DTC Podcast Ep 597: How Jon Bond Built a $90M Agency with 27% Margins (and the “Tip of the Spear” Playbook)
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Mar 27, 2026 Jon Bond, veteran ad exec and agency founder who scaled Kirshenbaum Bond + Partners to ~$90M revenue with 27% margins. He explains the “tip of the spear” focus that wins big clients. Short takes on turning culture into a growth lever, building regenerative marketing assets, disciplined hiring and forecasting, and expanding services one step from your core.
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How They Manufactured A Hot Agency Early On
- Jon Bond and Richard Kirshenbaum built a “hot” agency by deliberately creating provocative, newsjacking ads that got fast press pickup like New York Magazine and Barbara Walters.
- They faked scale with a rented office floor, big signage, and orchestrated stunts to signal credibility and attract media and clients.
Acceptance Was The Agency's Competitive Moat
- Culture was the growth engine that retained talent and created loyalty, centered on acceptance so employees didn't need to hide parts of themselves.
- That acceptance made the agency sticky: hundreds of former staff would rally quickly for colleagues, sustaining long-term network value.
Build Regenerating Marketing Assets Not Temporary Ads
- Design initiatives that both scale and instigate conversation by combining paid reach with believable third‑party signals like press or repeatable events.
- Create regenerative marketing assets (e.g., annual lists or Small Business Saturday) that generate buzz year after year.