Agency Journey

In this episode, Andrew Stern, Partner, and COO at Pilothouse, a full-service digital marketing agency that helps DTC brands scale through performance marketing. Andrew shares insights into Pilothouse's unique partnership model with clients, how they've scaled to over 170 employees in just a few years, and the key sales and marketing strategies that have fueled their growth.In this episode, you'll learn: How to Focus on true alignment of incentives between the agency, clients, and internal team. How Pilothouse Brings clients into the process as true partners with transparent and ongoing communication.  Why implementing frameworks like EOS to improve processes but adapt them to suit your unique culture and goals. How to build authority and generate new opportunities through content like newsletters, podcasts, and thought leadership.  How to empower your teams, streamline work with the right tools, and continually look for new tools that can help improve productivity and collaboration. Key lessons and insights for building a high-growth agency. Why referrals and word-of-mouth were key for early growth.  Presenting Sponsor: ZenPilotCheck out ZenPilot, where we help agencies optimize their operations using our proven systems and processes.ZenPilot knows that you are tired of wasting time on trial and error — that's why we provide tried-and-true solutions that will help you grow and scale quickly and sustainably.So, what are you waiting for?Go to zenpilot.com to learn more.Resources mentioned in this episode: Andrew Stern's LinkedIn Pilothouse Website DTC Podcast DTC Newsletter Gray MacKenzie's LinkedIn

In this episode, Mike Rose, Founder and CEO of Return On Energy, is a highly successful entrepreneur who has built multiple profitable agencies that can run without him. With a track record of accolades, including being named INC Best Places in America and a 3X Inc 5000 Fastest Growing Private Company, Mike shares his insights and strategies for creating a sustainable agency that can thrive even when the founder steps back. As a HubSpot Diamond-Certified Partner and DFW American Marketing Association (AMA) Marketer of the Year, Mike's experience and expertise make for a valuable conversation on building a successful and scalable business.In this episode, you'll learn: Three factors mike considered before selling Mojo Media Labs to Gravity Global 2:15 The acquisition timeline and exit process 3:44 An overview of Mojo Media Labs and Gravity Global 7:05 How Mike empowered the Mojo Makers to make better business decisions 9:30 The importance of training your team on how business works 12:20 Mike's strategies to help create an agency that works like a well-oiled machine and fire yourself 15:40 The psychology behind exiting as an owner 20:55 How does micro mentorship works 30:15 What's next for Mike Rose? 32:00 ROE Breakthrough Workshop 34:30 Presenting Sponsor: ZenPilotCheck out ZenPilot, where we help agencies optimize their operations using our proven systems and processes.ZenPilot knows that you are tired of wasting time on trial and error — that's why we provide tried-and-true solutions that will help you grow and scale quickly and sustainably.So, what are you waiting for?Go to zenpilot.com to learn more.Resources mentioned in this episode: Mike Rose's LinkedIn Return On Energy's Website ROE Breakthrough Workshop ROE powers ROI Book Gray MacKenzie's LinkedIn

Individuals with soulful character approach leadership with tremendous fervor. They possess a deep understanding of their organization's structure and prioritize bottom-up motivation over top-down. They recognize the importance of all team members. These leaders also value open communication with all employees, recognizing that each person plays a crucial role in the organization and is equally valuable.In this episode, Kenny Lange, CEO of Kenny Lange Coaching, Kenny helps agency owners and their leadership teams find clarity and engineer their culture using proven frameworks. Kenny joins Gray MacKenzie to discuss the impact of being a purpose-driven, people-centric leader and how System & Soul differs from The EOS framework.In this episode, you'll learn: Why it is important to have the right framework for your agency What is S2 in The System & Soul Framework The differences and similarities between System & Soul and The EOS framework What System & Soul's S2 focuses on The importance of having consistent 1-on-1's with your employees How purpose-driven leadership impacts your agency's growth in productivity and effectivity Presenting Sponsor: ZenPilotCheck out ZenPilot, where we help agencies optimize their operations using our proven systems and processes.ZenPilot knows that you are tired of wasting time on trial and error — that's why we provide tried-and-true solutions that will help you grow and scale quickly and sustainably.So, what are you waiting for?Go to zenpilot.com to learn more.Resources mentioned in this episode: Kenny Lange Coaching Website System & Soul Website S2 Diagnostic - How Healthy Is Your Organization? EOS Website Kenny Lange's LinkedIn Gray MacKenzie's LinkedIn

In this episode, Charles "Charlie" Gaudet II, CEO of Predictable Profits. He is also the author of “The Predictable Profits Playbook" and host of The Beyond 7-Figures Podcast, joins Gray MacKenzie to explore the strategies and best practices for building successful and profitable agency partnerships.In this episode, you'll learn: Why it is important to understand the benefits of agency partnerships How to identify the right partners for your agency How to establish clear expectations and goals The best methods to maintain open communication and fostering trust Ways to measure the success of your agency partnerships and continuously improving the process. Presenting Sponsor: ZenPilotCheck out ZenPilot, where we help agencies optimize their operations using our proven systems and processes.ZenPilot knows that you are tired of wasting time on trial and error — that's why we provide tried-and-true solutions that will help you grow and scale quickly and sustainably.So, what are you waiting for?Go to zenpilot.com to learn more.Resources mentioned in this episode: Predictable Profits Website The Predictable Profits Playbook Beyond 7-figures Podcast Charles Gaudet's LinkedIn Gray MacKenzie's LinkedIn

