Episodios

  • How Future-Ready Agencies Are Using AI to Bank an Extra $200K with Phil Parrish | Ep #815

    How Future-Ready Agencies Are Using AI to Bank an Extra $200K with Phil Parrish | Ep #815
    Jul 16 2025
    Would you like access to our advanced agency training for FREE? https://www.agencymastery360.com/training We’ve been talking about AI on this podcast for years — not just as the next shiny tool, but as the biggest shift agencies will face this decade. Yet most agencies still haven’t done more than dabble. Meanwhile, their competitors (or even their clients) are using AI to move faster, make sharper decisions, and drive results that leave everyone else scrambling to catch up. If you’re still on the sidelines, you’re already behind. Today’s guest is clear about the game-changing role of AI in the agency world. He argues it’s not just about making your shop more efficient — it’s about driving better client results, delivering faster, deeper insights, and adding to your bottom line. Agencies that fail to embrace AI risk being outpaced by clients who bring it in-house or by competitors already using it to gain an edge. To stay competitive, you have to take a forward-thinking approach that uses AI to scale operations, increase client value, and keep your best people. Phil Parrish is the co-founder & President of PrograMetrix, a boutique programmatic advertising agency that also crushes it in paid search and paid social. Celebrating their 10-year anniversary this past April, Phil’s team has stayed nimble, focused, and mighty — helping clients dominate their digital paid media while driving real, measurable results. He’ll discuss his vision on AI, how he’s using it as a multiplier, and why that are not already adapting their processes to include this technology, will be exposed. In this episode, we’ll discuss: Navigating pipeline churn anxiety. Delivering quick wins with AI. Why agencies that don’t adapt will get exposed. Focus on the wins, not just the tasks. Subscribe Apple | Spotify | iHeart Radio Sponsors and Resources E2M Solutions: Today's episode of the Smart Agency Masterclass is sponsored by E2M Solutions, a web design, and development agency that has provided white-label services for the past 10 years to agencies all over the world. Check out e2msolutions.com/smartagency and get 10% off for the first three months of service. Betting on Yourself (And Getting Clients to Bet on You Too) Phil didn’t stumble into agency ownership by accident, but he didn’t overcomplicate it either. He built strong client relationships over the years, recognized the moment when he thought, “I can do what this company does — why not do it for myself?” and took the leap. With clients ready to follow, he launched PrograMetrix and started generating revenue quickly, sidestepping much of the risk that keeps many would-be agency owners stuck. The takeaway? If you’ve built trust and consistently delivered, clients will follow when you launch your own shop. Relationships and results are your best startup capital. Navigating Uncertainty Without Panic Every agency owner hits moments of chaos—those “Are we going under?” nightmares that keep you up at 3 AM. So far, Phil’s journey hasn’t quite hit the “we can’t make payroll” panic, but pipeline uncertainty and client churn anxiety were very real, especially during COVID-19. Ironically, the pandemic ended up being a huge growth driver. As trade shows and in-person events vanished, clients who were spending six figures on live events had to redeploy budgets digitally. PrograMetrix was perfectly positioned to catch that wave. “You’ve got to have a good business plan, offer strategic value, make smart bets, and stay laser-focused when your back’s against the wall.” It’s a solid reminder: when chaos hits, the cream rises. The agencies that pivot fast come out stronger. AI: Beyond Social Posts and Rocket Emojis Let’s get real: most agencies are looking at AI like it’s a shortcut to crank out social posts and blog content (and yes, that’s part of it). But Phil’s approach is a level above—he’s integrating AI deeply into PrograMetrix’s operations to enhance speed, insights, and performance, not just save a few hours per week. In his view, agencies that have depended on time as their inventory and work on the basis that the more time they can utilize the more revenue they can drive will struggle unless they modernize operations using AI. For its part, Phil’s agency is building a proprietary product using a licensed data warehouse, pulling data from all their platforms (The Trade Desk, Meta, Google, TikTok, LinkedIn, etc.), and using AI to run advanced queries and develop unique optimization techniques. The end goal would be to deliver faster, clearer, and more impactful insights that clients can’t get by simply logging into their ad accounts. The bottom line: If your agency isn’t embedding AI into how you operate and deliver, not just as a tool to “save time,” clients will either bring it in-house or go with an agency that does. The market is moving, and speed and value are ...
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    27 m
  • Why 40% of CMOs Are Cutting Agency Budgets in 2025 (And How to Stay Off the List)

