In this episode, we are joined by Jeff Gapinski, Partner and President of Huemor, a master of user-centered design and crafting immersive online experiences. Jeff's insights into user behavior and his ability to design websites that resonate with target audiences have contributed to his agency's success in helping businesses achieve remarkable results. In this conversation, he discusses the motivation behind global expansion and strategies for consistently generating leads. Discussion Points - What sort of bogus myth, strategy, or misconception would you like to set the record straight on? 1:34Could you please tell us a little bit about Huemor? What is its origin story? 4:38How do you and your co-founder split responsibilities and what does the yin and yang dynamic look like between the two of you? 8:10Was there a specific pivot point or moment when you felt that your business had become legitimate and transformed into a real, thriving enterprise? 9:29Why did you decide to expand globally? Was it driven by talent, cost, or a mix of factors, and how did you achieve success despite the economic challenges many agencies face today? 12:54Do you have a dedicated role, like a project manager, who acts as the liaison between your clients and your overseas team? 19:54How do you address client concerns about billing rates when they're aware of your cost-effective global team and question why they're charged the same rate as an onshore team? 22:39Where do you find inspiration and information? Any favorite publications, groups, or online communities you rely on for staying informed? 25:14How do you, as a business owner, ensure a steady stream of leads and collaborate with your partner for business growth? 28:02What's the biggest mistake you've made in your life and how did you learn from it? 29:52What's exciting you about the future? 31:25 Show notes - I didn't initially plan on running this large-scale business. I started with a passion for a creative skill, and over time, that creative skill evolved into a fully-fledged company. 4:53In terms of personality, I am much more strategic and measured, while he (co-founder) is a lot more high-energy, enjoys connecting with new people, and tends to be more spontaneous in that way. I think this is a significant factor in how we naturally settled into these different roles. 8:59In 2020, there was one of those moments when many of the learnings and training we had accumulated over approximately eight to nine years in business had to be swiftly put into action to formulate a plan for navigating the challenges that arose in early 2020. 11:11I reached out directly to other agency owners who had international team members and picked their brains regarding their strategies for acquiring such team members. I also sought out international recruiters and partnered with one, particularly in Eastern Europe, who had been extremely successful for us. This combination of strategies allowed us to start connecting with various team members. 15:04Understanding how people operate across the group was really important, and it's something we continue to learn today. As we've expanded into more countries, there are more nuances to consider. Another aspect is ensuring these individuals feel fully integrated into the team. Every day, we're implementing new measures to facilitate this. 16:19We pay significantly above the market rate for all our international team members, resulting in less disparity between our US and international teams in terms of compensation. 23:53If I were to go back and restructure things, what I would actually do is focus more on bringing in an operator sooner. Essentially, having that operator work with more freelance talent rather than hiring permanent talent. With me as the operator for the business, I think that would have allowed us to scale a lot more effectively. 30:33This year, we've been implementing EOS, and as we approach year-end, lower-level teams are increasingly engaged in EOS meetings. I'm thrilled by the communication improvements we've achieved through this system. 31:35  Myth-Busted - Having dogs in the office is always amazing and super convenient. Links - LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jeffrey-gapinski/ Company website: https://huemor.rocks/ Show Credits - Host - Varun Bihani & Jessie Coan Produced by Bobby Soni Edited by Harish Khatarkar Content by Aakash Damani, Yashika Neekhra, and Juhie Bhardwaj

In this episode, we are joined by Fred Pike, the Managing Director and GA & GTM Practice Lead at North Woods Digital. He is a seasoned expert in analytics, an accomplished presenter, and a dedicated educator who has crafted numerous online courses for beginners. In this conversation, he discusses practicing Google Tag Manager in his agency and strategies for forecasting business growth challenges. Discussion Points -  What sort of bogus myth, strategy, or misconception would you like to set the record straight on? 6:32Could you explain how you initiated and led the Google Tag Manager practice in your agency? What prompted you to establish this practice? 8:22When exploring courses, should individuals begin with beginner-level Google Analytics (GA) courses, or should they consider other topics? 11:22How do you position your analytics services in client acquisition? Is it a primary focus or complementary to other offerings? 14:57How do you tackle forecasting challenges for business growth, particularly in custom software solutions? How accurate is your forecast for the upcoming months? 19:52How do you handle overstaffing or excess production capacity caused by low client demand? 22:53How did your agency decide on the practice lead role for Google Analytics and Tag Manager expertise? And how do you effectively market this specialization to clients? 30:21What percentage of your business's revenue comes from the GA and GTM revenue stream, considering the time it took to develop and expand this practice? 32:40How do you define your ideal customer? What are you doing to ensure your positioning is strong? 36:30What is exciting you about the future? 39:11 Show notes -  The more I dove into GA and GTM, the more I realized we should be doing this for our clients. They need to understand what's happening with their website, and they need to be tracking those meaningful user interactions. And so, it just grew into a practice eventually. 10:31I think you should choose a course that offers an introductory overview of the model used to capture that information. It should also discuss the types of information you should be tracking. 12:41The way we typically approach a new client is through some form of strategy, aiming to comprehend their website goals and how they're gauging the effectiveness of their strategy. 15:37I think the thing that's really important that has helped me and the companies I've engaged with over the years is a model of the business. It's not the business model itself; it's a model that encompasses the business's structure. This includes the staff members and the anticipated revenue streams. 16:57I've never found a great forecasting tool that fits well with professional services businesses like the ones I've been engaged with. You'd expect such a tool to exist, but I've never found one. So, I ended up developing one internally. 18:40Many times, we win business because we're discussing topics that no one else has ever addressed with that client.  And, so that speaks to the level of expertise that we have in that in that realm. 32:01The way we aim to grow and attract new clients is through thought leadership. We accomplish this through a couple of methods. Firstly, by creating blog posts, where we are actively engaged in writing about various digital marketing strategies and aspects. Secondly, through our webinars, we maintain a robust series of webinars. 37:08By feeding the right questions, Chat GPT often offers valuable advice, though sometimes not as reliable. I'm thrilled about exploring this area and its potential to boost my efficiency, possibly by 20%, and that just has me jazzed. 40:01 Myth Busted - Anyone can effectively use Google Tag Manager without proper knowledge Links - LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/fredpike/ Company website: https://www.nwsdigital.com/  Twitter: https://twitter.com/fred_pike Show Credits -  Host - Varun Bihani & Jessie Coan Produced by Bobby Soni  Edited by Harish Khatarkar Content by Aakash Damani, Yashika Neekhra, and Juhie Bhardwaj

