Featuring: Jared Gibson, Outworks.io In this episode, I had a great chat with Jared Gibson, co-founder of Outworks.io. Jared takes us through the journey of how Outworks.io came to be and how it shifted its focus to LinkedIn engagement for B2B professionals. We dive into the common struggles small business owners face in drumming up new leads. Originally, Outworks.io was all about email lead generation, but they soon found their sweet spot on LinkedIn. Jared shares why building trust through LinkedIn engagement is key and gives us some tips on what kind of content really clicks on the platform. He also shares some top-level strategy on how to leverage relationship building tactics on LinkedIn to convert comments into sales. Plus, he talks about the importance of having an abundance mindset, being your true authentic self, and the benefits of working with competitors. Don't miss out on Jared's valuable insights! Key Takeaways • Outworks started as an email lead generation service before pivoting to focus solely on LinkedIn engagement for B2B professionals. • Building trust through engagement is key on LinkedIn, and it is important to take a networking approach rather than a sales approach. • Posting valuable and authentic content on LinkedIn can help establish credibility and attract engagement. • Optimizing LinkedIn profiles and engaging with other users' posts can help break through the noise and build relationships. • Having an abundance mindset and collaborating with competitors can lead to new opportunities and growth. Chapters 00:00 Origin of Outworks.io 01:00 Starting with Email Lead Generation 02:27 Pivoting to Focus on LinkedIn 03:42 Combining Email and LinkedIn Strategies 05:11 Posting Organic Content on LinkedIn 06:54 Engaging with the LinkedIn Algorithm 09:26 Types of Content that Work on LinkedIn 11:16 Bringing Authenticity to LinkedIn 13:56 Building Relationships and Trust on LinkedIn 17:07 Breaking Through the Noise on LinkedIn 18:24 Optimizing LinkedIn Profiles 20:18 Having an Abundance Mindset on LinkedIn 23:15 Personal Favorites and Tools 27:39 Invaluable Business Advice Jared lives in Chicago (with his wife and two kids 5,7) where he is well-networked within the Chicago business community. He co-founded a company called Outworks. They work with B2B CEOs, Entrepreneurs, and Sales & Marketing leaders who are looking to generate revenue through LinkedIn. He's a big believer in the power of networking on the platform to generate warm leads and has built a healthy engagement system that focuses on relationship-building over pushy sales tactics. He's spent his career building and scaling businesses using these growth marketing and selling systems and decided to take that experience and provide the same value and support for other small to midsize businesses. Connect with Jared on LinkedIn or on the Outworks.io website.

Featuring: Brooke Sellas, B Squared Media In this episode, I got to interview Brooke Sellas, CEO of B Squared Media, a boutique digital marketing agency. We discuss Brooke's journey of starting her agency, the importance of social care, and bridging the gap between marketing and sales. Brooke shares valuable insights and advice for agency owners from her book, “Conversations that Connect.” and insights on how they leverage social care for their clients. We also briefly touched on navigating the intricacies of working side-by-side with a spouse. Key Takeaways • Starting an agency requires taking risks and seizing opportunities. • Social care is about acquiring and retaining customers through social media. • Social engagement is crucial for building brand loyalty and trust. • Bridging the gap between marketing and sales is essential for business success. Chapters 00:00 Introduction and Background 03:00 Starting B Squared Media 06:00 Working with Spouse and Team Dynamics 09:00 Brooke's Role as CEO and Visionary 12:00 Defining Social Care 16:00 The Importance of Social Engagement 20:00 Bridging the Gap Between Marketing and Sales 28:00 New Hobbies, Tools, and Business Advice Brooke Sellas is shaping the future of digital marketing, one conversation at a time. As a CEO, she's the visionary behind B Squared Media, a boutique digital marketing agency that's redefining 'social care' for industry giants like Brother International, Endless Pools, and BCU. With her groundbreaking 2022 book, "Conversations That Connect," she's charting a course for authentic digital interactions. Dive into her insights on the Marketing Agency Show podcast, or from one of two courses she teaches at the University of California, Irvine. Contact Brooke and download B Squared Media’s 2023 Social Care Report here.

