Hop aboard for an insightful ride with SE Ranking’s ‘Agency Rollercoaster’ podcast! We sit down with digital agency leaders to chat about their wild professional journeys. From dizzying highs to challenging lows, we cover it all—innovative strategies, client success stories, and insider tips straight from the experts. Whether you’re a seasoned pro or just starting out, our podcast plunges into the twists and turns of client management, team leadership, and business growth in the digital worl ...
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Welcome to the What’s Next! Podcast. I’ve met so many brilliant people as I traveled the globe and have had some fascinating conversations that I’ve wished had been recorded so I could share them with you - this podcast was a way for me to recreate those moments and let you in on some fantastic insights. My current conversations center around one objective: what's next for companies and individuals as they look to innovate and grow. I hope these conversations inspire you as much as they have ...
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Silver Linings with The Old Gays
1 Our Chosen Family: "The gay community is much bolder today." 33:19
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LikedWhat’s the secret to lasting friendships? How does queer community show up through the ebbs and flows of life? And what’s the REAL story behind the “YMCA” song? In the first episode of Silver Linings, The Old Gays dive into an essential part of queer life: chosen family. They discuss the vital love, support, and sense of belonging that community provides, especially during life's toughest moments. They open up about what “queer” means to them, how chosen family has impacted their lives, and how to maintain close bonds over time–including their love for each other! “We’ve come a long way, baby.” Family isn’t just what you’re born with; it’s the people who show up, shape you, and stick around. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.…
Prove Your Value & Increase Retention, With Mari-Liis Vaher
Manage episode 472126715 series 2820836
Content provided by Marcel Petitpas. All podcast content including episodes, graphics, and podcast descriptions are uploaded and provided directly by Marcel Petitpas or their podcast platform partner. If you believe someone is using your copyrighted work without your permission, you can follow the process outlined here https://player.fm/legal.
Points of Interest
- 01:09 – 01:46 – Meet Today’s Guest: Mari-Liis Vaher: Marketing pro, entrepreneur, and author of The Greatest Marketer in the World, Mari-Liis is here to help agencies prove their value and keep clients happy.
- 03:04 – 03:40 – The Big Marketing Trust Issue: Ever had a client drop you out of nowhere, even though you were hitting all their goals? Mari-Liis explains why so many agencies struggle to prove their worth.
- 07:10 – 07:57 – Marketing Is More Than Just Ads: Think marketing is just running social media and ad campaigns? Mari-Liis breaks down why it’s actually a full system that needs to align with sales and leadership.
- 11:51 – 12:36 – Scaling vs. Burning Out: Mari-Liis shares the hard lessons from running (and exiting) a seven-figure agency—why she left behind endless client work to build something more sustainable.
- 17:04 – 17:46 – The Power of the “MIP Hour”: Setting aside an hour of focused, distraction-free work time each day can be a total game-changer for your productivity and stress levels.
- 24:47 – 25:26 – Don’t Just Take Clients at Their Word: When a client asks for SEO, Facebook ads, or a website, do you ask why? Mari-Liis explains why digging deeper leads to better results.
- 28:24 – 29:06 – The #1 Killer of Good Marketing: Most marketing doesn’t fail because the ideas are bad—it fails because of bad communication. Here’s how to make sure everyone’s on the same page.
- 37:41 – 38:30 – Why Keeping Clients in the Loop Is Everything: If you’re not giving your clients updates, they’re making up their own (usually bad) stories about what’s happening. Avoid that trap!
- 42:42 – 43:07 – Freebies & Book Launch: Get Mari-Liis’ free productivity guide, take a DISC personality test, and get early access to The Greatest Marketer in the World!
Show Notes
- Free Productivity Guide for Overwhelmed Marketers - Learn how to work smarter, not harder: Download Here
- Free DISC Personality Type Test to Boost Your Impact in Communication – Understand how to communicate effectively in sales and marketing: Get It Free With Code MARCEL (this is a paid tool but with the coupon MARCEL, it is possible to download it for free.)
- Book Coming Soon: TheGreatestMarketer.com
- Connect with Mari-Liis:
Love the Podcast
Leave us a review here.
183 episodes
ShareManage episode 472126715 series 2820836
Content provided by Marcel Petitpas. All podcast content including episodes, graphics, and podcast descriptions are uploaded and provided directly by Marcel Petitpas or their podcast platform partner. If you believe someone is using your copyrighted work without your permission, you can follow the process outlined here https://player.fm/legal.
Points of Interest
- 01:09 – 01:46 – Meet Today’s Guest: Mari-Liis Vaher: Marketing pro, entrepreneur, and author of The Greatest Marketer in the World, Mari-Liis is here to help agencies prove their value and keep clients happy.
- 03:04 – 03:40 – The Big Marketing Trust Issue: Ever had a client drop you out of nowhere, even though you were hitting all their goals? Mari-Liis explains why so many agencies struggle to prove their worth.
- 07:10 – 07:57 – Marketing Is More Than Just Ads: Think marketing is just running social media and ad campaigns? Mari-Liis breaks down why it’s actually a full system that needs to align with sales and leadership.
- 11:51 – 12:36 – Scaling vs. Burning Out: Mari-Liis shares the hard lessons from running (and exiting) a seven-figure agency—why she left behind endless client work to build something more sustainable.
- 17:04 – 17:46 – The Power of the “MIP Hour”: Setting aside an hour of focused, distraction-free work time each day can be a total game-changer for your productivity and stress levels.
- 24:47 – 25:26 – Don’t Just Take Clients at Their Word: When a client asks for SEO, Facebook ads, or a website, do you ask why? Mari-Liis explains why digging deeper leads to better results.
- 28:24 – 29:06 – The #1 Killer of Good Marketing: Most marketing doesn’t fail because the ideas are bad—it fails because of bad communication. Here’s how to make sure everyone’s on the same page.
- 37:41 – 38:30 – Why Keeping Clients in the Loop Is Everything: If you’re not giving your clients updates, they’re making up their own (usually bad) stories about what’s happening. Avoid that trap!
- 42:42 – 43:07 – Freebies & Book Launch: Get Mari-Liis’ free productivity guide, take a DISC personality test, and get early access to The Greatest Marketer in the World!
Show Notes
- Free Productivity Guide for Overwhelmed Marketers - Learn how to work smarter, not harder: Download Here
- Free DISC Personality Type Test to Boost Your Impact in Communication – Understand how to communicate effectively in sales and marketing: Get It Free With Code MARCEL (this is a paid tool but with the coupon MARCEL, it is possible to download it for free.)
- Book Coming Soon: TheGreatestMarketer.com
- Connect with Mari-Liis:
Love the Podcast
Leave us a review here.
183 episodes
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1 Taking Action on Profitability Improvements, With Mandi Ellefson 40:55
40:55 Play Later Play Later Lists Like Liked40:55
Play Later Play Later Lists Like LikedPoints of Interest 0:00 – 1:18 – The Real Growth Blocker : Mandi kicks off by addressing how many agency owners avoid growth-driving actions not due to lack of knowledge, but due to fear and discomfort. Commitment to transformation must outweigh resistance. 2:22 – 3:53 – Mandi’s Mission at Hands-Off CEO : Mandi shares her focus on helping service-based agencies scale sustainably and profitably by building systems that allow businesses to grow without the owner being in the weeds. 4:00 – 5:15 – Understanding Delivery Margin : Marcel introduces delivery margin as a core profitability metric—the portion of revenue left after delivering services, which can fund growth, overhead, and profit. 5:23 – 7:23 – Charging More for the Same Work : They discuss the first profitability lever: increasing your average billable rate. Mandi explains why agencies should price for outcomes, not deliverables, and how a value-focused approach earns higher fees. 7:29 – 9:09 – Pricing Confidence is a Mindset Shift : Many owners struggle to raise prices because they lack confidence. Mandi emphasizes becoming the type of person who can confidently sell high-value offers before they’re “ready.” 10:03 – 12:26 – Real Case: From $30K to $120K Projects : Mandi shares a client success story where reframing services as long-term transformational engagements led to a 600% price increase and more stable profitability. 13:25 – 15:27 – Efficiency vs. People-Pleasing : The second lever—efficiency—is often blocked by the urge to keep clients happy. Mandi explains how this mindset causes scope creep and prevents outcomes-driven work. 16:00 – 17:59 – Leadership Over Likeability : Mandi makes the case that effective client leadership, not compliance, drives results. You must be more committed to their transformation than to being liked. 18:48 – 20:22 – Right-Sizing the Team (The Hard Way) : As utilization drops, hard decisions arise. Mandi discusses the emotional difficulty of letting go of team members—even those who’ve been with you a long time—but insists it’s necessary for long-term vision. 23:17 – 25:39 – Create Revenue Before Cutting : Instead of jumping to layoffs, Mandi encourages tapping past and current clients to unlock fast revenue with strategic conversations and new vision-based offers. 30:05 – 32:59 – Rebalancing Workloads and Internal Focus : When utilization rises, teams often feel overworked. Mandi and Marcel recommend reprioritizing or pausing internal projects to ensure capacity goes toward revenue-generating work. 34:07 – 36:46 – Reducing Average Cost per Hour : The final lever involves delegation. Mandi outlines a “$5 to $5,000/hour” time audit to move low-value tasks off senior team members and improve margin through better team leverage. Show Notes Download the Scalability Checklist The Hands-Off CEO Book Mandi’s Podcast Mandi’s LinkedIn Buy back your Time Love the Podcast Leave us a review here .…
1 How Parakeeto Helps Agencies Improve Profitability, With Kristen Kelly 35:41
35:41 Play Later Play Later Lists Like Liked35:41
