Smart Agency Masterclass With Jason Swenk: Podcast For Digital Marketing Agencies

Would you like access to our advanced agency training for FREE? https://www.agencymastery360.com/training Would you like to remove yourself from the day-to-day agency operations? Do you have an effective hiring process to attract top talent for agency roles? In today’s discussion, our featured guest explains how failing to secure the best candidates often stems from a poorly designed hiring process, starting with the job advertisement. She shares essential strategies for crafting an engaging job ad, fostering self-managing teams, and identifying the qualities of an outstanding operations manager. Join us to discover how to effectively find, hire, and train the right operations professional to elevate your agency. Mandi Ellefson is the founder of Hands Off CEO, a company dedicated to helping busy CEOs drive sustainable growth without sacrificing their lifestyle and family. Mandi shares her journey of building a business that allows for true freedom, discusses the importance of creating an effective hiring f

Would you like access to our advanced agency training for FREE? https://www.agencymastery360.com/training Do you use storytelling to connect with prospects and clients? Many agency owners know how to share great stories but use them to talk about their agency capabilities. Instead, today’s guest says we should use stories to connect with potential clients, creating content that resonates and engages them. Today’s featured guest is a creator of powerful brand stories who helps his clients understand the value of starting with a strong story framework. He believes clarity beats creativity when it comes to standing out in today’s market. Tune in to learn about his transition from agency life to consulting, teaching, and speaking on the power of story. Park Howell is an EMMY award-winning business storytelling coach at The Business of Story. He is also a story strategist, keynote speaker, and podcaster known as the world's most industrious storyteller. He started as an agency guy, founding his agency Park &

Would you like access to our advanced agency training for FREE? https://www.agencymastery360.com/training Are you currently utilizing AI or fear it will replace digital agencies? Most agency owners fall into one of these two categories. However, those open to exploring this technology's potential and maintaining a sense of curiosity will lead the way in innovation. Today’s featured guest lost some clients who opted for in-house ChatGPT services over his agency's offering. Instead of staying fearful of losing all his clients to this technology, he was prompted to explore how AI could be leveraged to enhance his services. Through experimentation, he created what has become a very effective foot-in-the-door to showcase good results with very little investment. Tune in to discover valuable lessons about creativity, collaboration, and the evolution of marketing strategies. Abraham Bree is the founder of Brand:Whatever, a full-scale, small-sized branding agency based in Brooklyn, New York. With over 15 years of

Would you like access to our advanced agency training for FREE? https://www.agencymastery360.com/training How can you grow your agency’s client list beyond referral clients? Would you sacrifice price or length of contracts in order to attract new business? Today’s featured guest has successfully established his agency by prioritizing higher prices and maintaining a clear vision of his offerings. He emphasizes the importance of being selective with the opportunities that arise. He shares the challenges and strategies involved in growing his agency, as well as how he prioritized long-term relationships over new business. Seth Odell is the founder and CEO of Kanahoma, a performance marketing agency specializing in the education sector. With over 15 years of experience in marketing and education, Seth shares his journey from being a chief marketing officer at a university to launching his own agency during the pandemic. He discusses the pivotal moment when UCLA became his first client, propelling him to leap i

Would you like access to our advanced agency training for FREE? https://www.agencymastery360.com/training How can you step away from daily operations and embrace the role of the agency visionary? Is there a team member who could take over the things you don’t love doing? If so, how would you begin to prepare them for this transition? Today’s guests built a relationship with a key employee that most agency owners dream of when they think about delegating and reclaiming their time. It took a lot of work, investing in growth, and trusting that someone who started as an employee could evolve into a partner in the agency, but they managed to do it in a way that has only benefitted the agency and the team. Join them for an engaging conversation filled with insights into delegating and slowly transitioning from being a hands-in agency owner to being the visionary and face of the agency. Tiffany Sauder is CEO and Kyler Mason is president of Element Three. They run a full-service marketing agency that modernizes go

