Are you one of those entrepreneurs that obsess over routines like cold plunges, journaling hacks, and early morning rituals hoping to unlock clarity and energy? These surface-level habits aren’t the key to running a thriving agency, mastering foundational leadership principles is.

In this episode of The Agency Blueprint, I discuss four foundational leadership principles that drive better decision-making and sustainable agency growth. I explain the power of prioritizing needle-moving work, having constraints, using long-term vision to guide daily decisions, and having consistency over intensity.

Don’t miss this episode to learn more about why boring but repeatable actions build real muscle in your business systems than shortcuts!

Key Questions:

• [03:15] What problem are you solving now and is your current to-do list aligned with that?
• [04:23] What constraints could you create to protect your focus and eliminate constant pivots?
• [11:44] Are you showing up consistently in your business, or just chasing intensity every once in a while?

What You’ll Discover:

• [01:07] Four basic principles that radically improve how you show up, make decisions, and grow your agency with intention.
• [01:32] Focus. Why doing less—but doing it better—is the true marker of successful CEOs and business leaders.
• [04:23] Constraints are a superpower. How applying constraints can prevent distractions and shiny object syndrome.
• [09:00] Use long-term vision to guide daily decisions. Clarity on destination helps filter decisions and avoid distractions.
• [11:44] Consistency over intensity. Business growth is built on reliable, repeatable systems—not short bursts of effort.
• [13:50] The importance of doing unsexy, repetitive tasks that most people ignore—true results lie in boring but crucial work.
• [16:32] Understand that real leadership isn't about hacks—it's about showing up daily with clarity, constraint, and discipline.

Is revenue growth the dangerous illusion that could be silently sabotaging your agency? While many agency owners celebrate high revenue, few realize that without healthy profit margins and sustainable cash flow, their business could be bleeding money.

In this episode of The Agency Blueprint, we discuss how agencies become revenue-rich but profit-poor. We explain why mispriced services, long client payment terms, and unchecked operational costs quietly destroy profits.

Don’t miss this episode to learn more about why running an agency requires smart, sustainable business models that go beyond vanity metrics like revenue!

Key Questions:

• [01:36] What numbers actually matter to you if you want a healthy business, not just a busy one?
• [06:12] Could firing your biggest client actually be the smartest financial move?
• [10:28] Are you truly calculating all costs—including hires and subcontractors—before taking on new work?
• [11:40] Are you scaling your agency with a flawed business model that drains your resources instead of fueling growth?
• [13:20] Are your projects silently killing your profit by dragging on too long?
• [17:55] Do you know your minimum acceptable gross profit margin before taking on work?

What You’ll Discover:

• [01:36] A breakdown of which financial metrics actually matter to build a stable, sustainable agency that supports your lifestyle.
• [02:48] Darren’s experience analyzing backend agency numbers and realizing just how misleading high revenue figures can be.
• [05:10] Example of an agency that lost money working for their biggest client—until a pricing overhaul doubled their profit in a year.
• [07:14] How rate sheets and blended rates are frequently miscalculated, which can lead to long-term damage.
• [08:38] The importance of saying no, pricing confidently, and understanding all cost implications before chasing more revenue.
• [11:40] The dangers of scaling with the wrong business model and what metrics show financial health.
• [13:03] How delivery delays can destroy project profitability and why throughput is the metric you might be missing.
• [14:29] How early visibility into negative cash flow lets you take smart action, like securing leads or re-aligning sales efforts.
• [15:43] Why chasing big revenue deals without evaluating the backend costs can quickly backfire.
• [17:55] How to assess whether your delivery model is built for growth, margin, or something unsustainable.

Are you in the messy middle of growth, struggling to scale sustainably, or just craving more freedom without dropping balls?

In this episode of The Agency Blueprint, I’m joined by Taylor Frame, co-owner and CRO of Best Practice Media, to discuss everything from systems building and team autonomy to the emotional rollercoaster of entrepreneurship. He opens up about what it takes to scale a successful digital agency from launching over 100 e-commerce brands to six-figure months to building a team of 30+ full-time staff.

Listen in to learn the importance of time tracking, SOPs, and team delegation for service-based agency owners. You will also learn the importance of surrounding yourself with business-minded peers who understand your struggles.

