The Progressive Agency Podcast

Sara Snyder is a Certified Public Accountant with a background in accounting since 2017.  Currently, she serves as an Account Manager and Outsourced CFO at Craig Cody and Company, Inc., specializing in advanced tax reduction with the designation of Certified Tax Coach. In this episode of the Progressive Agency Podcast, I sat down with Sara Snyder, our lead CFO, to discuss how technology has revolutionized our accounting services for agencies. We explored the use of tools like Bill.com for streamlining accounts payable and receivable processes. Sara explained the benefits of outsourcing financial tasks to professionals, including cost-effectiveness, consistency, and freeing up internal resources for higher-value work. We also touched on additional services that accounting firms can offer agencies beyond basic bookkeeping, such as cash flow projections, budgeting, and helping maintain profitability through industry benchmarking. What you will learn in this episode: How Bill.com helps keep invoices streamlined and organized Streamlining approval processes for invoices for companies with remote workers Scheduling invoice payouts ahead of time Managing accounts receivable The benefits of outsourcing financial services Other services provided by finance professionals The importance of accrual-based accounting for agencies How proper financial reporting supports tax planning Resources: Website: http://www.craigcodyandcompany.com/ LinkedIn Personal: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sara-snyder-cpa-ctc-321596191/ LinkedIn Business: https://www.linkedin.com/company/craig-cody-and-company/

In this episode of The Progressive Agency Podcast, we revisit the Corporate Transparency Act and its implications for business owners. We explore the critical details of the Beneficial Ownership Information (BOI) reporting requirements, which affect small- to mid-sized business entities in the United States. Business owners need to be vigilant about ongoing compliance with the new BOI reporting requirements. Due to the potential for daily penalties, it's crucial for businesses to have a system in place to track and report updates to their beneficial ownership information promptly and accurately. To help business owners get ahead of these changes, we outline who qualifies as a beneficial owner, the four ways an individual can be considered to exercise substantial control, and the specific information that must be reported to FinCEN. We also address the ongoing compliance requirements to report any changes in BOI information in a timely manner and exemptions for certain larger businesses. What you will learn in this episode: When reporting must be completed by What is beneficial ownership information (BOI)? Four ways an individual can be considered a beneficial owner How to report beneficial owner information Penalties incurred for missing reporting deadlines Being aware of potential scams Who's exempt from reporting? Rules for rental properties, LLCs, and other side hustles Resources: Website: http://www.craigcodyandcompany.com/ Twitter: @CraigC2742 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/craigcodycpa BOI Report FinCEN

Katy Boos founded Remix Communications because she's passionate about creating impactful thought leadership programs for her clients. Brainstorming compelling topics and narratives, Katy helps bring ideas to life on stage at top industry events for clients such as Adobe, Meta, Stitch Fix and several successful start-ups. Before Remix, Katy co-founded a successful Silicon Valley marketing/PR firm which she exited in 2016. Earlier she managed PR programs at Apple for Media & Entertainment and mobile products. In this episode, Katy shares her expertise on how agency owners can use speaking engagements and thought leadership to generate new clients and grow their businesses. She discusses the three-stage approach to maximizing speaking opportunities — pre-event promotion, making the most of your time at the event, and post-event activities. She emphasizes the importance of choosing compelling, niche topics that resonate with the target audience, and covers strategies for landing speaking engagements. Don't let imposter syndrome hold you back – everyone has expertise to share. Katy has the skills and knowledge to teach agency owners how they can turn their shared knowledge into right-fit opportunities. What you will learn in this episode: How agencies and agency owners can use public speaking to generate new clients Promoting your speaking opportunity before, during, and after Finding the right topic that fits your expertise Niching down your topic to be industry-specific Understanding your audience and what they want to hear Finding the events that are a good fit for you Partnering and collaboration to boost credibility Paid vs. unpaid speaking How much should you give away? Resources: Website: https://remixcommunications.com/resources/ LinkedIn Personal: https://www.linkedin.com/in/katyboos/ LinkedIn Business: https://www.linkedin.com/company/remixcommunications/ Twitter: https://x.com/Remix_Comms Facebook Business: https://www.facebook.com/RemixCommunications Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/remix_comms/

Marcel Petitpas is the CEO & Co-Founder of Parakeeto, a company dedicated to helping agencies measure and improve their profitability by streamlining their operations and reporting systems. He is also the head strategic coach at SaaS Academy by Dan Martell, the #1 coaching program for B2B SaaS businesses in the world. In this week's episode of The Progressive Agency Podcast, I'm joined by Marcel Petitpas to share the importance of understanding your agency's financial metrics, particularly focusing on delivery margin. We discussed the challenges many agencies face in accurately calculating their profitability and how to overcome them. Marcel provided practical advice on how agency owners can start implementing frameworks and processes around certain key data points in their businesses to get a more accurate look at how the agency is operating. He emphasized the power of small improvements in utilization and average billable rate to significantly impact bottom-line profitability. By focusing on a few simple operational levers, agency owners can dramatically improve their profitability without necessarily increasing their revenue or changing their cost structure. Join us to learn how. What you will learn in this episode: Understanding the crucial difference between net income and delivery margin The three operational levers driving agency profitability Calculating and interpreting average cost per hour The power of improving average billable rate The importance of proper data structuring for accurate financial insights Balancing precision and accuracy in financial metrics Strategies for improving profitability by finding efficiencies in the agency Resources: Website: https://parakeeto.com/ Toolkit: https://parakeeto.com/toolkit/?utm_source=Podcast&utm_medium=GuestAppearance&utm_campaign=CraigCody Podcast: https://agencyprofitpodcast.simplecast.com/ Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/marcelpetitpas/ Course: https://parakeeto.com/Foundations-course-launch-offer/?utm_source=Podcast&utm_medium=GuestAppearance&utm_campaign=CraigCody

Creative Strategist and Growth Accelerator Karley Cunningham develops brand leaders by taking businesses from overcrowded, competitive spaces into blue ocean territory, where they can confidently stand out and thrive. Companies that want to be distinct in their marketplace retain Karley to sharpen their positioning and differentiation strategies to cut through the noise. Karley's international client base benefits from accelerated growth, increased profit and stability as her innovative Surefire Method™ provides them with an infallible business strategy and brand toolkit to stand out in the sea of sameness, attract the people their business needs to thrive, and become a brand leader in their industry. In this episode of The Progressive Agency Podcast, Karley shares her journey from graphic designer to agency owner, and discusses the importance of brand strategy for businesses of all sizes. According to Karley, only about 28% of business owners are satisfied with their brands. This leaves a huge opportunity open for strategists like her to help find the gaps and implement new brand strategies that business owners love.   Karley emphasizes the critical role of brand and business strategy alignment. She explains how businesses often struggle with implementing their brand strategy, leading her to incorporate coaching sessions into her own model to help clients implement their newly-developed brand tools. What you will learn in this episode: The importance of brand strategy for businesses of all sizes Karley's Surefire Method™ for giving businesses a comprehensive brand strategy Challenges in implementing a new brand strategy The importance of values alignment in hiring decisions Measuring brand strategy ROI The “long tail equation” for quantifying brand value Why only 28% of business owners are satisfied with their branding Branding vs. marketing for small businesses — which is better? Resources: Website: https://www.bigboldbrand.com Surefire Audit & Guide: https://www.bigboldbrand.com/surefireaudit/ LinkedIn Personal: https://www.linkedin.com/in/karleycunningham/