    Why 40% of CMOs Are Cutting Agency Budgets in 2025 (And How to Stay Off the List)
    Jul 15 2025
    Would you like access to our advanced agency training for FREE? https://www.agencymastery360.com/training Let’s get real for a second. 40% of CMOs are cutting agency budgets this year. (Not hype. That’s from Gartner’s 2025 CMO spend survey.) If you’re still out there selling tasks instead of outcomes, blending in like every other “me too” agency, you’re not just at risk—you’re probably already on the cut list. But here’s the good news: Some agencies aren’t just surviving right now. They’re growing like crazy. Why? Because they’re leading. They’re essential. They’re uncuttable. Vendors Get Cut. Partners Stay. Here’s what most agencies are still doing: Taking orders. Waiting for direction. Hoping results keep the client around. But when CMOs tighten budgets, they don’t cut true strategic partners—they cut vendors and noise. In-house teams and AI are replacing basic production. If your agency doesn’t feel essential, you will get replaced. Period. You know what else CMOs are cutting? Agencies that over-promise, under-deliver, and ghost clients after the deal closes. I’ve hired a few agencies over the past couple of years, and I can say most agencies have the slick branding and a confident talk, but once the deal is closed execution just falls apart. I’ve seen this more times than I can count. Communication fades away and no one takes ownership This is what CMOs are frustrated with. They’re not just making cuts to save money. They’re doing it after getting tired of disappointments. Joey Coleman says it best: “Most clients don’t leave because of price; they leave because they don’t feel seen, heard, or supported in the first 100 days.” Remember that while agency teams get excited and start high-fiving each other once the deal closes, the client is sitting there thinking, “Did I just waste my budget?” That gap between your excitement and their anxiety is where trust is either built or destroyed. And it’s true. Our mastermind member Marty took that to heart, redesigned his client experience, and grew to a multi-million-dollar agency because he didn’t wait for tasks—he led, flew out to meet clients, set clear expectations, and became indispensable. Make Yourself Uncuttable You want to stay off the cut list? Lead. Own the relationship. Here’s how: 1. Find Quick Wins Fast Don’t wait six months to show value. Launch something in the first 30 days. Fix something they didn’t even ask for. Send a Loom video explaining how you improved their funnel. Let them say, “These people move fast.” 2. Overcommunicate When Things Aren’t Working Most agencies go quiet when results dip. Leaders say, “Here’s what’s happening, here’s what we’re changing, here’s what to expect.” Transparency builds trust. 3. Be a Resource, Not a Responder Stop waiting for tasks. Show up with new hooks, funnel fixes, better angles. Be the call they make when anything breaks in their business, not just when they need a landing page. 4. Take Ownership, Not Orders Stop asking, “What do you want us to do next?” Start saying, “Here’s what we’re doing, and here’s why.” That’s how you shift from vendor to partner. 5. Productize and Simplify If it takes you 30 minutes to explain what you do, you’re in trouble. Make your offer outcome-driven, simple, and memorable. Like the PR agency that said, “We turn publicity into pipeline.” That sticks. Real Results from Agencies Leading This Way Just look at Brittany, who stopped winging it, joined the mastermind, and committed to leading: Revenue up 35% in a quarter Profit up 41% Churn dropped 32% SEO and social revenue doubled And she didn’t get there with a fancy hack. She got there by leading and building trust. This Isn’t Just About Staying Off a Cut List It’s about building an agency that deserves to grow—one that earns trust, delivers outcomes, and leads. Want a place to start? Pick one of these actions today: Tighten your onboarding. Call a client you haven’t talked to in a while. Launch the damn thing you’ve been sitting on. Because the agencies that win aren’t waiting for permission or praying for renewals. They’re leading, earning trust, and making themselves uncuttable. If you’re ready to attract better clients and become uncuttable, check out the Attract Masterclass. It will help you position your agency to pull in the right leads instead of just more leads.
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    9 m
  • How to Keep Clients Longer Without Chasing Them with Darby Copenhaver | Ep #813

