Summary: On today’s episode, we talk about the ethics of marketing, and the struggle of balancing unhealthy manipulation and effective marketing. The truth is, with so much noise, many use lies to cut through. This creates a downward spiral where people no longer believe marketing messages. One way to defend against this is by defining who you are as an agency and what matters to you. When your true values and goals are displayed in your marketing, you can create moving advertisements as well as genuine customer-brand relationships. It’s also important to have an aligned double bottom line in your agency. What we mean by this is to create two end goals or purposes for your business. The first can be monetary related, but the second should be related to a greater purpose. Once you can align these goals, they can work together to make your marketing honest and effective.   Top 3 Curtain Pulls in this episode:    Be honest in the little things. Ancient Agency Exposed Proverb: “In a world where all marketers lie, no one will buy.” Instead of using your customers’ pain points or vulnerabilities against them, look for problems you can actually solve for them! Although a business’ primary goal is to make money, this goal should never be attained by lying to get someone to buy. “there's a point in time where you're looking for more vulnerabilities in a person and not really solving the problem.” Have an aligned double bottom line. By having two bottom lines in your agency, you’re more likely to become less focused on monetary gains, reducing any manipulative marketing that is occurring. These double bottom lines will also help you to build genuine relationships with your customers, rather than a typical one sided business relationship. “the double bottom line always has to align. if they don't, it's not a business.” Portray your true self in your marketing. As an agency, you must establish who you are and your beliefs and priorities. Once you’ve defined who you are, it will be easy to portray your true self in your marketing. This kind of culture and attitude will serve as a balance, catching any potential manipulative marketing, and helping you eliminate it from your strategy. “This idea of being less of our shadow and more of who we truly are in advertising and marketing is something that we need to talk more about and understand what that means.”   For more tips, discussion, and behind the scenes: Follow us on Instagram @AgencyPodcast Join our closed Facebook community for agency leaders About The Guys:  Bob Hutchins: Founder of BuzzPlant, a digital agency that he ran from 2000-2017. He is also the author of 3 books. More on Bob:  Bob on LinkedIn twitter.com/BobHutchins instagram.com/bwhutchins Bob on Facebook Brad Ayres: Founder of Anthem Republic, an award-winning ad agency. Brad’s knowledge has led some of the biggest brands in the world. Originally from Detroit, Brad is an OG in the ad agency world and has the wisdom and scars to prove it. Currently, that knowledge is being applied to his boutique agency. More on Brad: Brad on LinkedIn Anthem Republic twitter.com/bradayres instagram.com/therealbradayres facebook.com/Bradayres Ken Ott: Co-Founder and Chief Growth Rebel of Metacake, an Ecommerce Growth Team for some of the world’s most influential brands with a mission to Grow Brands That Matter. Ken is also an author, speaker, and was nominated for an Emmy for his acting on the Metacake Youtube Channel (not really). More on Ken:  Ken on LinkedIn Metacake - An Ecommerce Growth Team Growth Rebel TV twitter.com/iamKenOtt instagram.com/iamKenOtt facebook.com/iamKenOtt   Show Notes: [0:42] Bob opens today’s episode with a chat about the local coffee shop and the origins of the names of types of coffee. [2:17] Brad begins today’s discussion about manipulative marketing. He talks about how brand to client relationships often aren’t genuine and instead are pretty creepy. “Can a brand be its true self and can a product stand on its own without having to feel like we constantly have to do things that will sell the product or say things that will manipulate people to get them to buy our product?” [4:39] Bob starts a discussion about the ethics of marketing when he asks, “what are the ethics or what should the ethics be behind advertising?”  [5:32] Bob continues the conversation about ethics and considers the fact that the sales funnel in and of itself may not be an ethical way to treat human beings. [6:07] Ken talks about the pressure to use manipulative tactics in marketing and advertising today.  [11:08] Brad contemplates the tipping point of solving problems for your customers and looking for their vulnerabilities that you can market to, without actually solving a problem. “there's a point in time where you're looking for more vulnerabilities in a person and not really solving the problem.” [12:36] Bob gives examples of how ads have changed over time and how they can manipulate the customer in new ways. He also talks about the two main philosophies of business. “A capitalistic society business's main goal is to satisfy the shareholders and make money. That's your only goal, that's one philosophy. The other philosophy is no, I want to leave the world a better place. I have purpose in my life as a human being and while I want to be successful and make money, I also have another bottom line and that is to _____.” [17:55] Brad discusses the awkwardness around brand-customer relationships, as well as some of the factors that contribute to it.  [19:36] Bob asks, “At what point does it become manipulative?” [22:13] Ken talks about how manipulation can be used to motivate people and help them take action. “not all manipulation is bad. It can be used very badly. But if it's with the intent of ultimately helping the customer…” [25:59] Brad compares pain points and vulnerabilities and contemplates the ethics of seeking out consumers’ pain points.  [28:10]  Bob talks about the importance of knowing who you are as a brand and being able to portray your true self in marketing. “This idea of being less of our shadow and more of who we truly are in advertising and marketing is something that we need to talk more about and understand what that means.” [33:24]  Ken highlights the importance of having an aligned double bottom line. “the double bottom line always has to align. if they don't, it's not a business.” [34:53] Bob talks about how vital an agency’s culture is and considers the question, how do we perfect selling our product? “until you create, and fight for and do the hard work of building that type of culture inside an organization, it's not going to change for your agency” [37:02] Ken discusses the importance of quality leadership when ethically marketing. “let's not destroy someone's inbox for no reason.” [40:50] Bob talks about the tragic reality that manipulative marketing actually harms people.

Agency Exposed Podcast

Ep 91: Manipulation Marketing

Summary: On today’s episode we break down the pros and cons of investing in technology and other tools. It’s important to understand exactly what you’re investing in and what it will do to help accelerate your business. Technology is a vast, evolving field so it’s also important to ensure that your information and assets are thoroughly protected. One of the ways you can achieve this is through redundancy. Protect the information that makes your business unique by keeping an updated, spare copy. While technology and tools can really benefit your agency, allowing your business to rely on a single platform, or tool, is deadly. Also, forgetting that you have 27 different tools for 2 jobs is definitely very costly. Being aware, thoughtful, creating redundancy, and assessing your tools will help your agency be ahead of the curve.   Top 3 Curtain Pulls in this episode:    Know exactly what you’re investing in, and why. Technologies are the tools of the trade in the agency world. But if you’re not careful, you’ll quickly become bloated. “The point is to invest into it and to be aware of it.” Create redundancy. In the agency world, we are always creating various kinds of information. This information is what allows our businesses to exist and succeed. It’s our IP and it’s critical to clients. Your information is most likely your entire business. In order to protect your information, redundancy is a must. Protect your ideas and information by storing them in more than one place. “You're making information, so you gotta protect that.” Evaluate your tools to become self-sufficient. Services, subscription, platforms, and other tools can be incredibly helpful, but if you're not careful they’ll run away with your profit. Have you ever had 12 different TV subscriptions so that you can watch every single NFL game, yet never ue them? This can happen with your agency’s tools, and with these applications, the bills really stack up. This is why it’s important to regularly assess your tools and determine how your agency would be affected if they suddenly were gone. “What type of technology are we relying on that if it went away would hamper our business?”     For more tips, discussion, and behind the scenes: Follow us on Instagram @AgencyPodcast Join our closed Facebook community for agency leaders About The Guys:  Bob Hutchins: Founder of BuzzPlant, a digital agency that he ran from 2000-2017. He is also the author of 3 books. More on Bob:  Bob on LinkedIn twitter.com/BobHutchins instagram.com/bwhutchins Bob on Facebook Brad Ayres: Founder of Anthem Republic, an award-winning ad agency. Brad’s knowledge has led some of the biggest brands in the world. Originally from Detroit, Brad is an OG in the ad agency world and has the wisdom and scars to prove it. Currently, that knowledge is being applied to his boutique agency. More on Brad: Brad on LinkedIn Anthem Republic twitter.com/bradayres instagram.com/therealbradayres facebook.com/Bradayres Ken Ott: Co-Founder and Chief Growth Rebel of Metacake, an Ecommerce Growth Team for some of the world’s most influential brands with a mission to Grow Brands That Matter. Ken is also an author, speaker, and was nominated for an Emmy for his acting on the Metacake Youtube Channel (not really). More on Ken:  Ken on LinkedIn Metacake - An Ecommerce Growth Team Growth Rebel TV twitter.com/iamKenOtt instagram.com/iamKenOtt facebook.com/iamKenOtt   Show Notes: [0:44] Brad opens today’s episode by talking about Bob's radio voice and the new Apple iPhone 13.  [1:59] Brad asks the guys, “When is the right time to make some upgrades or to give your employees some new gadgets? When is the right time to invest in technology?” [4:27] Brad talks about what technology he provides for new, full time employees, and how he wants their first day at Anthem Republic to feel like Christmas.  [7:50] Ken discusses his strategy for preventing a buildup of unused computers. [8:23] Ken says that investing into your employees by providing them with technology that will help them be more productive or produce better results will pay for itself. He also asks, “From a security side of things, how do you control all these laptops and what's on them, to the level that you need to for your business?” [11:11] Bob asks about other kinds of tech and talks about evaluating their usage and value on a yearly basis.  [11:31] Brad talks about automation and his timeline for upgrading technology. [12:23] Ken contemplates the psychological aspect of opening a new computer box from Apple. [13:36] Bob discusses the importance of redundancy. He also continues the conversation about evaluating the tools your company relies on and how a shutdown could negatively affect your business. “What type of technology are we relying on that if it went away would hamper our business?... How do we keep on top of that, and always have redundancy in a backup?” [15:13] Ken recommends that every laptop should have a ‘backup cloud’ backup solution that is different from Dropbox to protect the information that your business runs on. [17:45] Ken talks about physical hard drives and other methods of protection for your information. “You're making information, so you gotta protect that.” [18:04] Brad discusses his perspective on hard drives and redundancy. [21:30] Bob talks about the questions he asks his employees to, “Keep us thinking about how to be redundant and self-sufficient, but it also keeps us ahead of the curve.” [27:11] Ken talks about the importance of awareness when your agency has many third party tools, and how those subscriptions can really add up. [29:11] Bob discusses a cost reducing method where your clients pay a fee of some sort that helps cover the cost of the third party tools you use.  “If you do have an expense like that where you have a subscription figure out ways to charge the clients and encourage them pay for that subscription.” [32:10] Brad considers how to make sure that your data on the cloud is protected in the future. [33:08] Ken talks about how, “There is always a backdoor for the government to be able to get access to any data for any company.” [38:05] Ken concisely summarizes his perspective on investing in technology when he says, “I think the point is to invest into it and to be aware of it.” [42:05] Bob talks about how to be a leader for your agency when investing in technology. [46:02] Bob mentions a book called “This is How They Tell Me the World Will End” that is about cybersecurity and vulnerability.  [49:41] Ken says that it is crucial to have a strategic mindset and stack the odds in your favor. [50:36] Bob concludes this episode by briefly talking about ensuring that your agency has cybersecurity from all angles.  

