Small But Mighty Agency: How to Grow Your Agency

Is it worth the time to cross-train your team? Even the most talented people in your team can’t succeed if your entire team follows their own processes, and communication is a mess. Cross-training leads to better communication, and communication leads to a business that is less dependent on you. In this episode of the podcast, we’re exploring how this agency owner hires the right people, streamlines communication and cross-trains his team so that he can spend more time in creativity instead of project management. Including: How he took one opportunity in college (10 years ago) and turned freelancing into an agencyWhy solving communication challenges grows the business  Cross-training team members is worth the time investment What is the T shape model, and how it guides his hiring process for right-fit team members? How he cross-trains his team to create more efficiency and less dependency on one person to know it all Changing his org structure and why he restructured his agency modelShow LinksSuits & Sandals Website: https://suits-sandals.comWork Association Podcast: Apple, Spotify, GoogleNick’s LinkedIn:  https://www.linkedin.com/in/nickdank/Get my signature COMPASS method inside our Team Growth Roadmap This episode is brought to you by the FREE TEAM GROWTH ROADMAPWhat if you didn’t spend all day, every day, in the weeds of running your business? More flexibility. More freedom. Less overwhelm. You’d scale your business with more easeGain clarity on the strategic systems and leadership actions to create a self-managing team that can support your clients and frees up your time.My free Team Growth Roadmap will give you my COMPASS method to get you out of the weeds of running your business and help you build a small but mighty team that gives you more freedom and flexibility.Click this link to unlock the COMPASS MethodThanks for listening to the Small But Mighty Agency Podcast, if you enjoyed this episode please leave a review on iTunes or send a screenshot on Instagram while tagging me  @audreyjoykwan

These four concepts are how I’ve helped grow agencies to multiple six figures and beyond. I’ve supported an agency owner to grow, sell and exit his business, doubled the gross revenue of clients with small but mighty agencies and helped owners have more time off. To kick off 2022 on the podcast, here are the concepts that always show up. If you’re bumping up against capacity in your business, you can’t miss concept number one. Concept number one is the pillar to bringing in other people to do the work and free up your time in a service business. Maybe you’ve never thought about the agency model in this way – it can be small but mighty and sustainably grow your business to serve more clients, make more money and free up your time. Find out how we can work together to grow your service-based business, book a consult (https://calendly.com/audreyjoykwan/consult)  Show LinksAbout Audrey Joy Kwan: https://audreyjoykwan.com/aboutConnect with Audrey on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kwanaudrey/Get my signature COMPASS method inside our Team Growth Roadmap This episode is brought to you by the FREE TEAM GROWTH ROADMAPWhat if you didn’t spend all day, every day, in the weeds of running your business? More flexibility. More freedom. Less overwhelm. You’d scale your business with more easeGain clarity on the strategic systems and leadership actions to create a self-managing team that can support your clients and free up your time.My free Team Growth Roadmap will give you my COMPASS method to get you out of the weeds of running your business and help you build a small but mighty team that gives you more freedom and flexibility.Click this link to unlock the COMPASS MethodThanks for listening to the Small But Mighty Agency Podcast, if you enjoyed this episode please leave a review on iTunes or send a screenshot on Instagram while tagging me @audreyjoykwan