In this episode, we're joined by Javier Santana, Co-Founder at Launch, a trailblazing Digital and Creative Services agency. Javier seamlessly merges innovation and experience to drive businesses toward his goals. Alongside his professional pursuits, he contributes to the advisory board of the Atlanta Community Food Bank's Hunger Walk Committee and co-hosts the illuminating webcast, SpeedBumps Live. In this conversation, he imparts wisdom on agency relationship management and impactful cross-level communication. Discussion Points -  What sort of bogus myth, strategy, or misconception would you like to set the record straight on? 5:19What strategies or approaches have you found to be effective in genuinely attracting customers and fostering the growth of a successful agency? 6:41Could you share how your agency is structured?  9:17How do you personally manage boundaries, both individually and for your team, in client relationships? 12:09Could you discuss your agency's setup, positioning, customer engagement, and how your processes have evolved over time? 19:45Can you describe your agency's discovery process after the initial client meeting, including budget, project type, and addressing their specific needs? 26:48How did you transition to your current positioning? Do you position yourself as a specialist for specific reasons, or as a generalist? How did you navigate this journey? 30:07What led to your three attempts at running agencies, and why did the current one succeed? 36:29If you could advise your 20 or 25-year-old self, what would you say? 42:07What's exciting you about the future? What are you looking forward to? 45:04 Show notes -  The reality is that you have to genuinely be a good client partner when working on projects, whether they're valued at $200 or involve simple tasks. You just need to be someone who is willing to listen and ensure that you provide the proper guidance for your customers or clients. 7:01During the time when I was managing agency relationships, I learned a valuable lesson: if you don't have something to contribute, avoid coming to the table. 10:16I don't set up boundaries when it comes to that client's stuff. I will not text my client at six o'clock on a Saturday, but if they text me, I will respond. Not because I feel like a slave to the system, but because this is what I love to do. 12:24Communicating with different people on different levels and understanding how their choice of communication is extremely important on every level, whether you're talking to an executive or you're talking to a user. 16:41When working with clients, we function as an extension of their team, not just as a vendor. We ensure that we establish this close partnership, collaborating hand in hand. 21:14You need to understand who the client is before the conversation even begins. It's about being respectful of their time and understanding their situation. Are they dealing with recent layoffs? What challenges are they aiming to overcome? This way, you could come in with an idea. 27:51I don't believe in 'fake it till you make it,' not in the sense of pretending we can do anything. Signing a deal and then scrambling to assemble an unfamiliar team, potentially putting the project at risk – that's like wearing a pie on your face after betraying someone's trust with a lie. 31:27I want to be known as someone whose company consistently delivers the finest work. Our team comprises the most excellent talents and partners, and that's what I strive for. 36:05Somebody recommended the book 'The E Myth,' the entrepreneurial myth. I bought it, read it, and while flipping through the pages, I thought, yep, made that mistake. Yep, did that too. But with this little book, I could have skipped those mistakes. So, lesson one is to learn from other people's mistakes so you don't make them. 38:51Focus on the things you're passionate about because those are the areas where you'll excel, driven by your unrelenting obsession with them. 44:25 Myth Busted - "If you build it, they will come” - Just creating something will make customers come to you automatically.  Links - LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/javierjsantana/ Company website: http://www.launchxd.com/ Podcast link - http://speedbumpslive.com/

In this episode, we're joined by Scott Lock, Co-Founder and CEO of InfernoRed Technology, a visionary leader with a strong tech passion and remarkable innovation track record. With a computer science background, he established InfernoRed, a dynamic and forward-looking company. In this conversation, he discusses maintaining a team-centric approach, value delivery, managing costs with senior talent, and the agency's growth journey. Discussion point - What is some sort of myth bogus strategy and misconception? What do you want to set the record straight on? 7:22How do you address client requests for faster progress while maintaining alignment with your team's capabilities and project objectives? 9:23How do you establish an internal environment that promotes continuous learning and enthusiasm for personal growth, especially when faced with repetitive projects? 18:00How do you balance maintaining a team-first approach, delivering value, and managing the costs of senior talent in your agency's growth journey? 21:19What insights do you have in terms of interviewing and finding that person who you know will be fit for the firm? 29:14Can you walk us through your project execution process, considering the absence of traditional roles like producers or account managers, and how you manage ownership and point of contact for the entire project with your team? 33:24How do you, as a business leader, stay inspired and continuously learn to keep yourself updated? Where do you seek learning opportunities? 44:08 Show notes -  Recently, I heard a quote that I was really trying to take to heart: "If you want to move fast, do it alone; if you want to go far, do it with a team." That's he kind of approach that we take when we are working on projects. 8:21We establish the trust early on, so they (clients) don't feel like we're just attempting a money grab by trying to get as many people, because they understand our consulting approach and how our business model works. This creates a sense of trust, like we're in this together. 10:57We focus on finding meaningful and interesting work because it's much harder to find highly qualified senior engineers with the same talent and capabilities as our company has. Getting them engaged in something they're passionate about or interested in is incredibly important. 16:23We have implemented a continuous engagement model using a platform called Fit Team. We've established this over the last few years, where we maintain ongoing engagement with our team as we continue to grow. 19:19We are not the cheapest consulting company out there, nor the most expensive, compared to larger firms with exorbitant rates. However, we prioritize delivering value. In recent internal discussions, we emphasized that if clients begin to question the team's value, it signifies a breakdown in our approach. 24:41We conduct these huddles with our team every week as part of the continuous engagement I mentioned. These huddles involve discussing the project and the client in the context of the project with the entire team. 39:25NBA, that's one of my favorite clients in the entire world when it comes to sports. I'm a huge basketball fan. Even though they're a marquee client and an amazing organization with a huge program that does things the right way, our team loves working there.43:31Every agency has this opportunity: as you continue to grow an incredible technical team, something will come across your path, and you'll just be able to hook into it. Then, that will be the opportunity for you to grow and learn. 46:25We have been working for four years with Microsoft, focusing on enhancing election platform technology through the concept of verifiable election results using the open-source product called Election Guard. This initiative, although led by them, has our team inspired, as they feel their work might make a meaningful impact on the world. 50:16 Myth-Busted - Adding more engineering resources to a project will automatically speed up progress.  Links - LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/scottlock/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/scottlock Company website: https://www.infernored.com/   Show Credits - Host - Varun Bihani & Jessie Coan Produced by Bobby Soni  Edited by Priyanka Sharma  Content by Yashika Neekhra and Juhie Bhardwaj

In this episode, we are joined by, Khaiersta English, the Founder & Product Design Lead at Flower Press Creative Studio, LLC. With 25 years of expertise in digital product design and engineering, she has crafted apps, websites, and experiences for an impressive clientele, including industry giants like Visa, Adobe, and Nike. From Creative Director to UI/UX Designer and Content Strategist, she is a versatile powerhouse, skilled in early research, prototyping, team management, and client relations. In this conversation, she highlights the value of the "discovery" process in product design and effective upselling strategies for long-term client relationships.    Discussion Points -    What sort of bogus strategy or misconception do you want to set the record straight on? 2:27How do you effectively communicate the value of the "discovery" process to potential clients? 4:00How do you decide the price for your services? 7:16Could you please elaborate on your agency's approach to marketing, particularly in attracting clients by focusing on people rather than companies? 11:28How do you upsell to existing customers and maintain strong long-term relationships? What strategies and tools do you use to maintain communication with your extensive client base? 14:25How would you define the difference between a partner and a vendor in the context of business relationships? 17:52As a partner in client projects, how do you handle differences of opinion while maintaining a productive relationship? Any tips or insights based on your experience? 20:25As a female founder and advocate for female founders, what tips do you have for women and individuals in underrepresented groups navigating the entrepreneurial landscape? 25:01As a leader and business owner, where do you spend your time connecting with peers and other business owners? 28:26What's exciting you about the future? 31:22 Show notes -    We go through a process called discovery. Discovery is a planning phase, where you undertake stakeholder interviews, map out the assistant design, assemble a prototype, and test it with end users to see if the product direction is valid. That is a paid phase of work. 3:11You'd be surprised how many people tell me that when they go to an agency, the agency just gives them a price based on the specifications they describe. It is refreshing to hear someone willing to help them validate those specifications. 6:58We work hourly because hourly acknowledges the reality of software, which is that things change and it's impossible to know all the requirements upfront. 7:53People are sold on the process once they get involved in it, because it's very exciting to hear real feedback, based on a prototype, to see it in action, to interact with it. 8:50The main thing is building a network, staying in touch, and continuing to reach out to let people know you're around. Launching projects and showcasing successful project launches are good ways to ensure repeat business. 13:31I find that upselling work is the easiest way to get new work. When you identify needs and offer solutions to those needs, such as identifying and fixing problems, it becomes one of the best ways to ensure a steady stream of ongoing work. 14:04Partner is someone who's personally invested in the success of the brand and the project to the point where you operate as if you're a business owner, you operate and make decisions and give advice as if it's your company to run. 18:12The biggest thing to keep in mind is focusing on the work and the outcomes, putting in the time and effort, and not worrying too much about whether you are male or female. It just comes down to doing the best work. 26:14I think the intuitive sense of what people need and the caregiving sense that women have are instrumental to our roles as caregivers and mothers. Moreover, these qualities translate well to the workplace, particularly when developing tools for humans and creating user-friendly solutions. 27:03I have business owners whom I collaborate with and deeply value and trust. I proactively reach out to them, setting up conversations specifically for brainstorming, and through these interactions, I've been able to establish mentorship relationships with some of these individuals. 29:32I am looking forward to growing our team, we're adding a second engineering channel so we can take on more projects. 31:28   Myth-Busted -  Sales professionals or agencies do not get paid for the planning phase of the sales process Links - LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/khaiersta/  Twitter:https://twitter.com/theflowerpress  Instagram: https://instagram.com/khaiersta  Company website: https://www.theflowerpress.net/  Clutch: https://clutch.co/top-service-providers/women-owned  Show Credits -  Host - Varun Bihani & Jessie Coan Produced by Bobby Soni  Edited by Priyanka Sharma  Content by Aakash Damani, Yashika Neekhra, and Juhie Bhardwaj