Ep 90: New laptop for you!

Summary: In today's episode we talk about a variety of topics, but focus on three main ideas. The first is to never place your business solely on a platform that you don’t control. It leaves you subject to the whims of the company that owns the platform. This is a hard lesson to learn, but luckily there are some tricks. Because of the recent improvements made to preserve privacy, targeted marketing has recently been severely restricted by Facebook. Second, is to find some alternative Facebook targeting. We also talk about how the marketing circle is rotating back to TV and magazine ads also because of privacy concerns. Maybe you should be transitioning your strategy.   Top 3 Curtain Pulls in this episode:    Never rely on a platform you do not control for your core business. We’ve talked about this in another episode, and today we discover the painful consequences when you entrust your ads to a platform that has a personal agenda. At the flick of a switch, your ads can be immediately shut down. “You can't rely on Facebook anymore.” Be prepared. Privacy changes are pushing the marketing cycle around. Due to the recent privacy changes from Apple, Google, and Facebook, traditional marketing is becoming more of an opportunity. “I think things are coming back around, full cycle… and I think there’s going to be an opportunity there soon.” Optimize your site and use Facebook targeting hacks to gain leads. Though Facebook may be continuing to trim back their targeting options, there are some 3rd party tools that can help gain more targeting, without invading anyone’s privacy. “Google's been rewarding. A lot of really good mobile schema.”     For more tips, discussion, and behind the scenes: Follow us on Instagram @AgencyPodcast Join our closed Facebook community for agency leaders About The Guys:  Bob Hutchins: Founder of BuzzPlant, a digital agency that he ran from 2000-2017. He is also the author of 3 books. More on Bob:  Bob on LinkedIn twitter.com/BobHutchins instagram.com/bwhutchins Bob on Facebook Brad Ayres: Founder of Anthem Republic, an award-winning ad agency. Brad’s knowledge has led some of the biggest brands in the world. Originally from Detroit, Brad is an OG in the ad agency world and has the wisdom and scars to prove it. Currently, that knowledge is being applied to his boutique agency. More on Brad: Brad on LinkedIn Anthem Republic twitter.com/bradayres instagram.com/therealbradayres facebook.com/Bradayres Ken Ott: Co-Founder and Chief Growth Rebel of Metacake, an Ecommerce Growth Team for some of the world’s most influential brands with a mission to Grow Brands That Matter. Ken is also an author, speaker, and was nominated for an Emmy for his acting on the Metacake Youtube Channel (not really). More on Ken:  Ken on LinkedIn Metacake - An Ecommerce Growth Team Growth Rebel TV twitter.com/iamKenOtt instagram.com/iamKenOtt facebook.com/iamKenOtt   Show Notes: [0:49] Brad open’s this week’s episode by talking about Detroit’s annual electronic music festival and Houdini. [5:13] Brad talks about his recent, frustrating experience with Facebook. “You can't rely on Facebook anymore.” [10:56] Bob gives some secret Facebook marketing hacks.   [14:54] Bob offers some suggestions to help with getting leads in the midst of Facebook’s limited targeting options. [16:09] Bob talks about how optimizing your site can help Google “like it”, which will also help with clients, rankings, and traffic. He also asks, “Have you guys ever used any content discovery ads, like Taboola or Outbrain?”  [16:52] Ken answers Bob’s question and offers some alternative, more effective solutions than content discovery ads. “I would suggest… serve ads for content, on Facebook. If you've got great content, do “dollar a day” Facebook ads. That has proven to be much more effective than those content ads.” [19:51] Ken talks about how he thinks the marketing circle is coming back around to tv and magazine ads because of privacy.  [20:53] Ken asks about trade shows, opening a discussion about that industry and its evolution over the past 2 years. [24:13] Bob discusses his zoom fatigue article and ties it into the discussion about trade shows. [29:35] Bob begins a discussion about Facebook’s smart glasses, along with their competitors and the smart glasses market.  [33:15] Brad considers an alternate universe where Elon Musk has created smart glasses and how there is a potential for smart glasses to help disabled people.

Ep 89: Smart glasses, magazine ads and secret Facebook targeting

Summary: In today's episode, we break down some of the ways that we maintain predictable revenue. Retainers can be used by any agency to keep their income consistent. But they bring other potential issues. It’s also important to invest in a great team that consistently does great work. This is a simple yet effective way to increase returning clients and has the potential to increase your revenue. “Your journey towards predictable revenue is never over.” -Ancient Agency Exposed Proverb   Top 3 Curtain Pulls in this episode:    Use retainers. Retainers are the traditional way to create predictable revenue streams. But not all retainers are good. And not all revenue should be retainer based. Be sure to understand the pros and cons of retainers and the appropriate mix of retainer and project income. “if we didn't have 50% of our billings being retainers, it would be a lot more difficult to manage our cash and understand what's coming in.” Don’t accept seasonality; do something about it. Although most businesses have some form of seasonality, don’t allow your agency to be dictated by the seasonality of one client type or industry. You must diversify. Diversify across industries with opposite seasonality. Diversify across industries that serve opposite ends of the spectrum. Like an investment portfolio, you want business that will thrive no matter what time of year and no matter what the economic environment.  “there's always something to do. The challenge is, is does that something create revenue right now or in the future?” Invest in an excellent team that does excellent work. When you shop at a retail store and have a great customer service experience and a high quality product, you are much more likely to return to that retail store. This concept is the same with agencies. Investing in an excellent team that does excellent work is a simple yet effective way to increase returning customers and potentially, income. “the way that you engage customers and clients has a lot to do with the stability of your income.”     For more tips, discussion, and behind the scenes: Follow us on Instagram @AgencyPodcast Join our closed Facebook community for agency leaders About The Guys:  Bob Hutchins: Founder of BuzzPlant, a digital agency that he ran from 2000-2017. He is also the author of 3 books. More on Bob:  Bob on LinkedIn twitter.com/BobHutchins instagram.com/bwhutchins Bob on Facebook Brad Ayres: Founder of Anthem Republic, an award-winning ad agency. Brad’s knowledge has led some of the biggest brands in the world. Originally from Detroit, Brad is an OG in the ad agency world and has the wisdom and scars to prove it. Currently, that knowledge is being applied to his boutique agency. More on Brad: Brad on LinkedIn Anthem Republic twitter.com/bradayres instagram.com/therealbradayres facebook.com/Bradayres Ken Ott: Co-Founder and Chief Growth Rebel of Metacake, an Ecommerce Growth Team for some of the world’s most influential brands with a mission to Grow Brands That Matter. Ken is also an author, speaker, and was nominated for an Emmy for his acting on the Metacake Youtube Channel (not really). More on Ken:  Ken on LinkedIn Metacake - An Ecommerce Growth Team Growth Rebel TV twitter.com/iamKenOtt instagram.com/iamKenOtt facebook.com/iamKenOtt   Show Notes: [1:26] Brad open’s today’s episode by discussing this week’s topic. He asks, “How do you stabilize your revenues so that there's some consistency, over a longer period of time?” [2:18] Ken asks about the seasonality of Brad and Bob’s agencies. [3:09] Brad talks about how although some months are lower than others, it has become more predictable. [3:51] Ken says that as an agency, “you should never accept seasonality.” [4:43] Bob mentions the role outgo plays when an agency is stabilizing their income. He also says that “the way that you engage customers and clients has a lot to do with the stability of your income.” [9:52] Brad talks about the challenges of not having retainers. [11:15] Ken mentions the importance of having foresight when trying to stabilize your income. [11:53]  Ken talks about how oftentimes with seasonality, it can be feast or famine. [13:31] Ken discusses how, “it's a challenge to not get into a scarcity mindset.” [14:40] Bob talks about how investing in excellent people and doing excellent work can help stabilize your income. [17:42] Bob begins a discussion that unpacks the various meanings of retainers [20:04] Ken talks about how his agency uses different retainers and some potential incentives to help convince clients that a retainer is in their best interest. [22:34] Bob mentions his agency’s use of retainers and some of the methods they use. [24:26] Brad discusses the way his agency uses retainers and points out that even retainers are flexible and can change. “if we didn't have 50% of our billings being retainers, it would be a lot more difficult to manage our cash and understand what's coming in.”  [27:16] Bob asks, “What are other ways that you can stabilize your income?” [33:17] Brad talks about how, “as agencies, we don't plan out our customer business correctly.” [34:09] Bob tells a story about how he used a client’s desire to move funding from his agency to work with another agency as an opportunity to suggest other ways his agency could help them. “there's always an opportunity, there's always something you can do for that customer” [36:42] Brad talks about how seasonality can make you feel like, “we're either hustling or double hustling.” [37:34] Ken discusses how even during a lower season, agencies should always have something to do that either brings in other sources of income or invests back into the agency. “there's always something to do. The challenge is, is does that something create revenue right now or in the future?” [38:45] Ken wraps up by talking about the scarcity mindset and the challenges of trying to get out of it. “the leader needs to have a mindset of balance and stability.”

Ep 88: How do you create predictable revenue?

