The Agency Profit Podcast

Points of Interest1:04 – 1:46 – Introduction of John Meyer: Marcel introduces John Meyer, highlighting his experience as a successful agency owner, seller, and current business coach.2:10 – 2:30 – John's Current Focus with Leadmore: John explains his mission with Leadore: coaching agency owners to avoid solopreneur traps and scale their businesses.2:30 – 3:11 – "No More Solo" Coaching Program: Details of John's group coaching for agencies in the $100k-$400k range focused on delegation and growth.3:11 – 3:37 – Coaching for Scaling Agency CEOs: Information on John's one-on-one coaching for CEOs aiming to delegate and further scale their agencies beyond $500k.4:32 – 5:30 – The Founding Story of Lemonly: John recounts the pivot from a broad digital agency to specializing in infographics for better focus and impact.5:36 – 6:50 – Strategic Niche of Infographics: How Lemonly's focus on infographics led to recognition and work with major brands like Netflix and MLB.8:38 – 9:25 – The Challenge of Scaling a Niche: The episode transitions to discussing the dilemma of staying niched versus widening services for continued growth.14:51 – 15:03 – Introduction to the Product Ladder: John introduces his framework of four ways service businesses can generate revenue.15:03 – 17:18 – Levels of the Product Ladder Explained: A brief overview of the custom, done-for-you, done-with-you, and DIY service levels.17:54 – 18:08 – Utilizing the Ladder for Increased Profit: The concept of moving clients up or down the ladder and repackaging services for better retention and profitability.26:58 – 28:31 – Avoiding Custom Work at "Done-For-You" Prices: John cautions against providing bespoke services while charging for standardized offerings.Show NotesConnect with John:Johntmeyer.comLinkedInInstagramYouTubeLove the PodcastLeave us a review here.

Carson Pierce, an expert consultant in the agency space, shares valuable insights for agency owners facing market uncertainty. He discusses how trimming small recurring expenses can lead to significant savings and highlights the importance of strategic downsizing to protect delivery quality. Carson emphasizes balancing optimism with cash management and suggests using data-driven rules for decision-making. Furthermore, he introduces a payroll grid framework for assessing team roles and improving efficiency while maintaining financial health.

Jason Peck, a certified financial planner at Everwise Wealth Management, specializes in guiding agency owners toward wealth building. He highlights the unique financial challenges these owners face, like unpredictable income and reliance on business operations. Peck discusses the importance of diversifying wealth beyond the agency to mitigate risks and explores the nine core areas of personal financial planning. He also covers the pitfalls of focusing too heavily on tax efficiency and emphasizes the significance of solid estate and exit planning strategies.

Points of Interest00:51 – 01:14 – Meet Today’s Guest: Carson Pierce: Carson, a fan favorite at Parakeeto, joins the show to discuss a key challenge for agency owners—transitioning from expert to CEO while managing financial complexities.02:01 – 03:10 – The Common Agency Struggle: Many agency owners are incredible at their craft but struggle with the financial side of running a business, leading to inefficiencies and profit loss.05:01 – 06:40 – The Knowledge Gap in the Agency World: Historically, there hasn’t been much comprehensive content available to help agency owners understand the financials of their business, making it difficult to navigate profitability challenges.09:01 – 11:00 – Breaking Down Agency Finances: Marcel and Carson introduce a simple but effective model that helps agencies determine whether they are set up for financial success or destined to struggle.11:01 – 13:30 – Understanding the Delivery Margin: Why agency profitability is largely determined by how efficiently they deliver client work and how much of every earned dollar is left after delivery costs.16:01 – 18:40 – The Impact of Small Pricing Adjustments: A 10% drop in billable rates can significantly affect profitability—why agencies must be intentional about pricing and scope.18:41 – 21:00 – The Payroll Grid: Your Agency’s Financial Roadmap: How to break down staff costs, expected billable hours, and rates to create a clear financial model for your agency.21:01 – 24:00 – Expense Allocation & Overhead Costs: Understanding where your money is going and ensuring overhead stays in check without cutting the things that drive business growth.24:01 – 27:30 – Profitability Benchmarks & The 50/30/20 Rule: The ideal breakdown for agency spending—50% on delivery, 30% on overhead, and 20%+ in profit—and why most agencies don’t hit these targets.27:31 – 30:00 – The Dangers of Underpricing & Low Utilization: Why agencies that don’t charge enough or struggle to keep their teams busy end up running on razor-thin margins (or even losing money).32:41 – 35:10 – Why Agency Owners Must Know Their Numbers: Financial clarity leads to better decisions—knowing what’s working and what’s not is the key to running a sustainable agency.Show NotesConnect with Carson via LinkedInGet access to this model tool in the toolkitParakeeto Foundations Course Books Mentioned:Digital Dollars and CentsFinancial Management of a Marketing FirmSoftware as a ScienceLove the PodcastLeave us a review here.