Featuring: Rahul Raj, 5&Vine – Living Your Niche In this episode, I got to talk with Rahul Raj, founder of 5&Vine. They help challenger brands win. It’s in their DNA and their whole reason for showing up each day. Our conversation dug into the nuances of living in your niche, how to define the edge of that niche, and how they evaluate wavering outside of the laser focus of who they work with. Rahul spoke about the inherent risks of being too deeply niched what tier diversification means to them, and how they define it. We went on a side tangent about the lack of authenticity in personal communication, specifically on social media. Takeaways • Building a purpose-driven agency focused on helping challenger brands make a positive impact in the world • The importance of authenticity, community, and engagement in brand building • Challenges of staying true to a niche and the risks and opportunities presented by AI • The responsibility of leveraging privilege to help others Chapters 00:00 Introduction and Background 01:10 The Journey of Five and Vine 05:23 Building Brands that Better the World 06:18 Staying True to a Niche 09:27 The Importance of Authenticity and Learning from Mistakes 11:18 Diversification and Engaging the Team 14:51 The Role of AI in Branding 22:41 Navigating Risks and Opportunities 26:09 Final Thoughts and Rapid Fire Questions I help Challenger Brands win. I started 5&Vine to help build, launch and grow meaningful brands that disrupt categories and better society. To date, our impact has helped our partners close over $1.6B in follow on financing, and two have gone public. My expertise in Challenger Brands was born from my time as CMO at ecobee, where I helped transform the brand from relative obscurity into the #2 thermostat brand in North America with a 30% share and developed a playbook on how Challengers could take down industry incumbents. I know what a brand needs to take on Goliath. Prior to ecobee, I ran an incubator for Walmart in San Francisco. After seeing an opportunity to extract more value out of products that already existed, I built a refurbishing infrastructure that turned costly customer returns into a multi-billion dollar revenue stream. For these efforts, I was honored with Walmart's Innovation Champion Award, a fellowship with the Aspen Institute, and by GOOD magazine as 1 of 100 people pushing the world forward. My commitment to bettering the world started when I was young. At the age of 17, I founded and developed Meal Exchange to build healthy, just and environmentally sustainable food systems across Canada. Our work has been recognized by TIME magazine as "revolutionary”. Today, alongside my work at 5&Vine, I'm actively engaged in inspiring and empowering others to make their own positive impact. As well as being on the Design Team of the Aspen First Movers fellowship, I mentor entrepreneurs at First Round Capital, Tech Stars, the American Marketing Association, the University of Toronto’s Venture Mentoring Program, the Presidio Graduate School, and delivered a TEDx talk on the power of Challenger Thinking. Contact Rahul at www.5andvine.com

Featuring: Aalap Shah, 1o8 Agency In this episode, I sat down with Aalap Shah from 1o8, a minority-owned digital agency. Aalap shares his journey to agency ownership, starting with his background in accounting and e-commerce. He discusses how he fell in love with marketing and eventually started his own social media agency. Aalap also talks about the recent acquisition of Heart Creative, which adds content production capabilities to 1o8. He emphasizes the importance of the pillars of values that his organization stands for, how culture and community are imperative in his agency, and the value of certifications like being a minority-owned business. Aalap also shares his passion for giving back and his love for running and nature. Key Takeaways • Agency ownership can happen by accident, as it did for Aalap Shah, who started his agency after realizing he wanted to work for himself • Acquiring another business can help fill gaps in services and provide new opportunities for growth • Building a strong culture and community within an agency is essential for success • Certifications, such as being a minority-owned business, can open doors and lead to new business opportunities • Giving back to the community and being involved in philanthropic efforts can be a valuable part of an agency's mission • Finding a hobby or activity, like running, can provide personal fulfillment and balance in the midst of running a business Chapters 00:00 Accidental Agency Ownership 05:35 The Meaning Behind 1o8 09:35 Building Pillars of Expertise 13:36 Driving Consumer-Based Traffic 22:33 The Power of Looker Studio for GA4 26:27 The Value of Niching Down Aalap Shah is a Chicago-born entrepreneur, public speaker, philanthropist, and the founder of 1o8, a fresh digital marketing start-up focused on deepening brand awareness and increasing sales for amazon + e-commerce companies nationwide. Aalap and his team at 1o8 have worked with companies like Gildan, Sweet Leaf Tea, Vetnique Labs, OHi Superfood Bars and Tio Gazpacho—just to name a few. Aalap happily shares his personal entrepreneurial story and his passion for crafting digital strategy, creating content, navigating the ever-evolving digital marketplace, and captaining the entrepreneurs’ life at events far and wide. As a registered CPA and the child of Indian immigrant-entrepreneurs, business is a key part of Aalap’s DNA and integral to his own personal American Dream. Aalap started his first business, a toy store, at the age of 23. Maneuvering the marketplace while building his business’ brand awareness sparked a love of marketing and promotion. Aalap worked in digital marketing for years thereafter, and is now the strategic brain behind 1o8, an amazon and ecomm focused growth agency in Chicago. He has served as a keynote speaker, workshop moderator, and panelist at engagements with the National Business Education Association, Clickz, Social Media Week, Media Post, and Bloggers Week Summit and for companies such as Sears, Northwestern University, and DePaul University.   Contact Aalap on his website for 1o8 Agency, Heart Creative, or on LinkedIn.

