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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Is It Time to Rebrand Your Agency? When, Why, and How to Rebrand with Jim Heininger | Ep #763
Scale Your Agency Jason Swenk Scale Your Agency Jason Swenk

Is It Time to Rebrand Your Agency? When, Why, and How to Rebrand with Jim Heininger | Ep #763

Is your agency in need of a rebrand? Many of us are accidental agency owners who threw together a brand without fully understanding our niche or service offering; starting with just a basic name and logo. As the agency evolves this may signal the need for a strategic brand refresh. Today’s featured guest runs a rebranding agency and shares the scenarios that could justify a rebrand, the difference the right will name make for clients to differentiate you, and share some rebranding strategies to keep in mind.

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Hiring an Agency COO and Balancing the CEO-COO Dynamic with Brittany Filori | Ep #762
Scale Your Agency Jason Swenk Scale Your Agency Jason Swenk

Hiring an Agency COO and Balancing the CEO-COO Dynamic with Brittany Filori | Ep #762

Do you need to get yourself out of agency operations so you can work ON the agency rather than in it? Are you stuck in processes and fulfillment when you should be looking at growth? It might be time to hire for the role of COO to ensure your agency's success. A Chief Operating Officer plays a pivotal role in an agency's development, significantly reducing the CEO's operational burden. However, timing is crucial – agencies should carefully consider their growth stage before initiating the search for a COO, and thoroughly understand the position's complexities to ensure an ideal match.

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Successful AI - Human Collaboration: Where Technology and Creativity Intersect with Marc Beckman | Ep #761
Scale Your Agency Jason Swenk Scale Your Agency Jason Swenk

Successful AI - Human Collaboration: Where Technology and Creativity Intersect with Marc Beckman | Ep #761

Is artificial intelligence revolutionizing business operations or threatening the carefully crafted storytelling techniques developed over decades? As many businesses struggle with integrating AI while maintaining authentic connections, today's featured guest offers valuable insights from his perspective as both an agency leader and AI advocate as well as someone who can see some of the fatigue caused by the ever-growing demand for constant information that has been aided by AI and the availability to create content faster and efficiently. He shares the ways he is integrating AI technology into his own agency, and why he believes it won’t work when it comes to replacing the human touch. Learn about his vision for AI use in business, the trends he sees changing in consumer preferences in social media, and how agencies can adapt to AI.

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Maximizing Event Speaking: How to Generate Leads While Sharing Expertise with Dale Bertrand | Ep #760
Scale Your Agency Jason Swenk Scale Your Agency Jason Swenk

Maximizing Event Speaking: How to Generate Leads While Sharing Expertise with Dale Bertrand | Ep #760

Are you leveraging public speaking to grow your brand? Have you considered expanding your reach by having team members represent your company at events and interviews? Today’s featured guest has transformed public speaking from a marketing tactic into a primary source of business leads. Tune in to learn the common fears that keep agency owners from speaking at more events, the type of speaker you should be to attract more business, and why you should consider building a team willing to share their expertise and promote your agency at events or interviews.

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The Secret to Longevity: Building Trust and Overcoming Skepticism with James Loomstein | Ep #758
Scale Your Agency Jason Swenk Scale Your Agency Jason Swenk

The Secret to Longevity: Building Trust and Overcoming Skepticism with James Loomstein | Ep #758

Do you face a lot of skepticism from clients who have been disappointed by agencies before? How do you go about gaining their trust? After seven years running his agency, today’s featured guest still lists that mistrust as one of his primary challenges and talks about his strategic approach to overcoming this hurdle: combining client education with precise problem identification to deliver time-saving solutions that truly impact their businesses. This approach not only helps rebuild trust damaged by previous agency experiences but also positions marketing as a genuine catalyst for business growth.

Join us as we explore how agencies can move beyond surface-level marketing solutions to become trusted partners in their clients' success stories.

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Unlock Your Podcasting Potential as an Amazing Host or Guest with Traci DeForge | Ep #757
Scale Your Agency Jason Swenk Scale Your Agency Jason Swenk

Unlock Your Podcasting Potential as an Amazing Host or Guest with Traci DeForge | Ep #757

Are you leveraging the power of podcasting to grow your agency? Whether through guest appearances on industry shows or hosting your own podcast, this medium offers unique opportunities to showcase expertise and connect with potential clients. However, while appearing on established podcasts can help spread your message, creating your own show ultimately provides greater control over brand messaging and client conversion.

For marketing agencies, podcasting has become an essential marketing tool that can drive significant conversions. Today's featured guest, a podcast expert, specializes in helping clients navigate the complex balance between audience value and revenue generation. She tackles crucial questions many business owners face in their podcasting journey: optimal timing for monetization, strategies for brand partnerships, and most importantly, maintaining focus on audience benefit. Her insights reveal how to build a podcast that not only generates revenue but also provides lasting value to listeners.

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Navigating the Unexpected Sale of Your Agency by Thoughtful Negotiating with Kelsey Dixon | Ep #756
Selling Your Agency Jason Swenk Selling Your Agency Jason Swenk

Navigating the Unexpected Sale of Your Agency by Thoughtful Negotiating with Kelsey Dixon | Ep #756

Would your agency be ready for an unexpected acquisition opportunity? Could you make it work if the time and offer were right? One boutique agency owner faced this question when an unexpected offer transformed her lifestyle business into an acquisition prospect. Though she and her partner had no immediate plans to sell, they recognized the potential and methodically prepared for a successful transition. Learn about their experiences finding their niche in the industry, preparing for acquisition, their ‘no regrets’ attitude regarding the sale, and the reason why they approached negotiations with a thoughtful mindset that would benefit everyone involved.

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How to Overcome Proposal Anxiety and Win More Clients with Joe Ardeeser | Ep #755
Scale Your Agency Jason Swenk Scale Your Agency Jason Swenk

How to Overcome Proposal Anxiety and Win More Clients with Joe Ardeeser | Ep #755

Do you struggle to write proposals? Do you know the 2 keys to winning more clients in the proposal stage? Mastering the art of creating fast, high-quality proposals remains crucial for agency growth. The best way to guarantee your proposal has a chance to stand out from competitors is to ensure speed and accuracy. That is why our featured guest is sharing how he went from owning an agency to creating the tool for overcoming proposal anxiety.

He spent years thinking about ways to turn what was often the worst part of the job for him into an easier and more enjoyable process and eventually launched a software that does just that. Learn more about Joe's entrepreneurial journey and insights into the agency world.

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From Chaos to Clarity: Reaching Your Agency Goals for the New Year with Stacey Green | Ep #754
Scale Your Agency Jason Swenk Scale Your Agency Jason Swenk

From Chaos to Clarity: Reaching Your Agency Goals for the New Year with Stacey Green | Ep #754

What are your goals for your agency this new year? Which new heights are you hoping to reach and what needs to change in order for you to get there? As we step into a new year, agency owners start setting ambitious targets. But achieving these goals requires more than just wishful thinking—it demands a clear understanding of three critical elements: where you want to go, who you need on your team to get there, and perhaps most importantly, how you need to evolve as a leader.

Today, we're joined by a special guest who has witnessed countless agency journeys firsthand. As a key member of the Jason Swenk team, she's become a trusted companion to our mastermind members, guiding them through their growth challenges and celebrating their victories. Her unique perspective comes from years of observing what makes agencies thrive, understanding their common hurdles, and helping create environments where both businesses and people flourish. Tune in for an engaging conversation about teamwork, growth, and the importance of a community that can help you evolve as a leader.

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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.