Points of Interest01:09 – 01:46 – Meet Today’s Guest: Mari-Liis Vaher: Marketing pro, entrepreneur, and author of The Greatest Marketer in the World, Mari-Liis is here to help agencies prove their value and keep clients happy.03:04 – 03:40 – The Big Marketing Trust Issue: Ever had a client drop you out of nowhere, even though you were hitting all their goals? Mari-Liis explains why so many agencies struggle to prove their worth.07:10 – 07:57 – Marketing Is More Than Just Ads: Think marketing is just running social media and ad campaigns? Mari-Liis breaks down why it’s actually a full system that needs to align with sales and leadership.11:51 – 12:36 – Scaling vs. Burning Out: Mari-Liis shares the hard lessons from running (and exiting) a seven-figure agency—why she left behind endless client work to build something more sustainable.17:04 – 17:46 – The Power of the “MIP Hour”: Setting aside an hour of focused, distraction-free work time each day can be a total game-changer for your productivity and stress levels.24:47 – 25:26 – Don’t Just Take Clients at Their Word: When a client asks for SEO, Facebook ads, or a website, do you ask why? Mari-Liis explains why digging deeper leads to better results.28:24 – 29:06 – The #1 Killer of Good Marketing: Most marketing doesn’t fail because the ideas are bad—it fails because of bad communication. Here’s how to make sure everyone’s on the same page.37:41 – 38:30 – Why Keeping Clients in the Loop Is Everything: If you’re not giving your clients updates, they’re making up their own (usually bad) stories about what’s happening. Avoid that trap!42:42 – 43:07 – Freebies & Book Launch: Get Mari-Liis’ free productivity guide, take a DISC personality test, and get early access to The Greatest Marketer in the World!Show NotesFree Productivity Guide for Overwhelmed Marketers - Learn how to work smarter, not harder: Download Here Free DISC Personality Type Test to Boost Your Impact in Communication – Understand how to communicate effectively in sales and marketing: Get It Free With Code MARCEL (this is a paid tool but with the coupon MARCEL, it is possible to download it for free.)Book Coming Soon: TheGreatestMarketer.comConnect with Mari-Liis:WebsiteLinkedInInstagramFacebookTikTokLove the PodcastLeave us a review here.

Points of Interest00:55 – 01:14 – Meet Today’s Guest: Carson Pierce: Carson, a fan favorite at Parakeeto, joins the show to chat about a big shift in the agency world—why more agencies are ditching big teams in favor of lean, contractor-driven models.01:34 – 02:29 – Agencies Are Shrinking Their Core Teams: Carson talks about a growing trend—agencies are keeping their leadership and strategy teams small while outsourcing most of the production work to contractors, freelancers, and offshore talent.03:08 – 05:05 – Why Agencies Are Outsourcing More Work: Marcel breaks down the big reasons behind this shift, including rising salaries, AI shaking things up, a tough economy, and the fact that clients no longer care if their agency is local.06:04 – 07:26 – Why Old-School Utilization Metrics Don’t Work Anymore: Carson explains how traditional utilization numbers can be misleading for agencies using more contractors, and why focusing on average billable rate (ABR) is a better approach.08:03 – 10:44 – The Next Big Agency Trend: Internal Specialization: Marcel introduces the idea that agencies should focus on what they do best and outsource everything else—just like other industries have done to stay profitable.12:02 – 14:04 – What Should You Keep In-House vs. Outsource?: Marcel shares a simple way to decide—play to your team’s strengths, keep control of the most critical parts of your client experience, and let experts handle everything else.18:02 – 21:08 – Pricing Without Overcomplicating It: Marcel simplifies pricing strategy, explaining why agencies should stop obsessing over markup and hourly rates and instead focus on three things: revenue, pass-through costs, and delivery costs.25:08 – 28:26 – Offshoring: The Good, The Bad, and The Smart Way to Do It: More agencies are hiring offshore talent to save money, but success depends on having solid processes and clear communication—Marcel and Carson share tips on how to do it right.30:51 – 32:44 – The Future of Agencies: Smaller, Leaner, and More Specialized: Marcel predicts that agencies will continue breaking down into specialized teams, just like airlines and grocery chains have done, to survive in a market with shrinking margins.34:22 – 35:04 – Final Takeaways: Marcel and Carson wrap up with a big reminder—profitability isn’t just about working harder; it’s about working smarter. Agencies that embrace internal specialization and strategic outsourcing will win in the long run.Show NotesConnect with Carson via LinkedInGet access to this model tool in the toolkitLink to Pie Chart VisualizationParakeeto Foundations CourseBooksDigital Dollars and Cents by Jody GrundenFinancial Management of a Marketing Firm by David C. BakerSoftware as a Science by Marcel, Dan Martell, Johnny Page & Matt VerlaqueLove the PodcastLeave us a review here.

