The Deep Specialization™️ Podcast

Jon Tsourakis, agency owner and entrepreneur, discusses the power of peer knowledge and Digital Mastermind Group. Topics include benefits of peer groups, challenges agency leaders face, understanding agency profitability, navigating cultural challenges, and agency growth strategies.

"All 14 of our clients got the product. We got them onboarded and they all loved it and paid a fee to use it, which was incredible." Robin Alex, Founder of HighLevel. Usually, it takes a long while for a B2B software product to find traction. That wasn’t the case for today’s guest, who by luck and brilliant vision found success from the get-go. A lifelong entrepreneur, Robin joins The Deep Specialization Podcast to share his founding story, going from building companies in his dorm room to a successful exit. While his early career days were spent working for a few startups, Robin quickly realized that his technical and IT skills could be turned into services, and he started offering advertising and consulting help to small businesses. What started as a phone call with his soon-to-be co-founders quickly evolved into a product seeing immediate success, and today, HighLevel, a company that empowers businesses to grow their businesses by generating reviews from their customers, managing their listings across 80+ sites on the web. Robin and Corey discuss how HighLevel skyrocketed to 60,000 customers in just five years. Remarkably, Robin and his co-founders conducted onboarding calls personally well up until the 10K customer milestone, gathering feedback and insights that turned the company into a flywheel of growth, attracting a sizable outside investment in 2021. Here’s what we cover in this episode: Founding story and selling to an entire room at Mastermind as a launchpad. What an immediate product-market fit looks like. Scaling a company to 60K customers, and bootstrapping much of the success. Taking 60M from a minority investor. Here are some actionable key takeaways for agency founders: Be nimble with your sales efforts during the early days, and adjust your pitch as you go. Networking through authentically helping others is the best way to build lasting business relationships. Onboarding calls give you valuable insights to better define your ICP, sales process, and product. Convey a culture of service where customers truly feel like they are taken care off, and you’ll win. The resources mentioned in this episode are: - Connect with Robin on Linkedin Here- Check out Robin’s firm HighLevel 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

"Unlike other professions, there's a helping atmosphere in law. They're always networking and talking with each other." Brendan Chard, Founder of The Modern Firm. And, it was those initial referrals that got Brendan into many of the local attorney firms in Ann Arbor some 20 years ago. Born into a family of lawyers, you could say that the legal vertical is in our guest’s blood, and he almost went to law school himself.  But destiny had other things in mind: Brendan somewhat accidentally founded his agency, The Modern Firm, while still in college, and has been running it successfully for over 20 years. Now that’s a story worth telling on the Deep Specialization Podcast! Brendan and Corey dive into the long journey of The Modern Firm, how it has grown from a one-man show into a 17-person strong team that still mostly grows through referrals and inbound leads, and all the management and agency leadership advice Brendan has accumulated along the way. Here’s what we cover in this episode: - How Brendan got into building websites for the legal vertical. - Going from a one-man show to a team and learning to let go and delegate. - How Brendan’s firm acquires repeat business and why lawyers are a special breed of buyers. - Positioning your business tightly to drive inbound. Here are some actionable key takeaways for agency founders: - High-performing teams have leaders who also think of the career development of their teams. - Being great at storytelling can be a great differentiation for a website agency. - When you’re high on inbound leads, sales is more about connecting and assessing the fit. - If you’re hiring for content and marketing, you need to look for deep vertical knowledge in the candidates. The resources mentioned in this episode are: - Connect with Brendan on Linkedin Here - Check out Brendan’s firm 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

