Agency Forward

Leah Leaves, Founder and CEO of Alderaan Operations Solutions, specializes in empowering remote digital agencies. In this engaging discussion, Leah sheds light on the common struggle of agency owners feeling trapped in day-to-day operations. She introduces the 1-3-1 framework for team decision-making and highlights the importance of clear accountability charts. Leah also shares insights on transitioning from operational tasks to focusing on strategic growth, including vital metrics to monitor for success. It's a must-listen for founders seeking liberation from burnout!

Hey everyone, today I'm joined by Thomas Stirling.Thomas is the founder of Stirling Brandworks, a creative agency specializing in bold, experiential campaigns.His “Agency Breakup Kit” campaign earned industry awards and opened doors to billion-dollar brands using a mix of humor, direct mail, and high-production video content.I wanted to have Thomas on because agency owners constantly battle cold outreach fatigue—and he’s built a campaign that actually cuts through.In this episode, we discuss:Creating ABM campaigns that get rememberedUsing humor without losing credibilityScaling creative outreach beyond word of mouthAnd more...You can learn more about Thomas on LinkedIn.-----------Lead Gen is the hardest part of running an agency.For most, it's unpredictable, it's slow, and it's usually expensive.Gia flips that.It's the all-in-one growth platform that turns your existing relationships and client work into a steady pipeline.Gia automates lead gen follow-up and content, and it's all from the work you're already doing.You can check it out and get some free bonuses at getgia.ai/dynamicagency-----------No one was asking for another community. But I've made one anyway.So what's different?The Dynamic Agency Community is designed around access rather than content.Access to peers who've done it before.Access to experts who've designed solutions.Access to resources that have been battle-tested.And right now, the price for founding members is only $97/year.Join today so your agency has immediate access to everything you need to grow.You can join at DynamicAgency.Community. -----------Hiring in the agency world is rough. Most job posting sites get you lots of applicants, but with their “easy applying” options, most of those are unqualified. And worse, they don’t understand what it’s like working at an agency.This is why I created the Agency Job Hub. You can post your positions for free to find applicants looking specifically for agency work, and we already have a growing list of candidates who’ll be notified as soon as you post.You can list your open positions for free at AgencyJobHub.com.-----------Our friends at Parakeeto have a powerful resource that dives into everything you need to know about agency profitability.This is a must-have for agency owners and operators.Get the Agency Profit Toolkit for free now!-----------Subscribe to the Agency Forward blog on Substack.We have weekly blog content with practical advice to help you advance your agency. -----------Want to level up your agency? Get the Dynamic Offers Email Mini-CourseExplore the 5 of the most common challenges agencies face in today's market.We're talking about the challenges that lead to no prospects, no recurring revenue, and nothing for people to buy from you.It's worth reading just for the ideas alone.5 emails. 5 challenges. 5 strategies to fix them.Get it at DynamicAgencyCourse.com.-----------And if you're ready for 1-on-1 help to create some mind-blowing offers for your agency, visit DynamicAgencyOS.com to schedule a free consultation. Running an agency is tough, but you don't need to go it alone. 