Summary: In today's episode, we dive into the evolving world of ecommerce. Every agency should be executing their services on their own business to gain valuable experience and learn how to truly innovate. There’s no way to truly innovate if all you do is work on other people’s projects. We talk about channel diversification and marketing diversification. Although Facebook ads and Amazon can be helpful tools, you don’t want a primary source of your revenue dependent on 3rd parties. Ecommerce is more complicated than most people think and we jump into the advanced side of the pool today.   Top 3 Curtain Pulls in this episode:    Innovate on yourself. Let’s be honest, you can’t innovate without being able to fail and failure isn’t exactly what you’re hired for. So, if all you do is work on other businesses projects, you don’t have the ability to truly innovate. You need playgrounds of your own. “ “By definition, agencies aren’t the most innovative people, because, by definition, they're hired to not fail, and innovation takes being able to fail” Platform diversification. Imagine that you’re solely using Facebook ads to market your product and suddenly, they get shut down. You would lose a primary source of revenue at the whims of others in power. This is why it is crucial that you’re in control of your ecommerce platform. “Never ever, ever build your strategy on a platform that you do not own and control.” Think competitively. A business is solely used as a tool to make money, so it’s acceptable and even encouraged to be competitive. Make a list of all of the apps, websites, and tools your business uses on a daily basis and then figure out how to be less dependent on them. By being independent, unique, and competitive, you can give your business an edge that will set you apart. “Start thinking competitively versus being dependent.”   For more tips, discussion, and behind the scenes: Follow us on Instagram @AgencyPodcast Join our closed Facebook community for agency leaders About The Guys:  Bob Hutchins: Founder of BuzzPlant, a digital agency that he ran from 2000-2017. He is also the author of 3 books. More on Bob:  Bob on LinkedIn twitter.com/BobHutchins instagram.com/bwhutchins Bob on Facebook Brad Ayres: Founder of Anthem Republic, an award-winning ad agency. Brad’s knowledge has led some of the biggest brands in the world. Originally from Detroit, Brad is an OG in the ad agency world and has the wisdom and scars to prove it. Currently, that knowledge is being applied to his boutique agency. More on Brad: Brad on LinkedIn Anthem Republic twitter.com/bradayres instagram.com/therealbradayres facebook.com/Bradayres Ken Ott: Co-Founder and Chief Growth Rebel of Metacake, an Ecommerce Growth Team for some of the world’s most influential brands with a mission to Grow Brands That Matter. Ken is also an author, speaker, and was nominated for an Emmy for his acting on the Metacake Youtube Channel (not really). More on Ken:  Ken on LinkedIn Metacake - An Ecommerce Growth Team Growth Rebel TV twitter.com/iamKenOtt instagram.com/iamKenOtt facebook.com/iamKenOtt   Show Notes: [0:58] Bob opens today’s episode with a quick chat about last week’s episode. [2:28] Bob begins today’s conversation about ecommerce.   [3:15] Ken talks about Black Friday and some of his expectations for it and the future of ecommerce. [4:47] Ken discusses his philosophy that, “Every agency should be doing ecommerce themselves” [5:02] Ken mentions how important it is to effectively plan for the holiday season, especially when it comes to ecommerce. [6:19] Bob says that it is crucial for agencies to develop their own products so that they can experiment with ecommerce and gain some valuable experience. [6:43] Ken talks about how, “Innovation takes failing” [10:14] Brad discusses how addictive ecommerce can be.“It's so addictive, when it's working” [12:52] Ken talks about the amount of risk he believes an agency should take regarding ecommerce and marketing. “If you're running Facebook ads, you have no control over the revenue, or if someone buys. All you have control over is can I get someone to click on this thing… You're walking into a potential minefield, and that’s bad.” [16:27] Ken discusses the true complexity of ecommerce and some of the factors that influence it. “It is a lot more complicated than people think… There's a perception that ecommerce is just like a magic slot machine.” [22:04] Ken talks about the three stages of ecommerce he typically sees.  [24:46] Ken breaks down the issue of measuring a business by their lifetime value.  [25:41] Brad asks, “What percentage is ecommerce driving revenues for most customers?” [27:15] Ken discusses how, “The platform that you can control the most or the channel you can control the most needs to be the biggest channel. And that's ecommerce.” [28:33] Bob asks how the Amazon effect impacts those in ecommerce. [34:06] Ken talks about how having a unique brand is vital when trying to transition from selling on Amazon to selling on your ecommerce site. “Brand specifically plays a role in increasing the value.” [35:43] Bob says that an agency should, “Never ever, ever build your e commerce strategy on a platform that you do not own and control.” [44:59] Brad asks what platforms Ken would suggest for agencies who are getting started on their own ecom. [50:50] Bob uses two analogies to drive home the importance of having your ecom primarily on a site or platform that you control and that competition is not a personal thing but rather a part of business. [54:51] Bob summarizes his two takeaways from this week’s episode. “Start thinking competitively versus being dependent.”... “Have a short term vision and goal for ecommerce, have a midterm and then have a long term vision goal.” [1:01:12] Brad talks about his agency, Anthem Republic. “You can find us at anthemrepublic.com and you can see the type of work we do there, the clients that we work for, some case studies, and a lot of fun videos on how we think.” [1:01:35] Ken talks about his hybrid agency, Metacake. “Our hybrid agency is metacake.com. We have a store at store.metacake.com where you can see some of our t-shirts and apparel and those kinds of things. We also have a YouTube channel.” [1:02:14] Bob wraps up today’s episode by talking about his agency, Five by Five. “I'm at 5by5agency.com and we do lots of different things. But we primarily focus on research, strategy, ecommerce, marketing, and creative.”

Ep 87: Let’s go deep on ecommerce

Summary: On today’s episode, we talk about where we think an agency’s profit should go to bring the greatest return and maximize your resources. It’s how you bring stability and value to your business. Disclaimer: this is not financial advice. Consult with your financial professional doing anything. We are not financial professionals, and we do recommend finding a real advisor who is invested in you and has your best interests in mind. Your investments are for the long game. We as humans are often so focused on the short term that we forget what this is all for.    Top 3 Curtain Pulls in this episode:    Become an investor (not just an owner). Investing is key when you’re maximizing your resources. The goal is to make the most of your return, no matter how small, on your investment. Investing doesn’t have to be complicated, but can be used as a tool to break even with inflation.“What is the simplest way, lowest risk that you can just do better than what you're doing right now. It's better than sitting in the bank.” Consider leverage. Although you may not immediately be comfortable with the idea of credit, it can be a powerful tool (if you have powerful discipline). “If you're going to get a line of credit you need to know, under what circumstances you would use it. You have to have a predetermined plan.” Be a good steward of your finances by doing something with them. In order to maximize your resources, you actually have to do something with them. Because of the high inflation rate, the value of your money will depreciate if you leave it sitting in the bank. Take action! “we're not financial advisors, but you got to do something with it.”     For more tips, discussion, and behind the scenes: Follow us on Instagram @AgencyPodcast Join our closed Facebook community for agency leaders About The Guys:  Bob Hutchins: Founder of BuzzPlant, a digital agency that he ran from 2000-2017. He is also the author of 3 books. More on Bob:  Bob on LinkedIn twitter.com/BobHutchins instagram.com/bwhutchins Bob on Facebook Brad Ayres: Founder of Anthem Republic, an award-winning ad agency. Brad’s knowledge has led some of the biggest brands in the world. Originally from Detroit, Brad is an OG in the ad agency world and has the wisdom and scars to prove it. Currently, that knowledge is being applied to his boutique agency. More on Brad: Brad on LinkedIn Anthem Republic twitter.com/bradayres instagram.com/therealbradayres facebook.com/Bradayres Ken Ott: Co-Founder and Chief Growth Rebel of Metacake, an Ecommerce Growth Team for some of the world’s most influential brands with a mission to Grow Brands That Matter. Ken is also an author, speaker, and was nominated for an Emmy for his acting on the Metacake Youtube Channel (not really). More on Ken:  Ken on LinkedIn Metacake - An Ecommerce Growth Team Growth Rebel TV twitter.com/iamKenOtt instagram.com/iamKenOtt facebook.com/iamKenOtt   Show Notes: [0:32] Ken opens today’s episode and mentions that unfortunately, Bob is not on this week’s episode.  [2:03] Brad begins today’s conversation about the financial side of running an agency and discusses what he and Ken do to invest into their companies. “You're losing money, if you're just holding it. What do you do with it to maximize your return?”  [3:51] Brad points out that “we're not financial advisors, but you got to do something with it.” [6:11] Brad talks about how he tries to maximize his resources and make as many returns on his money as possible. “the only way I can duplicate myself is to make my money work for me.” [7:49] Ken discusses the balance of maximizing your resources but also taking the time to enjoy them. “I want to maximize it. But I'm rarely enjoying it.” [11:43] Brad begins a discussion about the things that he and Ken do to help keep their businesses running through a downturn. [16:17] Ken asks if there are some guidelines Brad has for taking out a line of credit. [17:30] Ken talks about some strategies that he uses to help him make decisions with the business’ credit line. “If you're going to get a line of credit you need to know, under what circumstances you would use it. You have to have a predetermined plan.” [21:31] Ken discusses his philosophy about the importance of profit and investing that profit to improve your business. “if you don't shoot for that you can't invest into the business to be better at what you do” [23:14] Brad asks, “If you do have profit, what do you do with it?”  [24:41] Brad talks about his experience with deflationary assets. “you just know that it's just going to go up in value.” [25:54] Ken discusses the boundaries he has for investing. [33:45] Brad talks about the importance of diversification when investing. [35:15] Ken boils investing down to “what is the simplest way, lowest risk that you can just do better than what you're doing right now. It's better than sitting in the bank.” [36:53] Ken talks about how cash depreciates in value thus, “That cash is the same as owning a car.” [40:04] Brad discusses his opinions on investing and what he thinks are the best ways to go about it. “be ready to buy so you have capital to buy, because when there's blood in the streets, and everybody's yelling, the world's gonna collapse. That's when you buy.”  [42:38] Brad talks about why it’s important to try to take your emotions out of investing. “you really just got to look at pure data sometimes when you invest”  [44:15] Ken uses an analogy to demonstrate a unique way of looking at the stock market and why he thinks the best time to buy is during hard times.“Let's say Apple has a sale. We're like sweet, let's go buy a new iPhone. But when the stock market has a sale we're like, oh, no, no, no, we don't want to touch that.” [47:26] Brad points out that “you have to be a good steward of your own finances and your own business to be able to make other companies’ money.” [49:40] Ken talks about how having a financial advisor can help when making financial or investing decisions for your agency.

