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

Wondering if an agency merger is right for you? Curious how do those new partnerships work? And what do you do if they don't? Taking the leap with another agency can be a strategic move. Maybe you want to grow faster or combine skillsets. Whatever the reason is, here's everything you need to know about agency mergers. In today's episode, we'll cover: Should your agency leverage the gig economy? How to know if an agency merger is right for you. #1 way to make agency partnerships work. How to cope with agency partner problems. How one small change can impact agency culture.   Today, I talked with Adam Williams, CEO of Magneti — a branding and digital agency out of Colorado. Over the years, Adam has founded a variety of startups ranging from publishing to construction companies. When Adam decided to take the leap into the agency space, he was well-prepared for the business side, but he needed scale and some extra creatives on his side. He's here to share the story of why he decided to merge with another small

Have you been using the same set of processes for years? When's the last time you updated your SOP's? Old, tired processes could be hindering agency growth. If you're feeling stuck it could be an Operations issue. Sales and marketing can get you clients, but stellar operations is what sets you apart - or not. Don't focus on leads; focus on processes. That's the secret to rapid growth. In this episode, we'll cover: How to scale with better agency operations. How to level-up your agency every year. Stop being scared to scale your agency. Today, I talked with Clint Cobia who is the COO of 98 Buck Social — a social media management agency. Clint is an ops man at his core. Over the past few years, his agency has exploded due to his focus on creating the right processes and breeding superior Ops practices. He's on the show to share ways to do better with Ops so you can grow your agency. How to Scale With Better Agency Operations Scaling up is all about hiring, firing, and processes. Those processes define your ag

Do you feel like growing and scaling is always a struggle? Need to differentiate yourself from other agencies? Finding success as an agency owner isn't easy. But with the right mindset, you can hit the 8-figure mark and even power through an eventual agency acquisition. Whether you want to grow your agency fast or plan on growing it to sell, you need to hear from the one and only Mitch Joel, who's done it all. In today's episode, we'll cover: 3 steps to an 8-figure agency. How to power through an agency acquisition. #1 way to differentiate your agency. Today, I talked with Mitch Joel, co-founder of Mirum and founder of Six Pixels Group. Joel is a marketing superstar. He was one of Canada's Top 40 under 40, does keynotes for top brands, and has a best-selling book, Six Pixels of Separation. Mitch also sold his agency Mirum to WPP (a.k.a the world's largest ad agency). And he's on the show to talk about how he was able to grow, sell, and move on from his agency. 3 Steps to an 8-Figure Agency For many agencies

Considering a merger or acquisition to scale your agency? Wondering what's involved in selling, but overwhelmed at the thought of it all? Relax! The processes can be stressful, but it's totally manageable and can also be a great growth strategy. Whether you want to stay in control and grow your agency with an acquisition, or you want to exit your business with a massive payday, here's everything you need to know about agency mergers and acquisitions. In this episode, we'll cover: 3 things agency acquirers are looking for. The best way to cure agency growing pains. Can you really grow through mergers and acquisitions? Today, I talked with Jose Lozano CEO of 9thWonder — a full-service digital marketing agency with offices around the globe. Jose didn't start off with a massive agency, and he didn't grow one... he bought one! After selling his company to a massive organization, he led a group to acquire an agency to scale up. Jose shares why and how to scale your business by acquiring another agency. 3 Things A

Are you struggling to find the right clients? Wish your agency was working with bigger clients? Finding the right clients isn't easy — especially if you're trying to grow from freelance to agency owner. The secret is having the right qualification process and knowing who to say yes (and no) to. In this episode, we'll cover: How to go from freelancer to digital agency owner. 3 reasons you might steer clear of big agency clients. #1 way to choose the right agency clients. Today's interview is with Jesse Witham, the Co-Founder and CMO of Search Marketing Agency. Jesse has been doing SEO since he was young (like 14!), way back when keyword stuffing and digital directories were "SEO" so he knows the complicated evolution of the field. Jesse went from freelancing to owning an agency handling over $300 million in client SEO spend. He's here to share his story about agency growth and finding the right clients. How to Go From Freelancer to Agency Owner Going from freelancer to digital agency owner is natural. As a f

