The Deep Specialization™️ Podcast

How can narrowing your focus open the door to big opportunities? In this episode, Corey unpacks the transformative power of specialization and why choosing the right vertical market is key to agency success. He shares a simple 3-step framework to identify the perfect niche: tapping into your expertise, following your genuine interests, and analyzing the market for growth potential. Along the way, Corey sheds light on common mistakes to avoid when niching down, like targeting a market that’s too small or one that doesn’t align with your agency’s core passions. Whether you’re refining your strategy or starting fresh, this episode offers practical advice to help you carve out your niche, stand out from the crowd, and build an agency that thrives. Here’s what we cover in this episode: Tips for choosing a vertical market for your agency How to identify characteristics of a good vertical market How specialized agencies grow faster than generalists Common pitfalls to avoid when specializing Why market research is crucial for selecting a vertical How to leverage community and networking opportunities for agency growth Why it's never too late to specialize   Here are some actionable key takeaways for agency founders: Choosing a vertical market can lead to long-term success. Specialized agencies grow faster than generalists. Market research is essential before committing to a vertical. Be sure to gather insights from your existing client base. Avoid markets that are too small or declining in demand. Consider the revenue potential of the vertical market. Use community and networking opportunities to explore new opportunities for growth and specialization. Look for verticals with professional requirements. Empathy towards clients is the key to differentiating yourself from your competitors. It's never too late to specialize!   The resources mentioned in this episode are: Research your desired vertical's business data, potential growth, and total addressable market value with IBISWorld: https://www.ibisworld.com  Directory of Associations: https://directoryofassociations.com   👍If you liked this episode, please rate and review us on Apple Podcasts, and be sure to hit the subscribe button! 🔔   😩 Feeling stuck trying to stand out in a noisy market? I’d love to give you my free crash course that will help you go from “just another generalist” to a go-to expert people seek out. In just a few short days, you’ll learn how to position yourself with clarity, authority, and focus. ➡️ Sign up here: deepspecializationcourse.com   More content from Corey: Corey’s Website: https://www.coreyquinn.com Corey’s Daily Tips: https://www.coreyquinn.com/blog  Podcast Website: https://www.coreyquinn.com/podcasts/the-deep-specialization-podcast Podcast YouTube Channel: https://youtube.com/@coreyquinninc?sub_confirmation=1    This episode is sponsored by E2M, the #1 white-label partner for digital agencies. Visit https://www.e2msolutions.com/the-deep-specialization-podcast to get 20% off your first month. This episode was produced and brought to you by Reignite Media. #agencygrowth #agencylife #marketingpodcast #deepspecialization #verticalization #verticalmarket

What does it take to turn a side hustle into a thriving agency serving some of the biggest names in publishing? In this episode, Corey chats with Alex Strathdee, founder of Advanced Amazon Ads, who started with a simple goal: sell more books. Fast forward, and Alex now manages millions in ad spend, helping nonfiction authors like Mike Michalowicz and Dan Sullivan grow their influence. But Alex isn’t stopping there. He’s pulling back the curtain on a game-changing rebrand to Shelf Life, expanding his services to offer authors a complete marketing arsenal. From mastering Amazon ads to diving into influencer programs and TikTok strategies, Alex shares the secrets of scaling a specialized business while staying laser-focused on his niche. If you’re looking for a blueprint to grow your agency and adapt to a changing market, this episode delivers the goods. Here’s what we cover in this episode: Understanding the limitations of your advertising channels. Differentiating your niche agency. How Alex’s agency doubles its revenue every year since its inception. Strategies for overcoming imposter syndrome. How to gain more personal free time while scaling your business. “Seeding the Market”: An effective strategy for book marketing. Myths and misconceptions of book launches that will save authors time and money. The secret to agency growth: Having a consistent lead generation source. Why being a “best seller” doesn’t guarantee higher sales. Underrated benefits of outsourcing. Here are some actionable key takeaways for agency founders: Specialization in both the audience served and the services offered is essential. As an agency, you need a consistent lead generation source to scale up. Beyond that, diversifying client sources is crucial for agency growth and stability. Building relationships through podcasting has been a significant client acquisition strategy. One way to overcome imposter syndrome is by networking with influential figures. Advertise where your audience lives. TikTok is becoming a significant platform for book sales because of the amount of readers reviewing books and sharing book recommendations. Outsourcing tasks can lead to better efficiency and productivity. The resources mentioned in this episode are: Connect with Alex on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alexander-strathdee Check out Advanced Amazon Ads: https://www.advancedamazonads.com Buy Alex’s books on Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/stores/author/B07L7FMPYB Listen to Before the Bestseller: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/before-the-bestseller/id1352053720 👍If you liked this episode, please rate and review us on Apple Podcasts, and be sure to hit the subscribe button! 🔔  😩 Feeling stuck trying to stand out in a noisy market? I’d love to give you my free crash course that will help you go from “just another generalist” to a go-to expert people seek out. In just a few short days, you’ll learn how to position yourself with clarity, authority, and focus. ➡️ Sign up here: deepspecializationcourse.com   This episode is sponsored by E2M, the #1 white-label partner for digital agencies. Visit https://www.e2msolutions.com/the-deep-specialization-podcast to get 20% off your first month.

