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Welcome to An Agency Story podcast, I’m your host Russel.

In this episode, we’re joined by Karolyn Raphael, the dynamic owner of Winger Marketing, based in Chicago, Illinois.

Karolyn shares her journey from aspiring theater performer to PR guru, leveraging her storytelling skills as the backbone of her success. Hear how she transformed Winger Marketing from a small, family-owned traditional PR firm into a full-service digital agency, embracing the challenges of the digital era while maintaining a high-touch approach for clients.

Tune in for an engaging conversation on navigating change, the power of continuous learning, and the lessons she learned from taking over a legacy business.

Enjoy the story.

Show Notes Insights

Embrace Continuous Learning and Adaptation: Karolyn emphasizes the importance of continuous learning and keeping up with industry changes. Winger Marketing has a strong focus on ongoing education, with a budget for team members to attend webinars, training sessions, and conferences. This approach not only keeps skills sharp but also helps the agency stay competitive in a rapidly evolving market. The key takeaway: Invest in your team’s growth and encourage a learning culture to stay ahead of the curve.

Replace Yourself Early and Focus on Leadership: One of Karolyn’s biggest lessons from transitioning to agency ownership was the need to replace herself in day-to-day client work. As an owner, she realized that being the bottleneck prevented growth and led to burnout. Her advice is to delegate client management sooner and empower your team to take ownership, freeing yourself up to focus on strategic decisions and leadership. This shift is crucial for building a sustainable and scalable agency.