Is it possible to run an efficient agency with eight part-time contractors while working part-time? For this CEO mom, the answer is yes. Although this may not be a way of running a business for everyone, Kara demonstrates that how you choose to operate your business can 100% fit your priorities. Kara’s priorities are her three kids and her mission to employ young moms by providing as much flexibility as possible in her business. In this episode, you’ll hear how she makes it all work and how small but mighty agencies of today are changing. Including: What it looks like to run an agency part-time and have three young kids How she manages a team of 8 part-time contractors Why she chooses to stay with part-time contractors (for now)How to build a business that values the needs of young moms Thoughts on workplace improvements that can better support young momsShow LinksLinkedIn (linkedin.com/in/karahoholik) Website (https://socialforgood.co)Instagram (socialforgood.co) Get my signature COMPASS method inside our Team Growth Roadmap This episode is brought to you by the FREE TEAM GROWTH ROADMAPWhat if you didn’t spend all day, every day, in the weeds of running your business? More flexibility. More freedom. Less overwhelm. You’d scale your business with more easeGain clarity on the strategic systems and leadership actions to create a self-managing team that can support your clients and frees up your time.My free Team Growth Roadmap will give you my COMPASS method to get you out of the weeds of running your business and help you build a small but mighty team that gives you more freedom and flexibility.Click this link to unlock the COMPASS MethodThanks for listening to the Small But Mighty Agency Podcast, if you enjoyed this episode please leave a review on iTunes or send a screenshot on Instagram while tagging me  @audreyjoykwan

What does it mean to streamline a business for growth? At its core, it means simplifying or eliminating unnecessary work-related tasks to make running the business easier. While eliminating things may sound simple, streamlining a business can involve hard decisions. In this episode, we connect with Kyle who streamlined his business by restructuring his remote team. In the case of this small business, restructuring involved removing one job role and as a result, navigating changing scopes of work for the rest of his team -- all the while maintaining their core value of relationship-focused servicing and a high-vibe team. Kyle shares his thought process behind the change, why it was necessary and the impact on his business. Together on the Small But Mighty Agency, we explore: Driving agency change and building a lean team Restructuring his team to better serve clients and be more effectiveRevising job functions and roles and empowering people to own the work Acknowledging leadership blindspots and growing from mistakesWhy a coaching first principle in the business brings out the best in his teamUsing culture surveys to build a high vibe team and encourage retainment  Show LinksLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kyledoranra/Website: https://www.ramarketing.com/Get my signature COMPASS method inside our Team Growth Roadmap This episode is brought to you by the FREE TEAM GROWTH ROADMAPWhat if you didn’t spend all day, every day, in the weeds of running your business? More flexibility. More freedom. Less overwhelm. You’d scale your business with more easeGain clarity on the strategic systems and leadership actions to create a self-managing team that can support your clients and frees up your time.My free Team Growth Roadmap will give you my COMPASS method to get you out of the weeds of running your business and help you build a small but mighty team that gives you more freedom and flexibility.Click this link to unlock the COMPASS MethodThanks for listening to the Small But Mighty Agency Podcast, if you enjoyed this episode please leave a review on iTunes or send a screenshot on Instagram while tagging me  @audreyjoykwan

Today, we explore how Amisha Shrimanker started an online copywriting agency three years ago and has since worked with some prominent names in the industry.Amisha shares the juicy details of her strategies that have landed her dream clients.Together on the podcast, we explore:Her cold pitching strategy, the one she uses to get on dream podcasts and work with dream clientsHow she leverages results into case studies to amplify her competitive advantageHow she uses project debriefs not only to serve clients better but meet a need that naturally increases the lifetime value of the clientShow LinksCopy Crew Website: https://thecopycrew.com/ Copy Crew Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thecopycrew/See the AJK Case Studies: https://audreyjoykwan.com/case-studiesGet my signature COMPASS method inside our Team Growth Roadmap This episode is brought to you by the FREE TEAM GROWTH ROADMAPWhat if you didn’t spend all day, every day, in the weeds of running your business? More flexibility. More freedom. Less overwhelm. You’d scale your business with more easeGain clarity on the strategic systems and leadership actions to create a self-managing team that can support your clients and frees up your time.My free Team Growth Roadmap will give you my COMPASS method to get you out of the weeds of running your business and help you build a small but mighty team that gives you more freedom and flexibility.Click this link to unlock the COMPASS MethodThanks for listening to the Small But Mighty Agency Podcast, if you enjoyed this episode please leave a review on iTunes or send a screenshot on Instagram while tagging me  @audreyjoykwan