Casey Brown is a pricing geek, professional speaker, and President of Boost Pricing, a firm that helps companies sell at higher prices. Her passion is for organizations to be paid well for their excellence. With degrees in Chemical Engineering, Spanish, and Business, and career experience in engineering, Six Sigma, and pricing strategy for multiple Fortune 500 companies, Casey brings unmatched expertise to help audiences discover their true pricing power—and watch their profits rise as a result. Her 2015 TED talk has over 5 million views to date. In this episode of The Progressive Agency Podcast, we welcome Casey Brown to teach us how to price our products and services boldly and confidently. For nearly 15 years, Casey has seen it all when it comes to agency pricing and wants to help agencies know their worth and charge for it appropriately She shares how companies can stop undervaluing their products and services to clients (new and legacy), why overcommunication is unnecessary when increasing prices, setting boundaries around pricing and the services you provide, and more. If you're an agency owner, you probably already know that you deserve to be paid more for your work. Now's the time to figure out your true value proposition and execute on it to start getting paid what you're really worth. What you will learn in this episode: Getting a realistic understanding of your value proposition How to raise your prices responsibly Is it worth increasing prices on legacy clients, or is it time to let them go? Having self-awareness about how you work for pricing structure Building trust and proving value to new clients The price-quality effect Resources: Website: https://boostpricing.com/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@boostpricing LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/caseybrownboost/ Boost Blog: https://boostpricing.com/2017/06/15/price-increase-tmi/

Corey is the owner and President/CEO of Voltage. He has spent nearly 20 years working in strategic and leadership roles focused on growing national and local client brands with award-winning, ROI-generating digital strategies. His industry leadership, client success, and community-focused work made him recipient of the KCDMA 2019 Marketer of the Year award. Corey's first book titled The Digital Marketing Success Plan is available now on Amazon. In this episode of The Progressive Agency Podcast, we welcome Corey Morris to share his thoughts on the rapidly changing world of digital marketing and SEO from the perspective of someone with nearly 20 years in the industry. He emphasizes the critical importance of strategic planning in digital marketing to ensure ROI and avoid common pitfalls, such as misalignment between marketing efforts and business outcomes. He also shares the START framework that he developed, which proves a structured approach to digital marketing planning and execution. We also touch on the impact of AI on digital marketing, the need for adaptability in marketing strategies, and ways to address trust issues some businesses may have with past digital marketing or agency experiences. What you will learn in this episode: The massive disruption of SEO in recent years Why agency owners shouldn't DIY their own digital marketing The inspiration behind Corey's book, The Digital Marketing Success Plan Why having a digital marketing plan is so important for ROI Getting over agency and digital marketing distrust The START Framework How AI impacts SEO and digital marketing What to do after you put your digital marketing plan into place Resources: Website: https://voltage.digital Facebook Business: https://www.facebook.com/voltagekc LinkedIn Personal: https://www.linkedin.com/in/coreymorris/ LinkedIn Business: https://www.linkedin.com/company/voltagedigital/ Twitter Personal: https://twitter.com/coreydmorris Twitter Business: https://twitter.com/VoltageKC Instagram Business: https://www.instagram.com/voltagekc/ Book: https://thedmsp.com

David Tobin is the Founder and Managing Partner of TobinLeff, an M&A advisory and exit planning consulting firm with a mission to help business owners maximize and monetize their life's work. David and the team at TobinLeff have worked with well over 200 companies to develop exit plans, sell to strategic and financial buyers, and build value via strategic acquisitions. He has been a Board member with multiple nonprofit organizations including the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation and the Homeless Children's Education Fund. In this episode of The Progressive Agency Podcast, we welcome David Tobin, Founder and Managing Partner of Tobin & Company M&A Advisory. David shares his expertise on exit planning and selling businesses, particularly for agency owners.  David discusses the importance of selling from a position of strength, emphasizing the benefits of advance planning and preparation. He explains the differences between selling to strategic buyers, financial buyers, and internal management teams, outlining typical deal structures and valuations for each.  He provides practical advice on managing a business to ensure a lucrative exit. He highlights key value drivers such as strong profit margins, demonstrable growth plans, and a unique value proposition. What you will learn in this episode: How an agency owner can prepare to sell their business from a position of strength The most common questions from buyers The difference between financial, strategic, and internal buyers Internal vs. external sales and what to expect in each scenario How an ESOP works Managing your business today to ensure a lucrative exit Discovering your unique value proposition Adjusting EBITDA to benefit the buyer Resources: Website: https://tobinleff.com/ LinkedIn Personal: https://www.linkedin.com/in/david-tobin-120658184/ Linkedin Business: https://www.linkedin.com/company/tobinleff-llc/ 7 Best Practices for Managing for a Rewarding Exit: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1EN7nzLAQD07EmOweoEC8kA7CTiT5Uumd/view?usp=drive_link Questions Buyers Typically Ask: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1AoiK_S6wNrWX91Z5ppKfBxPvP99DNADL/view?usp=drive_link

Corey Quinn has over 17 years in the agency space, including as Scorpion's CMO, where he helped grow revenue from $20M to $150M in 6 years. He just published his bestselling book: “Anyone, Not Everyone: a Proven System for Agencies to Escape Founder-Led Sales.” which has been endorsed by Aaron Ross, April Dunford, Dr. Benjamin Hardy, and many others. Today, he helps digital agency founders simplify, specialize, and escape founder-led sales with Deep Specialization. In this episode of The Progressive Agency Podcast, we're talking with veteran agency growth expert Corey Quinn about the main barriers to stepping out of the agency's day-to-day operations, particularly founder-led sales. Corey explains three main obstacles preventing agency founders from stepping away from sales: lack of focus, weak positioning, and inability to generate a consistent pipeline. He emphasizes the power of specialization, urging agencies to choose a vertical market focus and develop strong, industry-specific positioning. He also shares the marketing strategies that gave him the most success during his tenure at Scorpion and how agency owners can apply those to their businesses. What you will learn in this episode: How to get out of the founder-led sales role 3 things that prevent an agency owner from leaving the sales role The importance of finding a niche Deploying vertical-specific marketing campaigns How to say no to money that's not coming from a client in your niche The 3 different types of marketing that bring specialized clients to you Resources: Website: https://www.coreyquinn.com/ LinkedIn Personal: https://www.linkedin.com/in/coreyquinn/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@coreyquinninc Book: Anyone, Not Everyone