Just a short one this week. Thank you for all the support in 2025. We're very excited for 2026!-----------Lead Gen is the hardest part of running an agency.For most, it's unpredictable, it's slow, and it's usually expensive.Gia flips that.It's the all-in-one growth platform that turns your existing relationships and client work into a steady pipeline.Gia automates lead gen follow-up and content, and it's all from the work you're already doing.You can check it out and get some free bonuses at getgia.ai/dynamicagency-----------No one was asking for another community. But I've made one anyway.So what's different?The Dynamic Agency Community is designed around access rather than content.Access to peers who've done it before.Access to experts who've designed solutions.Access to resources that have been battle-tested.And right now, the price for founding members is only $97/year.Join today so your agency has immediate access to everything you need to grow.You can join at DynamicAgency.Community. -----------Hiring in the agency world is rough. Most job posting sites get you lots of applicants, but with their “easy applying” options, most of those are unqualified. And worse, they don’t understand what it’s like working at an agency.This is why I created the Agency Job Hub. You can post your positions for free to find applicants looking specifically for agency work, and we already have a growing list of candidates who’ll be notified as soon as you post.You can list your open positions for free at AgencyJobHub.com.-----------Our friends at Parakeeto have a powerful resource that dives into everything you need to know about agency profitability.This is a must-have for agency owners and operators.Get the Agency Profit Toolkit for free now!-----------Subscribe to the Agency Forward blog on Substack.We have weekly blog content with practical advice to help you advance your agency. -----------Want to level up your agency? Get the Dynamic Offers Email Mini-CourseExplore the 5 of the most common challenges agencies face in today's market.We're talking about the challenges that lead to no prospects, no recurring revenue, and nothing for people to buy from you.It's worth reading just for the ideas alone.5 emails. 5 challenges. 5 strategies to fix them.Get it at DynamicAgencyCourse.com.-----------And if you're ready for 1-on-1 help to create some mind-blowing offers for your agency, visit DynamicAgencyOS.com to schedule a free consultation. Running an agency is tough, but you don't need to go it alone. 

Here's a solo cast for you around the types of offers you should have/consider for your agency. Check out SnapOfferSystem.com for a worksheet to help with the first offer. Connect with me on LinkedIn if you want to chat. -----------Lead Gen is the hardest part of running an agency.For most, it's unpredictable, it's slow, and it's usually expensive.Gia flips that.It's the all-in-one growth platform that turns your existing relationships and client work into a steady pipeline.Gia automates lead gen follow-up and content, and it's all from the work you're already doing.You can check it out and get some free bonuses at getgia.ai/dynamicagency-----------No one was asking for another community. But I've made one anyway.So what's different?The Dynamic Agency Community is designed around access rather than content.Access to peers who've done it before.Access to experts who've designed solutions.Access to resources that have been battle-tested.And right now, the price for founding members is only $97/year.Join today so your agency has immediate access to everything you need to grow.You can join at DynamicAgency.Community. -----------Hiring in the agency world is rough. Most job posting sites get you lots of applicants, but with their “easy applying” options, most of those are unqualified. And worse, they don’t understand what it’s like working at an agency.This is why I created the Agency Job Hub. You can post your positions for free to find applicants looking specifically for agency work, and we already have a growing list of candidates who’ll be notified as soon as you post.You can list your open positions for free at AgencyJobHub.com.-----------Our friends at Parakeeto have a powerful resource that dives into everything you need to know about agency profitability.This is a must-have for agency owners and operators.Get the Agency Profit Toolkit for free now!-----------Subscribe to the Agency Forward blog on Substack.We have weekly blog content with practical advice to help you advance your agency. -----------Want to level up your agency? Get the Dynamic Offers Email Mini-CourseExplore the 5 of the most common challenges agencies face in today's market.We're talking about the challenges that lead to no prospects, no recurring revenue, and nothing for people to buy from you.It's worth reading just for the ideas alone.5 emails. 5 challenges. 5 strategies to fix them.Get it at DynamicAgencyCourse.com.-----------And if you're ready for 1-on-1 help to create some mind-blowing offers for your agency, visit DynamicAgencyOS.com to schedule a free consultation. Running an agency is tough, but you don't need to go it alone. 