Would you like to master inbound marketing with killer content? Would you like your agency to generate more leads without working harder to find them? Generating more traffic and engagement is the key. And it's doing better is easier than you think when you address the right two audiences. With some strategy you can win at the content game and land your digital agency more inbound leads an ever. In today's episode, we'll cover: Two audiences every digital agency needs to create content for. Why the agency owner should be the face of the agency. How your digital agency can increase blog site traffic. Today, I talked with Kieran Flanagan — VP of Marketing for HubSpot. Not only did Kieran help HubSpot grow into an international marketing goliath, but he's also partially responsible for growing their freemium business. We all know HubSpot is a big deal in marketing but, did you know 100% of HubSpot's customers come from the demand created by the marketing team? Kieran's on the show today to share with us the tw

We've all seen tech companies explode in popularity and valuation. How can your digital agency get a piece a sweet tech venture? Check out how one agency owner is out there successfully building technology and simultaneously running a digital marketing agency -- and crushing it at both. In today's episode, we'll cover: How to build technology at your digital agency. One unique method to create tons of internal content. #1 growth tip for new agency owners. Today, I talked with Bhanuka Harischandra, Founder and CEO of Surge.Global — a digital marketing and tech agency in Sri Lanka. Bhanuka's agency does everything from video to mobile to content and even SEO... but they also build tech. So, while half of Surge Global is helping businesses scale with marketing, the other half is scaling tech projects and creating tech companies. Bhanuka is here to tell us how to build tech at your agency and use it to grow and scale your business. How to Successfully Build Technology at Your Digital Agency Tech revenue is temp

Every agency wants its team to work smarter and hustle harder. But, the smart agencies know the best way to get results is with the right incentive program. On today's show, we're featuring an employee incentive model that may change the way you think about salaries and bonuses, as well as culture. In today's episode, we'll cover: 5 reasons to share 50% of agency profits. Why agencies should only hire specialists One big employee compensation secret How to implement profit-sharing Today, I talked with Tom Murray, Managing Director of Jump450 — a full-service marketing agency in Soho, NY. Tom's agency does something a little crazy... they give 50% of profits to its employees. He's on the show to share why and how this crazy strategy is actually growing the agency faster than ever. 5 Reasons to Share 50% of Agency Profits Giving away 50% of your profits may sound more like a nightmare than a strategy but the thing is — it can work. Better yet, the agency is also paying employees a competitive base salary! Sou

Having trouble getting your agency to the next level? Want to increase agency revenue but can't get beyond a plateau? Then it might be time to get a little uncomfortable and take some risks. If you really want to level-up your agency check out the big risk one agency took which yielded 4X revenue in just two years. In this episode, we'll cover: 3 hacks to help your agency level up and increase revenue. Why outbound will make your digital agency revenue soar. How to hire the right agency sales team. Today, I talked with Chris Brencans, CMO at OnTheMap — a full-service digital marketing agency. Chris's agency does something that may sound a little strange. Half of the agency's team are salespeople. That's right! 50% of the approximately 70 people at the agency are involved in sales, and business is booming. OnTheMap's revenue has grown from $1 Million to $4 Million in the last 2 years by investing in its salespeople and taking some risks. Chris is on the show to share some tips with us. 3 Hacks Help Your Agen

Are you struggling to capture those big fish clients? Does it feel like your agency is constantly battling for every account? We've all been there! You've still got some growing pains. But, what if you could skip those growing pains and go right to be big leagues? Here's how one agency owner made his first client Kobe Bryant. In today's episode, we'll cover: How to score big agency clients. 3 reasons your agency should hire some freelancers. #1 way for digital agencies to stay competitive. Today, I talked with David Brickley, CEO of STN Digital and Host of The Business Of Social podcast. We all have our own unique origin story but, David's story is downright crazy. Not only did he score one of the biggest names in sports (Kobe Bryant!) as his very first client — he continues to work with some of the biggest names in sports and entertainment. James Harden, Shaq, Amazon, UFC, the Olympics, and even movie stars are his bread-and-butter. David's here to share his story about how you can grow your agency event w