Points of Interest0:00 – 0:32 – Show Introduction & Guest Introduction: Marcel introduces Tim Thompson, Owner and Chief Revolution Thinker at RevThink. He shares how they met at the MYOB conference, where they bonded over deep discussions on agency profitability and creative business management.0:33 – 2:25 – Tim’s Background & The Journey to RevThink: Tim shares his career transition from Hollywood production, where he worked with legends like Ridley Scott and Steven Spielberg, to consulting creative studios. His firm, RevThink, now supports 750+ creative agency owners worldwide in building financially stable businesses.2:26 – 5:00 – The Challenge of Balancing Creativity & Profitability: Tim explains how many creative entrepreneurs struggle to balance financial discipline with artistic freedom. The industry often pushes efficiency metrics like utilization rates, but creative businesses need a different approach to pricing, budgeting, and decision-making.5:01 – 7:32 – The Shift from Cost-Plus Pricing to Value-Based Models: Marcel and Tim discuss the shift from hourly billing and cost-plus pricing to value-based models. Agencies that fail to adapt often undercharge and overdeliver, leading to profitability struggles.7:33 – 10:55 – How Agencies Can Ensure They’re Charging Enough: Tim introduces The Splits Method, a framework that separates costs into direct (project-related) and indirect (overhead). This helps agencies better understand where their money is going and ensures that profit is baked into pricing from the start.10:56 – 14:25 – The Power of Profit as an Expense: Tim challenges agencies to treat profit as an expense, meaning it should be allocated first before deciding how much to spend on project costs. This ensures business sustainability and long-term financial stability.14:26 – 17:00 – The Seven Ingredients for a Thriving Agency: Tim introduces RevThink’s Seven Ingredients framework—Creative, Production, Sales, Marketing, Operations, Finance, and Entrepreneurship—which helps agency owners optimize their business holistically as they scale.17:01 – 19:50 – Overcoming the Fear of Raising Prices: Many agencies negotiate against themselves, fearing clients won’t pay more. Tim explains how agencies can increase their rates or adjust project scope to maintain profitability without sacrificing client relationships.19:51 – 23:30 – The Production Roll-Up: A Simple Meeting to Keep Projects on Track: Tim shares his method for a weekly production roll-up meeting, where agency teams quickly review: Creative quality, Client relationships, and Profitability.23:31 – 26:55 – The Importance of Profitability for Business & Personal Freedom: Marcel and Tim discuss why profitability isn’t just about numbers—it’s about freedom, growth, and legacy. Many agency owners unknowingly sacrifice their financial future because they aren’t pricing or managing projects correctly.26:56 – 29:30 – Why Business Owners Must Stop Negotiating Against Themselves: Many agency owners undercharge out of fear that clients won’t pay more. Tim encourages owners to ask for what their work is truly worth and, if needed, target better clients who understand the value they provide.29:31 – 32:10 – The Role of Entrepreneurship in Agency Growth: Tim discusses the entrepreneurial mindset required to scale a creative agency while managing financial risks. He explains how business growth, personal wealth, and legacy planning must be aligned.32:11 – 35:50 – How Agencies Can Adapt to Industry Changes & Maintain Profitability: Marcel and Tim analyze industry shifts, including advances in technology, changing client expectations, and pricing pressures. They discuss how agencies can innovate and stay competitive in a rapidly evolving market.35:51 – 38:20 – The Moral Argument for Running a Profitable Business: Marcel and Tim discuss why being profitable is a responsibility, not just a goal. A profitable agency provides stability for employees, fosters innovation, and allows owners to reinvest in their vision.Show NotesRevthink.comRevthinking PodcastCommunity1-1 consultingAccelerators

