Agency Journey

In this episode, Kuba generates a list of client success tips using AI—and Gray critiques them and goes way deeper based on his hard-won experience in the agency space.Episode Insights:💡 Understanding client goals is crucial for improving client success. Ask questions and listen carefully to their answers to gain a deeper understanding.💡 Regular communication is key. Set clear expectations around how and when you'll communicate with clients, and provide updates on progress and challenges.💡 Be proactive in identifying and preventing issues before they arise. Addressing problems openly and honestly builds trust with clients.💡 Personalize the experience by treating each client as unique and customizing services to fit their specific needs. Show that you are paying attention and value their individuality.💡 Clarity is kindness. Be clear and firm in setting expectations and communicate openly when issues arise.Resourced Mentioned:🌐 ZenPilot: https://www.zenpilot.com/?utm_source=youtube.com&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=agency-journey-ep-293-gray-vs-ai-client-success-tips🌐 Gray’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/graymackenzie/----------------------------------Brought to you by ZenPilot, ClickUp’s #1 Solutions Partner with 2,700+ agency ops makeovers under our belt.📕 Read our in-depth, 8000-word How to Use ClickUp Guide: https://www.zenpilot.com/blog/how-to-use-clickup?utm_campaign=agency-journey-ep-293-gray-vs-ai-client-success-tips👉 Don’t forget to follow and rate us on your preferred podcast platforms. We’re also on YouTube: @ZenPilot

“All of my successes massively outpace my capabilities. Like when you meet me, you're like, ‘I can't believe that guy did all the shit that he did’. Because I look homeless and I'm not really as bright as I pretend to be. I'm not self-deprecating—it's a fact. My success outpaces my capability because I found other people that were more capable than me."Kasim Aslam is the CEO of Solutions 8, co-founder of Driven Mastermind, and co-host of the Perpetual Traffic podcast. He has built four multi-million dollar agencies and had two exits, one of which was an eight-figure deal. Kasim's success in the agency world, particularly in the Google Ads space, and his ability to scale businesses with minimal initial capital make him an impressive figure in the industry.He’s also one of the most energetic and insightful guests this podcast has seen thus far.This episode of Agency Journey will be a perfect listen for agency owners and entrepreneurs looking to remove themselves from the business, identify and keep their most valuable team members, and build the mindset that will take your operation to the next level.Kasim shared a whirlwind of inspiration, including but not limited to: the crucial differences between employees (farmers) and entrepreneurs (hunters); the power of offering equity to top performers; the importance of hiring people who can outperform you in their roles; and the benefits of seeking out hard challenges for personal and professional growth.Episode Insights:💡 Seeking a business mentor can provide valuable guidance and support in personal and professional growth.💡 Asking for help is essential and should not be seen as a sign of weakness. But you need to be humble and willing to do the hard work for others to decide to help you.💡 Seek out hard things for the sake of doing hard things.💡 People are the most important aspect of agency operations and can be the key differentiator in a competitive market. Incentivize and retain peak performers by offering profit share equity.💡 Surround yourself with people who are smarter and more capable than you in their respective roles to build a successful agency.💡 AI is a force multiplier of people—which can be both good and bad, making people even more important in business.💡 Understand that employees (farmers) and entrepreneurs (hunters) have different motivations and expectations, and build your business model accordingly.💡 Tying employee compensation directly to their output and the value they bring to the agency can help balance growth and profitability.💡 Success often outpaces an individual's capabilities because of the power of finding and cultivating talented people.Resourced Mentioned:📚 "No Locked Doors" by Gregory Smith📚 "You Versus Google" by Kasim Aslam📚 "Driven" by Douglas Brackmann and Randy Kelley🏢 Driven Mastermind, co-founded by Kasim Aslam: https://drivenmastermind.com/?utm_campaign=agency-journey-ep-292-kasim-aslam🏢 Solutions 8, Kasim's agency that he recently sold: https://sol8.com/?utm_campaign=agency-journey-ep-292-kasim-aslam🏢 Pareto Talent, Kasim's new venture focused on finding and training executive assistants and other roles for entrepreneurs🎙️ Perpetual Traffic, co-hosted by Kasim Aslam: https://perpetualtraffic.com/?utm_campaign=agency-journey-ep-292-kasim-aslam👤 Gregory Smith, Kasim's long-time business mentor: https://www.linkedin.com/in/gregory1/👤 Erik Huberman, founder of Hawke Media https://www.linkedin.com/in/erikhuberman/LikeSubscribeHit the bellLeave a commentSay something nice to your neighborFollow+rate us on podcast platformsAnd don’t forget to floss!----------------------------------About ZenPilot:As ClickUp's first and highest-rated solutions partner, we've helped over 2,700 agencies streamline their operations in ClickUp. 📕 Get our ultimate "How to Use" ClickUp guide: https://www.zenpilot.com/clickup-guide?utm_source=youtube.com&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=agency-journey-ep-292-kasim-aslam🥇 Learn why ZenPilot is ClickUp's highest-rated solutions partner: https://www.zenpilot.com/clickup-consultant-and-highest-rated-partner?utm_source=youtube.com&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=agency-journey-ep-292-kasim-aslam💰 Uncover which clients, projects, and services are most profitable for your business with ZenPilot reports: https://www.zenpilot.com/agency-profitability-and-utilization-reporting?utm_source=youtube.com&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=agency-journey-ep-292-kasim-aslam----------------------------------⚡️ Want to see how your agency operations stack up against 2,000 other firms? take the 20-question benchmark: https://tools.zenpilot.com/pm-benchmark/?utm_source=youtube.com&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=agency-journey-ep-292-kasim-aslam📕 Download the 47-page guide on how to implement ClickUp for agencies: https://www.zenpilot.com/how-to-implement-clickup-for-agencies?utm_source=youtube.com&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=agency-journey-ep-292-kasim-aslam📨 Get biweekly agency ops insights from our newsletter: https://www.zenpilot.com/first-class-operations-newsletter?utm_source=youtube.com&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=agency-journey-ep-292-kasim-aslam🎁 FREE client onboarding ClickUp template for agencies: https://www.zenpilot.com/client-onboarding-clickup-template?utm_source=youtube.com&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=agency-journey-ep-292-kasim-aslam