Play Later Play Later Lists Like LikedPoints of Interest 2:14 – 3:18 – Founding Insight: Parakeeto was created to help agencies easily answer crucial financial questions by replacing guesswork with structured systems. 3:23 – 4:39 – How Agencies Make Profit: Strong delivery margin is key. Parakeeto targets a 50%+ delivery margin and 20–30% net profit as benchmarks. 5:45 – 6:58 – Why Profitability is Hard to Measure: Profitability requires collecting and aligning fragmented data across leadership, ops, and finance functions. 6:59 – 8:33 – Framework Misalignment: Agencies struggle with inconsistent definitions and relationships between key metrics like utilization and capacity. 9:10 – 10:10 – Messy & Incomplete Data: Most agencies collect data in tools but struggle with consistency, structure, and hygiene—making optimization difficult. 10:41 – 12:14 – Need for Operational Bookkeeping: Like accounting, operational data needs regular cleanup, maintenance, and review to support decisions. 13:05 – 14:27 – Improved Visibility = Better Focus: Parakeeto’s framework simplifies agency metrics and identifies gaps to improve ROI tracking and alignment. 16:02 – 17:30 – Modeling & Benchmarking: Agencies get clarity by comparing their performance against industry standards and their own financial goals. 18:15 – 20:49 – Pricing Tools that Drive Profit: Parakeeto’s estimator helps standardize pricing, reduce guesswork, and align prices with profitability targets. 25:02 – 27:15 – Forecasting Made Simple: “Top-down forecasting” lets agencies simulate staffing and revenue scenarios with minimal setup—great for scaling. 29:39 – 31:58 – Actionable Reports Drive Change: With consistent reporting cadences, teams align around data to reduce scope creep and focus on what matters. Additional Resources Calculators Agency Profitability Target Calculator Agency Fee Calculator: How Much Should You Charge? Agency Rate Calculator: Determine Your Hourly Rate How to Calculate Your Billable Employee Cost-Per-Hour (ACPH) Blog Post Measuring and Improving your Agency’s Profitability – The 2023 Guide 3 Key Profitability Drivers Agencies Need to Prioritize 8 Vital Agency Metrics & KPIs to Improve Profitability Maximizing Project Profit Margin: A Guide to Increasing Returns Love the Podcast Leave us a review here .…
1 Driving Agency Profitability Through Smarter Contracting, With Tiffany Kemp 30:05
30:05 Play Later Play Later Lists Like Liked30:05
Play Later Play Later Lists Like LikedPoints of Interest 1:14 – 2:53 – Introduction: Marcel introduces Tiffany, who explains her firm’s mission to help agencies use contracts as strategic tools rather than just legal formalities. 3:06 – 4:08 – Why Contracts Get a Bad Rap: Many agencies view contracts purely as legal protection, missing their potential to strengthen client relationships and reduce future conflicts. 4:38 – 6:02 – Misguided Legal Focus: Agencies often waste time on low-risk legal scenarios instead of focusing on practical issues that more commonly disrupt projects, like miscommunication. 7:01 – 8:56 – Real Risks Are Operational: Most issues arise not from lawsuits, but from unclear responsibilities and client misunderstandings about what’s required to get good results. 9:02 – 11:07 – Contracts Should Reflect Reality: A "Goldilocks" contract—just right for the business context—is more effective than copying generic templates that don't fit the agency’s operations. 11:13 – 13:13 – Understand Common Failure Points: Agencies need to identify real-world issues (like IP problems or client-supplied content) and structure contracts to prevent and address them clearly. 15:31 – 17:00 – Matching Pricing Models to Scope: Marcel introduces the Pricing Model Quadrant to explore how pricing (time-based, deliverables, outcomes) should guide how scope is documented. 18:01 – 20:21 – Miscommunication in Scope Documents: Flexible contracts often fail when salespeople write scopes conversationally, leading to misinterpretation by delivery teams or clients. 21:11 – 22:47 – Internal Clarity is Just as Vital: Clear scopes benefit internal teams too—so account and project managers can make aligned decisions without relying on secondhand info. 23:00 – 24:49 – Scope Creep and Change Requests: Knowing the pricing model helps teams respond consistently to client requests—whether that means upselling time or renegotiating scope. 26:27 – 29:30 – Trust Reduces Contracting Pain: Tiffany shares that as client trust grows, they move from demanding rigid scopes to preferring flexible, time-based arrangements, simplifying collaboration. Show Notes Devant Website Book: Deal Makers Essential Contract Drafting Skills: A Practical Guide YouTube Email: tiffany.kemp@devant.co.u k Love the Podcast Leave us a review here .…
1 Pricing & Scoping for Agencies, With Marcel Petitpas 26:24
26:24 Play Later Play Later Lists Like Liked26:24
Play Later Play Later Lists Like LikedPoints of Interest 0:00 – 0:14 – Introduction to Pricing Framework: Marcel introduces a universal pricing formula that applies across all billing models, setting the stage for simplifying agency profitability assessments. 0:54 – 1:38 – Solo Episode Overview: Marcel explains that the episode will draw from his All Agency Summit presentation, covering how to price profitably and choose optimal pricing models. 1:50 – 3:08 – The Best Pricing Model: Marcel emphasizes that the "best" pricing model is the one that consistently delivers the best margin, not a specific method like value-based or hourly billing. 5:22 – 6:59 – Differentiating Pricing and Scoping: He defines pricing as determining what the client will pay and scoping as calculating what the service will cost the agency, advocating for separating the two. 8:00 – 10:03 – Introduction to Delivery Margin: Marcel presents delivery margin as the cornerstone metric for agency profitability, explaining how to calculate it using agency gross income and delivery costs. 11:02 – 12:34 – Setting Delivery Margin Targets: He recommends targeting a minimum 70% delivery margin to achieve healthy profitability after accounting for overhead and utilization inefficiencies. 13:15 – 15:14 – Finding the Minimum Price: Marcel shares a formula to calculate minimum pricing: dividing delivery cost by (1 - margin target) and adding any pass-through expenses. 16:39 – 17:16 – Introducing the Pricing Model Quadrant: The two vectors—client-perceived value and delivery risk—are introduced as key factors for determining the appropriate pricing model. 17:49 – 19:17 – Understanding Value in Positioning: Marcel explains how niche positioning increases perceived value, affecting the pricing strategy and client comparisons. 20:08 – 22:02 – Accounting for Delivery Risk: He discusses how accurately agencies can predict project costs and why risk significantly impacts pricing model selection. 23:00 – 24:55 – Matching Pricing Models to Risk and Value: Marcel outlines when to use models like time-and-materials, abstracted time billing, flat fees, or value-based pricing depending on project risk and value. Show Notes All-in Agency Summit Chris Dubois & Dynamic Agency OS Free Agency Profit Toolkit Free access to our Model Platform Parakeeto Foundations Course Love the Podcast Leave us a review here .…
1 Profit First for Agencies, With Mike Michalowicz 38:08
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Play Later Play Later Lists Like LikedPoints of Interest 0:30 – 1:31 – Meet the Guest: Marcel introduces Mike as a prolific author and entrepreneur, best known for Profit First , and previews their deep dive into simplifying profitability for service businesses. 2:00 – 3:36 – From Struggle to Simplification: Mike shares how his own entrepreneurial failures led him to journal his learnings, become an author, and dedicate his work to simplifying business for fellow entrepreneurs. 4:00 – 4:58 – A Framework for Entrepreneurs: Mike explains the core business needs he addresses in his books—sales, profit, order, impact, and legacy—and how each book offers practical tools to tackle one of these pillars. 5:06 – 6:31 – Rethinking Growth: Mike critiques the glorification of VC-funded hypergrowth, advocating instead for right-sized, owner-aligned businesses that are profitable and purpose-driven. 6:38 – 11:02 – VC Realities vs. Bootstrapping: The conversation explores the downsides of venture capital—loss of control, high pressure, low founder pay—and makes the case for customer-funded, bootstrapped growth. 11:18 – 12:11 – Constraints Drive Innovation: Mike explains how constraints, like taking profit first, can push businesses to become more creative and disciplined, leading to stronger, more sustainable operations. 13:01 – 14:18 – Profit First in Practice: Through his investment work, Mike mandates implementation of Profit First in struggling businesses, using profit constraints to expose inefficiencies and force needed changes. 16:00 – 18:23 – The Envelope System: Profit First functions like an envelope budgeting system for businesses, with multiple bank accounts directing funds to specific purposes—profit, taxes, owner’s pay, and operations. 21:03 – 27:59 – Customizing for Agencies: Marcel and Mike discuss how to adapt Profit First for agencies, reverse engineering spending from lifestyle goals and avoiding industry average benchmarks. 31:26 – 34:57 – Smoothing Lumpy Revenue: Mike recommends “drip accounts” to normalize cash flow for businesses with irregular income, ensuring income is recognized and allocated over time. 35:03 – 37:35 – Tools and Support: The episode closes with a preview of the new Profit First app and a global network of certified professionals to support business owners in applying the framework effectively. Show Notes New Profit First App Profit First Professionals Mike’s new Imprint Love the Podcast Leave us a review here .…
1 The Three Immutable Laws of Profitability, With Marcel Petitpas 48:34
48:34 Play Later Play Later Lists Like Liked48:34
Play Later Play Later Lists Like LikedPoints of Interest 1:02 – 1:38 – Intro: Marcel introduces the session as a condensed version of his All-in Agency Summit talk, aimed at equipping agencies with the key levers to diagnose and improve profitability. 3:05 – 3:18 – 80/20 Profitability Focus: The goal is to give agencies 20% of the knowledge that provides 80% of the insight needed to take control of profitability, regardless of market conditions. 4:28 – 6:27 – The Growth Trap Cycle: Agencies often get stuck in a cycle of hiring during growth, losing profitability, scaling again, and repeatedly encountering the same financial challenges at larger scales. 6:42 – 7:01 – Identifying the Real Problem: Founders are urged to identify whether their agency's issue is inefficient delivery (indigestion) or lack of revenue (starvation) to avoid insolvency. 9:01 – 10:06 – Financial Metrics Foundation: Understanding core financial metrics—especially agency gross income (AGI)—is essential to making better business decisions beyond tax reporting. 14:24 – 18:05 – Delivery Margin as the Core Metric: Agencies should aim for delivery costs to stay under 50% of AGI, enabling better spending on overhead and stronger profitability. 21:44 – 26:44 – Lever 1: Average Cost Per Hour: Lowering the average cost of labor through delegation and improved processes helps reduce delivery costs and increase profitability. 28:03 – 31:55 – Lever 2: Average Billable Rate (ABR): Maximizing revenue per hour of delivery time, regardless of billing model, improves margins—either by pricing higher or working more efficiently. 34:17 – 38:24 – Lever 3: Utilization Rate: Utilization measures how much team capacity is spent on client work; improving it by selling more work or adjusting staff size directly affects profitability. 42:01 – 44:45 – Utilization Benchmarks: Weekly and annual utilization targets vary by role; producers should aim for 75%+ weekly, and teams should average 50–65% annually including all roles. 45:27 – 49:26 – Impact of Levers on Profit: A case study illustrates how modest gains in utilization and ABR can shift profit margins from 10% to 40%, increasing valuation by up to 500% without hiring or cutting overhead. Show Notes All-in Agency Summit Chris Dubois & Dynamic Agency OS Free Agency Profit Toolkit Free access to our Model Platform Parakeeto Foundations Course Love the Podcast Leave us a review here .…
