The Innovative Agency

Intro Agency owners who do not engage in the business development aspects of their organizations are few and far between. Yet, Jody Sutter has found that even agency leaders with a strong interest in business development sometimes find themselves unprepared for unexpected market downturns. As a resolution, we've invited Jody to provide her perspective on potential strategies agency owners can implement to bolster their business development efforts. What you will learn in this episode: The impact COVID responses have had on agency employees' work arrangements. The value of prioritizing empathy throughout business development programs. The importance of evaluating clients regularly to ascertain whether there is any risk of losing their business. How taking a straightforward and honest approach with potential clients can improve business development efforts. How your agency should approach business development if a recession occurs. Why it is critical that agency owners prioritize opportunities that are in line with their individual strengths. Bio Jody Sutter's mission is to ensure that owners of small marketing agencies are in control of their new business destiny. Most agency owners didn't start their agencies because they love to drum up new business, and yet the success of their agency depends on it. Jody helps these agency leaders develop a sustainable approach to winning new business via coaching, consulting, and done-with-you models. She is a career business development professional and her clients benefit from her years of experience doing agency sales and marketing. Jody has run large global new business operations for agencies like R/GA, OMD and Havas but she has also spent time on the front lines at smaller creative firms, generating leads and building relationships that led to new revenue. Jody knows what a challenge it can be to get the attention of new prospects and win the right kind of business for your agency. It takes hard work, creativity, and discipline. But it can also take an outsider's perspective to help you understand your greatest strengths and how to position them. Equal parts storyteller and problem-solver, Jody knows how to prescribe the right tools and techniques that will work for your agency and get your prospects to say "yes". Resources: Website: https://www.thesuttercompany.com/ LinkedIn Personal: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jodysutter/ LinkedIn Business: https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-sutter-company/

The agency model is often delivery focused. Yet, our guest Mandi Ellefson suggests that agency owners forego delivery-focused agency models and instead transition into becoming a strategic growth partner for future clients. In her experience, this approach can produce massive transformation in an agency owner's ability to avoid burnout while scaling up revenue generation. What you will learn in this episode: The drawbacks of delivery-focused agency models. The value of creating an irresistible offer for prospective clients. The dangers of burnout. How to identify "soulmate" clients that sit squarely in the sweet spot. The importance of identifying million-dollar problems that your agency excels at solving. What steps you should take to leave a niche that isn't working anymore. How to shift your mindset to be better prepared for scaling your agency. Bio Mandi Ellefson is the creator of the Scale to Freedom Scalable Service Growth™ model. She leads consulting agency owners to have lives with greater freedom and success. Mandi has consulted with over a hundred consulting agency CEOs. She's helped them immediately free up to 20-50% of their work week to focus on accelerating profits. Her clients have grown five figures of net profit every month, added millions of dollars in sales, and have exited the day-to-day to scale growth. Some owners now passively manage their business, or have sold it. Mandi is a published author and host of The Hands-Off CEO Podcast. As a committed Freedom Fighter, a percentage of business profits go to rescuing enslaved victims of child sex trafficking. Mandi is a mother of two, enjoys travel, mountain biking and exploring the outdoors with her husband. Resources: Website: https://www.handsoffceo.com/ LinkedIn Personal: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mandiellefson/ LinkedIn Business: https://www.linkedin.com/company/hands-off-ceo Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/mandiellefson.biz Twitter: https://twitter.com/mandiellefson

