Smart Agency Masterclass Podcast with Jason Swenk

Bi-weekly interviews, strategy, and advice for building your marketing agency the smart way.

The popular agency podcast has just turned 10 years old and covers everything from starting a successful agency to selling your agency.

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We host some of the smartest minds in business…

How Firing Toxic Clients Leads to Stronger Relationships with Susan Finch | Ep #725
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How Firing Toxic Clients Leads to Stronger Relationships with Susan Finch | Ep #725

Have you ever fired a client? If you could do so without fearing for your agency’s future, would you take that step today? Most agency owners have horror stories about toxic clients who created an unhealthy work environment for the team. Deciding to cut these professional ties can be particularly daunting, but will bring more benefits in the long run.

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Gino Wickman on How 130 Days Off Boosts Business & Fulfills Your True Self | Ep #724
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Gino Wickman on How 130 Days Off Boosts Business & Fulfills Your True Self | Ep #724

How often do you take time off simply to rest? Do you carve out moments to recharge and find stillness before the daily whirlwind begins? If you’re a successful entrepreneur who doesn’t prioritize rest, you may be heading toward burnout. Today’s featured guest is an entrepreneur who’s created several noted frameworks for business owners, empowering countless individuals to elevate their businesses.

Gino Wickman is an entrepreneur, content creator, and most notably the founder of Entrepreneurial Operating System (EOS). Through the years he’s noticed highly accomplished entrepreneurs tend to feel unfulfilled in what should be the highest point of their success. This happens when they forget the fundamental purpose behind building a successful business: to create a fulfilling life. In this episode, you will gain insights into achieving success while maintaining fulfillment in both your professional and personal life.

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Tricks to Help Busy Agency Owners Remember Everything with Dave Farrow | Ep #723
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Tricks to Help Busy Agency Owners Remember Everything with Dave Farrow | Ep #723

Do you find it hard to remember the name of someone you just met? Do you struggle to recall the details of last week’s meeting? Busy agency owners are constantly juggling countless responsibilities which is overwhelming and leaving you feeling like you're losing your edge. But what if you could sharpen your mind and tackle daily challenges with confidence?

Today’s featured guest has transformed his remarkable journey as a record-holding memorization expert into a powerful business dedicated to helping entrepreneurs enhance their memory skills. By harnessing effective visualization techniques, he empowers individuals to project themselves into a future filled with success. In this episode, learn more about his inspiring story and insights on memorable marketing and memorization.

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Should You Productize Agency Services? Navigating the Risks and Rewards with Matthew McIver | Ep #722
Scale Your Agency Jason Swenk Scale Your Agency Jason Swenk

Should You Productize Agency Services? Navigating the Risks and Rewards with Matthew McIver | Ep #722

Have you clearly defined your service offering to the extent that you can productize it? Or do you prefer to customize your approach for each client’s needs? Which strategy aligns better with your agency's objectives and overall success? Today's featured guest transitioned from providing highly customized services, which impacted his team's ability to meet deadlines and adhere to budgets. He has since adopted a productized model and is currently exploring how to effectively present differentiated pricing tiers. Join us as we delve into invaluable insights on launching and scaling a creative agency, optimizing your service offerings, and gracefully managing a co-founder's exit.

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Building a Global Agency Team and Scaling Against the Grain with Alina Vlaic | Ep #721
Scale Your Agency Jason Swenk Scale Your Agency Jason Swenk

Building a Global Agency Team and Scaling Against the Grain with Alina Vlaic | Ep #721

How much automation should be integrated into your agency's processes?  When is automation a good idea, and when isn’t it? Are your agency services diverse enough to withstand a shifting market? In this interview, learn from one agency owner who has grown her agency making very conscious decisions about what she’ll need to build a business that stands the test of time. From avoiding heavy automation to building a team based primarily in the US while living in Romania, she considers all angles before making long-term plans and has pushed against some trends to find her path. In this episode, we delve into her journey and gather valuable insights on scaling an agency in the dynamic world of e-commerce.

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Laying the Right Foundation for Eventually SELLING YOUR AGENCY with Ronik Patel | Ep #720
Selling Your Agency Jason Swenk Selling Your Agency Jason Swenk

Laying the Right Foundation for Eventually SELLING YOUR AGENCY with Ronik Patel | Ep #720

Are you thinking about an eventual exit from your agency? Curious about how to prepare for selling your agency down the road? Preparing for a potential sale well in advance can be beneficial, even if you ultimately decide to retain your business. Our guest had a clear vision of his goal: to grow his agency while waiting for an opportune moment to sell. He shares valuable lessons on how coaching accelerated his growth and why he wishes he had joined a mastermind group sooner to establish the necessary systems for a successful sale. He shares insights into building a thriving agency and navigating the industry with a strategic approach.

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Embrace Your Expertise and Charge for Value NOT Time with Sharon Robustelli | Ep #719
Scale Your Agency Jason Swenk Scale Your Agency Jason Swenk

Embrace Your Expertise and Charge for Value NOT Time with Sharon Robustelli | Ep #719

Do you price your agency services based on time spent or based on value delivered? Your fees should reflect the expertise you bring to solving your client's challenges, not how long it takes. If you still consider time your most valuable metric, it may be time to reassess the true value you offer. Our featured guest started her career in PR and ventured to start an agency after becoming disillusioned with corporate decision-making; often neglecting the best interests of both teams and clients. She set out to build an agency that would get the job done while not losing sight of their values. Tune in to learn how she learned to appreciate the value she brought to clients and how that changed the way she prices her services and structured her offer.

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WIN MORE Business by Crafting an Authentic Story with Matthew Woodget | Ep #718
Scale Your Agency Jason Swenk Scale Your Agency Jason Swenk

WIN MORE Business by Crafting an Authentic Story with Matthew Woodget | Ep #718

Do you know the power of intertwining your personal narrative with your business journey? Today’s guest is a narrative strategist who built his agency around helping entrepreneurs shape their stories to attract the right clients by communicating their goals and values. Discover how owning and sharing impactful stories can set owners apart from salespeople and lead to successful outcomes.

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Agency Acquisition Deal Structure: Tips for Buyers & Sellers with Nick Fraunfelder | Ep# 717
Selling Your Agency Jason Swenk Selling Your Agency Jason Swenk

Agency Acquisition Deal Structure: Tips for Buyers & Sellers with Nick Fraunfelder | Ep# 717

Are you planning to buy an agency as a growth strategy or sell your agency and need to get it in shape to attract buyers? Today’s guest wanted out of his career in venture capital and bought an agency, seeing them as cash flow machines. Looking back at that move and all the considerations it took, he offers valuable points for agency owners looking to either buy or sell in the near future and how to best handle that process.

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About the Show

The popular agency podcast has been around since 2014 and covers everything from starting a successful agency to selling your agency. What makes this podcast a must-listen is Swenk’s background as the founder and CEO of an agency for over a decade. Swenk brings his own experience to the table, besides the expertise of his guests. He mostly covers topics that help growing agencies scale to the next level.

YOUR HOST

JASON SWENK

Smart Agency Masterclass

Jason is a family man who also happens to have created a couple big marketing agencies, helped thousands of agency owners, and had a big agency exit too.