Hey everyone, today I'm joined by Chris Marr.Chris is the founder of The Authoritative Coach and a trusted trainer for agency account management teams.He helps client-facing teams move from order takers to trusted advisors, with a focus on strategic communication, peer-level leadership, and account growth. His book, The Authoritative Coach, offers a blueprint for turning account managers into confident client leaders.I wanted to have Chris on because so many agency owners lose clients due to soft-skill gaps on their teams—and he knows exactly how to fix it.In this episode, we discuss:Moving from people pleaser to peer-level partnerThe most critical (and most missing) account management skillHow agency owners sabotage account managers without realizing itAnd more...You can learn more about Chris on LinkedIn.-----------Lead Gen is the hardest part of running an agency.For most, it's unpredictable, it's slow, and it's usually expensive.Gia flips that.It's the all-in-one growth platform that turns your existing relationships and client work into a steady pipeline.Gia automates lead gen follow-up and content, and it's all from the work you're already doing.You can check it out and get some free bonuses at getgia.ai/dynamicagency-----------No one was asking for another community. But I've made one anyway.So what's different?The Dynamic Agency Community is designed around access rather than content.Access to peers who've done it before.Access to experts who've designed solutions.Access to resources that have been battle-tested.And right now, the price for founding members is only $97/year.Join today so your agency has immediate access to everything you need to grow.You can join at DynamicAgency.Community. -----------Hiring in the agency world is rough. Most job posting sites get you lots of applicants, but with their “easy applying” options, most of those are unqualified. And worse, they don’t understand what it’s like working at an agency.This is why I created the Agency Job Hub. You can post your positions for free to find applicants looking specifically for agency work, and we already have a growing list of candidates who’ll be notified as soon as you post.You can list your open positions for free at AgencyJobHub.com.-----------Our friends at Parakeeto have a powerful resource that dives into everything you need to know about agency profitability.This is a must-have for agency owners and operators.Get the Agency Profit Toolkit for free now!-----------Subscribe to the Agency Forward blog on Substack.We have weekly blog content with practical advice to help you advance your agency. -----------Want to level up your agency? Get the Dynamic Offers Email Mini-CourseExplore the 5 of the most common challenges agencies face in today's market.We're talking about the challenges that lead to no prospects, no recurring revenue, and nothing for people to buy from you.It's worth reading just for the ideas alone.5 emails. 5 challenges. 5 strategies to fix them.Get it at DynamicAgencyCourse.com.-----------And if you're ready for 1-on-1 help to create some mind-blowing offers for your agency, visit DynamicAgencyOS.com to schedule a free consultation. Running an agency is tough, but you don't need to go it alone. 

Hey everyone, today I'm joined by Carl Smith.Carl is the founder of The Bureau, a community for digital agency leaders focused on connection, support, and operational excellence.He previously ran a successful agency with a radically autonomous model and now helps shops modernize how they lead, hire, and scale. Carl’s insights come from hundreds of deep conversations with owners navigating the post-AI, post-pandemic world.I wanted to have Carl on because most agency owners are clinging to outdated models while the industry is reshaping beneath them—and he’s seen what’s working now.In this episode, we discuss:Why agency complacency is the real threat in 2026What the “jellyfish model” teaches about scalable freedomHow AI is making clients savvier than everAnd more...You can learn more about Carl on LinkedIn.-----------Lead Gen is the hardest part of running an agency.For most, it's unpredictable, it's slow, and it's usually expensive.Gia flips that.It's the all-in-one growth platform that turns your existing relationships and client work into a steady pipeline.Gia automates lead gen follow-up and content, and it's all from the work you're already doing.You can check it out and get some free bonuses at getgia.ai/dynamicagency-----------No one was asking for another community. But I've made one anyway.So what's different?The Dynamic Agency Community is designed around access rather than content.Access to peers who've done it before.Access to experts who've designed solutions.Access to resources that have been battle-tested.And right now, the price for founding members is only $97/year.Join today so your agency has immediate access to everything you need to grow.You can join at DynamicAgency.Community. -----------Hiring in the agency world is rough. Most job posting sites get you lots of applicants, but with their “easy applying” options, most of those are unqualified. And worse, they don’t understand what it’s like working at an agency.This is why I created the Agency Job Hub. You can post your positions for free to find applicants looking specifically for agency work, and we already have a growing list of candidates who’ll be notified as soon as you post.You can list your open positions for free at AgencyJobHub.com.-----------Our friends at Parakeeto have a powerful resource that dives into everything you need to know about agency profitability.This is a must-have for agency owners and operators.Get the Agency Profit Toolkit for free now!-----------Subscribe to the Agency Forward blog on Substack.We have weekly blog content with practical advice to help you advance your agency. -----------Want to level up your agency? Get the Dynamic Offers Email Mini-CourseExplore the 5 of the most common challenges agencies face in today's market.We're talking about the challenges that lead to no prospects, no recurring revenue, and nothing for people to buy from you.It's worth reading just for the ideas alone.5 emails. 5 challenges. 5 strategies to fix them.Get it at DynamicAgencyCourse.com.-----------And if you're ready for 1-on-1 help to create some mind-blowing offers for your agency, visit DynamicAgencyOS.com to schedule a free consultation. Running an agency is tough, but you don't need to go it alone. 