Would you like access to our advanced agency training for FREE? https://www.agencymastery360.com/training Have you ever rushed your hiring process out of eagerness to fill a position and delegate responsibilities? Did you later regret the decision to hire fast? There is a reason they say hire slow, fire fast. Finding the right people to fill the roles on your growing team is an integral part of growing. In this interview, learn from one agency owner who takes immense pride in cultivating a core team that shares his vision. However, getting there has not been without its challenges. One of the most valuable lessons he learned is that hiring takes patience and a well-structured process. Check out this thoughtful discussion on the importance of having the right people in the right positions to ensure success and peace of mind as the agency expands. Bryant Walker is the founder and CEO of Tavo Media Group, a growing full-service agency with team members scattered around the country. He discusses the challenges

Would you like access to our advanced agency training for FREE? https://www.agencymastery360.com/training Do you want to sell your agency someday? Can you imagine a profitable sale and exit agency in the future? Do you feel an acquisition is the mark of business success? Selling your agency shows you’ve built a robust and profitable business, which is a noteworthy achievement. Today’s featured guest helps his clients get ready to find a perfect buyer and reach a deal that withstands the test of time. He’ll discuss why the common reasons to sell are not necessarily the best reasons as well as why undervaluing yourself could hurt your valuation. He also shares common deal killers and deal makers. He highlights the importance of considering personal fulfillment and financial objectives when deciding to sell an agency. Jonathan Baker is the co-owner of Punctuation, an all-in-one advisory practice that helps marketing firms position themselves with lead-generation plans. In particular, Jonathan helps small to m

Would you like access to our advanced agency training for FREE? https://www.agencymastery360.com/training What would you do to keep growing your agency if new leads dried up? How would you guarantee increased business? How would you ensure continued success? Our guest today emphasizes the importance of revisiting your CRM as a vital tool for driving business expansion. After years of collecting contacts for her database, a new CRM system revealed previously overlooked opportunities. Rather than seeking new leads, she realized the value of delving deeper into her existing contacts. Learn how this agency owner transitioned into building a scalable subscription-based agency model. Wendy Lieber is the CEO and co-founder of ContentBacon, a leading content subscription service that provides resources for clients to tell their unique stories and establish themselves as experts in their field with custom content. Wendy shares her journey from running a traditional boutique agency to founding a successful content-a

Would you like access to our advanced agency training for FREE? https://www.agencymastery360.com/training Have you ever fired a client? If you could do it without repercussions on cash flow, would you? Most agency owners have horror stories about toxic clients who created an unhealthy environment for the team. Deciding to cut ties can be particularly daunting, especially when the client in question represents a significant portion of your revenue. Today’s featured guest decided to prioritize herself and her team's well-being by firing a client before the situation escalated. She looks back on a long and successful career in marketing and highlights how she came back from losing major clients and how she learned to advocate for herself and her team. Susan Finch is a seasoned entrepreneur, writer, and podcaster with nearly four decades of experience in the advertising and marketing industry. She began her career as a teenager at a recreational boating company and eventually transitioned to an agency in the 1

Would you like access to our advanced agency training for FREE? https://www.agencymastery360.com/training How often do you take time off simply to rest? Do you carve out moments to recharge and find stillness before the daily whirlwind begins? If you’re a successful entrepreneur who doesn’t prioritize rest, you may be heading toward burnout. Today’s featured guest is an entrepreneur who’s created several noted frameworks for business owners, empowering countless individuals to elevate their businesses. Gino Wickman is an entrepreneur, content creator, and most notably the founder of Entrepreneurial Operating System (EOS). Through the years he’s noticed highly accomplished entrepreneurs tend to feel unfulfilled in what should be the highest point of their success. This happens when they forget the fundamental purpose behind building a successful business: to create a fulfilling life. In this episode, you will gain insights into achieving success while maintaining fulfillment in both your professional and pe

