Small But Mighty Agency: Win clients and build better networks for marketing and consulting agencies

What are some of the biggest fears business owners I work with having about building a team?It’s normal to have fears, it doesn’t make you less likely to have an effective team but understanding how these fears track and what’s true instead will help any business owner become a better leader and grow a more profitable business whether you have a team of one or many. In this solo episode of the Small But Mighty Agency Podcast     ▪️Discover the two ways of thinking that self-sabotage business owners from having effective teams.      ▪️Uncover how these fears track in reality and what's true instead.     ▪️Why business owners don’t know that they are micro-managing     ▪️How to have uncomfortable conversations with someone who isn’t keeping commitments      ▪️Get clear on the three-pillar foundation you need so that you don’t self-sabotage      ▪️How can a roadmap help you grow your business with a team more confidently? Show LinksAudrey Joy Kwan https://www.audreyjoykwan.com/ This episode is brought to you by the FREE TEAM GROWTH ROADMAPWhat if you didn’t spend all day, every day, in the weeds of running your business? More flexibility. More freedom. Less overwhelm. You’d scale your business with more easeGain clarity on the strategic systems and leadership actions to create a self-managing team that can support your clients and frees up your time.My free Team Growth Roadmap will give you my C.O.M.P.A.S.S method to get you out of the weeds of running your business and help you build a small but mighty team that gives you more freedom and flexibility.Unlock the C.O.M.P.A.S.S Method right hereThanks for listening to the Small But Mighty Agency Podcast, if you enjoyed this episode please leave a review on iTunes or send a screenshot on Instagram while tagging me  @audreyjoykwan

Lots of companies and corporations say they are people first but are they?Talk is easy. Alignment of business decisions to the principles and values of people first isn’t that simple. Meet Kate Strathmann; she thinks of her business as an incubator for building a company that gives her team the freedom and flexibility they need. In her bookkeeping agency and consultancy practice, Kate makes decisions in alignment with the actions and values of the cooperative economy where her goal is not to maximize profits for her gain and instead have a business created to meet the human needs of her team. On this episode of Small But Mighty Agency:       ▪️What does it mean to build a counterculture business that isn’t centered around the primary purpose of profitability for the owner or the founder(s)?        ▪️How she uses a matrix of compensation to create a system for her team to have more freedom and flexibility      ▪️How she prioritizes quality work over the amount of time spent at work and how that inspires her team for excellence      ▪️One untraditional action in her hiring process that helps her find the right fit for her culture Kate Strathmann is a multi-disciplinary business owner and a rebellious spirit. She is the owner and director of Wanderwell, a consulting and bookkeeping practice that grows thriving small businesses while investigating new models for being in business. Wanderwell integrates financial expertise with an empathic, vision-forward approach, and leads with the belief that businesses can help create a more just world that centers people, community, and the environment.Show LinksWandererwell Consulting: https://wanderwellconsulting.com/ Wanderwell Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/_wanderwell_/ Kate Strathmann LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/katestrath/This episode is brought to you by the FREE TEAM GROWTH ROADMAPWhat if you didn’t spend all day, every day, in the weeds of running your business? More flexibility. More freedom. Less overwhelm. You’d scale your business with more easeGain clarity on the strategic systems and leadership actions to create a self-managing team that can support your clients and frees up your time.My free Team Growth Roadmap will give you my C.O.M.P.A.S.S method to get you out of the weeds of running your business and help you build a small but mighty team that gives you more freedom and flexibility.Unlock the C.O.M.P.A.S.S Method right hereThanks for listening to the Small But Mighty Agency Podcast, if you enjoyed this episode please leave a review on iTunes or send a screenshot on Instagram while tagging me  @audreyjoykwan

Raising your rates?Andréa Jones is the CEO of Online Drea a social media marketing agency that brings in between $70K - $80K per month with high ticket retainers. But that wasn’t always the case.Listen to how Andréa transitioned from a $500 retainer service by leveling up her offer and then raising her retainers that now range between $2500 to $5000 per month. Join us in this episode of the Small But Mighty Agency to explore:      ▪️When is the right time to raise your rate?      ▪️How to raise your rates and communicate your new rates to legacy clients      ▪️Why losing clients isn’t a bad thing when growing a business      ▪️The marketing activities that tripled her revenue      ▪️When is the right time to create a course and membership when you have an agencyAndréa Jones has built an online business committed to empowering businesses to utilize the power of social media in a positive and impactful way, without being overwhelmed and drained by it. With over 7 years experience in the game, Andréa hosts the acclaimed podcast Savvy Social Podcast, leads a team providing done-for-you service inside of her marketing agency that was named a Top Digital Marketing Agency in 2021, and serves over 200 students in her membership Savvy Social School.Show LinksAndréa’s video on How To Organize Social Media Content using Airtable: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9fw9vCKj_DoWebsite: https://onlinedrea.com IG: https://instagram.com/onlinedreaFB: https://facebook.com/onlinedreaLinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/onlinedreaThis episode is brought to you by the FREE TEAM GROWTH ROADMAPWhat if you didn’t spend all day, every day, in the weeds of running your business? More flexibility. More freedom. Less overwhelm. You’d scale your business with more easeGain clarity on the strategic systems and leadership actions to create a self-managing team that can support your clients and frees up your time.My free Team Growth Roadmap will give you my C.O.M.P.A.S.S method to get you out of the weeds of running your business and help you build a small but mighty team that gives you more freedom and flexibility.Unlock the C.O.M.P.A.S.S Method right hereThanks for listening to the Small But Mighty Agency Podcast, if you enjoyed this episode please leave a review on iTunes or send a screenshot on Instagram while tagging me  @audreyjoykwan

