Agency Journey By cover art

Agency Journey

By: Jakub Grajcar and Gray MacKenzie
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  • Summary

  • How do world-class agencies continue to grow profitably and hit their goals, even through the choppy waters and challenges of agency life? How do leaders like Tiffany Sauder, Marcus Sheridan, Jay Acunzo, Shama Hyder, David C. Baker, Nikole Rose, and Zeb Evans think? Join Agency Journey host Jakub Grajcar as he interviews agency operators and leaders to share insights, actionable tips, and hilarious stories from the builders who live in the agency trenches. Each episode focuses on crucial aspects of growing an agency like building the right team, delegation, project management, client success and retention, and operating frameworks like EOS. Brought to you by ZenPilot: we help lead your agency through the final project management implementation you’ll ever need. Book a call to learn more at ZenPilot.com/Call. Don’t forget to rate + follow the podcast if you enjoyed it!
    © 2024 ZenPilot
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Episodes
  • From White House Writer to Agency Founder: John Corcoran’s Playbook for Podcasting and Growth

    From White House Writer to Agency Founder: John Corcoran’s Playbook for Podcasting and Growth
    May 22 2024

    John Corcoran is the co-founder of Rise25, an agency that helps B2B companies get clients, referrals, and strategic partnerships through done-for-you podcasts and content marketing. John has been podcasting since 2010 and his business partner Jeremy has been doing it since 2008. Together they've built a team of over 50 people to support B2B companies in leveraging this powerful medium.


    John has a fascinating and diverse background prior to Rise25. At various points in his career, he was paid by President Bill Clinton as a White House writer, worked for Steven Spielberg at DreamWorks, and did some work for Warren Buffett. He was also a lawyer for a period before discovering the power of podcasting to have high-caliber business conversations and decided to make that his focus.


    In this episode of Agency Journey, John shares his knowledge on using podcasts strategically to deliver value to your ideal clients and referral partners. He emphasizes that download numbers and vanity metrics matter far less than having the right conversations with the right people.


    We also dig into John's involvement with Entrepreneurs' Organization (EO) and get an inside look at different high-level business peer groups.


    This is a great episode for agency leaders interested in the power of podcasts and surrounding yourself with other successful entrepreneurs.


    Episode Insights:

    💡 Interviewing people for a podcast is a far more effective way to build relationships than typical coffee networking meetings. It allows you to provide value and have higher caliber conversations.

    💡 Focus on creating podcast content that delivers value to your ideal clients and referral partners. Don't get caught up in vanity metrics like downloads - it's about having the right conversations with the right people.

    💡 Joining a peer community for entrepreneurs, such as EO, can provide invaluable support, camaraderie, and learning opportunities to help you through the unique challenges of building a business.

    💡 Explore different business groups to find the right fit for you.

    💡 Use your podcast as a strategic tool to have conversations with people who wouldn't otherwise carve out time to meet with you. It's an amazing way to connect with hard-to-reach, high-caliber people.


    Resources Mentioned:

    🌐 John’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/corcoran/

    🎙️ INspired INsider podcast hosted by Jeremy Weisz: https://www.inspiredinsider.com/?utm_campaign=agency-journey-ep-294-john-corcoran

    🎙️ Smart Business Revolution podcast hosted by John Corcoran: https://smartbusinessrevolution.com/podcasts/?utm_campaign=agency-journey-ep-294-john-corcoran

    🏢 Rise25 agency website: https://rise25.com/?utm_campaign=agency-journey-ep-294-john-corcoran

    👥 EO (Entrepreneurs' Organization): https://hub.eonetwork.org/?utm_campaign=agency-journey-ep-294-john-corcoran

    👥 Vistage

    👥 YPO (Young Presidents' Organization)

    👥 Strategic Coach

    👥 Tiger21

    👥 Hampton


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    Brought to you by ZenPilot, ClickUp’s #1 Solutions Partner with 2,700+ agency ops makeovers under our belt.


    📕 Read our in-depth, 8000-word How to Use ClickUp Guide: https://www.zenpilot.com/blog/how-to-use-clickup?utm_campaign=agency-journey-ep-294-john-corcoran


    👉 Don’t forget to follow and rate us on your preferred podcast platforms. We’re also on YouTube: @ZenPilot
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    25 mins
  • Gray vs. AI: Client Success Strategies Based on Hard-Won Experience

    Gray vs. AI: Client Success Strategies Based on Hard-Won Experience
    May 3 2024

    In this episode, Kuba generates a list of client success tips using AI—and Gray critiques them and goes way deeper based on his hard-won experience in the agency space.


    Episode Insights:


    💡 Understanding client goals is crucial for improving client success. Ask questions and listen carefully to their answers to gain a deeper understanding.

    💡 Regular communication is key. Set clear expectations around how and when you'll communicate with clients, and provide updates on progress and challenges.

    💡 Be proactive in identifying and preventing issues before they arise. Addressing problems openly and honestly builds trust with clients.

    💡 Personalize the experience by treating each client as unique and customizing services to fit their specific needs. Show that you are paying attention and value their individuality.

    💡 Clarity is kindness. Be clear and firm in setting expectations and communicate openly when issues arise.