Featuring: Mary Ann Pruitt, Mosaic Agency In this episode I got to sit with Mary Ann Pruitt, CEO and president of Mosaic Media, and discuss the need for specialized media buying expertise in the agency space. She explains how Mosaic Media helps agencies by providing media buying services without the high overhead costs. Mary Ann emphasizes the importance of collaboration and partnership between agencies and specialized service providers. She also discusses the evolution of media consumption and the impact of COVID-19 on media habits. Mary Ann recommends the book 'Miracle Morning' and advises listeners to trust their gut instincts in business. Key Takeaways • Specialized media buying expertise is crucial in the agency space to optimize return on investment. • Collaboration and partnership between agencies and specialized service providers can lead to stronger client outcomes. • The COVID-19 pandemic accelerated changes in media consumption habits, with older generations embracing online platforms and younger generations rediscovering traditional media. • The book 'Miracle Morning' offers valuable insights on establishing morning routines for personal and professional growth. • Trusting your gut instincts is important in business decision-making. Chapters 00:00 Introduction and Background 07:01 The High Overhead Costs of Media 13:04 The Impact of Data and Micro-Targeting 27:24 Hobbies, Tools, and Business Advice Mary Ann Pruitt is the CEO and President at Mosaic Media, a collection of media-buying experts and creative strategists who negotiate, purchase, and monitor advertising space and airtime. Mary Ann started her career in media by working as a senior sales executive for some of the nation’s largest media outlets. After discovering her talent and love for all things media strategy, she founded Mosaic as a way to provide niche expert experience to agencies and marketing departments across the country. Her hard work and savvy strategy skills have led Mosaic to year-over-year growth, and have expanded her impact as an industry leader in all things traditional, digital, and everything in between. Reflecting this is a 2020 award from Cynopsis Media naming her as a Top Woman in Media. Mary Ann has helped develop effective marketing strategies for agencies of all sizes, small businesses, service businesses, private educational institutions, and legal and professional services businesses along with many others. She is passionate about passing on the experience that she has gained to eager professionals looking for actionable marketing tips. Contact Mary Ann on her website.

Featuring: Emily Cohen & Hunter Vargas, Casa Davka In Episode 57, I had the privilege of sitting down with the dynamic duo behind Casa Davka – Emily Cohen and Hunter Vargas. This episode is jam-packed with valuable insights for agency owners looking to master their positioning, niching, and client relationships. We dive deep into strategic approaches for expanding expertise and fostering stronger client connections. From navigating business development to addressing harmful industry practices, we cover it all. We also explore the evolving landscape of remote work and its impact on team effectiveness, while emphasizing the importance of fair compensation and trust-building in remote agencies. Plus, we discuss the advantages of global talent, vertical niching strategies, achieving work-life balance, and fostering a culture of trust. As always, expect a no-nonsense conversation that cuts through the noise. Don't miss out on this episode! Key Takeaways • Clients are taking longer to close deals, so patience is key. • Strategy is becoming increasingly important in the design industry. • Ethical business practices, such as fair contracts and pricing, are crucial. Work-life balance and setting boundaries are essential for personal and professional well-being. • Capturing metrics is important to measure success and prove the value of design. • Take action and don't wait for perfection.Chapters Emily Cohen, Founder & Partner at Casa Davka, is a no-nonsense business consultant who has partnered with 500+ leading creative firms worldwide. At Casa Davka, Emily offers customized business solutions to creative businesses so they are able to: envision and plan for their future, position themselves to stay competitive, attract and qualify new business prospects and talent, refine, evolve, and elevate their organizational structure and reimagine existing processes to increase efficiency and effectiveness. Emily is a frequently requested main stage speaker within the creative industry and has spoken at hundreds of international, national, and local conferences and events for organizations such as Creative Mornings, AIGA, Association of Registered Graphic Designers (RGD), and Creative South. In 2018, she self-published her business book for creatives, Brutally Honest: No-bullshit business strategies to evolve your creative business. Brutally Honest has become a go-to business book for creative industry professionals worldwide and several universities use it as a teaching tool. Emily is a designer by degree, an avid reader, a dog-lover, a trend-spotter, a connection-builder, and an industry advocate. After working with multiple creative firms, Hunter officially joined Emily’s practice in Summer 2022 to grow our practice, elevate our offerings, and provide a fresh perspective to our clients. Her experience as a marketer, project manager, client partner, and business development manager paired with her on-the-ground insight and unique, younger perspective is a huge asset to our consulting practice. Hunter truly knows our industry inside and out. She also happens to be Emily’s daughter and can read her mind so they work together seamlessly, complementing each other in many ways. Contact Casa Davka on their website, or Emily or Hunter’s LinkedIn pages.