Adam Carroll has spent the past decade studying human behavior, particularly as it relates to personal leadership and personal finance. He is an internationally recognized financial literacy expert and leadership workshop facilitator. Adam is the Author of four Amazon best-sellers, a two time TED talk speaker with nearly 6 million views on YouTube, and the creator of Broke, Busted & Disgusted, a documentary that aired on CNBC. He is the Founder of The Shred Method, a cash flow management tool that is creating freedom for families everywhere. In this episode of The Progressive Agency Podcast, Adam Carroll is helping us shred our debt while keeping more of our hard-earned money. Adam shares his method for how business owners can pay down debt and retain wealth outside their business by using the Shred Method. He explains how this strategy can save you tens or even hundreds of thousands of dollars in interest, regardless of your current mortgage rate. To sweeten the deal, this method isn't just for mortgages. Business owners can use this method for any type of debt they want to pay down faster.  If you're a business owner looking to minimize your debt, save on interest, and build wealth outside your business, this episode is a must-listen. What you will learn in this episode: Saving up to hundreds of thousands of dollars with Adam's debt-saving strategies How this helps business owners be in a better position to sell their business Why your money should always be in motion How The Shred Method works Who should use this debt payoff method How business owners can get started today Resources: Website: TheShredMethod.com LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/adamcarrollspeaks/ Twitter: www.twitter.com/AdamCarroll Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/the.shredmethod/ Sign up for the free The Shred Method Masterclass: https://www.theshredmethod.com/masterclass Book a discovery call to learn more: https://calendly.com/theshredmethoddiscoverycall/discovery-the-shred-method-45-minute-call?month=2023-02&_gl=1*1yzkm26*_ga*Mjk0NjM4MjE2LjE3MTc0MzMxMTU.*_ga_30KFHQFS2B*MTcxNzQzMzExNC4xLjEuMTcxNzQzNDA4Ni4xNi4wLjA. Savings Calculator: https://www.theshredmethod.com/savingsanalysis

Brian Gerstner is an agency leader who excels in providing white-label services to agencies around the globe. He has over 2 decades of experience in the industry and having partnered up with more than 50 agencies he knows what aligns with the requirements of clients. Brian ensures that he provides a commitment with an exceptional partnership that results in a win-win situation for all. In this episode of The Progressive Agency Podcast, we're chatting with Brian Gerstner, President of White Label IQ, to discuss how agencies can benefit from strategic partnerships. Brian emphasizes the importance of finding a partner that communicates well, understands your agency's needs, and can be trusted. He explains how partnerships allow agencies to scale and offer new services without the major upfront costs and risks of hiring in-house. Strategic partnerships provide agencies with more flexibility, talent access, and the ability to focus on their core strengths. He also notes how the globalized workforce today means agencies can access top talent anywhere, rather than being limited to their local area when hiring employees.  Join us to hear Brian's insights into leveraging strategic partnerships to efficiently grow your agency. What you will learn in this episode: What agency owners should look for in strategic partnerships Why communication is key in this type of relationship How to leverage referrals to find strategic partnerships How a strategic partnership can help in scaling your business Why great talent is a must in order for agencies to stay competitive Resources: Website: https://www.whitelabeliq.com/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/white-label-iq/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/WhiteLabelIQ/

Sara Snyder is a Certified Public Accountant with a background in accounting since 2017. Currently, she serves as an Account Manager and Outsourced CFO at Craig Cody and Company, Inc., specializing in advanced tax reduction with the designation of Certified Tax Coach. In this episode, we discussed an issue that impacts the accuracy of your financial statements — recognizing revenue in the correct period using accrual-basis accounting. Many agency owners think they're using accrual-basis accounting, but in reality, they're often doing it incorrectly. To teach us the correct way to use this accounting method, I invited Sara Snyder to give us some tips and tricks. She explains why it's sometimes better to record revenue as deferred or unearned rather than recording it right away. We go over a few different scenarios where this approach makes more sense than traditional revenue reporting. While it requires some upfront effort, proper accrual-based revenue recognition provides a much clearer view of actual monthly profitability. This enables better forecasting and staffing assessments and ultimately increases the perceived value if you decide to sell your agency down the road. Don't continue distorting your metrics. Take the steps now to implement proper accrual accounting and revenue recognition. Your financial statements, and your business, will be much better off. What you will learn in this episode: What circumstances can throw off accrual-based accounting What's a magic spreadsheet? Making sure your revenue is matching expenses How to properly set up payments so they don't mess with your revenue numbers The benefits of doing accrual-basis accounting the right way How long does it take to fix your numbers if they're off base? Resources: Website: http://www.craigcodyandcompany.com/ LinkedIn Personal: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sara-snyder-cpa-ctc-321596191/ LinkedIn Business: https://www.linkedin.com/company/craig-cody-and-company/

Kevin Hourigan is the President and Co-Founder of Spinutech, an award-winning digital marketing agency with 160+ team members across the U.S. In that capacity, Kevin and his partners lead their team of digital experts to focus on growing his clients' businesses.  With an entrepreneurial technology background, Kevin is an accomplished communicator, strategist, and leader. He has spoken alongside brands including Google, Facebook, Carnival Cruise Lines, and General Motors, and presented the keynote at the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Small Business Summit. He has been recognized as Leader of the Year by The Tampa Chamber of Commerce; Technology Leader of the Year by the Tampa Bay Technology Forum; Marketer of the Year by Tampa Bay American Advertising Federation; and as “Ultimate CEO” by the Tampa Bay Business Journal. In this episode of the Progressive Agency Podcast, I spoke with Kevin Hourigan, President and Co-Founder of Spinutech. Kevin shared his journey, starting from offering simple 3-page websites for $500 in 1996 to building a company with over 160 employees today. Kevin takes us through some of the key lessons he's learned throughout his career about scaling and growing a business. He emphasized the importance of having the right financial foundation and understanding the true health of your business. Kevin also highlighted the importance of tracking key performance indicators (KPIs) across various aspects of the business, from marketing and sales to delivery and collections. Throughout our conversation, Kevin's insights underscored the significance of finding the right balance between delighting clients, retaining top talent, and ensuring profitability. His experience serves as a valuable guide for agency owners seeking sustainable growth while maintaining a strong company culture. What you will learn in this episode: The financial lessons Kevin learned from the dot-com bubble Knowing how to balance your budget in different stages of growth Strategies for agencies looking to grow and scale their business The key KPIs Spinutech tracks to ensure efficiency The importance of trusting others — both clients and employees Proactive tax planning as you grow your business Resources: Website: https://www.spinutech.com/ LinkedIn Personal: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kevinhourigan/ Facebook Personal: https://www.facebook.com/kevin.hourigan Twitter: https://twitter.com/hourigankev

Brett Harrison started Right Click Computer Solutions in 2011 with the goal of helping small businesses utilize technology to run their businesses efficiently and effectively. Right Click is a cybersecurity-first IT provider that works with businesses to make sure that their networks and data are secured and protected 24/7. Encountering a cyber attack is extremely costly and the last place any business ever wants to find itself in. Additionally, clients get access to technicians that assist with any technical related issues as they arise. Right Click takes pride in helping its clients achieve their goals and believes that implementing the right technology is an integral part of a successful business. In this episode of the Progressive Agency Podcast, we continue our conversation with Brett Harrison, who discusses important cybersecurity measures that business owners should implement. This time, we're getting into the do's and don'ts of multifactor authentication, an inexpensive and crucial step to securing your sensitive business data. Without it, you're leaving your agency vulnerable to cyber attacks that can compromise your data and security. Don't leave your agency vulnerable to cybercriminals. Tune in to this episode to learn the best practices behind cybersecurity and multifactor authentication to secure your agency's sensitive information. What you will learn in this episode: What is multifactor authentication? Different types of multifactor authentication What happens if a cyber attacker gets into your systems How business owners should be protecting themselves and their agency Securing your company email accounts What does this cost? How an IT professional can help you make your agency's data more secure Resources: Website: https://www.rightclickcomputersolutions.com/ Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/brett-harrison-10a53825/

