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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How to Stop Fake Profit From Fooling You: Agency Finance Secrets With Lacie Edgeman | Ep #847
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How to Stop Fake Profit From Fooling You: Agency Finance Secrets With Lacie Edgeman | Ep #847

Ever looked at your agency’s bank account and thought, “We’re crushing it!” only to realize two months later that half that cash wasn’t really yours yet? Or maybe you’ve hit that milestone where you start wondering what your agency might be worth if you sold it tomorrow… but your books are a confusing mix of guesses and gut feelings. Today's featured guest was a finance expert before falling in love with the agency world and has the knowledge to help us unpack how smart financial planning, not just more clients, can completely change your agency’s future. From forecasting and cash flow to the hard truths about selling, this conversation is packed with real-world lessons every agency owner needs to hear.

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How to Protect Your Agency from a Lawsuit or Hack (Before It’s Too Late) With Draye Redfern | Ep #846
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How to Protect Your Agency from a Lawsuit or Hack (Before It’s Too Late) With Draye Redfern | Ep #846

What would happen if one client lawsuit, one hacked account, or one missed renewal completely wiped out your agency? Have you ever stopped to think about how exposed your business really is even if you’re “doing everything right” Today's featured guest started his career working in the insurance and eventually found a love for marketing. He talks about the side of agency life most people ignore: protecting what you’ve built, and breaks down how to safeguard your business with the right insurance, why every agency should have cyber liability coverage, and how a “give first” mindset has helped him land major clients like Damon John, Chris Voss, and Dr. Benjamin Hardy.

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Why Most Brand Podcasts Fail and How to Create One That Succeeds With Roger Nairn | Ep #845
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Why Most Brand Podcasts Fail and How to Create One That Succeeds With Roger Nairn | Ep #845

Ever wonder why some brand podcasts blow up while others die after five episodes? Or why a few companies seem to build die-hard fans while other can’t seem to connect? Today’s guest specializes in helping brands create podcasts that bring true value. He’ll talk about how brands can use podcasting to build real connection, not just rack up downloads. From breaking up with the traditional ad world to creating top-ranked shows for global brands and why consistency, authenticity, and a bit of weirdness might be your secret weapons.

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Why Agency Leaders Should Coach, Not Manage with Kriston Sellier | Ep #844
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Why Agency Leaders Should Coach, Not Manage with Kriston Sellier | Ep #844

What do you do when your career takes an unexpected left turn? And how do you know when it’s time to stop hustling like a freelancer and start leading like a CEO? Today’s featured guest found herself in that situation and made the bold choice to go from career misstep to becoming an agency owner. She'll dive into what it really takes to go from a one-woman shop in a basement with dial-up internet to leading a team with vision, systems, and staying power. From handwritten letters that landed a 15% close rate, to breaking free from client dependency, to leveraging AI without losing the human touch, she shares the hard-earned lessons every agency owner needs to hear.

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The Right Way to Use AI in Your Agency: Strategy, Tools, and Practical Tips with Ken McLoud | Ep #843
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The Right Way to Use AI in Your Agency: Strategy, Tools, and Practical Tips with Ken McLoud | Ep #843

Are you really implementing AI in your agency the right way? Adding a random tool just to say you “use AI” isn’t the game-changer many agency owners hope it will be. In fact, chasing shiny AI solutions can waste time, drain resources, and create tools your team never actually uses. Many agency leaders, especially those aiming to build a sellable business, assume any form of AI integration will automatically boost their agency’s value. But today’s featured guest strongly disagrees. He’s seen firsthand how agencies fall into the trap of building solutions first and searching for problems later, a costly mistake that does more harm than good. Instead, he’s here to share how to approach AI adoption strategically, in ways that actually stick and drive real results.

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How to Build a Resilient Agency That Stands the Test of Time with Bill Swanston | Ep #842
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How to Build a Resilient Agency That Stands the Test of Time with Bill Swanston | Ep #842

What does it really take to keep an agency alive through market crashes, pandemics, and the endless grind without burning out or losing your edge? Today’s featured guest will unpack his journey from starting in a basement with a couple of clients to leading a 30-person team through some of the toughest seasons an agency can face. From navigating financial blind spots to learning how to actually let go and trust his team, and the reason the agency’s 25th anniversary actually marked a big shift with a new rebrand.

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Why the Middle Layer of Your Agency Org Chart May Not Survive AI with Jennifer Bagley | Ep #841
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Why the Middle Layer of Your Agency Org Chart May Not Survive AI with Jennifer Bagley | Ep #841

Are you still thinking of AI as just “ChatGPT with a better prompt”? Or maybe you’ve played around with Zapier automations and thought, yeah, that’s good enough. Today's featured guest knows that the agencies pulling ahead right now are building full-on AI agent networks that replace routine tasks, streamline data pipelines, and give their teams superpowers. She’s re-engineering her agency around AI and will talk about where she finds top-tier talent and why you don’t need to code to lead your agency into the future.

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How To Find and Keep the Right People to Scale Your Agency with Dan Salganik | Ep #838
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How To Find and Keep the Right People to Scale Your Agency with Dan Salganik | Ep #838

If hiring one of the biggest challenges you’ve encountered when it comes to running your agency? How do you sift through hundreds of applications when most don’t even read the job description? Today’s featured guest opens up about the realities of building a team, the role that gave him his time back, and why finding the right people, not unicorns, but the right fits can make or break an agency’s growth.

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Why Do Agency Owners Feel Trapped in Their Own Business? And How To Break Free with Dan Fisher | Ep #837
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Why Do Agency Owners Feel Trapped in Their Own Business? And How To Break Free with Dan Fisher | Ep #837

Ever feel like running your agency is just one long grind of “good enough” projects, endless deadlines, and late-night work sessions? Most agency owners start out chasing freedom, only to find themselves trapped by clients, culture struggles, and their own workaholic habits. Today’s featured guest is certainly familiar with this cycle, so how was he able to build a business that works for him instead of the other way around? By focusing on clarity, culture, and constant evolution.

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Will AI Really Change Agencies? Why the Human Element Still Wins with Josh Payne | Ep #836
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Will AI Really Change Agencies? Why the Human Element Still Wins with Josh Payne | Ep #836

Are you wondering how AI will really change the way agencies work? Will it replace your team, or make them better than ever? Artificial intelligence continues to be at the forefront of most tech conversations, and that’s exactly why agency owners can’t afford to ignore it.

Today’s guest believes the real future of AI in agencies isn’t about replacement—it’s about augmentation. Humans bring the high-leverage ideas, AI scales the execution, and the magic happens in the collaboration between the two.

That’s why he challenges his team to master a skill first—understanding every step—before delegating pieces of it to AI. By doing so, they not only achieve stronger results but also gain the ability to explain, teach, and refine the process. For agencies, this thoughtful integration turns AI from a threat into a powerful accelerator.

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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.

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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.