1 How to Appeal to More Clients Without Diluting Your Niche, With John Meyer 33:25
33:25 Play Later Play Later Lists Like Liked33:25
Play Later Play Later Lists Like LikedPoints of Interest 1:04 – 1:46 – Introduction of John Meyer: Marcel introduces John Meyer, highlighting his experience as a successful agency owner, seller, and current business coach. 2:10 – 2:30 – John's Current Focus with Leadmore: John explains his mission with Leadmore: coaching agency owners to avoid solopreneur traps and scale their businesses. 2:30 – 3:11 – "No More Solo" Coaching Program: Details of John's group coaching for agencies in the $100k-$400k range focused on delegation and growth. 3:11 – 3:37 – Coaching for Scaling Agency CEOs: Information on John's one-on-one coaching for CEOs aiming to delegate and further scale their agencies beyond $500k. 4:32 – 5:30 – The Founding Story of Lemonly: John recounts the pivot from a broad digital agency to specializing in infographics for better focus and impact. 5:36 – 6:50 – Strategic Niche of Infographics: How Lemonly's focus on infographics led to recognition and work with major brands like Netflix and MLB. 8:38 – 9:25 – The Challenge of Scaling a Niche: The episode transitions to discussing the dilemma of staying niched versus widening services for continued growth. 14:51 – 15:03 – Introduction to the Product Ladder: John introduces his framework of four ways service businesses can generate revenue. 15:03 – 17:18 – Levels of the Product Ladder Explained: A brief overview of the custom, done-for-you, done-with-you, and DIY service levels. 17:54 – 18:08 – Utilizing the Ladder for Increased Profit: The concept of moving clients up or down the ladder and repackaging services for better retention and profitability. 26:58 – 28:31 – Avoiding Custom Work at "Done-For-You" Prices: John cautions against providing bespoke services while charging for standardized offerings. Show Notes Connect with John: Johntmeyer.com LinkedIn Instagram YouTube Love the Podcast Leave us a review here .…
1 How to Downsize Your Agency, With Carson Pierce 48:29
48:29 Play Later Play Later Lists Like Liked48:29
Play Later Play Later Lists Like LikedPoints of Interest 0:00 – 0:23 – Small Cuts, Big Impact: Marcel explains how trimming small recurring expenses added up to $7K/month in potential savings. 1:32 – 2:44 – Market Uncertainty Hits Everyone: Carson highlights how client indecision is stalling agency pipelines across the industry. 3:04 – 3:23 – Opportunity in Unstable Times: Marcel frames uncertainty as a chance to optimize, streamline, and future-proof the business. 4:02 – 4:36 – Sales Slowdowns and Staffing Pressure: Agencies must balance shrinking pipelines with existing team and overhead costs. 5:02 – 5:25 – Avoiding Cost-Cutting Traps: Downsizing without strategy can hollow out delivery capacity and worsen long-term profitability. 6:02 – 6:36 – Overhead First, Not Production: Carson shares a personal lesson on the importance of reducing overhead over core delivery staff. 8:05 – 9:56 – Balancing Optimism and Cash Management: Founders must weigh hopeful projections against real cash reserves to avoid crisis. 12:04 – 13:19 – Trigger-Based Decision Rules: Carson suggests creating clear, data-driven thresholds for when to take action—before it’s too late. 17:03 – 17:22 – Austerity Exercise Yields Results: Marcel’s audit of seemingly small expenses uncovered significant monthly savings. 21:01 – 22:37 – Smooth Transitions Are Possible: Fears around losing key people are often overstated—teams adapt and grow stronger. 27:12 – 28:13 – Use a Payroll Grid for Clarity: Marcel introduces a framework for assessing roles, costs, and time allocation to guide decisions. 34:10 – 35:06 – Profitability Benchmarks to Follow: Aim for ≤50% of income to delivery, ≤30% to overhead, and utilization of at least 50–60%. Show Notes Connect with Carson via LinkedIn Get access to this model tool in the toolkit Parakeeto Foundations Course Free access to our Model Platform Podcast on benchmarking Love the Podcast Leave us a review here .…
1 Financial Planning for Agency Owners, With Jason Peck 32:56
32:56 Play Later Play Later Lists Like Liked32:56
Play Later Play Later Lists Like LikedPoints of Interest 01:01 – 01:46 – Meet Today’s Guest: Jason Peck: Jason, a certified financial planner at EverWise Wealth Management , joins the show to share how agency owners can build wealth, protect their families, and stop relying solely on their business for financial freedom. 05:00 – 06:10 – Unique Challenges for Agency Owners: Jason outlines what makes agency finances different—volatile income, illiquid equity, and a heavy reliance on the owner’s involvement in day-to-day operations. 08:56 – 10:21 – Why You Must Build Wealth Outside the Business: Jason explains the risks of having all your financial eggs in the agency basket and how diversifying can protect you from unexpected life events. 12:27 – 13:56 – The 9 Core Areas of Personal Financial Planning: From relationships to estate planning, Jason walks through the key components of a comprehensive financial plan tailored to agency owners. 21:57 – 22:46 – The Tax Efficiency Trap: Marcel and Jason discuss the downsides of over-optimizing for taxes, including poor business visibility, unnecessary complexity, and missed opportunities for growth. 27:03 – 29:12 – Estate Planning & Partner Protection: Jason shares how to safeguard your agency and your loved ones with wills, powers of attorney, insurance policies, and buy-sell agreements. 30:53 – 33:36 – Planning for a Smooth and Intentional Exit: Whether selling or passing the business on, Jason explains how to align exit planning with personal goals and financial security. Show Notes Connect with Jason: LinkedIn EverWise Love the Podcast Leave us a review here .…
1 Building a Model for Your Agency, With Carson Pierce 35:40
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Play Later Play Later Lists Like LikedPoints of Interest 00:51 – 01:14 – Meet Today’s Guest: Carson Pierce: Carson, a fan favorite at Parakeeto, joins the show to discuss a key challenge for agency owners—transitioning from expert to CEO while managing financial complexities. 02:01 – 03:10 – The Common Agency Struggle: Many agency owners are incredible at their craft but struggle with the financial side of running a business, leading to inefficiencies and profit loss. 05:01 – 06:40 – The Knowledge Gap in the Agency World: Historically, there hasn’t been much comprehensive content available to help agency owners understand the financials of their business, making it difficult to navigate profitability challenges. 09:01 – 11:00 – Breaking Down Agency Finances: Marcel and Carson introduce a simple but effective model that helps agencies determine whether they are set up for financial success or destined to struggle. 11:01 – 13:30 – Understanding the Delivery Margin: Why agency profitability is largely determined by how efficiently they deliver client work and how much of every earned dollar is left after delivery costs. 16:01 – 18:40 – The Impact of Small Pricing Adjustments: A 10% drop in billable rates can significantly affect profitability—why agencies must be intentional about pricing and scope. 18:41 – 21:00 – The Payroll Grid: Your Agency’s Financial Roadmap: How to break down staff costs, expected billable hours, and rates to create a clear financial model for your agency. 21:01 – 24:00 – Expense Allocation & Overhead Costs: Understanding where your money is going and ensuring overhead stays in check without cutting the things that drive business growth. 24:01 – 27:30 – Profitability Benchmarks & The 50/30/20 Rule: The ideal breakdown for agency spending—50% on delivery, 30% on overhead, and 20%+ in profit—and why most agencies don’t hit these targets. 27:31 – 30:00 – The Dangers of Underpricing & Low Utilization: Why agencies that don’t charge enough or struggle to keep their teams busy end up running on razor-thin margins (or even losing money). 32:41 – 35:10 – Why Agency Owners Must Know Their Numbers: Financial clarity leads to better decisions—knowing what’s working and what’s not is the key to running a sustainable agency. Show Notes Connect with Carson via LinkedIn Get access to this model tool in the toolkit Parakeeto Foundations Course Books Mentioned: Digital Dollars and Cents Financial Management of a Marketing Firm Software as a Science Love the Podcast Leave us a review here .…
1 Prove Your Value & Increase Retention, With Mari-Liis Vaher 41:04
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Play Later Play Later Lists Like LikedPoints of Interest 01:09 – 01:46 – Meet Today’s Guest: Mari-Liis Vaher: Marketing pro, entrepreneur, and author of The Greatest Marketer in the World, Mari-Liis is here to help agencies prove their value and keep clients happy. 03:04 – 03:40 – The Big Marketing Trust Issue: Ever had a client drop you out of nowhere, even though you were hitting all their goals? Mari-Liis explains why so many agencies struggle to prove their worth. 07:10 – 07:57 – Marketing Is More Than Just Ads: Think marketing is just running social media and ad campaigns? Mari-Liis breaks down why it’s actually a full system that needs to align with sales and leadership. 11:51 – 12:36 – Scaling vs. Burning Out: Mari-Liis shares the hard lessons from running (and exiting) a seven-figure agency—why she left behind endless client work to build something more sustainable. 17:04 – 17:46 – The Power of the “MIP Hour”: Setting aside an hour of focused, distraction-free work time each day can be a total game-changer for your productivity and stress levels. 24:47 – 25:26 – Don’t Just Take Clients at Their Word: When a client asks for SEO, Facebook ads, or a website, do you ask why? Mari-Liis explains why digging deeper leads to better results. 28:24 – 29:06 – The #1 Killer of Good Marketing: Most marketing doesn’t fail because the ideas are bad—it fails because of bad communication. Here’s how to make sure everyone’s on the same page. 37:41 – 38:30 – Why Keeping Clients in the Loop Is Everything: If you’re not giving your clients updates, they’re making up their own (usually bad) stories about what’s happening. Avoid that trap! 42:42 – 43:07 – Freebies & Book Launch: Get Mari-Liis’ free productivity guide, take a DISC personality test, and get early access to The Greatest Marketer in the World! Show Notes Free Productivity Guide for Overwhelmed Marketers - Learn how to work smarter, not harder: Download Here Free DISC Personality Type Test to Boost Your Impact in Communication – Understand how to communicate effectively in sales and marketing: Get It Free With Code MARCEL (this is a paid tool but with the coupon MARCEL, it is possible to download it for free.) Book Coming Soon: TheGreatestMarketer.com Connect with Mari-Liis: Website LinkedIn Instagram Facebook TikTok Love the Podcast Leave us a review here .…