“Candidate expectations have certainly accelerated. There's a difference today versus 10 years ago in terms of what people's expectations are and how fast other processes are going. And so moving quickly is an advantage in a hiring process—and figuring out how to move quickly without sacrificing on the process is a little bit of an art.”In this episode, our very own Gray McKenzie discusses the process of hiring the right people for an agency. He shares his recent experience of hiring an Integrator and COO for ZenPilot, and all the small and big decisions that shaped the recruitment process. Gray explains the hiring framework we followed, the stages of the hiring process, the approach towards sourcing and screening candidates, and much more.A great listen for anyone looking to expand their team—it will help you craft a fast process that surfaces the best talent and captures it before it goes off the market.Episode Insights:💡 Hiring the right people is crucial for agency growth and success.💡 “Who: the A Method for Hiring” is a framework that can help agencies find and hire the best candidates.💡 It’s important to promote your job postings selectively to have a higher quality pipeline.💡 Clear communication and transparency about the role and expectations are key in attracting the right candidates. Have a defined hiring process to provide clarity and confidence to both candidates and the hiring team.💡 Move quickly in the hiring process to meet candidate expectations and avoid losing top talent.💡 Reference checks are crucial to gather additional insights and validate a candidate's performance.💡 Group interviews can provide different perspectives and help candidates and team members build rapport.💡 Consider a co-working session as part of your hiring process to assess candidates in action.💡 Make connections with unsuccessful candidates to maintain positive relationships and potential future opportunities.Resourced Mentioned:🌐 ZenPilot 🌐 Gray’s LinkedIn 📚 "Who: The A Method for Hiring" by Geoff Smart and Randy Street📚 "Topgrading" by Bradford D. Smart⚙️ EOS (Entrepreneurial Operating System)🤝 EOS Self-Implementers Group ⚒️ Loom----------------------------------Brought to you by ZenPilot, ClickUp’s #1 Solutions Partner with 2,700+ agency ops makeovers under our belt.📕 Get our free, 56-page ebook: "How to Use ClickUp – The Ultimate Guide": 👉 Don’t forget to follow and rate us on your preferred podcast platforms. We’re also on YouTube: @ZenPilot

