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 Agency World…

Breaking Through Slow Growth to PROPEL YOUR AGENCY with Curtis Hays | Ep #740
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Breaking Through Slow Growth to PROPEL YOUR AGENCY with Curtis Hays | Ep #740

Are you frustrated by slow growth? Does client churn keep you from really propelling ahead? Do you put off crucial decisions because you’re afraid of making the wrong choice? Today’s guest’s successful track record wasn’t enough to make him confident in his decisions on hiring or the stress of client turnover. A shift in focus helped him see consistency and adaptability are the key to agency growth. Learn about how he kept going and the strategy that helped him get through decision paralysis. He also shares the content marketing approach that transformed his agency's pipeline and helped them grow.

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Clarity as the Catalyst for New Momentum and Agency Growth with Ed East | Ep #739
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Clarity as the Catalyst for New Momentum and Agency Growth with Ed East | Ep #739

Have you ever felt like abandoning your agency? Overwhelmed or insecure about the direction the agency is headed? If so, you're not alone. At some point, we all face moments of doubt and struggle to keep momentum. Today’s guest is an agency owner who built his business over the past ten years. He recently experienced a downturn that led him to question whether he still enjoyed the work. It was a solid business plan and clear vision that helped him get the agency back on track. Learn more about why he needed clarity and communication to get his confidence back and what excites him about the new developments of generative AI and how it’s changing advertising.

Ed East is the founder of influencer marketing agency Billion Dollar Boy. He shares his journey into the agency world, creating a database connecting blogs with brands and agencies. Ed also discusses the low point that made him question his commitment to the agency, the realization that helped him rebuild his confidence, and the new tech that is already revolutionizing advertising and brand-audience connections.

In this episode, we’ll discuss:

  • How clarity builds new momentum for agency growth.

  • Leveraging generative AI to elevate the creative process.

  • How agencies can use creator advertising.

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Leveraging AI to Create a HIGH IMPACT Foot-in-the-Door Offer with Abraham Bree | Ep #731
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Leveraging AI to Create a HIGH IMPACT Foot-in-the-Door Offer with Abraham Bree | Ep #731

Are you currently utilizing AI or fear it will replace digital agencies? Most agency owners fall into one of these two categories. However, those open to exploring this technology's potential and maintaining a sense of curiosity will lead the way in innovation. Today’s featured guest lost some clients who opted for in-house ChatGPT services over his agency's offering.

Instead of staying fearful of losing all his clients to this technology, he was prompted to explore how AI could be leveraged to enhance his services. Through experimentation, he created what has become a very effective foot-in-the-door to showcase good results with very little investment. Tune in to discover valuable lessons about creativity, collaboration, and the evolution of marketing strategies.

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3 IMPACTFUL STRATEGIES for Long Term, Sustainable Agency Growth with Seth Odell | Ep #730
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3 IMPACTFUL STRATEGIES for Long Term, Sustainable Agency Growth with Seth Odell | Ep #730

How can you grow your agency’s client list beyond referral clients? Would you sacrifice price or length of contracts in order to attract new business? Today’s featured guest has successfully established his agency by prioritizing higher prices and maintaining a clear vision of his offerings. He emphasizes the importance of being selective with the opportunities that arise. He shares the challenges and strategies involved in growing his agency, as well as how he prioritized long-term relationships over new business.

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Should You Productize Agency Services? Navigating the Risks and Rewards with Matthew McIver | Ep #722
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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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Staying Versatile and Adaptable in Uncertain Times with Amy Jackson | Ep# 714
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Staying Versatile and Adaptable in Uncertain Times with Amy Jackson | Ep# 714

Are you considering narrowing your focus in the near future, or do you prefer to retain the flexibility to take advantage of growth opportunities in specific sectors? Our featured guest today opts for diversification and maintaining her agency’s agility to capitalize on the expansion of emerging sectors. Gain insights into her journey of building a PR agency, her strategies for solidifying its growth, and the ongoing learning curve inherent in the agency's evolution.

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When Is the Right Time to Use Acquisition as a Strategy for Rapid Growth? with Manish Dudharejia | Ep# 713
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When Is the Right Time to Use Acquisition as a Strategy for Rapid Growth? with Manish Dudharejia | Ep# 713

What advantages does an acquisition offer compared to organic growth? Our featured guest today will discuss his ongoing acquisition process, outlining his reasoning behind this move, sharing why this felt like the perfect moment for an acquisition, and how he kept his peace of mind during this time-consuming process.

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Mastering CLIENT ACQUISITION for Agency Growth with David Baeza | Ep #705
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Mastering CLIENT ACQUISITION for Agency Growth with David Baeza | Ep #705

Do you have a clear understanding of the client acquisition channels you’ll need to grow your agency? Today’s guest found great success with his agency and, for a long time, didn’t have to worry about client acquisition. More recently, he’s been focusing more on setting up the channels that will guarantee his agency’s growth and continued success. Tune in to learn more about his commitment to quality over rushing to ship subpar work.

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Escape TUNNEL VISION and Focus on Strategic AGENCY GROWTH with Samantha Martin | Ep #704
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Escape TUNNEL VISION and Focus on Strategic AGENCY GROWTH with Samantha Martin | Ep #704

Do you feel trapped in an operation tunnel vision? Are you ready to shift your attention toward strategies for agency growth? Our guest today initially viewed strategy sessions as a luxury she could only afford once her agency had achieved significant success. However, upon receiving guidance from a coach to address alignment issues, she and her partner began scheduling daily strategy sessions and prioritizing working on the business rather than just in it.

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A $1 MILLION Agency Is Not Always Sustainable with Amy Littleton | Ep #703
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A $1 MILLION Agency Is Not Always Sustainable with Amy Littleton | Ep #703

Are you considering starting an agency but feel like it might be too late to do so? Our featured guest today had a thriving career in PR and successfully managed an agency for nearly two decades before deciding the missing piece in that career was building and growing her own agency. Now, she contemplates the next steps for her and her team. Tune in to discover how she achieved rapid agency growth and valuable tips for retaining key employees.

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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.