1 Understanding Your Agency Model, With Carson Pierce 32:55
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Play Later Play Later Lists Like LikedPoints of Interest 00:55 – 01:14 – Meet Today’s Guest: Carson Pierce: Carson, a fan favorite at Parakeeto, joins the show to chat about a big shift in the agency world—why more agencies are ditching big teams in favor of lean, contractor-driven models. 01:34 – 02:29 – Agencies Are Shrinking Their Core Teams: Carson talks about a growing trend—agencies are keeping their leadership and strategy teams small while outsourcing most of the production work to contractors, freelancers, and offshore talent. 03:08 – 05:05 – Why Agencies Are Outsourcing More Work: Marcel breaks down the big reasons behind this shift, including rising salaries, AI shaking things up, a tough economy, and the fact that clients no longer care if their agency is local. 06:04 – 07:26 – Why Old-School Utilization Metrics Don’t Work Anymore: Carson explains how traditional utilization numbers can be misleading for agencies using more contractors, and why focusing on average billable rate (ABR) is a better approach. 08:03 – 10:44 – The Next Big Agency Trend: Internal Specialization: Marcel introduces the idea that agencies should focus on what they do best and outsource everything else—just like other industries have done to stay profitable. 12:02 – 14:04 – What Should You Keep In-House vs. Outsource?: Marcel shares a simple way to decide—play to your team’s strengths, keep control of the most critical parts of your client experience, and let experts handle everything else. 18:02 – 21:08 – Pricing Without Overcomplicating It: Marcel simplifies pricing strategy, explaining why agencies should stop obsessing over markup and hourly rates and instead focus on three things: revenue, pass-through costs, and delivery costs. 25:08 – 28:26 – Offshoring: The Good, The Bad, and The Smart Way to Do It: More agencies are hiring offshore talent to save money, but success depends on having solid processes and clear communication—Marcel and Carson share tips on how to do it right. 30:51 – 32:44 – The Future of Agencies: Smaller, Leaner, and More Specialized: Marcel predicts that agencies will continue breaking down into specialized teams, just like airlines and grocery chains have done, to survive in a market with shrinking margins. 34:22 – 35:04 – Final Takeaways: Marcel and Carson wrap up with a big reminder—profitability isn’t just about working harder; it’s about working smarter. Agencies that embrace internal specialization and strategic outsourcing will win in the long run. Show Notes Connect with Carson via LinkedIn Get access to this model tool in the toolkit Link to Pie Chart Visualization Parakeeto Foundations Course Books Digital Dollars and Cents by Jody Grunden Financial Management of a Marketing Firm by David C. Baker Software as a Science by Marcel, Dan Martell, Johnny Page & Matt Verlaque Love the Podcast Leave us a review here .…
1 Balancing Creativity and Profitability, With Tim Thompson 41:25
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Play Later Play Later Lists Like LikedPoints of Interest 0:00 – 0:32 – Show Introduction & Guest Introduction: Marcel introduces Tim Thompson , Owner and Chief Revolution Thinker at RevThink . He shares how they met at the MYOB conference, where they bonded over deep discussions on agency profitability and creative business management. 0:33 – 2:25 – Tim’s Background & The Journey to RevThink: Tim shares his career transition from Hollywood production, where he worked with legends like Ridley Scott and Steven Spielberg, to consulting creative studios. His firm, RevThink, now supports 750+ creative agency owners worldwide in building financially stable businesses. 2:26 – 5:00 – The Challenge of Balancing Creativity & Profitability: Tim explains how many creative entrepreneurs struggle to balance financial discipline with artistic freedom. The industry often pushes efficiency metrics like utilization rates, but creative businesses need a different approach to pricing, budgeting, and decision-making. 5:01 – 7:32 – The Shift from Cost-Plus Pricing to Value-Based Models: Marcel and Tim discuss the shift from hourly billing and cost-plus pricing to value-based models. Agencies that fail to adapt often undercharge and overdeliver, leading to profitability struggles. 7:33 – 10:55 – How Agencies Can Ensure They’re Charging Enough: Tim introduces The Splits Method, a framework that separates costs into direct (project-related) and indirect (overhead). This helps agencies better understand where their money is going and ensures that profit is baked into pricing from the start. 10:56 – 14:25 – The Power of Profit as an Expense: Tim challenges agencies to treat profit as an expense, meaning it should be allocated first before deciding how much to spend on project costs. This ensures business sustainability and long-term financial stability. 14:26 – 17:00 – The Seven Ingredients for a Thriving Agency: Tim introduces RevThink’s Seven Ingredients framework—Creative, Production, Sales, Marketing, Operations, Finance, and Entrepreneurship—which helps agency owners optimize their business holistically as they scale. 17:01 – 19:50 – Overcoming the Fear of Raising Prices: Many agencies negotiate against themselves, fearing clients won’t pay more. Tim explains how agencies can increase their rates or adjust project scope to maintain profitability without sacrificing client relationships. 19:51 – 23:30 – The Production Roll-Up: A Simple Meeting to Keep Projects on Track: Tim shares his method for a weekly production roll-up meeting, where agency teams quickly review: Creative quality, Client relationships, and Profitability. 23:31 – 26:55 – The Importance of Profitability for Business & Personal Freedom: Marcel and Tim discuss why profitability isn’t just about numbers—it’s about freedom, growth, and legacy. Many agency owners unknowingly sacrifice their financial future because they aren’t pricing or managing projects correctly. 2 6:56 – 29:30 – Why Business Owners Must Stop Negotiating Against Themselves: Many agency owners undercharge out of fear that clients won’t pay more. Tim encourages owners to ask for what their work is truly worth and, if needed, target better clients who understand the value they provide. 29:31 – 32:10 – The Role of Entrepreneurship in Agency Growth: Tim discusses the entrepreneurial mindset required to scale a creative agency while managing financial risks. He explains how business growth, personal wealth, and legacy planning must be aligned. 32:11 – 35:50 – How Agencies Can Adapt to Industry Changes & Maintain Profitability: Marcel and Tim analyze industry shifts, including advances in technology, changing client expectations, and pricing pressures. They discuss how agencies can innovate and stay competitive in a rapidly evolving market. 35:51 – 38:20 – The Moral Argument for Running a Profitable Business: Marcel and Tim discuss why being profitable is a responsibility, not just a goal. A profitable agency provides stability for employees, fosters innovation, and allows owners to reinvest in their vision. Show Notes Revthink.com Revthinking Podcast Community 1-1 consulting Accelerators…
1 The Process Behind Profit Management, With Kristen Kelly 40:17
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Play Later Play Later Lists Like LikedPoints of Interest 0:24 – 0:54 – Show Introduction & Guest Introduction: Marcel introduces Kristen Kelly, highlighting her expertise in operations and agency profitability management. 1:01 – 1:45 – The Three-Part Profitability Management System Overview: Kristen recaps the framework discussed in previous episodes: the right data, ensuring financial, delivery, and sales data are clean; the right framework, having clear metrics and understanding relationships; and the right process, implementing structured cadences for decision-making. 1:46 – 3:07 – Why Process is Often the Missing Piece in Profitability Management: Marcel explains that many agencies mistakenly view profitability management as an event rather than an ongoing process. He highlights common pitfalls, such as assuming data will always be clean or that a one-time setup will be sufficient. 4:59 – 7:46 – Data Hygiene: Managing Messy Data in Agencies: Kristen and Marcel dive into the first major component of process—data hygiene. They discuss common data inconsistencies, such as naming conventions, incorrect project tracking, and human input errors. Marcel emphasizes the importance of an ETL (Extract, Transform, Load) process to clean and normalize data. 10:03 – 13:26 – Managing Change in Agency Operations: Kristen and Marcel discuss the second key aspect of process: change management. Changes in sales strategies, CRM systems, or project management tools can disrupt data reporting. A structured process ensures smooth transitions and prevents disruptions in decision-making. 17:01 – 20:52 – Cadence: Aligning Stakeholders for Operational Success: Establishing consistent meeting cadences ensures alignment between sales, operations, and finance teams. The right frequency depends on agency size and project nature. Monthly executive meetings should focus on key business objectives and resourcing decisions. Regular check-ins help prevent last-minute hiring crises and pricing inefficiencies. 28:51 – 33:07 – How Operators Can Manage Up and Set Expectations: Operators should proactively align reporting with leadership goals. Stakeholder management is crucial—Ops leaders should ensure data supports executive decision-making without overwhelming them with details. Simplification and consistency are key to maintaining executive buy-in. 33:08 – 36:56 – Fighting Unnecessary Complexity in Reporting: Marcel shares a common mistake: leaders often want overly detailed reporting, which adds unnecessary complexity and friction. The key is balancing detail with usability to avoid overwhelming decision-makers. Simple, actionable reports are more effective than highly detailed but impractical ones. 36:57 – 40:26 – The Real Value of Efficient Reporting: Shorter, More Productive Meetings: The success of a reporting system is measured by how quickly teams can align and take action—not by how long they spend looking at data. The less time spent in meetings discussing reports, the more time can be spent executing on insights. 40:27 – 42:40 – Final Takeaways: How to Get Started with Process Implementation: Start by identifying the key business decisions that require data support. Work backward from business objectives to define the right data and process framework. Establish clear cadences and responsibilities for maintaining data hygiene and managing change. Prioritize alignment and simplicity over excessive detail. Show Notes Connect with Kristen via LinkedIn Free Toolkit Parakeeto Foundations Course Love the Podcast Leave us a review here .…