"I think the hardest thing that all HubSpot agencies are trying to solve for is… 500 product updates this year. How do you keep it all straight? How do you share that knowledge? How much knowledge do you have to know as a team, to what level? One thing that I practice and preach is: not everybody's going to know everything, but that collectively as a team and as an agency, we've got people in certain areas that are experts in those areas that we can rely on."Adam Sharrow is the founder of Process Pro Consulting, a HubSpot Diamond Partner agency specializing in technical implementation, optimization, and support for businesses using HubSpot.Drawing from his experience in building and scaling a successful HubSpot agency, Adam shares about navigating the challenges of growth, managing a team of experts, and staying ahead of the curve even as HubSpot releases 500+ product updates each year.This episode of Agency Journey will be perfect for agency owners looking to specialize in a specific niche, such as HubSpot consulting, and build a sustainable, scalable business model.You'll learn about the importance of conducting thorough client assessments, balancing quick wins with long-term strategic planning, and fostering a culture of knowledge sharing and expertise within your growing team.Episode Insights:💡 Challenges and strategies for running a HubSpot-focused agency—from a HubSpot Diamond Partner💡 The trajectory of HubSpot: where it’s going in the future, and how it relates to how Salesforce grew💡 The importance of a paid discovery/assessment—and seeing it through even when clients want to jump to solving specific issues💡 The capacity planning challenges created by month-to-month retainers (and how to mitigate them)💡 Staying on top of 500+ HubSpot product updates per year and managing collective internal expertise as you scale💡 Addressing the challenges of scaling from 5 to 10 to 15 people—and how it impacts which metrics you track💡 Specializing in your wheelhouse of expertise vs trying to solve everything + the benefits of partnering with other agencies for complementary needs💡 How to build sales pipeline as a HubSpot agencyResourced Mentioned:📚 Process Pro Consulting website 📚 Adam Sharrow on LinkedIn👉 Don’t forget to follow and rate us on your preferred podcast platforms. We’re also on YouTube: @ZenPilot

We’ve got an announcement to share about the future of the podcast.👉 Don’t forget to follow and rate us on your preferred podcast platforms. We’re also on YouTube: @ZenPilot

“In today's day and age people are scared to be measured. But your athletes, they love it because that's how they grew up. How do you know who are the best players on the team? You look at the box score, you look at the stat sheet. So I like bringing a sports mentality to everything I do.”Casey Cavell is a serial entrepreneur. He’s built a $40,000,000 portfolio from a $9,000 investment by founding, buying, or investing in dozens of small businesses over the last two decades.He also has personal experience with the kind of burnout that results from the business growing and relying too heavily on one person.Which is why he now focuses on helping companies simplify, focus, and get the business owner out of the day-to-day.This episode of Agency Journey will be perfect if you’re an entrepreneur thinking about investing in and increasing the value of other businesses; bringing in A-players; and mindfully delegating tasks until you’re left working on what you do best and love most.Episode Insights:💡 How Casey found underperforming businesses to acquire, and how he turned them into more systematic, process-driven organizations💡 Buying businesses outright vs coming in as an investor💡 Structuring equity/profit-sharing deals with clients—including earning trust with a 90-day initial engagement💡 How to prevent burnout by delegating tasks, hiring A-players, and removing reliance on the owner💡 The specific tasks entrepreneurs should delegate first💡 Defining what you want your business to do for your lifeResourced Mentioned:📚 Casey’s consulting business📚 Casey’s LinkedIn📚 The Dugout CEO podcast📚 The Friday Drive newsletter 📚 Books: Good to Great; Rich Dad Poor Dad; The E-Myth👉 Don’t forget to follow and rate us on your preferred podcast platforms. We’re also on YouTube: @ZenPilot

