode! Also, if you haven’t done so already, subscribe to the podcast. I’m adding a bunch of bonus episodes to the feed and, if you’re not subscribed, there’s a good chance you’ll miss out. Subscribe now! Useful links mentioned in this episode: Rory Spence - Book a consultation with Rory HEREDownload the 2021 BenchPress reports by The Wow CompanyIf you prefer watching, check out this episode on my YouTube ChannelDownload a FREE value pricing guideGet in touch with Rob at robert@dacostacoaching.co.uk

We are all time poor and need to use our time as wisely as possible. So in today’s episode of The Agency Accelerator Podcast, I’m going to share with you my favourite productivity tools, techniques and hacks to be more efficient with your time and focus on what really matters to ‘move the needle’ for your agency. These reminders are timely for me at the start of the year so I know you will find them useful! Time Stamp [1:18] Bigger picture first: start with a vision for your business and everything else will fall into place [2:22] The importance of breaking down your time into 3 categories: revenue, strategy, and admin [3:58] Plan out your day and assign time-slots to each task [5:50] Use morning and evening rituals and set your top 3 goals for the day [7:33] Stay focused with time blocking [9:09] Batch content: The ultimate productivity technique [10:15] There’s no such thing as multitasking - just multi distractions1 [11:30] So make sure you remove all the distractions [13:11] Saying YES to something means saying NO to something else [13:53] Clear out your inbox daily to start fresh the following day [15:01] Use your time wisely: qualify your prospects well [16:29] Delegate as much as you possibly can [18:34] Using the concepts of a ‘notional hourly rate’ [19:02] Use the right project management and communication tools [20:09] How my reMarkable has improved my organisation Have I missed any? I’d be curious to know what are your favourite productivity hacks?  And as ever, if you found this episode useful, please consider leaving a review. Quotations “Plan your day down to the nearest half an hour. Overestimate how long things will take, and you can make sure you're ticking every single item off by the end of the day.” - Rob Da Costa“There is no such thing as multitasking so do one task at a time and you'll be much more efficient.” - Rob Da Costa“Consider really carefully what you say YES to. Be willing to say NO more often, and that gives you the space to say YES to the things that are really important in your day.” - Rob Da Costa Rate, Review, & Subscribe on Apple Podcasts If you enjoyed today’s episode please scroll to the bottom, tap to rate (with five stars :-), and select “Write a Review.” Then be sure to let me know what you loved most about the episode! Also, if you haven’t done so already, subscribe to the podcast. Useful links mentioned in this episode: Listen to the What is your “notional hourly rate”? episodeAmazing MarvinAsanaMy reMarkableFind out more about how to improve your productivity in my YouTube ChannelDownload my productivity tools guideGet in touch with Rob at robert@dacostacoaching.co.uk

