Build a Better Agency Podcast

Welcome to another insightful episode of Build a Better Agency! This week, host Drew McLellan takes a deep dive into the often-daunting but absolutely essential world of agency finances. Joined by seasoned fractional CFO Niall Cotter, Drew McLellan unpacks how understanding your numbers goes far beyond simply making sure your profit and loss statement looks good on paper. Throughout the conversation, Cotter explains why so many growing agencies are "confidently wrong" about their finances: the models look beautiful, but nobody has tested the assumptions underneath them. You'll learn how growth and retainers billed in advance can hide shrinking margins for years, how one owner cut his business by 75% and came out healthier, and why a 5% margin on a $20 million agency is far more fragile than a 20% margin on a $5 million one. If you've ever wondered why your reports say you're profitable while the money never shows up in the bank, you'll find out exactly where agency profitability hides and leaks. Cotter and Drew walk through the three ratios every owner should track monthly (compensation as a share of AGI, overhead as a share of AGI, and whether cash is moving in line with profit) and how they line up with AMI's 55-25-20 benchmark. They also cover updating fully loaded costs every six months, why owners have to track their own time, the risks of relying on a single "finance unicorn," and what buyers find in the books that eats into agency profitability and your purchase price. Whether you're a small shop where you still know every number by heart, a growing agency that has lost sight of margin by client, or an owner planning an exit in the next few years, this episode gives you the questions to ask and the numbers to demand. Tune in now and start making decisions with data you can actually trust! A big thank you to our podcast's presenting sponsor, White Label IQ. They're an amazing resource for agencies who want to outsource their design, dev, or PPC work at wholesale prices. Check out their special offer (10 free hours!) for podcast listeners here. What You Will Learn in This Episode: Moving beyond "beautiful" financial reports to uncover confidently wrong assumptions The critical role of accurate, up-to-date cost-to-deliver data for agency decision-making Identifying and eliminating avoidable ambiguity in agency finances The necessity of robust systems over reliance on a single "finance unicorn" Why tracking profitability by client and service line matters The risk of strong cash flow masking poor profitability Key metrics every agency owner should monitor monthly to drive better business decisions  

Welcome to another thought-provoking episode of Build a Better Agency! This week, host Drew McLellan sits down with category design expert Kevin Maney for a conversation that will have you rethinking what truly sets your agency apart. Drawing from decades of experience as a tech journalist and co-author of landmark books like Play Bigger and The Category Creation Formula, Kevin Maney unpacks the pitfalls of simply striving to be "better" and instead shares actionable strategies for helping agencies carve out and own their own unique category. Together, Drew McLellan and Kevin Maney dig deep into the concept of category design—why being "better" than the competition is a recipe for constant comparison, and how agencies can escape this cycle by identifying what's actually missing in their market. Kevin Maney introduces listeners to his simple yet powerful formula: context + missing + innovation = new category. You'll hear how this approach can help your agency move beyond incremental improvements and create truly meaningful differentiation that resonates with both clients and prospects. Listeners are provided with real-world examples, including a behind-the-scenes look at Kevin Maney's work with LinkedIn and how discovering new context and unmet needs revitalized their Sales Navigator division. The episode also offers practical advice on running the category creation exercise with your own team, crafting a compelling point of view (POV) document, and ensuring your messaging is centered around your clients' challenges and aspirations rather than your agency's credentials. Whether you're struggling to stand out in a crowded market, or you're looking for a framework to help your clients do the same, this episode is filled with actionable inspiration. Listen in to discover how reframing your strategy can help you own a unique space, align your team, and tell irresistible stories that engage prospects and clients alike. A big thank you to our podcast's presenting sponsor, White Label IQ. They're an amazing resource for agencies who want to outsource their design, dev, or PPC work at wholesale prices. Check out their special offer (10 free hours!) for podcast listeners here. What You Will Learn in This Episode: Why positioning your agency as "better" forces you to re-argue your value every time a key staffer leaves How to apply the context plus missing plus innovation formula to uncover a category your agency can own Why you shouldn't ask your customers what's missing, and who you should gather in the room instead How LinkedIn Sales Navigator used the "deep sales" concept to go from slowest to fastest growing division in two years How to use the adjacent possible to keep your positioning from landing too safe or too far out How to structure a point of view document, from describing the problem to the brief case for why you're the one to solve it Why a point of view should replace your About Us content in RFPs, websites, sales decks, and job descriptions  

