If you’ve ever tried to build systems in your agency, this episode is going to blow your mind in the best way.

Because what if the real problem isn’t the tools you’re using or the fact that you “just need to make time” for it? What if the reason systems don’t stick... is because you’re the wrong person to be building them?

This week, I’m joined by David Jenyns, entrepreneur, author of Systemology and his brand new book Systems Champion. We dig into the uncomfortable truth about why systems fail, why AI won’t save you (yet), and how to finally get your agency running without you in the weeds.

You’ll walk away with a new lens on systems, not as something you have to do alone, but as something you can delegate and scale, starting now.

In this episode, we unpack:

• Why business owners are the worst people to build systems (even if they love them)
• The role of a Systems Champion and how it could be the game-changer you’ve been missing
• What makes a great Systems Champion (hint: it’s not years of experience)
• How AI fits into all this and why systems thinking is more essential than ever
• A simple mindset shift to help your team stop resisting systems and start owning them
• The compounding power of small systems wins (think: 10% to 60% profit increase)

This isn’t just about process. It’s about reclaiming your time, building a business that runs (and grows) without you, and setting your agency up to thrive in an AI-powered world.

Tune in and discover how freeing yourself from systems might be the best move for scaling your agency.

Links Mentioned:

David's Website: https://www.systemology.com/

Hey thanks for hanging out with me at the Small But Mighty Podcast. If you enjoyed this episode it would mean the world to me if you hit the follow or subscribe button in your podcast app and share it with a friend. And I’ll see you on the next one.

Get the full show notes and more information here: https://audreyjoykwan.com/podcast/ep137

Podcast Edits by Lindsay Curtis

From one-off brand shoots to a seven-figure agency on a subscription model, here’s how it happened.

What if brand shoots weren’t just one-off projects, but the foundation of a scalable business model?

In this episode, you’ll hear how one agency transformed brand shoots into a subscription-based system and built a seven-figure agency along the way. By creating a model where clients receive fresh, strategic visuals quarter after quarter, anywhere in the world, they’ve proven that creativity and systems don’t just coexist they fuel each other.

We cover:

• Why clients are obsessed with visuals and how to deliver them at scale.
• The certification system that ensures every creative hire meets the mark.
• How quarterly campaigns reinvent the same offer for new results.
• The “Power Up” referral model that makes collaboration seamless.

This episode is a behind-the-scenes look at how to scale creativity without losing the magic—and why the right systems can unlock extraordinary growth.

Contact Lyrik:

-WorkPlay Branding Website: https://workplaybranding.com/

-WorkPlay Branding Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/workplaybranding/

-Lyrik on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lyrik.fryer/

-Lyrik on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lyrikfryer/

Hey thanks for hanging out with me at the Small But Mighty Podcast. If you enjoyed this episode it would mean the world to me if you hit the follow or subscribe button in your podcast app and share it with a friend. And I’ll see you on the next one.

Get the full show notes and more information here: https://audreyjoykwan.com/podcast/ep136

Podcast Edits by Lindsay Curtis

If you’re tired of feeling like growth only happens through more visibility, more cold outreach, and chasing leads, this episode will feel like a breath of fresh air.

I sat down with Dan Englander, founder of Sales Schema and author of Relationship Sales at Scale, to talk about how agency owners can grow through collaborative, trust-based relationships instead of transactional tactics. Both of us work in the agency space and believe that trust drives sustainable growth, but we approach it from two different angles.

In this episode, we explore:

• Why cold outreach has created a wider trust gap (and what to do instead)
• How referrals can become a collaborative system, not a happy accident
• Why personalization alone isn’t enough and how to use real commonalities to build relevance
• Why founders still need to lead the relationship-building work before passing it off
• How specialization helps you connect faster and build mutual credibility with peers and prospects

If you want to grow through meaningful introductions, mutual support, and the power of your relationships instead of chasing leads, this conversation will leave you energized and equipped.

Hey thanks for hanging out with me at the Small But Mighty Podcast. If you enjoyed this episode it would mean the world to me if you hit the follow or subscribe button in your podcast app and share it with a friend. And I’ll see you on the next one.

Get the full show notes and more information here: https://audreyjoykwan.com/podcast/ep135

Podcast Edits by Lindsay Curtis