Brett Harrison started Right Click Computer Solutions in 2011 with the goal of helping small businesses utilize technology to run their businesses efficiently and effectively. Right Click is a cybersecurity-first IT provider that works with businesses to make sure that their networks and data are secured and protected 24/7. Encountering a cyber attack is extremely costly and the last place any business ever wants to find itself in. Additionally, clients get access to technicians that assist with any technical related issues as they arise. Right Click takes pride in helping its clients achieve their goals and believes that implementing the right technology is an integral part of a successful business. If your agency is using a Google Doc to keep track of shared passwords, it's time for a security checkup. This week on The Progressive Agency Podcast, we're talking with Brett Harrison about how agencies can improve their password protection best practices, safely perform backups on their systems, and teach employees how to identify security threats before they become an issue.  Brett shares practical advice for businesses to become more secure with tactics like multi-factor authentication, cyber awareness, and the best practices for performing regular system backups. What you will learn in this episode: How technology has changed for agencies post-pandemic The best backup system to have in place How often should you run backups? Testing and monitoring backups to ensure functionality How to store and share passwords securely across your company Why employees should always work on company-owned equipment Training and testing employees on cyber awareness to prevent cyber attacks Resources: Website: https://www.rightclickcomputersolutions.com/ Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/brett-harrison-10a53825/

Craig Cody is a Certified Public Accountant, Certified Tax Coach™, business owner, and the host of The Progressive Dentist Podcast and The Progressive Agency Podcast. Prior to his current work, Craig spent seventeen years with the NYPD, where he retired as a Lieutenant in September 2000. Craig is an expert in helping his clients legally reduce their tax liabilities and keep more of their money. This week, we're revisiting a research study conducted about a year ago where participants asked some intriguing questions. We'll pick out a few of those questions and discuss them more in-depth. The most common questions we had all boiled down to one answer: communication. Regular communication, at least monthly, between a business owner and their CPA allows the CPA to truly understand the owner's personal financial goals, growth goals, and exit/transition plans. Don't treat your CPA relationship as just a once-a-year tax filing — make it an ongoing advisory partnership to receive the best advice and money-saving results that you expect. What you will learn in this episode: What clients want from a CPA relationship Knowing your growth and transition goals How to have a CPA who will ask you questions about your goals Communication goes both ways Giving your CPA 60-90 days to fully understand your business Resources: Website: www.craigcodyandcompany.com Twitter: @CraigC2742 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/craigcodycpa

Henry DeVries is CEO and co-owner of Indie Books International Inc., an Oceanside, CA company he co-founded in 2014, publishing over 150 titles. He works with agency owners, business leaders, and strategic consultants who want to attract more high-paying clients by marketing with a book and a speech by publishing a book they are proud of. In the last ten years, he has helped ghostwrite, edit, and co-author more than 300 business books, including his McGraw-Hill bestseller How to Close a Deal Like Warren Buffett now in five languages, including Chinese. He was formerly the careers columnist for the San Diego Union-Tribune. In 2024, he launched the news website AgencyOwnerNews.com. He is personally the author or co-author of 20 marketing books, including Trusted Advisor Confidential, Bringing In the Business, Marketing With A Book For Agency Owners, Rainmaker Confidential, Self-Marketing Secrets, Marketing With a Book, Persuade With a Story, Defining You, Build Your Consulting Practice, and Client Attraction Chain Reaction. Having a book is the #1 marketing tool, but it's the starting line, not the finish line. In this week's episode, Henry DeVries shares his tried-and-true method for attracting high-paying, right-fit clients without having to do all the heavy lifting of traditional prospecting. His key to success is writing a book and giving it away for free — yes, for free. Henry shares that when you position yourself as relentlessly helpful by openly sharing your expertise, it automatically sticks in a person's mind that you're the go-to person for that particular topic. Next time they need someone to help them with a problem, you already are in the back of their head, and they have tangible evidence to show you're the right person for the job.  Join us in this episode of the Progressive Agency Podcast to learn more about positioning yourself as a subject matter expert to attract right-fit clients by building trust upfront by sharing your knowledge openly with prospects and clients alike. What you will learn in this episode: What is authority marketing and how can it generate more income? Writing a book is the starting line, not the finish line The Magnificent 7 of promoting your book Building trust by being relentlessly helpful Getting your face out there to promote your book The ROI of digital vs print books Getting people to experience you as the author Resources: Indie Books International: https://indiebooksintl.com/resources/ Agency Owner News: https://agencyownernews.com/ LinkedIn Personal: http://www.linkedin.com/in/henryjdevries Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100085340613920

Noel loves connecting people. Professionally, he runs JobRack.eu, where he helps businesses hire remote team members from Eastern Europe and South Africa. Personally, he loves doing weird and wonderful things to provoke great conversations. The hiring market right now is rough. Finding and retaining top talent is more difficult than it has been in years, which leaves agency owners in a tough position. Rather than toughing it out and hoping to find a diamond in the rough, there are other ways we can adapt to still find great workers within our hiring budget. This week's guest, Noel Andrews, is giving us a quick overview of how agency owners can benefit from hiring remote workers from around the world. His company specializes in helping businesses transition from using only W2 employees to finding talented contractors who are just as effective as salaried employees, if not more so. We'll cover topics from knowing the right time to hire (especially when scaling your business) to navigating the etiquette behind hiring independent contractors in other countries. What you will learn in this episode: The main benefit of hiring global remote workers Hitting the hiring sweet spot in terms of utilization Navigating language and confidence barriers with clients How to handle time differences — how much overlap is required? Adapting PTO to cover varying customs and holidays on your team How hiring remote workers can transform your business Looking to others for help getting started Resources: Website: https://jobrack.eu/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/noelandrews/