Key Questions:

• [01:18] How was your journey through Best Practice Media, and how was it different from your first agency?
• [09:55] What does grit actually look like when the results don’t match the effort, and clients still walk away?
• [17:00] What do you do when you feel like you're in the "swamp" of business, when nothing is going right, and you're getting hit left and right?
• [22:45] Do you run your agency by the numbers — and if not, how can embracing metrics give you clarity?
• [32:02] If you could go back to when you were earning $20K/month as a freelancer, what advice would you give yourself?”

What You’ll Discover:

• [01:33] How Taylor “accidentally” became an agency owner and why systems and infrastructure are non-negotiable for true growth.
• [05:03] How self-limiting beliefs around systems can become your ceiling and hold everyone back.
• [08:03] How to use the 1-3-1 model to train your team to bring you clear problems, multiple solutions, and a recommended decision.
• [10:20] The mental toughness required to run a service business, even when clients leave despite strong results.
• [14:22] How separating business success from personal worth can be essential to staying sane and grounded as a founder.
• [17:36] The mindset and tactical frameworks needed to get you off the trenches of difficulty and stabilize your agency.
• [20:58] The importance of building a culture of systems to protect your team’s bandwidth and prevent burnout.
• [23:11] The three sets of numbers Best Practice Media uses: P&L for fiscal health, client health scores, and team bandwidth tracking.
• [28:15] How to define success from the client’s perspective to stay aligned and measure the right outcomes.
• [29:50] How Taylor’s agency is investing in AI to remove repetitive tasks from the team's plates, enabling them to become strategic thinkers.
• [32:14] The power of documenting everything with SOPs and always working to get things off your plate.
• [35:18] The importance of surrounding yourself with other business owners who understand your struggles.

Connect with Taylor:

• Website
• LinkedIn

Are you the bottleneck in your business without even realizing it? Not because of a lack of trust or effort, but simply because you've been involved in everything for too long, and now every decision flows through you.

In this episode of The Agency Blueprint, I discuss the critical hats every agency owner wears—the technician, the manager, and the CEO—and when each hat should be worn or retired. I also explain why delegation is about moving from control to leadership and not just about removing yourself from the grind.

Don’t miss this episode to learn more about the 1-3-1 decision-making framework, which empowers teams to think strategically instead of defaulting to you for every decision.

Key Questions:

• [01:08] Are you still the only one thinking ahead in your business, and what needs to shift to change that?
• [04:39] Which hat are you wearing right now: technician, manager, or CEO? Is that the right one?
• [07:44] Are you delegating tasks or are you truly transferring decision-making and ownership?
• [09:02] Have you trained your team to assess risk the way you do as a founder?
• [13:11] Do you unconsciously enjoy being needed so much that it stops others from growing?
• [16:51] Are you the bottleneck in your agency without realizing it?

What You’ll Discover:

• [01:31] The three hats every agency owner wears—technician, manager, CEO—and how wearing the wrong one at the wrong time keeps you stuck.
• [03:38] How defaulting to the technician role in times of stress is natural, but damaging to your long-term goals.
• [04:39] How to track the time you spend in each role and learn when it’s time to retire the technician hat completely.
• [05:53] The five levels of delegation—from step-by-step instructions to total decision-making autonomy.
• [07:44] How to transfer decision-making power, not just task ownership, in a way that protects your business and develops your team.
• [09:02] The importance of teaching your team how to think about risk because their risk tolerance won’t naturally align with yours.
• [13:59] The power of uncovering hidden problems and why 99% of the solution lies in proper problem identification.
• [15:48] How implementing the 1-3-1 framework will give your team the autonomy to act strategically.
• [16:51] Why you’re the bottleneck and how to shift from being a dependency to creating frameworks.

Do you often find it hard to say no, even when you know you shouldn’t say yes? While it’s tempting to always say yes, especially when scaling an agency, pleasing clients, or chasing new opportunities, every yes carries a hidden cost.

In this episode of The Agency Blueprint, we discuss the transformative power of saying no and redefining success in your own terms. We explain why saying yes too freely can slowly erode the foundation of your business and well-being.