"You have to go slow to go fast." Damon Burton, Founder and President of SEO National. It’s not only a catchy saying, it’s true in many facets of building a verticalized business. And who better to dive into the long-tail of agency building than a founder who’s built a seven-figure business over 17 years?  Damon joins the show to recount his founding journey from the beginning, which wasn’t devoid of twists, turns, and even FTC raids (although, it wasn’t his business that got raided!).  What’s unique about Damon’s company today is that it boasts over 80 clients across varied verticals: travel, software, hospitality, medical, professional sports, and more. So it’s not our usual VGTM episode. But, starting out, it was a gradual growth story.  Tune in to hear how Damon went from delivering landing page designs to building a fully-bloomed business on the side, and how the company evolved from a one-man show to an agency with solid processes and systems involving a mix of offshoring and local talent.   Here’s what Corey and Damon cover in this episode: - How Damon built his seven-figure business from a side hustle, and without paid advertising! - Transitioning from a hands-on leadership role to onboarding a COO. - The kind of challenges come with different phases of scaling an agency. - Why Damon did not niche down. Here are some actionable key takeaways for agency founders: - Don’t be afraid to walk away from toxic people and situations; values persist, success follows. - If you haven’t proven your value yet, find business models that are win-wins for both prospects and your bottom line. - Recognize when it’s time to delegate as a founder so you don’t jeopardize performance. - Document your company processes from day one to prepare for the day you need to hire more people and onboard them.   The resources mentioned in this episode are: - Connect with Damon on Linkedin Here- Get Damon’s SEO Book Outrank 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 started to realize that we're going to become the expert at how to use high level, unique, creative, physical goods to deepen relationships, open doors, and 10X referrals.” – John Ruhlin, Co-Founder of Giftology You can’t talk about corporate gifting without John Ruhlin, the Co-Founder of Giftology (and author of the eponymous book), who not only reverse-engineered the idea for his company after seeing gifting strategies take place organically, but actually opted out of med school because of the success he found early on.  He joins the show to explain, in great detail, how to leverage gifting strategies to build lasting relationships, company culture, and sales pipeline by leveraging psychology and his tried-and-tested approach. Corey and John dive into the specifics of what makes for a good gift, how to translate the gift receiver’s profile into an effective gift (you wouldn’t give a Casio to a person wearing Rolex day-to-day), and how to personalize gifts so that they have a lasting impact in the person’s life, even becoming family heirlooms And, it’s not just the thought and idea of the gift, but the whole experience around it; The personalization, the message, the delivery, the unexpectedness of it all. For one, John’s company never sends a gift at the same time twice. And it’s that element of surprise that really does the hard work in the process, giving you the 10x or even 100x return on that initial gift investment.Corey and John cover everything from the psychology of gifting to breaking down the who, how, and why of a highly-converting enterprise gifting strategy. Here’s what Corey and John discuss in this episode: How Cutco Knives inspired an idea for his business, and how he became one of the highest-grossing sales channels for the brand. The psychology of gifting and why it works in business settings. How to figure out what to invest in gifting. Examples of meaningful gifting strategies, and how it’s all about the experience. Here are some actionable key takeaways for agency founders: What is the worth of your relationships? Figure out the value, and gift accordingly. Gifting is not transactional: you don’t give to get. It’s not about the value of the gift but how it ties into the receiver’s core values. Use gifting as a way to show up when you’re not having face-to-face with your relationships The resources mentioned in this episode are: Connect with John on Linkedin Here Learn more about Giftology 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  

"Everything gets easier once you're a specialist in a vertical, and profitability follows.” – Sasha Berson When it comes to niching down, nothing gives you a lesson like learning from failures and mistakes. And oftentimes, the most successful and inspirational agency leaders are the ones who don’t shy away from sharing what they did not get right the first time around.  Sasha Berson is one of those leaders, and he joins the show for a deeply insightful conversation on what he has learned along his journey. After founding and selling his first venture, a successful brick and mortar business, Sasha found himself gravitating towards marketing, an area he saw most businesses struggle with. That ultimately drew him to join Comrade Digital, a holding company he helped niche down from originally serving a whopping 54 verticals. Most notably, Sasha built an agency brand to solely serve the legal industry at Comrade Digital: Grow Law Firm.  If there’s one actionable takeaway from this episode, it’s that there is no get-rich-quick scheme in the world of verticalization. You have to have patience and foresight to bring your vision to life, stay humble, and have the self-awareness to pivot when your bets aren’t paying off. So buckle up, as Corey and Sasha break down what worked, what didn’t in driving revenue and success for Grow Law Firm. Curious for details? You’ll have to listen to the episode but we’ll give you this; it wasn’t hardcore outbound! Here’s what Corey and Sasha discuss in this episode: Sasha’s journey in getting into marketing and why he was drawn to it. Founding a verticalized arm serving B2C lawyers within a generalist holding company. Failures and trials in verticalization, and what you can learn from them. What really works in outbound, and why many agencies get it wrong. Here are some actionable key takeaways for agency founders: Research your niche thoroughly to understand whether the vertical truly holds growth potential. Paid advertising doesn’t necessarily bring you the highest ROI prospects, so focus on content instead. You need a specialized brand to bring specialized clients. The foundation of agency sales is a good sales tech stack, top reps, a superb list, and patience as cycles can take up to three years. The resources mentioned in this episode are: Connect with Sasha on Linkedin Here Learn more about Grow Law Firm 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