Ep 86: Are you maximizing your capital?

Summary: Today we discuss how to break into new verticals. We also discuss whether you should break into new verticals. It can be challenging to close in on a client in a different industry when you have minimal experience there. On this week’s episode, we offer a few tips to help you jumpstart your journey through new verticals. It’s all about becoming a master translator. Even if you don’t have extensive experience or training in a certain industry, if you can sell your exclusive talent and how you applied it to a similar situation, you can make it in almost any industry.     Top 3 Curtain Pulls in this episode:    Be honest. We all know the saying, “Honesty is the best policy”. This especially applies when you’re trying to break into a new vertical. By being open about the extent of your experience in the client’s specific industry, you build trust and create an opportunity to share your unique skills. “Always be honest”. Become a master translator. Each industry has its own special language. Being able to translate their needs and understand their goals, you can attach the relevant experience you have to practical application in their situation. “start speaking their language… and then attach it to your past experience.” Find what makes you uniquely suited to that vertical. Even if you don’t have loads of experience in a specific industry, you can exhibit other talents or skills you have and how you applied them to similar situations. Working in an agency exposes you to opportunities to understand various industries and marketing tactics. This gives you an edge over other companies that work solely for one industry. “What I really try to convince the client is that you're getting access to a huge knowledge warehouse.”     For more tips, discussion, and behind the scenes: Follow us on Instagram @AgencyPodcast Join our closed Facebook community for agency leaders About The Guys:  Bob Hutchins: Founder of BuzzPlant, a digital agency that he ran from 2000-2017. He is also the author of 3 books. More on Bob:  Bob on LinkedIn twitter.com/BobHutchins instagram.com/bwhutchins Bob on Facebook Brad Ayres: Founder of Anthem Republic, an award-winning ad agency. Brad’s knowledge has led some of the biggest brands in the world. Originally from Detroit, Brad is an OG in the ad agency world and has the wisdom and scars to prove it. Currently, that knowledge is being applied to his boutique agency. More on Brad: Brad on LinkedIn Anthem Republic twitter.com/bradayres instagram.com/therealbradayres facebook.com/Bradayres Ken Ott: Co-Founder and Chief Growth Rebel of Metacake, an Ecommerce Growth Team for some of the world’s most influential brands with a mission to Grow Brands That Matter. Ken is also an author, speaker, and was nominated for an Emmy for his acting on the Metacake Youtube Channel (not really). More on Ken:  Ken on LinkedIn Metacake - An Ecommerce Growth Team Growth Rebel TV twitter.com/iamKenOtt instagram.com/iamKenOtt facebook.com/iamKenOtt   Show Notes: [0:33] Bob opens today’s episode with a quick chat about the toasty weather in Tennessee. [1:29] Brad begins today’s discussion about how to break into new verticals. “How do you get potential clients to trust that you understand their industry? And you understand their issues, and you've solved issues in the past similar to theirs?” [3:30] Brad talks about the importance of understanding the core parts of the industry you’re pioneering. [4:50] Bob discusses two key components to help convince a client that you’re the right fit for their industry. “always be honest” “start speaking their language… and then attach it to your past experience.” [7:29] Ken talks about how to sell your unique skills and experience to a potential client in another vertical. [11:42] Bob mentions how invaluable having a talented salesperson can be. He also discusses presentation and isolating what is important to your client. [16:54] Bob talks about a unique method he uses to persuade a client and eliminate the competition. “What I really try to convince the client is that you're getting access to a huge knowledge warehouse. What you get with us is you get this huge knowledge warehouse of experience that we've worked with all these other industries, that we're going to be able to apply that knowledge and that learning to your situation” [18:21] Ken discusses the role that personality plays when talking to a client in another vertical.  [21:13] Bob talks about the vital role communication and experience play when it comes to expanding into new verticals. [23:58] Ken asks, “why would someone want to go into another industry or in another vertical?” [26:10] Brad discusses his motivations for entering a new industry. “you mentioned money, obviously, that's a motivator. But for me, a lot of the motivation is learning something new, to be honest with you.” [31:09] Ken talks about the key to starting conversations that will help you break into a new vertical. [37:29] Bob discusses another option for breaking into a new vertical. “don't be afraid to hire somebody that's an expert in that niche.”

Ep 85: How to break into new verticals

Summary: Today we talk about the challenges of working with difficult clients or just simply not getting the feedback you expected from the people you serve. Unfortunately, as service providers we can’t control the happiness of the people we serve. We can only control our own actions - the work we do and the way we respond. Our first tip is to try to be empathetic. It seems a bit cheesy and retaliation is definitely easier, but remember that you only know a small part of their story and that inner struggles from other parts of life often reflect into everything else. Another key character trait is confidence. Remember how your English teacher in high school would underline your mistakes in red and would not circle the good parts in green? At times, feedback from clients can be similar. Don’t get discouraged and as you grow, your confidence will too. Finally, remember to prioritize your mental, emotional, physical, and spiritual health. Because we work in the service business, the last person we think to serve is ourselves. This is toxic and can only lead to personal damage and damage to your agency.   Top 3 Curtain Pulls in this episode:    Empathy is the best superpower. No one likes dealing with rude people, but having a bit of empathy can make these challenging situations easier by giving you awareness into the possibility that their reaction may not be related to you at all. “If you feel like, I really need to set this person straight, you act in the opposite spirit” Be confident in your work. Validation is at the core behind the dependence on a certain response, and it’s important to be able to self-validate based on your own bar for excellence. “As confidence in your ability grows, you are less swayed by what people say. It's like, I know I did a great job.”  Boundaries and prioritizing your health are key. Often your clients, your team, and others’ health are placed above your own. In order to provide the highest quality service to others around you, your mental, emotional, physical, and spiritual health can not be placed at the bottom of the totem pole. The way you show up, greatly influences your ability to stay centered no matter what is thrown at you. “Put your own oxygen mask on first.”     For more tips, discussion, and behind the scenes: Follow us on Instagram @AgencyPodcast Join our closed Facebook community for agency leaders About The Guys:  Bob Hutchins: Founder of BuzzPlant, a digital agency that he ran from 2000-2017. He is also the author of 3 books. More on Bob:  Bob on LinkedIn twitter.com/BobHutchins instagram.com/bwhutchins Bob on Facebook Brad Ayres: Founder of Anthem Republic, an award-winning ad agency. Brad’s knowledge has led some of the biggest brands in the world. Originally from Detroit, Brad is an OG in the ad agency world and has the wisdom and scars to prove it. Currently, that knowledge is being applied to his boutique agency. More on Brad: Brad on LinkedIn Anthem Republic twitter.com/bradayres instagram.com/therealbradayres facebook.com/Bradayres Ken Ott: Co-Founder and Chief Growth Rebel of Metacake, an Ecommerce Growth Team for some of the world’s most influential brands with a mission to Grow Brands That Matter. Ken is also an author, speaker, and was nominated for an Emmy for his acting on the Metacake Youtube Channel (not really). More on Ken:  Ken on LinkedIn Metacake - An Ecommerce Growth Team Growth Rebel TV twitter.com/iamKenOtt instagram.com/iamKenOtt facebook.com/iamKenOtt   Show Notes: [0:05] Ken opens this week’s episode with a brief chat about the guys’ summer vacations. [3:59] Ken begins today’s discussion about how to deal with clients who seem ungrateful or rude. “In the service industry sometimes you do a good job and someone's having a bad day or there's just a bad personality or whatever and that person's a jerk on the other side. And you can feel like garbage” [5:42] Brad talks about the desire for positive feedback; especially for those with a pleaser personality in the service industry. “When you're in the service industry, you want positive feedback on a positive feedback loop. When you don't get that from a client, it's really difficult. It can make you feel depressed, it can make you feel like you're not doing a great job.”  [8:25] Ken asks “How do you move to where you're happy with the job that you did no matter what?” [10:26] Bob discusses the importance of prioritizing your mental, physical, emotional, and spiritual health. “Put your own oxygen mask on first.”  [16:35] Ken talks about the challenge of being intentional when prioritizing your personal health. “Be really intentional about those things.” [19:18] Bob talks about the importance and power empathy has. “Empathy is a superpower.” [20:25] Bob makes the point that no one “Gets up and says, I'm going to be a jerk and mean to everybody today” [24:05] Ken talks about the balance that is required when leading your team through a challenging client situation.   [26:09] Brad discusses two of the practical ways he and his team deal with these situations. [28:27] Bob acknowledges that inner struggles often reflect into business and other aspects of life. “Yes, I will take ownership and responsibility if I've dropped the ball. But the way that person responds, engages, or the tone he sets is not about anything else than what's going on inside.” [30:31] Brad talks about how cultural and communication differences can suggest dissatisfaction when that’s not the case. [33:38] Brad tells a story about one of his experiences and how confidence in your work, no matter the client’s reaction, is important. [38:21] Ken challenges listeners to act in the opposite spirit. “If you feel like, I really need to set this person straight, you act in the opposite spirit” [39:10] Bob talks about how human connection is vital to promote empathy and communication. “Try to get in front of the person as much as possible, like get them in a room, talk it out.” [46:33] Ken points out the importance of giving positive and negative feedback together to create a balance. “People can't go through life without any positive input.”

