Smart Agency Masterclass with Jason Swenk: Podcast for Digital Marketing Agencies
Jason Swenk
Growing an agency is very difficult, and you might feel unclear what to do next in order to grow and scale your agency. The Smart Agency Masterclass is a weekly podcast for agencies that are wanting to grow faster. We interview amazing guests from all over the world that have the experience of running successful businesses, and will provide you the insights you need. Our podcast is just over 3 years old, and have reached more than a half million listeners in 42 countries.
Episodes
Mentioned books
Mar 29, 2026 • 32min
Why Doing More Is Holding Your Agency Back (And What to Do Instead) with Darby Copenhaver | Ep #892
Darby Copenhaver, an agency scale specialist who helps founders diagnose bottlenecks and evolve into strategic roles. He talks about decision paralysis in the age of AI. He explores why growth needs role evolution, not just more output. He outlines simplifying systems, prioritizing the biggest bottleneck, and hiring to buy founders time.
8 snips
Mar 25, 2026 • 29min
AI Is Reshaping Agencies. Staying Average Will Kill Yours with Brian Hansen | Ep #891
Brian Hansen, founder of Rocket Pilots and law-firm marketing specialist. He talks about building AI-native agency systems, structuring docs and tools for custom GPTs, mandating team AI training, and why niching and leadership evolution matter for growth. Curiosity and experimentation are highlighted as survival traits.
Mar 22, 2026 • 28min
Why Agencies Lose Clients: Confusing Reports and Outdated Operating Models with Nate Jenson | Ep #890
Nathan Jensen, Fractional CFO and CEO of Badass Bookkeeping and askQuick.ai, helps business owners connect to their numbers. He talks about how confusing reports destroy trust. He explains why vague promises and outdated operating models lose clients. He explores automating bookkeeping, cutting headcount with systems, and designing operating layers for scalable growth.
Mar 18, 2026 • 36min
What Do Private Equity Firms Look for When Buying an Agency? With Ben Gaddis | Ep #889
Ben Gaddis, operator-turned-PE founder and ex-T3 founder who sold to private equity, breaks down what buyers seek. He walks through PE playbooks, why net revenue retention and integration beat simple recurring contracts, and how client concentration, secured revenue tagging, and clean accounting shape sellability. Practical M&A moves and vision-setting for agencies are highlighted in short, actionable takes.
Mar 15, 2026 • 29min
Burned Out Agency Owner to AI Architect: The Real Shift Founders Must Make With Austin Armstrong | Ep #888
Austin Armstrong, former agency owner turned AI SaaS founder and CEO of Syllaby, shares his reinvention after burnout. He talks about how overreliance on personal brand and big clients caused collapse. He outlines the founder evolution model, how AI exposes weak systems, and practical AI tools and workflows for automating social content and removing founder bottlenecks.
7 snips
Mar 11, 2026 • 34min
Why Project-Based Agencies Feel Profitable But Aren't Sustainable with Michael Boychuk | Ep #887
Michael Boychuk, founder and creative director at DNA&Stone, a creatively led agency known for emotional brand storytelling. He discusses why project-based revenue feels profitable but is fragile. He explains how a merger added retainer stability, the operational headaches of joining shops, using AI without killing human-led creativity, and why setting audacious goals changes everything.
Mar 8, 2026 • 28min
How Forward-Thinking Agencies Win with SEO, GEO, & LLMs with Terry Zelen | Ep #886
Terry Zelen, founder of Zelen Communications and AI-focused agency veteran, shares how his firm pivoted into AI. He covers modern visibility combining SEO, GEO, AEO, and LLMs. He explains using AI to 10x output without bloating teams and building tools to cut hallucinations and boost accuracy. Practical wins for small agencies and real-world LLM visibility stories are highlighted.
Mar 4, 2026 • 30min
How to Raise Your Agency Prices From $2,500 to $45,000/Month (Without Changing Deliverables) With Eli Rubel | Ep #885
Eli Rubel, founder of MatterMade and No Boring Design, scaled agency pricing from $2,500 to $45,000/month and split one business into two for clearer positioning. He recounts leaving VC SaaS for lifestyle freedom. Topics include his pricing experiments, selling premium without changing deliverables, why shared services failed, and how the two brands now cooperate and move upmarket.
Mar 1, 2026 • 23min
Can AI Help Your Agency Win Fortune 10 Clients Instead of Replacing Your Team? With Gilad Bechar | Ep #884
Gilad Bechar, founder and CEO of Moburst and mobile marketing veteran, explains how he embedded AI across a 12-year agency to boost hiring and client value. He discusses building an AI leadership structure, creating AI champions and teams, and using agents to automate work. He also covers how AI helped win Fortune 10 clients and reframing AI as a career transformation.
Feb 25, 2026 • 26min
Built for Freedom. How to Create a Lifestyle Agency That Doesn't Burn You Out with Marissa Rosen | Ep #883
Marissa Rosen, founder of Climate Social, runs a decade-old micro-agency focused on climate action, storytelling, and social media. She explains designing a lifestyle-first agency that protects time and avoids burnout. Short rules, partner-driven work, and clear boundaries keep things sustainable. They also discuss adapting roles and using AI while keeping human-to-human social strategy central.
