Summary:

In this episode, Sean Lang sits down with Melih Oztalay, CEO of Smart Finds Marketing, to uncover how his agency has not only survived but thrived for 38 years in a constantly changing industry. From the wild west of the 1990s internet to today’s AI-driven marketing landscape, Melih shares how adaptability, strategic decision-making, and an early-adopter mindset shaped his agency’s journey.

Takeaways:

• Longevity in business comes from constant reinvention.
  
  
• AI is no longer optional, it’s foundational.
  
  
• The 2008 financial crisis pushed Smart Finds to pivot from B2C to B2B.
  
  
• Hiring by referrals builds stronger, longer-lasting teams.
  
  
• Case study: AI-powered website personalization drove 198% year-over-year lead growth.

Check out Melih's agency here:

SmartFinds Marketing

Identify & Fix your critical gap now: www.agencyuplift.co/mini

Agency Uplift - Free Stuff to Scale Your Agency:

https://www.agencyuplift.co/sop (I saved $20K/mo using this system)

Summary:

In this solo episode, host Sean Lang breaks down the critical identity shift every agency owner must make from operator to CEO. He shares how he stayed stuck for years by trying to scale on "hard mode," and how adopting leverage, clarity, and a weekly CEO ritual transformed his agency’s growth.

Takeaways:

• Operators scale effort; CEOs scale impact.
  
  
• Leverage comes from systems, training, delegation, and reusable IP.
  
  
• Clarity enables smarter decisions and reveals leverage points.
  
  
• Weekly CEO rituals help eliminate waste and plan strategically.
  
  
• Core values act as a compass for leadership and alignment

Agency Uplift - Free Stuff to Scale Your Agency:

https://www.agencyuplift.co/sop (I saved $20K/mo using this system)

Summary

Andrew DiLullo, CEO of Ad Crunch, shares his journey from audio production into building an agency that helps DTC brands grow fast. He and host Sean Lang dig into the realities of scaling. Why retention beats acquisition, how hiring A list players changes everything, and how clarity creates stability.

Takeaways

• Agencies often start by accident—demand forces structure.
  
  
• Client retention is the most underrated growth lever.
  
  
• Hiring ops and A-players unlocks scalability.
  
  
• Referral deals with SaaS account managers can fuel pipeline.
  
  
• High-volume creative testing delivers exponential client growth.

Check out Andrew's agency here:

AdCrunch

Identify & Fix your critical gap now: www.agencyuplift.co/mini

Agency Uplift - Free Stuff to Scale Your Agency:

https://www.agencyuplift.co/sop (I saved $20K/mo using this system)