“I had bought into this idea that you had to sacrifice everything you had to kill yourself for growth. And it cost me dearly. I made some really poor decisions.”Carlos Hidalgo is co-founder & CEO of Digital Exhaust, a Utah-based data-driven, AI-enabled agency with a belief that "growth is a state of being, not just a goal to be achieved".But he's also a man with a dramatic story of putting his business ahead of his other life priorities—and learning some very hard lessons from that.This episode of Agency Journey will be a perfect reality check for agency owners, and an opportunity to re-assess the importance you should put on your agency relative to the current stage of your life journey.It will be especially relevant if you're balancing being a business owner with being a spouse, a parent, and a person driven by faith.Episode Insights:💡 The pivotal moments that reshaped Carlos's perspective on work-life balance and led him to reassess his priorities—including stepping down from one of his previous agencies.💡 Practical wisdom on setting non-negotiable boundaries, prioritizing well-being, and staying true to your business ethos.💡 Specific practices and habits Carlos introduced with his wife and himself to build a balanced and fulfilling life as an agency owner.💡 The virtues of being selective about what you're willing to invest yourself in, and how much.Resourced Mentioned:📚 Digital Exhaust 📚 The UnAmerican Dream by Carlos Hidalgo (book) 📚 Carlos' LinkedIn 🛠️ AI tools: Otter, ChatGPT, Jasper👉 Don’t forget to follow and rate us on your preferred podcast platforms. We’re also on YouTube: @ZenPilot

“I have long seen myself as: I’m a very good marketer. I'm a very good communicator. I'm a good content creator. That's my lane. I know how to drive in that lane very, very well. And this has been a challenge for me to say: how do I become the best president, owner of a services business? Versus the best marketer anybody knows.”Ali Schwanke is founder and CEO of Simple Strat—a Diamond HubSpot Solutions Partner and premium B2B content marketing agency.You may know them from the HubSpot Hacks YouTube channel, the #1 unofficial source of HubSpot tutorials with over 20k subscribers to the channel.This episode will be a perfect listen for agency operators looking to find their perfect niche; discover content topics and formats that work on YouTube; and become a better leader by leveraging their unique leadership style.It’s also full of inspiration for owners considering making an exit from their agency.Episode Insights:💡 Simple Strat’s journey towards becoming experts in the HubSpot ecosystem through content creation and strategic focus💡 How Ali and her team approach content production and finding ideas for their HubSpot Hacks channel on YouTube (leveraging TubeBuddy, AirTable, and HubSpot rep feedback)💡 Moving from solving problems on her own to empowering team members to learn and grow💡 Ali’s advice on leadership styles, the shift in mindset from a marketer to an agency owner, and the importance of systems and processes in scaling an agency💡 Ali’s thoughts on how to prepare for a future exit from an agency, including the importance of mindset but also legal compliance, data preparation, and moreResourced Mentioned:📚 Simple Strat 📚 Ali Schwanke’s LinkedIn📚 HubSpot Hacks YouTube channel 📚 TubeBuddy (for YouTube keyword research)📚 "Work Less, Earn More" by Karl Sakas (book)📚 "Built to Sell" by John Warrillow (book)📚 "How to Win Client Business When You Don't Know What You're Doing" by Doug Fletcher (book)👉 Don’t forget to follow and rate us on your preferred podcast platforms. We’re also on YouTube: @ZenPilot