In this episode, we are joined by Monica Langin, the President of Visionary. With nearly three decades of work experience, Monica is known for her direct communication and problem-solving skills. Originally from a delightful town in southwest Iowa, she has dedicated 20 years to Visionary, progressing from a project manager to her current role as President. In this conversation, she discussed the importance of building strong client relationships, overcoming challenges during COVID-19, and the process of hiring and evaluating cultural fit during recruitment.   Discussion Points -  What's some sort of bogus strategy, or misconception, do you want to set the record straight on? 1:34What is the monthly ‘Visionary Day’ that you guys do in the office? 13:25Tell us more about how you organize and celebrate the epic holiday party at your company. 19:54How do you set the budget for cultural building activities? 24:39As you've traveled up the ranks, what challenging moments made you pause and work through them? 25:57What is that one thing that makes you feel that you're doing something great? 31:29How do you evaluate the right cultural fit during the hiring process? 32:29How challenging is it to find the right talent for technical roles in the Midwest, given that coastal regions often attract professionals? What strategies do you use to attract skilled individuals to your company in this region? 37:11What is exciting you about the future? 41:30   Show notes - It's (visionary day) is a very important day, from my perspective, because it's a tool that I have leveraged to bring people back together. 13:43Something that is very visionary about ‘Visionary’ is that when we're together, the things that we share, the personal relationships, obviously, but the knowledge that's shared across the team, just by accident, is impressive and outstanding. 15:56We set a budget like everybody else's, we have a fiscal year, and we set that budget at the beginning of the year. And we try to stay as close as possible. 25:00We had one of our best years ever from a sales standpoint, and everything was going great just before the pandemic hit. However, when the pandemic struck, everything slowed down, and we faced a long period of uncertainty. It was a little terrifying to navigate through that. 26:11The one thing that makes us feel we are doing something great is that anyone, even our youngest, newest employees, can be in a room with other visionaries or customers and have a great idea, the ability to say, "I'm listening to you. I hear your problem. And I have a solution. 31:37Culture is very important to us. So when we hire people, we try very hard to involve different individuals. It's not always the same people involved in the interview process, but rather those who will be working with or reporting to the candidate. We strive to mix it up so that candidates have the opportunity to interact with different team members and experience the diverse perspectives within our company. 32:55We already had a remote work policy, but initially, we were not keen on hiring people from outside our region. However, we have now changed our approach and realized the benefits of being open to candidates from anywhere, as long as they are the right fit for the company. 39:29What I think draws people to us locally is our vibrant company culture. We offer 80% coverage for health benefits, provide bonuses, and host an amazing holiday party. While we work hard, we also know how to have fun. 40:13I am very excited about the next generation of the Visionary. Thrilled, beyond belief at the leadership team. I couldn't do any of this without the people who work with me daily. 42:07   Myth-Busted - Midwesterners ride cows to the school.    Links - LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/monica-langin-40ab607/  Company website: https://visionary.com/  Instagram:  https://www.instagram.com/monicalangin/?hl=en    Show Credits -  Host - Varun Bihani & Jessie Coan Produced by Bobby Soni  Edited by Priyanka Sharma  Content by Aakash Damani, Yashika Neekhra, and Juhie Bhardwaj

In this episode, we are joined by Meg Schlabs, Co-founder & Creative Director at Wizardly, a visionary brand strategist specializing in creative branding and design services. With a background in copywriting and a passion for creativity, Meg crafts captivating brand positioning and design, leaving a lasting impression on clients and their audiences. She values partnership and trust, navigating the challenges and successes of building a business together. In this conversation, she talks about brand positioning, traditional A/B testing, and partnering with family members in a business.   Discussion Points -  What sort of bogus strategy, or misconception do you want to set the record straight on? 4:08What is the best approach to determining the right brand positioning and logo design when traditional A/B testing is not applicable? 5:07How did your agency decide to involve creative experts directly in client conversations, and what led to the realization that this approach was more effective than the traditional method of relying solely on account managers or producers? 12:09Can you share the origin story of Wizardly, including how the company came into existence, and the inspiration behind the name "Wizardly"? 14:45What are some of the learnings in partnering up with somebody in the family? 21:11What tools do you use to facilitate project planning, maintain reference points, and ensure smooth communication within your team? 27:43How did your agency identify the need to pivot towards the biotech niche, and what strategies did you employ to successfully transition your services while ensuring continued revenue generation? 33:53How did you identify the need to support startup target audiences and position your agency as a valuable partner? And, how do you determine the pricing structure? 37:23Where do you spend your time researching and learning about this industry? How do you keep yourself up-to-date? 41:44What are your pain points? What is something that keeps you up at night? 43:55What is exciting you about the future? 46:01 Show notes -  We use a combination of research on the target audience and brand positioning. And I believe that every business is scaling into something at any given moment. 5:44We do a ton of competitor analysis, and target audience research. And, based on the research, we identify brand differentiators' value propositions. 8:35The first strategy session is all about digesting, and the second one is about presenting. The third one is focused on defining and hammering out the details, allowing us to walk away from this meeting, knowing what we're going to create. 9:15There's no perfect answer, and it's better to move forward, we're going to see more progress moving forward, than if we're standing, still debating which way to go. 10:45You learn something about yourself when you observe how your business interacts with its market. 11:07There needs to be more connection between the person that's driving this project, the one who knows the company, and the person going off to write copy for the web project. 13:34The beauty of parenting is that they're just passing through your fingers; you only have a few moments in time to be a part of their life. Similarly, with employees, we have limited time to be a part of their work journey and cultivate them as humans while pushing them toward their goals. 32:49We start with a deck, which helps to solidify our clients' messaging. This way, they can better understand their own identity and develop an elevator pitch to confidently present themselves when walking into a room. 36:45. Building a company and taking care of your people, doing good work they're those threads that run through every business. So, I find the most inspiration from my friends who are building companies and are in the same stage of building. 42:57I'm excited about design subscriptions and seeing where this leads for Wizardly. We have intentionally not been a retainer-based company because we feel like retainers can sometimes be unfair to both parties. So, it takes a lot more effort to restart the scope with clients and manage cash flow. But we have a new product - design subscriptions - that we're rolling out in an effort to provide really solid design services. 46:11   Myth Busted - There is a perfect logo or brand position for companies.  Links -  LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/meg-schlabs-7a7714b1/  Twitter: https://twitter.com/megschlabs  Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/megaustinschlabs/  Company website: https://wizardly.co/    Show Credits -  Host - Varun Bihani & Jessie Coan Produced by Bobby Soni  Edited by Priyanka Sharma  Content by Aakash Damani, Yashika Neekhra, and Juhie Bhardwaj