Serena Morse, CPC, QPA, QKC, QKA, is Co-Owner and CEO of Carpenter Morse Group, a non producing third-party administrator that has provided administrative compliance services for qualified retirement plans nationally for over 45 years. Serena has been a leading consultant and educator in this area of study for over 20 years. She has earned several respected credentials from the American Society of Pension Professionals & Actuaries (ASPPA), including the Qualified Pension Administrator designation (QPA), Qualified 401(k) Consultant (QKC), Qualified 401 k Administrator designation (QKA), and the highest awarded designation from ASPPA, the Certified Pension Consultant or CPC designation. She is a proud Alumni of the University of Florida Warrington College of Business. In this week's episode, Serena breaks down tax-qualified retirement plans, the new benefits available to business owners under certain plans, and why agency owners should work with a TPA (third-party administrator) to set them up. Under the new tax code, business owners are entitled to a breadth of tax credits for contributing to their employees' retirement plans, but the regulations are complicated. To fully understand who is eligible, the exemptions, credits, limits, etc., finding a TPA like Serena who is qualified to advise you on these new retirement plan benefits is essential. What you will learn in this episode: What is a TPA, and how does it differ from a CPA? What are tax-qualified plans, and how do they work? What every business owner should know when setting up a new plan Tax credits available under new plans Who is eligible for the new tax credits The compliance pitfalls business owners face when setting up tax-qualified plans Using your TPA to help stay on top of deadlines Resources: Website (business): https://carpentermorse.com/cmg-reviews/ Email (Serena): smorse@carpentermorsegroup.com

George is the “Chief HubSpot Helper” owner at George B. Thomas, LLC. George helps companies streamline and grow by using the right HubSpot CRM, marketing, sales, service, operations, and CMS tools. George has more than 30 years of sales & marketing experience and has been using HubSpot since 2012. George is a vault of valuable information, tactics, and strategies with a record-breaking thirty-five plus HubSpot Academy certifications, including Inbound Marketing, Inbound Sales, Contextual Marketing, CMS Implementation, Email Marketing, and Content Marketing. In this week's episode, George shares how agency owners can begin integrating and implementing HubSpot tools into their systems and processes to streamline sales and marketing to make their jobs simpler. From starting out at a small design agency, he fell in love with HubSpot and all it can do to make businesses run smoother at a reasonable price. Now, he teaches business owners how they can easily fill their sales funnels and keep up with clients with just a few clicks. If you're curious about HubSpot tools and integrations but feel overwhelmed about where to begin, this episode will give you a good beginner crash course on HubSpot's capabilities. What you will learn in this episode: 3 major ways HubSpot helps someone run a business more effectively Getting started on HubSpot for free and scaling up How HubSpot can grow with your business HubSpot tools that help free up your time The power of learning new tools and skills as a business owner Getting 1% better each day with a growth mindset Resources: Website: https://www.georgebthomas.com/ Website (business): https://sidekickstrategies.com/ LinkedIn (personal): https://www.linkedin.com/in/georgebthomas/ Schedule a call with George: https://www.georgebthomas.com/get-started HubHeroes Podcast: https://sidekickstrategies.com/hubheroes-podcast

Bill Black has been in the pension administration business for over 40 years and helps clients work toward their retirement objectives. He works with both individual and small business owners in the areas of benefits, retirement planning, and business planning. Bill and his team have the ability to offer a wide range of financial products (tax-sheltered plans, mutual funds) to help his clients meet their retirement needs.   Helping employees save for retirement is getting a little easier this year. In this episode, Bill shares some updates to tax codes that give business owners more tax credits for employee savings plans. With these updates, business owners will either create qualified plans of their own or participate in a state-sponsored plan.    But it's important to note that state plans come with some baggage that might be burdensome for employers who don't already have their employees enrolled in a plan. We'll go over what the new tax credits are, the difference between state plans and employer plans, and the rules and penalties associated with them.   Bill later explains the differences between SIMPLE plans and 401k plans and the benefits of enrolling in these types of savings plans for both employees and employers. Join us to get up to date on these new tax credits so your business can unlock new tax savings this year.  What you will learn in this episode:    The new credits available to business owners in 2024 Taking advantage of the retroactive rule for plans started in 2024 States that already have qualified plans and the rules around them  Penalties associated with not participating in, or creating your own savings plans for employees Converting to a different plan if you already have one Deductions with SIMPLE plans vs. 401(k) plans  Is automatic enrollment actually automatic? How to create your own plan and grandfather in current employees Who these plans work best for Resources:   Website (personal):https://www.whbco.com/ Website (business): www.pensionspecialist.net LinkedIn (Personal):https://www.linkedin.com/in/whblack/ Toll-free number: 888-412-4120 Email: bill@pensionspecialist.net

Susan Baier is the Founder of Audience Audit Inc., which helps marketing agencies and thought leaders build ROI and reputation with research. She has been a marketing strategist for nearly 40 years. In her spare time (ha ha) she goes camping, knits, and enjoys a good bourbon. In this episode, Susan discussed findings from two recent research studies her firm conducted. The first, called the Agency Edge study, surveyed agency clients to understand their attitudes and preferences when working with agencies. The second, the Agency Audit study, surveyed agency leaders themselves to identify the key challenges and success factors they are experiencing. From the Agency Audit study, Susan shared that they identified five distinct mindsets or segments among agencies. The two most successful segments were the “Thought Leaders” who prioritize building an authentic thought leadership reputation and focus on a differentiated niche, and the “Loyalty Builders” who have implemented specific programs to drive exceptional client loyalty and retention. Susan shares advice for agencies aiming to become thought leaders, emphasizing the need for new, genuinely helpful content delivered consistently, focusing that content on a specific audience niche, and utilizing tactics like proprietary research studies to establish expertise. She highlighted the significant business benefits thought leadership can unlock. Tune in to this week's episode to learn more about how authenticity and thought leadership for agency owners can be a key component to driving client loyalty and attracting new business with ease. What you will learn in this episode: More about agency owners and agency clients from the Agency Edge and Agency Audit research studies What the Agency Audit research showed makes successful agencies unbeatable The 5 types of agency mindsets Why thought leaders are thriving in their niches How having a reputation for client loyalty can supersede a niche Thought leadership and niching go hand in hand Thought leadership sells itself to clients Where to start to become a thought leadership focused agency Resources: Website: https://audienceaudit.com/ LinkedIn Personal: https://www.linkedin.com/in/susanbaieraz/

For over 25 years, Stephen Woessner has been in the trenches of agency new business strategy working alongside agencies and consultants — teaching them how to build their authority within the markets they serve, grow their audience, and fill their sales pipeline with a steady stream of right-fit clients so they can win new business. Stephen founded Predictive ROI in 2009 and remains its CEO and co-owner, along with his business partner, Erik Jensen. Stephen hosts the “Onward Nation” and “Sell with Authority” podcasts with listeners in over 140 countries and over 1,000 episodes. His agency new business and marketing insights have been featured in major media, and he's the bestselling author of five books, including his latest entitled, “Sell With Authority.” In this episode of the Progressive Agency Podcast, I interview Stephen about the importance of proactive tax planning for agency owners to maximize deductions and savings. Stephen emphasizes how proper tax planning and financial literacy force agency owners to think differently about money and the business. We discuss some confusing aspects of running an agency, especially around financial operations like cash flow, overhead costs, AP, and AR. Stephen shares how it took his agency years to implement an effective system for managing invoices and finances. Now they utilize solutions like Bill.com and consistently check in with their systems and processes. Stephen later shares his "Big 3" framework for saving time — identifying the 3 priority activities that drive both personal joy and business growth. Everything else gets deprioritized or delegated elsewhere.    What you will learn in this episode:  Reframing thinking around money and taxes Assumptions about tax deductions that cost agency owners tens of thousands of dollars Growing operations is a huge part of growing a business Financial education is critical for agency owners Time-saving tactics for agency owners Finding experts who care about the work they do for the benefit of others   Resources: Website: www.predictiveroi.com Visit our newly expanded Resource Library Join us in our free How to Fill Your Sales Pipeline Facebook Group Stephen's LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/stephenwoessner/ Order your free paperback or Kindle copy of our Book: Sell with Authority  