“If you don't like managing people, one of the things to consider is: do you want to run an agency? The management portion will never go away. But it also doesn't have to be so hard.”Karl Sakas, agency advisor and founder of Sakas & Company, has served as “agency therapist” for over 600 clients in 36 countries. He was also our recent guest on Agency Journey. His fourth time on the show!You can guess why we had Karl on so many times—his insights are always on point.If you want to work less and earn more, and be a better leader for your agency through cultivating personal relationships and intentional leadership training, this episode will be well worth a listen.Episode Insights:💡 The four stages of day-to-day involvement agency owners progress through on the way to becoming optional💡 Managing expectations as you plan your agency succession💡 Karl’s process and challenges narrating the audio version of his book, “Work Less, Earn More”💡 The importance of warmth vs. competence as a manager💡 Practical tips for building personal relationships with team members and network contacts💡 Karl’s personal investment in leadership development, including his own coaching and participation in intensive leadership programs💡 The importance of 360 evaluation as a leader💡 The leadership development programs Karl recommendsResourced Mentioned:📚 Sakas & Company: https://sakasandcompany.com/📚 Karl’s book, “Work Less, Earn More” (plus companion workbook): https://sakasandcompany.com/lp/work-less-earn-more-book/📚 The Manager Tools training program Karl recommends: https://manager-tools.com/📚 Karl’s Agency Leadership Intensive (sign-ups open until end of February): https://sakasandcompany.com/agency-leadership-development-program/👉 Don’t forget to follow and rate us on your preferred podcast platforms. We’re also on YouTube: @ZenPilot

“We all consider ourselves humble experts. So we all know that we're good at what we do, but ego does not get in the way around our workplace.”Arianne Foulks, CEO and founder of Aeolidia, a one-stop shop agency for creative ecommerce brands with 20+ years of market presence, was our recent guest on Agency Journey.If you want to build an efficient, adaptable agency that builds strong relationships with clients and employees—this episode will be perfect for you.Episode Insights:💡 Transitioning from a solo operation to managing a 20-person creative team💡 The philosophy of nurturing a 'humble expert' team culture💡 Leveraging tools like ClickUp for effective project management💡 Arianne’s decision-making process regarding partnership with other agencies💡 The evolution of Aeolidia's pricing and service offerings during the pandemicResources Mentioned:📚 Aeolidia: https://aeolidia.com/📚 "Profit First" and "Clockwork" by Mike Michalowicz for business management📚 "4000 Weeks" by Oliver Burkeman for a perspective on productivity and time management📚 ClickUp for project management and tracking👉 Don’t forget to follow and rate us on your preferred podcast platforms. We’re also on YouTube: @ZenPilot

[This is a special feature of Gray's recent appearance on Perpetual Traffic—reposted on the Agency Journey feed so you don't miss this informative discussion!]Kasim chats with Gray MacKenzie, the co-founder of ZenPilot, a company that helps agencies master project management. Gray reveals why project management is more than just software, and how to create effective processes and habits. He also shares how to set up your scorecard, track your client health, and deliver an awesome experience for your team and clients. Plus, he gives you the three secrets to project management success and how to avoid the most common mistakes.Chapters:00:00:00 - Introduction and Welcome00:01:59 - How to Calculate the ROI of Project Management00:07:20 - How Zenpilot Evolved Over 10 Years00:19:08 - How to Measure and Improve Client Health00:24:42 - The Three Keys to Making Project Management Work Well00:26:19 - How to Use ClickUp and Teamwork for Project Management00:28:16 - How to Define Your Scorecard and Track Your Progress00:30:25 - How AI Can Enhance Project Management00:33:18 - How to Design Your Data Architecture for AI00:37:17 - How AI Can Automate Task Creation and Summary00:39:30 - How Gamification Can Motivate and Engage Your Team00:40:38 - How AI Can Optimize Capacity Management00:46:15 - How to Create Structure and Clarity for Your Team00:48:25 - How to Use Time Tracking for Capacity ManagementLINKS AND RESOURCES:ZenPilotGray MacKenzie on LinkedInClickUpEOS® V/TO™ Template - V/TO™ TemplateEOS - Entrepreneurial Operating SystemTraffic & Conversion SummitTier 11 JobsPerpetual Traffic on YouTubeTiereleven.comSolutions 8 Perpetual Traffic SurveyPerpetual Traffic WebsiteFollow Perpetual Traffic on TwitterConnect with Kasim on Twitter and Connect with Ralph on LinkedIn👋 See you next time for a regular Agency Journey episode!

