Dear Agency Owners, We Need to Talk - Showing up For Your Agency, with Darby Copenhaver | Ep #707

Smart Agency Masterclass with Jason Swenk: Podcast for Digital Marketing Agencies

What do you think is holding you back from scaling your agency? Have you received coaching? And if you have, have you implemented their recommended measures? On today’s episode we talk about agency owners’ accountability and why reaching out for help can be useless unless you understand what you want. Scaling an agency is hardly something you can do independently. You’ll need support and community along the way. A lot of the times the most important step to growing is figuring out if you’re ready to change. Get ready for some hard truths and expert advice.

As Agency Scale Specialist on our team, Darby Copenhaver talks with hundreds of agency owners and finds a common thread when it comes to what’s holding them back from scaling their businesses. Seeking help is the first step, of course, but you’ll also need the right support and the willingness to make the necessary changes.

Many agency owners get as far as knowing to ask for help but then don’t follow through, ultimately rendering any investment in coaching useless. Tune in to see why showing up consistently is the most important thing you can to and how accountability and community play a big role in the journey of growing an agency.

In this episode, we’ll discuss:

• Are you ready to accept help?

• Showing up makes all the difference.

• The agency transformation blueprint.

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Sponsors and Resources

E2M Solutions: Today's episode of the Smart Agency Masterclass is sponsored by E2M Solutions, a web design, and development agency that has provided white-label services for the past 10 years to agencies all over the world. Check out e2msolutions.com/smartagency and get 10% off for the first three months of service.

The Roadblock to Agency Success: Are You Ready to Accept Help?

More than once we’ve had agency owners contact our team saying they need help and then they can’t even clear an afternoon for a free call to talk about what’s getting in the way of their growth. If there’s something that has really surprised Darby is how many people are just not prepared to get help.

First, they need to recognize they want to change and get to a point where the pain of not changing is greater than the pain to change.

Agency owners need to be open to receiving support to progress. Not every form of assistance may be suitable for everyone, whether it's from a mentor, a coach, or a community. The real challenge lies in being receptive to help and taking the necessary actions to effect changes in their businesses.

In reality, a lot of agency owners feel they want to step up to the next level but don’t want to risk what they have. This means that whenever something doesn’t go according to plan they’ll falter and reject the help. On the contrary, hard periods are when you’ll need to invest the most, learn valuable lessons, and surround yourself with the right people rather than isolate yourself.

How Showing Up Propels Agency Owners Forward

People who actually make it to the top have some things in common:

• They’re curious.

• They’re humble.

• Their outlook is that they’ll either win or learn.

The more comfortable you get with your agency the more you’ll feel you have to lose by trying something risky with the business. However, remember you can always start again as long as you have something to offer. How many agency owners do you think tanked their businesses because they tried something new? Not nearly as many as you may think.

Both Jason and Darby have repeatedly seen that the agency owners who consistently show up, put in the work, and follow through on their commitments are more likely to see positive results. By being consistent in their efforts and showing up for their team members and peers, they can build momentum and make progress toward their goals.

The Agency Transformation Blueprint: Clarity, Focus, and Finding Your Tribe

Once you commit and are willing to make the necessary changes, you’ll need a clear idea of what you want, where you’re going, and a community.

Too many agency owners seem to be waiting for everything to fall into place magically but this just doesn’t happen. Running an agency is definitely more of a marathon than a sprint and you’ll have to learn to pace yourself and have a sense of where you’re going and what it is that you do really well that’ll get you there. If you were getting paid on performance only, who would you do it for? Who is it that you can help the most and deliver the most value to? That’s your starting point. Once you do that, it’s all about how to get your audience’s attention and find the right team to get you there.

Setting clear goals and knowing your direction is crucial for success and defining your target audience and focusing on delivering results will help you create a solid foundation for growth and development. This is where having a tribe or community to support you through the journey becomes super important. Whether it’s mastermind groups, networking events, or one-on-one interactions, find your tribe and actively engage with them. A community will help keep things in perspective and constantly challenge you to stay accountable to your goals and overall direction.

Turning Obstacles into Lessons and Finding Strength in Community

There will always be challenges and difficult times in business, but it is important to view these obstacles as opportunities for growth and learning. Agency life has many highs and lows, and understanding can help you develop resilience and adaptability to navigate through tough times.

In the agency industry, you’re either approaching the storm, in the storm or just got out of the storm. In any case, the storm is always there right around the corner. It doesn’t have to be something bad, a storm can be a pressure test and could help you see things you need to see.

Being part of a community can also help you realize everyone is growing at a different pace and that while not all years bring big wins, they all bring important lessons that will prepare you for an amazing year ahead. Furthermore, a year represents a very short part of your agency journey and one bad year is not the end as long as you’re focusing on building the right foundation for your ultimate goal.

Do You Want to Transform Your Agency from a Liability to an Asset?

Looking to dig deeper into your agency's potential? Check out our Agency Blueprint. Designed for agency owners like you, our Agency Blueprint helps you uncover growth opportunities, tackle obstacles, and craft a customized blueprint for your agency's success.