Featuring: Wayne Pelletier, Resonant Pixel Company In this episode, Wayne Pelletier, founder of Resonant Pixel Co, discusses the process of productizing agency services and the benefits it brings. He shares his journey from being a marketing assistant to launching his own agency and explains why he chose to focus on Squarespace as the platform for his services. Wayne emphasizes the importance of niching down and serving a specific audience, as well as the mindset shift required to transition from a project-based model to a subscription-based model. He also highlights the challenges and rewards of productization and the potential for scalability and growth. Key Takeaways • Productizing agency services involves niching down and focusing on a specific audience or platform. • A subscription-based model can provide more predictable revenue and eliminate the feast and famine cycle of project-based work. • Choosing the right platform, such as Squarespace, can offer stability, scalability, and the ability to hire predictably for talent. • Productization requires a mindset shift from being a designer to being a business owner, focusing on access to expertise and lifetime value. Chapters 00:00 Introduction and Pronunciation 08:10 Transitioning to a Subscription-Based Model 12:54 The Benefits of Productization and Lifetime Value 23:04 Serving Small Businesses and Providing Relief Wayne came up working at world-renowned digital agencies as a designer, art director, and creative director. He has helped some of the world's best brands with award-winning strategic design and customer experiences. After 24 years of agency life, he founded Resonant Pixel Company in 2020 and is helping small businesses go beyond brochure-ware websites. And he's doing it with a productized subscription business model. Contact Wayne on his website or on LinkedIn.

Featuring: Jacob Cass, Founder of JUST Creative In this episode, I had the pleasure of chatting with Jacob Cass from JUST Creative about his remarkable journey from digital nomad and designer to his current roles as an agency owner, educator, and blogger. We delve into how Jacob manages to juggle multiple ventures while maintaining focus and standing out in the industry. His pursuit of creative freedom drives him to embrace new technologies and innovative ideas, such as the AI bots he's developed to support branding efforts for agencies. We also explore topics like affiliate marketing, value-based pricing, marketplace positioning, and more. Tune in for the full conversation and gain insights from Jacob's wealth of experience! Key Takeaways • Embrace AI in design and see how it can improve your process and productivity. • Diversify your revenue streams to create a more stable and sustainable business. • Consider value-based pricing to reflect the value you bring to clients rather than charging by the hour. • Reflect, recalibrate, and refocus regularly to adapt to changes in the market and set new goals. • Try new tools and don't be afraid to experiment and find what works best for you. Chapters 00:00 Introduction and Background 08:24 The Role of Design in Jacob's Business 23:55 Experimenting with Tools and Embracing Change Jacob Cass is a brand designer, strategist, educator, podcaster, business coach, community builder, and the founder of JUST Creative, a branding & design consultancy that doubles as an industry-leading blog and community. Jacob helps grow brands strategically and has worked for clients such as Disney, Nintendo, and Jerry Seinfeld however he is now focused on bringing this global brand experience to smaller businesses. For Jacob, design is a lifelong journey of continuously honing his craft, as well as empowering other fellow designers & entrepreneurs to build on theirs, which has allowed him to build a large and loyal following, including his JUST Creative website which has been viewed over 70 million times. Jacob has spoken at TEDx and been featured in Entrepreneur, Forbes, and a number of high-profile design books including The Best of Logo Lounge Master Series. Jacob holds a Bachelor of Visual Communication (Graphic Design Major) from The University of Newcastle, Sydney, Australia, and a Brand Master Certification from Brand Master Academy, and over 17 years of experience in the industry with multiple awards on his belt. Jacob co-hosts the JUST Branding Podcast which helps designers & entrepreneurs grow brands. He also coaches creatives in his Inner Triangle Coaching Program, either 1:1 or in a group mastermind setting. Yahoo! recently declared him as the “Best Brand Coach”. Jacob also runs the membership community Exponential Creatives which helps creatives grow exponentially. Jacob is a digital nomad and travels the world now isolated in Sydney with his family of four while running JUST Creative. He has visited 88 countries thus far with travel guides most of them available at his travel blog, JUST Globetrotting. Contact Justin on his website, listen to his podcast, download his newsletter.