In this episode, Anne Shenton, CEO of Ascend Strategy & Design, a HubSpot Diamond and Advanced CMS Implementation certified solutions partner, joins Gray MacKenzie to dig deeper into the impact of implementing EOS. Whether it's self-implementation or with a professional implementer, you will learn how an agency quantifies the impact of implementing EOS.Topics discussed in the episode: How Ascend balances using ninety.io and ClickUp and their approach on how to leverage using both tools Ascend's quick background story and how they first discovered EOS Anne's career journey, her passion for websites, and how she navigated her career growth How Ascend Pivoted from being just a department to being its own agency The Impact of EOS on culture development and the downside of self-implementation How Ascend's screening process involves its core values. One of the unusual metrics that Ascend has is "Employee NPS." Anne's own tech stack and tool recommendation Presenting Sponsor: ZenPilotCheck out ZenPilot, where we help agencies optimize their operations using our proven systems and processes.ZenPilot knows that you are tired of wasting time on trial and error — that's why we provide tried-and-true solutions that will help you grow and scale quickly and sustainably.So, what are you waiting for?Go to zenpilot.com to learn more.Resources mentioned in this episode: Ninety.io's website Ascend Strategy & Design Website Slickplan's Website ClickUp's Website HeyTaco's Website Anne Shenton's LinkedIn Gray MacKenzie's LinkedIn EOS Tools

Kevin Barber is the Head of Growth at Lean Labs, focused on helping innovative companies make their marketing profitable so they can scale. Father of 3, lives in Tampa, FL, and loves bikes, boats, and building brands.Chris DuBois is the CEO at Lean Labs, helping build growth teams and websites for brands that deserve to win. Father of 2, and husband of 1. Lives in Portland, Maine, and enjoys exploring the outdoors, and reading a good book.In this episode, Chris DuBois, CEO at Lean Labs, and Kevin Barber, Head of Growth at Lean Labs, joins Gray to discuss the challenges and opportunities and the nitty gritty of transitioning from one role to another and the importance of having the right role for each team member. Topics discussed in the episode: How agencies are adjusting to the shifts brought about by the pandemic. The criticality of having the appropriate chief executive officer for Lean Labs. Chris's journey to becoming the CEO of Lean Labs. The effect of the transition to Kevin's leadership. The responsibilities that were delegated during the transition. Kevin's perspective on the distinctions between being an agency owner/business owner and a CEO. Chris's personal path before joining the Lean Labs team. Who Lean Labs is intended for. The purpose and function of Sprocket Rocket. Lean Labs' future partnerships with Impact. Lean Labs' priorities for the year 2023. The most vital skills that Chris was able to swiftly acquire. The growth priorities for 2023. Strategies for keeping the team aligned in the face of change and innovation. Presenting Sponsor: ZenPilotCheck out ZenPilot, where we help agencies optimize their operations using our proven systems and processes.ZenPilot knows that you are tired of wasting time on trial and error — that's why we provide tried-and-true solutions that will help you grow and scale quickly and sustainably.So, what are you waiting for?Go to zenpilot.com to learn more.Resources mentioned in this episode: Sprocket Rocket Website Lean Labs Website The Growth Playbook Growth Grader Kevin Barber's LinkedIn Chris DuBois LinkedIn Gray MacKenzie's LinkedIn EOS Tools

John Heritage is the President at Evenbound, A Diamond-level HubSpot Solutions Partner, in 2012. Evenbound specializes in growth marketing and technical consulting. John discusses the benefits of professional EOS implementation and the importance of aligning your organization's goals and processes. Topics discussed in the episode: Evenbound's journey Evenbound's team and expectations How covid changed the way agencies work John's story on discovering EOS Their journey to self-implementation and some realizations along the way The pros of hiring a professional implementer The challenges with implementing EOS The benefits of having EOS implemented at Evenbound The process of finding your EOS implementor John's process for determining who to choose as their implementor at their agency Evenbound's plans for the future John's advice to leaders wanting to implement EOS. Presenting Sponsor: ZenPilotCheck out ZenPilot, where we help agencies optimize their operations using our proven systems and processes.ZenPilot knows that you are tired of wasting time on trial and error — that's why we provide tried-and-true solutions that will help you grow and scale quickly and sustainably.So, what are you waiting for?Go to zenpilot.com to learn more.Resources mentioned in this episode: John Heritage's LinkedIn Evenbound's Website Gray MacKenzie's LinkedIn The Entrepreneurial Operating System Website EOS Tools