Hey everyone, today I'm joined by Kurt Schmidt.Kurt is an agency consultant and the creator of the YouTube channel "Agency Unfiltered," where he shares practical insights for running better creative and digital service firms.He’s a former agency owner who now coaches teams on process, communication, and leadership, and his advice is battle-tested from years of managing clients, projects, and profit margins in the trenches.I wanted to have Kurt on because most agency chaos isn’t from bad work, it’s from bad expectation management, and he knows how to fix that. Also, he's one of those genuine people that I enjoy surrounding myself with. In this episode, we discuss:How to avoid client drama with better expectation settingWhat “good” looks like and how to align on it earlyTraining teams to hold the line without pissing off clientsAnd more...You can learn more about Kurt on LinkedIn.-----------Lead Gen is the hardest part of running an agency.For most, it's unpredictable, it's slow, and it's usually expensive.Gia flips that.It's the all-in-one growth platform that turns your existing relationships and client work into a steady pipeline.Gia automates lead gen follow-up and content, and it's all from the work you're already doing.You can check it out and get some free bonuses at getgia.ai/dynamicagency-----------No one was asking for another community. But I've made one anyway.So what's different?The Dynamic Agency Community is designed around access rather than content.Access to peers who've done it before.Access to experts who've designed solutions.Access to resources that have been battle-tested.And right now, the price for founding members is only $97/year.Join today so your agency has immediate access to everything you need to grow.You can join at DynamicAgency.Community. -----------Hiring in the agency world is rough. Most job posting sites get you lots of applicants, but with their “easy applying” options, most of those are unqualified. And worse, they don’t understand what it’s like working at an agency.This is why I created the Agency Job Hub. You can post your positions for free to find applicants looking specifically for agency work, and we already have a growing list of candidates who’ll be notified as soon as you post.You can list your open positions for free at AgencyJobHub.com.-----------Our friends at Parakeeto have a powerful resource that dives into everything you need to know about agency profitability.This is a must-have for agency owners and operators.Get the Agency Profit Toolkit for free now!-----------Subscribe to the Agency Forward blog on Substack.We have weekly blog content with practical advice to help you advance your agency. -----------Want to level up your agency? Get the Dynamic Offers Email Mini-CourseExplore the 5 of the most common challenges agencies face in today's market.We're talking about the challenges that lead to no prospects, no recurring revenue, and nothing for people to buy from you.It's worth reading just for the ideas alone.5 emails. 5 challenges. 5 strategies to fix them.Get it at DynamicAgencyCourse.com.-----------And if you're ready for 1-on-1 help to create some mind-blowing offers for your agency, visit DynamicAgencyOS.com to schedule a free consultation. Running an agency is tough, but you don't need to go it alone. 