    How to Keep Clients Longer Without Chasing Them with Darby Copenhaver | Ep #813
    Jul 13 2025
    Would you like access to our advanced agency training for FREE? https://www.agencymastery360.com/training Is churn currently a problem with your agency clients? Are you aware of the reasons they decide to leave? It may be time to think hard about your onboarding process, client communication, and generally the ways you’re ensuring client satisfaction. The difference often comes down to positioning: are you operating as a trusted advisor or simply completing tasks? Today's special guest knows that agencies that prioritize client satisfaction, embrace accountability, and focus on becoming trusted advisors rather than mere task completers are the ones that create truly loyal clients. As our Agency Scale Specialist, Darby Copenhaver, has closely observed the growth trajectories of numerous mastermind members and constantly communicates with them in their journeys. In this conversation, he and Jason get into the importance of strong communication and transparent onboarding processes to combat buyer's remorse and build trust. They also address the strategic use of AI to enhance efficiency and results, stressing that while AI can automate tasks, human connection and understanding clients' evolving needs remain paramount for long-term partnerships. In this episode, we’ll discuss: How to prevent your clients’ buyer's remorse. Your onboarding might be the problem. Stop ignoring current clients. Your secret retention weapon: ongoing discovery. Subscribe Apple | Spotify | iHeart Radio Sponsors and Resources This episode is brought to you by Wix Studio: If you’re leveling up your team and your client experience, your site builder should keep up too. That’s why successful agencies use Wix Studio — built to adapt the way your agency does: AI-powered site mapping, responsive design, flexible workflows, and scalable CMS tools so you spend less on plugins and more on growth. Ready to design faster and smarter? Go to wix.com/studio to get started. Why Your Clients Might Not Love You (Even if You’re Getting Results) Ever feel like you’re crushing it for clients, but then they ghost you or churn unexpectedly? There are several reasons why this could be happening and ways to stop it before it kills your momentum. Here’s the truth: buyers remorse sets in immediately after a client signs. It’s your job to kill that remorse with rock-solid communication and a frictionless onboarding experience. Most agencies think they’re good communicators because they answer emails. But clients want more than tasks checked off. They want to feel seen, understood, and confident they made the right decision. If you’re not proactively communicating wins (and misses), or if you let your PMs control the narrative without your oversight, you’re setting yourself up for churn, no matter how “good” your delivery is. Your Onboarding Might Be Pushing Clients Away As Jason knows from recent experiences as a client, most agencies’ onboarding is just an exhausting homework dump on clients who already told you their goals in the sales calls you recorded. Why are you making them repeat themselves, fill out giant forms, or wait for your scattered follow-ups? Your clients didn’t hire you to do more work. They hired you to get results while saving them time. Break your onboarding into clear, easy phases, Reset expectations, Use the data you already have (like call transcripts and AI sorting) to fill in the blanks yourself. If you set clear timelines, communication rhythms, and how success will be measured in that first meeting, you’ll position yourself as a trusted advisor, not another vendor barking for “assets” they’ve already shared. This is what makes clients relieved to work with you instead of stressed. Communication: Simple, But Rarely Done Right It’s so important for any business to show that you’re trustworthy, and you’ll show that by doing what you say you’ll do, when you say you’ll do it. Too many agencies fail to communicate delays, let tasks slip, and think a monthly dashboard is enough. It’s not. Dashboards alone mean nothing to most clients. Some need a quick Loom, some need Slack check-ins, others need a simple “Here’s what we did, what’s next, and why it matters.” Customizing your communication style shows your clients you’re paying attention to them, not just copy-pasting your agency SOPs onto their business. This is how you become a trusted advisor, the person they call with challenges (not just tasks). That’s how you become irreplaceable. So, which measures are you implementing at your agency to ensure - not just assume - that you know your clients are happy, not only with the results presented but also the overall experience? Want Clients to Stick Around? Be Human When was the last time you called a client you didn’t personally sell or deliver on, just to check in and say, “Hey, I’m the CEO, here’s my number if you need anything”? Most agencies...
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    28 m
  • Why Smart Agencies Build Leaders (Not Just Hire Them) with Hamlet Azarian | Ep #812

