Scaling Together with Josh and Yesenia Nelson

You have built a successful agency. But what happens when growth stalls, AI is changing everything, and you are not sure what move to make next? In this episode of Scaling Together, we share the conversations we are having right now, on whether to invest in AI or wait, what it really means to hit a glass ceiling at multiple seven figures, how to deploy the capital sitting in your business, and why coaching remains one of the best investments you can make at any level.Timestamps:0:00 – Intro clip: New agencies are building agentic from the ground up0:48 – Welcome and episode overview1:24 – Should successful agencies invest in AI now or wait?2:47 – Why waiting is riskier than it looks3:56 – What winning agencies have in common with AI5:18 – Why playing with the tools is the only way to get ahead6:57 – The difference between a plateau and a glass ceiling8:08 – What has to change when incremental improvements stop working8:51 – Why leadership is the key to breaking the ceiling10:09 – The ceiling calculator at sevenfigureagency.com/ceiling11:22 – Why retention alone will not get you past the ceiling11:55 – The leadership hire most agencies are holding off on12:28 – Acquisitions and vertical expansion at the $5M level13:31 – What to do with capital sitting in your business15:27 – Building a wealth advisory team and fractional CFO15:59 – Is coaching worth it at multiple seven figures?17:22 – Why coaching delivers the highest ROI18:57 – How they approach coaching and implementation20:43 – Speed to implement: the plane ride home conversation22:23 – Closing thoughts

Running one business is hard. Running two multiple seven-figure businesses together as a couple while homeschooling three kids is a whole different challenge. From moving all meetings to one day, to protecting white space for creativity, to the three things a visionary should spend their time on, this episode is a practical and personal look at what it takes to run two businesses at scale as a team.The Secret Sauce: White space days = creativity + strategic planning. Can't pour from an empty cup.We're exhausted too. There's no magic elixir. But intentional calendar management + the right people in the right seats equals sustainable growth.What does YOUR ideal week look like? Drop it below 👇Chapters:00:00 - Feeling Overwhelmed and Restructuring Our Calendar00:52 - Welcome to Scaling Together Podcast01:16 - Building a Community to Support Two Businesses01:23 - Our Homeschooling Decision and System02:07 - Creating Our Home Support Team02:30 - House Manager and Family Support Structure03:23 - The Business Foundation: Family First03:55 - Growing Plumbing and HVAC SEO to $7M04:23 - Building Seven Figure Agency with Level 10 Meetings04:58 - Restructuring Our Meeting Calendar05:50 - Consolidating All Meetings to Mondays06:38 - The Importance of Level 10 Meetings07:23 - Eliminating "Got a Minute" Interruptions07:47 - Our Weekly Content and Meeting Schedule08:27 - The Value of White Space on the Calendar09:26 - Visionary Planning and Five-Year Goals10:10 - Making Space for Creativity10:41 - Second-Guessing Every Meeting11:24 - The Three Things Visionaries Should Focus On12:12 - Building Relationships as a Core Function12:44 - Content Creation and Big Ideas13:13 - Focusing on Team Culture and Hiring14:06 - Our Morning Routines15:04 - Our Daily Work Rhythm and Lunch15:21 - Evening Routine and Family Time16:22 - Managing Energy and Finding Balance16:24 - Closing Thoughts and Subscribe#EntrepreneurCouple #BusinessGrowth

AI is already reshaping what digital marketing agencies do, how they deliver, and who they need on their team. In this episode of Scaling Together, Josh and Yesenia break down what agency owners are getting wrong about AI, where it is already replacing real agency work, and how to bring your team along without losing momentum or morale.They also get practical, sharing how AI is being used inside their own agency today and the one simple thing every agency can do right now to start getting their whole team on the same playing field.Timestamps:0:00 – Intro clip: The fear and the opportunity0:45 – Welcome and episode overview1:25 – What agency owners are misunderstanding about AI2:28 – The human element AI will not replace3:52 – The fear around AI and why it is overblown4:16 – What a PE firm's research says about local digital marketing5:47 – Agencies that adapt vs. agencies that wait6:35 – Where AI is being used incorrectly right now7:53 – How long to obsess over AI before handing it off9:24 – Empowering the whole team, not just the founder9:55 – How AI is already replacing agency work13:19 – How they use AI internally at Plumbing and HVAC SEO16:07 – How to introduce AI without team resistance18:45 – Turning AI adoption into a team opportunity20:25 – One simple AI implementation to start today21:18 – Closing thoughts