Creating video content is hard, right? It's got to be perfect lighting, sound, and of course relevant subject matter. Don't let all that overwhelm stands in your way of getting started. Video content is one of the hottest ways to attract new agency business. And, anyone can make incredible videos without a ton of experience - you just need to get out of your own way in order to get started. In today's episode, we'll cover: How to start making video content for your agency. 3 easy video types to help get you started. #1 tip for creating engaging video content. Today, I talked with Chris Deblasio, actor, producer, and CEO of Agency850, the entertainment marketing company he founded. Chris's agency shoots Hollywood-quality videos and does product placement for movies and TV. Chris went from selling yellow page ads to running a successful video agency. And, he's learned a few tricks along the way. From being comfy in front of her camera to winning with video creatives, Chris explains how video marketing can add

Looking for a low-risk, high-result way to scale your agency? Want the flexibility to grow and scale at will? Freelancers are a great way to grab top talent in this gig economy. Using freelancers can help scale your agency faster and easier than bringing on permanent employees and the overhead that goes with them. But, the real key is knowing which roles to hand to freelancers and which roles you should not outsource. But, how about using freelancers as a core component of your workforce? I talk to an agency owner that uses both in-house employees and freelancers on almost every project. And it's helped him grow at the speed-of-light. How to win with freelancers Which roles you should never outsource. What not to do with agency freelancers. 3 reasons smaller agencies win big. Today, I talked with David Freund, Partner at Junto — a web design and content agency. David's agency doesn't just use freelancers on occasion... freelancers are a core component of his agency's growth strategy, with over 25 on his tea

Struggling to win new agency business in order to supercharge growth? Stuck working in the business and unable to step back in order to work on the business? Your role as an agency leader is always evolving as the agency grows. But your #1 job is being an amazing leader and giving your team the guidance and support they need. In this episode, we'll cover: How to win new agency business by building relationships. #1 way to supercharge digital agency growth. 3 tips for being an amazing digital agency leader. Today, I talked with Steve Weiss, Co-founder of MuteSix — a Facebook ad agency. Steve moved to Los Angeles, CA to do standup comedy and instead ended up creating a digital agency. Four years later and he is now running an 8-figure agency with over 130 employees! So, how does a comedian transition to a massively successful agency owner....?  "Did you ever hear the one about the wildly successful agency owner?" No? Then stick around as Steve shares his story of growth, including his top 3 tips for being a b

Experts are sensing a downturn in the economy... But is your agency recession proof? So many variables go into a healthy agency. Maybe you should look at raising agency prices? Maybe your agency really needs to hire (or fire) to make yourself indispensable to clients? If the economy takes a hit, you have to know who to hire, who to fire, and the right way to price your services in order to survive. In today's episode, we'll cover: How to grow in a recession. When should you raise your prices? 3 reasons clients love project managers. Is your agency business partner still the right fit?   I had a great conversation with Scarlett Rosier, Co-founder of Rhyme and Reason Design. Scarlett is one of those "unicorns" who actually went to college and got a Masters in Advertising. (So many of us are accidental agency owners who just fell into the business!) Scarlett is put her skills to work as the Director of Operations at her agency for the past 10 years. She's here to talk about growing in a down economy, nailing y

Do you want to hire the right salespeople? Not sure what measures to take to set them up for success? Curious about the best way to compensate your sales team? Sales is a critical part of your agency's success. Sales drives conversions, captures clients, and helps relieve some major the burden from the owner. Hiring an amazing sales team and setting them up for success if the key to longterm agency growth. In today's episode, we'll cover: #1 way to set up a successful agency sales team. 2 things every salesperson needs to do. How do you separate your services from a commodity? Should you pay based on commission or salary? Today, I talked with Alex Chernyak, Director of Business Development at Martino Flynn, a digital agency in New York. Alex has over 15 years of sales and digital marketing experience, and he's owned his own agency, too. With a start in radio, Alex was drawn into the agency space by the allure of freedom. And, since then he's been helping agencies build killer sales teams and sales systems.