    Why Smart Agencies Build Leaders (Not Just Hire Them) with Hamlet Azarian | Ep #812
    Jul 9 2025
    Would you like access to our advanced agency training for FREE? https://www.agencymastery360.com/training Do you invest in training high-potential employees to grow into leadership roles—or do you prefer to hire seasoned pros from the start? There’s no one-size-fits-all approach to building a great team, but today’s featured guest has a clear philosophy: when it comes to agency growth, he prefers to develop A-players from within. For him, building the bench is just as important as building the business. Hamlet Azarian is the founder and CEO of Azarian Growth Agency, an agency that works with mid-market venture-backed startups helping them build their go-to-market strategies. He discusses his agency’s "build them up" strategy, focusing on continual learning and curiosity through an academy, webinars, and internships, rather than solely hiring seasoned professionals. He’ll address the common agency challenge of talent retention, noting that positive experiences can still lead to future referrals and positive word-of-mouth, even if employees eventually move on. It’s an interesting episode where we dive into the importance of human capital and fostering a supportive, value-driven environment for agency success. In this episode, we’ll discuss: Growing talent from scratch. Promote those who are ready to shine. The secret to employee retention. Subscribe Apple | Spotify | iHeart Radio Sponsors and Resources E2M Solutions: Today's episode of the Smart Agency Masterclass is sponsored by E2M Solutions, a web design, and development agency that has provided white-label services for the past 10 years to agencies all over the world. Check out e2msolutions.com/smartagency and get 10% off for the first three months of service. From Go-to Fixer to Full Agency Before he was running his own growth agency, Hamlet was the go-to fixer for venture-backed startups in the trenches of pre-product chaos. VCs brought him in as a high-paid consultant to help fragile startups figure out product validation and go-to-market traction — a risky sandbox where there’s barely a product and hardly any money. As the companies he touched turned into multi-million-dollar powerhouses, word got around, more VCs lined up, and the Azarian Growth Agency was born. So as he recalls, it wasn’t exactly an accidental start, but considering he was helping startups that could barely write a check, he could not see it turning into a full agency in the beginning. A Culture of Relentless Learning One thing Hamlet doesn’t compromise on is curiosity. If you run an agency, you know yesterday’s marketing tactic is today’s LinkedIn meme. So instead of hiring only ‘seasoned experts,’ He invests in creating lifelong learners. How? He built Azarian Growth Academy, which trains up-and-coming marketers on the exact growth strategies his agency deploys for high-stakes startups. Add to that a monthly Growth Lab webinar, Udemy courses (4,000+ students and counting), and a robust internship pipeline — and you get a team that knows not just what to do, but why it works. Education is really central for Hamlet so his people don’t just follow checklists — they evolve with the market because they understand the principles behind the tactics. Growing Talent from Scratch (and Letting Them Fly) Does it work? Hamlet shares a story that answers that better than any hiring manifesto. One intern joined as a college senior, left, and rejoined when Hamlet officially hung out his agency shingle. When he saw her application, Hamlet immediately hired her, as she knew her aptitude, passion, and even her weaknesses. Within 6 months, she was running paid ads. By year one, she was pitching clients solo. By year two, she was leading teams and today she’s a senior department head. The lesson here is drive and curiosity should be backed with training, opportunity, and real trust. The payoff is massive loyalty and in-house expertise that’s molded to your agency’s playbook — not someone else’s. Promotion by Performance, Not the Calendar Forget annual reviews and rigid promotion ladders. Hamlet’s approach is simple: Learn fast, deliver results, get rewarded. To him, some people shine faster than others and, as the agency owners, you don’t to limit that potential. Of course, you want to prepare them for the new role, so he tests emerging talent on internal agency projects before putting them on client accounts. If they mess up, the agency learns — not the client’s bank account. It’s a safe sandbox for risk-taking and skill-building, with performance as the only true gatekeeper to moving up. Flexibility: The Secret Sauce to Keeping Good People How can you keep that talent from jumping ship the second they hit senior level? You don’t always. And Hamlet says that’s perfectly fine. Even with AI evolving daily, Hamlet’s clear that an agency’s real moat is people — smart, motivated, curious people who feel ...
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    18 m
  • How to Make Clients Choose You and Stay: Lessons You Can Steal from Caitlin Copple & Holly Conti | Ep #811