Hey everyone, today I'm joined by Jack Porter-Smith.Jack is the founder of an award-winning international PPC agency and a values-first leader with a bold stance on team culture.Over 12 years, he built and exited an agency known for client results, team loyalty, and a no-BS internal code. He’s also one of seven founders featured in the new book Agency Exits by Ali Newton-Temperley, where he shares the hard lessons behind stepping away for health reasons.I wanted to have Jack on because too many agency owners burn out trying to scale without ever defining the kind of culture they actually want to lead. He's a great guy and has some great takes on running an agency. In this episode, we discuss:Building an agency team that would never work anywhere elseWhy strong internal values matter more than client demandsWhat most leaders get wrong about HR and team loyaltyAnd more...You can learn more about Jack on LinkedIn.-----------Lead Gen is the hardest part of running an agency.For most, it's unpredictable, it's slow, and it's usually expensive.Gia flips that.It's the all-in-one growth platform that turns your existing relationships and client work into a steady pipeline.Gia automates lead gen follow-up and content, and it's all from the work you're already doing.You can check it out and get some free bonuses at getgia.ai/dynamicagency-----------No one was asking for another community. But I've made one anyway.So what's different?The Dynamic Agency Community is designed around access rather than content.Access to peers who've done it before.Access to experts who've designed solutions.Access to resources that have been battle-tested.And right now, the price for founding members is only $97/year.Join today so your agency has immediate access to everything you need to grow.You can join at DynamicAgency.Community. -----------Hiring in the agency world is rough. Most job posting sites get you lots of applicants, but with their “easy applying” options, most of those are unqualified. And worse, they don’t understand what it’s like working at an agency.This is why I created the Agency Job Hub. You can post your positions for free to find applicants looking specifically for agency work, and we already have a growing list of candidates who’ll be notified as soon as you post.You can list your open positions for free at AgencyJobHub.com.-----------Our friends at Parakeeto have a powerful resource that dives into everything you need to know about agency profitability.This is a must-have for agency owners and operators.Get the Agency Profit Toolkit for free now!-----------Subscribe to the Agency Forward blog on Substack.We have weekly blog content with practical advice to help you advance your agency. -----------Want to level up your agency? Get the Dynamic Offers Email Mini-CourseExplore the 5 of the most common challenges agencies face in today's market.We're talking about the challenges that lead to no prospects, no recurring revenue, and nothing for people to buy from you.It's worth reading just for the ideas alone.5 emails. 5 challenges. 5 strategies to fix them.Get it at DynamicAgencyCourse.com.-----------And if you're ready for 1-on-1 help to create some mind-blowing offers for your agency, visit DynamicAgencyOS.com to schedule a free consultation. Running an agency is tough, but you don't need to go it alone. 

Hey everyone, today I'm joined by Macgill Davis.Macgill is the co-founder of Rize, an automated time tracking platform built specifically for teams.He previously worked at Twitter and now helps agencies eliminate the pain of manual time tracking with AI-powered automation and deep productivity insights. I wanted to have Macgill on because time tracking is critical for agency profitability. Your inventory is time. \Bbut most teams hate tracking it. I personally use Rize and love the functionality, as well as how he’s solving this problem head-on.In this episode, we discuss:Automating time tracking without micromanaging your teamWhy tracking non-billable time matters for profitabilityHow bad data sabotages resourcing and hiring decisionsAnd more...You can learn more about Macgill on LinkedIn or at Rize.io.-----------Lead Gen is the hardest part of running an agency.For most, it's unpredictable, it's slow, and it's usually expensive.Gia flips that.It's the all-in-one growth platform that turns your existing relationships and client work into a steady pipeline.Gia automates lead gen follow-up and content, and it's all from the work you're already doing.You can check it out and get some free bonuses at getgia.ai/dynamicagency-----------No one was asking for another community. But I've made one anyway.So what's different?The Dynamic Agency Community is designed around access rather than content.Access to peers who've done it before.Access to experts who've designed solutions.Access to resources that have been battle-tested.And right now, the price for founding members is only $97/year.Join today so your agency has immediate access to everything you need to grow.You can join at DynamicAgency.Community. -----------Hiring in the agency world is rough. Most job posting sites get you lots of applicants, but with their “easy applying” options, most of those are unqualified. And worse, they don’t understand what it’s like working at an agency.This is why I created the Agency Job Hub. You can post your positions for free to find applicants looking specifically for agency work, and we already have a growing list of candidates who’ll be notified as soon as you post.You can list your open positions for free at AgencyJobHub.com.