Jon Morris, Founder of Fiscal Advocate

 In this episode of the Agentic Shift podcast, we talk to Jessica Chase, co-founder of Above the Fold, a programmatic advertising agency. Transitioning from journalism to marketing, Jessica emphasizes the importance of programmatic advertising for business growth. Chase shares her experiences at 1-800-CONTACTS and Rakuten, highlighting her focus on creating efficient processes within her agency. She underscores the necessity of emotional and psychological well-being for agency owners and the evolving landscape of marketing analytics amidst technological change.

 We talk to Mark Zamuner, founder of Juice Media. Mark shares his journey from founding the marketing agency Two Nil to evolving it into Juice. He discusses his experiences at eHarmony, the process of merging with Blackwood Seven, and the lessons learned from buying back his company. He emphasizes the importance of clear communication and alignment in partnerships, the need for long-term thinking in business decisions and the value of support systems in entrepreneurship.

Learn more about Fiscal Advocate here: www.fiscaladvocate.com

We talk to Erik Huberman, founder of Hawke Media. Erik discusses his journey from building and selling e-commerce companies to creating a marketing agency focused on small and medium-sized businesses. Hawke Media, now with 300 employees, operates as an "outsourced CMO," emphasizing accessibility and innovation. Erik shares insights on scaling while managing challenges like client churn, leveraging a $20 million venture fund to invest in MarTech, and building Hawke AI for predictive analytics. He predicts AI will have a growing impact on marketing, emphasizing adaptability and strategic advantage. Enjoy the show.

 In this episode of the Agentic Shift podcast, we talk to Carrie Kerpen, founder of the Whisper Group. Carrie shares her journey from marketing to founding one of the first social media agencies, inspired by her creative, unconventional wedding at a Brooklyn Cyclones game. She discusses the challenges of constant reinvention in social media, her agency's growth, and its eventual sale in 2021. Now leading The Whisper Group, Carrie advises female entrepreneurs on building sellable businesses and navigating exits. She emphasizes purpose-driven planning to avoid post-exit regret and champions women in business through mentorship and her upcoming book, The Whisper Way.

Ned MacPherson, founder of Endrock Growth and Analytics, shares how he scaled and sold his agency. Starting as a data consultant in 2014, he built a CRO-focused agency, growing 60-100% annually before being acquired by Power Digital in 2023. He emphasizes cultural fit in M&A, the challenges of scaling a data-driven business, and using AI for execution but not analysis. Post-sale, his team continues growing rapidly within Power Digital, reinforcing the importance of strategy, execution, and the right partnerships.

We talk to Phil Case, President and Chief Client Officer of Max Connect Digital. Phil shares his journey from studying Arabic for diplomacy to pivoting into marketing. He led a successful agency before joining Max Connect Digital, growing it from $17M to over $50M in revenue. He emphasizes audience-driven marketing, long-term brand building, and balancing performance with strategy for sustainable success.

We talk to Jerome Myers, the founder of DreamCatchers, who shares his journey from a corporate career to entrepreneurship and his mission to guide founders through successful business exits. The conversation explores Jerome’s personal and professional transformation, emphasizing the importance of purpose, identity, and preparation in the exit process. Jerome highlights the challenges entrepreneurs face post-exit, such as identity crises, lack of purpose, and unfulfilling use of newfound freedom. Jerome introduces the “Founder’s Exit Paradox” and shares a four-step framework, NEXT—Nourish, Evaluate, Explore, and Transcend—designed to help founders transition successfully after exiting their businesses. He underscores the significance of having a clear identity, aligning with personal values, and preparing for life beyond work to achieve fulfillment and avoid regret.

We talk to Todd Taskey, founder of Potomac Business Capital and host of the Second Bite Podcast. The conversation dives deep into the intricacies of mergers and acquisitions in the digital marketing and agency space, with a particular focus on companies in the $1 million to $5 million EBITDA range. Todd shares his firm's unique approach to sell-side transactions, emphasizing the importance of strategic deal structuring, fostering competition among buyers, and addressing key challenges like founder dependency and infrastructure gaps. He illustrates these points with real-world case studies, highlighting successful transactions that propelled companies to new heights.

I interview Adam Edwards, co-founder of Metric Theory, about the company’s founding journey, challenges, and eventual sale to S4 Capital. Adam shares insights into the evolution of Metric Theory, from its beginnings as a pivot from Meltwater Reach's unsuccessful SMB-focused strategy to becoming a successful digital marketing agency. The interview provides a behind-the-scenes look at the growth of Metric Theory, highlighting how process-driven strategies, client-focused sales, and commitment to employee development contributed to the agency’s success and eventual acquisition.