In this episode, we are joined by Benjamin Morris, Chief Delivery Officer & Co-owner at Pluribus Digital. With extensive experience in government collaboration, Ben is a seasoned professional well-versed in navigating the complexities of working with government agencies. He is passionate about driving impactful change in the public sector and offers valuable insights into strategies, processes, and best practices for successful collaborations between government entities and external partners. Discussion Points -    What sort of bogus strategy, or misconception do you want to set the record straight on? 1:59What led Pluribus Digital to specialize in the government sector? Could you share a brief overview of your journey and any key experiences that influenced your company's focus on government-related projects? 3:26How does the business process of working with technology in the government sector typically operate? Could you shed some light on the types of approvals or processes involved in an agency like yours, and how you navigate them? 5:16What's the team structure in government tech projects? Explain the project lifecycle, challenges, and opportunities when working with government agencies.13:26How hard does the government negotiate on pricing? 20:38What was the motivation behind starting a nonprofit organization consisting of a select few companies driven to accelerate the government's digital transformation? 26:31 Tell us a little bit about the trucking and traffic management industry. 30:27What’s your perspective on AI? What’s the government doing with it? 33:18Could you provide insights into the company policies or checks in place that strike a balance between utilizing AI for learning and innovation, while avoiding potential risks and safeguarding sensitive information? 37:48Where do you hang out and talk about and discuss the best practices in the government space for the agencies? 40:57 What are you looking forward to? 43:34   Show notes -    The process is pretty standard to be operating in Agile methodology, you have something like a scrum flavor of Agile, that's the mainstream of government right now. 11:55Sometimes the government can move a little bit slower, but often, that's for very legitimate reasons. Because you're not just talking about “let's improve this process or something else”, you're talking about “Hey, maybe we need to consider a policy change or work with a wider stakeholder group to get that bigger thing done”. 16:53If you hear about big government project failures, it's probably because the policies are maybe a little too convoluted. And then you're trying to build a solution that meets all the requirements of a somewhat convoluted policy. And if you could only do some small things to simplify the policy, then you could make everything just work better, cost less and be simpler for people to use. 18:08One of the programs that we support is login.gov. And, that is a mechanism for people to log in and gain access to services. So you can't just say, “Oh, well, let's not worry about that, the 1% over in this corner”, you have to find some way to service those people. 24:23There's a lot of excitement in government, certainly a lot of signals about using AI in various government use cases. And so that we see that as a need, something that our customers are asking for, and something that we've had a chance to apply in some areas. 33:56There's also the defensive side of it (AI), how might it be used or misused in interactions with the government? So if someone is filling out an application for benefits, and there's some kind of written description portion, then there may be issues if there may be ways to use Chat GPT, that would not be ideal. It could be a tool for fraud or other things. 39:09People value coming together and, just engaging as owners in practical professional support groups and sometimes almost like an emotional support group. 42:48That's really that open space now. How can we not just have technology in government or automate some things, but how can we make things much more natively digital and therefore, scalable and fast and cheaper to operate, and more reliable? 44:17    Myth-Busted - Government and technology are either super advanced with futuristic interfaces or stuck with outdated systems.   Links -  LinkedIn:  https://www.linkedin.com/in/bengm/  Company’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/pluribusdigital/ Company website: https://pluribusdigital.com/    Show Credits -    Host - Varun Bihani & Jessie Coan Produced by Bobby Soni  Edited by Priyanka Sharma  Content by Aakash Damani, Yashika Neekhra, and Juhie Bhardwaj

In this episode, we are joined by Mr. TJ Pitre, the founder, and CEO of Southleft, LLC,  a leading front-end application design and development agency. With two decades of experience in managing and designing large-scale responsive websites, TJ is an expert in executing front-end strategies with a mobile-first approach. Join us as we delve into his creativity, attention to detail, and unwavering commitment to delivering exceptional user experiences. Discussion Points -  Q1. What is the most difficult thing you have done in your life? 1:55 Q2. What sort of myth bogus strategy misconception would you like to set the record straight on? 14:44 Q3. Do you personally check in with all clients or is it selected clients? 22:37 Q4. How do you ensure that the relationship specialist effectively manages all accounts and fulfills their responsibilities? Do you have specific metrics or a scorecard in place to measure their performance and ensure no account is overlooked? 28:01 Q5. You mentioned your PMs who play the role of business development. How do you train them? How do you guide them to think from that perspective of growing the business? 34:17 Q6. How do you guys internally support that PM’s growth? 40:09 Q7. Tell us how you started this agency. How did you get into this, a little bit about your background? 42:56 Q8. Where do you spend your time to find the next shiny object that you have always been looking for? 51:34 Q9. What is exciting you about the future? 55:37   Show notes -  A lot of the ways that our business grows isn't through outbound marketing, like cold calls or anything like that, or social, it's usually through projects that we already have now. 23:47Everybody who's involved in that project gets a taste of who the producer is, and who the business relationship specialist is, so it shouldn't be any surprise if they(clients) hear from either of those people throughout the whole project. 26:58The role (relationship specialist) is 25% strategy and 75% of tactical work, in a lot of that tactical work like checking the boxes to make sure all these things are done in a recurring fashion. So there's always going to be things that are occurring in projects while the projects are happening. I'm always very conscious of burnout with this person in particular. But there's never any shortage of things to do. 28:14There's this long list of leads that we have that we'd like to get out to in two or three weeks, And these aren't AI-generated, these aren't templated things or anything. These are legitimate people who we've met or know from our past, and then we always write them a heartfelt email with the goal is to have zero sales pitch in it. 30:52Our secret is to invest in your PMs. PMs can do more for you than what you would think that they could do. 35:01Good PMs have emotional awareness in technical aptitude, they understand the intricacies of what a software development lifecycle is. 35:22There are courses that we start at the very lowest level, and that's usually a part of everybody's goal, including developers. We use these courses called Star 12 courses, and we enroll the whole team and then we add a couple of goals to their gusto. 40:22Hire yourself a consultant, enterprise level, seasoned 30-year vet of product management, and then do a three-month engagement and have them work on your team and then examine your workflows or have interview each pm recognize their strengths and weaknesses. 41:24Year over year, we've grown both by personnel and finances, and it's been a great ride ever since it's definitely had its ups and downs. But, I'm happy with the progress. 51:11We're not using AI, as a part that's taking other people's jobs or taking over our jobs, what we're doing is using it to enhance things that we're currently doing. 56:22 Myth-Busted - It’s necessary to have a tier of account management in a design and development agency.   Links -  LinkedIn:  https://www.linkedin.com/in/tpitre/  Company website: https://southleft.com/  Company Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/southleft-llc/

