"Trust is only built through time. It's very hard to build trust through any other mode than time. And that's what's great about having a podcast."Hector Santiesteban is the founder of Amplafy Media, a podcast production company helping businesses leverage podcasting to drive revenue. In this episode of Agency Journey, Hector shares insights on using podcasts strategically to grow your business and generate leads. He emphasizes the importance of focusing on benefits over features, creating a great guest experience, and using different podcast formats to build trust and drive sales.This episode will be a great listen for agency owners looking to leverage podcasting for growth; podcast hosts seeking to monetize their shows more effectively; as well as business leaders wanting to establish thought leadership in their niche.Episode Insights:💡 Focus on selling the benefits of your services, not just the features. Understand what outcomes your clients are looking for.💡 Use podcasts to get meetings with prospects more easily than cold outreach. Conversion rates for podcast guest invites can be up to 70%.💡 Have conversations on equal terms with guests rather than just putting them on a pedestal and interviewing them—this allows you to maintain your positioning as an expert and your "sales equity" in the eyes of the audience.💡 Create a great guest experience to encourage sharing the episode after it’s published. Provide easy-to-use promotional materials on a dedicated page.💡 Consider using a mix of solo episodes, co-hosted shows, and guest interviews to build trust and showcase expertise.💡 Niche down your podcast topic to quickly become a recognized expert in an industry.💡 Use AI tools like ChatGPT to help repurpose podcast content into SEO-optimized blog posts.Resources Mentioned:🌐 Hector's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/hector-podcast/🌐 Hector's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/hector_podcast/🌐 Amplafy Media website: https://www.amplafymedia.com/?utm_campaign=agency-journey-ep-302-hector-santiesteban 💰 Book a Podcast Profitability Session with Hector’s team: https://calendly.com/hector_podcast/podcast-brainstorming-session/?utm_campaign=agency-journey-ep-302-hector-santiesteban ----------------------------------Brought to you by ZenPilot, ClickUp’s #1 Solutions Partner with 3,000+ agency ops makeovers under our belt.📕 Read our in-depth, 8000-word How to Use ClickUp Guide: https://www.zenpilot.com/blog/how-to-use-clickup/?utm_campaign=agency-journey-ep-302-hector-santiesteban 👉 Don’t forget to follow and rate us on your preferred podcast platforms. We’re also on YouTube: @ZenPilot

Corey Morris, CEO of Voltage Digital and author of 'Digital Marketing Success Plan', shares insights on niching down agency services, strategic planning, adapting to AI in search marketing, and the importance of connecting KPIs to ROI. He emphasizes the START framework for building comprehensive digital marketing plans and staying flexible to industry changes like AI.

"It was clear that there was so much power in individuals banding together to do something."Cooper Munroe is the CEO of The Motherhood, an influencer marketing agency founded in 2006, long before the term "influencer marketing" existed. Cooper shares the fascinating origin story of her agency, which emerged from a viral blog post during Hurricane Katrina relief efforts.In this episode of Agency Journey, Cooper discusses the evolution of influencer marketing over the past 15+ years, from early "mommy blogs" to today's multi-billion dollar industry. She provides insights on best practices, untapped opportunities in regulated industries, and the importance of authenticity in influencer partnerships.This conversation is valuable for agency leaders interested in the history and future of influencer marketing, as well as those looking to partner with specialized agencies to deliver these services.Episode Insights:💡 The power of authentic, user-generated content was evident even in the early days of blogging, before social media platforms existed.💡 Influencer marketing has evolved from a one-off tactic to an integrated piece of the overall marketing strategy for many brands.💡 Micro-influencers often deliver the best results due to high engagement and trust with their audiences.💡 Authenticity is crucial - influencers must have a genuine affinity for the products or causes they promote.💡 There are untapped opportunities for influencer marketing in highly regulated industries like pharma, healthcare, and finance, as well as in B2B sectors.💡 Revisiting core questions like "Why do we exist?" and "How will we succeed?" is important for agency leaders, especially those who've pivoted or evolved their business models.Resources Mentioned:🌐 The Motherhood agency website: https://www.themotherhood.com/?utm_campaign=agency-journey-ep-300-cooper-munroe🌐 Cooper's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/coopermunroe📝 Cooper's Forbes Agency Council articles: https://www.forbes.com/sites/forbesagencycouncil/people/coopermunroe/📚 The Advantage by Patrick Lencioni (book recommendation)🛠️ EOS (Entrepreneurial Operating System)👥 Vistage (executive coaching organization)----------------------------------Brought to you by ZenPilot, ClickUp’s #1 Solutions Partner with 2,700+ agency ops makeovers under our belt.📕 Read our in-depth, 8000-word How to Use ClickUp Guide: https://www.zenpilot.com/blog/how-to-use-clickup/?utm_campaign=agency-journey-ep-300-cooper-munroe👉 Don’t forget to follow and rate us on your preferred podcast platforms. We’re also on YouTube: @ZenPilot