    How to Make Clients Choose You and Stay: Lessons You Can Steal from Caitlin Copple & Holly Conti | Ep #811
    Jul 6 2025
    Would you like access to our advanced agency training for FREE? https://www.agencymastery360.com/training How are you positioning your services as essential rather than optional, and accurately measuring growth and profitability to sustain long-term success? How are you measuring your agency’s growth and profitability? Today’s featured guests unpack how they scaled their PR shop past the million-dollar mark in under four years — and their journey offers valuable insights that any agency owner can apply immediately. Learn why they prefer growing the agency as partners, as opposed to sticking to being solopreneurs, how they’ve been tracking their growth, and how to over-communicate with clients openly so that choosing you is the easiest decision. Caitlin Copple and Holly Conti are the co-partners of Full Swing PR, an agency that offers senior-level PR services to help amplify clients’ story or cause and takes pride in creating authentic, lasting relationships with clients. They discuss their unique partnership dynamics, their approach to quarterly planning and KPIs, and their philosophy on "practicing what you preach" in the agency world. They also emphasize the importance of understanding client needs, demonstrating value, and the shift from focusing merely on publicity to generating tangible client pipelines. In this episode, we’ll discuss: Breaking the visionary and integrator partner mold. Making sure to walk the walk in your own business. How to make your business a ‘must-have’ Subscribe Apple | Spotify | iHeart Radio Sponsors and Resources This episode is brought to you by Wix Studio: If you’re leveling up your team and your client experience, your site builder should keep up too. That’s why successful agencies use Wix Studio — built to adapt the way your agency does: AI-powered site mapping, responsive design, flexible workflows, and scalable CMS tools so you spend less on plugins and more on growth. Ready to design faster and smarter? Go to wix.com/studio to get started. Breaking the Visionary-Integrator Mold Caitlin started Full Swing solo, but always kept Holly in mind as the ideal partner for her business after they met working at an agency. It took some time, though, since Holly was first pregnant when Caitlin started the agency and then busy being a mom to a newborn. However, her involvement progressed, first as a moonlighter, then the agency’s first employee, and eventually becoming the co-pilot Caitlin had always envisioned. Founder duos often get asked about who identifies as the “visionary” or the “integrator.” In their case, Caitlin and Holly both think big and get in the weeds. They take turns in both roles, which makes it complicated, but it works with a dose of brutally clear communication and mutual respect. Why work like this? It all comes from their beginnings as working moms in the business. As they explain, they initially treated it like a job share tagging each other in and out in the early days so they could both keep the wheels turning — and the babies fed. Partner Up or Burn Out Some agency owners do prefer to fly solo, but for the ones stuck doing it all alone — losing sleep over payroll, client churn, or the next contract that might vaporize overnight — Caitlin and Holly are living proof that a solid partner is worth their weight in gold. Having someone to say “we got this” when a contract gets pulled from underneath you is priceless. Sure, partnerships are basically work marriages (with all the ups and downs). But good ones make the tough days survivable — and the big wins that much sweeter. Walk Your Talk or Get Called Out Do you make sure your agency is practicing what you preach? Or are you one of the agencies that just “can’t find the time” to work on their own website or marketing? Too many agencies hide behind ‘we’re too busy with client work’ while their own site looks like it was built in 1997 by a drunk intern. In their specific case as a PR agency, Caitlin and Holly practice the tenacity they teach their clients to have. “PR is about tenacity. It’s not enough to do good work. People need to see you doing it.” Just like they tell clients to show up consistently, be visible, and ask for what they want. They make sure to do the same. Furthermore, putting yourself in your clients’ shoes as small business owners will help you intimately understand the challenges they face and understand the investment they’re making on your agency and how much they’re betting on the results you can bring. For Caitlin, this means taking people “from publicity to pipeline,” because she understands as a small business owner how important it is to have four time the sales you need to meet your annual budget. In other words, treat your own agency like your most important client — or watch it slowly bleed opportunities. Quarterly Planning, KPIs, and the Secret Sauce So much can ...
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    29 m
  • Why Going ‘Niche or Die’ Paid Off Big for Daniel Moscovitch | Ep #810