Points of Interest0:24 – 0:54 – Show Introduction & Guest Introduction: Marcel introduces Kristen Kelly, highlighting her expertise in operations and agency profitability management.1:01 – 1:45 – The Three-Part Profitability Management System Overview: Kristen recaps the framework discussed in previous episodes: the right data, ensuring financial, delivery, and sales data are clean; the right framework, having clear metrics and understanding relationships; and the right process, implementing structured cadences for decision-making.1:46 – 3:07 – Why Process is Often the Missing Piece in Profitability Management: Marcel explains that many agencies mistakenly view profitability management as an event rather than an ongoing process. He highlights common pitfalls, such as assuming data will always be clean or that a one-time setup will be sufficient.4:59 – 7:46 – Data Hygiene: Managing Messy Data in Agencies: Kristen and Marcel dive into the first major component of process—data hygiene. They discuss common data inconsistencies, such as naming conventions, incorrect project tracking, and human input errors. Marcel emphasizes the importance of an ETL (Extract, Transform, Load) process to clean and normalize data.10:03 – 13:26 – Managing Change in Agency Operations: Kristen and Marcel discuss the second key aspect of process: change management. Changes in sales strategies, CRM systems, or project management tools can disrupt data reporting. A structured process ensures smooth transitions and prevents disruptions in decision-making.17:01 – 20:52 – Cadence: Aligning Stakeholders for Operational Success: Establishing consistent meeting cadences ensures alignment between sales, operations, and finance teams. The right frequency depends on agency size and project nature. Monthly executive meetings should focus on key business objectives and resourcing decisions. Regular check-ins help prevent last-minute hiring crises and pricing inefficiencies.28:51 – 33:07 – How Operators Can Manage Up and Set Expectations: Operators should proactively align reporting with leadership goals. Stakeholder management is crucial—Ops leaders should ensure data supports executive decision-making without overwhelming them with details. Simplification and consistency are key to maintaining executive buy-in.33:08 – 36:56 – Fighting Unnecessary Complexity in Reporting: Marcel shares a common mistake: leaders often want overly detailed reporting, which adds unnecessary complexity and friction. The key is balancing detail with usability to avoid overwhelming decision-makers. Simple, actionable reports are more effective than highly detailed but impractical ones.36:57 – 40:26 – The Real Value of Efficient Reporting: Shorter, More Productive Meetings: The success of a reporting system is measured by how quickly teams can align and take action—not by how long they spend looking at data. The less time spent in meetings discussing reports, the more time can be spent executing on insights.40:27 – 42:40 – Final Takeaways: How to Get Started with Process Implementation: Start by identifying the key business decisions that require data support. Work backward from business objectives to define the right data and process framework. Establish clear cadences and responsibilities for maintaining data hygiene and managing change. Prioritize alignment and simplicity over excessive detail.Show NotesConnect with Kristen via LinkedInFree ToolkitParakeeto Foundations CourseLove the PodcastLeave us a review here.

Mikael Dia, a former agency owner and founder of Funnelytics, dives into the world of visual client communication and SaaS development. He emphasizes how visual strategies not only enhance client understanding but also improve sales and retention by clearly mapping marketing funnels. Mikael shares insights from his journey, explaining how agencies can demonstrate value to clients through visual reporting and strategies. He discusses the challenges of transitioning from agency life to tech, stressing the importance of feedback and collaboration in building a successful SaaS product.

Points of Interest01:00 – 01:45 – Guest Introduction: Marcel welcomes back his co-founder, Ben Zittlau, highlighting his expertise in data operations and agency growth strategies.03:35 – 05:50 – Scaling Data Operations: Lessons from Jobber: Ben shares insights from his experience at Jobber, detailing the challenges of building and scaling a data operations team in a fast-growing company.08:43 – 13:14 – Why Agencies Struggle to Get Insights from Their Data: Discussion on how agencies collect vast amounts of data across multiple tools but fail to derive meaningful insights due to fragmentation and inconsistency.13:15 – 16:05 – The Myth of a “Single Source of Truth: Marcel and Ben challenge the common belief that pushing all data into a single platform solves reporting issues, highlighting the reality of messy operational data.19:26 – 21:48 – The Limitations of All-in-One Software Solutions: Exploring why all-in-one agency management tools often fail to deliver on their promise of seamless reporting and data integration.24:43 – 27:44 – The Hidden Costs of Locking into a Single Platform: Discussion on how agencies become “trapped” by software providers, making it difficult to switch tools without major operational disruptions.30:29 – 35:53 – How to Integrate Data Without Sacrificing Flexibility: A deep dive into the challenges of stitching data from various tools while maintaining adaptability and historical accuracy.35:54 – 41:14 – Accuracy vs. Precision: Why Clean Data is a Myth: Why agencies should focus on broader trends instead of pursuing impossible data perfection, and how to handle data inconsistencies effectively.41:15 – 44:15 – A Modern Data Approach: Extract, Transform, Load (ETL): Introduction to the ETL process, which allows agencies to clean and transform data before reporting, improving reliability and flexibility.50:14 – 52:00 – Lessons from Finance: What Agencies Can Learn from Accounting: Marcel compares data operations to bookkeeping, explaining how structured financial workflows can serve as a model for better agency data management.Show NotesConnect with Ben via LinkedInFree ToolkitParakeeto Foundations CourseLove the PodcastLeave us a review here.