Many of us became accidental owners of our agencies. We didn’t necessarily set out to grow a proper business, but started doing some consulting — perhaps between jobs — and without any plan it turned into something more.
Very few agency owners have any formal business training, and most agencies are owned by a single individual.
That leads to stumbling around in the dark and hoping that we find the lightswitch that helps illuminate the right business decisions.
But the truth is that we don’t need to do it alone. We have employees and contractors we should lean on more — not just for labor, but for advice.
We should be talking more with peers and viewing them as resources, not competition.
We ought to look for learning opportunities in conferences, courses, webinars, and more.
We can join trade associations or masterminds to collaborate with others.
And, of course, there are consultants and coaches like me who can help, too.
But whether you decide to avail yourself of the many free resources out there or you retain 1:1 help, you should stop trying to figure it out all on your own.
I’ll talk more about this later in this week’s newsletter, but first let’s look at what Jen has rounded up for us this week.
— Chip Griffin, SAGA Founder
Upcoming Events
- Roundtable: Agency website reviews (October 23)
- Webinar: Step-by-step guide to starting a podcast for your agency (November 7)
Latest podcasts from SAGA
- Planning for agency growth (Agency Leadership Podcast)
Weekly Roundup
Below are some articles, blog posts, podcasts, and videos that we came across during the past week or so that provide useful perspective and information for PR and marketing agency owners. While we don’t necessarily endorse all of the views expressed in these links, we think they are worth your time.
— Jen Griffin, SAGA Community Manager
Articles & Blog Posts
- Average Length of Time To Close Business (RSW/US)
- Fear of Failure (Anchor Advisors)
- Rethinking the Incentive Structures at Your Firm (Punctuation)
- How to Navigate Co-Founder Relationship Dynamics for Long-Term Success (AgencyAnalytics)
Podcast Episodes
- Why We Need Truth Over Politics in a Crisis (That Solo Life)
- Setting Expectations and Enhancing Communication for Long-Term Success with Douglas Bradley (The Innovative Agency)
- Why Followers Don’t Buy & How to Fix It!, with Louise McDonnell (The Personal Brand Business Show)
- How to Transition from Entrepreneur to CEO, with Jason Swenk (The Agency Profit Podcast)
- Steve Guberman on Overcoming Burnout and Building Successful Agencies (The Digital Agency Growth Podcast)
AI in Focus
- How to Use NotebookLM In Your Communications Planning (Spin Sucks)
- Leveraging AI to Create a HIGH IMPACT Foot-in-the-Door Offer with Abraham Bree (Smart Agency Master Class)
Get help instead of going it alone as an agency owner
It’s easy to feel lonely as an agency owner. If we are solo business owners, we think we don’t have a lot of people that we can talk with about the challenges and opportunities we face.
But the truth is that we have far more options than we realize.
Employees and contractors know that you sign the checks, so it’s natural to expect that they might pull their punches a bit. But that doesn’t mean that you shouldn’t be asking for their advice and feedback anyway. They have knowledge, experience, and perspective that you don’t have — and even if they hold back a little, you can still learn a lot.
Fellow owners represent a great resource if we can get past the idea that we don’t want to be vulnerable with them since they are competitors. The truth is that most agencies don’t compete all that directly with each other, but we all have common experiences that we can share.
Whether you reach out to your peers directly for conversations or join free or low-cost communities like the ones offered by Spin Sucks, the Bureau of Digital, or SAGA, talking with others in similar situations helps you feel less alone and may even open the door to more in-depth collaboration.
There are also plenty of masterminds and paid peer groups that agency owners can join for more facilitated conversations with each other. These small group settings can provide a great advantage for those of you who draw energy from that sort of engagement.
Some industry trade associations have subgroups dedicated to agency owners — like PRSA’s Counselors Academy — that can also provide valuable support. Annual conferences for these groups can also help to remove the sense of going it alone.
Of course, I would be remiss if I didn’t highlight the 1:1 services offered by coaches and consultants. The work that many of us do with agency owners can be a powerful tool in getting unstuck, gaining different perspectives, and learning from those who see a broad array of agency challenges and opportunities.
The bottom line is that you shouldn’t feel alone — and you shouldn’t try to go it alone. There are so many resources available, including many that are free or very low cost, that there is really no reason not to find some form of help to grow your agency.
SAGA Roundtable: Agency website reviews
Most agency websites serve as a reflection of the firm’s overall position and messaging. It’s the virtual front door that prospective clients and employees see first.
Your website not only makes that first impression, it serves as a good platform for honing your identity in a way that you can carry forward throughout all of your communications.
In this interactive Roundtable event, you can share your website with Chip Griffin and get feedback from him. All participants will also be able to join in with their own questions and share their thoughts with their peers.
This is a great opportunity to get some valuable feedback about your agency’s website — without any cost or judgement!
To register for the roundtable from 1- 2 PM ET on Wednesday, October 23, click here.