"It was a lot of brute force, cold outreach, going direct to people.” – Sam Shepler What every agency founder knows about starting up shop, is that the reality of growth in the early days comes from simply pounding the pavement, putting in the hours, and hustling your way to success.  Today’s guest, Sam Shepler, did just that when he founded Testimonial Hero, a global video testimonial company that helps B2B SaaS companies close more deals through video testimonials. Founded in 2017, Sam bootstrapped his now 7-figure business from the start, maintaining control all the way. Growing mostly through cold outreach and referrals, Sam wasn’t afraid to put in the work to get his idea and agency off the ground. In this episode, he shares everything from initial tactics to hiring strategies and what roles he prioritized in the first years of Testimonial Hero. What’s more, Corey and Sam dive into the topic of social proof, and why it is a must-have, not a nice-to-have, for marketers today. Especially in video form. And, who better to give us a lesson in building trust than the founder of a video testimonial company? Here’s what Corey and Sam discuss in this episode: Going through an acqui-hire and founding a niche video agency. Why Sam decided to focus on video testimonials in B2B SaaS. Where Testimonial Hero’s early growth came from. How Sam landed SaaS legends like HubSpot as clients. Sam’s tips on leveraging social video proof in various stages of the sales process. Here are some actionable key takeaways for agency founders: Verticalized messaging instantly signals a vendor-client fit. Gross margin is the most important part of an agency’s P&L. Lead with relationships when reaching out to prospects, not your sales pitch. Don’t compromise on talent but sometimes you need to bring in people from unconventional backgrounds. Social proof builds trust, trust is what brings you business. The resources mentioned in this episode are: Connect with Sam on Linkedin Here Learn more about Testimonial Hero 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're a-get-sh*t-done workhorse agency. We're not sitting around wasting a bunch of their money and time on fluff.” – Tim Brown Today’s guest has a no-frills approach to the agency he’s been building for the past seven years.  And you know what? It works.  With 29 employees and on track to driving six million in annual revenue in 2024, Tim Brown’s agency, Hook, is a masterclass in a hyper-verticalized business. Starting out as more of a generalist, Tim first niched down in 2021 to only serve contractors, moving finally to target only roofers between five and 15 employees. Now that’s not only highly specific, but also a great example of positioning for success. Outside of verticalization, Tim joins Corey to discuss company leadership, his founder story, thought leadership, and how he is looking to bring back an element of entertainment into content marketing in the roofing niche. This episode is a must-listen for anyone looking to really hone in on niching down, or if you’re thinking about making the jump to build your own agency full-time. Here’s what Corey and Tim cover in this episode: What drove Tim to start his own shop. How Tim has grown the agency to an seven figure business with close to a 100 clients. How to snowball verticalized clients. How to differentiate your offering when your buyer isn’t the most knowledgeable of marketing.  Here are some actionable key takeaways for agency founders: A good time to fully leap into your side hustle is when your side job surpasses your salary. Find mentors and people who can teach you to uplevel your business, whether that’s sales or marketing, or operations. Don’t look at revenue over profit when making verticalization decisions for the long run. Educate your industry not just for leads but to push it forward. The resources mentioned in this episode are: Connect with Tim on Linkedin Here Learn more about Hook 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

How do you keep serving your vertical when it goes into freefall? Today’s guest not only overcame the challenge during the pandemic, but emerged driving 40% year-over-year growth. Nicole Mahoney, the Founder of Break The Ice Media, tackled the difficulty of scaling by serving her vertical even when facing a dramatic downturn. Break The Ice Media, a company Nicole proudly calls an “un-agency”, serves companies in the travel, tourism, and hospitality sectors. Today, the agency makes $2 million in topline revenue with 13 full-time employees. Nicole and Corey sit down to discuss her journey of transforming a generalist shop into a travel marketing agency, and how her podcast, Destination on the Left, played a pivotal role in getting Nicole in front of new audiences and prospects to share her unique point of view on the industry. Tune in for an inspiring conversation with insights and ideas you can apply to grow your verticalized business and provide true value to your niche. Here’s what Corey and Nicole cover in this episode: What Nicole’s learned on niching down in her 15 years in business. Why Nicole chose travel and tourism as her niche. How to attract and recognize right fit clients. Agency resources she turned to, and what to do if you’re struggling with scaling. Here are some actionable key takeaways for agency founders: Don’t dilute your offering by serving too many industries. Follow your natural passion when verticalizing. Identify your ideal client budget that grows your agency without swallowing it. Serve your vertical with deeper purpose than just business. The resources mentioned in this episode are: Connect with Nicole on Linkedin Here Listen to Nicole’s podcast Here Get Nicole’s book Stronger Together 👍 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

“It was like the universe was telling me what I needed to do was EOS.” – Justin Mink, a Certified EOS Implementer Today’s guest is Justin Mink, a certified Entrepreneurial Operating System Implementer. In a nutshell, The EOS system is a leadership framework businesses lean on to codify their vision, drive team alignment, and meet goals by using a toolbox of processes.  Justin joins the show to share his fascinating journey into solopreneurship, overcoming health challenges, and how EOS impacts his life in and outside of work. In this episode, you’ll also get a peek inside the early days of his practice, and how Justin leveraged content marketing on LinkedIn to build trust in the sales process. Justin and Corey discuss the benefits of the system, how Justin built his EOS consultancy around the franchise vertical, and how the practice itself improves his life and relationships outside of the professional world. Here’s what Corey and Justin cover in this episode: Justin’s journey to becoming an EOS implementer. Overcoming personal challenges as an entrepreneur. Pivoting from a CMO role to franchisee. How Justin scaled his EOS consulting business by focusing on the Franchise vertical. Here are some actionable key takeaways for agency founders: Use Linkedin thought leadership to build trust. Turn content creation into a morning ritual. If you’re stuck or hitting ceilings, consider EOS to break through. Understand what kind of leader you are to operate at your highest level. The resources mentioned in this episode are: Connect with Justin on Linkedin Here See Justin’s website Here Learn more about EOS Worldwide 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