What is the fastest way to grow a service-based business to seven figures? Not a trick question 🙂It’s to help your clients get results faster. Meet Lisa Genovese, five years into building her marketing agency, Lisa discovered the 20% of activities driving results for her clients and decided to go all-in on the service offering,In this episode of the Small But Mighty Agency, we dig into the 80/20 rule that helped Lisa catapult her business to a seven-figure agency and why getting support to discover her 80/20 was a wise decision. Tune in to hear:How she identified a new revenue stream that became her agencies signature serviceFinding her stride as an agency owner at the five-year markGoing all-in on the 80/20 rule despite the doubt Why her agency won’t work with a client unless the client invests in the impact assessment offer and how she asks them to invests Trusting that the fastest path to success is to turn down clients that are the wrong fit  Show LinksLisa Genovese LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lisamariegenovese/ Bottom Line Website: www.wearebottomline.com Women Presidents Organization: https://www.womenpresidentsorg.com/Get my signature COMPASS method inside our Team Growth Roadmap This episode is brought to you by the FREE TEAM GROWTH ROADMAPWhat if you didn’t spend all day, every day, in the weeds of running your business? More flexibility. More freedom. Less overwhelm. You’d scale your business with more easeGain clarity on the strategic systems and leadership actions to create a self-managing team that can support your clients and frees up your time.My free Team Growth Roadmap will give you my COMPASS method to get you out of the weeds of running your business and help you build a small but mighty team that gives you more freedom and flexibility.Click this link to unlock the COMPASS MethodThanks for listening to the Small But Mighty Agency Podcast, if you enjoyed this episode please leave a review on iTunes or send a screenshot on Instagram while tagging me  @audreyjoykwan

How do you build a collaborative partner network that actually works and can help you grow your business?In this week’s Small But Mighty Agency podcast, we connect with Jon Allison, the owner of a Branding Studio with a track record of using authentic relationship marketing to grow his business and deliver exceptional work. What’s impressive is that 70% of the work Jon currently does in his business involves his collaborative partners. Together we explore: Growing a business with collaborative partnersWhat makes a collaborative partner network successful?Why white-labeling doesn’t work in collaborative partner networks and what to do instead How to work effectively when sharing work with collaborative partners How value-match, not formality, is keyJon’s an open book about what makes his collaborative partner network effective, from size to budget transparency, values alignment, and all the things to look out for. Tune in if you want to spend less time doing busy work with relationship marketing and tap into how a collaborative partner network can work for you. Show Links:Backcountry Branding Website: https://backcountrybranding.ca/Backcountry Branding LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jonallison/Get my signature COMPASS method inside our Team Growth Roadmap This episode is brought to you by the FREE TEAM GROWTH ROADMAPWhat if you didn’t spend all day, every day, in the weeds of running your business? More flexibility. More freedom. Less overwhelm. You’d scale your business with more easeGain clarity on the strategic systems and leadership actions to create a self-managing team that can support your clients and frees up your time.My free Team Growth Roadmap will give you my COMPASS method to get you out of the weeds of running your business and help you build a small but mighty team that gives you more freedom and flexibility.Click this link to unlock the COMPASS MethodThanks for listening to the Small But Mighty Agency Podcast, if you enjoyed this episode please leave a review on iTunes or send a screenshot on Instagram while tagging me  @audreyjoykwan