In this episode, we are joined by David Poteet, President of NewCity, an interactive design agency. With nearly three decades of expertise in human-centered design, strategy, and user experience, David is a visionary leader driving innovation and excellence. His passion for teaching and coaching, coupled with his captivating public speaking skills, has made him a sought-after conference speaker. Discussion points -  Q1. What is the bogus strategy, myth, or misconception that you would like to set the record straight on? 1:55 Q2. How do you define human-centered design? 5:37 Q3. As an agency, how do you approach conducting research and incorporating human-centered design into your process? Can you open up the wizard curtain? 10:16 Q4. What type of work have you focused on while using a human-centered approach? Has that made any difference to you? Has it helped you in your positioning? 18:00 Q5. How did you structure your team together? 25:27 Q6. How do you ensure effective communication and cohesiveness between your strategists and engineering team during the feedback and review process before presenting the solution to the client? Are there one or two tools that you have found? 29:17 Q7. How do you find the balance between making sure your team is learning the new technologies and also being productive at the same time? 36:15 Q8. How do you figure out what works for you? 42:36 Q9. What’s exciting you about the future? 49:26   Show notes -  Part of the practice of human-centered design is learning how to conduct research in a way that you get enough insights from a cross-section of your user base that you can triangulate a solution that is going to be the optimal solution for the most people that you're serving. 6:37The people who are naturally better at human-centered design are the people who have some direct interaction with a customer on a regular basis. 7:55We do one of the exercises that is called the ad hoc personas. So, we create personas that are based on what the leaders within the organization think they know about their customers. 11:31It was an uphill climb for a while to persuade institutions to invest in research. 21:43Along the way, we recognized how much people wanted to have more of a seat at the table and be involved in that process. 26:56A lot of the innovation happens as you build, you're figuring things out, you're realizing things that do or don't work, you're coming up with new ideas, and it continues to evolve. We've designed experiences that the team has at key junctures in the project, where you bring people together intentionally to make sure everyone's fully engaged and is really picking things and thinking together. 27:27We've got a lot of tinkerers on the team, people that do like to try to figure out a better or faster way to do something. 37:41One of the challenges that you have, as any business owner, is that you will see all kinds of different models and approaches to doing the work. 42:58We are trying to bridge these two worlds - what's happening in digital and what's happening in the real customer service experience, bringing that expertise together and helping teams bridge and create a real-life and digital melding of strategy. 50:14   Myth Busted - Brand strategy and digital experience are separate entities and can exist independently.   Links - LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/davidpoteet/  Company website: https://www.insidenewcity.com/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/davidpoteet  Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/davidpoteet/   Show Credits -  Host - Varun Bihani & Jessie Coan Produced by Bobby Soni  Edited by Priyanka Sharma  Content by Aakash Damani, Yashika Neekhra, and Juhie Bhardwaj

Eric Ressler, the Founder & Creative Director of Cosmic, is an entrepreneur with a creative bent and a proponent of sustainability. In 2012, he founded Cosmic, a pioneering firm in the sustainability sector that works with clients to create powerful branding and marketing strategies that advance sustainability and spark positive change. Prepare to be inspired by Eric's innovative approach to merging creativity and sustainability for a brighter future. Discussion Points: Q1. What sort of myths, bogus strategies, or misconceptions would you like to set the record straight on? 1:35 Q2. What are nuggets for successfully implementing a 4-Day Workweek in an agency? Tips for people who want to get started with it? 7:11 Q3. How do you effectively manage and set expectations for upcoming talent within the agency? 14:06 Q4. What are the tech-stack do you use to manage internal work processes? 18:59 Q5. How do you establish your pricing model with clients? 22:08 Q6. Could you share insights about your agency's niche and how you established it? 27:57 Q7. What are some of the challenges you have faced as an agency? 34:01 Q8. How do you stay on track and ensure you're not missing out on important tasks as agency owners? 40:23 Q9. What excites you about the future? 45:52 Show notes: Creativity is something that you can't brute force. You can grind, hustle, and push hard for a certain amount of time, but you also need time to rest, rejuvenate, and reflect on real life, where you draw inspiration from. 2:49It's more helpful to come fully prepared, fully rested, and fully creative each day during a four-day workweek, rather than working five, six, or seven days a week and functioning at only 60%, that's not beneficial. 6:16Deadlines and tight turnarounds are not deal breakers for a four-day week. It's about ensuring each team member shows up at their best every day. 12:31I don't think a four-day work week necessarily will work for every organization. I think it'll work for 90-plus percent of agencies. 11:15We work with clients in sprints, breaking down projects into weekly cycles with key deliverables, goals, and success metrics. We present sprint reviews, gather feedback, and work in iterative cycles. 19:24We'd been an agency for about seven years, and we'd been doing a lot of work with startups, b2b brands, and b2c brands near Silicon Valley in Santa Cruz at the time we were working out of an office. 29:40We've also just found that the types of clients that come to us need more of a holistic partner, they don't want to hire us just for one thing, and then have to find other agencies to do other parts. 32:30Building expertise happens through doing enough work for similar clients that you start to see patterns, and you start to understand more about that space than any other agency working in general. 36:57I go into deep learning mode, devouring books, podcasts, and articles, seeking answers, inspiration, and ideas. 42:19Change can be scary, but it can also be interesting and lead to more just and equitable ways. 47:09 Myth Busted -  One needs to work long hours and give up their personal life in the agency business.   Links - LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/cosmiceric/ Company website: https://designbycosmic.com/

Guillaume Buat-Ménard, Director of Digital Transformation at Flipside Group is a formidable force in the field of technology. He is a digital strategy and business development expert with over 27 years of experience. With a sharp mind and endless curiosity, he is leading the digital revolution and shaping the future of technology. Discussion Points -  Q1- What sort of myth or bogus strategy or misconception you'd like to set the record straight on? 1:46 Q2- Are there tips along the way that you've learned, on specifically generating leads for PPC? 4:57 Q3-  When do you start the PPC campaign, how long do you continue that specific niche that you're trying to promote? 14:31 Q4- Are there any tools, any tactics that you use to understand the pain points? 19:02 Q5- How is your organization structured? 22:17 Q6- How do you deal with a cost adjustment when you’re the research piece of it? 30:53 Q7- Give some tidbits on how you keep the sales and account management team incentivized and motivated. 39:26 Q8- What's exciting you about the future? 43:29   Show notes -  You don't have to do one campaign about your agency, you can have, like we do, several campaigns running on several different things and services. 12:56As agencies, we don't use our power enough, and more often than not digital agencies.14:45We always talk about UX, right? What is that? Well, it's looking at a problem from the user's perspective, but not looking at what we can sell them. 14:54So, rather than look at the technology, everybody's going to bid on that saying we can help you with these specific things. 17:54These leads, they're not cheap, they will cost you, some of them will cost you 10s of pounds, sometimes or hundreds of pounds to come to your page. So you've got to work that will make that work very hard. 18:26Technology changes and so on, but ultimately it’s still about people solving problems and so on. 20:25Clients don't necessarily get to speak to someone, you know, knowledgeable about a very specific subject early on. And that's a problem for creating trust. 23:55But we just dish out advice, and counsel straight away. It can be a startup, could be an agency. We don't mind, we don't keep our knowledge in a box and try to give a big presentation, that doesn't help people. Right, what they want is actually an answer. Can you help me? Yes, we can help you. 26:42People are looking for a problem to be solved, right? If you solve it, or you partially solve it straightaway, already gives them a sense of they've got the agency, they're here to help. 29:19So you've got two types of clients. Of course, those who know they need a discovery, actually. So that's the easy part. And those who don't know. 31:20In the marketing space, particularly big brands are not always the ones that get paid the most, b2b tends to be actually much, much more lucrative. 34:54So it's more about how we can help everybody do well, and get the company to do well because when the company does well, we'll do well. 43:12 Myth Busted - Agencies follow what they advice their clients   Links -  LinkedIn: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/buatmenard/  Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/gbuatmenard/  Company website: https://flipsidegroup.com/