Would you like access to our advanced agency training for FREE? https://www.agencymastery360.com/training Do you find it hard to remember the name of someone you just met? Do you struggle to recall the details of last week’s meeting? Busy agency owners are constantly juggling countless responsibilities which is overwhelming and leaving you feeling like you're losing your edge. But what if you could sharpen your mind and tackle daily challenges with confidence? Today’s featured guest has transformed his remarkable journey as a record-holding memorization expert into a powerful business dedicated to helping entrepreneurs enhance their memory skills. By harnessing effective visualization techniques, he empowers individuals to project themselves into a future filled with success. In this episode, learn more about his inspiring story and insights on memorable marketing and memorization. Dave Farrow is the founder and CEO of Farrow Communications, a full-service public relations and digital marketing agency with

Would you like access to our advanced agency training for FREE? https://www.agencymastery360.com/training Have you clearly defined your service offering to the extent that you can productize it? Or do you prefer to customize your approach for each client’s needs? Which strategy aligns better with your agency's objectives and overall success? Today's featured guest transitioned from providing highly customized services, which impacted his team's ability to meet deadlines and adhere to budgets. He has since adopted a productized model and is currently exploring how to effectively present differentiated pricing tiers. Join us as we delve into invaluable insights on launching and scaling a creative agency, optimizing your service offerings, and gracefully managing a co-founder's exit. Matthew McIver is the founder and CEO of Commence Studio, a B2B brand and e-commerce agency with a proven track record for helping purpose-driven companies build widely-known brands. He shares his journey from graphic designer to

Would you like access to our advanced agency training for FREE? https://www.agencymastery360.com/training How much automation should be integrated into your agency's processes?  When is automation a good idea, and when isn’t it? Are your agency services diverse enough to withstand a shifting market? In this interview, learn from one agency owner who has grown her agency making very conscious decisions about what she’ll need to build a business that stands the test of time. From avoiding heavy automation to building a team based primarily in the US while living in Romania, she considers all angles before making long-term plans and has pushed against some trends to find her path. In this episode, we delve into her journey and gather valuable insights on scaling an agency in the dynamic world of e-commerce. Alina Vlaic is the owner of AZRank, an e-commerce agency that offers tested and successful solutions for launching products across all e-commerce platforms. Alina shares her journey of starting her agency

Would you like access to our advanced agency training for FREE? https://www.agencymastery360.com/training Are you thinking about an eventual exit from your agency? Curious about how to prepare for selling your agency down the road? Preparing for a potential sale well in advance can be beneficial, even if you ultimately decide to retain your business. Our guest had a clear vision of his goal: to grow his agency while waiting for an opportune moment to sell. He shares valuable lessons on how coaching accelerated his growth and why he wishes he had joined a mastermind group sooner to establish the necessary systems for a successful sale. He shares insights into building a thriving agency and navigating the industry with a strategic approach. Ronik Patel is the founder of UnlimitedWP, a white-label WordPress Development company recently acquired by the white-label agency and longtime friend of the Smart Agency podcast, E2M Solutions. He shares his journey in the agency space, from starting Unlimited WP to its

Would you like access to our advanced agency training for FREE? https://www.agencymastery360.com/training Do you price your agency services based on time spent or based on value delivered? Your fees should reflect the expertise you bring to solving your client's challenges, not how long it takes. If you still consider time your most valuable metric, it may be time to reassess the true value you offer. Our featured guest started her career in PR and ventured to start an agency after becoming disillusioned with corporate decision-making; often neglecting the best interests of both teams and clients. She set out to build an agency that would get the job done while not losing sight of their values. Tune in to learn how she learned to appreciate the value she brought to clients and how that changed the way she prices her services and structured her offer. Sharon Robustelli is the founder of Ten3 Public Relations, an agency with a mission to elevate female founders and help them raise their authority in their in