"You have to think about the exit from day one.” – Ronik Patel,  Founder of UnlimitedWP. If you’ve ever dreamt of selling your agency, look no further than this episode. Excitingly, we have another two-time guest on, as Corey welcomes back Ronik Patel to discuss his recent success in getting his company, UnlimitedWP acquired by E2M. And, if the latter sounds familiar, it’s because its founder, Manish Dudharejia, is also a recent guest and friend of the podcast! Ronik joins the show to share his exit experience, how that came to be, and all the lessons along the way. It truly is fascinating to witness the journey of a competitor becoming the acquirer, and what decisions led to the exit - or partial merger, to be exact. While this episode is a gold mine of M&A advice, If we had to summarize a single takeaway, it would be that exits are made from day one. You have to plan for it from the get-go to ensure that your agency can run (and be acquired) without the day-to-day involvement of the founder. Beyond the acquisition, we also discuss his future plans and what Ronik is building next for agencies. Tune in for the full story. Here’s what we cover in this episode: - How to prime your agency for an acquisition. - Best practices for a successful exit. - Acquisition experience and learnings. - What’s next for Ronik and what he’s building in the agency space. Here are some actionable key takeaways for agency founders: - If you’re looking for an exit, seek out buyers immediately. - Trust and transparency are paramount in the acquisition process. - Make a list of potential buyers early on and build relationships before you need them. - Aligning on values is the cornerstone of a successful acquisition. The resources mentioned in this episode are: - Connect with Ronik on LinkedIn Here- Check out UnlimitedWP Here 👍If you liked this episode, please rate and review us on Apple Podcasts, and be sure to hit the subscribe button! 🔔 😩 Feeling stuck trying to stand out in a noisy market? I’d love to give you my free crash course that will help you go from “just another generalist” to a go-to expert people seek out. In just a few short days, you’ll learn how to position yourself with clarity, authority, and focus. ➡️ Sign up here: deepspecializationcourse.com

"The commitment to specialization gives clarity and perspective, leading to higher conversion rates and client trust." – Vlad Mkrtumyan, CEO of Restoration Inbound Today’s guest may have started as a general agency founder, but since niching down and taking a vertical approach, his team has helped one of their client’s achieve an increase of over $1M in new revenue. Meet Vlad Mkrtumyan, CEO of Restoration Inbound, a top-tier lead generation and SEO agency exclusively designed for mold remediation companies seeking growth and success. With a deep understanding of their industry’s unique challenges and opportunities, their team harnesses the power of digital marketing to connect restoration businesses with potential clients. So, how do you go from generalist to specialist? If you’re in the process of finding your niche and don’t know what steps to take next, this episode will give you the steps you need. Vlad emphasizes the importance of attending conferences, enjoying the learning process, and the role of software in their agency. He also highlights the balance of not immediately "boxing yourself in" but doing so over time, with examples of what that means. Tune in for expert insights on how to find your niche and become the specialist you know you can be.   Here’s what we cover in this episode: - Vlad’s growth journey from starting as a general agency to niching down to restoration marketing. - How becoming a specialist in a specific niche enables you to build deeper relationships with clients and give them better results. - The major benefits of leveraging referrals, networking, and building a board of advisors. - AI in marketing: How agencies can leverage it to help their clients implement AI tools.   Here are some actionable key takeaways for agency founders: - Networking and building a board of advisors are crucial for success in a niche market. - Focusing on high-margin industries can lead to greater profitability. - Attending conferences gives insight into the industry, but it’s shadowing the potential niche that can really bring it more to life and help you to see first-hand if it’s right for you. - Enjoying the learning process and becoming a master in the niche is a sign that the specialization is the right fit. - If you’re still trying to figure out your niche, keep testing and trying! You’ll find it.   The resources mentioned in this episode are: - Connect with Vlad on LinkedIn here- Check out Restoration Inbound here 👍If you liked this episode, please rate and review us on Apple Podcasts, and be sure to hit the subscribe button! 🔔   😩 Feeling stuck trying to stand out in a noisy market? I’d love to give you my free crash course that will help you go from “just another generalist” to a go-to expert people seek out. In just a few short days, you’ll learn how to position yourself with clarity, authority, and focus. ➡️ Sign up here: deepspecializationcourse.com