1 Visual Client Communication & Building SaaS in an Agency, With Mikael Dia 38:08
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Play Later Play Later Lists Like LikedPoints of Interest 01:04 – 01:35 – Guest Introduction – Mikael Dia of Funnelytics : Mikael Dia, former agency owner turned SaaS entrepreneur, shares his journey from running an agency to founding Funnelytics, a tool designed to visually map and analyze digital marketing funnels. 06:24 – 08:20 – How Funnelytics Was Born: Funnelytics emerged from the need to overlay real marketing data on top of strategic visualizations, allowing agencies and marketers to prove and optimize their funnel strategies effectively. 08:25 – 10:05 – The Importance of Visual Communication in Business: Marcel and Mikael discuss how visual communication aids in client understanding, enhances learning, and fosters trust, a principle rooted in adult learning theory. 10:42 – 12:13 – Impact of Visual Strategies on Agency Sales & Retention: Using visual models in sales processes helped Mikael’s agency close deals faster and at higher prices by positioning services as strategic solutions rather than commodity offerings. 12:24 – 14:06 – Enhancing Client Retention with Visual Reporting: By consistently tying marketing efforts back to a visualized strategy, agencies can effectively communicate progress, highlight bottlenecks, and demonstrate value to clients. 15:02 – 17:08 – Clients Need a Clear Path, Not Just Services: Clients struggle to see how individual marketing services fit into a bigger strategy. Mapping out a clear pathway from initial engagement to desired outcomes transforms how clients perceive agency value. 20:56 – 24:06 – Transitioning from an Agency to a SaaS Business: Mikael shares key lessons from shifting from an agency to SaaS, emphasizing the importance of knowing one’s strengths, finding a technical co-founder, and solving real customer problems. 27:19 – 32:24 – Common Pitfalls in SaaS Development: Mikael and Marcel discuss the challenges of product development, the need for technical expertise, and the mistake of building features based on assumptions rather than market feedback. 32:42 – 36:12 – The Reality of Finding Product-Market Fit: The conversation highlights the challenge of achieving product-market fit, the importance of iterating quickly, and the value of starting with a service-first approach before building software. 37:03 – 39:00 – Shifting Mindsets: From Proving Yourself Right to Proving Yourself Wrong: Marcel shares a key insight: the biggest shift in product development success comes when founders move from trying to validate their own ideas to actively seeking to disprove them as quickly as possible. Show Notes Connect with Mikael LinkedIn Facebook Facebook Group Funnelytics Love the Podcast Leave us a review here .…
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The Agency Profit Podcast
1 Why Most Reporting Systems Fail, & What to Do Instead, With Ben Zittlau 51:15
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Play Later Play Later Lists Like LikedPoints of Interest 01:00 – 01:45 – Guest Introduction: Marcel welcomes back his co-founder, Ben Zittlau, highlighting his expertise in data operations and agency growth strategies. 03:35 – 05:50 – Scaling Data Operations: Lessons from Jobber : Ben shares insights from his experience at Jobber, detailing the challenges of building and scaling a data operations team in a fast-growing company. 08:43 – 13:14 – Why Agencies Struggle to Get Insights from Their Data : Discussion on how agencies collect vast amounts of data across multiple tools but fail to derive meaningful insights due to fragmentation and inconsistency. 13:15 – 16:05 – The Myth of a “Single Source of Truth : Marcel and Ben challenge the common belief that pushing all data into a single platform solves reporting issues, highlighting the reality of messy operational data. 19:26 – 21:48 – The Limitations of All-in-One Software Solutions : Exploring why all-in-one agency management tools often fail to deliver on their promise of seamless reporting and data integration. 24:43 – 27:44 – The Hidden Costs of Locking into a Single Platform : Discussion on how agencies become “trapped” by software providers, making it difficult to switch tools without major operational disruptions. 30:29 – 35:53 – How to Integrate Data Without Sacrificing Flexibility : A deep dive into the challenges of stitching data from various tools while maintaining adaptability and historical accuracy. 35:54 – 41:14 – Accuracy vs. Precision: Why Clean Data is a Myth : Why agencies should focus on broader trends instead of pursuing impossible data perfection, and how to handle data inconsistencies effectively. 41:15 – 44:15 – A Modern Data Approach: Extract, Transform, Load (ETL) : Introduction to the ETL process, which allows agencies to clean and transform data before reporting, improving reliability and flexibility. 50:14 – 52:00 – Lessons from Finance: What Agencies Can Learn from Accounting : Marcel compares data operations to bookkeeping, explaining how structured financial workflows can serve as a model for better agency data management. Show Notes Connect with Ben via LinkedIn Free Toolkit Parakeeto Foundations Course Love the Podcast Leave us a review here .…
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The Agency Profit Podcast
1 Is White Label The Future of Agencies?, With Manish Dudharejia 37:10
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Play Later Play Later Lists Like LikedPoints of Interest 01:02 – 01:28 – Introduction to Manish Dudharejia : Manish Dudharejia, founder of E2M , is introduced as a leader in white label agency services, serving over 300 agencies globally with a focus on profitability and scalability. 01:34 – 02:45 – Manish’s Journey and E2M’s Growth : Manish shares how E2M evolved from serving diverse clients to specializing in white label services for agencies, growing to a 270+ member team over 12 years. 03:04 – 04:36 – Building a Culture of Excellence : Manish credits E2M’s success to a strong team and culture, emphasizing the importance of effective communication, realistic expectations, and timely delivery of high-quality services. 07:01 – 08:15 – Shifts in the White Label Industry : Manish identifies two major trends shaping the industry: combining local account management with offshore execution and leveraging AI to enhance efficiency and reduce costs. 10:55 – 12:01 – Problem-Solving as the New Specialization : Marcel explains how agencies are shifting from service-specific specialization to solving broader problems, requiring partnerships with white label providers to expand their capabilities. 15:14 – 17:11 – Hybrid Models for Scalable Agencies : Manish discusses the benefits of a hybrid model, where agencies maintain in-house teams for client-facing roles like sales and account management while outsourcing execution to white label partners. 17:11 – 18:47 – Profitability through White Label Partnerships : Marcel highlights how white label partnerships allow agencies to focus on high-margin activities, scale efficiently, and achieve better profitability by outsourcing execution. 22:43 – 24:02 – Flexibility and Scalability with White Label Models : Manish emphasizes the flexibility white label partners offer, allowing agencies to scale resources up or down based on demand while minimizing operational risks. 31:02 – 32:43 – Specialization and Delegation : Marcel and Manish discuss the importance of focusing on core competencies and outsourcing non-core tasks to partners who excel in those areas, enabling agencies to scale effectively. 34:28 – 36:07 – Outsourcing What You Don’t Enjoy : Manish shares two key frameworks for agency owners: Outsource tasks that cost less than your billable rate. Delegate tasks you dislike to partners who excel in those areas, creating win-win scenarios. Show Notes Connect with Manish LinkedIn Twitter E2M Solutions Love the Podcast Leave us a review here .…
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The Agency Profit Podcast
1 Breaking Down Earned Revenue to Drive Better Agency Decisions, With Ben Zittlau 42:35
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Play Later Play Later Lists Like LikedPoints of Interest 01:00 – 01:50 – Episode Kickoff and Guest Introduction: Marcel introduces Ben Zittlau, his co-founder and the “brains behind the operation” at Parakeeto, highlighting Ben’s instrumental role in shaping the company’s philosophies and tools. 01:51 – 04:25 – Ben’s Background and Early Career: Ben shares his journey from studying electrical engineering to becoming deeply involved in startups, entrepreneurship, and eventually co-founding Parakeeto, along with his notable work at Jobber. 04:26 – 06:44 – Lessons from Jobber and Shaping Profitability Frameworks: Ben reflects on his time at Jobber, where he observed how businesses transformed when they understood profitability over revenue, a realization that shaped Parakeeto’s focus. 06:45 – 07:22 – Parakeeto’s Founding and Evolution: Ben discusses how he and Marcel connected over their shared passion for solving complex problems for service businesses, leading to the creation of Parakeeto. 07:23 – 08:35 – Behind-the-Scenes Collaboration: Marcel highlights the depth of thought and iteration that he and Ben have poured into refining their profitability frameworks, setting the stage for their discussion. 08:36 – 11:34 – Common Profitability Traps in Agencies: The duo dives into how agencies often fall into traps like relying on cash flow or revenue as proxies for profitability, leading to poor business decisions. 11:35 – 14:14 – The Pitfalls of Cashflow-Based Decision Making: Ben and Marcel explain how focusing on cash flow can create illusions of profitability or mask underlying financial issues, illustrated by real client examples. 14:15 – 17:04 – Revenue vs. Profitability Decisions: They highlight how agencies often conflate cash flow with profit, sharing examples of businesses choosing lower-margin work due to short-term cash needs. 17:05 – 19:57 – Differentiating Revenue from Agency Gross Income (AGI): Ben explains the importance of isolating pass-through expenses to get a true picture of what’s left for an agency to operate and grow. 19:58 – 23:17 – Misconceptions About Markup and Rates: The discussion shifts to how agencies often misunderstand the role of markup in profitability and why focusing on average billable rates is key. 23:18 – 30:45 – The Problem with One-Size-Fits-All Frameworks: Ben and Marcel emphasize the risks of trying to unify operational, sales, and accounting frameworks, advocating for purpose-built tools tailored to each team’s needs. 30:46 – 43:39 – The Future of Profitability Insights: They conclude by discussing how technology is making enterprise-level profitability analysis more accessible to smaller businesses, empowering agencies to make smarter, data-driven decisions. Show Notes Connect with Ben via LinkedIn Free Toolkit Parakeeto Foundations Course Love the Podcast? Leave us a review here .…