Welcome to another can't-miss episode of Build a Better Agency! Recorded live at MAICON 2026 in Cleveland, host Drew McLellan sits down with Rachel Woods, CEO and co-founder of AI Momentum Protocols (AMP), to tackle the question most agency owners can't answer: who actually owns AI in your shop? Woods started as an AI data scientist on Facebook's ads research team, built and sold a GPT startup, and ran an agency focused on AI operations for marketing and PR firms. Now she leads a community of more than 1,500 AI operators, and she argues your AI problem isn't a tools problem. It's an org chart problem. In this episode, Woods explains why so many agencies have bought the tools but never seen the impact show up in their margins. You'll learn the difference between "settling" and "tool chasing," and why chasing the latest agent every Monday can be worse for your team than standing still. If you've ever wondered why your team splits into a few AI power users and everyone else, you'll discover how to close that gap and move from using AI to truly building AI operations into how your agency runs. Woods also shares how typing a single word into her AI agent on a sick day completed more than eight hours of work. Woods and Drew walk through the five hats every agency needs to fill (visionary, operator, implementer, subject matter expert, and end user) and why the owner who builds every system has demoted themselves. They dig into Woods' CRAFT cycle for turning instinctive judgment calls into repeatable AI playbooks, why you should "own the playbook and rent the tech," and why storing playbooks in something as simple as Google Docs protects you when a tool disappears. They also cover how AI operations add value in an acquisition, and how to answer the client who asks why they're still paying full price if you're using AI. Whether you're an owner who loves building AI tools yourself, a leader trying to get a skeptical team on board, or someone wondering how AI will change the way you price and sell your work, this episode gives you a clear roadmap for turning scattered experiments into a real operating system. Tune in now and find out who should be wearing which hat in your agency! A big thank you to our podcast's presenting sponsor, White Label IQ. They're an amazing resource for agencies who want to outsource their design, dev, or PPC work at wholesale prices. Check out their special offer (10 free hours!) for podcast listeners here. What You Will Learn in This Episode: Why treating AI as a project or initiative, rather than a way of operating, keeps it from changing your margins How to recognize whether your agency is stuck in "settling" or "tool chasing," and why tool chasing creates whiplash The five hats every agency needs to operationalize AI, and how one person can wear several of them How the CRAFT cycle turns a subject matter expert's instinctive judgment calls into AI playbooks that get adopted Why you only need one AI tool, and how to choose the one most of your team is already comfortable with How to build a tool-agnostic playbook library that survives platform changes and adds value in an acquisition Why your first step should be getting every team member to build one personal playbook, before you ask about ROI

Welcome to another inspiring episode of Build a Better Agency! This week, host Drew McLellan sits down with longtime agency owner Stacy Jones to discuss the hard-earned lessons and deep insights behind her new business parable, "Dragons and Doors." If you've ever felt the pressure of forging your own path, facing daunting challenges, or wondering how to truly move your agency forward, this conversation is a must-listen. Stacy Jones opens up about her winding journey through the world of agency ownership—sharing both the victories and the setbacks that shaped her over nearly two decades in the business. Together, she and Drew McLellan explore the central metaphor of her book: the "doors" (opportunities) and "dragons" (challenges) we all encounter, and the resilience required to move through uncertainty. Listeners will get candid insights into why setbacks matter, how failure becomes a teacher, and the universal truths that every agency owner should recognize as they grow their business and lead their teams. The episode also dives into the human side of leadership, from understanding personal and team core values, to learning how to avoid over-rescuing employees, to finding balance between relentless drive and necessary rest. Stacy Jones shares her own moments of overwork, vulnerability, and growth, revealing how introspection—and even failure—can pave the way for greater agency success and personal fulfillment. Tune in for practical wisdom on decision-making, fostering a strong work culture, and building agency resilience in the face of unexpected turns. Whether you're navigating a tough moment or celebrating a big win, you'll walk away from this episode with renewed motivation to embrace your journey—dragons, doors, and all. A big thank you to our podcast's presenting sponsor, White Label IQ. They're an amazing resource for agencies who want to outsource their design, dev, or PPC work at wholesale prices. Check out their special offer (10 free hours!) for podcast listeners here. What You Will Learn in This Episode: Embracing failure and resilience as central to agency growth Recognizing and navigating doors (opportunities) and dragons (challenges) in agency ownership The evolution of instincts and decision-making through experience The impact of core values on agency culture and leadership Balancing self-sacrifice with personal well-being and growth Developing teams by allowing space for mistakes and learning Finding purpose and having faith in your journey as an agency leader

Welcome to another insightful episode of Build a Better Agency! In this solo cast, Drew McLellan continues his deep dive into the complexities of agency partnerships, offering a practical framework for agency owners considering bringing on a business partner. Picking up from last month's episode—which focused on self-reflection, motivations, and evaluating if partnership is truly the right answer—Drew McLellan now guides listeners through an essential step-by-step process for vetting and integrating a potential partner. Listeners can expect an in-depth discussion of a multi-phase framework designed to slow down the excitement of new partnerships and ensure critical conversations happen before any agreements are signed. Drew McLellan walks through topics such as personal and professional alignment, candid money talks, and even how to "test drive" the partnership with real-world collaboration. He emphasizes the importance of understanding each other's financial habits, stress behavior, and life goals to avoid costly, painful mistakes down the road. The episode doesn't shy away from hard truths. Drew McLellan details red flags and yellow flags that should prompt caution or even a stop to the process, underscoring the gravity of a decision that can shape both business and personal futures. Rather than offering a one-size-fits-all answer, the episode provides pathways for owners who decide partnership isn't right, including alternatives like strong #2s, peer groups, and advisory boards. Whether you're already in talks with a prospective partner or just beginning to consider it, this episode equips you with actionable tools and a clear-eyed perspective for one of the most significant decisions you'll make as an agency owner. By the end, you'll have a practical roadmap, a better understanding of your own needs, and the confidence to chart the best path forward for your agency's future success. A big thank you to our podcast's presenting sponsor, White Label IQ. They're an amazing resource for agencies who want to outsource their design, dev, or PPC work at wholesale prices. Check out their special offer (10 free hours!) for podcast listeners here. What You Will Learn in This Episode: The critical importance of slow, thorough due diligence before entering a partnership Essential alignment conversations about personal goals, financial expectations, and decision-making processes The need for candid, sometimes uncomfortable discussions about money, risk, and stress Testing potential partnerships through real work scenarios and stress situations Recognizing and acting on red and yellow flags during the evaluation process Alternatives to partnerships, such as a strong number 2, peer groups, or advisory boards The value of honest self-reflection in determining whether a partner is truly needed