"The audiences of niche podcasts are so much more engaged than some of these really big shows.” – Angie Trueblood, Founder of The Podwize Group Our guest’s founding moment might have originated by chance, but what followed was pure talent, and certainly, a knack for sales and pitching. Meet Angie Trueblood, Founder of The Podwize Group, a company that connects business owners and podcast hosts with other hosts who serve an aligned audience in their vertical. What started as a discovery of a niche within the podcasting space has now evolved into a sprawling business of consulting and training other agencies on the art of pitching in the B2B space. If you’ve ever been curious about starring as a guest on a podcast in your vertical, this episode is a must-listen. And while Angie stresses that, spoiler alert, there’s no such thing as a template for a perfect pitch, she will share her approach on connecting with the host to get the outcome you’re looking for. Tune into learn about what a great guest is made of, how to craft a high-performing pitch, and all the work and processes you need to follow to secure lucrative guest slots on vertical podcasts.   Here’s what we cover in this episode: - Angie's progression from freelancing in 2017 to building a successful podcast guesting agency. - How joining podcasts as a guest speaker can boost business visibility and sales. - What it takes to get placed as a podcast and deliver a great episode. - How to convert podcast appearances into revenue opportunities.   Here are some actionable key takeaways for agency founders: - Guesting on shows in your vertical can help you test the waters in a new niche. - A great podcast guest makes the listeners feel like they’re part of the conversation.  - Sometimes, you need to get creative to make a compelling pitch, and lean on personality and creative topics to secure a podcast slot. - Pick three verticals to pitch yourself as a podcast guest to test waters.   The resources mentioned in this episode are: - Connect with Angie on LinkedIn Here- Check out The Podwize Group Here 👍If you liked this episode, please rate and review us on Apple Podcasts, and be sure to hit the subscribe button! 🔔   😩 Feeling stuck trying to stand out in a noisy market? I’d love to give you my free crash course that will help you go from “just another generalist” to a go-to expert people seek out. In just a few short days, you’ll learn how to position yourself with clarity, authority, and focus. ➡️ Sign up here: deepspecializationcourse.com

"We get new clients by showcasing the wins that we do have and the return on investment that brands are getting.” – David Glaza, Founder/CEO of DIGITS Agency Retail media is a $54B a year industry, so as a niche, it’s extremely lucrative. Today’s guest saw an opportunity after fourteen years working at Target, and never looked back. This week, we welcome David Glaza to the show. He is the founder and CEO of DIGITS Agency, an independent retail media agency that, like Target, is based in Minneapolis. Today, the eight year old agency has some fifteen employees, focusing solely on helping brands effectively market their products to Target shoppers. David discusses the sprawling journey from a one person operation to an actual agency with employees, how they’re attracting new clients through laser-sharp specialization, and resisting the urge to be everything for everyone. Corey and David also touch topics like hiring, leadership, and how challenges change as you grow in size and revenue.   Here’s what we cover in this episode: - Going from a Target careerist to an entrepreneur. - Digits’ key areas of specialization, how they attract new business, and best-performing marketing channels. - How Covid propelled digital retail marketing. - Leadership lessons as an agency founder.   Here are some actionable key takeaways for agency founders: - Looking to venture out on your own? Build a list of people already in your network you could potentially sell or talk to. - Showing ROI through existing client work is paramount in new business acquisition. - Think about areas that might not be the largest revenue drivers today but might have explosive growth potential later on. - The best candidates to hire are the ones that are already in your circle.   The resources mentioned in this episode are: - Connect with David on LinkedIn Here- Check out Digits Here 👍If you liked this episode, please rate and review us on Apple Podcasts, and be sure to hit the subscribe button! 🔔   😩 Feeling stuck trying to stand out in a noisy market? I’d love to give you my free crash course that will help you go from “just another generalist” to a go-to expert people seek out. In just a few short days, you’ll learn how to position yourself with clarity, authority, and focus. ➡️ Sign up here: deepspecializationcourse.com