When you think of having a multiple seven-figure marketing agency, you might also think to reach this revenue marker; you need to serve many clients or have a big team.Think again. Rita Barry of Rita Barry & Co. has built a digital marketing agency that serves 15 clients with a team of 7 people and makes multiple seven figures. Rita keeps things simple by focusing on one core service. In this special episode, get an inside peek at: ▪️ How offering fewer services has led to more revenue and when to let go of a service offering.▪️ What people tend to misunderstand about marketing metrics ▪️ The marketing strategy that helped her build a multiple 7 figure agency ▪️ Prioritizing client revenue over agency revenue and how that has helped transform her business▪️ Mindset challenges to building a team that supports a 7-figure agency and how to overcome it ▪️ How to hire A+ players to her team Rita Barry is the CEO of Rita Barry & Co, a digital marketing agency that focuses on metrics and helps its clients take control of their numbers so that they can transform their marketing campaigns and drive more sales. Rita revels in nerdy data collection and interpretation, connecting with business owners whose missions she loves, and creating true value and growth through marketing. She lives with her husband, kids, and Boston Terrier, Zoey in the gorgeous Canadian Rockies, where she can literally climb a mountain any time she needs to getaway.Show LinksRita Barry & Co. Website: https://ritabarry.co/Rita Barry Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ritabarryco/ Rita Barry LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ritabarry/This episode is brought to you by the FREE Strategic Connections RoundtableJoin the free Strategic Connections Roundtable where creatives, consultants and service-based business owners can meet new business connections without the awkwardness of traditional networking. It's a curated experience where the group fit is curated so that connections and conversations thrive.That means that every month, a strategic connections roundtable will bring together a group of service based business owners in similar stages of business who can benefit from knowing each other SO that you can▪️Make connections easier▪️Share what your business offers▪️Discover new resources▪️And have an opportunity to mastermind a challengeSave your free seat right hereThanks for listening to the Small But Mighty Agency Podcast. If you enjoyed this episode, please leave a review on iTunes or send a screenshot on Instagram while tagging me  @audreyjoykwan

Have you hired somebody into your business before and felt burned because it didn’t work out? Michael did, and it cost him $60,ooo. In this episode, we explore the hiring and leadership insights gained from the costly mistake and how the mistake he made 6 years ago informs his approach to  hiring and building his team today.On this episode of Small But Mighty Agency: How to avoid making $60,000 in hiring mistakes The leadership skills that are necessary for team building Creating KPI’s to help team members see how their salary and role can grow with the company The necessity of creating additional time to train people and the payoff Rebounding from losing over $250,000 in four days in the covid pandemic Michael Tighe is the co-founder and managing director of SOLID, a creative design and marketing agency that launched in 2010. Mike has a long-standing success record in agencies, before co-founding SOLID he worked at Critical Mass, and started up his first design company before co-founding SOLID. Mike is now the leader of a team of 14 with 5 full-time staff and 11 contractors. His quotable, "People think you have to be this otherworldly strong person to start a business, to build a business, and that's not true, To me, what it really means is your ability to bend and not break."Show LinksSolid Website: https://asolidsite.com/ Michael Tighe Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/miketighe/  Thanks for listening to the Small But Mighty Agency Podcast. If you enjoyed this episode, please leave a review on iTunes or send a screenshot on Instagram while tagging me  @audreyjoykwan