Intro Oftentimes, agency owners position their personal brands separately from their agencies' brands. This isn't always ideal for business development. That's why dynamic strategists like Jason Mudd suggest agency principals make greater strides to leverage their personal brands to market their businesses. What you will learn in this episode: How agency owners can invest 50% of their time into business development while also investing in their personal brands. The importance of leveraging diversity and inclusion when engaging with third-party business development opportunities. The benefits of ranking promotional opportunities based on the level that they fit your brand's needs. The value of niche promotional opportunities, especially when you assign them to lower-ranking members of your organization as needed. How to select and categorize promotional opportunities for your agency and personal brand. Bio Jason Mudd is a trusted adviser and dynamic strategist to some of America's most admired and fastest-growing companies, including American Airlines, Budweiser, Dave & Buster's, H&R Block, Hilton, HP, Miller Lite, New York Life, Pizza Hut, Southern Comfort, and Verizon. He is the CEO and managing partner of Axia Public Relations. According to Forbes magazine, Axia is one of America's Best PR Agencies. Jason is a professional public speaker, an Emmy Award-winning, accredited public relations practitioner, author, podcaster, and entrepreneur. Resources: Website: https://www.axiapr.com/ LinkedIn Personal: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasonmudd/ LinkedIn Business: https://www.linkedin.com/company/axiapr/

Are you tracking and analyzing key metrics to streamline your agency's operations? We recognize that tracking metrics often proves difficult for agencies, but today's guest Jody Grunden explains which metrics are easiest to start with. Having helped countless agencies identify weak points in their operations during his decades-long accounting career, Jody is well-positioned to help you start tracking the metrics you need to keep an eye on. What you will learn in this episode: Which key metrics are most important to track? How tracking metrics can improve forecasting for agencies. The importance of engaging with accounts receivable to ensure that income is flowing in at the expected rate. How to sure up your pipeline to improve the accuracy of your forecasts. The benefits of finding a partner who understands how to provide accurate information about the current state of your firm. What it takes to transition away from operating a cash-starved agency to having cash savings on hand. Bio Jody Grunden is an accounting visionary with over 20 years of experience. He has helped pioneer innovative changes within the industry, including the introduction of the first subscription-based billing method employed by an accounting firm. He is the author of two books, Digital Dollars and Cents and Building the Virtual CFO Firm in the Cloud. Together with his partner Adam Hale, Jody co-founded Summit CPA Group (Summit) in 2002, which merged with Anders CPAs + Advisors (Anders) in 2022. Summit, now a division of Anders, was the first fully distributed firm and the leading provider of Virtual CFO Services in North America. With this merger, Summit brings to Anders a number of benefits which will help continue Jody's vision of changing the way people think about accounting, including strengthening the now "hybrid" work environment, building out the advisory side of Anders with a Virtual CFO service model, and implementing weekly subscription billing rather than hourly billing. His specialties include Virtual CFO Services, Creative Agencies, and Remote Team Management. Resources: Website: https://www.summitcpa.net/ LinkedIn Personal: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jodygrunden/ LinkedIn Business: https://www.linkedin.com/company/anders-cpas-advisors/ Jody's Book: https://www.amazon.com/Digital-Dollars-Cents-Companies-Financial/dp/1973267373

Intro Regardless of the size or complexity of your agency, you must embrace your role as a leader to encourage optimal performance from your team. In this episode, Peter Levitan shares his perspective on critical areas where many agency leaders are lacking. Then, he discusses several strategies that leaders can implement to enhance business development and overall profitability. What you will learn in this episode: The impact company culture has on attracting and retaining employees. The value of engaging directly with team members as a mentor. Why the quality of meetings is far more important than the total number of meetings. How to routinely gain new business from existing clients. How to translate thought leadership and authority into authentic connections with clients. The benefits of productizing your services and IP to produce revenue streams. Why agency leaders should prioritize business development. Bio During 16 years at Saatchi & Saatchi Advertising Worldwide, Peter Levitan ran business development across Europe and the USA, was EVP Management Director in London and New York and was GM of the Minneapolis office. From 2002 to 2012, Peter owned Citrus Advertising in Portland and Bend Oregon. Clients included Nike and the U.N. He was CEO and a founder of two major Internet startups during the dotcom boom. Advance Publication's New Jersey Online was an early leader in online news, and the intelligent bot company ActiveBuddy was sold to Microsoft in 2006. Resources: Website: https://peterlevitan.com/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/peterlevitan/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/PeterLevitan

