Are you fixated on the idea that working more is the key to success? What if we told you that the key to success is not the hours you put in but about focusing your attention? You achieve better results by dedicating just 8 to 12 hours a week to a singular goal, refining processes, and creating intentional focus.

In this episode of The Agency Blueprint, we discuss how focused attention leads to real progress rather than putting in more hours. We explore where the hustle culture propaganda stems from and how it only leads to burnout and decreased productivity.

Don’t miss this episode to learn how to create a simpler approach to work that focuses on what truly matters in your life and business.

Key Questions:

• [00:33] Did you know you can achieve more impactful results by dedicating 8 to 12 hours a week to a specific goal, refining systems, and improving processes?
• [06:46] Do you feel like you’re on a hamster wheel, hustling without making real progress in your business?
• [16:50] Are you focusing on the right problem within your business?

What You’ll Discover:

• [01:31] Understand that hustling leads to burnout, preventing you from long-term success and enjoyment in life.
• [03:14] How the hustle culture in America was shaped by corporate interests leading to societal stress and inefficiency.
• [05:28] How agency owners who hustle often find themselves trapped in a cycle of working long hours with little progress.
• [07:18] How to create boundaries between your work and life and focus on key services in your agency.
• [12:55] How to plan and prioritize short-term goals for better results than setting long-term, vague goals.
• [14:19] The importance of patience and focus in achieving meaningful progress in your business goals.
• [16:50] Why solving the key problem can lead to solving multiple issues within a business.

Book Recommendation:

• Do Nothing by Celeste Headlee

How are you prepared to evolve your SEO and organic search as a marketing channel in this age of AI? AI is transforming organic search marketing, so it’s important for businesses to provide high-value content to meet the personalized needs of today’s customers.

In this episode of The Agency Blueprint, Greg Brooks joins me to explore SEO and organic search marketing and how AI is transforming organic search marketing. Greg is an author and partner at SearchTides, a hub for all things search and SEO, and in the AI era of searching online. His role is pivotal in shaping the future of effective SEO, leveraging large language models, or LLMs, and navigating an AI-driven era of the internet. Greg has successfully collaborated with industry giants such as Home Depot, Zillow, Western Union, and FanDuel.

Listen in to learn how to align your SEO and social media strategies based on customer journey length and domain authority strength. You will also learn whether your SEO works best for your business and when to explore other marketing channels.

Key Questions:

• [01:22] Is organic search still a viable marketing channel in the era of AI and fragmented online search behaviors?
• [04:32] What’s your advice to businesses to stay updated with AI advancements and SEO changes?
• [13:39] Who is organic content for and not for, and is organic search meant for everybody?
• [15:49] How can businesses adjust their SEO strategy to account for user intent and funnel stages, ensuring they reach the right audience at the right time?
• [27:35] What’s your advice to businesses still trying to determine whether SEO and organic search are a viable channel for them?

What You’ll Discover:

• [02:00] How Google positions itself as a leader in AI-driven search, unlike GPT models, which are often blocked from web traffic.
• [04:45] How to study user behavior and the buyer’s journey to tailor content across multiple channels and touchpoints.
• [08:06] The future of AI-generated content and why human expertise is more important than ever.
• [12:31] The importance of content structure and scrollability to ensure content is easily digestible and tailored to modern user behavior.
• [13:29] How people are taking combined ways of searching online even as businesses continue to focus on easily trackable marketing strategies.

How do you leverage data in your agency to create effective marketing strategies? When appropriately leveraged, data in marketing can help you optimize audience targeting, campaign performance, and overall marketing outcomes.

In this episode of The Agency Blueprint, I discuss how to base marketing decisions on data instead of making assumptions or shifting tactics too quickly. I also explain the importance of having a disciplined, long-term approach focused on continuous testing and small incremental improvements in various marketing funnel stages to double results over time.

Listen in to learn the importance of understanding your audience, running A/B tests, and tracking attribution across channels to refine strategies and achieve measurable success.

Key Questions:

• [01:13] Are you harnessing data within your agency to create effective marketing strategies?
• [08:30] How do you go about thinking through your existing marketing strategy that allows you to make improvements?
• [09:32] How well do you understand your audience? Are you collecting the data necessary to segment and target them effectively?

What You’ll Discover:

• [01:32] How marketers often jump from one tactic to another without giving marketing strategies enough time to prove effective.
• [02:36] How to leverage data to test and verify your marketing efforts instead of making assumptions.
• [03:56] The importance of perseverance in marketing and monitoring progress before giving up too early.
• [06:25] The power of making small, incremental improvements in various stages of marketing to double results.
• [08:30] How to think through your existing strategy and make improvements in each marketing stage.
• [09:32] How to deeply understand your audience and use data to articulate their problems better than them for more effective marketing.
• [12:38] The importance of A/B testing even when initial assumptions about messaging may seem obvious.