Episode: 17 Chapter Seventeen of Anyone, Not Everyone encourages agency owners to embark on their journey towards vertical market specialization, emphasizing that existing clients are likely to remain supportive during this transition. It clarifies that specializing in a vertical market is not a magical solution but a strategic step that requires solid business fundamentals and can serve as a foundation for future expansion or diversification. The chapter motivates agency owners to start the specialization process, addressing concerns like imposter syndrome and underscoring the continuous learning and adaptation required for success in a chosen vertical. Reminder that this is a chapter in Corey Quinn’s book, Anyone, Not Everyone. Over the next few weeks, we'll be releasing a few chapters at a time so that you can escape founder-led sales. If you want to read or listen to the entire book today, then visit www.AnyoneNotEveryone.com and pick up a copy.

"One of the things that we do best across all of our product categories is talk to niche audiences.” – Josslynne Welch, President at Litzky Public Relations Public relations is a fast-moving industry, yet today’s guest has successfully stayed ahead of the news cycle for close to three decades. Meet Josslynne Welch; Today, she sits at the helm of the communications agency Litzky Public Relations, a company she joined some 26 years ago. The agency specializes in toy companies, publishing, and entertainment, and runs with a small 15-person team that comprises account, strategy, and creative services. And, according to Josslynne, it’s their nimbleness that allows LPR to execute fast to connect the dots between culture, trends, and their clients. In essence, what sets LPR apart is their deep specialization in their industry, how they show up through initiatives like The Love Litzky Grant, and their policy of running a tight ship. They only work with the right fit, both vertically, and personality-wise. Together, Corey and Josslynne cover topics like culture building and retention, keeping your teams motivated, hiring for specialty versus skills, the importance of peer perspectives in agency leadership, and more.   Here’s what we cover in this episode: - Josslynne’s three decades running a PR agency. - Verticalization and expansion of your existing niche. - PR best practices from strategy to tactics. - Leadership lessons from culture to team retention and giving back.   Here are some actionable key takeaways for agency founders: - A niche focus doesn't mean dull; Seek variety within your area of specialization. - Be opportunistic about trends in your niche to shape the news. - Leadership can be lonely, make sure to tap into peer networks to connect with fellow agency leaders. - You can’t fake caring. Show up for your industry in tangible ways.   The resources mentioned in this episode are: - Connect with Josslynne on LinkedIn Here- Check out Litzky PR Here 👍If you liked this episode, please rate and review us on Apple Podcasts, and be sure to hit the subscribe button! 🔔   😩 Feeling stuck trying to stand out in a noisy market? I’d love to give you my free crash course that will help you go from “just another generalist” to a go-to expert people seek out. In just a few short days, you’ll learn how to position yourself with clarity, authority, and focus. ➡️ Sign up here: deepspecializationcourse.com

Episode: 16 Chapter Sixteen of Anyone, Not Everyone outlines the importance of the agency founder in leading the transition to vertical market specialization, emphasizing that early successes can be achieved with the existing team. It advises agency owners to deeply understand their chosen vertical market, embodying the values and knowledge that will inspire and guide the team. The chapter also details functional skills required for each strategy phase, suggesting the use of internal resources first and contracting as a secondary option, with an 18-24 month expectation to build vertical market expertise. Hiring a vertical-specific salesperson is recommended for accelerating sales and achieving better results in the long term. Reminder that this is a chapter in Corey Quinn’s book, Anyone, Not Everyone. Over the next few weeks, we'll be releasing a few chapters at a time so that you can escape founder-led sales. If you want to read or listen to the entire book today, then visit www.AnyoneNotEveryone.com and pick up a copy.

Peter Kang, Co-founder of Barrel Holdings, has two decades of experience in the digital agency landscape, focusing on Shopify and Webflow. He shares his unlikely transition from running a small web agency to building a thriving holding company. Peter discusses the crucial role of specialization and strategic partnerships, the challenges of market saturation, and how they innovated within their agency framework. He also highlights the impact of their 'Consumed and Created' newsletter, fostering creativity and thoughtful consumption.