Ep 84: How to be happy even when people are jerks ;)

Summary: Today we discuss the positive aspects of running an agency. When you work in an agency, you're essentially paid to play (if you do it right). You’re exploring unknown aspects of online marketing, branding, design, etc and that’s exciting! You have the opportunity to work with multiple clients per day which provides variety. Agencies have the ability to look at hundreds of marketing strategies and figure out which ones worked and which ones didn’t, apply their knowledge to their own business and others, AND get paid to do it! This is more valuable than any college program. Running an agency is hard work, but there are incredible rewards for those that try.   Top 3 Curtain Pulls in this episode:    You’re paid to play (if you do it right). Overseeing an agency is hard work, but exploring new ideas and applications in online marketing, branding, or design is exciting! “I can't imagine doing anything else where I would get to get up every day and really create something out of nothing” You gain experience and knowledge on business that no other industry or program can give. In an agency, you have the opportunity to look at hundreds of companies and learn about their successful marketing strategies. This is a practical education opportunity, where you get paid to learn the equivalent of an MBA. “In an agency type environment, you actually get to get paid to learn” There’s variety and freedom. Although there are challenges to managing this, working with numerous, different clients on a daily basis provides variety and freedom. “Being able to work with various different businesses in a single day is variety.”   For more tips, discussion, and behind the scenes: Follow us on Instagram @AgencyPodcast Join our closed Facebook community for agency leaders About The Guys:  Bob Hutchins: Founder of BuzzPlant, a digital agency that he ran from 2000-2017. He is also the author of 3 books. More on Bob:  Bob on LinkedIn twitter.com/BobHutchins instagram.com/bwhutchins Bob on Facebook Brad Ayres: Founder of Anthem Republic, an award-winning ad agency. Brad’s knowledge has led some of the biggest brands in the world. Originally from Detroit, Brad is an OG in the ad agency world and has the wisdom and scars to prove it. Currently, that knowledge is being applied to his boutique agency. More on Brad: Brad on LinkedIn Anthem Republic twitter.com/bradayres instagram.com/therealbradayres facebook.com/Bradayres Ken Ott: Co-Founder and Chief Growth Rebel of Metacake, an Ecommerce Growth Team for some of the world’s most influential brands with a mission to Grow Brands That Matter. Ken is also an author, speaker, and was nominated for an Emmy for his acting on the Metacake Youtube Channel (not really). More on Ken:  Ken on LinkedIn Metacake - An Ecommerce Growth Team Growth Rebel TV twitter.com/iamKenOtt instagram.com/iamKenOtt facebook.com/iamKenOtt   Show Notes: [0:32] Bob opens this week’s episode by informing his listeners that unfortunately, Brad will not be featured on this episode.   [1:05] Bob begins a discussion about the positive aspects of running an agency and asks “What's the first thing that gets you up in the morning when you think about your work?” [2:04] Ken talks about how exciting running an agency is and how “you get to do all these cool, different projects all the time. For someone like me, I enjoy trying to do something that can't be done.”  [3:28] Bob analyzes the technology aspect of running an agency and how agencies are creative, different, and fun. “I can't imagine doing anything else where I would get to get up every day and really create something out of nothing” [4:35] Ken talks about how stress doesn’t necessarily come from the job itself but rather, “what stresses us out is the constraints of reality”. [7:32] Ken discusses agencies’ unrealistic expectation for perfection. “confidence is one thing but perfectionism is another thing.” [10:15] Ken talks about the variety and freedom that comes with running an agency. “being able to work with various different businesses in a single day is variety.” [13:52] Ken points out an educational benefit to running an agency. “you're getting paid to peek behind the curtain of hundreds of businesses and business models that have marketing problems and then work on that.” “in an agency type environment, you actually get to get paid to learn” [17:23] Ken talks about using the unique, raw materials in your area to boost your agency and add an exclusive aspect. One of these materials may be talented people. “not only do we get the opportunity to have fun and be creative in our jobs, but we get the opportunity to be creative in the people that we hire, and allow them to enjoy the same life” [28:07] Bob says that although running an agency is enjoyable and has many benefits, “It's not for everybody. There's always a cost to everything. And to me, it's worth it. But to live in that environment where you do get that freedom, we do get that creativity where you do get that fun atmosphere. It's a gamble,” [29:03] Bob wraps up this week’s episode with some advice for those trying to decide if they want to start an agency. “Don't be afraid to fail. Don't be afraid to try different things and just go for it.”

Ep 83: Agencies are the best.

Summary: Today we analyze Patrick Lencioni’s “The Five Dysfunctions of a Team '' and discuss how to apply these principles in everyday agency life. We use a pyramid to model these 5 concepts because each level builds on the next. The foundation of the pyramid is trust. Everyone knows the saying “There is no relationship without trust”, and this also applies to business. The next level is healthy conflict. Healthy conflict is important because it allows your employees to freely share their differing opinions which can promote fresh ideas and more unity. The third segment is commitment. Without commitment to the company, an employee views their job as simply a paycheck. This can stunt initiative and growth. The fourth layer is accountability. Accountability is key to help your team get on the same page. Last but not least, the top of the pyramid is attention to results. In order to promote attention to results, all four components, as well as some inspiration and a team mindset, must be part of your agency. These 5 principles are essential to create a more cohesive team.    Top 5 Curtain Pulls in this episode:    Trust is the foundation to building a cohesive team. Everyone knows the saying “There is no relationship without trust”, and this also applies to your team. In order to have a relationship with your employees, trust is required. Healthy conflict is an essential part of the culture of your agency. Healthy conflict can help you promote unity and fresh ideas in your team. Without it, dissent and division will occur.  “it's about the freedom for your employees to feel like they can bring up something without feeling like they're inferior” Commitment is necessary to keep on the employees you hire. If your employees don’t feel valued and safe, they will see their job as only a paycheck.  “they don't feel personally connected in any way. In other words, I don't trust people that are here, I don't feel safe enough to really say when i disagree with situations” Accountability is important because it promotes productivity and unity. Being on the same page about the agency’s goals and day to day tasks is important and accountability is one way to achieve that unity. “It has been a game changer. One of the benefits is it creates a starting line.” Attention to results requires inspiration and a team mindset. By applying the previous 4 fundamentals, and some motivation, your employees will become more aware of your agency’s results. “foster an environment where people will care about the results.”     For more tips, discussion, and behind the scenes: Follow us on Instagram @AgencyPodcast Join our closed Facebook community for agency leaders About The Guys:  Bob Hutchins: Founder of BuzzPlant, a digital agency that he ran from 2000-2017. He is also the author of 3 books. More on Bob:  Bob on LinkedIn twitter.com/BobHutchins instagram.com/bwhutchins Bob on Facebook Brad Ayres: Founder of Anthem Republic, an award-winning ad agency. Brad’s knowledge has led some of the biggest brands in the world. Originally from Detroit, Brad is an OG in the ad agency world and has the wisdom and scars to prove it. Currently, that knowledge is being applied to his boutique agency. More on Brad: Brad on LinkedIn Anthem Republic twitter.com/bradayres instagram.com/therealbradayres facebook.com/Bradayres Ken Ott: Co-Founder and Chief Growth Rebel of Metacake, an Ecommerce Growth Team for some of the world’s most influential brands with a mission to Grow Brands That Matter. Ken is also an author, speaker, and was nominated for an Emmy for his acting on the Metacake Youtube Channel (not really). More on Ken:  Ken on LinkedIn Metacake - An Ecommerce Growth Team Growth Rebel TV twitter.com/iamKenOtt instagram.com/iamKenOtt facebook.com/iamKenOtt   Show Notes: [0:51] Bob opens today’s episode by talking about the book, The Five Dysfunctions of a Team. [1:29] Bob breaks down The Five Dysfunctions of a Team and uses a pyramid to analyze the five main principles. “At the very bottom, the foundation is trust. The next one up is conflict, then commitment, accountability, and results.”“So the Five Dysfunctions of an organization of a business of a team, would be an absence of trust, fear of conflict, lack of commitment, avoidance of accountability, and inattention to results.” [3:50] Ken asks how to create trust inside of your team.  [4:00] Brad says that vulnerability is important to promote trust.   [4:30] Bob talks about the importance of honesty and humility when trying to build trust.   “If people see me mess up or, or just kind of cut a corner, but I never fess up to it. They're not gonna trust me with that.” [5:56] Brad says that “another way to build trust is to have some wins with your team so that they can trust your your leadership” [7:50] Bob talks about the next dysfunction, which is the fear of conflict. [8:43] Brad mentions the role personality plays in the fear of conflict. “I hate conflict, and I think Ken loves it.” [10:13] Brad says that the conflict level on the pyramid isn’t about angry conflict or competition. Rather, “it's about the freedom for your employees to feel like they can bring up something without feeling like they're inferior” [11:07] Bob talks about promoting an environment where people feel safe and the best ideas win out. [12:54] Bob applies the fear of conflict in business to the relational side of life as an analogy to show the importance of healthy conflict. “Say with your partner or significant other, you don't trust each other enough to argue, to fight, and to have passionate disagreements in your relationship. I would argue you have a very dysfunctional unhealthy relationship.” [13:34] Ken discusses the importance of knowing the personalities of the people on your team.  [17:30] Bob moves on to the next level of the pyramid, commitment. Lack of commitment is when, “they don't feel personally connected in any way. In other words, I don't trust people that are here, I don't feel safe enough to really say when i disagree with situations” [19:50] Bob continues up the pyramid to the next stage, which is accountability. [20:29] Brad talks about the required balance and challenges when having accountability in an agency. [21:27] Ken discusses his experience with accountability in his business and offers a few tips. “one of the things that we've done that helps accountability is this daily stand up that we do in the morning. And it's where everyone comes, having thought through what their day is going to look like and what they're going to accomplish.”“it has been it is a game changer. One of the benefits is it creates a starting line.” [25:27] Bob talks about the final dysfunction of a team, inattention to results. “If a team has lost sight of the need for achievement, the business ultimately suffer.” [27:11] Bob illustrates that when a business puts the other 4 foundational principles into practice to improve their team, it can “foster an environment where people will care about the results.” [35:20] Bob wraps up today’s episode by talking about the benefits of having a cohesive team.