    Why Going ‘Niche or Die’ Paid Off Big for Daniel Moscovitch | Ep #810
    Jul 2 2025
    Would you like access to our advanced agency training for FREE? https://www.agencymastery360.com/training Ever thought about niching down, then bailed because it sounded too painful? Or maybe you tried, but ditched it when things got awkward? Today’s guest proves why sticking it out is worth the initial pain — not just to find your niche, but to find the perfect business partner too. Meet Daniel Moscovitch, founder of Flooring Pros Marketing, a digital marketing agency focused on helping established flooring businesses throughout the US & Canada cement their position as the best in their market. He started as a generalist - doing SEO for pretty much anyone with a website and a pulse. However, unsatisfied staying just another “me too” shop competing on price and freebies he doubled down on a single, very specific industry. If you’re thinking “That sounds brutally hard…” you’re right. And that’s exactly why his story is worth paying attention to. In this episode, we’ll discuss: Moving beyond simple SEO to offer comprehensive solutions. How clarity helped him find perfect alignment with his second business partner. Leveraging AI for strategic decision-making and process improvement. Subscribe Apple | Spotify | iHeart Radio Sponsors and Resources E2M Solutions: Today's episode of the Smart Agency Masterclass is sponsored by E2M Solutions, a web design, and development agency that has provided white-label services for the past 10 years to agencies all over the world. Check out e2msolutions.com/smartagency and get 10% off for the first three months of service. Picking a Hard Niche is One Thing. Surviving It is Another. Daniel didn’t just decide to niche down overnight. He did what most agency owners do: listened to advice on the matter, got inspired, and then slammed into reality. The first big obstacle he did not expect was letting go of “easy money” and legacy clients to go all-in on a focused market. He knew it was the right call but dropping old accounts and income streams wasn’t fun. Next, it was building trust in a market that didn’t trust marketers. Turns out, flooring companies aren’t like your typical trades. They’re often run more like retail stores than contractors. Multiple locations. Bigger payroll. Savvier buyers. And they’ve been burned by bad marketing agencies before. So just ranking them on page one of Google was not enough. Daniel learned fast that his new niche didn’t just want leads they wanted the whole system: branding, follow-up, sales process, outreach, repeat business. In other words: the actual solution not just SEO. Because the real lesson here is about getting under the hood of your client’s real pain points, not just selling your “service of the month.” Authority is Earned One Small Win at a Time If you’re wondering why Daniel didn’t quit (although he did consider it many times), it wasn’t because niching was easy. He stuck with it because he saw the momentum stacking up: A podcast appearance got him in front of flooring pros. A trade show speaking gig landed him more eyes. He sponsored a Facebook group. He kept learning exactly what flooring clients actually needed and then built the solutions, piece by piece. One client turned into two. Then five. Then fifteen. Today Daniel’s agency is firmly planted as the go-to marketer for flooring pros. He now has the authority, pricing power, and clarity he didn’t have as a generalist. Key Takeaway: Don’t Quit When it Gets Awkward Daniel didn’t win because flooring was “easy money.” He won because he stuck with it long enough to know more about flooring marketing than any other agency out there. Most agency owners quit when it gets awkward - or flip niches too fast. Bottom line: the best niche isn’t the easiest — it’s the one you hang with long enough to become the undeniable authority. Clarity First, Everything Else Second When he started his SEO agency, Daniel was living in Tel Aviv, working at an SEO agency. Since not a lot of people knew about Search Engine Optimization there, it seemed like an opportunity to go on business on his own, which he did alongside another American friend who also wanted to start his own business. That partnership worked fine for the first couple of years, until it didn’t. After Daniel moved back to the US, the relationship felt like playing Tug-of-War. They lived on different time zones, had competing interests and visions and the best call was for each to continue on their own path. It wasn’t easy. Daniel has spent the last two years picking up the pieces and setting a new vision for his business. Who are we? Who should we not serve? What kind of agency do we actually want to be? That search for a new stage attracted a new partner — someone who brought the exact pieces Daniel needed, at a moment when he finally had the clarity that’s so hard (and so damn profitable) to get right. Only after that did ...
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    23 m
  • AI Tools Are Cheap Now… But That’s About to Change. What Agencies Need to Know

