Today's episode is part of our special series exploring one of the most vital dynamics inside every agency's sales process: trust and distrust.

Over the coming weeks, you'll hear from agency leaders who are leaning into this issue head-on. These conversations are not only timely — they're also forming the research foundation for my next book, The Trust Architecture, and a new series of Field Guides we'll be sharing with our community.

Here at Predictive ROI, we help agencies sell more of what they do. And time and again, from our work alongside agency owners and their teams, we've seen that trust — or the lack of it — is the biggest variable determining whether your pipeline flows like a steady stream of right-fit prospects… or grinds to a halt.

When trust is present — momentum builds.

When trust is absent — friction takes over.

Which makes today's conversation a perfect fit for this series. Our special guest expert is Darren Magarro, Founder and President of DSM. Since launching DSM in 2007, Darren has led his agency through the ups, downs, twists, and turns that every agency owner knows too well.

But what truly sets him apart is how he leads. Darren's people-first, community-centered approach is at the heart of how DSM builds trust. He works tirelessly to put others on a path to success — and that shows up in every corner of his business.

When trust increases — optimism replaces grievance — and people shift from frustration to future-focused hope.

Darren's leadership embodies that shift.

• The rock solid data that proves why "people-first" and community-centered leadership is now the must-have ingredient for agencies that want to build real trust
• How Darren's approach to leadership at DSM turns transparency and empathy into a competitive business advantage
• Why budget qualification must happen early
• The three-step biz dev process that weeds out bad fits so you can focus on dream clients
• Why client stories, tough conversations, and owning mistakes can translate directly into agency resilience and reputation
• Candid advice for agency owners who want their team and clients to be truly optimistic about the future
• Why your LinkedIn content should be more helpful

• Website: https://thedsmgroup.com/
• LinkedIn Personal: https://www.linkedin.com/in/darrenmagarro/
• LinkedIn Business: https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-dsm-group/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TheDSMGroup
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thedsmgroup

Today's episode is part of our special series exploring one of the most critical — and sometimes challenging — dynamics inside the agency sales process: trust and distrust.

Over the coming weeks, you'll hear from agency leaders who are leaning into this issue — sharing real stories, lessons learned, and how they're building trust at every stage of their business development journey.

These conversations are more than just episodes. They're also shaping the research foundation for our next book, The Trust Architecture, and for a set of Field Guides we'll be sharing with our community soon.

If you've been listening to the show for a while, you know that at Predictive ROI, we help agencies sell more of what they do. And what we've seen time and again — across hundreds of agencies — is that trust, or the lack of it, is often the single biggest factor determining whether your sales pipeline flows or stalls.

When trust is present — conversations feel easy, opportunities open up, and right-fit prospects move forward.

But when trust is missing — friction builds, uncertainty creeps in, and momentum disappears.

That's exactly why today's conversation is such a great fit for this series.

Our special guest expert is Lyndsey Maddox, CEO of Digital Third Coast, a digital marketing agency founded in 2007 with a mission to make a measurable difference.

Lyndsey joined the agency back in 2009 and has played just about every role on her way to the CEO seat. Along the way, she discovered her passion for helping clients win new business by being found at the exact right moment.

For Lyndsey, good marketing isn't about what you spend or where you place it — it's about what you get in return.

She understands how visibility and credibility intersect — and how the right strategies can transform expertise into influence and trust into measurable growth.
I'm also joined by my colleague and co-host, Hannah Roth, our Director of Strategy and resident Mad Scientist here at Predictive.
Hannah works in the trenches every day alongside our clients — helping them build trust at scale — and she leads all of our experiments inside the Predictive Lab.

• What "trust as a two-way street" looks like in every agency relationship — from right-fit clients to your own team
• The power of showing up consistently, owning your wins and your losses in biz dev
• The power of showing up consistently, owning your wins — and your losses — in biz dev
• Why making "deposits" into your trust bank is key to filling your pipeline with right-fit prospects
• The steps Lyndsey's team takes in their sales process to set expectations and prove their authority
• How to turn expertise into visibility
• Why authenticity and human stories will matter even more as AI raises credibility challenges

• Website: www.digitalthirdcoast.net
• LinkedIn Personal: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lyndseykramer/
• LinkedIn Business: https://www.linkedin.com/company/digital-third-coast-internet-marketing/

I am super excited about today's episode of Sell With Authority — it's a really special one. We're kicking off a brand-new series we're creating here on the show.

Over the next several weeks, you're going to hear from agency leaders who will share their insights and experiences around one of the most pressing issues in biz dev today: trust and distrust — and how both shape the agency sales process.

If you've been part of our community for a while, you know that everything we do at Predictive centers on helping agencies sell more of what they do for a higher fee. And what we've seen, time and again, is that trust — or the lack of it — makes or breaks your sales pipeline.

When trust is present, your pipeline flows. When it's absent, friction builds, momentum stalls — and opportunities slip away.

This special series will dig deep into that dynamic. The conversations you'll hear will form the foundation for my next book, The Trust Architecture — along with a set of new Field Guides we'll be sharing with our community. If you stick with us through this series, you'll get an inside look at the strategic insights, lessons, and stories that will shape that work.

Today's conversation is the perfect place to begin. Our guest expert is Michelle Calcote King, Founder of Reputation Ink — a national PR and marketing agency that helps professional services firms turn expertise into influence.

Michelle and her team work every day in industries where trust and credibility aren't optional. That's what makes her perspective the perfect starting point for this series.

She has built a business around translating complex expertise into stories that build trust, spark credibility, and drive growth — and she's sharing her playbook with us.

• Why trust — or the lack of it — impacts every stage of the agency sales process
• Why industry specialization accelerates credibility
• How to remove friction and earn access to client subject matter experts
• The secret power of an authoritative newsletter in your niche
• The reality behind a successful biz dev system — you've got to eat your own dog food
• How to build relationships and trust through intentional, helpful marketing

• Website: www.rep-ink.com
• LinkedIn Personal: https://www.linkedin.com/in/michellecking/
• LinkedIn Business: https://www.linkedin.com/company/reputation-ink/