Garret Caudle, founder and CEO of Influent, shares his expertise in leveraging LinkedIn for business growth and thought leadership. He emphasizes the value of a strong personal narrative and clear point of view in content creation. With tips on posting strategies and the importance of quality engagement over vanity metrics, Garret encourages agency founders to be patient in seeing results. He also discusses the role of proprietary data in enhancing marketing strategies, making LinkedIn a pivotal driver for success.

Gray McKenzie, CEO and founder of ZenPilot, discusses the evolving landscape of time tracking in agencies. He challenges the traditional 40-hour workweek, advocating for a focus on productive output over mere hour logging. The conversation highlights the importance of clear communication about the purpose of time tracking and how it can shape business decisions. McKenzie also explores tools like RescueTime to gain insights into actual work patterns and the need for regular team reviews to enhance efficiency and decision-making.

Gray McKenzie, Founder and CEO of ZenPilot and former host of Agency Journey, delves into the pitfalls of daily stand-up meetings. He argues they often mask poor planning and lack of clear expectations. Instead, he champions asynchronous methods to foster trust and maintain momentum in remote teams. The discussion highlights the importance of celebrating wins, the need for clear communication, and the benefits of self-reflection in identifying team inefficiencies. Gray provides actionable strategies for enhancing productivity without relying solely on stand-ups.

"From the very start, when I launched Galactic Fed, some of my friends (former entrepreneurs) gave me really good advice, which is that you want to be removing yourself from as many processes as you can. You do not want to create what some people call a key man or key woman scenario."Zach Boyette is the co-founder and Managing Partner at Galactic Fed, a full-service growth marketing agency with a team of 150 people across 25 countries. Zach has an unconventional background, having worked at Google and P&G before becoming a digital nomad and building Galactic Fed.In this episode of Agency Journey, Zach shares insights on scaling an agency while maintaining a strong remote culture. He emphasizes the importance of documentation, promoting from within, and choosing your team over rude clients.Zach also discusses his perspective on the future of remote work and why he believes younger generations will drive a shift toward more location-independent companies. This is a great conversation for agency leaders interested in building a large remote team while maintaining work-life balance.Episode Insights:💡 Document everything to create a consistent client experience as you scale. Have each team member spend a couple hours per week documenting processes.💡 Build culture in a remote agency through casual Slack channels, quarterly all-hands meetings focused on personal updates rather than just company info, and leading by example with communication style.💡 Hire self-starters who are comfortable with written communication. Use written assessments and thorough reference checks early in the hiring process.💡 When leading leaders, have a regular cadence of written updates prior to meetings. Show you are present and remember details about their teams and challenges.💡 Have an org chart planned out far in advance and hire proactively for the structure you want to build. Avoid building the org chart reactively around specific people.💡 Don't personally attach your name to the agency brand. Build a company brand that can exist beyond just you.💡 Be willing to choose your team over abusive clients, even if they pay well. Prioritize a healthy culture.Resources Mentioned:Zach's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/zachboyette/Galactic Fed agency website: https://galacticfed.com/?utm_campaign=agency-journey-ep-296-zach-boyetteZach's personal website: https://zachboyette.com/?utm_campaign=agency-journey-ep-296-zach-boyetteThe E-Myth Revisited by Michael E. Gerber (book recommendation for designing an org chart)ClickUp for project management: https://clickup.com/?utm_campaign=agency-journey-ep-296-zach-boyetteGoogle Suite----------------------------------Brought to you by ZenPilot, ClickUp’s #1 Solutions Partner with 2,700+ agency ops makeovers under our belt.📕 Read our in-depth, 8000-word How to Use ClickUp Guide: https://www.zenpilot.com/blog/how-to-use-clickup/?utm_campaign=agency-journey-ep-296-zach-boyette👉 Don’t forget to follow and rate us on your preferred podcast platforms. We’re also on YouTube: @ZenPilot

