The Agency Growth Podcast

[Cold open (Jake spills coffee on his keyboard and debates the utility of tablets) ends at 07:49.]

Most agency advice treats every client relationship the same, but the reality is that a family-owned local shop and a VC-backed firm require entirely different "languages" to survive.

In this episode, we break down how to navigate the power struggles and decision-making hierarchies of different business models. We discuss why "authenticity" can sometimes be a trap, how to manage the friction of new marketing hires, and why your reporting style needs to shift from "raw revenue" to "performative polish" depending on who is signing the checks.

Listen in as we explore the nuances of private equity, franchises, and why working with the "big dogs" in publicly traded companies is a completely different game of "dance monkey".

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RESOURCES:

Want the tools and resources we recommend for agencies? Check them out here:

https://www.agencygrowthpod.com/tools

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NEWSLETTER

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https://www.agencygrowthpod.com/newsletter

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COMMUNITY

Looking to join a community of agency owners? Join our Discord!

https://discord.gg/uvHRRRFVRD

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CONTACT

Got something to say? Send us a message:

https://www.agencygrowthpod.com/contact

[Cold open (Concise Description) ends at 07:13.]

There has been a lot of buzz lately with people mentioning and starting "AI Automation Agencies", yet they have no idea how to sell or position the service.

They're all operating under some expectation that businesses just inherently need or want these services, which is absolutely not the case.

But that doesn't mean you can't sell it and that there isn't value for it.

It all comes down to positioning.

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MENTIONS IN THE EPISODE:

r/agencynewbies threads:

[Is this offer worth 2k monthly retainer?]
https://www.reddit.com/r/agencynewbies/comments/1rkx1al/is_this_offer_worth_2k_monthly_retainer/

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RESOURCES:

Want the tools and resources we recommend for agencies? Check them out here:

https://www.agencygrowthpod.com/tools

-----

NEWSLETTER

Want the show in your inbox? Sign up for the newsletter!

https://www.agencygrowthpod.com/newsletter

-----

COMMUNITY

Looking to join a community of agency owners? Join our Discord!

https://discord.gg/uvHRRRFVRD

-----

CONTACT

Got something to say? Send us a message:

https://www.agencygrowthpod.com/contact

In our pursuit of having an episode for every niche out there, we ran across Dante Montovano, who owns Seven Circle Media, a restaurant marketing agency.

We knew restaurant marketing was unique, but we didn't realize how much we didn't actually know about the industry and what actually makes fast food places, QSRs, and fast-casual restaurants the most amount of money.

Dante broke down exactly what it takes to be successful in the restaurant industry as a marketing agency and how knowing the industry is your secret weapon.

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MENTIONS IN THE EPISODE:

Dante Montovano
https://www.linkedin.com/in/dante-montovano-21a54370/

Seven Circle Media
https://www.sevencirclemedia.com/

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SPONSOR:

This week’s episode is sponsored by Wix Studio.

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RESOURCES:

Want the tools and resources we recommend for agencies? Check them out here:

https://www.agencygrowthpod.com/tools

-----

NEWSLETTER

Want the show in your inbox? Sign up for the newsletter!

https://www.agencygrowthpod.com/newsletter

-----

COMMUNITY

Looking to join a community of agency owners? Join our Discord!

https://discord.gg/uvHRRRFVRD

-----

CONTACT

Got something to say? Send us a message:

https://www.agencygrowthpod.com/contact

[Cold open (Cody is back from Hawaii) ends at 05:37.]

Most agencies you talk to, as well as the entire internet, will tell you that clients should own their own ad accounts, and you should work inside them.

But what if we told you this is the wrong way to do it? What if we told you that you are opening yourself up to potentially huge insurance and legal issues doing it this way?

Listen to this episode and find out the correct way to protect yourself and your relationships with your clients.

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RESOURCES:

Want the tools and resources we recommend for agencies? Check them out here:

https://www.agencygrowthpod.com/tools

-----

NEWSLETTER

Want the show in your inbox? Sign up for the newsletter!

https://www.agencygrowthpod.com/newsletter

-----

COMMUNITY

Looking to join a community of agency owners? Join our Discord!

https://discord.gg/uvHRRRFVRD

-----

CONTACT

Got something to say? Send us a message:

https://www.agencygrowthpod.com/contact

[Cold Open (Professional paintball & 2-star reviews) ends at 16:31]

In this episode, we talk about scaling with simple services.

We break down why the things that actually grow an agency are often the least exciting to sell, how chasing trendy or “innovative” offers can create complexity instead of leverage, and what has actually worked for us as we’ve grown. We also discuss AI automation, local service ads, retention, and why repeatability matters more than sophistication.

This episode is about focus. What makes a service scalable, why simple does not mean easy, and how choosing the right offers can change the trajectory of your agency.

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RESOURCES:

Want the tools and resources we recommend for agencies? Check them out here:

https://www.agencygrowthpod.com/tools

-----

NEWSLETTER

Want the show in your inbox? Sign up for the newsletter!

https://www.agencygrowthpod.com/newsletter

-----

COMMUNITY

Looking to join a community of agency owners? Join our Discord!

https://discord.gg/uvHRRRFVRD

-----

CONTACT

Got something to say? Send us a message:

https://www.agencygrowthpod.com/contact