"Small groups of highly skilled, highly motivated, well communicating people can just achieve more than you can at a large organization."Jesse Resnick, co-founder of Ei Digital, a full-service digital agency, was our recent guest on Agency Journey.This episode is a must-listen for agency owners and managers looking to build a high-performing team culture.Episode Insights:💡 Jesse's journey from working in larger agencies to establishing EI Digital.💡 The journey of EI Digital from a modest start to a full-service agency💡 How EI Digital's pod-based team structure enhances efficiency and client service💡 Jesse's perspective on the intersection of brand and performance marketing in the digital age💡 Strategies for nurturing and developing talent within a digital agency💡 Utilizing strategic vision to maintain a high-quality user experience while scaling💡 The importance of EBITDA and other financial metrics in agency decision-makingResources Mentioned:📚 Ei Digital: https://eidigital.com/📚 Jesse’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jesseresnick/ 📚 Principles by Ray Dalio: Jesse's recommended reading for agency principles📚 Accrual Accounting: Understanding its importance in agency operations👉 Don’t forget to follow and rate us on your preferred podcast platforms. We’re also on YouTube: @ZenPilot

Is your agency prepared for the cookieless future that threatens to “tank” advertising performance?Paris Childress, CEO of SaaS-focused performance marketing agency Hop Online, was our recent guest on Agency Journey.He shared insights on crafting first-party data strategies that can help agencies avoid disrupted campaigns when third party cookies expire.Paris also discussed expanding service offerings with data science capabilities; making use of new privacy-focused technologies like his AI platform pLTV; specific and actionable personal branding tips; and optimizing operations with tools like ClickUp.Tune in if you want to ensure your agency has a plan to preserve ROI as the digital advertising landscape evolves.Episode Insights:💡 Why third party cookie loss will cause ad performance to “tank”💡 The pressing need for agencies to focus on first-party data strategies💡 Why agencies should start expanding into data science capabilities💡 How Paris’ pLTV platform leverages AI to predict customer lifetime value💡 Successfully Hop Online’s entire CRM over to ClickUp💡 The importance of personal branding for agency leadership💡 Hiring data scientists as a key recommendation for agenciesResources Mentioned:📚 Paris’s agency: https://hop.online/📚 pLTV – Paris’ Predictive Lifetime Value platform: https://www.pltv.ai/📚 ClickUp as a CRM! Watch our full bonus video with Paris about this here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YdgpnC63az0If your agency is unprepared for the major privacy shifts underway, don't miss exploring Paris’ actionable insights around optimizing for the cookieless future.

Want to take your agency to the next level? Learn how Matthew leveraged EOS, strategic partnerships, and custom ecommerce solutions to optimize operations and expand offerings over 9 years in business. His proven strategies can help your agency demonstrate ROI and pave the path to sustainable growth.Matthew McIver shares his journey evolving Commence Studio from a service-based creative agency into a productized business selling themes on Shopify.Learn how EOS and Traction shaped their growth, why they partner with larger firms, and how custom ecommerce sites demonstrate clearer ROI for clients.Matthew also explains how virtual tools like Float enable better financial visibility and why you should standardize systems instead of reinventing the wheel.Tune in for a transparent peek behind the scenes at an agency optimizing their operations and expanding their offerings over 9 years in business.Episode Insights:💡 Implementing EOS framework for meeting cadences, planning, and clearer roles💡 Transitioning from service-based revenue to product-based revenue with a Shopify theme💡 Leveraging expertise into products/services others can use💡 Partnering with larger agencies to provide specialized services💡 Using custom Shopify themes over off-the-shelf themes to showcase branded experiences💡 Proving ROI for clients easier with ecommerce sites vs. B2B sites💡 Embracing a "collaboration over competition" mindset with agency partners💡 Learning from other successful service firms to constantly improve your own customer experienceResources Mentioned:📚 Matthew’s agency: https://commence.studio/📚 EOS (Entrepreneurs' Operating System)📚 Traction by Gino Wickman📚 The Power of Habit by Charles Duhigg📚 Float app for cash flow forecasting📚 Entrepreneurs' Organization (EO)📚 Shopify PartnersIf you're a creative agency looking to expand your offerings or prove ROI for clients, don't miss this episode.👉 Don’t forget to follow and rate us on your preferred podcast platforms. We’re also on YouTube: @ZenPilot