In this episode of Agency Journey, Paul joins Gray to discuss what EOS is and how it significantly contributed to Fuelius' growth.Paul Earnden is the Managing Director at Fuelius, an agency that works with scaling companies to provide end-to-end customer journey solutions. Fuelius offers a full suite of services, including CRM enablement, inbound marketing, and web development, designed to help scaling companies grow. Topics discussed in the episode: How Fuelius started and why it is a sub-brand of Prodo. Fuelius' journey as a sub-brand and the challenges they faced as an agency. Paul's role at Fuelius as a Managing Director and Integrator. The difference between a visionary and an integrator and the importance of each role. The story of how Paul was first introduced to the EOS at the HubSpot Inbound Conference. A brief explanation of what is EOS? Their experience with the EOS survey and the start of their journey implementing EOS for their agency. Fuelius' implementation timeline, mistakes from implementing EOS, and the importance of involving the right people in the process. What is an accountability chart, and how does it differ from an organizational setting? How does the ROCKS setting look like for Fuelius, and what are ROCKS? How Fuelius creates a scorecard and sets KPIs The project management tool that Fuelius uses when they pivoted away from spreadsheets. Fuelius' Tech Stack - what tools are they using that are unknown? Launching Fuel Your Funnel Podcast and what's it about Plans for Fuel Your Funnel Podcast Presenting Sponsor: ZenPilotCheck out ZenPilot, where we help agencies optimize their operations using our proven systems and processes.ZenPilot knows that you are tired of wasting time on trial and error — that's why we provide tried-and-true solutions that will help you grow and scale quickly and sustainably.So, what are you waiting for?Go to zenpilot.com to learn more.Resources mentioned in this episode: John Aikin's LinkedIn Web Canopy Studio's Website Paul Earnden's LinkedIn Fuelius' Website Prodo's Website Riverside's Website Harvest Website Subtrack Website Ninety.io Atlassian Jira Fuel Your Funnel Podcast Free 47-page Guide to Implementing ClickUp:This guide is packed with step-by-step instructions (and checklists) to help you implement ClickUp for your agency.We've put together a 47-page guide to walk you through the 5-step ClickUp implementation process that we've taken thousands of agencies through.

On this episode of Agency Journey, Shama Hyder, CEO of Zen Media, joins Gray to discuss what dark social is, the impact of dark social on your agency's buyer journey, and why it is important to pay attention to it.Topics discussed in the episode: The story behind Zen Media's and ZenPilot's name Zen Media's journey What is dark social? How dark social works and  How dark social impacts your buyers' journey What the b2b buying journey looks like Presenting Sponsor: ZenPilotBe sure to check out ZenPilot, where we help agencies optimize their operations using our proven systems and processes.ZenPilot knows that you are tired of wasting time on trial-and-error — that’s why we provide tried-and-true solutions that will help you grow and scale quickly and sustainably.So, what are you waiting for?Go to zenpilot.com to learn more.Resources mentioned in this episode: Zen Media Website Shama Hyder Website Shama Hyder's LinkedIn The Zen of Social Media Marketing Free 47-page Guide to Implementing ClickUp:This guide is packed with step-by-step instructions (and checklists) to help you implement ClickUp for your agency.We've put together a 47-page guide to walk you through the 5-step ClickUp implementation process that we've taken thousands of agencies through.

After every project, we collect feedback, brainstorm ideas, and discuss how we can improve our services. Back at the beginning of 2021, we transformed our client journey and added in a discovery project called "The Blueprint".Why did we do this?The Blueprint is the discovery project that allows us to fully understand the agency's pains, frustrations, challenges, and goals for the project. We've received a lot of amazing feedback, and many agencies have even reverse-engineered our process and implemented it at their agency. On this episode of Agency Journey, Gray joins Andrew Dymski, CoFounder at ZenPilot, to discuss our Blueprint process and what agencies have learned from it and implemented it in their organization.Topics discussed in the episode: ZenPilots Client Journey - Blueprint, Implementation, Optimize The ZenPilot's promise - "Move from chaos to clarity" 3 core systems every agency needs - technical, procedural and behavioral The purpose of the Blueprint and why agencies need to implement a discovery project Using Savvy Call to enable clients to book calls on their own Creating Checkout pages for easy payment and onboarding Standardize intake information with forms Creating a welcome page with instructions Standardizing a kickoff deck  Centralizing communication and leaving breadcrumbs to show value Training client to transform market utility Benchmarking clients with surveys Implementing discovery projects Presenting Sponsor: ZenPilotBe sure to check out ZenPilot, where we help agencies optimize their operations using our proven systems and processes.ZenPilot knows that you are tired of wasting time on trial-and-error — that’s why we provide tried-and-true solutions that will help you grow and scale quickly and sustainably.So, what are you waiting for?Go to zenpilot.com to learn more.Resources mentioned in this episode: Gray Mackenzie - LinkedIn Andrew Dymski - LinkedIn ZenPilot - BluePrint Process ClickUp Savvy Call Miro Lucid Chart Slack Make Free 47-page Guide to Implementing ClickUp:This guide is packed with step-by-step instructions (and checklists) to help you implement ClickUp for your agency.We've put together a 47-page guide to walk you through the 5-step ClickUp implementation process that we've taken thousands of agencies through.