Sheila Burkett, an accomplished entrepreneur and technology expert, serves as the Founder and CEO of Spry Digital. With an impressive track record of over 35 years in the tech industry, she has emerged as a revered leader in the digital realm, empowering organizations to leverage technology for exponential growth. Sheila's guidance has propelled Spry Digital to become a trusted partner for clients spanning various sectors.   Discussion Points -  Q1. What are your thoughts on Chat GPT? 2:35 Q2. What sort of myth or bogus strategy or misconception do you want to clear up? 7:16 Q3. How do you make the partnership work? How do you manage the friction? 8:14 Q4. What is your profit sharing model that you use internally with employees, can you talk us through a little bit? 13:43 Q5. What inspired you to have the profit-sharing model? 17:24 Q6. What does your agency specialize in? What is your superpower? 26:10 Q7. How do you manage when clients don't deliver? 29:07 Q8. Tell us a bit about your race car history. 32:37 Q9. What motivated your decision to shift from racing to agency? 36:26  Q10. Where do you get your learning about the industry and the agency space? 38:17 Q11. What's exciting you about the future? 40:43 Show notes -  As knowledge workers were going to have to solve the tougher problems. So what chat GPT will do is it will take the easier task away. So we're solving deeper, harder problems. 6:08We all run into the more diverse personalities and learning styles that you have, which is great. 12:40I wanted a mechanism where employees could not only be owners in the company and share in the profits of the company but have the ability to earn enough in that space to potentially buy me out and take over owning the company. 14:14We've been working for a couple of years to move to a very transparent base pay model. So every position will have a salary that everyone will know. So if you're a full-stack developer, this is your salary. And it's one number. It's not a range. So,I believe salary ranges continue to create inequitable positions. 19:56We always have taken a holistic view of that user experience, like since day one, we've always said, what is it that you're trying to achieve? And how do we help those people achieve it. 26:58We're not saying we're going to gain new leads, we're going to get quality leads that convert.If you're not aligned with their (clients) business goals, and you don't understand their drivers, sometimes teams can get off track with what the clients are achieving. 30:55I learned everything I could about building race cars. And we (Husband & her) both being technology geeks, decided to buy a Dyno, which is what measures horsepower in cars. And we started really working in that engine management system computer programming to change the way the system works. 34:55I became a part of Together Digital in 2017. And that is a community of women who let several agency owners mentor women, and now I mentor to women out of that group who are working to be agency owner. 39:10Chat GPT, I think that's pretty exciting to see what that will evolve into. And really, how do we leverage it for good? And control it from as the fear-mongering continues to happen of it's going to take the world over. 40:50 Myth Busted -  Starting a company with partners who are married to each other is a bad move.  Links -  LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sheilaburkett/  Company website: https://sprydigital.com/    Show Credits -  Host - Varun Bihani & Jessie Coan Produced by Bobby Soni  Edited by Priyanka Sharma  Content by Aakash Damani, Yashika Neekhra, and Juhie Bhardwaj

In today’s episode, we have the privilege of hosting the brilliant minds behind Elva Design, J.P. McCarvel, the Co-founder and Partner, along with Michael Francis, the Co-Founder and Creative Director of this remarkable full-service design group.  Elva Design is on a mission to craft stunning and impactful branded e-commerce experiences, where they seamlessly blend design, technology, and strategy. Get ready to explore their insights on creating exceptional customer journeys and discover the magic that sets Elva Design apart in the world of design. Discussion Points -  Q1. What misconception bogus strategy do you want to clear up? 2:34 Q2. Why did you decide to do a remote? 5:27 Q3. Tell us a little bit about your origin story. 6:35 Q4. What tools are you using? 8:56 Q5. How do you overcome situations when there is friction? 18:41 Q6. What are your client acquisition strategies? How do you approach it? 21:13 Q7. How do you manage your team and support them in facing difficult challenges? 26:18 |Q8. What are the steps you have taken to ensure the team stays smart and up-to-date? 29:40 Q9. How did you come up with the name ‘Elva’? 34:37 Q10. What's exciting you about the future? 36:05 Show notes -  When we work with partners, we like to act as an extension to their team and constantly communicate and be in conversation with them. - Michael Francis 8:40Every client is different as far as what they want, as far as what they want out of a partner and what their expectations are, what their culture is, I think my experience at Yeti was, and coming from GoPro and Crocs before that was, agencies come in and tell you the things that they do and how they do them, and why you'll benefit from them. - JP McCarvel 10:05If you get too big to tailor to or if you just start to do a one size fits all for brands, especially for brands like it's a losing strategy, it will lead to failure. - JP McCarvel 11:31We’re really coming in humble and just listening to what we've been through as a brand and where we're going. And we try to advocate that to the team today to say- hey, you can, you should go into brands and tell them that you don't know and that you rely on them for that knowledge. - JP McCarvel 13:40We disagree probably multiple times a day. And you know, it's really around, 1. We both trust each other. We've gotten this far and, 2. Talking about it being open and transparent with what we have issues with. - Michael Francis 19:15E-commerce doesn't work like that it's messy, and it's very difficult so is running an agency, so just embrace it, and work through some days, sometimes you win, sometimes you lose, but you keep working together to do better the next day. 20:38Ideal for us, or there are those brands that want to have the best-in-class brand experience for their customer. Now they're focused on what's the digital experience for my customer, and then going out and finding a team that can help support them in that journey - JP McCarvel 21:36Communication is key, having conversations with them (team), providing support where they need it, whether it's the extra support, buying more time with the client, limiting the number of pages that are due, you know, working with the creative team, first of the design team first, to alleviate any type of stress - Michael Francis 26:36Finding creative talent for e-commerce design is somewhat of a needle in the haystack to have an understanding of UX and UI, and some lean more on one than the other. And so being open to that type of talent when it presents itself or when it comes in and creating a space for that type of talent on the team. - Michael Francis 30:12What's exciting is that I don't think the challenges are going away, I think they're getting even more tough to grasp. And for someone like Michael and myself, the thought of things changing and getting more difficult is exciting. 37:04 Myth-busted - The creative agency people have to be in the same room to create the best work.  Links -  JP McCarvel’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/johnpaulmccarvel/  Michael Francis LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mjfrancis/  Company website: https://www.helloelva.com/  Show Credits -  Host - Varun Bihani & Jessie Coan Produced by Bobby Soni  Edited by Priyanka Sharma  Content by Aakash Damani, Yashika Neekhra, and Juhie Bhardwaj

Alicia Williams, a marketing genius with a passion-infused go-getter personality is the co-founder and creative director at Aliste Marketing. She has collaborated with some of the biggest industry disruptors and executive powerhouses and emerged as a force to be reckoned with in the industry. Since 2008, she has been successfully building a collective of brilliant creatives, strategists, and specialists that produce a truly end-to-end marketing solution for established brands.  Discussion points -  Q1 - What sort of bogus misconception strategy you want to set the record straight on? 3:20 Q2 - You guys have a pretty targeted niche, so how did you find that? 5:15 Q3 -  How do you identify which channels are the right fit? Are there some practical tools and tips that may give us the answer more objectively? 8:24 Q4- What are your thoughts on the reemergence of in-person events? 11:14 Q5 - Give us a couple of pointers on the practices that have been most effective for you in utilizing LinkedIn. What has it worked for you, and what do you love the most? 15:21 Q6 - How do you measure success on LinkedIn? Is there anything that you track that helps you decide? 18:30 Q7 -  What is your origin story? Can you tell us how you got started? 20:00 Q8 -  How do you pick your people? How do you vet that they're good? 25:25 Q9 - What are the tools that you are using? 33:22 Q10 - How do you see your agency going forward? 35:55 Q11 - How do you define your audience? And what is the good initiative for you when it comes to growth? 37:54 Q12 - What's exciting you about the future? 39:30 Q13 - What are your feelings about AI, and how you are approaching it? 41:02   Show notes -  It definitely wasn't a straight line, it was exact bumps and swirly rallies, in order to figure out who our audience was, and also what we really liked doing and what we were good at, and being in a position within our business to say, we're not good at this, or this doesn't bring us joy. 5:37LinkedIn is a massive treasure chest for me specifically, to get in front of the right people. Like, tell me what platform honestly, you could reach out to the CEO of Pepsi and get a response. 9:20From a client perspective, it goes back down to who are their buyers, and what’s their buyer persona. What's the age, the industry, the geographic location? Like what do they care about? And that honestly helped guide or does guide where they should be hanging out from a platform standpoint. 10:15I think in-person events absolutely have a place. And they're great, especially for learning and development, and getting in the room and showing a presence. I'm just very intentional about which ones I go to, I think of it this way, what events are worth me not being home for my family to go to? 12:39We do have a LinkedIn group that's filled with marketing executives, I measure the growth of that group and the engagement. The other is my connection growth, making sure that my connection numbers are increasing with the right people. And the third is we have a LinkedIn navigator it will show profiles, and engagement is tracked based on others in your space. 18:24We built the team to really have a collective of different specialists, they are hyper-focused on what they do, and they do it really, really well. Where my strong suit comes in is that strategy and that implementation part and kind of making sure the wheel spins. 22:53So when I say I've spent years building this collective, it has taken years to test it, try it, and have them treat me like a customer, before I introduce them to a client. 27:09Our clients know, our strong suit is the strategy and implementing the creative part. The other avenues like SEO and ads, are specific contractors that we pull in for that client. 29:47Clients want to know, their goals are being hit, the work is being done, we have their back, and who's sitting in those seats. It's irrelevant because they trust that we're building the team that's gonna get them there. 33:04Clients and brands that are going through a transition that have a marketing executive in house already, that's who's a really good fit for us from a brand perspective. 38:46You don't need to have a huge website, you could have a basic website, get you started, and it achieves the goals, you could use the AI tools to help you in terms of getting content going and wordsmithing and whatnot. 40:32 Myth Busted - Being on every social media platform instead of just focusing on where your audience is and doing that platform really well.  Links -  LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/aliste/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/alistemarketing/ Company website: https://alistemarketing.com/   Show Credits -  Host - Varun Bihani & Jessie Coan Produced by Bobby Soni  Edited by Priyanka Sharma  Content by Aakash Damani, Yashika Neekhra, and Juhie Bhardwaj

