38% of agencies struggle with frequently overservicing clients. Of the 500+ agencies surveyed for the 2023 State of Agency Operations Report, 44% also said that client demands have become tougher to meet. Are you finding clients more demanding? Is overservicing happening more frequently in your agency? If so, 2024 can be different on both fronts.

What got you here won’t get you there. You’ve probably heard that phrase before. And it probably couldn’t feel more applicable than it does right now as we round out 2023. So, the question is: Are you going to keep doing more of the same? Or do something different in 2024? If you’re in that latter camp, then you’re going to get some encouragement (and hopefully some useful ideas to implement) from today’s guests, Pete Caputa and Karl Sakas.

He went from working 70-80 hour weeks to building a 7-figure agency with 50% profit margins while only working about 1 hour per week. Today he’s the founder of GrowthDaily.com & AgencyReviews.io & he’s known by his 45,000 followers on X as @MarketingMax, but several years ago he was an agency co-owner struggling to make the sort of money he wanted to make (and enjoy the work in the process). That’s when a timely LinkedIn post came across his feed & recommend a book that change the course of his agency–and his life–forever.

Unreasonable clients? Make sure you’re always one step ahead of them. The data never lies, so let our reports do the talking for you…

You probably heard recently on this show, from the dozens of agency owners & leaders we spoke to at INBOUND last year, that the number one place they'd invest extra budget dollars (if they magically had them tomorrow) was in marketing their own agency. This begs 2 questions: 1) Why is this such a common answer? 2) What can you as an agency owner start doing to address this common need? (because an extra $10,000/mo isn't likely showing up in your mailbox tomorrow)

Many peers & consultants have said she's crazy for committing to this pricing model as a software development agency, but Amanda Moriuchi, CEO of AppIt Ventures, says the only crazy thing is to think any structure for your agency will be challenge free. Amanda & her team have made a name for themselves in Colorado & beyond, not only for doing great app development work for their clients, but also by committing to a pricing & delivery model of Fixed Bid project pricing when most other agencies of their type are consistently sticking with a Time & Materials approach.

Many agency owners don't begin with the end in mind. Did you? If you answer questions like "How much do we need to make?" with "I don't know...more!" or "When will I be able to retire?" with "Not now!"... ...you're not alone. Seasoned agency owner, Karl Heasman, Founder of Greycott Consultancy has had his own successful exits and now helps other agency owners prepare for acquisition--by beginning with the end in mind.

Many agencies--just like yours--are echoing this common refrain: Either it’s feast or famine right now. In today's episode, Joe Sullivan shares how his agency, Gorilla 76, is experiencing a "feast" season where demand is exceeding supply. They’re having to tell clients they can’t start working with them for several months–even if they’re ready to sign & start today. It’s a good problem to have, but one that they’ve still got to solve. An aim for what Joe refers to as “managed growth.”