Running a professional services agency? You need compelling case studies to close sales. But most video case studies end up dry, boring, and forgettable.So how do you create video case studies that captivate prospects and accelerate deals?In this episode of Agency Journey, host Gray MacKenzie interviews Ian Garlic, founder of Video Case Story. Ian shares his proven process for producing video case studies that get results. He also talks about writing a book, starting a partnership program, and much more.Episode Insights:💡 Why emotional storytelling through video builds trust and shortens sales cycles💡 How to carve out time each week for collecting customer stories💡 Letting customer stories guide your overall strategy and offerings💡 Why leadership should always find time to review customer stories💡 Crafting a compelling video script focused on the client’s journey💡 Following a clear story framework from problem to solution💡 Repurposing case study content across multiple channels💡 Adopting a YouTube strategy focused on becoming an educational resource vs. chasing views💡 Writing a book to establish yourself as a thought leader💡 Building a tight-knit partner program community💡 The importance of process documentation and constant improvementResources Mentioned:📚 Ian's book "Video Testimonials That Land the Big Fish"📚 Immersion by Dr. Paul J. Zak📚 Snow Leopard by Category PiratesIan offers fantastic tips and frameworks any agency can apply to create video case studies that truly showcase value and drive sales.Whether you're looking to refine your case study process or get started from scratch, this episode will get your video case studies converting.👉 Don’t forget to follow and rate us on your preferred podcast platforms. We’re also on YouTube: @ZenPilot

Running a marketing agency is hard. Running one remotely across several time zones? Even harder.So how do you keep a distributed team aligned, motivated, and growing together?In this episode of Agency Journey, host Gray MacKenzie interviews Janet Mesh, CEO and co-founder of Aimtal, a fully remote marketing agency. We dig into the keys that accelerated Aimtal’s growth over the past 5 years.Janet shares how Aimtal has doubled its team and revenue each year through an intentional focus on talent, culture, and streamlined operations.Episode Insights:Implementing clear processes and documentation enabled Aimtal to effectively manage a distributed team across 7 time zonesHosting immersive annual retreats reconnects their remote team and aligns everyone on vision and goalsHow Aimtal structures retreats to maximize bonding and alignmentFocusing on talent, values, and culture fit over geography gives Aimtal access to the best talent globallyThe importance of intention in building a thriving remote agency and teamRelying on tools like Rippling to streamline operations and free up bandwidth as they scaleLeading with transparency and vulnerability as keys to remote team successResources Mentioned:Rippling - For HR/IT managementGuru - Knowledge base softwareTravelPerk - Travel management platformAnthropic - AI assistant toolWhether you're building a remote agency or colocated team, Janet offers fantastic insights into leading with intention, investing in processes and culture, and scaling successfully.👉 Don’t forget to follow and rate us on your preferred podcast platforms. We’re also on YouTube: @ZenPilot

Ask any agency owner and they’ll tell you—growth doesn’t happen by accident. It takes strategy, systems, and support.So how do you choose the right blueprint to guide your agency’s growth? What if that blueprint could help you smash through plateaus and scale your team 10x?In this episode of Agency Journey, host Gray MacKenzie interviews Tyler Dolph, CEO of Rocket Clicks. We'll dig deep into how EOS (The Entrepreneurial Operating System) helped transform Rocket Clicks into the Agency that it is today.Episode Insights:How implementing EOS helped the agency establish clear roles, vision, and processes to enable growthWhy focusing obsessively on client retention, not just sales, fueled sustainable growthThe importance of Investing intentionally in culture like immersive onboarding and events strengthened their distributed teamStrategies to analyzing top clients revealed their ideal target market to focus growth effortsAI offers opportunities to double down on human-centered strategies and relationships vs trying to competeResources and People Mentioned:Rocket Clicks WebsiteEOS WebsiteEOS ToolsTraction by Gino WickmanJohn LaFontsee's LinkedInJohn Morriss LinkedInRamsay Innovations Website (Now known as EngineBI)Avoma