Most agency owners think reaching seven figures means the hard part is over. But the bottlenecks between $1M and $10M are just as real, they just look different.In this episode of Scaling Together, we get into the churn problem that sneaks up on growing agencies, how decision making has to evolve at scale, what true leadership accountability looks like, and how to build a team that can actually carry you to eight figures. They also share what they are seeing with AI taking a real seat at the leadership table in the agencies that are ahead of the curve.Timestamps:0:00 – Intro: The churn problem that sneaks up on you0:37 – Welcome and episode overview1:04 – Why agencies plateau at one to three million2:03 – The churn math every agency owner needs to know3:01 – The levers to push through the plateau3:43 – Three revenue movers regardless of size5:16 – Top three moves to improve retention6:21 – Decision making at scale7:04 – Leadership accountability between seven and eight figures9:12 – When a leader is no longer the right fit10:28 – The promotion mistake agencies keep making13:35 – How metrics shift as you grow15:15 – What a strong team looks like at $5M plus16:38 – AI taking a seat at the leadership table18:30 – Closing thoughts

Most agency owners hit $30K to $50K/month and stop growing. Not because they're lazy, but because they're caught in the wrong patterns.In this episode, Josh and Yesenia break down the mindset traps, delayed decisions, and operational habits keeping digital marketing agencies stuck, and what the ones who break through actually do differently. From letting go of fulfillment to embracing AI at every level of your team, this one is packed with hard-won perspective from over 500 agencies.Books referenced: Secrets of the Millionaire Mind (T. Harv Eker) / The E-Myth Revisited (Michael E. Gerber) / The Goal (Eliyahu M. Goldratt and Jeff Cox)Timestamps:0:00 – Intro: The $30K to $100K plateau0:53 – Patterns that keep you busy but not growing1:30 – Doing vs. delegating2:30 – The missing focus on sales and business development3:00 – Mindset shifts that unlock the next level4:17 – Identity, trust, and why letting go is hard5:47 – Why the expensive leadership hire pays for itself6:23 – The "invisible thermometer" concept7:30 – Why getting in uncomfortable rooms changes everything7:47 – Decisions agency owners delay too long8:33 – How AI is making founders the bottleneck again9:37 – Training your whole team on AI10:32 – Getting the founder out of fulfillment11:22 – Becoming an AI growth partner12:37 – The fastest move to break a plateau today13:47 – The 3 revenue levers every agency owner must know15:00 – Closing thoughts

If We Had to Start Over Tomorrow, Here's What We'd Do First | Scaling Together PodcastWhat would you do if you had to rebuild your agency from scratch today?No audience.No referrals.No momentum.Just your experience and a fresh start.In this episode of the Scaling Together Podcast, Josh and Yesenia Nelson break down the exact steps they would take if they had to start over in today’s market. From niching down and landing clients to leveraging AI and building systems that create real freedom, this episode is packed with practical lessons for agency owners who want to scale smarter.Whether you're trying to get to your first $10K/month or build a true seven-figure agency, this conversation will help you focus on what actually matters.⏱️ Timestamps00:00 – Intro01:42 – What we’d focus on first if we started over05:18 – The biggest mistakes agency owners make early on09:47 – Why niching down changes everything14:36 – The fastest way to start landing better clients19:12 – Building authority instead of chasing prospects24:05 – What AI changes for agencies in 202629:41 – Systems vs hustle34:27 – The key to long-term client retention39:18 – Building an agency that creates freedom44:02 – Final advice for agency owners rebuilding todaySubscribe for more episodes on scaling your agency, increasing retention, building systems, and creating real freedom through your business.🌐 Learn more about Seven Figure Agency:https://www.sevenfigureagency.com