For 30+ years, Drew McLellan has been in the advertising industry. He started his career at Y&R, worked in boutique-sized agencies, and then started his own (which he still owns and runs) agency in 1995. Additionally, Drew owns and leads the Agency Management Institute, which advises hundreds of small to mid-sized agencies on how to grow their agency and its profitability through agency owner peer groups, consulting, coaching, workshops, and more. In this week's episode, Drew gets right down to business with me to discuss the hardships agencies faced in 2023 and how the ones that still came out on top overcame such a challenging year. During our conversation, he shared some interesting findings from his agency's 2023 Agency Edge Research study, including the #1 reason a client fires an agency and why agencies that focus on growing their existing book of business consistently outperform agencies that don't. We'll also get into the weeds about training AEs to grow existing clients as part of their jobs, knowing when it's time to reduce staff, and how to let clients know you're open to connecting with them. Those who know Drew know he's a fountain of helpful information for agency owners, so don't miss out on this illuminating conversation. What you will learn in this episode: The key difference in agencies that won last year vs. those that lost Why agencies must be pitching new ideas to clients in order to grow The #1 reason a client fires an agency Retraining AEs to focus on growing the agency's existing book of business Helping clients solve their problems before someone else does Setting up client growth and retention programs in 2024 Making staffing decisions by the numbers, not by your gut Resources: Website: https://agencymanagementinstitute.com/ LinkedIn Personal: http://www.linkedin.com/in/drewmclellan Email: drew@agencymanagementinstitute.com

Craig S. Cody is a Certified Public Accountant, Certified Tax Coach, bestselling author, and business owner with over 22 years of experience helping agencies keep more of what they make. Craig is also the host of The Progressive Agency Podcast. Prior to his current work, Craig spent seventeen years with the NYPD, where he retired as a Lieutenant in September 2000. Craig Cody & Company focuses on proactive tax planning, small agency accounting, and tax preparation, but what really excites the team is helping agencies spot mistakes and uncover missed opportunities that cost them thousands in taxes. In this solocast episode, Craig welcomes everyone back to the official relaunch of the Progressive Agency Podcast. He breaks down the new Corporate Transparency Act and what that means for agency owners. He explains what it is, how it will be enforced, deadlines, penalties, and who needs to file under this new act. If you're a small to medium-sized agency owner, this episode will highlight some important upcoming changes for your business that you don't want to miss. What you will learn in this episode: What is the Corporate Transparency Act? How this new act will affect small- to medium-sized agencies 3 things for agency owners to know under this new act Who is exempt from filing? How agency owners can file correctly and what needs to be reported Upcoming deadlines and notifying FinCEN of any changes to your agency Resources: Website: www.craigcodyandcompany.com Twitter: @CraigC2742 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/craigcodycpa

Craig S. Cody is a Certified Public Accountant, Certified Tax Coach, bestselling author, and business owner with over 22 years of experience helping agencies keep more of what they make. Craig is also the host of The Progressive Agency Podcast. Prior to his current work, Craig spent seventeen years with the NYPD, where he retired as a Lieutenant in September 2000. Craig Cody & Company focuses on proactive tax planning, small agency accounting, and tax preparation, but what really excites the team is helping agencies spot mistakes and uncover missed opportunities that cost them thousands in taxes. In this special episode of The Progressive Agency Podcast, host Craig Cody invites listeners to request a free copy of his book featuring great tips and information on how to save thousands of dollars on taxes. Craig shares the top 5 things you should be doing to keep more money in your pocket. Ways to reach out to Craig with any questions or to set up a strategy session. Additional Resources: Website: www.craigcodyandcompany.com Twitter: @CraigC2742 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/craigcodycpa

Sharon Toerek, Principal of Toerek Law, focuses her law practice on helping professionals in the advertising, marketing, and creative industries monetize their intellectual capital and manage the legal risks of their work. She joins me on the Progressive Agency podcast to describe how she helps agencies protect their intellectual property. Hear insights about: Why it's vital agencies negotiate good, solid, strong contracts with their clients How Toerek Law counsels agencies on IP protection issues The ever-evolving landscape of data privacy regulations, why they continue to change, and how they impact social media marketing When growing agencies need to take advice on protecting their IP Why intellectual property is the underpinning of everything that an agency does – and the importance of investing in good advice Why Sharon advises that agencies put restrictive covenants in place in their handbooks The difference between non-solicitation and non-compete covenants and their practical applications Hot buttons that agency owners should be aware of, including the double-edged sword of being a specialist agency Intellectual Property Protection A huge pain point for agencies who do new business by pitching for contracts is how to protect their work, concepts, or ideas during a relationship's new business development phase. Sharon Toerek explains how Toerek Law helps agencies understand the legal consequences of the campaigns that they're working on for their clients, including counseling on marketing regulations or highlighting data privacy issues in social media influencer campaigns. The Triangle Approach Sharon explains the importance of protecting your intellectual property (IP) as a triangle. At one point in the triangle, agencies have their content, which is subject to copyright protection; at the next point sits brand, which is a source identifier protectable by trademarks, and at the third point are transactions, or how agencies convey the rights to the work they do for clients. On the show, Sharon shares how her firm helps clients navigate these three issues. Investing in IP Protection Intellectual property is the underpinning of everything that an agency does. It's where they make their revenue, and it's their most critical asset. Sharon shares why it's well worth investing in good advice on how to protect your IP and why you will end up farther along financially if you invest the time and energy and protecting and understanding the principles of IP protection and embedding them in your agency's culture. How to Connect with Sharon Toerek: Website: www.legalandcreative.com LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sharontoerek/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/SharonToerek About Sharon Toerek: Sharon Toerek is the Principal of Toerek Law, where she focuses her law practice on helping professionals in the advertising, marketing, and creative industries monetize their intellectual capital and manage the legal risks of their work. Sharon provides proactive, strategic counsel to marketing agencies on legal issues they continually face in their work, including agency-brand contracts, social media, content marketing legal compliance, and trademark and copyright protection. Sharon also created the Legal + Creative Agency Protection System, a legal toolkit for marketing agencies. In 2018, she launched The Innovative Agency, a podcast on innovation for marketing agency leaders.