How are you harnessing the power of data to drive operational decisions in your creative agency? Leveraging data helps track agency performance and predict future outcomes, ensuring sustained growth.

In this episode of The Agency Blueprint, we discuss how agencies can use data to streamline processes, enhance client satisfaction, and boost their bottom line. We also explain how to avoid data overload and enhance effective decision-making by focusing on fewer meaningful KPIs.

Don’t miss this episode to learn more about asking the right questions, data transparency, and proper data management.

Key Questions:

• [00:33] Are you leveraging data to make informed decisions, improve efficiency and effectiveness, enhance client satisfaction, and boost your bottom line?
• [09:27] Do you have someone in your corner guiding you with data management as a creative agency owner?
• [16:41] Are you focusing on too many data points, making it difficult to prioritize improvements?

What You’ll Discover:

• [01:37] How data from past performance helps predict future outcomes, allowing for minor adjustments to optimize business trajectory.
• [02:57] The importance of clean, clear, and well-organized data for making informed growth decisions.
• [03:35] How to focus on key cornerstones like revenue growth and client lifetime value when reviewing data.
• [07:29] Ask the right questions about your agency and use data to support the answers for better decision-making.
• [09:19] Have data management to allow for sustainable business as a creative not naturally inclined toward data.
• [10:52] The importance of data transparency with your team to ensure everyone contributes to decision-making.
• [13:56] The power of measuring and monitoring data in your business for continual improvement.
• [16:50] How to avoid data overload by focusing on a few meaningful KPIs to drive performance improvement.

What’s holding you back from delegating more in your agency? Trust issues and fear of handing over control are some challenges you might face when trying to delegate. But are you aware that effectively delegating gives you time to focus on growth and sustainability?

In this episode of The Agency Blueprint, I’m joined by Ashley Berghoff to explore how effective operations can transform visionary businesses. Ashlee is an MBA and systems strategist with the mind of an architect and the heart of an entrepreneur. Her company works with visionary founders and agency owners stuck 'in' the business. They specialize in building and running powerful performance engines, and they have COOs and operations managers on their team.

Don’t miss this episode to learn about effective delegation and how personal boundaries can enhance visionaries' productivity.

Key Questions:

• [01:37] In your experience, what are most agency owners' biggest obstacles when trying to delegate?
• [05:21] Is hiring a virtual assistant when stuck in business operations good advice? If not, why is it bad advice?
• [11:16] How can agency owners identify which tasks they should delegate based on their strengths and preferences?
• [23:17] What are your views on setting personal constraints or policies that help agency owners manage recurring issues more efficiently, and would you recommend them?

What You’ll Discover:

• [01:43] The challenges of trust and fear that agency owners face when trying to delegate.
• [05:33] Why jumping straight into hiring a VA is not the best move and how to delegate effectively for business success.
• [08:43] The documenting processes by recording videos approach and how it helps build a more efficient system when delegating.
• [11:34] The importance of thinking holistically about your business’s operational engines rather than simply delegating tasks in isolation.
• [15:35] How to transition from task-based to outcome-based delegation by empowering team members.
• [19:28] How integrators and visionaries can work on ideas effectively without misalignment.
• [21:13] The importance of having both systems creators and doers within a team to ensure smooth, repetitive task execution.
• [24:13] How setting personal constraints and firm boundaries can help remove the emotional strain of decision-making.
• [26:14] Ashlee’s playbook – a step-by-step guide for business owners to transition from operational management to strategic leadership.

Connect with Ashlee:

• Website
• LinkedIn

How can storytelling and visual models revolutionise your sales process? Rather than being a pushy salesperson, storytelling, visual models, and educating your clients can simplify complex ideas and build genuine client relationships.

In this episode of The Agency Blueprint, I discuss the power of integrating stories and visual models for agency owners to position themselves as trusted partners. I further explain how educating clients empowers them to make informed decisions and sets realistic expectations.

Don’t miss this episode to learn the importance of building trust and positioning yourself as a long-term partner rather than just a vendor.

Key Questions:

• [01:31] Are you using storytelling to help clients see themselves in your solutions?
• [05:20] Do you leverage visual models in your sales process to demonstrate your expertise and make complex concepts easier for clients to grasp?
• [07:36] Could educating your clients strengthen your sales conversations and client relationships?