Featuring: Mark Riggs, CEO of Pemberton In this episode, I got to sit with Mark Riggs from Pemberton, a consultant and coach for agencies. He shares his insights on shifting from the RFP rat race to building organic growth of existing and new clients. He emphasizes the importance of solving client problems and being proactive in account growth. Mark discusses the need to set expectations with clients from the beginning and continuously communicate and collaborate with them. He also highlights the value of focusing on organic growth and investing the same energy and innovation into existing clients as in winning new business. Mark advises agency owners to start out with defined principles and have patience in their journey. Tune in to hear his top secrets on nailing organic account growth. Key Takeaways • Focus on solving client problems and being proactive in account growth. • Set expectations with clients from the beginning and continuously communicate and collaborate with them. • Invest the same energy and innovation into existing clients as in winning new business. • Start out with defined principles and have patience in your agency journey. Chapters 00:00 Introduction and Background 01:04 Shift in Biz Dev and Account Growth 09:36 Setting Expectations and Scoping 14:21 Operational Scoping and Profitability 23:08 Lessons from Marketing During Downturns 25:49 Invaluable Business Advice Mark is the founder and CEO of Pemberton which is a management consultancy that exists to be the go-to resource for marketing/communications agencies to discover and reveal pathways to organic growth while changing the mindset of an RFP-obsessed industry. Before starting Pemberton, Mark spent 20-plus years in the agency world working for IPG’s Mullen Lowe, an Ad Age A-List Agency, Taylor, the Holmes Report’s Consumer Agency of the Decade, MWWPR and French/West/Vaughan, the Southeast’s largest independent agency. Mark has spent a career learning the art of integrated communication developing and executing award-winning consumer programs for brands and companies like Allstate, Honda, Ford, Kimberly-Clark, Polaris, Coke, Diageo, RJ Reynolds, SunTrust Banks, the U.S. Navy, the Atlantic Coast Conference and ESPN, to name a few. Mark has a reputation as a business-builder and a strategic counselor and has experience in leading client services, insights and planning functions, as well as developing talent. A creative thinker and problem-solver, Mark believes that great thinking can “come from anywhere,” it’s the ability to harness it and leverage it for clients that makes the intellectual property of the agency valuable and an integral part of the marketing mix. Contact Mark on his website, his personal LinkedIn, or his company LinkedIn.

Featuring: Nicholas Petroski, Promethean Research In this episode, I got to speak to Nick Pretroski from Promethean Research and we dig into the topic of recurring revenue generation for agencies. Nick breaks down some Revgen strategies and talks about how essential it is to build a machine (AKA a system that works for YOU) that companies can use to repeatedly generate new leads, converting them into sales, bringing them through delightful delivery processes, and turning them into evangelists. We talk about the four key areas of Revgen and the owners’ role in these areas, and ways to shift some of those responsibilities off of the owner's plate to expand the efforts of the team. Nick also lays out some of the key metrics to keep your eye on to measure the results of your RevGen efforts. Key Takeaways • Having a system in place for repeatable revenue generation (RevGen) is crucial for digital agencies to grow reliably and with higher margins. • Transitioning from a practitioner role to a business development leadership role is essential for agency owners to focus on strategic growth. • The RevGen system consists of four roles: biz dev, sales, account management, and marketing, each responsible for specific stages of the client lifecycle. • Avoiding bloated spending and tracking key metrics are important for the success of the RevGen system. • Being methodical in building a RevGen system can help alleviate stress and make running a business easier. Chapters 00:00 Introduction and Background 03:44 Understanding Repeatable RevGen 09:14 Transitioning from Practitioner to Biz Dev Leadership 13:49 The Four Roles in the RevGen System 16:18 Implementing the RevGen System 20:16 Key Metrics for RevGen Success 24:16 Hobbies and New Tools 26:01 Valuable Business Advice I’m Nick. I run Promethean. A boutique consultancy that helps digital agencies grow more reliably with higher margins and simpler operations. Since 2015, I’ve been helping digital firms better understand their industry and chart more effective paths to success. Prior to co-founding Promethean, I worked as an equity analyst at a Wall St. firm where I covered the enterprise software and semiconductor industries. Before that, I spent a bit of time in corporate finance. When I’m not in the office, you can find me backpacking around the Midwest or making fancy firewood in my woodshop. Contact Nick on his website, on LinkedIn, or learn about repeatable RevGen for Digital Agencies here.

Featuring: Tracy Goodheart, The PR Accelerator In this episode, I got to talk to Tracy Goodheart from The PR Accelerator about her journey from being a journalist to helping individuals and brands attract sustained media attention without a publicist. She discusses the evolution of social media and its impact on journalism, emphasizing the importance of earned media over social media for brand credibility. Tracy also highlights the value of creating a messaging system and leveraging ghostwriting to elevate thought leadership within agencies. She advises agency owners to seek external validation and shares her insights on standout strategies in the marketplace. Key Takeaways • Earned media is more valuable than social media for brand credibility. • Creating a messaging system can help streamline communication and ensure consistency. • Ghostwriting can elevate thought leadership within agencies and humanize senior leadership. • Seeking external validation can boost self-confidence and protect against workplace bullying. Chapters 00:00 Introduction and Background 03:16 The Evolution of Social Media and Journalism 06:46 Leveraging Social Media and Earned Media 09:21 Creating a Messaging System 10:59 Ghostwriting and Thought Leadership 13:30 The Impact of Ghostwriting on Agency Culture 20:36 Random Rapid-Fire Questions 24:06 Invaluable Business Advice Tracy Samantha Goodheart is the founder of The PR Accelerator, a different kind of PR company. Simply put, she helps individuals and brands nail their messaging and attract positive, sustained media attention without a publicist. She also teaches marketing globally for the University of Chicago and has advised more than 75 brands on their marketing and communications. A journalist by training, Tracy has 15 years of media experience working in every type of newsroom. She began her career as a reporter at TIME Magazine, where she covered the rise of Facebook and developed new methods for reporting breaking news. She also created a blog network for the Chicago Tribune, led global social media strategy for Crain Communications – the publisher of titles like Ad Age, InvestmentNews, and Modern Healthcare – and has trained hundreds of working journalists how to find original story ideas. Tracy has also been a frequent TV commentator and taught graduate journalism school. A Chicago native, she now lives in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan, where she and her husband are renovating a historic general store and starting a lavender farm. Contact Tracy through her website or on LinkedIn.