I'm honored to have Dan Englander with me this week on the Progressive Agency podcast. Dan is the CEO and Founder of Sales Schema and host of The Digital Agency Growth Podcast. He joins me to share the details of growing an agency and how to ensure you hire the right people into your organization. During our conversation, Dan also discusses how to balance personalizing critical touchpoints and scaling to ensure consistent and reliable growth. Hear insights about: How Dan got out from under the sales-client-service shuffle Why you should reframe your thinking around new hires The most important financial lesson Dan has learned over the last few years Why you have to integrate hiring new people into all of your processes The two different skill sets you need to make successful hires The most common financial mistakes that agency owners make and how to avoid them Two key strategies that agencies can leverage to build and grow their business Learning to Hire Effectively Bad hires are very costly. My guest this week on the Progressive Agency Podcast, Dan Englander, highlights the importance of learning to hire staff effectively, and shares why the ‘hire fast, fire fast' philosophy just doesn't work. He offers advice on how to reframe your thinking when it comes to hiring new talent, and how that will ultimately save your agency money in the long run. Personalizing Critical Touchpoints Dan describes his early experiences in the agency space, how he got caught in the sales-client-service shuffle, the lessons he learned, and why he started Sales Schema. He highlights his agency's evolution from cold outreach to personalizing their service where it really matters. We also discuss the specifics of why there's more power in the squad and how fractional teams allow businesses to leverage a vast range of expertise, particularly in a tight labor market. The Profit First Model Dan shares with us how he made sense of cash flow in his business by doing a version of the profit first model and why he has found it helpful. If you put tax and profit away first, it makes it much simpler to judge cash flow. Listen to the episode to learn why Dan believes you have to be aware of the impact of the economy on your cash flow. How to Connect with Dan Englander: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/danenglander/ Relationship Sales at Scale: How to Find Your Virtual Tribe and Reliably Grow Your Professional Service Business: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B09XRD71P3 About Dan Englander: Dan Englander is the CEO and Founder of Sales Schema, a fractional new business team for marketing agencies and B2B service companies, and he hosts The Digital Agency Growth Podcast. He's also the author of Relationship Sales At Scale and Mastering Account Management. Previously Dan was the first employee Head of New Business at the animation studio IdeaRocket. He lives in New York, and in his spare time, he enjoys hurting himself via Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu.

This week on the Progressive Agency podcast, I welcome Jane Pfeiffer to the show. She helps amplify nonprofit organizations and the impact that they make through meaningful marketing solutions. During our conversation, Jane shares how to avoid common financial downfalls that agency owners make. Hear insights about: How the things that companies don't know cost them financially Why the concept of “ignorance is not bliss” is a crucial financial lesson to learn What are three ways that new agency owners can avoid major financial mistakes The three metrics Jane finds most beneficial in her business Why it's important to run worst-case scenarios for your agency financials How creating separate accounts for client expenses and business revenue helps manage cashflow The Cost of Not Knowing The things you don't know in your agency are likely costing you the most money. My guest this week on the Progressive Agency Podcast, Jane Pfeiffer explains how the concept of “ignorance is not bliss” has been the most crucial financial lesson she's had to learn. Jane is the founder of Fieldtrip, where she helps amplify nonprofit organizations and the impact that they make through meaningful marketing solutions. Putting Your Numbers on the Table As an agency owner, it is always on you if something goes wrong. It's important to not leave all of the financial responsibility in an employee's hands. You must have the willingness to sit down vulnerably with other business owners and put the numbers on the table. During our conversation, Jane explains the three things that new agency owners can do to avoid common agency pitfalls. Mistaken Cash Flow It's easy for an agency to believe that they have a large amount of cash flow when they constantly see money in their bank account. Unfortunately, if you're not paying close attention you could mistake your client's expense payments for your cash flow. Listen to the episode to learn why Jane recommends separating bank accounts for client expenses and agency profits. How to Connect with Jane Pfeiffer: Website: wearefieldtrip.com LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/janepfeiffer/ https://www.linkedin.com/company/fieldtrip/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/janewpfeiffer/ About Jane Pfeiffer: Jane challenges and subverts expectations. Every single day. Leading by example, Jane guides the Fieldtrip team to develop sound, strategic work imbued with curiosity and significance. A previous research marketing specialist working in television, Jane started her agency with one client, Ashley HomeStore. As she built marketing strategies for Ashley HomeStore she grew new accounts and staff along the way. In her agency's second decade, she has rebranded the agency, ready to take on the next chapter with the same vigor and tenacity that has helped Fieldtrip grow to this point. She is ferociously dedicated to ensuring everyone in and around the agency knows exactly where they're headed and how they'll get there. Jane says her biggest accomplishment is trusting her team to build an agency bigger than anything she could have dreamed of. But her employees know the truth of it, as she quotes Yoda — ”Do or do not. There is no try.” Jane does.

If you're searching for ways to lower your taxable income, learn how the pass-through entity tax could help. Listen to this episode to hear insights about: How the 2018 tax cuts impacted personal tax deductions What the pass-through entity tax is Why would business owners want to take advantage of the pass-through entity tax Which states have already enacted the pass-through entity tax Which states have proposed the pass-through entity tax, and will likely pass it How does the pass-through entity tax lower your taxable income Resources: The 12 Biggest Tax Mistakes That Cost Agency Owners Thousands:https://www.amazon.com/Biggest-Mistakes-Agency-Owners-Thousands/dp/B088B6DPG9/ref=sr_1_1?qid=1639661450&refinements=p_27%3ACraig+Cody&s=books&sr=1-1 Additional Resources: Website: www.craigcodyandcompany.com Twitter: @CraigC2742 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/craigcodycpa About Craig Cody: Craig Cody is a Certified Public Accountant, Certified Tax Coach™, business owner, and the host of The Progressive Dentist Podcast and The Progressive Agency Owner Podcast. Prior to his current work, Craig spent seventeen years with the NYPD, where he retired as a Lieutenant in September 2000. Craig is an expert in helping his clients legally reduce their tax liabilities and keep more of their money. Through his podcast, Craig helps dentists grow their practices through smart financial decisions and through financial education of the kind that isn't offered in dental school.

This week on the Progressive Agency podcast, I welcome Tom Schwab to the show. He helps thought leaders (coaches, authors, speakers, consultants, and emerging brands) get featured on leading podcasts their ideal prospects are already listening to. During our conversation, Tom shares how having the right conversations with the right person could be life-changing for your life and business. Hear insights about: How guesting on podcasts can help bring your agency out of obscurity Why systems and data are essential pieces of modern marketing How does having a scalable system and platform impact the growth of your agency What are the benefits of hiring within the military spouse network Why forecasting is the most confusing part of business finances Starting Conversations Marketing at its heart is starting a conversation with someone who could be an ideal customer. My guest this week on the Progressive Agency Podcast, Tom Schwab, helps start those conversations. He is the Founder/CEO of Interview Valet, where he helps thought leaders (coaches, authors, speakers, consultants, and emerging brands) get featured on leading podcasts their ideal prospects are already listening to. Scalable Systems Often, agency owners begin their business attempting to “Frankenstein” their systems together to make things work. While this can work in the short term, eventually it can prohibit your ability to grow smoothly. Unfortunately, switching systems can cause a huge mess for many agencies. During our conversation, Tom explains why you should begin your agency using systems and platforms that are scalable. Un-tapped Markets Hiring can be an agency's greatest challenge, especially in today's world. Tom shares his thoughts on how to approach hiring and replacing employees. He explains how he has utilized the un-tapped market of military spouses. Listen to the episode to learn more about how to make the right hiring decisions for your agency. Click here to listen: How to Connect with Tom Schwab: Websites: https://interviewvalet.com/ http://podcastbooktour.com/ LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/thomasmschwab Twitter: https://twitter.com/TMSchwab About Tom Schwab: Tom Schwab knows how to build an online business. He's done it successfully several times, and now he helps others find online success with podcast interview marketing. Marketing at its heart is starting a conversation with someone who could be an ideal customer. Tom helps thought leaders (coaches, authors, speakers, consultants, emerging brands) get featured on leading podcasts their ideal prospects are already listening to. The Interview Valet system then helps them to turn listeners into customers. The author of Podcast Guest Profits: Grow Your Business with a Targeted Interview Strategy, Tom is also the Founder/CEO of Interview Valet, the category king of Podcast Interview Marketing.    