If you’re a service-based solopreneur bumping up against capacity, what might feel scary but necessary is to de-prioritize business-building activities like marketing and visibility for business-stabilizing activities like systems, process improvements, and building your team. If onboarding two more clients in your business with the current structure you have now creates anxiety about servicing them with excellence, it's time to look at your operations and team. Karen Seymour was a solopreneur who started her digital marketing business four years ago. Over the past four years she’s gone from wondering how to get her next client to now bumping into a capacity challenge. This year, she’s deciding to put her clients first by focusing on business-stabilizing activities like systems, processes and team to better serve her current and future clients. On this episode of Small But Mighty Agency: What’s growing her business right nowHow to know it’s time to focus on streamlining operations and team What a team can really do for your businessWhat’s working on social media this yearWhy networking is more important than ever Karen Seymour is the Founder & Social Media Strategist at Karen J Seymour - Digital Marketing, LLC in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. She started her business in 2017, after a 10-year career as a consultant and project manager.  Karen specializes in growing audiences and creating communities of loyal, raving fans and customers on Facebook, LinkedIn, and Instagram. When she’s not working, you can find Karen shopping online, brunching with friends, or spending time with her husband Geoff and 2 adorable fur babies, Roger and Eboni. Show LinksFacebook: @kjsmarketingInstagram: @kjs_marketing Email: hello@karenjseymour.comWebsite: https://www.karenjseymour.com/ This episode is brought to you by the FREE Strategic Connections RoundtableJoin the free Strategic Connections Roundtable where creatives, consultants, and service-based business owners can meet new business connections without the awkwardness of traditional networking. It's a curated experience where the group fit is curated so that connections and conversations thrive.That means that every month, a strategic connections roundtable will bring together a group of service based business owners in similar stages of business who can benefit from knowing each other SO that you canMake connections easierShare what your business offersDiscover new resourcesAnd have an opportunity to mastermind a challengeSave your free seat right hereThanks for listening to the Small But Mighty Agency Podcast. If you enjoyed this episode, please leave a review on iTunes or send a screenshot on Instagram while tagging me  @audreyjoykwan

While partnership in a business isn’t for everyone, it has its benefits. Darian Kovacs started his agency from a storage closet in the start-up days and now has a thriving agency of 80 clients. Jelly Digital Marketing and PR who serves clients like La-Z-Boy and Splash Down Waterpark went from an agency of one owner -- Darian Kovacs -- and towards his vision of an agency owned by a team by bringing in business partner, Sarah Clark. In this special episode we speak with Darian and Sarah about what makes a partnership successful and we get an inside peak of the systems and processes that make running 80+ clients possible in their business. On this episode of Small But Mighty Agency: What makes partnership in an agency successfulWhat systems and processes make running 80+ clients possibleThe Standard Operating Procedure that is working for Jelly Digital Marketing and PR to help the team prioritize their workHow Jelly Digital Marketing and PR plan and track capacity so that budget and people are balancedWhy launching their own podcast isn’t the marketing strategy most people think it isShow LinksJelly Digital Marketing and PR (https://jellymarketing.ca/)Jelly Digital Marketing and PR (https://www.instagram.com/jellymarketing/)Marketing News Canada (https://marketingnewscanada.com/) You Are Special, Max Lucado (https://www.amazon.ca/You-Are-Special-Max-Lucado/dp/1581342195)This episode is brought to you by the FREE Strategic Connections RoundtableJoin the free Strategic Connections Roundtable where creatives, consultants and service-based business owners can meet new business connections without the awkwardness of traditional networking. It's a curated experience where the group fit is curated so that connections and conversations thrive.That means that every month, a strategic connections roundtable will bring together a group of service based business owners in similar stages of business who can benefit from knowing each other SO that you canMake connections easierShare what your business offersDiscover new resourcesAnd have an opportunity to mastermind a challengeSave your free seat right hereThanks for listening to the Small But Mighty Agency Podcast, if you enjoyed this episode please leave a review on iTunes or send a screenshot on Instagram while tagging me  @audreyjoykwan

Having a full service agency was not a business that Jenn Ennis planned for when she started offering graphic design services as a freelancer back in 2014. Jenn credits a series of small pivotal moments in her journey adding up to the business she has now.In this episode we explore the small but mighty moments, including a lesson in pricing that set her up for success, and how one project can change your confidence and the trajectory of your business. Jenn is the proud wife of an actor, and mom to three boys. A graphic designer by trade, and over 15 years of working in brand development and design, Jenn founded Jennis Design Co. in 2014. JDCO is a full-service creative agency specializing in practical brand strategy and cohesive design solutions for print and digital marketing. Jenn is also the co-host of the Raising Mom Podcast.On this episode of Small But Mighty Agency: 9:58: Starting out as a boutique graphic design services and becoming a creative agency11:25: How new hires helped her expand her scope of services 12:29: Landing her first 5 figure client and how it changed the business15:19: How to price your services18:08: When increasing your prices does and doesn’t make sense21:47: Why transform a creative agency into a digital agency26:51: What does it mean to switch to a leadership mindsetShow LinksGraphic Artist Guild HandbookJDCO WebsiteJDCO Instagram This episode is brought to you by the FREE Strategic Connections RoundtableJoin the free Strategic Connections Roundtable where creatives, consultants and service-based business owners can meet new business connections without the awkwardness of traditional networking. It's a curated experience where the group fit is curated so that connections and conversations thrive.That means that every month, a strategic connections roundtable will bring together a group of service based business owners in similar stages of business who can benefit from knowing each other SO that you canMake connections easierShare what your business offersDiscover new resourcesAnd have an opportunity to mastermind a challengeSave your free seat right hereThanks for listening to the Small But Mighty Agency Podcast, if you enjoyed this episode please leave a review on iTunes or send a screenshot on Instagram while tagging me  @audreyjoykwan