Ep 82: The 5 Dysfunctions of a Team

Summary: Today we discuss the lonely aspect of being a business owner or leader and some ways to prevent it. It’s a real problem. One way to fight it is to get into a group and have mentors. Whether it’s a mastermind group, or the Agency Exposed community, escaping isolation is key. We also discuss the challenges of firing in a small business, the balance in discussing business matters with employees, and how the ideal business owner model has changed over time. Although being an agency owner can be lonely and comes with many heavy responsibilities, it’s worth it all in the end.   Top 3 Curtain Pulls in this episode:    Loneliness is real. Running an agency is challenging, and it is common for owners to become isolated. Being a lonely leader is unhealthy for you and your business. As a leader, you must proactively search for methods to prevent loneliness.   “When you're the business owner, or even if you have partners, I'm sure you still feel at times, very alone.” Don’t isolate yourself. By isolating yourself, you can jeopardize your mental health, emotional health, and your agency’s health. Isolation is common when you don’t feel you can share EVERYTHING with ANYONE. Find a group or community, get mentorship and coaching so you can share the in’s and out’s of your business with. “You can find answers to problems just by talking it through without the other person actually giving any input.” Encourage the leaders above you. Everyone needs a bit of encouragement, especially leaders. Often, 80% of what they hear is criticism without any kind of encouragement.  “I want to be the voice, that's not the criticism voice and hopefully the little drop of water in the desert.”     For more tips, discussion, and behind the scenes: Follow us on Instagram @AgencyPodcast Join our closed Facebook community for agency leaders About The Guys:  Bob Hutchins: Founder of BuzzPlant, a digital agency that he ran from 2000-2017. He is also the author of 3 books. More on Bob:  Bob on LinkedIn twitter.com/BobHutchins instagram.com/bwhutchins Bob on Facebook Brad Ayres: Founder of Anthem Republic, an award-winning ad agency. Brad’s knowledge has led some of the biggest brands in the world. Originally from Detroit, Brad is an OG in the ad agency world and has the wisdom and scars to prove it. Currently, that knowledge is being applied to his boutique agency. More on Brad: Brad on LinkedIn Anthem Republic twitter.com/bradayres instagram.com/therealbradayres facebook.com/Bradayres Ken Ott: Co-Founder and Chief Growth Rebel of Metacake, an Ecommerce Growth Team for some of the world’s most influential brands with a mission to Grow Brands That Matter. Ken is also an author, speaker, and was nominated for an Emmy for his acting on the Metacake Youtube Channel (not really). More on Ken:  Ken on LinkedIn Metacake - An Ecommerce Growth Team Growth Rebel TV twitter.com/iamKenOtt instagram.com/iamKenOtt facebook.com/iamKenOtt   Show Notes: [0:42] Bob opens this week’s episode with a chat about the locations of agencies that listen to this podcast. [3:39]  Bob begins a conversation about the pros, cons, and struggles of being an agency owner. [5:12] Brad talks about how lonely being a business owner can be. “When you're the business owner, or even if you have partners, I'm sure you still feel at times, very alone.” [7:26] Ken discusses the heavy responsibilities many business owners have and feel the impact from. “You do have a certain responsibility but the buck doesn't stop with you.” “Everyone brings you problems and there's no one that you can bring your problems to.” [8:32] Brad talks about the emotional challenges of hiring and firing within a small business. [10:04] Bob discusses the difficult balance between being empathetic and doing what’s best for business.   [12:10] Brad compares how a large corporation fires and talks about what he tries to do differently. [13:32] Ken points out that firing is “not about you. It's about protecting the thing you've been put in charge of, but doing it in a kind way.” [15:24] Brad talks about the balance there is when discussing business matters with employees. [17:17] Brad says that because no one understands his business on the level that he does, he feels, “like nobody gets me.” [19:38] Brad chats about how every so often, he’ll get a call from a client. Typically it’s about something they needed done that hasn’t been done yet. Brad breaks down how he deals with those kinds of responsibilities as a leader. “I always go for the win win” [23:33] Ken mentions some of the factors that contribute to the loneliness of being a business owner. “There are times when you have to swallow things that don't feel good, and I think that contributes to that feeling.” [24:14] Bob advises all leaders, “Don't isolate yourself.”  [27:05] Ken talks about how he reminds himself to have sympathy and empathy for others and how everyone makes unintentional mistakes. “I believe that everyone I meet, are trying their best, but they seem like they've gotten to the end of their rope” [28:38] Brad talks about how the ideal business owner model has evolved. “I feel more like a motor, and I'm just one part of it, versus being lonely at the top.” [30:27] Bob gives a brief summary of the book, The Five Dysfunctions of Team. [31:19] Ken wraps up this week’s episode with some tips for leaders who are dealing with loneliness. “I want to be the voice, that's not the criticism voice and hopefully the little drop of water in the desert.”

Ep 81: The Dangers of being a Lonely Leader

Summary: Last week we covered how to scale your business without hiring. Today, we chat about how to make sure your agency is primed for scaling. The first step is to define what you want your agency to look like. Next, you need to put guidelines in place to protect your goals for your business. It’s also important to know what tasks give you energy, drain you of energy, and the ones in the middle. By being self aware and finding people who love the tasks you don’t, you can improve efficiency and limit fatigue. One final step to prep your agency for scaling is to have a bigger purpose than simply making money. By doing this, you can inspire your employees and create a genuine culture that they love.   Top 3 Curtain Pulls in this episode:    Put boundaries in place to protect your goals. Figure out what you want your agency to be and the goals you have. Then place guidelines to help you achieve the desires you have for your agency. “It starts from understanding what you want to be as an agency.”  Have a bigger purpose. By giving your agency a bigger purpose than just a 9-to-5 job, you can inspire your employees and eliminate any staleness within your business. “You gotta have a bigger purpose for your agency outside of just making money. And if you can get your employees to really understand the value of that, then they're more apt to really enjoy what they're doing” Know your strengths, weaknesses, and everything in between. Discover your strengths and weaknesses in order to structure your business around them. Then find people who gain energy doing your not so favorite tasks. By doing this, you can streamline and strengthen your agency and prevent burnout and exhaustion. “If you have enough self awareness to identify and take the time to plug in the people around you that are better at that, it's a game changer.”   For more tips, discussion, and behind the scenes: Follow us on Instagram @AgencyPodcast Join our closed Facebook community for agency leaders About The Guys:  Bob Hutchins: Founder of BuzzPlant, a digital agency that he ran from 2000-2017. He is also the author of 3 books. More on Bob:  Bob on LinkedIn twitter.com/BobHutchins instagram.com/bwhutchins Bob on Facebook Brad Ayres: Founder of Anthem Republic, an award-winning ad agency. Brad’s knowledge has led some of the biggest brands in the world. Originally from Detroit, Brad is an OG in the ad agency world and has the wisdom and scars to prove it. Currently, that knowledge is being applied to his boutique agency. More on Brad: Brad on LinkedIn Anthem Republic twitter.com/bradayres instagram.com/therealbradayres facebook.com/Bradayres Ken Ott: Co-Founder and Chief Growth Rebel of Metacake, an Ecommerce Growth Team for some of the world’s most influential brands with a mission to Grow Brands That Matter. Ken is also an author, speaker, and was nominated for an Emmy for his acting on the Metacake Youtube Channel (not really). More on Ken:  Ken on LinkedIn Metacake - An Ecommerce Growth Team Growth Rebel TV twitter.com/iamKenOtt instagram.com/iamKenOtt facebook.com/iamKenOtt   Show Notes: [0:57] Bob opens this week’s episode by chatting about the triangle offense of the Bulls. [3:14] Bob continues last week’s conversation about scalability.   [3:57] Brad asks how to efficiently manage transitioning from one project to another. [4:31] Ken talks about how he uses scheduling to promote focus and smooth transitions between projects. [5:16] Brad asks how many people an agency should have to have more layers of project management. [5:34] Bob says that having someone who focuses on time management is essential to scale. [8:10] Brad talks about how in order to manage your agency’s size, “it starts from understanding what you want to be as an agency.”  [9:26] Ken asks what guidelines the guys use to practically manage their size goals. [9:56] Brad discusses the importance of understanding your pipeline and your relationships with your clients. [13:36] Bob says that it is vital to “have someone that is invested in the business on some level that has a really good gut about people.” [17:46] Brad asks, “How do you scale, like we talked about and not see your revenues or your profit continue to go down?” [20:47] Ken uses an analogy of Apple to illustrate that catering to the clients preferences- billing, for example- creates inefficiencies, unscalability, and low product quality. “Why die over something so trivial, that can be solved so easily.” [23:44] Bob dives into the dark side of success. “There's a dark side of success that no one really wants to acknowledge.” “there's collateral damage. You don't want multiple marriages, your kids that they don't have relationships but you have to sacrifice something, and people will always be the collateral damage.” [23:52] Bob discusses the importance of defining what you want for your agency by creating healthy boundaries that achieve your goals. [24:59] Brad considers the motivations behind scaling.“why do businesses have to scale and grow and continue to grow every year after year after year? Like, it's almost like a shame thing.” [25:41] Brad talks about the importance of having outside goals for your business. “You gotta have a bigger purpose for your agency outside of just making money. And if you can get your employees to really understand the value of that, then they're more apt to really enjoy what they're doing” [28:01] Bob discusses how essential culture is to scalability. [28:46] Brad talks about a friend of his who runs a mid size agency. He started an orphanage for 20-30 kids and his agency is actively involved in it. Brad says that at the “end of the day, I would rather scale that kind of mentality and culture than just scaling a business just to grow a business.”  [30:08] Brad asks, “is money really what I want?”  [31:02] Ken touches on other motivations behind scaling. “It's less about the size, or the numbers. It is to be able to have, more predictable, more sustainable, more consistent business success,” [32:01]  Ken talks about the importance of having a healthy business. [35:00]  Brad asks if the guys have a team member that manages and runs processes. He also asks for suggestions to help him find a person to do that in his business. [35:59] Bob discusses how essential it is to understand your strengths, weaknesses, and things in between. He also talks about having people in your weak spots to strengthen your agency and prevent burnout and exhaustion.  [38:04] Ken has a conversation about his experience, methods, and tools he uses to systemize his agency. “you have systems, you just may not be aware of them. I think the first step is identifying them” “How I figure out how to systemize it is by trying to identify things that could be done smarter, and then saying, Okay, if I had to teach this to someone, how would I do that?”  [45:17] Bob talks about personal discipline. [46:42] Brad discusses how people, especially new hires, want more processes as confirmation that they are doing their job correctly. [47:45] Ken wraps up with a chat about teamwork and picking your poison. “Would I want to do this? No. Do I want to live in a house? Yes.” 