    Resourced Mentioned:


    🌐 ZenPilot: https://www.zenpilot.com/?utm_source=youtube.com&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=agency-journey-ep-293-gray-vs-ai-client-success-tips

    🌐 Gray’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/graymackenzie/

    ----------------------------------


    Brought to you by ZenPilot, ClickUp’s #1 Solutions Partner with 2,700+ agency ops makeovers under our belt.


    📕 Read our in-depth, 8000-word How to Use ClickUp Guide: https://www.zenpilot.com/blog/how-to-use-clickup?utm_campaign=agency-journey-ep-293-gray-vs-ai-client-success-tips


    👉 Don’t forget to follow and rate us on your preferred podcast platforms. We’re also on YouTube: @ZenPilot
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    30 mins
  • Mentorship, Global Talent, Golden Handcuffs, and Hunters vs Farmers with Kasim Aslam

    Mentorship, Global Talent, Golden Handcuffs, and Hunters vs Farmers with Kasim Aslam
    Apr 25 2024
    “All of my successes massively outpace my capabilities. Like when you meet me, you're like, ‘I can't believe that guy did all the shit that he did’. Because I look homeless and I'm not really as bright as I pretend to be. I'm not self-deprecating—it's a fact. My success outpaces my capability because I found other people that were more capable than me."Kasim Aslam is the CEO of Solutions 8, co-founder of Driven Mastermind, and co-host of the Perpetual Traffic podcast. He has built four multi-million dollar agencies and had two exits, one of which was an eight-figure deal. Kasim's success in the agency world, particularly in the Google Ads space, and his ability to scale businesses with minimal initial capital make him an impressive figure in the industry.He’s also one of the most energetic and insightful guests this podcast has seen thus far.This episode of Agency Journey will be a perfect listen for agency owners and entrepreneurs looking to remove themselves from the business, identify and keep their most valuable team members, and build the mindset that will take your operation to the next level.Kasim shared a whirlwind of inspiration, including but not limited to: the crucial differences between employees (farmers) and entrepreneurs (hunters); the power of offering equity to top performers; the importance of hiring people who can outperform you in their roles; and the benefits of seeking out hard challenges for personal and professional growth.Episode Insights:💡 Seeking a business mentor can provide valuable guidance and support in personal and professional growth.💡 Asking for help is essential and should not be seen as a sign of weakness. But you need to be humble and willing to do the hard work for others to decide to help you.💡 Seek out hard things for the sake of doing hard things.💡 People are the most important aspect of agency operations and can be the key differentiator in a competitive market. Incentivize and retain peak performers by offering profit share equity.💡 Surround yourself with people who are smarter and more capable than you in their respective roles to build a successful agency.💡 AI is a force multiplier of people—which can be both good and bad, making people even more important in business.💡 Understand that employees (farmers) and entrepreneurs (hunters) have different motivations and expectations, and build your business model accordingly.💡 Tying employee compensation directly to their output and the value they bring to the agency can help balance growth and profitability.💡 Success often outpaces an individual's capabilities because of the power of finding and cultivating talented people.Resourced Mentioned:📚 "No Locked Doors" by Gregory Smith📚 "You Versus Google" by Kasim Aslam📚 "Driven" by Douglas Brackmann and Randy Kelley🏢 Driven Mastermind, co-founded by Kasim Aslam: https://drivenmastermind.com/?utm_campaign=agency-journey-ep-292-kasim-aslam🏢 Solutions 8, Kasim's agency that he recently sold: https://sol8.com/?utm_campaign=agency-journey-ep-292-kasim-aslam🏢 Pareto Talent, Kasim's new venture focused on finding and training executive assistants and other roles for entrepreneurs🎙️ Perpetual Traffic, co-hosted by Kasim Aslam: https://perpetualtraffic.com/?utm_campaign=agency-journey-ep-292-kasim-aslam👤 Gregory Smith, Kasim's long-time business mentor: https://www.linkedin.com/in/gregory1/👤 Erik Huberman, founder of Hawke Media https://www.linkedin.com/in/erikhuberman/LikeSubscribeHit the bellLeave a commentSay something nice to your neighborFollow+rate us on podcast platformsAnd don’t forget to floss!----------------------------------About ZenPilot:As ClickUp's first and highest-rated solutions partner, we've helped over 2,700 agencies streamline their operations in ClickUp. 📕 Get our ultimate "How to Use" ClickUp guide: https://www.zenpilot.com/clickup-guide?utm_source=youtube.com&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=agency-journey-ep-292-kasim-aslam🥇 Learn why ZenPilot is ClickUp's highest-rated solutions partner: https://www.zenpilot.com/clickup-consultant-and-highest-rated-partner?utm_source=youtube.com&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=agency-journey-ep-292-kasim-aslam💰 Uncover which clients, projects, and services are most profitable for your business with ZenPilot reports: https://www.zenpilot.com/agency-profitability-and-utilization-reporting?utm_source=youtube.com&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=agency-journey-ep-292-kasim-aslam----------------------------------⚡️ Want to see how your agency operations stack up against 2,000 other firms? take the 20-question benchmark: https://tools.zenpilot.com/pm-benchmark/?utm_source=youtube.com&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=agency-journey-ep-292-kasim-aslam📕 Download the 47-page guide on how to implement ClickUp for agencies: https://www.zenpilot.com/how-to-implement-clickup-for-agencies?utm_source=youtube.com&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=...
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    42 mins
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