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The Agency Profit Podcast
1 First Principles Software Implementation In Your Agency, With Henrik Becker 37:44
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Play Later Play Later Lists Like LikedPoints of Interest 00:51 – 01:29 – Introduction to Henrik Becker : Marcel introduces Henrik Becker, an expert in agency coaching, EOS implementation, and CRM systems, now leading Rev Hops to improve agency sales and marketing systems. 01:30 – 02:13 – Henrik’s Career Journey : Henrik details his evolution from systematic marketing in 2010 to specializing in CRM platforms like Salesforce and HubSpot, emphasizing management systems for success. 03:42 – 04:48 – Aligning CRM with Operations : Marcel and Henrik stress that CRMs and operational tools should address fundamental business issues, adopting a first-principles approach to technology. 04:49 – 07:04 – Common CRM Problems : Henrik identifies signs of ineffective CRM use, such as Excel dependency, poor adoption, and data inaccuracies, which undermine sales and marketing efforts. 09:18 – 11:24 – CRM Implementation is a Process, Not an Event: CRM implementation requires ongoing adjustments as the business evolves, rather than being treated as a one-time project. 11:25 – 13:16 – Steps for a Successful CRM Setup : Henrik outlines a structured CRM setup approach: align on the problem, document processes, define requirements, design solutions, and implement incrementally. 16:06 – 18:24 – Focus on Simplicity and Quick Wins : Starting with a simplified CRM setup to deliver quick wins builds momentum, avoiding over-engineered systems. 18:25 – 20:42 – Avoiding Operational Complexity : Henrik and Marcel advise against overly complex systems, advocating for implementations aligned with team capabilities. 20:43 – 23:08 – Agile vs. Waterfall in CRM Implementation : Henrik critiques improper Agile usage in CRM projects, recommending clear planning and incremental adjustments over chaotic trial-and-error. 23:09 – 25:13 – Adapting to Change : Successful CRM implementations require regular updates to keep systems relevant and aligned with business evolution. 29:24 – 32:08 – Marcel’s Choice to Build at Scale : Marcel shares his decision to scale Parakeeto, balancing cash flow, risk, and long-term enterprise value. 36:06 – 38:54 – Final Words of Advice : Henrik emphasizes prioritizing processes, accountability, and alignment before choosing or changing a CRM system, as software is secondary to clear operations. Show Notes Connect with Henrik LinkedIn RevHops Love the Podcast Leave us a review here .…
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The Agency Profit Podcast
1 From Silos to Synergy: Building an Integrated Approach for Your Agency, With Kristen Kelly 38:09
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Play Later Play Later Lists Like LikedPoints of Interest 00:52 – 01:17 – Guest Introduction and Episode Overview: Marcel introduces Kristen Kelly, a member of the consulting team, and previews the episode’s focus on agency management trends, particularly on improving profitability and breaking down silos. 02:57 – 05:00 – Challenges with Siloed Agency Models: Kristen explains how siloed operations between sales, delivery, and finance lead to fragmented data, inefficiencies, and breakdowns during planning and execution. 05:00 – 07:30 – Modern Agency Realities and Challenges: Marcel highlights the need for integrated systems due to changing client relationships, dynamic pricing models, and rising economic pressures, which strain traditional agency structures. 07:30 – 10:00 – What Integrated Agency Management Looks Like: Marcel introduces the concept of integrated management, where real-time alignment between sales, delivery, and finance drives profitability and operational efficiency. 12:00 – 14:15 – Common Pitfalls of Over-Reliance on Finance: Kristen and Marcel discuss how relying solely on finance for insights often leads to delays, inaccuracies, and missed opportunities for timely interventions. 16:30 – 19:40 – Starting with a Business Model: Marcel outlines the first step in building an integrated system: creating a dynamic business model that connects capacity, pricing, and operational structure. 22:00 – 25:00 – Introducing the Feedback Loop: Marcel explains the importance of feedback loops that compare planned data to actual outcomes, enabling agencies to pinpoint areas needing improvement. 25:00 – 28:00 – Avoiding the Pitfalls of Bad Data: Marcel discusses the importance of clean, structured data and why agencies often struggle when they attempt tracking without a proper framework. 28:00 – 30:00 – The Three Elements of an Integrated System: Marcel introduces the three critical components of a successful system: accurate data, a deliberate framework, and an actionable process. 30:00 – 32:30 – Implementing Cadences for Data Review: Kristen and Marcel emphasize the need for regular data review cadences tailored to an agency’s operational pace to maintain alignment and agility. 32:30 – 36:00 – Costs of DIY vs. Professional Help: Marcel highlights the opportunity costs and challenges of attempting to build an integrated system internally compared to leveraging expert frameworks. 36:00 – 38:53 – TLDR for 2025 Planning: Marcel summarizes the episode’s main takeaway: transitioning from siloed to integrated systems is crucial for improving agency profitability and operational alignment, starting with a simple business model. Show Notes Connect with Kristen via LinkedIn Free Toolkit Parakeeto Foundations Course Love the Podcast? Leave us a review here .…
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The Agency Profit Podcast
1 Lessons From the Operations Trenches, with Ryan McNamara 44:49
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Play Later Play Later Lists Like LikedPoints of Interest 00:49 – 01:50 – Introduction to Ryan McNamara : Marcel introduces Ryan McNamara, Head of Operations at Rise at Seven, and highlights his impressive journey from startup founder to agency leader. 01:51 – 03:00 – Building Rise at Seven : Ryan discusses the rapid growth of Rise at Seven, their creative-first, search-driven approach, and their international presence in the UK and US. 04:21 – 05:40 – Defining Operational Leadership : Ryan explains the challenges and responsibilities of operational leadership, emphasizing the importance of understanding finance, team dynamics, and business goals. 08:11 – 09:20 – The Rise of Operations in Agencies : The growing emphasis on operations and finance as key to agency survival is discussed, with insights on how agencies are adapting to a more competitive and demanding market. 10:41 – 12:00 – Leveraging Personal Development Plans : The importance of structured PDPs (Personal Development Plans) and appraisals to help team members see their growth trajectory and contribution to the business is explored. 12:01 – 13:20 – Process vs. Flexibility : Ryan explains the balance between setting processes for consistency and allowing flexibility for creativity and innovation within teams. 13:21 – 14:50 – Managing Team Growth and Churn : The challenge of managing team growth in alignment with business needs while mitigating churn and ensuring cultural fit is unpacked. 17:21 – 18:40 – Balancing Risk and Innovation : The discussion explores how agencies can manage operational risks without stifling creativity, enabling teams to focus on outcomes while maintaining flexibility in their processes. 21:31 – 22:50 – Fostering Team Accountability : Insights are shared on creating systems where every team member understands their role in driving the business forward and how their contributions impact overall performance. 24:01 – 25:30 – The Evolving Role of Operations: The conversation shifts to how operations professionals are becoming pivotal thought leaders, connecting finance, delivery, and team dynamics in modern agencies. 25:31 – 26:50 – Challenges in Standardizing Processes : Ryan discusses the difficulty of standardizing processes in a creative environment, where flexibility is often required to deliver exceptional outcomes. 29:41 – 31:00 – Advice for Aspiring Operators : Ryan offers advice for those stepping into operational roles, encouraging them to focus on outcomes, embrace adaptability, and prioritize team empowerment. Show Notes Connect with Ryan LinkedIn Rise at Seven Love the Podcast Leave us a review here .…
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The Agency Profit Podcast
1 The Problem With Benchmarking and What to Do Instead 32:04
32:04 Play Later Play Later Lists Like Liked32:04
Play Later Play Later Lists Like LikedPoints of Interest 00:00 – 00:47 – Intro and Gratitude : Marcel thanks listeners and sets up the episode's focus on benchmarking traps and performance evaluation. 00:47 – 01:33 – The Benchmarking Trap : Marcel introduces the risks of relying on external benchmarks instead of understanding your agency’s internal performance model. 01:33 – 02:53 – Rate Benchmarking Limitations : Marcel explains why comparing rates fails to provide meaningful insights, especially with modern pricing models. 02:53 – 05:00 – Flat Fees and Efficiency : He discusses the rise of value-based and project pricing, and how efficiency affects realized rates. 05:00 – 06:08 – Realized Rates vs. Rate Cards : Marcel highlights that listed rates (rate cards) rarely reflect the actual rates agencies earn. 06:08 – 07:29 – The Power of Average Billable Rate : Marcel introduces average billable rate as a more meaningful metric, blending efficiency and pricing insights. 07:29 – 09:30 – Challenges in Measurement : Marcel explains why few firms measure key metrics like average billable rate and the inconsistencies in benchmarking them. 09:30 – 12:26 – Revenue per FTE Caution : He critiques absolute revenue-per-FTE benchmarks, emphasizing cost structure and geography's role in profitability. 12:26 – 14:00 – Look Inward First : Marcel urges agencies to focus inward on their business models instead of seeking external validation. 14:00 – 17:33 – Understanding Your Agency Model : Marcel explains how to map team structure, capacity, and time allocation to determine delivery and utilization ceilings. 17:33 – 19:48 – Budgets and Cost Breakdown : He emphasizes categorizing hard costs into delivery, sales, admin, and facilities to build a clear financial model. 19:48 – 22:44 – Revenue Potential Example : Marcel demonstrates how capacity, utilization rate, and average billable rate determine an agency's revenue potential. 22:44 – 25:00 – Delivery Margin and Overhead Benchmarks : He shares benchmarks for delivery margin (50–60%) and overhead costs (20–30% of AGI) to evaluate profitability. 25:00 – 28:47 – Operating Profit Targets : Marcel outlines healthy operating profit margins (20–30%) and explains how utilization and billable rates interact within a model. 28:47 – 31:00 – Beta Tool for Agencies : Marcel announces Parakeeto’s beta software for modeling agency performance, offering free access for listeners to analyze and improve their businesses. Show Notes Pricing models / Margin Targets Episode on Rates Toolkit Link Link for our beta free access to our model software Love the Podcast Leave us a review here .…