Ep 80: How do you optimize your business for scale?

Summary: In this week’s episode, we dive into how to scale your agency without hiring. Although hiring team members is required, it’s not the most effective and healthy way to scale. To increase capacity and profit, you must innovate. Old, out-dated techniques are one part of the problem. A technique that can help you scale your agency in a profitable way is to create a culture that promotes efficiency in your current employees. Using tools and processes to track your agency’s profitability is also key. Two other elements that can assist you with scale are effective time management and traffic management. In order to serve your clients to the best of your ability, your agency must be healthy in all areas, especially as you scale.    Top 3 Curtain Pulls in this episode:    Hiring isn’t always the best way to solve the problem. Although hiring can address your capacity challenges, it has the potential to damage your agency’s profit in the future. You must only hire on top of an already optimized system. “The answer to just hire more is acceptable; it just doesn't produce the best profit.” Create a culture that promotes efficiency and time management. By creating a culture where your employees are thinking about eliminating inefficiencies in your agency, you are streamlining your business. A culture of optimization vs clinging to “the way it’s always been done”. “Your employees need to be thinking ‘how can I make this easier’. It's a cultural thing.” Use tools and resources to track capacity and profitability. Hiring someone dedicated to monitoring your employees’ and departments’ capacities will help you scale your agency. It’s also important to track your business’ true profit because as your agency grows, your profit can slip away and you won’t know where it went. “I would recommend everyone tracks everything they do”     For more tips, discussion, and behind the scenes: Follow us on Instagram @AgencyPodcast Join our closed Facebook community for agency leaders About The Guys:  Bob Hutchins: Founder of BuzzPlant, a digital agency that he ran from 2000-2017. He is also the author of 3 books. More on Bob:  Bob on LinkedIn twitter.com/BobHutchins instagram.com/bwhutchins Bob on Facebook Brad Ayres: Founder of Anthem Republic, an award-winning ad agency. Brad’s knowledge has led some of the biggest brands in the world. Originally from Detroit, Brad is an OG in the ad agency world and has the wisdom and scars to prove it. Currently, that knowledge is being applied to his boutique agency. More on Brad: Brad on LinkedIn Anthem Republic twitter.com/bradayres instagram.com/therealbradayres facebook.com/Bradayres Ken Ott: Co-Founder and Chief Growth Rebel of Metacake, an Ecommerce Growth Team for some of the world’s most influential brands with a mission to Grow Brands That Matter. Ken is also an author, speaker, and was nominated for an Emmy for his acting on the Metacake Youtube Channel (not really). More on Ken:  Ken on LinkedIn Metacake - An Ecommerce Growth Team Growth Rebel TV twitter.com/iamKenOtt instagram.com/iamKenOtt facebook.com/iamKenOtt   Show Notes: [0:44] Ken opens this week’s episode by asking Brad about his biking adventures this week. [2:44] Ken begins a discussion about scale in agencies and asks, “Do you feel like you have a healthy capacity for the work that you do?” [4:41] Brad talks about the idea that, “your business is run by processes and people run the processes.” [5:12] Brad connects efficiency and streamlining your business to a cultural aspect of your agency. [7:11] Brad discusses how humanity wants to be seen as valuable and how that can be especially negative in the agency world. [8:51] Bob analyzes the difference between the nomadic society and today’s industrial society and contemplates what life could be like if we “could break out of that and go back to a simpler life and say, What is it that makes me the most productive, the most creative, the most I can serve my family, while at the same time being incredibly productive at the same time?” [11:24] Ken talks about how “there are situations we saw last year where we're stuck in a model that doesn't necessarily produce the best result.”  [13:03] Bob discusses some important elements when scaling your agency. “At the end of the day, I think it's all about time management,” “having a Traffic Manager is really important, because then it releases the burden off the workers,”  [14:35] Ken asks if there are any tools that the guys use to help manage and measure capacity. [15:51] Ken asks, “Does your sales team ask if we've got capacity for something?” [16:31] Ken talks about how hiring isn’t the only solution to the scaling problem.  [19:00] Ken asks, “if you're hitting capacity, how do you expand what you can do with the same amount of people without sacrificing quality?” [21:03] Bob explains how he ranks his tasks according to their value and adjusts or changes the low value tasks that don’t push conversions.   [23:02] Ken talks about two components that can create inefficiency in your agency and how to correct them. [26:22] Bob questions the belief that agencies have become more efficient and asks “have we really made ourselves better and more efficient? Or are we a slave to the process?” [27:58] Brad offers a few tips about building efficiency into the mindset of your employees and the culture of your agency. [32:05] Ken talks about the importance of regularly checking in on the agencies’ real profit. “One of the takeaways here is someone in the business, is looking at all the time, because it gets away from you so fast, especially the bigger you get”  [33:14] Ken uses a travel analogy to point out that in order to serve your clients to the best of your ability, your agency must be healthy. [35:37] Bob discusses the importance of time management, universal time tracking across your agency, and someone who monitors the profitability of each project. [36:41] Ken summarizes the discussion about capacity tools. “you can't manage what you can't measure.” [37:55] Ken uses an analogy of the recipe for Coke to point out the importance of the successful formulas within your agency. “the value of your business is the formula of how you deliver the product you deliver.” “it wouldn't be coke. it'd be Pepsi.” [39:16] Ken concludes this episode by discussing the important balance of structure and efficiency.

Ep 79: Increasing Project Capacity Without Adding More People

Summary: In this week’s episode, we explore the scientific world of AI and specifically AI copywriting. We discuss the pros and cons of AI in marketing and life. Throughout this episode, we dissect the importance of the human element, truth in marketing, the future, and false narratives. We also breakdown the difference between machine learning and AI. Although AI can eliminate tedious tasks and create opportunities for more creativity, there has to be a balance because, without failure, we will never improve or grow. It’s important to understand how to apply AI to certain areas of your agency to improve your marketing or make it more efficient while maintaining a genuine customer experience.   Top 3 Curtain Pulls in this episode:    There are many pros and cons with AI. AI can be an awesome tool for marketing and improving efficiency, but it also makes mistakes, lacks depth, and can even put people out of jobs. Your perspective and priorities are what will help you determine whether you need AI in your agency or not. “it depends on what you measure, in your mind as the most important”  AI makes mistakes. Nobody, even AI, is perfect. It’s limited in its understanding of human emotions and nuances. Because of this, it’s important to use AI in marketing as an assistant in a way that reduces the potential for error. “AI gets a lot of things wrong, that humans wouldn't get wrong” AI can never replace the human element. Although AI can bring massive efficiency to the way businesses market their products, it will never be able to add the human element. This is why it’s important to maintain an imaginative, genuine side to your agency. “What AI can't do is the human element, which is storytelling, nuance, and creativity.”      For more tips, discussion, and behind the scenes: Follow us on Instagram @AgencyPodcast Join our closed Facebook community for agency leaders About The Guys:  Bob Hutchins: Founder of BuzzPlant, a digital agency that he ran from 2000-2017. He is also the author of 3 books. More on Bob:  Bob on LinkedIn twitter.com/BobHutchins instagram.com/bwhutchins Bob on Facebook Brad Ayres: Founder of Anthem Republic, an award-winning ad agency. Brad’s knowledge has led some of the biggest brands in the world. Originally from Detroit, Brad is an OG in the ad agency world and has the wisdom and scars to prove it. Currently, that knowledge is being applied to his boutique agency. More on Brad: Brad on LinkedIn Anthem Republic twitter.com/bradayres instagram.com/therealbradayres facebook.com/Bradayres Ken Ott: Co-Founder and Chief Growth Rebel of Metacake, an Ecommerce Growth Team for some of the world’s most influential brands with a mission to Grow Brands That Matter. Ken is also an author, speaker, and was nominated for an Emmy for his acting on the Metacake Youtube Channel (not really). More on Ken:  Ken on LinkedIn Metacake - An Ecommerce Growth Team Growth Rebel TV twitter.com/iamKenOtt instagram.com/iamKenOtt facebook.com/iamKenOtt   Show Notes: [1:32] Bob opens today’s episode with a chat about Brad’s arm injury after riding his mountain bike as well as other bone breaking incidents. [4:38] Brad begins today’s conversation about AI and how it can enhance marketing strategies.  [6:23] Ken mentions that while AI can be a tool for marketing, it also has the ability to do things it should not be doing. [6:42] Brad asks if there is a difference between machine learning and AI.  [7:19] Bob explains his interpretation of the difference between programming and artificial intelligence. “Programming a computer to do certain tasks is machine learning. Intelligence is you take those things and ideas and reasoning and put them together and output something that appears to be something that only a human can do.” [8:21] Ken gives his analysis on AI and machine learning. “Almost all AI right now, will use machine learning to get smarter. Machine learning is just taking inputs and adjusting the way you do things based on the results, good or bad, and then improving.” [8:47] Brad points out that because of how advanced AI has become, many people believe that AI will be the demise of the human race. [9:22] Ken mentions how AI can make mistakes and how this poses a danger to society.  [10:11] Brad draws a comparison between how advanced AI is today and the movie Minority Report. [10:20] Bob reminds the listeners that “AI can only do what it's programmed to do.”   [10:29] Ken points out that while AI can use past data to try to project into the future, only humans have an imagination and can create the future out of nothing.   [12:20] Bob talks about how people can understand emotions and nuance while AI can mistake these for things they are not. “Machines only understand ones and zeros, blacks and whites, and yes and nos.” [12:44] Brad mentions that while there can be numerous negative effects to AI, it also has a positive impact on marketing. [14:09] Brad asks, “what have you guys been using that you would consider AI that you felt are valuable in your work?” [14:21] Bob contemplates how often we take AI for granted and the role it plays in everyday life. [16:37] Brad talks about how people always talk about AI from an antagonistic point of view and the fear of AI. [18:45] Bob considers how the narrative about AI may have become twisted and uses sharks as an example. “How many other things in my life do I just assume that that's the narrative? And that's the way it is when actually, well, maybe sharks don't hate humans, and don’t want to bite their arms off every single time. Maybe they're actually kind creatures that we can pat and get to know if we would take the time to do that. I think it’s  the same thing with AI.” [19:42] Bob points out that by using AI in a positive way, we can become kinder and more creative. [20:04] Brad talks about how Apple is leading the way with privacy and how focused they are on it. He also questions their reasoning and motivation behind this dedication to privacy. [22:00] Ken talks about how businesses are made to make money and the difference between a nonprofit business and a for profit business. [24:04] Ken talks about how AI is a double edged sword and it takes wisdom and discernment to prevent harm. “The more power the more responsibility” [27:40] Brad chats about how AI and automation can take away jobs and how scary that is.  [28:12] Brad considers the future of AI and asks, “Is there a point where your brand will be disingenuous and we know that it's all being generated by AI and it's all fake?” [29:14] Bob talks about how AI can never replace the human element. “What AI can't do is the human element, which is storytelling, nuance, and creativity.”  [31:37] Ken contemplates the idea that AI could take over all marketing. [33:56] Ken talks about the challenge to find the truth and determine what is real in AI marketing.“Will the internet become just an AI? A machine? And you don't know what's real and what's not.” [36:37] Brad talks about how our laziness and the convenience of AI doing research for us allows the AI to create the truth. “When I think about people, I think that they're mostly just sheep half the time.” “They don't want a challenge. They just want to take content and repurpose it as truth.  [37:39] Bob mentions an email he received about an AI marketing tool.  “They have some kind of facial recognition that will tell you people's response during that video and what ads are creating an emotional response and which ones are not.” [39:44] Bob summarizes his opinion on AI and machine learning. [41:20] Brad talks about the importance of human interaction and failure. “If we don't fail in life, we’ll never grow.” [44:13] Ken talks about the pros and cons of AI and how, “it depends on what you measure, in your mind as the most important”  [44:43] Ken asks, “if you run an agency, how do you use AI?”  [46:59] Ken gives his take on practical application of AI. “as much as you can leverage effectively, you should, without degrading the quality of your work.”  [51:54] Brad talks about humanity’s potential and how we are not just data to be analyzed.  [53:43] Brad discusses the search for identity and how AI could potentially manipulate that.  [56:44] Brad mentions his experience with AI and its impact on the healthcare/telehealth industry. [1:00:06] Brad has one last tip for the listeners. “Even if you're not using a lot of AI in your practice or work, understand AI because every business is going to rely on it. And the more you understand your clients business, the better marketer you're going to be.”