Would you like access to our advanced agency training for FREE? https://www.agencymastery360.com/training Do you know the power of intertwining your personal narrative with your business journey? Do you know how to find the thread that unites that story with your agency’s mission and values? Today’s guest is a narrative strategist who built his agency around helping entrepreneurs shape their stories to attract the right clients by communicating their goals and values. Discover how owning and sharing impactful stories can set owners apart from salespeople and lead to successful outcomes. Matthew Woodget is a self-proclaimed "hopeless story addict" and the founder and Chief Storyteller of Go Narrative, an agency focused on supporting changemakers by helping them reshape their narratives and align them with their vision. Matt believes in the importance of stories in building meaningful connections and achieving collective business success. He delves into the common pitfall of sharing too much information too

Would you like access to our advanced agency training for FREE? https://www.agencymastery360.com/training Are you planning to buy an agency as a growth strategy? Or, do you want to make your agency attractive to potential buyers? Today’s guest started his agency journey by buying an agency as an exit from his previous career in venture capitalism. He purposely sought out agencies, seeing them as cash flow machines. He looks back on that process and offers some valuable pointers and considerations for agency owners looking to buy or sell an agency in the near future. Nick Fraunfelder is the owner and CEO of Sure Oak Digital Marketing, an agency specializing in SEO, link building, paid media, and analytics. He shares his journey of buying a digital agency and transitioning from a career in venture capital to becoming a business owner. Despite skepticism from friends, his passion for revenue conversations, desire for freedom, and dictating his own future have led him on a highly successful path. In this episo

Would you like access to our advanced agency training for FREE? https://www.agencymastery360.com/training Are you seeking the best approach to train your sales team? Have you considered implementing a foot-in-the-door offer? Today’s featured guest reflects on past mistakes made while attempting to step away from sales, and shares a recent success could lead to a complete overhaul of the sales funnel, resulting in a tenfold increase in the closing rate. Tune in to hear about the journey from startup life to agency ownership and the creative acquisition strategy he’s using to become his own client and create the ultimate success story. Jim Huffman is the CEO and founder of Growth Hit, a customer-centric growth marketing agency that specializes in technical marketing. He shares his journey of becoming an accidental agency owner, some lessons learned about building a sales team, and his careful approach to crafting a foot-in-the-door offer that could boost his agency’s sales funnel. In this episode, we’ll disc

Would you like access to our advanced agency training for FREE? https://www.agencymastery360.com/training Are you making a mark in your specific niche? Have you taken the necessary steps to elevate your brand and attract your ideal customers? Our guest today, a seasoned agency owner with fourteen years of experience working with influencers believes these are areas where agencies could learn from influencers, who by heavily focusing on developing their brands can grow to compete with big brands that have historically overshadowed smaller competitors. Tune in to learn more about her agency’s approach to influencer marketing and why you should stop being a volunteer at your own agency. Casey Benedict is the CEO and founder of Maverick Mindshare, an influencer marketing agency with over 14 years of experience in the industry. Casey shares insights on working with influencers, emphasizing the importance of expertise, processes, safeguards, and quality assurance; she also talks about learning to delegate and th

Would you like access to our advanced agency training for FREE? https://www.agencymastery360.com/training Are you considering narrowing your focus in the near future, or do you prefer to retain the flexibility to take advantage of growth opportunities in specific sectors? Our featured guest established a PR agency by recognizing the potential to connect forward-thinking companies with journalists. In the current uncertain economic climate, she opts for diversification and maintains the agility of her agency to capitalize on the expansion of emerging sectors. Gain insights into her journey of building a PR agency that harnesses technology to enhance brand visibility, her pivotal moments in realizing the agency's success, her strategies for solidifying its growth, and the ongoing learning curve inherent in the agency's evolution. Amy Jackson is the founder of TaleSplash, a PR agency focused on effectively helping startups and emerging brands. She shares her journey from working in corporate PR to starting he