“​​In all aspects of your work and your business, you have systems. Why is networking, which is just as important as any one of those singular things, not managed with such ferocity?”Kurt Schmidt is an agency founder, podcast host, author, and agency coach with 25 years of experience growing agencies from just a few people to over 500 employees and tens of millions in revenue. He started his career as a designer and developer before catching the entrepreneurial bug and becoming a "pirate" as he puts it.In this value-packed episode of Agency Journey, Kurt shares his hard-earned wisdom on business development, networking, and delivering client results. He emphasizes the importance of taking a problems-first approach rather than just showcasing capabilities.Kurt is also the author of “The Little Book of Networking”, and in this conversation he explains the system he uses to consistently provide value to his network and build community.Whether you're looking to jumpstart your agency's growth or build a thriving professional network, this episode is a must-listen.Episode Insights:💡 Go back and audit your current and past clients to see which ones are in a growth stage and may have additional problems you can solve. Most clients have no idea about your full capabilities.💡 Focus on the problems you solve and the outcomes you create rather than just showcasing the executional work in your portfolio. Clients care about how you can help them, not how pretty your designs are.💡 When networking, clearly state what you do and what you're looking for. Be equally intentional about understanding and recording others' needs. Systematize your follow-ups and always look for ways to provide value and make connections.💡 Study how other professional services firms like lawyers and accountants acquire clients and manage their businesses. Don't limit your learning to just agencies in your specific niche.💡 Explore different billing models like productized services and outcome-based fees. Discuss what's working with agency peers to find the best fit for your clients and business.Resources Mentioned:🌐 Kurt's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/-kurtschmidt/?utm_campaign=agency-journey-ep-295-kurt-schmidt🌐 Kurt’s website: https://kurtschmidt.me/?utm_campaign=agency-journey-ep-295-kurt-schmidt🏢 Kurt’s consulting business: https://schmidtconsulting.group/?utm_campaign=agency-journey-ep-295-kurt-schmidt🏢 Kurt's agency, Foundry: https://www.foundrymakes.com/📙 The Little Book of Networking by Kurt Schmidt: https://www.amazon.com/Little-Book-Networking-Career-Conversation/dp/1634895835 📙 The 10-10-10 Blueprint by Kurt Schmidt - coming soon🎙️ The Schmidt List Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/schmidt-list-inspiring-leaders/id1286383143 ----------------------------------Brought to you by ZenPilot, ClickUp’s #1 Solutions Partner with 2,700+ agency ops makeovers under our belt.📕 Read our in-depth, 8000-word How to Use ClickUp Guide: https://www.zenpilot.com/blog/how-to-use-clickup?utm_campaign=agency-journey-ep-295-kurt-schmidt👉 Don’t forget to follow and rate us on your preferred podcast platforms. We’re also on YouTube: @ZenPilot