Today we are joined by two special guests who run a very successful agency together - Garrett Winder, Owner & Ariel Kidwell, Director of Strategy at Goodwork. They are a team of expert developers helping design agencies build things for web and mobile.  Garrett has a proven track record for leading high-quality large-scale web projects for clients like PBS Frito Lay and Tito's handmade vodka and Ariel is a seasoned marketer and consultant who specializes in helping businesses achieve sustainable growth. Discussion points -  Q1 - Smash a myth, bogus strategy, or misconception. What do you guys want to set the record straight on? What do you want to clear up? 2:19 Q2-  A lot of agency struggles with managing expectations, how do you manage those boundaries? Are there some tips and tricks that you can share that you guys have found that make it work? 03:36 Q3-  When the clients start getting angry or agitated because of the deadlines not being met, How do you handle such a situation? 7:51 Q4 - How do you make sure that your clients deliver what they owe you so you can stick to that timeline without padding it so much? 13:21 Q5 - How your experience has been in working with the other agencies?  How the relationship has been? What did you enjoy more? What were the pros and cons, of working with each of them, like, what are the wins? And what are the losses for you? 15:34 Q6 - Do you have you know, a process in which you make sure that your team is have been utilized for a certain amount of time when the institution happens? 20:21 Q7 - How do you work with the team, outside of email and phone calls and stuff like that? Are there tools that you guys have found that you've used? 22:56 Q8 - How do you tackle your quality checks? 30:08 Q9 - How did you start this business? How did you get into this? What's your what's your origin story? 32:52 Q10 - What's exciting you about the future? 34:52 Show notes -  We really focused on process, because we figured process has to at least be the foundation for that, right? Like, you have to be able to have expectations not only within your company but also setting them with clients so that everyone can at least start aligned. - Ariel Kidwell 05:17If you really sit down and have a thorough gut check with your team on what's realistic, and also with the client. What's realistic for them? When can they deliver the materials that you need? When can they do realistic QA turns and content entry, you can kind of set these milestones and timelines that are achievable- Ariel Kidwell 06:11Wishful thinking is one of the worst things you can do in our industry because it rarely happens the best way, you always have to be proactively working towards the worst-case scenario. - Ariel Kidwell 09:18We do have a pause clause, so there's a certain amount of time, but if they don't get back to us, we just say, we're going to take it off of our schedule, we'll move on with the other things we're working on. - Garrett Winder 14:00They (agencies) could say, Hey, we're doing this in July, and July comes around, and they say, actually, we're doing it in November. And all of a sudden, we have a hole in our schedule. So that would be one of the one of the dark side of working with the agencies. - Garret Winder 17:32We found that the more we work with these agencies, the more we learned from each other, the more they really appreciate the more we give them to help make the project better. - Ariel Kidwell 18:55We actually moved from Trello to GitHub for so that these projects are tied to the code changes, which helps us a lot because our clients are long-term. You know, something can happen in two years where we kind of want to look back and see oh, that was this project and we touched to this thing. - Garrett Winder 24:58A tool that I use that I've told so many of our agency friends about and they love is called To Do. It's an app, you can have it on your phone, you can use it in the browser, it's so simple, but it can help so much keep track of all the little emails and status updates. - Ariel Kidwell 26:35As clients get more advanced and mature with websites in general, we keep seeing that relationship between us and them change.- Garrett Winder 37:01 Myth Busted - Agencies have to be chaotic, stressful, and reactive in order to keep their clients happy. Links -  Garret’s LinkedIn:  https://www.linkedin.com/in/garrettwinder/  Ariel’s LinkedIn- https://www.linkedin.com/in/arielkidwell/  Company website: https://www.simplygoodwork.com/    Show Credits -  Host - Varun Bihani & Jessie Coan Produced by Bobby Soni  Edited by Priyanka Sharma  Content by Aakash Damani, Yashika Neekhra, and Juhie Bhardwaj

In this episode of Agency That Build, we are joined by CEO, Founder at Backroom, Kara Redman. She is a marketing wonder and skilled question-asker and a problem-solver. She founded her own business in 2014, a brand strategy and activation agency after working in marketing for more than 15 years. She empowers a four-day workweek by dismantling the 9 to 5 workday routine. A humanist in a true sense.  Discussion points -  What is some sort of myth, bogus strategy? Something you misconception something you want to set the record straight on? 2:16Was there somebody in your past who was like a mentor and influenced your journey? 4:48What is the whole idea of impostor syndrome and the learnings from the mentors, how    do you implement these learnings in the in the way you are? 7:00How do you define humanist? How being a humanist can help you be more successful. 9:52 How you guys work within that four day work week? How you make that work? 14:02How do you take on new clients and type of work? Does the 4 day work week change anything for you on the type of work that you do? 18:05What are the tools and PM system you are using? Can you divulge the tools in your suite? Will you share that secret sauce? 23:59What are your thoughts on employee retention? How do you keep the your team engaged and inspired? 29:28What is exciting you about the future? 37:24Which your favourite tool? 38:33 Shownotes -  If you're open to always learning and being curious and growing over being right, or being admired, then the world is your mentor. 6:11You get more out of people, when you meet them where they are on an emotional level, versus trying to force somebody to produce from fears, scare tactics, intimidation hierarchies. 10:50We just set appropriate expectations, manage those expectations, follow through and show up and do the work. You don't have to cram everything in. 16:38As a society, we learn when we speak about the things that we're trying and doing and what works and what doesn't. 21:05Our rule is all documents are stored in Drive, you can link to them in Asana, we do all of our collaborative work in either mural or figma. 25:30Employee retention should never be a goal, because to me, it implies a mentality of ownership. 30:00We're really excited to see how AI continues to influence the work that we're doing. Like, for example, we're using AI for, like creative concepting right now, rather than doing like bespoke creative campaigns, and then, you know, creating based on what the clients sign off on. So, you know, we're really excited just to have more tools. 38:12 Links -  LinkedIn:  https://www.linkedin.com/in/kararedman/  Twitter: https://twitter.com/backroom  Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/backroom.io/  Company website:  https://www.backroom.io/  Medium: https://medium.com/@kararedman  Myth Busted - The idea of a self-made man, there is always somebody who gives the first opportunity.  Show Credits -  Host - Varun Bihani & Jessie Coan Produced by Bobby Soni  Edited by Priyanka Sharma  Content by Aakash Damani, Yashika Neekhra, and Juhie Bhardwaj