Focus is a superpower. But distractions are everywhere. You’re short on time, and you want to grow your business with less overwhelm.How do you steer clear of shiny opportunities and ideas that are vampires to your time and energy?How do you make better strategic decisions? I rarely share about how I arrived at my mission and my why. That’s because, for the longest time, I didn’t know how to share something so personal. My deep connection to my mission and why (I started my business) keeps me focused when there are hard decisions to make. In this episode, I share with you how I use my deep connection to my mission and why (I started my business) to keep strategically focused and not only grow faster but grow with less overwhelm. Show LinksJoel Sellentine: Finding a north star and growing a seven-figure agency in 4 years: https://audreyjoykwan.com/podcast-ep19/Get my signature COMPASS method inside our Team Growth Roadmap This episode is brought to you by the FREE TEAM GROWTH ROADMAPWhat if you didn’t spend all day, every day, in the weeds of running your business? More flexibility. More freedom. Less overwhelm. You’d scale your business with more easeGain clarity on the strategic systems and leadership actions to create a self-managing team that can support your clients and frees up your time.My free Team Growth Roadmap will give you my COMPASS method to get you out of the weeds of running your business and help you build a small but mighty team that gives you more freedom and flexibility.Click this link to unlock the COMPASS Method Thanks for listening to the Small But Mighty Agency Podcast, if you enjoyed this episode please leave a review on iTunes or send a screenshot on Instagram while tagging me  @audreyjoykwan

How do you engage and inspire younger generations in your service-based business? Today we’re exploring Generation Z, the most entrepreneurial generation of our time. Generation Z is disrupting the traditional ways of entering the workforce by choosing entrepreneurship over being an employee. In this episode, I speak with Julie Wang on embracing being a Generation Z agency-owner and her insights on employing her Generation. On this episode of Small But Mighty Agency: Why being a Gen Z agency-owner is a unique value proposition Exploring the gap between job role expectations versus the reality of entry marketing roles for Gen ZFreelancing as the gateway to business ownership for young entrepreneurs and why most Gen Z’s are doing itInternal motivations and external factors that are shaping the ambitions of Gen ZWhat does Gen Z really want in a job?  Show LinksTiny Planet Digital Website: https://tinyplanet.digital/Tiny Planet Digital LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/tiny-planet-digital/Tiny Planet Digital Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tinyplanet.digital/This episode is brought to you by the FREE TEAM GROWTH ROADMAPWhat if you didn’t spend all day, every day, in the weeds of running your business? More flexibility. More freedom. Less overwhelm. You’d scale your business with more easeGain clarity on the strategic systems and leadership actions to create a self-managing team that can support your clients and frees up your time.My free Team Growth Roadmap will give you my COMPASS method to get you out of the weeds of running your business and help you build a small but mighty team that gives you more freedom and flexibility.Unlock the COMPASS Method right hereThanks for listening to the Small But Mighty Agency Podcast, if you enjoyed this episode please leave a review on iTunes or send a screenshot on Instagram while tagging me  @audreyjoykwan

Are you a marketer, consultant, or creative who started your business with a specialized skill? You have steady revenue, a solid client base, and work coming in. It’s more than you can handle by yourself, but you’re saying yes to everything. You’re working 24/7, and it isn’t the life you dreamed of as a business owner. If that’s you, you’re not alone.in this episode of the Small But Might Agency, we explore Trevor’s trajectory from:Transitioning from freelancer to an agency over a course of 6 months Going from broad services to specializing to grow his business fasterCreating the runway to build his business by letting go of wrong-fit clients Using profit-share bonuses to incentivize entrepreneurial team members Show LinksTrevor Longino Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/trevorlongino/ Trevor Longino Twitter: https://twitter.com/TrevorLongino Crowdtamers Blog: https://crowdtamers.com/blog/ Crowdtamers Website: https://crowdtamers.com/  This episode is brought to you by the FREE TEAM GROWTH ROADMAPWhat if you didn’t spend all day, every day, in the weeds of running your business? More flexibility. More freedom. Less overwhelm. You’d scale your business with more easeGain clarity on the strategic systems and leadership actions to create a self-managing team that can support your clients and frees up your time.My free Team Growth Roadmap will give you my C.O.M.P.A.S.S method to get you out of the weeds of running your business and help you build a small but mighty team that gives you more freedom and flexibility.Unlock the C.O.M.P.A.S.S Method right hereThanks for listening to the Small But Mighty Agency Podcast, if you enjoyed this episode please leave a review on iTunes or send a screenshot on Instagram while tagging me  @audreyjoykwan