John Corcoran is the co-founder of Rise25, an agency that helps B2B companies get clients, referrals, and strategic partnerships through done-for-you podcasts and content marketing. John has been podcasting since 2010 and his business partner Jeremy has been doing it since 2008. Together they've built a team of over 50 people to support B2B companies in leveraging this powerful medium.John has a fascinating and diverse background prior to Rise25. At various points in his career, he was paid by President Bill Clinton as a White House writer, worked for Steven Spielberg at DreamWorks, and did some work for Warren Buffett. He was also a lawyer for a period before discovering the power of podcasting to have high-caliber business conversations and decided to make that his focus.In this episode of Agency Journey, John shares his knowledge on using podcasts strategically to deliver value to your ideal clients and referral partners. He emphasizes that download numbers and vanity metrics matter far less than having the right conversations with the right people.We also dig into John's involvement with Entrepreneurs' Organization (EO) and get an inside look at different high-level business peer groups.This is a great episode for agency leaders interested in the power of podcasts and surrounding yourself with other successful entrepreneurs.Episode Insights:💡 Interviewing people for a podcast is a far more effective way to build relationships than typical coffee networking meetings. It allows you to provide value and have higher caliber conversations.💡 Focus on creating podcast content that delivers value to your ideal clients and referral partners. Don't get caught up in vanity metrics like downloads - it's about having the right conversations with the right people.💡 Joining a peer community for entrepreneurs, such as EO, can provide invaluable support, camaraderie, and learning opportunities to help you through the unique challenges of building a business.💡 Explore different business groups to find the right fit for you.💡 Use your podcast as a strategic tool to have conversations with people who wouldn't otherwise carve out time to meet with you. It's an amazing way to connect with hard-to-reach, high-caliber people.Resources Mentioned:🌐 John’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/corcoran/🎙️ INspired INsider podcast hosted by Jeremy Weisz: https://www.inspiredinsider.com/?utm_campaign=agency-journey-ep-294-john-corcoran🎙️ Smart Business Revolution podcast hosted by John Corcoran: https://smartbusinessrevolution.com/podcasts/?utm_campaign=agency-journey-ep-294-john-corcoran🏢 Rise25 agency website: https://rise25.com/?utm_campaign=agency-journey-ep-294-john-corcoran👥 EO (Entrepreneurs' Organization): https://hub.eonetwork.org/?utm_campaign=agency-journey-ep-294-john-corcoran👥 Vistage👥 YPO (Young Presidents' Organization)👥 Strategic Coach👥 Tiger21👥 Hampton----------------------------------Brought to you by ZenPilot, ClickUp’s #1 Solutions Partner with 2,700+ agency ops makeovers under our belt.📕 Read our in-depth, 8000-word How to Use ClickUp Guide: https://www.zenpilot.com/blog/how-to-use-clickup?utm_campaign=agency-journey-ep-294-john-corcoran👉 Don’t forget to follow and rate us on your preferred podcast platforms. We’re also on YouTube: @ZenPilot

In this episode, Kuba generates a list of client success tips using AI—and Gray critiques them and goes way deeper based on his hard-won experience in the agency space.Episode Insights:💡 Understanding client goals is crucial for improving client success. Ask questions and listen carefully to their answers to gain a deeper understanding.💡 Regular communication is key. Set clear expectations around how and when you'll communicate with clients, and provide updates on progress and challenges.💡 Be proactive in identifying and preventing issues before they arise. Addressing problems openly and honestly builds trust with clients.💡 Personalize the experience by treating each client as unique and customizing services to fit their specific needs. Show that you are paying attention and value their individuality.💡 Clarity is kindness. Be clear and firm in setting expectations and communicate openly when issues arise.Resourced Mentioned:🌐 ZenPilot: https://www.zenpilot.com/?utm_source=youtube.com&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=agency-journey-ep-293-gray-vs-ai-client-success-tips🌐 Gray’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/graymackenzie/----------------------------------Brought to you by ZenPilot, ClickUp’s #1 Solutions Partner with 2,700+ agency ops makeovers under our belt.📕 Read our in-depth, 8000-word How to Use ClickUp Guide: https://www.zenpilot.com/blog/how-to-use-clickup?utm_campaign=agency-journey-ep-293-gray-vs-ai-client-success-tips👉 Don’t forget to follow and rate us on your preferred podcast platforms. We’re also on YouTube: @ZenPilot