Meg Scarborough is the founder & CEO of Megawatt. She has more than 15 years of expertise in the B2B sector. She's a natural communicator with expertise in content marketing and brand messaging. Her team helps clients reach new audiences and convert new customers through the art and science of content.  Discussion points -  What is some sort of myth kind of bogus strategy misconception that you would like to set the record straight on? What do you get to learn? 2:14What are those questions that you ask that can actually help the writer understand and write the technical problems in a way that the non-technical person can understand at the same time? 6:49What's the one-liner that you guys do at Megawatt is content and branding? 9:18You do have a range of senior and junior, from a training perspective and a growth perspective, as an agency owner, how do you foster that? 11:19What are your thoughts on AI? Where do you see it going from the content generations perspective, and the overall future of this industry as a whole? 14:29How much content do we need in today's world? How do you foresee what type of content is needed? 19:06Let's talk a little bit about your origin story. Like how did you get into this? 22:36Tell us a little bit about your process and saying yes to clients, how do you know somebody is the right fit for you? 25:14What are some of the key metrics that you show to your clients to show them the value that you are producing for the work for which they're paying you? 27:00 As an agency owner, what would you say is the biggest mistake you made? 32:33Let's talk about the future, what are you looking forward to? 34:27Show notes - “I don't think you actually have to code to be able to write intelligently about code” - Meg 3:06They (writers) need to understand how to ask intelligent questions that tie things to the bigger picture. And I think that's really the core skill set, that we focus on teaching all of our writers from Jr., all the way up to senior. 10:56Curious is something that we always look for in the interview process. I think any good writer or reporter is curious by nature, and growth-oriented as well. 12:28 “Making sure that Training is always prioritized, even when it's not necessarily something you can build back to the client, But it's really important because it helps us do fantastic work for our clients.” - Meg 13:42There's still so much experimentation to be done before we really understand what's the most effective way for us to be using AI and machine learning in content, but I'm not really concerned that it's coming for our jobs. 17:04You shouldn't be thinking producing a piece of content or putting it up on your site is the end. Distribution is, in many ways a bigger part of what you're doing, and then repurposing and finding ways to get that message in front of different audiences, whether it is on social media or other platforms like that. 21:22We want to think about brand awareness, because if nobody's ever heard of you, and nobody knows you exist, then you're never going to get that downstream effect that you're looking for. 28:38 Busted Myth -  You don’t need to be a coder to write about software.   Links -  LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/meganscarborough/ Company website: https://megawattcontent.com/ Newsletter - https://megawattcontent.com/content-marketing-newsletter/   Show Credits -  Host - Varun Bihani & Jessie Coan Produced by Bobby Soni  Edited by Priyanka Sharma  Content by Aakash Damani, Yashika Neekhra, and Juhie Bhardwaj

What does it take to be a “Conversion Scientist”? - Andrew Litchford - S2 Episode #1   In this episode of Agency That Build, we chat with Andrew Litchford, the Partner/Director of Business Development at Starling. He is an expert in transforming organizations through marketing and strategy. He is considered an all -rounder and is also recognized as a conversion scientist by his team members due to his broad competence in areas like Web development, UX marketing, and business growth.   Discussion Points -   What sort of bogus strategy misconception, What do you want to clear the air about? 1:50Why do you think copy is important? And why do people focus more on design and not copy? 3:16When we talk about conversion, just the mention of you being a conversion scientist, how do you define that? What exactly do you look for when you play that? Or when you put that scientist hat on? What are you digging into? What are you looking for, in that study? 11:11 What's your standard practice when you're working with clients? 15:34How did your partner and you get into this business? 19:16What in your opinion is the biggest mistake you might have made? And what did it cost you? Either personally, or long as a business? 26:04Tell us a little bit about your contracting experience. 30:11What is the biggest challenge you are facing right now? 36:24What's exciting you for the future? 39:24   Takeaways Conversion copy matters, even if just a little more than design, when converting website visitors into leads. People in our industry put a lot of emphasis on visual structure, and not enough emphasis on copy.Start with copy and work your way from there. Voice customer research, read all the conversions, copy out and do the content architecture and then move from that into the design.A lot of people got into web design and development because there's a great intersection between being nerdy and solving problems logically with development. And then, there's this creative side to it with the visual identity.How do you stand out and differentiate your business in a sea of other businesses doing the same things that look just as good?  It comes down to communication, at the end of the day, your users are people, and what you say to them matters. The primary point of conversion is getting people to fill up their contact form, to reach out to them for whatever service it might be.First, define that conversion goal, and then dig into current users to understand how they're getting to the site, and how they're using it.Technology and humans are constantly changing, and we need to work to keep up with that. It's easy for clients to see through a facade, someone hiding behind a public entity or organization that's really just like a single person that doesn't have a broad skill set.Our biggest challenge right now is educating prospects and even existing clients on the value of strategy and copy. We have a really clear definition of what our end goal is in terms of team structure and size and business revenue. Not only so that we can get to that goal, but so that we don't go past that goal. I see a lot of agencies that grow too far too fast, and it ends up being to their detriment. Myth Busted - Design should be prioritized over the copy. Links -  LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/andrewlitchford/ Company’s Website: https://starlingdigital.com/ Company’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/starlingdigital/   Show Credits -  Host - Varun Bihani & Jessie Coan Produced by Bobby Soni  Edited by Priyanka Sharma  Content by Aakash Damani, Yashika Neekhra and Juhie Bhardwaj

Jonathon Hensley is the CEO of EMERGE, a digital product agency, where he works with clients to develop valuable products and services based on business strategies, user needs, and new technologies. EMERGE has committed to a simple philosophy under Jonathon's leadership: the relationship between EMERGE and its clients should exist to create real and lasting value and to motivate people to take action. Inspire and motivate a team to focus on what is important. Discussion Points: What myth or bogus strategy do you want to bust? 2:45How did you get to the point where you are now? Share some of your secret sauce with us. 5:53Do you have any stories to tell about a project that didn't go as planned? And how you used it to learn from it and move forward. 9:20How did you come up with a definition for failure? 14:55How do you define the strategy? 18:20How did you get started in business, how have you grown, and how have these strategic ideas aided your growth? 24:00Have you always worked in the area of product development? What drew you to product development in the first place? 27:05What did you release that was a game-changer for your company? Or What is the biggest mistake you made? 29:55How do you keep your team motivated, and what keeps your staff from leaving you? 39:16What initially drew you to product development? 43:15 What does the future look like for you and your agency? 46:05   Takeaways  I think it's really important that we understand the intentions of this idea of fail fast fail often and what it really means in an organization so it can be used effectively.Failure is not the objective of any organization, but to learn is critical to every organization. And so we have to get failed fast and fail often as a mechanism for learning and not a methodology that use it in the wrong way, can erode that accountability.Agile is meant to be about a continuous improvement and learning approach to more effective collaboration and delivery. And so this essence gets missed all the time.Through the additive, experimentation, testing, and validation, we were able to verify what we knew from the client. Once you have a learning culture in place, and you can start to really think about how you implement it, you know the insights that come from each experimentation or each failure. You need to also have a clearer way of how that knowledge is then distributed across the company to collect it, help everyone level up. When we look at micro experiments, we're looking at how we can collect that information to that insight much faster and in smaller increments.What does a great strategy need to encompass at its core, and these things are not very well articulated or defined for most organizations.Strategy is not that one-time thing, but it's episodic it has to happen is a continuing practice inside the business ongoing, and depending on how fast you're trying to grow, or evolve in the market, will determine how often you have to be working through those steps of strategy.The essence of what we do hasn't changed, but how we do it.The passion and the core of the company was still in the roots of where we started, which was in product.Time being spent on on staying true to our core and staying hyper focused with our core customer, and working in those being in that community, is would have been really powerful for us Links  LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jonathonhensley/Twitter:https://twitter.com/jonathonhensleyCompany website: https://www.emergeinteractive.com/Company linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/emerge-interactive/ Busted Myths: Fail fast and fail often.