Featuring: Debra Rizzi, Rizco Design In episode 051, I had the great privilege of speaking with my long-time friend, Debra Rizzi, partner and president of Rizco, a women-owned brand-led marketing agency. We got to discuss the launch and evolution of her agency nearly 25 years ago, the benefits of becoming a certified woman-owned business, and the integration of new tools and processes like EOS. She emphasizes the importance of community involvement and maintaining core values and culture in her agency. She also talks about her day-to-day responsibilities and offers business advice, including the significance of gratitude and self-acknowledgment. Key Takeaways • Launching a business can arise from unexpected circumstances and opportunities. • Becoming a certified woman-owned business can open doors and provide access to funding and resources. • Integrating new tools and processes can enhance efficiency and effectiveness. • Community involvement and maintaining core values and culture are essential for long-term success. • Expressing gratitude and acknowledging personal achievements are important for personal and professional growth. Chapters 00:00 Introduction and Background 01:08 The Launch of Rizco 05:47 Certification as a Women-Owned Business 07:04 Benefits of Women-Owned Business Certification 09:34 Integration of New Tools and Processes 10:17 Business Development Opportunities 12:40 Involvement in the Community 20:53 Day-to-Day Responsibilities 25:23 Binging and New Tools 27:15 Business Advice 29:36 Gratitude and Self-Acknowledgment 29:59 Closing Remarks Debra Rizzi has over 25 years of experience in developing brand strategies for local, national, and international companies. She is a partner and president of Rizco, a woman-owned, brand-led marketing agency, which she co-founded in 2000. Upon graduating from Bucknell University, Debra worked in the finance department of corporate Lord & Taylor. Later, she managed the creative department of the global public relations firm, Porter Novelli. Debra is a past NJ Biz “40 Under 40” recipient and 2020 NJBIZ’s “50 Best Women in Business” Award. She is a member of many business organizations, currently serves on Wall High School’s Business and Finance Academy’s Advisory Board, and served 8 years on Bucknell University’s Alumni Association Board of Directors. On a personal level, Debra’s partner in life and in business is her husband, Keith, and together they balance the lives of their three daughters, Mia, Marley, and Monroe. Contact Debra through her agency website, Facebook, Instagram, or on Linkedin.

Featuring: Ilise Benun, Marketing Mentor With the launch of Season Two of Agency Bytes, I'm thrilled to introduce an extraordinary guest for this momentous occasion – Ilise Benun from Marketing Mentor. Ilise is not only a longtime friend but also someone I've admired for decades. In this episode, I had the privilege of delving into Ilise's invaluable insights on her "Simplest Marketing Plan" and how she guides creative professionals to success by helping them focus and identify their market. We discuss the importance of cultivating a deep, focused niche and Ilise lays out actionable steps to achieve this. Ilise believes that building your business should be enjoyable and shares her observations on why many agency owners struggle with their marketing efforts due to being too close to their businesses. We dissect the difference between horizontal and vertical niches, exploring how the latter can significantly boost marketing endeavors. Ilise also emphasizes the significance of sub-niches and provides guidance on expanding into new niches. Furthermore, Ilise outlines her comprehensive program focusing on marketing, money, and mindset, identifying these as key areas of weakness for most creatives. We also challenge the notion that referrals are always beneficial and discuss strategies to overcome complacency in business development. Tune in to uncover some of the invaluable secrets Ilise has accumulated over her more than 30 years as a creative business coach. This episode is packed with actionable insights and wisdom you won't want to miss! For the past 35 years, Ilise Benun has made it her business to teach basic business skills – that is mindset, money, and marketing – to creative professionals and solopreneurs who should have learned them in school but, alas, did not because it’s not taught in school. This has, for years, perpetuated a “starving artist” mentality amongst creative professionals, who are naturally talented and could easily bring their creativity to the business side of their business, if only they knew how. That’s the mission she’s on with all of her work through marketing-mentor.com, including The Simplest Marketing Plan, The Marketing Mentor Podcast, 7 books including The Creative Professional’s Guide to Money, multiple online courses for Creative Live and Domestika.org and much more. Contact Ilise: https://bit.ly/agencyoutsight-qt https://www.marketing-mentor.com/ https://quicktips.marketing-mentor.com/ https://www.linkedin.com/in/iliseben