Listen in to learn how constantly operating outside of that zone can lead to burnout, subpar client results, and reduced profitability. You will also learn the importance of setting clear constraints and having frameworks that support intentional, sustainable growth.

Key Questions:

• [01:43] Are you operating outside your zone of genius, and at what cost to your energy and clients?
• [05:45] What invisible no are you agreeing to every time you say yes to something?
• [09:05] What constraints can you implement right now to create more clarity and direction in your life or business?
• [13:26] What emotions arise when you think about saying no to someone?
• [15:11] Does your current workload align with your long-term goals, or are you drifting away from your vision?
• [17:43] Have you ever taken time to define what success means for you, not just your clients, team, or peers?

What You’ll Discover:

• [01:43] The impact of working outside your zone of genius—how it drains your energy, hurts client results, and slows delivery.
• [03:47] A personal anecdote about how passion doesn’t equal expertise or efficiency.
• [05:45] Why accepting the wrong projects out of desperation can block the right ones later.
• [08:21] The concept of self-imposed constraints as essential tools for focus, boundaries, and defining success.
• [11:33] Understand how realistic forecasting of big goals helps you break them into manageable steps and maintain clarity.
• [13:26] How setting constraints ahead of time removes the emotional burden of having to say no in the moment.
• [15:30] How defining your “why” behind every no sharpens your focus and strengthens your dedication to your goals.
• [16:27] How to turn a rejection into a referral and preserve trust, even when you can't say yes.
• [17:43] Understand that this is your business and life, and the meaning of success should be based on your terms.

Is print marketing still relevant in today’s digital world? Believe it or not, there are real-world examples of how businesses are building credibility, driving engagement, and standing out from competitors using print advertising.

In this episode of The Agency Blueprint, I’m joined by Jesicca Embree to dissect the biggest misconceptions surrounding print media marketing. Jessica is the Creative Director at Tulip Media Group and co-author of the Amazon bestseller Double Sales/ Zero Sales People. She has over a decade of experience in both print and digital marketing.

Listen in to learn how print media helps professionals become thought leaders, deliver value-driven content, and leverage word-of-mouth marketing. You will also learn how to identify and target your ideal customer, aligning marketing efforts with the buyer's journey using print media.

Key Questions:

• [01:41] What are the biggest misconceptions about print marketing in today's digital-first business landscape?
• [03:40] How exactly can businesses or agencies leverage print media to drive both physical and digital engagement?
• [05:20] What makes printed magazines and newsletters effective tools for building authority and client trust?
• [07:25] Why does creating a magazine seem so daunting, and is it really that time-consuming or complex?
• [09:03] What considerations should someone make when thinking about launching a print program for the first time?
• [11:03] How can you avoid being too "salesy" in print marketing and instead guide readers through a natural decision-making journey?
• [16:27] When your campaigns fail, is it because your messaging talks too much about you and not about your customer?
• [19:53] What is the initial test volume you would need to be considering for a print campaign to be successful?

What You’ll Discover:

• [01:46] Jessica on why print continues to offer unique advantages like visibility in the digital age.
• [03:10] How physical books and mail trigger higher recall and user engagement than digital formats.
• [03:53] How businesses can use print media not only to provide value but to lead readers toward digital actions.
• [05:16] How magazines help businesses establish authority, share relevant checklists, and spotlight clients to build community trust.
• [06:42] The types of industries best suited for print such as associations and real estate professionals.
• [07:50] Jessica explains Tulip Media’s streamlined, all-inclusive publishing process.
• [09:21] Why anyone starting a print campaign should get clear on goals, audience pain points, and desired actions.
• [11:26] Why identifying where a customer is in the buyer’s journey can help determine your messaging.
• [13:59] Examples of trackable marketing metrics and how even niche businesses benefit from value-driven print content.
• [15:43] How digital and print can be integrated through things like downloadable reports and SEO blog repurposing.
• [16:51] Why focusing too much on your brand instead of your audience leads to a failed campaign.
• [20:13] A strategy for determining campaign frequency and why you should start a print campaign with your current client list.

Connect with Jessica:

• LinkedIn
• A free downloadable tool

Are you aware that being a bottleneck is a hidden addiction for many agency founders, driven by a subconscious need to feel important or irreplaceable?