    AI Tools Are Cheap Now… But That’s About to Change. What Agencies Need to Know
    Jul 1 2025

    Would you like access to our advanced agency training for FREE? https://www.agencymastery360.com/training

    Let’s get real.

    If you’re stacking your agency’s foundation on $20/month AI tools, congrats—you’re in the honeymoon phase. But don’t confuse cheap for stable. This ain’t gonna last.

    We’re in the Uber moment of AI. Remember those $3 rides in 2015? Promo codes flying like candy? Everyone thought, “This is amazing.” Then BOOM—same ride today costs $30, and you don’t blink. Why? Because they normalized the spend.

    AI is doing the same damn thing right now.

    The Calm Before the Price Surge

    I was chatting with an agency owner the other week—four-person team doing the work of twenty. She’s saving close to $800K in salary using AI. Impressive? Hell yeah. But also? Fragile.

    Because when AI replaces two full-time employees, it’s not going to stay cheaper than lunch forever. These platforms are buying loyalty today so they can raise rates tomorrow. And when they do, the agencies who built real systems will survive while the rest scrambles.

    Automation Without Documentation = Fragile AF

    Here’s the trap I see all over the place:

    Agencies getting lean and mean with automation… but not documenting jack.

    So when a tool changes, prices spike, or a platform shifts—what happens?

    They’re rebuilding from scratch. Again.

    Smart operators are using AI to build leverage, not just save time. And they’re documenting the whole playbook outside the tools. Prompts. Logic. Decisions. Workflows. Everything. Because they know when OpenAI changes the rules (and they will), they’ll just pivot—without panic.

    3-Phase AI Survival Plan (That Actually Makes You Money)

    Phase 1: Audit + Adapt

    • List every AI tool you use.

    • Ask: “If this cost 10x tomorrow, what breaks?”

    • Document your workflows without AI.

    Don’t skip this. You’re looking for landmines now, so you’re not surprised later.

    Phase 2: Build AI-Augmented IP

    • Productize one service using AI—but don’t lean on it 100%.

    • Build templates based on your brain, not just the bot’s.

    • Train your agents and save the training outside the tool.

    Think like a software company, not a freelancer with ChatGPT.

    Phase 3: Future-Proof Your Value

    • Sharpen your skills. AI is smart, but notstrategic.

    • Build one offer that works with zero automation.

    • Stay close to smart operators. This is a gold rush. Don’t go it solo.

    This Isn’t Anti-AI. It’s Pro-Sanity.

    AI is a tool. It’s not your team. It’s not your strategy. And it’s definitely not your moat.

    Use it. Document it. But don’t depend on it.

    Because when the rules change—and they will—the agencies that built real systems and resilient IP will still be standing.

    Want a plan to build smarter leverage in your agency?

