How Implementing EOS Transforms Agencies to Ascend with Anne Shenton

“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 more

Resourced 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 recommends

Resourced 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 pandemic

Resources 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 Welcome
• 00:01:59 - How to Calculate the ROI of Project Management
• 00:07:20 - How Zenpilot Evolved Over 10 Years
• 00:19:08 - How to Measure and Improve Client Health
• 00:24:42 - The Three Keys to Making Project Management Work Well
• 00:26:19 - How to Use ClickUp and Teamwork for Project Management
• 00:28:16 - How to Define Your Scorecard and Track Your Progress
• 00:30:25 - How AI Can Enhance Project Management
• 00:33:18 - How to Design Your Data Architecture for AI
• 00:37:17 - How AI Can Automate Task Creation and Summary
• 00:39:30 - How Gamification Can Motivate and Engage Your Team
• 00:40:38 - How AI Can Optimize Capacity Management
• 00:46:15 - How to Create Structure and Clarity for Your Team
• 00:48:25 - How to Use Time Tracking for Capacity Management

LINKS AND RESOURCES:

• ZenPilot
• Gray MacKenzie on LinkedIn
• ClickUp
• EOS® V/TO™ Template - V/TO™ Template
• EOS - Entrepreneurial Operating System
• Traffic & Conversion Summit
• Tier 11 Jobs
• Perpetual Traffic on YouTube
• Tiereleven.com
• Solutions 8 
• Perpetual Traffic Survey
• Perpetual Traffic Website
• Follow Perpetual Traffic on Twitter
• Connect 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-making

Resources 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 agencies

Resources 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=YdgpnC63az0

If 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 experience

Resources 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 Partners

If 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 improvement

Resources Mentioned:

📚 Ian's book "Video Testimonials That Land the Big Fish"

📚 Immersion by Dr. Paul J. Zak

📚 Snow Leopard by Category Pirates

Ian 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 zones
• Hosting immersive annual retreats reconnects their remote team and aligns everyone on vision and goals
• How Aimtal structures retreats to maximize bonding and alignment
• Focusing on talent, values, and culture fit over geography gives Aimtal access to the best talent globally
• The importance of intention in building a thriving remote agency and team
• Relying on tools like Rippling to streamline operations and free up bandwidth as they scale
• Leading with transparency and vulnerability as keys to remote team success

Resources Mentioned:

• Rippling - For HR/IT management
• Guru - Knowledge base software
• TravelPerk - Travel management platform
• Anthropic - AI assistant tool

Whether 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 growth
• Why focusing obsessively on client retention, not just sales, fueled sustainable growth
• The importance of Investing intentionally in culture like immersive onboarding and events strengthened their distributed team
• Strategies to analyzing top clients revealed their ideal target market to focus growth efforts
• AI offers opportunities to double down on human-centered strategies and relationships vs trying to compete

Resources and People Mentioned:

• Rocket Clicks Website
• EOS Website
• EOS Tools
• Traction by Gino Wickman
• John LaFontsee's LinkedIn
• John Morriss LinkedIn
• Ramsay Innovations Website (Now known as EngineBI)
• Avoma