Featuring: Robert Patin, Creative Agency Success In this episode, I had the privilege of speaking with Robert Patin, an agency expert and coach from Creative Agency Success. Robert's expertise centers on benchmarks and the comprehensive analysis of agency performance, emphasizing measurable metrics. Together, we explore key metrics that every agency should be monitoring. We delve into the absence of essential systems that many "accidental" agency owners overlook at different stages of their business evolution. Robert guides us through activities that can optimize agency operations, aiding in the focus on ideal clients and the reasons behind those choices. During our discussion on agency differentiation, Robert candidly points out that most agencies tend to sound alike, offering valuable insights on how to authentically stand out in a crowded market. Robert Patin is the founder of Creative Agency Success, a consulting firm dedicated to helping creative agencies scale. Robert is known for being a deeply inquisitive and analytical leader with a distinct ability to devise solutions that elevate companies and lifestyles. He is a two-time international best-selling author and is passionate about sharing his next-level strategies so that creative agency leaders will find fulfillment and growth. Contact Robert and download agency freebies here.

Featuring: Kelly Berry, Brand Therapist In Episode 48, I engaged in an enlightening conversation with Kelly Berrk, a passionate advocate for brand strategy and yoga. We explored Kelly's journey of resetting after experiencing burnout, and the profound impact it had on her creative inspiration following a much-needed period of refocus. Kelly delved into the concept of brand therapy, an integral part of her brand strategy process, influenced by her commitment to self-care and life balance. She shared insights on how these practices serve as tools to connect the dots, helping brands articulate their messages and define their "why" and purpose. Throughout the episode, Kelly emphasized the importance of exploration and connection with others to identify the common thread that ties together brands and relationships. She encouraged listeners to reflect on how they are fostering connections, practicing empathy, and building bridges to create meaningful openings in both professional and personal spheres. Kelly is an entrepreneur, writer, and teacher who is interested in the study of consciousness and introspection. She is a brand strategist working with agencies and brands operating in the health, wellness, and lifestyle markets. Her background leading marketing and communications teams at public relations agencies, tech startups, and lifestyle brands in combination with her functional movement expertise through the disciplines of yoga, Pilates, and bodywork – fun fact she was the lead curator of the yoga program at the U.S. Department of State and teacher to athletes including the Washington Mystics – informs the way in which she approaches developing brand stories and verbal brand identities for her clients. Contact Kelly on her website or Instagram.

Featuring: Dan Antonelli, KickCharge Creative In this episode, I got to speak with Dan Antonelli, President and Chief Creative Officer of KickCharge Creative. Dan’s agency is by far one of the most deeply niched teams I know of, literally owning the home service branding space and having written the book on it. Dan and I dug into the difference his agency saw once they declared ownership over that space, stopped chasing service-based work that they didn’t find profitable, and rebranded themselves to drink their own cool-aid. Dan experienced a near-death event a few years ago and he spoke about how that was a driving force for him to realign some of his priorities and team structure so they can have more impact and help more people. He also shared how that led to selling some equity in the agency by bringing on a partner this summer and the benefits that will have for KickCharge. Lastly, Dan’s team faces regular copyright infringement, mostly from freelancers stealing their designs and using them as their own. Dan shares how they deal with that, as well as what not to do in instances like that. Dan Antonelli is the President and Chief Creative Officer of KickCharge Creative, an award-winning New Jersey-based branding agency that specializes in helping home service businesses redefine themselves and stand out with disruptive brands. Dan is a nationally recognized speaker and expert on home service branding, with several books on branding to his credit, including Building a Big Small Business Brand and his new Amazon best-selling book, Branded Not Branded: KickCharge Your Home Service Brand. During more than 25 years running his own agency, Dan’s marketing expertise has been featured on MSNBC and in industry magazines including Entrepreneur, SignCraft, HVACR Business, Plumbing & Mechanical, and Contracting Business, among many others. His signature wrap style that integrates disruptive branding has served as a model for superior home service fleet branding throughout the world. With more than 2,000 home service brands under his belt, Dan and his team have overseen the branding of more home service businesses than any other brand agency in the world. Contact Dan on his website, LinkedIn, and Instagram, or grab a copy of his book.