In this episode of The Agency Blueprint, I explain why burnout doesn’t stem from effort alone, but from a lack of systems, delegation, and process structure. I also explain how to implement simple yet effective systems that allow your agency to grow without your constant input.

Don’t miss this episode to learn more about the power of systems and checklists for agency owners and teams looking to avoid errors, delays, and sleepless nights.

Key Questions:

• [00:41] How is being the sole decision-maker in your agency turning your passion into overwhelm and burnout?
• [05:25] Where are you truly needed in your agency, and what can you start letting go of today?
• [06:52] How might systems actually create more space for your creativity?
• [11:40] Are you relying on memory instead of structured checklists to run your business?
• [13:44] Is communication in your agency helping or hurting your productivity?

What You’ll Discover:

• [01:45] How urgency becomes constant when there's no delegation, making owners feel they must always “be on.”
• [03:05] The psychological pull of being needed, and how that can lead to structures that perpetuate founder dependency.
• [05:25] The internal battle to face when letting go of control, plus the warning signs of full burnout.
• [06:52] How well-built systems evolve, allowing you to replace yourself from the day-to-day and grow the business strategically.
• [08:52] Why great systems must have clear reminders, checkpoints, and full transparency without micromanaging.
• [10:17] The concept of system validation and how rules-based checks prevent small but critical oversights.
• [11:10] Why memory is not enough and how simple things can fall through the cracks without written processes and checklists.
• [12:24] How to train your team to use the checklist and validate each step, ensuring consistent quality and autonomy.
• [13:44] Why poor communication channels are a leading cause of confusion and productivity loss in teams.
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• [15:49] Why teams who invest early in structured project launches tend to stay on budget and on time.

Can you identify repetitive tasks in your agency that can be automated, delegated, or eliminated? When done correctly, automation can help you overcome overwhelm and scale your businesses effectively.

In this episode of The Agency Blueprint, I’m joined by William Christensen to discuss the importance of automation, delegation, and elimination in scaling creative agencies. Will is the founder of Entrepreneurs Apprentice and the co-founder of Data Automation. He is known for his automate, delegate, eliminate framework and unique 15-1-1-5 rule, which identifies key tasks to automate or delegate. He is also a Zapier-certified expert with deep expertise and workflow optimization.

Listen in to learn the importance of niching down to create a scalable, automatable business model. You will also learn the value of mentorship programs and mastermind communities in providing guidance and accountability to overwhelmed agency owners.

Key Questions:

• [02:16] What are some of the biggest mistakes creatives or business owners make when trying to grow their businesses?
• [14:59] How can creative agency owners embrace systems and structure without losing their sense of creative freedom?
• [17:03] What strategies can help agency owners stay updated with the latest technology and automation trends?
• [21:38] What steps should an overwhelmed agency owner take to start automating and systemizing their business?

What You’ll Discover:

• [00:56] How Will’s early experiences with Zapier shaped his approach to automation and business scaling.
• [02:42] Why niching down is the first step to creating a scalable, automatable business model.
• [05:46] The 15-1-1-5 rule, a framework for identifying tasks that should be automated, delegated, or eliminated.
• [07:26] The adrenaline-junkie tendencies of creative entrepreneurs and how to channel that energy into scalable growth.
• [08:55] Will’s tactical approach to handling out-of-scope projects by charging a project deposit and providing a detailed blueprint.
• [11:46] How to evaluate whether a project aligns with your agency’s core expertise and contributes to long-term growth.
• [13:06] Why performing a task manually five times is crucial before automating or delegating it.
• [15:17] How creating a structured "black box" business model can provide true freedom and allow for more creative exploration.
• [17:34] How to stay updated with the latest technology trends by following content creators and platforms.
• [22:09] Why hiring a counterpart for sales or fulfilment is a critical first step for scaling your agency.
• [22:59] The transformative power of mentorship and mastermind groups in providing accountability and fresh perspectives.
• [26:22] The profound impact of community and mentorship on personal and professional growth.
• [27:23] Why niching down and standardizing sales processes are essential before delegating sales or fulfilment roles.