-----------Our friends at Parakeeto have a powerful resource that dives into everything you need to know about agency profitability.This is a must-have for agency owners and operators.Get the Agency Profit Toolkit for free now!-----------Subscribe to the Agency Forward blog on Substack.We have weekly blog content with practical advice to help you advance your agency. -----------Want to level up your agency? Get the Dynamic Offers Email Mini-CourseExplore the 5 of the most common challenges agencies face in today's market.We're talking about the challenges that lead to no prospects, no recurring revenue, and nothing for people to buy from you.It's worth reading just for the ideas alone.5 emails. 5 challenges. 5 strategies to fix them.Get it at DynamicAgencyCourse.com.-----------And if you're ready for 1-on-1 help to create some mind-blowing offers for your agency, visit DynamicAgencyOS.com to schedule a free consultation. Running an agency is tough, but you don't need to go it alone. 

Hey everyone, today I'm joined by Ryan Harmon.Ryan is the founder of Metrify and the engineer behind Paraloom, a tool for measuring AI search visibility.He’s helped banks and credit unions move from zero to full AI visibility, and brings 15 years of experience in marketing and web development.  His current work helps brands understand and win in the evolving AI search landscape.I wanted to have Ryan on because AI search is disrupting how prospects find and trust agencies, and most owners aren’t prepared for the shift.In this episode, we discuss:How AI chooses what content to cite (and why rankings don’t help)What actually improves visibility in AI searchWhy long-form comparison content beats keyword stuffingAnd more...You can learn more about Ryan on LinkedIn.-----------Lead Gen is the hardest part of running an agency.For most, it's unpredictable, it's slow, and it's usually expensive.Gia flips that.It's the all-in-one growth platform that turns your existing relationships and client work into a steady pipeline.Gia automates lead gen follow-up and content, and it's all from the work you're already doing.You can check it out and get some free bonuses at getgia.ai/dynamicagency-----------No one was asking for another community. But I've made one anyway.So what's different?The Dynamic Agency Community is designed around access rather than content.Access to peers who've done it before.Access to experts who've designed solutions.Access to resources that have been battle-tested.And right now, the price for founding members is only $97/year.Join today so your agency has immediate access to everything you need to grow.You can join at DynamicAgency.Community. -----------Hiring in the agency world is rough. Most job posting sites get you lots of applicants, but with their “easy applying” options, most of those are unqualified. And worse, they don’t understand what it’s like working at an agency.This is why I created the Agency Job Hub. You can post your positions for free to find applicants looking specifically for agency work, and we already have a growing list of candidates who’ll be notified as soon as you post.You can list your open positions for free at AgencyJobHub.com.-----------Our friends at Parakeeto have a powerful resource that dives into everything you need to know about agency profitability.This is a must-have for agency owners and operators.Get the Agency Profit Toolkit for free now!-----------Subscribe to the Agency Forward blog on Substack.We have weekly blog content with practical advice to help you advance your agency. -----------Want to level up your agency? Get the Dynamic Offers Email Mini-CourseExplore the 5 of the most common challenges agencies face in today's market.We're talking about the challenges that lead to no prospects, no recurring revenue, and nothing for people to buy from you.It's worth reading just for the ideas alone.5 emails. 5 challenges. 5 strategies to fix them.Get it at DynamicAgencyCourse.com.-----------And if you're ready for 1-on-1 help to create some mind-blowing offers for your agency, visit DynamicAgencyOS.com to schedule a free consultation. Running an agency is tough, but you don't need to go it alone.