Welcome to the 100th episode of The Agency Accelerator Podcast! This is a huge milestone & I am super excited we got this far. And we have only just begun! When I started this channel 2 years ago, I promised myself that I would commit week in & week out to record episodes, and it’s amazing how far we got. For this episode, I wanted to come up with something special. During this journey over the past 2 years, I've had over 40 guests on the podcast and, at the end of our conversation, I always ask them what piece of advice they would give to their younger selves starting out their business. So I decided to collate 40 of the best answers and give you an episode full of expert & valuable advice. Enjoy the episode and don't forget you can also download this as a free book here. Time Stamp [1:01] My idea for the 100th episode [3:09] Don’t be intimidated when you go to meetings. Sally Alexander (EP4) [3:52] Focus on your niche. David Miles (EP6) [4:31] Charge what you're worth. Sophie Walton (EP8) [5:15] Be yourself & know your identity. Lee Jackson (EP10) [5:57] Commit to a niche immediately. Roland Gurney (EP12) [6:28] Focus on what you’re good at & have fun. Steve Bustin (EP15) [7:29] Be clear about the outcome & be honest with yourself. Ian Laurie (EP17) [8:28] Develop a healthy relationship with failure. Miha Matlievski (EP19) [8:44] Learn from your mistakes. Laura Evans (EP21) [9:10] Speak to someone who has done it already. Pietro Ranieri (EP23) [9:42] Invest in learning how to run a business. Susan Boles (EP25) [10:40] Believe in yourself & listen to other people who have gone before you. Jez Kay (EP27) [11:02] Be patient. Dan Englander (EP29) [11:22] Remember that people are at the core of any good business. Grant Jennings (EP31) [12:14] Don’t be too regimented in your thinking. Chico Chakravorty (EP33) [13:33] Be as informed as possible: knowledge is power. Marc Convey (EP35) [14:21] Have enough capital to get through the first 6 months. Tracey Burnett (EP37) [15:31] Get a customer first. Jim James (EP39) [15:58] Start earlier. Brad Smith (EP41) [16:42] Focus your efforts on the things that only you can do. Darryl Sparey (EP43) [17:46] Be more strategic from the start. Lindsey Pickles (EP45) [18:03] Focus on what you love & what you are good at. Remeny Armitage (EP47) [18:46] Know what sets you apart from the competition. John Ashton (EP52) [20:22] Just do it, go for it! Lucy Snell (EP54) [21:08] Good enough is good enough. Miranda Birch (EP56) [22:07] Don’t procrastinate. Steve Slotow (EP58) [23:19] A good job doesn’t always speak for itself. Don’t wait to be tapped on the shoulder. Melanie Coeshott (EP60) [24:40] Find some people that you look up to & follow them. Sam Wright (EP62) [25:23] It’s okay to say NO to things. Brent Weaver (EP64) [26:23] You can be or do absolutely anything you want. Piccia Neri (EP66) [26:41] Everything is going to be alright. Romans Ivanovs (EP68) [27:20] Say YES to things that scare you. Marcel Petitpas (EP70) [27:52] Keep up with tech & know that it’s ok to seek help from others. Michelle & Christian Ewen (EP72) [30:22] Trust your employees more. Ugis Balmaks (EP74) [31:18] Niche your business & start building your email list. David Miles (EP76) [32:08] Focus on one thing at a time. Richard Kennedy (EP78) [32:42] ‘Try fast & fail fast’. Adam O'Leary (EP82) [33:35] Go with your gut feeling. If it doesn’t work, there are always other options. Anthony Burke (EP87) [34:42] Be braver, take action. Katie Street (EP89) [35:21] Be more confident. John Horn (EP91) Useful links: I have captured all this wisdom in a free handy guide.  You can download your copy here Surround yourself with other like-minded agency Owners in The Self-Running Agency Implementation GroupContinue learning from my YouTube ChannelGet in touch with Rob at robert@dacostacoaching.co.uk

Happy New Year! It’s that time of the year when I record one of the more popular episodes of The Agency Accelerator Podcast, So in this week’s episode, I'm sharing with you the top 15 tools that have helped me run my business more efficiently, get more organised, and provide a professional image to the world. I share with you which platforms I use to host webinars, manage my marketing campaigns, my email list, organise my calendar, and more. These tools have made my life so much easier and managing my business less stressful, so I hope you will find this useful. I’m curious to know which are your favourite tools and if they made a difference in your business? Time Stamp [0:55] #1 Go paperless with reMarkable 2 [2:32] #2 Kartra: all-in-one platform [4:57] #3 WebinarJam to host your webinars [5:53] #4 EverWebinar for on-demand webinars [7:33] #5 Master your email marketing with ConvertKit [8:50] #6 Amazing Marvin will make prioritising your days easier [11:04] #7 Zoom: the go-to for remote meetings [11:29] #8 Create screen recordings with Loom [13:05] #9 Finances made simple with Xero [13:47] #10 Don’t forget to upload your receipts on Dext [14:52] #11 Google Drive: my number 1 tool for document sharing [15:54] #12 Organise your most popular links with Toby [16:58] #13 Final Cut Pro takes your video editing skills to the next level [18:19] #14 Create professional-looking documents, social media posts and graphics on Canva [19:46] #15 vidIQ to improve and track your YouTube channel performance Quotations “A good tactic when you're running live webinars is to do them several times to refine them: improve the pacing and hone the content. When you've had the webinar live for a while and it's proven to work, then you can turn it into an on-demand webinar so that people can watch it at their leisure.” - Rob Da Costa “..my goal is to plan my day and make sure by the end of the day that every single thing is crossed off.” - Rob Da Costa Rate, Review, & Subscribe on Apple Podcasts “I enjoy listening to The Agency Accelerator Podcast. I always learn something from every episode.” If that sounds like you, please consider rating and reviewing my show! This helps me support more people — just like you — move towards a Self-Running Agency. Scroll to the bottom, tap to rate with five stars, and select “Write a Review.” Then be sure to let me know what you loved most about the episode! Also, if you haven’t done so already, subscribe to the podcast. I’m adding a bunch of bonus episodes to the feed and, if you’re not subscribed, there’s a good chance you’ll miss out. Subscribe now! Useful links: You can download this episode as a guide by clicking hereIf you prefer watching rather than listening then visit my YouTube ChannelGet in touch with Rob at robert@dacostacoaching.co.uk