Not sure how to determine agency prices? How can you stay competitive while separating your agency the competition? The first step is to stop copying them! Quit focusing on the competition because it always results in you becoming a copycat agency. If you want to grow, you have to dare to be different. In today's episode, we'll cover: The best way to determine your agency pricing structure. Why agency meetings may be costing you too much. How to separate your agency in a crowded market. Today, I talked with Nick Eubanks, CEO and Founder of From the Future. Nick got his start by spamming cold emails and working real estate. But, once he started his agency, he grew fast! In just 5 years, Nick's agency was worth millions. He's sharing his story so you can grow quicker, and also avoid some of his mistakes. The Best Way to Determine Your Agency Pricing Structure Many agencies determine their pricing structure by looking at their competitors and matching or competitively pricing themselves in the market. Let's be

Looking for an innovative way to inspire your team? One agency has broken the mold on bonuses and profit-sharing. Instead, they're inspiring their team with 50% of top-line revenue. If you want your already amazing team to be inspired enough to hustle harder, check out this incentive program that has an agency team out-earning the leadership team. In this episode, we'll cover: 3 ways to identify bad clients. A unique and inspiring employee profit sharing model. Today's podcast guest is Shaun Sheikh, CEO and Co-founder of Jump 450 Media. Shaun has been on Forbes 30 under 30 list, and his agency has blown up tot he tune of 8 figures in just a few years. Like most young agency owners, Shaun has introduced some creative strategies and innovative operations processes into his agency. Today, we talk about a few of those including an exciting employee compensation model that he calls his secret sauce of success. 3 Ways to Identify Bad Agency Clients Learning to say no to bad clients is one of the major pillars of

Have you ever wondered how agency culture effects business growth? If you think they're two separate things, think again! Your culture speaks volumes about your agency. When your culture is a defining factor of your agency, you will experience amazing growth. Simply put, the foundation of every great brand is a great culture. So spend time developing an amazing culture and you will create brand ambassadors to move the needle on your agency's business. In this episode, we'll cover: How it's important to niche horizontally or vertically. How agency culture develops brand ambassadors. #1 way to cultivate amazing agency culture.   Today, I talked with Brandy Obvinseva the co-founder of Gallant Culture. Brandy has a degree in international studies and intended to be a political ambassador. Instead, she helps companies find their brand ambassadors. After a stint at Texaco and a few other oil & gas companies, she co-founded her agency, Gallant. Since then, her agency has changed a few times but it's always bee

Considering buying or selling your digital agency? Acquiring another agency is an excellent growth strategy and it’s might be easier and less expensive than you might think. An acquisition can help improve profit margins, expand your client base, and inherit a skilled team while eliminating the competition. An agency acquisition is worth exploring if you're interested in rapid growth. In this episode, we’ll cover: Do you need to be a big agency in order to buy one? Do you need a lot of cash to buy another agency? How to structure an agency acquisition. The 4 criteria of a good agency to acquire. Today’s podcast guest is Brook Schaaf, co-founder, and CEO of FMTC, an agency dedicated to helping advertisers and merchants develop discount and affiliate program with curated data and management. Prior to going the entrepreneur route, Brook got his start at Zappos where he developed his passion for affiliate marketing. Since then, he started his own firm and is on the fast track to major growing by acquiring other

Do you feel like your agency is stuck with subpar employees? Think maybe you have all the wrong people but too afraid to clean house? Firing employees is never easy. But, underperforming or toxic team members will kill your agency's growth. Check out the story of how one agency fired his entire team twice, the aftermath of the experience, and what learned by rebuilding. In today's episode, we'll cover: Why your agency needs a financial model. Creating a culture of personal ownership. 2 mistakes that led to firing all employees. Today, I talked with Aaron Edwards, co-founder of The Charles NYC. Aaron quit his job, moved from London to NYC, and created a digital marketing agency. Since then, Aaron's agency has grown into a multi-million dollar phenomenon. Success didn't come without hard work and many lessons along the way. In fact, he's had to fire ALL his employees twice. Talk about "cleaning house."  Aaron shares some great growth tips, including how to inspire culture, and which two mistakes led him to fi