In this episode of the Scaling Together Podcast, we dive deep into one of the most challenging aspects of growing an agency: hiring, firing, and team leadership.We share the exact moment we realized our business was real, the 5 crucial things most agencies miss during the interview process, and why keeping a "B-player" around too long is costing you more than you think.What You'll Learn:•The 5 things we look for in every interview (that most people miss).•How to spot red flags and trust your gut before making a bad hire.•Why hiring someone just like you might be a disaster for your agency.•How to handle culture misfits and why "firing fast" is real.•The difference between A, B, and C players, and how to handle the tricky "B players."•Two massive hiring truths we wish we knew 10 years ago.If you're an agency owner struggling to build a team, dealing with a bad hire, or trying to figure out how to hire future leaders, this episode is packed with actionable advice.Timestamps(00:00 ) - Introduction: Hiring, Team Leadership, & Growing the Organization(01:13) - The First Hire That Changed the Trajectory of Our Business(02:05) - 5 Things Most Agencies Miss When Interviewing Candidates(03:39) - Trusting Your Gut & Spotting Red Flags Early(04:56) - A Hire That Looked Perfect on Paper But Was a Disaster(06:56) - How to Handle a Team Member Who Isn't a Culture Fit(08:58) - Setting Expectations on Core Values Before Hiring(10:39) - How Long is Too Long to Keep a Bad Hire?(11:45) - Dealing with A, B, and C Players (The "B Player" Trap)(13:17) - Two Hiring Truths We Wish We Knew 10 Years Ago(15:00) - Final Thoughts & Wrap Up

🚀 Who do you have to become to scale your business?Growth isn't just about strategy, it's about identity transformation. Here's what we learned:Key shifts required:• From doing it all → Building trusted leaders• From superhero syndrome → Empowering your team• From hoarding vision → Transparent communication• From reactive → Ruthless with your timeThe truth? The boring is what scales. 🎯Consistency + strategic change = sustainable growthWhat we implemented:✅ Quarterly addresses for full team buy-in✅ All meetings on ONE day (hello, deep work!)✅ Elevated our COO to focus on 10x activitiesThe hardest part? Letting go of what made you successful to become who you need to be next.What version of yourself do you need to let go of to scale? Drop it below 👇If you'd like to get more ideas & strategies for growing your digital marketing agency, I'd like to invite you to join my Facebook Group. Connect with me and 10,000+ other digital marketing agency owners. To Join The Facebook Group click here - https://www.sevenfigureagency.com/group.Chapters:00:00 - The Need for Change to Scale00:43 - Building Trust Through Transparency01:01 - Who You Have to Become to Scale01:56 - Shifting from Doing Everything to Empowering Leaders02:31 - The Importance of Building Trust with Your Team03:31 - Creating Buy-In Through Quarterly Addresses04:29 - Transparency When Letting People Go06:08 - Letting Go of the Superhero Mentality07:01 - Developing Consistency as a Leader08:00 - Internal Resistance During Growth09:09 - Balancing Consistency with Innovation09:40 - Focusing on Your Genius Zone11:09 - Restructuring Time for Deep Work12:00 - Elevating and Delegating Responsibilities13:01 - Closing Thoughts and Call to Action#mindset #success #digitalmarketing

Running a business with your spouse comes with unique challenges, but also incredible rewards.In this episode of Scaling Together, Neil and Amy share how they built an $8M agency while keeping their marriage strong and their family connected. They open up about the systems, habits, and communication strategies that helped them grow through every stage, from working out of their bedroom to leading a team that serves over 400 clients.Listeners will discover:• How they divided roles to play to their strengths• The habits that keep their relationship solid under pressure• How they handle stress, money, and family balance• Why systematizing the business transformed their livesThis conversation is a must-listen for any couple building a business together, or anyone who wants to grow without losing what matters most.#ScalingTogether #SevenFigureAgency

💬 What makes employees stay long term? In this episode of Scaling Together, Josh & Yesenia get real about team culture, employee engagement, and the lessons they’ve learned building a world-class agency team.From sour apples that poison morale… to using EOS to create core values, to the rituals and recognition systems that keep people motivated, this episode is packed with practical insights for agency leaders.👉 You’ll hear:✅ The secret to building a team people want to be part of✅ How EOS helped define and enforce core values✅ Why compensation alone won’t keep people engaged✅ The rituals (like icebreakers & wins channels) that boost connection✅ Recognizing & rewarding with meaning, not just money✅ When one “bad apple” can tank culture, and how to act fast✅ Why passion and zone of genius matter more than résumés“People don’t just stay for the paycheck, they stay when they feel seen, heard, and aligned with your vision.”Drop a 💬 if you’ve ever had to deal with team culture challenges. What’s been your biggest win (or toughest lesson) building your team?#ScalingTogether #AgencyLife #Leadership #TeamCulture #Entrepreneurship