Struggling to get your team aligned on goals and metrics? Wish your company culture was more productive and humane? Mark Abbott, founder and CEO of Ninety, shares how and the importance to implement tools to empower employees and build a resilient organization. In this episode, Mark discusses the specifics of designing effective scorecards, setting targets vs goals, and getting team member buy-in and so much more.Episode Insights:Why companies are complex adaptive systems. The best ones are explicit, coherent and resonant with all stakeholders.What mastery means being able to teach it to others - true understanding goes deeper than just reading a book.How to have Leadership through agreements is better than old school "command and control." Scorecards set targets to avoid micromanaging.Why having 3-5 KPIs per person (quality, quantity, process, show up) provides guardrails and autonomy.The importance on having a quality, quantity, process and show up element that can be measured in any role.Why focus on issues, not chasing goals. Green across the board but missing the target shouldn't require intervention.How implementing scorecards quickly gets alignment. Trust people to know the right KPIs for their role.Why great companies are extraordinarily productive, humane and resilient.Resources mentioned in this episode:Ninety.ioEOSEOS ToolsTractionThe Great CEO WithinThe E-MythBuilt to Sell

In this episode, Kuba shares his vision for ZenPilot Marketing. He details his strategy to transition ZenPilot's perception from merely a ClickUp implementation partner to a team of agency operations experts. Kuba emphasizes the importance of promoting the ZenPilot team and using platforms like YouTube and LinkedIn to highlight their expertise and unique personalities, fostering a more connected audience.Kuba also offers valuable insights into "low-hanging marketing fruit" for agencies. He discusses the importance of investing in team development and leveraging their individual personalities to build a loyal audience. He highlights the value of using AI tools like ChatGPT for content repurposing, and encourages agencies to focus on creating high-quality content around crucial keywords.In this episode, you'll learn:Vision for ZenPilot MarketingLow-Hanging Marketing Fruit for AgenciesThe importance focus on creating one or a few pieces of high-quality content around important keywords.Why you need to invest in developing your team’s personalities and give them a platform to share their expertise.How your mindset as a leader trickles down to your team and agency.Kuba’s Best Tip for Agency Operators: Work on Your MindsetPresenting Sponsor: ZenPilotIf you're an agency owner or leader looking to level up your operations and maximize your team's potential, then we have the perfect solution for you.ZenPilot knows that you are tired of wasting time on trial and error — that's why we provide tried-and-true solutions that will help you grow and scale quickly and sustainably.So, what are you waiting for?Go to zenpilot.com to learn more.Resources mentioned in this episode:Jakub Grajcar LinkedInZenPilot's WebsiteGray MacKenzie's LinkedIn

Do you struggle to create work that truly resonates with your audience? The ability to craft stories and messages that forge meaningful connections is what separates good creators from great ones. In today’s episode, host Gray MacKenzie sits down with storytelling expert Jay Acunzo.Jay Acunzo, The founder of the Creator Kitchen, a membership program helping you push yourself creatively. He's also an author, speaker, and host of the award-winning podcast Unthinkable, where creative people take us inside the unconventional choices they made to break from best practices.In this episode, you'll learn:How to resonate with your audience by crafting memorable storiesLearn about posture and practice and what it means as an creative.The four ways to communicate with your audience.What stories should be focused on.How to practice crafting stories and work on developing your own narrative style.What does the Creator Kitchen community look likeJay's recommended people to followThe Unthinkable Podcast ProcessPresenting Sponsor: ZenPilotIf you're an agency owner or leader looking to level up your operations and maximize your team's potential, then we have the perfect solution for you.ZenPilot knows that you are tired of wasting time on trial and error — that's why we provide tried-and-true solutions that will help you grow and scale quickly and sustainably.So, what are you waiting for?Go to zenpilot.com to learn more.Resources mentioned in this episode:Unthinkable PodcastCreator Kitchen's WebsiteJay Acunzo's WebsiteJay Acunzo's LinkedInTotal ANNARCHY NewsletterPlaying Favorites NewsletterGray MacKenzie's LinkedIn