Build a Better Agency Podcast

Louise Oliver, owner of Paratus, a PR firm in Alabama, discusses the transformative power of taking a sabbatical. She shares her personal journey of overcoming the fear of disconnecting from her agency. Louise highlights how completely unplugging allowed her team to grow and empowered her leadership. She emphasizes the importance of trust and a strong leadership team while stepping back. The conversation also touches on the unique challenges agency owners face, particularly during maternity leave, and the necessity of prioritizing self-care for better agency growth.

Sara Daw, the owner of a fractional CFO firm in the UK, discusses the evolving landscape of work where fractional employees are becoming essential for agencies. She explores the concept of the access economy, allowing agencies to tap into diverse skills without full-time commitments. Sara emphasizes the importance of psychological ownership in fractional relationships and offers strategies to foster connection and teamwork in hybrid environments. This conversation provides valuable insights for agency leaders on shaping a future-ready workforce.

Many agency owners reported in 2024 that one of the best things about their agencies are their employees. Despite continued biz dev struggles and slow sales cycles, agency owners have had a hard time shrinking their teams because they just love them that much. So, this week, let’s talk about some of the ways we can think about agency employee compensation more holistically to show them our gratitude and continued support. Agencies continue to be really competitive environments, and many of our best employees will inevitably be approached by recruiters and other agencies at some point in their careers. And the best way to keep them around is through their compensation packages. But these shouldn’t just be about high salaries and bonuses. While important, that’s just the tip of the iceberg in showing our gratitude and support to our employees. In fact, the most impactful forms of compensation come from deeply knowing and respecting your team, and showing your personalized gratitude for their efforts and commitment to your agency. Join me on this week’s solocast to dig a little deeper in how we can really get thoughtful about how we compensate our employees, not just with more money, but investing in their continued growth and your personal relationship with them. A big thank you to our podcast’s presenting sponsor, White Label IQ. They’re an amazing resource for agencies who want to outsource their design, dev, or PPC work at wholesale prices. Check out their special offer (10 free hours!) for podcast listeners here. In This Episode: Looking at agency employee compensation not as an obligation, but something you do out of gratitude Using raises as a reward for employees adding more value to the agency Giving bonuses or profit sharing to celebrate hitting monthly or quarterly goals as a team How a good benefits package gives you a competitive advantage against other agencies Personalized perks and thank-yous to reward individuals go a long way How to know when one of your employees has gone above and beyond Spending time getting to know your employees and caring for those personal relationships Develop your compensation philosophy based on your goals and values

Susan Baier, the owner of Audience Audit, helps agencies navigate the challenges of winning new business in today’s landscape. She emphasizes the power of research studies to enhance thought leadership and attract clients without heavy prospecting. By teaching and educating their audience, agencies can build trust and shorten sales cycles. Baier suggests transforming research insights into compelling content, emphasizing adaptability, and highlights the importance of positioning as a strategic partner for better client relationships.

Carolyn Lodge, a COO and agency owner known for her unique insights into the CEO/COO relationship, discusses the rising trend of hiring COOs in agencies. She highlights the importance of emotional intelligence and adaptability for successful collaboration. Carolyn delves into the challenges of cybersecurity and managing workforce expectations while navigating the shifting dynamics of agency operations. She emphasizes the COO's critical role in integrating AI and shares tips on conducting effective COO interviews to find the right fit for agency growth.

Marquel Russell, a business scaling expert, shares his insights on redefining agency growth beyond mere expansion. He emphasizes the importance of profitability, client relationships, and operational efficiency. Listeners learn about decentralizing operations and empowering teams to enhance growth. Marquel also discusses shifting mindsets for true freedom and work-life balance. Through anecdotes and actionable strategies, he encourages agency owners to reflect on their goals and create a fulfilling entrepreneurial lifestyle.

Tamsen Webster, an expert in change and author of "Say What They Can't Unhear," shares her insights on creating transformational change in agencies. She discusses how understanding human behavior can enhance communication and foster acceptance. Tamsen emphasizes shifting from pain-driven motivation to more sustainable, empathetic strategies. She also introduces nine core principles for actionable change and the necessity of aligning changes with team beliefs and individual self-concepts, providing practical tools for lasting impact.

Your business should serve your lifestyle — not the other way around. Many agency owners got into the industry because it affords them a lifestyle and freedom most people dream of. But it’s easy to lose sight of that when the business gets overwhelming and we fall into agency owner fatigue. For this week’s solocast, I want to do a deep dive into one of the ways we help agency owners sort out this fatigue and get back on the right track to achieving their goals and dreams — the agency owner life plan. This plan is a free tool to help agency owners sit with their goals, dreams, aspirations, and legacies and write them down so they feel more tangible and achievable. These legacies don’t have to be lofty, lifelong goals but can be smaller goals that we can start working toward today. Whether you have a charity you’d like to work with or just want to focus on spending more time with your family, you can use your agency (along with the agency owner life plan) to help you achieve these goals step by step. So if you’re feeling burnt out, fatigued, or discouraged, this episode will help you sort out your dreams and desires and help you get back to using the agency to fuel your legacies. A big thank you to our podcast’s presenting sponsor, White Label IQ. They’re an amazing resource for agencies who want to outsource their design, dev, or PPC work at wholesale prices. Check out their special offer (10 free hours!) for podcast listeners here. In This Episode: 3 things that drive agency owner fatigue Our business should serve our life, not the other way around The agency owner life plan Finding 5 legacies you want to leave in your lifetime Uncovering 3 things you can do this year to start working toward your legacies Choosing 5 people you want to spend more time with to help you achieve your goals How to use the agency to support you in accomplishing your goals

Agency leaders have some of the most important roles in the agency. They’re key team members supporting the agency owner in the agency’s day-to-day operations and taking on roles that allow the agency owner to focus on business development and other key tasks. The truth is, it can be a lonely position. As agency owners, we need to consistently work on being more supportive to these key leaders — whether they’re our COO, creative directors, department heads, account leads, or even the company president. These positions are mission-critical and will support the long-term growth and success of the agency all the way to its succession. So naturally, it’s our job to create opportunities for growth, career development, and constructive feedback that support our agency leaders to be better at their jobs. This episode is a great one to sit down with your agency leaders and go through the different points we discuss so you can learn what opportunities you and your agency leaders can create together for their continued growth and development. A big thank you to our podcast’s presenting sponsor, White Label IQ. They’re an amazing resource for agencies who want to outsource their design, dev, or PPC work at wholesale prices. Check out their special offer (10 free hours!) for podcast listeners here. What You Will Learn in This Episode: Which agency leader positions typically qualify for leadership peer groups Why Del found value in sending his agency leaders to peer groups at least twice per year How agency peer groups help agency leaders feel less lonely in their positions Why money isn’t always the solution to keeping agency leaders happy The value of mentoring and coaching leaders, and how to structure time for it How to give your agency leaders more autonomy in their roles The importance of workshops, peer groups, and other leadership training opportunities Helping your agency leaders grow in their roles within the agency How agency leaders want feedback presented to them

Emily Shapiro and Robin Boehler from Mercer Island Group share their expertise on improving agency proposals. They discuss common mistakes that agencies make and emphasize the importance of client-centric approaches. Crafting compelling narratives and focusing on clarity can transform proposals into winning pitches. They advocate for tailored bios and thorough client research, ensuring that agencies resonate with prospective clients. Engaging in workshops can also enhance proposal writing skills, setting agencies up for success.