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The Agency Profit Podcast
1 How to Prove Your Impact to Clients, with Chris Taylor 35:23
35:23 Play Later Play Later Lists Like Liked35:23
Play Later Play Later Lists Like LikedPoints of Interest 00:47 – 01:38 – Chris’s Background: Chris shares his experience supporting consultants and facilitators in achieving measurable impact. 02:07 – 03:04 – The Challenge of Change Management: Agencies face difficulty educating stakeholders and driving meaningful organizational change. 04:03 – 05:26 – Behavior Change Precedes Results: Chris explains the importance of tracking behavior shifts that lead to KPI improvements. 05:26 – 06:33 – Ambiguity in Brand Strategy: Marcel highlights challenges caused by subjective opinions and delayed results in brand strategy. 08:31 – 09:44 – Three Requirements for Behavior Change: Chris identifies a clear path, motivation, and knowledge as key to driving behavioral change. 13:43 – 15:06 – Chunking Tasks into Smaller Steps: Chris emphasizes reducing ambiguity with small, actionable steps to drive progress. 19:01 – 20:14 – Feedback Loops and Impact Signals: Self-reported change helps measure progress before observable or KPI results emerge. 21:56 – 23:10 – Connecting Daily Actions to Outcomes: Chris stresses clarifying small tasks that contribute to long-term project success. 23:10 – 24:36 – KPIs and Leading Indicators: Identifying relevant KPIs and leading indicators creates measurable goals for success. 26:04 – 27:45 – Aligning on Success Metrics: Chris highlights the importance of aligning with clients on clear success metrics and tracking progress. 27:45 – 29:30 – Behavioral Change Before Visibility: Change begins internally and becomes externally observable over time. 34:36 – 36:00 – Triple Double Framework: Chris introduces a structured approach—double down on strengths, double back on gaps, and double click on new information. Show Notes Connect with Chris LinkedIn Actional.co Behavior Change Toolkit Love the Podcast Leave us a review here .…
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The Agency Profit Podcast
1 Preparing Your Agency for 2025: Lessons from 2024 and Future Trends, with Carson Pierce 34:19
34:19 Play Later Play Later Lists Like Liked34:19
Play Later Play Later Lists Like LikedPoints of Interest 00:42 – 01:16 – Industry Stats Nerd : Marcel highlights Carson’s expertise in analyzing agency reports and introduces the core topic of navigating the agency world’s "new normal." 03:00 – 04:10 – Financial Challenges in 2024 : Carson explains how financial tightening, including cash flow and reserve issues, has become a significant pain point for agencies in the past year. 04:11 – 06:15 – The “New Normal” for Agencies : Discussion about how the agency landscape is stabilizing into a "new normal," marked by consistent challenges and tighter margins. 06:16 – 10:10 – Impact of Market Maturity and Global Trends : Marcel outlines how market maturity, globalization, AI, and freelancing trends are reshaping the competitive environment for agencies. 10:11 – 14:47 – The Metrics that Matter : Marcel and Carson identify the three core levers of agency profitability: cost per hour, utilization, and average billable rate. 14:48 – 18:35 – Improving Average Billable Rate : Marcel shares strategies to increase average billable rates without raising prices, focusing on efficiency, quality, and offering high-value services. 20:50 – 22:38 – Utilizing AI for Operational Efficiency : The conversation shifts to how AI can improve efficiency in content creation, client management, and operational workflows. 22:39 – 27:18 – Effectively Measuring and Managing Utilization : Marcel explains how to measure and use utilization effectively, debunking myths and aligning it with realistic agency models. 27:19 – 35:45 – Internal Specialization and Future-Proofing Agencies : Carson introduces the concept of internal specialization, where agencies focus on high-value tasks while outsourcing lower-margin, high-risk work to specialized partners. A case study of an SEO agency illustrates this model. 24:44 – 26:10 – Balancing Overhead and Delivery Teams : Discussion on the importance of properly modeling agency teams to maintain a balance between delivery capacity and profitability. 34:22 – 35:00 – Importance of Quality Over Quantity in Revenue : Carson and Marcel highlight the value of focusing on high-margin, high-quality work rather than expanding into low-margin offerings. Show Notes Connect with Carson via LinkedIn Agency Profit Toolkit The Parakeeto Foundations Course Love the Podcast Leave us a review here .…
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The Agency Profit Podcast
1 Keys to Becoming a Profitable Creative, with Patrick O'Connell 52:58
52:58 Play Later Play Later Lists Like Liked52:58
Play Later Play Later Lists Like LikedPoints of Interest 00:47 – 01:46 – Meet Patrick O’Connell: Marcel introduces Patrick and previews their discussion on building a profitable design or creative services business. 01:46 – 02:41 – Patrick’s Journey to Success: Patrick shares how he transitioned from a nine-to-five to running a design agency, helping clients bring physical products to market while mentoring other designers. 02:41 – 03:44 – The Chocolate and Broccoli Approach: Marcel and Patrick discuss the balance between delivering what clients want (chocolate) and the deeper strategies they need (broccoli). 03:44 – 07:07 – Two Key Challenges for Creatives: Patrick outlines common struggles—spending too much time on craft over strategy and not understanding the math behind profitability. 07:07 – 10:10 – Selling Outcomes, Not Features: Patrick explains the importance of focusing on the value of transformations for clients instead of relying on accolades, experience, or features to justify pricing. 10:10 – 12:01 – Positioning for Success: The conversation shifts to the importance of starting with the client’s desired outcome and framing your services to match that need. 12:01 – 14:34 – Value Pricing Done Right: Patrick emphasizes that charging based on value requires understanding the percentage of responsibility you’re taking for the client’s desired results. 14:34 – 19:00 – Efficiency in Service Delivery: Patrick explains how focusing on reducing unnecessary steps in your processes leads to more profit and faster client results. 19:00 – 21:31 – Solo vs. Team Business Models: Marcel and Patrick discuss the trade-offs between staying a solo consultant and scaling a team, emphasizing that the right choice depends on personal goals. 21:31 – 25:55 – The Importance of Gross Margins: They dive into delivery margin basics, discussing the importance of average billable rates, efficiency, and cost control in scaling profits. 25:55 – 33:54 – Creating Leverage with IP and Consulting: Patrick highlights how adding intellectual property or advisory components to your services can drastically increase value without adding significant cost. 33:54 – 40:06 – Balancing Lifestyle and Growth: Patrick shares his personal experience of scaling down from a large team to a lean model to achieve more creative freedom and work-life balance. 40:06 – 52:44 – Building Your Ideal Business: The episode closes with actionable advice on defining your ideal lifestyle and designing a business model that aligns with it, whether that’s staying solo or scaling strategically. Show Notes Connect with Patrick Instagram YouTube Website Love the Podcast Leave us a review here .…
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The Agency Profit Podcast
1 Why Managing Ops Data is so Damn Hard... , With Kristen Kelly 35:41
35:41 Play Later Play Later Lists Like Liked35:41
Play Later Play Later Lists Like LikedPoints of Interest 00:01 – 00:43 – Welcome and Introduction : Marcel introduces Kristen Kelly, Parakeeto's newest team member, highlighting her quick ramp-up and prior involvement with the company. 00:44 – 01:40 – Kristen's Background : Kristen shares her 20 years of agency experience, spanning six agencies, with a focus on account/project management and operations. 01:41 – 02:50 – The Role of Operations : Kristen reflects on falling in love with operations at a startup agency, emphasizing its analytical and leadership demands. 02:51 – 03:48 – Challenges of Operations : Marcel describes the ambiguous and multifaceted nature of operations roles, with operators often stepping in to resolve the business's weak areas. 03:49 – 05:07 – The Complexity of Data Integration : Marcel explains how operators are often tasked with merging financial, operational, and new business data into a cohesive system, highlighting its challenges. 05:08 – 06:50 – Leadership Misconceptions : Kristen discusses the disconnect between leadership's expectations of seamless reporting and the reality of fragmented systems and messy data. 06:51 – 09:05 – The Fallacy of Perfect Automation : Marcel outlines the unrealistic expectations of fully automated reporting systems and the need for human oversight in data management. 09:06 – 11:45 – Interconnected Metrics : Marcel explores the challenges of creating accurate and consistent metrics like utilization, requiring alignment across various systems. 11:46 – 13:12 – The Realities of Data Pipelines : Marcel highlights the need for structured data pipelines and dedicated resources, drawing parallels to enterprise-level operations. 13:13 – 15:01 – The Role of Finance : The discussion shifts to the differing scopes of tax accounting, financial reporting, and management accounting, emphasizing the latter’s importance for decision-making. 15:02 – 18:52 – Aligning Cadences and Processes : Kristen and Marcel address how agencies can harmonize data reporting cadences with operational and leadership rhythms for better insights. 18:53 – 25:04 – Lessons from Kristen’s Journey : Kristen reflects on her previous challenges in tackling operations without external support, estimating the significant costs of trial-and-error approaches. 25:05 – 35:40 – The Parakeeto Framework : The episode concludes with a deep dive into Parakeeto's three-pronged framework—data, metrics, and processes—and its ability to simplify and enhance agency operations. Show Notes Connect with Kristen via LinkedIn Free Toolkit Parakeeto Foundations Course Love the Podcast Leave us a review here .…
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The Agency Profit Podcast
1 The Future of Agency Positioning, with Chris DuBois 43:48
43:48 Play Later Play Later Lists Like Liked43:48