Intro A crisis scenario can detrimentally affect your bottom line, as well as that of your clients. Many agency owners understand that how you respond to crises is essential, but often less attention is paid to handling the stages leading up to crises. To provide a greater perspective on crisis management, Jon Goldberg, the founder and chief reputation architect of Reputation Architects Inc., offers his distinct insights into how agencies should preemptively prepare their clients for potential moments of crisis. What you will learn in this episode: Why crises happen to agencies and their clients. The role agencies play in keeping their clients out of a crisis. The value of putting all work recommendations through a risk review process. The importance of developing a preemptive crisis avoidance strategy. What makes a crisis a legal threat. Bio Jon Goldberg is the founder and chief reputation architect of Reputation Architects Inc., a strategic communications and reputation risk management advisory firm dedicated to building, protecting, and restoring reputations in a world of evaporated trust and unprecedented stakeholder engagement. Resources: Website:https://www.reputationarchitects.com/ LinkedIn Personal:https://www.linkedin.com/in/jonwgoldberg/ LinkedIn Personal:https://www.linkedin.com/company/reputation-architects/ Facebook:https://www.facebook.com/reputationarchitects

Summary Laurie Mikes, chief operating officer of Second Wind, an advocacy and resource organization for small- and mid-sized agencies, joins the discussion on attracting, retaining and developing talent post-pandemic. Set your agency up for success by honing in on your greatest asset — your people. Intro As an agency owner, your people are your greatest asset. But challenges around staffing are keeping many leaders up at night. For this episode of the Innovative Agency, we're diving into what you can do to attract, retain and develop talent in order to put your business on the right path. What You Will Learn in This Episode The silver lining of lean agency teams How to find balance in salary disparity between new hires and legacy employees How to structure job growth and advancement Why transparency is key for agency owners How to think about remote working options to retain employees Where agencies are having success finding candidates Bio Laurie Mikes has been with Second Wind since 1996 and currently acts as Chief Operating Officer. She oversees the daily operations of the business while keeping one finger on the pulse of the industry. Laurie is deeply involved with member agencies, emailing and speaking with them on a regular basis. Whether it's providing guidance about financial matters, agency growth or operations, her years of experience bring valuable insight and perspective to agencies looking to build a successful sustainable business. When not at work, Laurie can be found enjoying outdoor activities with her two sons, volunteering her time at school and renovating old properties around town with her husband. Resources Website: https://www.secondwindonline.com/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/laurie-mikes-9366111/ https://www.linkedin.com/company/second-wind/ Facebook:https://www.facebook.com/secondwindonline

Summary Manish Dudharejia, founder and CEO of E2M Solutions, joins the discussion to lay the groundwork on what a successful white label partnership looks like, including the importance ethics plays in client relationships. Set yourself up for success in 2023 business-wise and with a white label partner. Intro We've been focusing a lot on collaboration lately, and in this episode of the Innovative Agency, we're discussing how to have a successful white label partnership. As we look ahead to 2023, investing in this type of relationship can make all the difference in setting yourself up for success in the New Year and beyond. What You Will Learn in This Episode What ethics mean in the marketing world and why it matters Why focusing on niching can leave room for more lucrative opportunities Quick tips for agency leaders who want more successful white label partnerships Why the No. 1 challenge agencies have is a margin problem What agency owners can do to set themselves up for success in 2023 Bio Manish Dudharejia is wizard of E2M. He has over 15 years of experience in digital agency space, working closely with lots of different people associated with technology, entrepreneurship, and digital marketing. E2M helps digital agencies solve bandwidth problems with their strategic white label services. They have a team of over 150+ vetted experts in WordPress, Shopify, BigCommerce, SEO, copywriting and more. E2M is currently helping over 150 agencies across the US and other parts of the world grow and scale their agency businesses with piece of mind. Manish is responsible for their overall company operations, sustainable strategic growth, team mentoring and retention, and so much more. Resources Website: https://www.e2msolutions.com/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/e2m-solutions/ https://www.linkedin.com/in/manishdudharejia/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/E2MSolutions Twitter: https://twitter.com/e2msolutions Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/e2msolutions/