Featuring: Alyson Caffrey, Operations Agency In this episode, I got to speak with Alyson Caffrey of Operations Agency about how she works with agencies to operationalize their business, allowing owners to live a life outside of their agency. She introduced her new book, The Sabbatical Method: How to Leverage Rest and Grow Your Business in our conversation and talks about the need for rest, repair, and rejuvenation after working hard and breaking things. Tune in to learn why she’s often referred to as “The Wolf” by her clients. Alyson Caffrey is the founder of Operations Agency, co-creator of the Operations Simplified™ Framework, and best-selling author of The Sabbatical Method: How to Leverage Rest and Grow Your Business. She's commonly called ‘The Wolf' among her clients because she just gets sh*t done. Alyson is best known for helping streamline the back-end ops for many brands and digital and creative agencies. As a fractional COO for many high-growth businesses, Alyson fell in love with the results that clear ops bring to a service business. She and the team at Operations Agency are determined to help businesses thrive profitably, serve more clients, and create high-performing teams. Alyson is a mom to two sons and enjoys spending time at home with her growing family. Contact Alyson on Instagram, Facebook, and YouTube, her website, LinkedIn, or her personal Instagram.

Featuring: Leslie Camacho, EOS Worldwide In this episode, Leslie Compacho introduces us to EOS (Entrepreneurial Operating System). As an EOS implementer working with agencies, Leslie shares the benefits of implementing such a system. Leslie shares how EOS, or a system like it, can get an agency ready for scaling by helping build a leadership team that is all rowing in the same direction, towards the same vision while giving visibility to properly prioritized goals, and how to lead meetings that have true substance and encourage difficult decisions where teams are supporting each others challenges. Leslie is a Professional EOS Implementer® with 25+ years leading entrepreneurial companies as an owner, CEO, COO/Integrator, and coach. He helps teams implement a simple set of tools and principles to get them in charge and control of their business so they can have a big impact and build a legacy that honors their values — without sacrificing themselves, their team, and especially their families. Contact Leslie on Linkedin or his website.

Featuring: Ilia Markov, Toggl In this episode, I had the pleasure of conversing with Ilia Markov, the head of the marketing team at Toggl, a widely-used time-tracking tool. Together, we explore the dynamic realm of time-tracking and challenge the notion that it's a dull subject. Brace yourself for a deep dive into the advantages of meticulous time tracking, emphasizing its significance as a top-down, culturally-driven initiative within a team. Drawing from his agency background, Ilia shares valuable insights into optimal practices for agency time tracking, shedding light on how they foster more efficient teams, heightened capacity awareness, robust utilization support, and enhanced forecasting accuracy. Tune in for a fresh perspective on the excitement inherent in mastering the art of time tracking. Ilia is leading the Toggl marketing team on a mission to help knowledge-based service businesses bring transparency to their time, bill clients with precision, and plan capacity and utilization free of stress and burnout. He believes agencies, consultancies, and everyone who sells their time only stand to benefit from understanding how their time is spent. Contact Ilia on Twitter, LinkedIn, or grab a discount on Toggl – use code “BRIEFS” for 20% off any annual plan for new clients, good through Feb. 11, 2024

Featuring: Liz Young, StudioLabs In this episode, I had the pleasure of conversing with Liz Young, the founder of StudioLabs, a 20-year-old custom software development agency with 45 dedicated team members. Liz's journey began in a unique way when, at the age of 25, she launched her agency on the spot in her first client's lobby. At that time, she was among the few women in the industry. In this episode, she shares the intriguing story of StudioLabs' inception and how she now leads the agency. Liz delves into the day-to-day operations of the agency, highlighting the systems that keep everything running smoothly. She emphasizes the agency's deliberate efforts to cultivate strong leaders and maintain a vibrant company culture. Tune in to gain insights into how Liz has transformed StudioLabs from a trusted resource for other agencies into a powerhouse that develops software solutions for some of the world's most prominent brands. After graduating from the University of Hartford as a two-sport D1 athlete, majoring in graphic design and minoring in illustration, Liz started her career in New York City with work ranging from digital design to illustration and storyboarding. Along the way, she learned frontend web development technologies and began building the things she designed. Liz’s passion for technology grew and began to change the way she approached creative conception and execution. From 2000 until 2003, Liz was fortunate enough to have been part of an incredibly talented, visionary team of creative and engineering professionals who hopped from the agency world, to the publishing world, and back to the agency world again, creating award-winning digital products for Fortune 500 companies and some of the world’s most recognizable brands. It was as part of this team that Liz had the opportunity to help design and build the world’s first-ever live webcast of an international sporting event - the 2000 Paralympic Games in Sydney, Australia. In 2003, at the age of 25, Liz founded StudioLabs, a product design and development studio that focuses on creative technology. Through her work at StudioLabs, she has helped create software applications, mobile applications, websites, games, and other digital products for clients such as Estee Lauder and ESPN, and she’s partnered with some of the world’s most talented creative teams at agencies like Ogilvy & Mather and RG/A. Liz’s current responsibilities as CEO and Creative Director have her tasked with leading both creative strategy and business operations. She works hand-in-hand with the StudioLabs internal team and the client-side stakeholders, ensuring that the team is delivering well-designed, smart, engaging digital products that resonate with the end user. Liz is also a co-founder, board member, and investor in multiple other companies and startups, predominantly in the SaaS (Software as a Service) industry. Contact Liz.