Do you feel like delegation is a struggle and you have a hard time trusting the people you’ve hired, BUT you still have hope that you can build a team that doesn’t rely on you to function?When that happens, you know you will regain time freedom and bandwidth. Yes, it's possible.Tune into this episode to hear the four things that might be holding you back from having a self managing team On this episode of Small But Mighty Agency Podcast, you willRecognize the hazards of the self employment mindset trap to growing a businessGain clarity on how communicating a strategic plan helps to build a self managing team Learn what needs to come before your hiring process in order attract A+ people Hear why processes and systems are not enough to set others up for successThis week's episode of the Small But Mighty Agency Podcast is a solo episode. From time to time, I’ll be covering questions and challenges that I see my clients experience to support business owners like you to set up their teams and operations to be strategic. Show LinksWebsiteInstagram LinkedInThis episode is brought to you by the FREE Strategic Connections RoundtableJoin the free Strategic Connections Roundtable where creatives, consultants and service-based business owners can meet new business connections without the awkwardness of traditional networking. It's a curated experience where the group fit is curated so that connections and conversations thrive.That means that every month, a strategic connections roundtable will bring together a group of service based business owners in similar stages of business who can benefit from knowing each other SO that you canMake connections easierShare what your business offersDiscover new resourcesAnd have an opportunity to mastermind a challengeSave your free seat right hereThanks for listening to the Small But Mighty Agency Podcast, if you enjoyed this episode please leave a review on iTunes or send a screenshot on Instagram while tagging me  @audreyjoykwan

How is this Leader of the Year named by Marketing News Canada making the competition irrelevant? While most people know that consultant-type businesses don’t scale, this marketing agency owner isn’t too concerned with scaling right now, instead he’s focusing on what he calls building a defensible model. In other words, he would rather be in an uncontested marketplace solving a unique challenge for his clients than compete in a crowded one solving the same problems as everybody else. He’s carved out a healthy portfolio of B2B clients in travel, tech, and retail but scaling isn’t his focus right now. Conner Galway is the President of Junction Consulting – a digital consultancy in Vancouver, BC. Junction Consulting’s recent work includes helping to create a digital learning platform for Destination BC, and training for Lululemon. Conner was most recently named Leader of the Year by Marketing News Canada for his support of Canada’s tourism industry through the COVID-19 pandemic.  Conner is one of Canada’s premiere digital business educators, teaching and developing curriculum at schools like Brainstation, Simon Fraser University, and Capilano University. He shares his latest thinking in a weekly email called The Brief that’s read by leaders at many of North America’s most respected brands.On this episode of Small But Mighty Agency: 2:41: How Conner started his first agency4:45: Why the marketing consultant agency model over a traditional marketing agency that does implementation8:50: The team structure he uses to run his marketing consultant agency11:14: Why say “no” to the execution and implementation of marketing strategy and what to focus on instead12:44: The “bias” and why it may not best serve clients best interest14:39: What is the concept of digital from the inside out19:15: What is Junction doing to productize and systematize a consultant-agency business21:22: Why scaling is over-glorified and what is more important than scaling for Conner 26:41: What is and isn’t working to grow the business? Show LinksWebsite: wearejunction.comTwitter: @Conner_GLinkedin: linkedin.com/in/connergalwayThe Brief weekly newsletter: brief.wearejunction.com This episode is brought to you by the FREE Strategic Connections RoundtableJoin the free Strategic Connections Roundtable where creatives, consultants and service-based business owners can meet new business connections without the awkwardness of traditional networking. It's a curated experience where the group fit is curated so that connections and conversations thrive.That means that every month, a strategic connections roundtable will bring together a group of service based business owners in similar stages of business who can benefit from knowing each other SO that you canMake connections easierShare what your business offersDiscover new resourcesAnd have an opportunity to mastermind a challengeSave your free seat right hereThanks for listening to the Small But Mighty Agency Podcast, if you enjoyed this episode please leave a review on iTunes or send a screenshot on Instagram while tagging me  @audreyjoykwan