Summary Ryan Watson, a partner at Upsourced Accounting, joins the discussion to highlight how financial forecasting before a crisis can actually help you avoid one. Understanding which metrics are important – and which ones are distracting – can help agency owners avoid the overwhelm and achieve forward momentum and progress. Intro In this episode of the Innovative Agency, we are looking ahead to 2023. If you're like most agency owners, you have probably been planning for the new year and thinking a lot about metrics, numbers, money, and how to improve your profitability. As talks about a possible recession heat up, many have been wondering how they can prepare for tomorrow, today. What You Will Learn in This Episode How forecasting, strategic planning, and KPI reviews can help you plan for the next 1, 3, or 5 years Why being financially responsible every day will set you up for success regardless of the economy The challenges many agency owners face when getting their finances in order What the "Million-Dollar Moment" is, and how that shifts an agency's mindset around finances The "Hierarchy of Needs," and the questions you should be asking to assess the financial health of your agency How to overcome overwhelm by focusing on the metrics that are relevant and deciding which ones are distracting Bio Ryan Watson is an experienced operations and finance leader for creative agencies and venture-funded startups. By day, he is a partner at Upsourced. Ryan helps scaling creative agencies see the future and drive profits. By night, he runs a tech startup and helps other startup founders avoid some of the mistakes he made in his career. Previously, Ryan served as COO and CFO of Ahalogy, a venture funded influencer marketing agency, which exited to Quotient Technology, Inc (NYSE: QUOT) in June 2018. Prior to Ahalogy, he cut his teeth at Sqrl - a SaaS product incubated out of Upsourced that automated document collection for service firms. Sqrl received an Entrepreneur of the Year EDGE Award from Ernst & Young and 'Outstanding Emerging Innovation' honors from the Cincinnati Business Courier. Resources Websites: https://ryankwatson.com/ https://upsourcedaccounting.com/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ryankeithwatson/ https://www.linkedin.com/company/upsourced-accounting/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/upsourcedaccounting/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/Upsourced?s=20&t=x1hKhOkI_oA2Z3Lhsyc_Bg Recession diagnostic:https://upsourced.typeform.com/to/DhjP6oh8 Recession Guide: https://hubs.ly/Q01rFvjq0

Summary Logan Lyles joins us to discuss marketing agency profitability — how it is achieved and how it is best maintained and nurtured. His insights will help you ensure that your team isn't over or underutilized, which will allow you to maximize profit without resulting in churn. Intro Agency owners and their employees are notorious for working hard. But, how many are paying close attention to where their working hours are being spent and how those efforts affect overall profitability? Today's guest, Logan Lyles, provides insight into the methods agencies can use to implement time-tracking strategies that illuminate vulnerabilities and new profit opportunities. What You Will Learn in This Episode How to implement a time-tracking strategy that your team doesn't hate. The value of viewing your billable hours as "shelf inventory." The importance of recognizing how you are billing and what can be done better. How to eliminate scope creep using time tracking. How to prepare clients for pricing changes by setting up trigger points in their contracts. Bio Logan Lyles is the Head of Partnerships at Teamwork, a project management platform built for scaling client work. Logan previously served in several leadership roles at Sweet Fish, a B2B podcast agency serving mid-market SaaS companies. Taking over sales from the agency founder in 2018, Logan helped triple the business in his first 6 months. He also played a key role in landing the agency on the Inc 5,000 List (twice), while helping the company both 10x headcount & increase ARR by 1,283%. Logan works from his home office (that's slowly becoming a mini video studio) alongside his labradoodle, Mack, in Castle Rock, CO. Resources LinkedIn:https://www.linkedin.com/in/loganlyles https://www.linkedin.com/company/teamwork-com Facebook:https://www.facebook.com/TeamworkHQ Twitter:https://twitter.com/teamwork