    Check out the Agency Playbook. It’s the 8-system framework we’ve used to help agency owners like Derek Champagne scale from 7- to 8-figures in under a year.
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    4 m
  • Building a $30M Agency with the Right KPIs, AI Hacks & Client Moves with Chris Dreyer | Ep #808

    Building a $30M Agency with the Right KPIs, AI Hacks & Client Moves with Chris Dreyer | Ep #808
    Jun 29 2025
    Would you like access to our advanced agency training for FREE? https://www.agencymastery360.com/training Ever wonder what separates a $1M agency from a $30M agency? It’s not just better SEO or more employees. It’s how you run the business behind the scenes. We sat down with today’s featured guest to dig into what’s powered his insane growth from barely crossing seven figures back when we first met… to now staring down $35–$40 million in pure service revenue. He’s sharing some great advice on the evolution of his role as CEO, his new-found love for podcasting, and all kinds of golden nuggets for agency currently in the “no man’s land”. Chris Dreyer is the CEO of Rankings.io, a law firm marketing services agency that delivers exceptional results for attorneys without compromising on customer service. He’ll discuss his agency's substantial growth from under a million to over $30 million in revenue, his reliance on data and key performance indicators (KPIs), the transformative role of AI in various aspects of his operations, the importance of in-person client meetings for building relationships, and much more. If you’re still guessing your numbers or putting off tracking your team’s time — you’ll want to pay attention. In this episode, we’ll discuss: The CEO’s true job. Hidden agency growing pains. The key to client happiness. In-person hustle and outbound sales. Subscribe Apple | Spotify | iHeart Radio Sponsors and Resources This episode is brought to you by Wix Studio: If you’re leveling up your team and your client experience, your site builder should keep up too. That’s why successful agencies use Wix Studio — built to adapt the way your agency does: AI-powered site mapping, responsive design, flexible workflows, and scalable CMS tools so you spend less on plugins and more on growth. Ready to design faster and smarter? Go to wix.com/studio to get started. Why Data Became Like a Religion Back when Chris and I first locked ourselves in a tiny Atlanta room for a workshop, Rankings.io was barely peeking over the $1M mark. He was still deciding who to serve and how. Fast forward about 8-9 years to today, and he says there’s no bigger reason for his success than his top-to-bottom data obsession. Most agency owners track just enough to feel busy: a few pipeline numbers, maybe close rates if they’re fancy. But Chris tracks everything. He knows the lifetime value of a client paying $5K a month versus $10K a month. He knows exactly how each account manager’s retention rate impacts revenue. He even scores sales reps like a fantasy football league. And it’s not just vanity metrics. If an account manager is great at keeping clients but terrible at preserving the original retainer size, they fix it. If time tracking shows poor utilization? They fix it. It’s relentless. The big unlock for him was getting a real CFO to build this machine — and shifting from QuickBooks to more robust systems like Sage. No more flying blind or hoping for the best. If you don’t know your LTV, churn, win rates, and retention by the exact dollar, you’re leaving growth up to luck. How AI Became His Secret Weapon (and Why You Should Care) Most agency owners dabble in AI: a blog here, a few prompts there. Chris has gone full cyborg. Every single month, his team uploads their entire reporting package into ChatGPT. They don’t just glance at dashboards — they get an AI board of advisors that points out trends, flags issues, and even suggests campaigns based on sales funnel leaks. If they have clients applying but not booking, the AI says: launch a re-engagement sequence. If they’re not sure why the expense spike looks off, the AI will cross-check it with your event calendar. Chris used to hate looking at financials — now AI does the heavy lifting. When it comes to AI agents, they’re not doing as much and prefer to use AI assistants for content, link building, and optimization. He even has an AI board of advisers with different personalities. This isn’t replacing people. It’s leveling them up. It’s like strapping a rocket to every role — so you can do more without burning out your team. If you’re not leaning on AI for context and next steps, you’re probably making slower (and worse) decisions than your competitors. The CEO’s True Job: Gotta Catch ‘em All Now that he’s running an agency pushing $40M in service revenue (not pass-through, real revenue) Chris defines his role as: “Playing people Pokemon. Gotta catch ‘em all. I get the clients, and my president keeps them.” He sets the vision, runs point on marketing and sales, hosts the podcast, and stays the face of Rankings.io. Meanwhile, his right-hand man, Stephen, owns retention and delivery. This split lets Chris hunt big opportunities without getting bogged down in fulfillment fires. It’s the perfect example of how an owner’s role must evolve. If you’re still stuck in the weeds, wearing ...
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