Ep 78: Will AI take over internet marketing? (Title written by AI)

Summary: Today we’re continuing our series on agency fundamentals. Even if your agency is mature, this discussion is for you. One of the issues is the need to take time off without harming your business. The agency shouldn’t rely on any one person to survive. Three main ways to keep your agency running smoothly when you aren’t there are: a partner who can pick up the slack, systems and processes, and hiring a reliable team. Collaborating with other agencies is also an option that promotes more unity and gives your team the opportunity to benefit from outside specialists. By having these components in place, when something does happen, you can take an extended leave knowing that your agency will prosper during your absence. We talk about all of this and more on this week’s Agency Exposed episode.   Top 3 Curtain Pulls in this episode:    Taking time to recharge is essential. Burnout is a thing. Leading and managing an agency requires you to come filled with passion and ready every day. Over time without getting recharged you will lose the energy and focus required to build a successful business. If you are going to take time away from the business then you need to get your business to a place where it can run smoothly without you around.“You should always strive in your business, to make sure that you could take four months off and your business would still survive and grow.” Hire people you can depend on. You need a team that you can trust and rely on. It’s really important to hire well. Hire employees that have a strong character, who believe in the business, and what they’re doing. ”What I don't want is someone who just wants a job.” Have processes and systems in place. You need to put in place a strong set of processes and systems to help your team do repeatable work more efficiently and consistently. It is important to also balance that while still providing the personal touch your clients need. “Part of building businesses is building systems that are repeatable”   For more tips, discussion, and behind the scenes: Follow us on Instagram @AgencyPodcast Join our closed Facebook community for agency leaders   About The Guys:  Bob Hutchins: Founder of BuzzPlant, a digital agency that he ran from 2000-2017. He is also the author of 3 books. More on Bob:  Bob on LinkedIn twitter.com/BobHutchins instagram.com/bwhutchins Bob on Facebook Brad Ayres: Founder of Anthem Republic, an award-winning ad agency. Brad’s knowledge has led some of the biggest brands in the world. Originally from Detroit, Brad is an OG in the ad agency world and has the wisdom and scars to prove it. Currently, that knowledge is being applied to his boutique agency. More on Brad: Brad on LinkedIn Anthem Republic twitter.com/bradayres instagram.com/therealbradayres facebook.com/Bradayres Ken Ott: Co-Founder and Chief Growth Rebel of Metacake, an Ecommerce Growth Team for some of the world’s most influential brands with a mission to Grow Brands That Matter. Ken is also an author, speaker, and was nominated for an Emmy for his acting on the Metacake Youtube Channel (not really). More on Ken:  Ken on LinkedIn Metacake - An Ecommerce Growth Team Growth Rebel TV twitter.com/iamKenOtt instagram.com/iamKenOtt facebook.com/iamKenOtt   Show Notes: [0:47] Brad kicks off this week’s episode with a chat about the trending Tesla S Plaid and Apple Keynote. [3:08] Brad begins a conversation about challenges in small businesses such as how to prepare for an extended leave of absence and making sure that your business doesn’t decline. In order to take months off at a time, you need to have people you can rely on to pick up the slack and keep everything running smoothly. “You should always strive in your business, to make sure that you could take four months off and your business would still strive and grow. But to do that, you've got to have the right people in place that can have your back” [5:27] Bob says that having a reliable, empathetic partner can enable you to leave with confidence.  [6:01] Ken points out that you need to make sure that you’re not abusing the relationship between you and your partner or doing anything to breed resentment. [7:31] Bob asks about those who don’t have a business partner.   [8:54] Brad gives some insight into not having a partner. He explains that, “every day, I want to fire myself meaning that every day, I want to get to that point where I can leave for four months, and my business continues. Just as planned.” [10:10] Brad asks about what roles are vital to solo-prenuers. [10:35 Ken talks about the importance of processing and systems and how they can assist employees when leaders are unavailable.   [11:57] Ken mentions how the sustainability of your employees or your team in general is a factor. You don't want to burn people out. Breaks are a necessity. “Once you build that into your culture, then it's not it's not Big deal when someone has to take a long term period off” [15:07] Bob asks, “What if you’re a small team?”   [15:15] Ken gives some tips on what to do if your team is small. He says, “What are the responsibilities that without you would not happen? And then how do you start to like, punch those out?...some of those things are process-related.” “in my experience, a lot of the things that keep people from being able to unplug or keep things from being able to systemized are just a lack of clarity” [17:29] Ken says that systemizing as much as possible while still delivering an honest customer experience is key.  [18:37] Bob asks, “what are the roles that you fill that no one else can do?”  [19:48] Ken says that by breaking your roles down into things that are repeatable, you can create a process someone else can follow. “Part of building businesses is building systems that are repeatable” [21:27] Bob says that the primary solution is just hiring really good people. [21:47] Bob looks for skills and a passion for the business when hiring. [22:19] Brad advises those hiring to “always hire someone more qualified than you.” [23:20] Brad looks for someone who has the same vision and who communicates well when hiring. [24:36] Ken wants to hire employees with strong character who believe in the business and what they’re doing. “what I don't want is someone who just wants a job.” [26:56] Ken talks about how it is the leadership’s job to create a compelling environment that makes people want to work there. [27:48] Bob points out the importance of transparency with your team and how that can lead to a bigger, clearer vision. “I think the more that you can have a culture of openness, it also fosters a culture of ownership”  [29:37] Ken talks about the importance of communicating with your employees and listening.   [32:05] Brad asks when is the right time for a sole owner to consider having a partner. [33:54] Brad says that seasons of depression or boredom are common  [34:58] Ken talks about the importance of complementary skills and the difference between being good at something and getting energy from something. “bringing somebody in that has complementary skills and you don't want to learn those skills, or maybe they're just depleting your energy, maybe that's the time to think about a partner or merging.” [37:56] Brad talks about his experience collaborating with other agencies. “that's one of the things that we talked about early on in this podcast is that agencies tried to be so quiet and private, and they're almost so competitive against each other.  What if we lived in a world where every agency competitor was our best friends, and we could collaborate?” [38:28] Ken adds his thoughts on collaboration and how building relationships is beneficial.    [42:12] Bob points out that often, “we think it's the clients that are going to miss us. But actually, it's your team that's going to miss you.” [43:15] Ken states that it all becomes worth it once “you can actually step back when you need to and recharge and not worry about everything burning.”

Ep 77: How to take time off without hurting business

Do you own, run, or work in a marketing agency of any kind? Find honest answers to the questions you’ve been afraid to ask. In the marketing and advertising world, agencies consistently proclaim that they are perfect experts at what they do. Spoiler alert: This image is just as curated as their #relevant Instagram feeds and trendy office spaces. The truth is, everyone struggles with similar questions and conflicts, but they wouldn’t dare talk about them. Hosted by three agency owners with a combined 40 years of experience, Agency Exposed is here to cut through the perfect facade and reveal honest, applicable agency advice for your business. Listen to us discuss what’s working, what isn’t, what we know, and what we don’t - holding nothing back. These thought leaders have generated over $1 billion in revenue for brands of all sizes— and they’re not afraid to ask the tough questions and discuss the answers together. Pull up a chair and listen in as Agency Exposed reveals valuable insights for what’s working and what’s not in agency life today. They’re pulling back the facade of a fancy espresso machines, craft beers on tap, and office dogs to expose the real issues agencies wrestle with on a daily basis. This is the podcast these guys wish they had when they first started, and the podcast everyone in this space needs today. Join the discussion.

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Agency Exposed Podcast

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