What You’ll Discover:

• [01:31] The power of storytelling in helping clients relate to the scenarios presented in marketing campaigns.
• [04:11] How third-party selling through storytelling allows clients to recognize their own challenges through someone else.
• [04:50] How to leverage storytelling to explain complex concepts while building trust and credibility.
• [05:20] How to utilize visual models in sales conversations to break barriers and empower clients.
• [07:36] Education as a sales tool – how explaining processes and systems builds client confidence and sets realistic expectations.
• [08:37] The importance of building trust and positioning yourself as a long-term partner rather than just a vendor.
• [10:45] How to leverage these tools to empower, educate, and engage clients to make informed decisions.
• [13:39] Why you should aim to articulate value through storytelling and models and create a meaningful connection with your clients.

What drives your agency forward—financial success or something deeper? Is your passion visible in your work? Aligning impact, purpose, and mission in your agency work is a key pillar that will support you in good and challenging times.

In this episode of The Agency Blueprint, we discuss how passion differentiates you in the marketplace, builds trust with prospective clients, and improves team dynamics. We explain how embracing passion, excitement, and energy will help you achieve a fulfilling business experience.

Listen in to learn more about the difference between financial motivation and genuine passion.

Key Questions:

• [04:07] Have you ever been drawn into a conversation or project because of someone’s passion and enthusiasm for their work?
• [07:50] How do your passion and personal story influence your branding and positioning? How can you use this to differentiate yourself in the market?
• [11:50] How do you balance financial goals with the desire for impact and passion in your work?
• [15:47] How did your passion and sense of purpose help you overcome obstacles and move forward?

What You’ll Discover:

• [01:37] Successful clients whose undying passion sets them apart and how excitement and energy can be contagious and drive success.
• [04:07] How passion builds trust with prospective clients and creates a magnetic connection based on genuine interest.
• [07:50] The importance of recognizing that your passion is your differentiator and embracing it will help you achieve a fulfilling business experience.
• [10:15] How alignment with mission and purpose impacts team dynamics, unifying those with a common goal.
• [11:50] How impact drives energy and commitment, plus a distinction between financial motivation and genuine passion.
• [15:47] The importance of passion in overcoming difficult moments and achieving long-term goals.
• [18:50] How tough times and challenges can fuel motivation and creativity to fulfill your passion.

Are you struggling to streamline client communication and content collaboration in your agency? Having clear communication, building trust, and optimizing workflows are some strategies that can help streamline day-to-day operations and manage client expectations.

In this episode of The Agency Blueprint, I’m joined by Xenia Muntean to discuss how to simplify agency operational and communication processes. Xenia is the CEO and Co-Founder of Planable, a content review and marketing collaboration platform used by over 15,000 creators behind iconic brands such as Hyundai, Christian Louboutin, Viber, and United Nations. She is a Forbes 30 Under 30 honoree, Techstars alumna, Webby Awards judge, frequent speaker, startup mentor, and angel investor.

Don’t miss this episode to learn more about the importance of dedicating time to technological exploration and how to leverage AI's potential without losing the human touch.

Key Questions:

• [01:01] Can you give us a brief overview of your career journey and what you’ve been up to?
• [03:50] What were the biggest stressors you experienced in managing a social agency?
• [12:25] Do you know whether improving the client’s experience impacted the client's lifetime value and the amount of spending the client would have?
• [13:50] How did you make the leap from an agency owner to a tech CEO/Founder, and what was your biggest motivator for launching Planable?
• [17:04] What’s your advice for agency owners and life on how to effectively stay on top of the technology curve and solve their challenges in a meaningful way?
• [21:10] What are your thoughts on the primary types of tools agencies need and should be looking to evaluate at different stages of growth?

What You’ll Discover:

• [01:21] Xenia's entrepreneurial journey – how her first boutique agency gave birth to Planable.
• [04:02] The challenges she experienced managing a social agency from client communication, content production, and operations.
• [06:08] Why balancing a standard process with flexibility for different clients was a major challenge in running her agency.
• [10:06] How optimizing internal processes benefits both the agency and the client experience.
• [12:48] Understand that combining a great client experience and work improves retention and spending.
• [14:12] Xenia shares her experience shifting her focus from being an agency owner to a tech founder.
• [17:17] How to make space for innovation and stay updated while maintaining focus when exploring technology.
• [21:37] The different tools agencies should consider at various stages of growth while keeping it simple.
• [28:01] How AI is reshaping creative industries and the importance of leveraging it without being too reliant on it.

Connect with Xenia:

• Website
• LinkedIn
• Planable Discount: Blueprint30