Play Later Play Later Lists Like LikedPoints of Interest 02:02 – 02:20 – The Prism Model: Chris introduces his "Prism Model," a framework for evaluating if a problem is worth solving. The model focuses on identifying problems that are painful, recurring, impactful, solvable, and marketable, helping agencies vet business ideas and align their offerings with market needs. 05:21 – 05:40 – Service Saturation: Chris discusses the dangers of service saturation, where agencies compete on price and deliverables instead of outcomes, often leading to commoditization and reduced profitability. 09:32 – 09:50 – Niching Down with a Purpose: Marcel and Chris explore the common mistake agencies make when niching based on services or verticals, emphasizing the importance of centering on a specific problem and solution for positioning success. 14:35 – 14:55 – Point of View Rants: Chris highlights a simple but effective exercise to identify an agency’s unique point of view—by encouraging founders to rant about industry problems and extract their core beliefs and perspectives. 22:03 – 22:20 – Four Times MVP: Marcel shares his "Four Times MVP" framework, emphasizing the need to address a problem, develop a point of view, refine a process, and then build a product, to create scalable, impactful agency solutions. 29:38 – 29:55 – Efficiency vs. Innovation Spectrum: Chris explains the "Efficiency-Innovation Continuum," where agencies balance streamlined processes and innovative experimentation, deciding where to focus resources based on their goals and growth stage. 35:44 – 36:02 – Internal Specialization: Marcel highlights the importance of internal specialization for agencies, emphasizing the benefits of focusing on core strengths while partnering with other experts to deliver comprehensive solutions. 41:59 – 42:20 – Monetizing Churn: Marcel shares an example of an agency that monetized client churn by maintaining revenue streams through partnerships, turning what is typically seen as a loss into an ongoing profit center. 43:01 – 43:11 – Closing Insights: Chris emphasizes the importance of building partnerships and leveraging them to strengthen agency offerings while staying focused on core strengths, creating a sustainable model for growth and profitability. Show Notes Connect with Chris via LinkedIn Dynamic Agency OS Love the Podcast Leave us a review here .…
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The Agency Profit Podcast
1 Why You're Failing at Profitability Reporting 24:27
24:27 Play Later Play Later Lists Like Liked24:27
Play Later Play Later Lists Like LikedPoints of Interest 00:01 – 01:00 – Introduction to Data Systems : Marcel introduces the episode’s focus on designing data systems that empower agencies and businesses to make data-driven decisions with clarity and alignment. 01:00 – 02:30 – Why Agencies Struggle with Data : Marcel explains why many agencies face challenges in getting value from their data, often due to incorrect frameworks and a lack of process around data management. 03:00 – 04:20 – The Pendulum of Tools : Marcel discusses how agencies often swing between using specialized tools and all-in-one platforms, creating unnecessary change management that doesn’t solve core data issues. 05:00 – 06:15 – Outdated Billing Models in Agency Systems : Marcel explains how traditional agency frameworks assume time-and-materials billing, which isn’t suitable for many agencies today that use retainer or project-based models. 07:30 – 08:45 – Misconception: Data Problems are Tool Problems : Marcel describes how agencies mistakenly frame data issues as tool problems, leading to constant tool changes without solving underlying issues. 09:15 – 10:45 – Introduction to the Core Framework : Marcel introduces the three key elements for a high-functioning data system: data, framework, and process, with each playing a unique role in creating reliable insights. 11:30 – 12:45 – The Four Essential Data Sets : Marcel explains the four critical types of data needed: finance, people, projects, and time, and why these are fundamental to any data system. 13:00 – 14:30 – Framework: Metrics, Formulas, and Relationships : Marcel breaks down the importance of a clear framework to define which metrics to track, their formulas, and how they relate to each other and the business. 15:30 – 17:00 – Challenges with Data Hygiene and Consistency : Marcel highlights the need for a process to maintain clean data and handle changes in structure, such as renaming teams or changing project codes. 17:15 – 18:45 – Importance of Change Management in Data Systems : Marcel emphasizes that change within the business, like adding new services or tools, can disrupt data systems, requiring adaptable frameworks. 19:30 – 21:00 – Realistic Expectations for Automation : Marcel cautions against fully automated data reporting, explaining that human oversight is essential for data hygiene and quality, even with AI assistance. 22:00 – 23:45 – Cadences for Accurate Reporting : Marcel discusses the need for regular cadences, such as weekly time tracking, to ensure data accuracy and completeness before analysis. 24:00 – 25:45 – How Parakeeto Helps Agencies with Data Management : Marcel concludes by inviting agencies to reach out if they need support with data frameworks and processes, emphasizing that Parakeeto’s approach can save agencies time and improve profitability. Show Notes Connect with Marcel: Connect with Marcel via LinkedIn Agency Profit Toolkit The Parakeeto Foundations Course Love the Podcast Leave us a review here .…
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The Agency Profit Podcast
1 How to Use Narrative Psychology in Service Design, With Kristian Aloma 35:35
35:35 Play Later Play Later Lists Like Liked35:35
Play Later Play Later Lists Like LikedPoints of Interest 00:01 – 00:42 – Introduction to Guest : Marcel introduces Dr. Kristian Alomá, PhD, an expert in narrative psychology and author of Start With the Story , to discuss the power of storytelling in agency service design. 00:48 – 01:14 – Background on Narrative Design : Kristian introduces his agency, Threadline, and explains narrative design as applying storytelling principles to branding, marketing, and business strategy. 01:52 – 02:18 – What is Narrative Psychology? Kristian describes narrative psychology as the study of how people make sense of experiences through storytelling, emphasizing its importance in understanding client relationships. 03:10 – 04:20 – Power of Storytelling : Marcel and Kristian discuss how storytelling resonates with both logical and emotional thinking, making it a powerful tool in sales and brand connection. 05:38 – 06:30 – Changing Agency Landscape : Kristian explains how agency success has shifted from mere service delivery to forming meaningful client relationships that support brand values and identity. 08:27 – 09:30 – Beyond Behavioral Marketing : Kristian discusses moving from a behavior-driven marketing approach to one focused on narratives that align with both client goals and agency values. 10:23 – 11:33 – Client Relationships Across Career Stages : Kristian highlights the importance of adapting agency services to fit the evolving needs of clients as they grow from entry-level to executive roles. 11:47 – 12:40 – Differentiation in a Specialized Market : Marcel and Kristian talk about how understanding clients’ unique stories allows agencies to differentiate in an increasingly specialized market. 15:08 – 16:15 – Hero’s Paradox : Kristian explains the concept of the “hero’s paradox,” where placing the client as the hero ultimately strengthens the agency's role as a trusted partner. 18:50 – 19:18 – Identifying Client Struggles : Marcel asks Kristian for tactical advice on understanding client struggles, which Kristian breaks down through his STORY framework. 19:17 – 20:25 – Introduction to the STORY Framework : Kristian outlines his framework: Struggle, Tools, Objectives, Rewards, and Yearning (STORY), as a guide to designing client-centered services. 23:29 – 24:45 – The Importance of Understanding Struggles : Marcel and Kristian discuss the importance of going beyond surface-level problems to truly understand a client’s struggle for deeper impact. 27:39 – 28:32 – Focusing on Individual Challenges : Kristian emphasizes the need to view client challenges from the individual’s perspective within the organization, making service solutions more impactful and personalized. Show Notes Book : Start with the Story: Brand-Building in a Narrative Economy Threadline : Visit the Website Connect with Kristian A. Alomá : LinkedIn Profile Personal Website Love the Podcast Leave us a review here .…
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The Agency Profit Podcast
1 20 Years of Agency Wisdom: Insights for Maximizing Client Success, with Carson Pierce 38:13
38:13 Play Later Play Later Lists Like Liked38:13
Play Later Play Later Lists Like LikedPoints of Interest 00:01 – 00:41 – Introduction: Marcel kicks off the episode with excitement, announcing the podcast's new weekly schedule, alternating between general content and Parakeeto-focused episodes. 00:42 – 01:27 – Introducing Carson Pierce: Marcel introduces Carson Pierce, Parakeeto’s head consultant, with over two decades of experience in the agency world, emphasizing his popularity and unique career journey. 02:02 – 03:00 – Carson’s Background: Carson shares his unconventional path, starting as a daycare owner before transitioning into agency work, becoming a developer, and eventually leading in project management. 06:21 – 07:03 – Struggles in Resourcing: Carson recounts the challenges of resource management early in his career, highlighting the stress and inefficiency caused by a lack of data visibility. 08:56 – 09:58 – Importance of Data: Marcel and Carson discuss how agencies often track data but don’t know how to leverage it, focusing on the need for clarity in profitability and efficiency. 10:45 – 11:47 – Precision vs. Accuracy: They highlight the common mistake of focusing too much on precision in data, leading to inefficiencies, when accuracy at a higher level is more effective for decision-making. 13:38 – 14:20 – Utilization Misuse: Carson shares how the misuse of utilization metrics at the individual level can create unnecessary pressure and mislead the team about actual workload. 18:54 – 19:34 – The Importance of a Framework: Marcel emphasizes how having a structured operational framework can help agencies align their metrics and make data-driven decisions to drive profitability. 23:01 – 23:47 – Pricing Myths: Marcel discusses how agencies often believe pricing is their main issue when, in reality, operational inefficiencies and over-servicing are often the real problems. 28:23 – 28:53 – Estimating Challenges: Carson shares that while agencies may be good at planning profitable projects on paper, the execution often falls short due to poor estimating and scoping. 35:17 – 36:30 – Looking Ahead to 2025: Carson expresses optimism for 2025, noting that agencies that learned efficiency during the lean times will be better positioned for profitability in the coming years. 37:25 – 38:11 – Conclusion: Marcel and Carson wrap up the episode, inviting listeners to connect with Carson and Parakeeto for more insights on optimizing agency operations and profitability. Show Notes Connect with Carson via LinkedIn Agency Profit Toolkit The Parakeeto Foundations Course Love the Podcast Leave us a review here .…
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