This week on the Progressive Agency podcast, I welcome Taja Dockendorf to the show. She's built her agency, Pulp and Wire, into one of the fastest-growing, 100% woman-owned consumer packaging firms. Taja shares how to start and grow an agency as a creative rather than an entrepreneur, and the importance of fostering client relationships. Hear insights about: Why it's essential that creatives are directly involved in the process with clients How to own a room and secure clients by putting yourself out there and being authentic Why not carrying debt is the most important financial lesson that Taja has learned What new agency owners can do to build an agency led by creatives How to hire and replace employees strategically Why tracking hours helps determine profitability and impacts cash flow Creative Entrepreneur More and more agency owners began out of need, rather than a desire to be an entrepreneur. My guest this week on the Progressive Agency Podcast, Taja Dockendorf, is one of those agency owners. She began her firm, Pulp and Wire, as a designer without a business background. Now she's built her agency into one of the fastest-growing, 100% woman-owned consumer packaging firms. Taja shares how to start and grow an agency as a creative rather than an entrepreneur. Clients & Creatives When starting Pulp and Wire, it became clear to Taja that most agencies have a disconnect between the creatives and clients. With clients being handled by an account manager, those executing the creative work are often siloed. During our conversation, she explains how she approaches this challenge by bridging the gap between the creative and the client to produce better work long term. Growing Slowly Often an agency owner's goal is to achieve rapid growth. Taja has spent 20 years slowly growing her firm to the force that it is today. She explains that while exciting, rapid growth requires a level of infrastructure that many new agencies don't yet have. Taja explains why she prioritized growing Pulp and Wire slowly, and how it's allowed her to build strong relationships with clients. Listen to the episode to learn more: How to Connect with Taja Dockendorf: Websites: pulpandwire.com whatthehelvetica.com/ LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/tajadockendorf Twitter: https://twitter.com/PulpandWire About Taja Dockendorf: Taja, a graphic designer by education, has built Pulp+Wire into one of the fastest-growing, 100% woman-owned consumer packaging firms, with a focus on natural and organic CPG brands, in the U.S. Her accessible creative style and intuitive marketing instincts have made her a natural fit for organic and natural foods, lifestyle, and cannabis CPG brands seeking to launch new businesses or accelerate current growth. The collaborative workflow she administers within the walls of Pulp+Wire from strategic brand ideation, to packaging, to digital marketing and revenue growth is scaled to meet each client's unique needs, with both humor and insight. Taja's working style is that of an eternal optimist while being grounded in reality, a combination of futuristic, optimistic, and realistic that brands and clients deeply appreciate and look to maximize when working with her. When not guiding brands or her team of twenty at P+W Taja also writes for Forbes focusing on team culture within the creative space and retreats to the woods and lakes of Maine with her husband and two kids, some rescue animals to stay grounded. Versatility allows Taja to manage multi-million-dollar marketing accounts while also creating award-winning designs for small businesses. Her talent has built P+W into one of the most in-demand, most-referred design houses in the Northeast. Honing her creative skills in both New York and Boston, Taja's unique approach to a client-centric (and holistic) business model has been vital in consistently earning P+W graphic design and advertising awards over the years. Taja has also garnered numerous awards and accolades for her work and has been featured in: The Dieline, Graphic Design USA, Food Manufacturing Magazine, Packaging Magazine, American Package Design Awards, InTouch Magazine, Saveur, GDR UK, and L'Odyssee Du Pack — both Innovation trend forecasting magazines and The Dieline to name a few. Additional to this, her clients have also earned media attention on the Today Show, Good Morning America, and Fox Business Morning.    

This week on the Progressive Agency podcast, I welcome Susan Baier to the show. She's been a marketing strategist for thirty years and began her company, Audience Audit, in 2009. Susan helps marketing organizations understand their best audiences based on attitudes and needs, rather than just demographics or purchase behavior. Susan shares how research can build your credibility as a thought leader, and give you a year's worth of valuable content for your audience. Hear insights about: What is attitudinal research and how can you do it with qualitative research tactics How attitudinal research helps marketing agencies and their clients get better results What types of advice do consumers want from their thought leaders Why research helps thought leaders with both strategic and tactical advice How research adds credibility to thought leadership Relevant and Impactful Attitudinal research can make your marketing initiatives more relevant, efficient, and impactful. My guest this week on the Progressive Agency Podcast, Susan Baier, knows that firsthand. She has been a marketing strategist for 30 years and began her company, Audience Audit, in 2009. Today, Susan helps marketing organizations understand their best audiences based on attitudes and needs rather than just demographics or purchase behavior. She shares how research can make thought leaders more credible and offer more valuable content ideas for marketers and agencies. Proving Them Wrong Many people think that attitudinal research can only be conducted through quantitative measures, like surveys. However, Susan Baier proves them wrong with her company Audience Audit. She uses qualitative research tactics, like focus groups, to understand the reasoning behind a buyer's decision. During our conversation, Susan explains how marketing agencies can benefit from understanding the intent of their unique audiences. Aiding the Buyer's Decision In today's world, buyers conduct so much of their own research before making a purchase. Typically a buyer has already decided to work with you before you have the opportunity to sell to them. This means that your content and credibility as a thought leader are doing most of the work for you. Susan explains how conducting attitudinal research helps you create relevant content for your audience while increasing your credibility in your industry. Listen to the episode to learn more: How to Connect with Susan Baier: Websites: https://audienceaudit.com Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AudienceAudit/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/susanbaieraz/ Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/susanbaier About Susan Baier: A marketing strategist for over 30 years, Susan Baier founded Audience Audit in 2009 to help organizations understand their best audiences based on attitudes and needs rather than just demographics or purchase behavior. She develops custom segmentation research for marketers and agencies around the world, supporting their efforts to create marketing initiatives that are more relevant, more efficient, and more impactful.

If you're planning to travel for work, you've likely thought about deducting business travel expenses.  Listen to this episode to hear insights about: How business travel documentation rules differ between corporations and proprietorships Why you need to report your business travel on your business taxes rather than your personal taxes The four elements you must be able to prove and therefore should keep a record of Why travel meals are separate from other travel expenses Which travel expenses you should keep receipts for, and if you can use credit card statements instead What constitutes a timely kept record of your tax expenses for the IRS How to properly submit travel expenses to your corporation The most important piece of information that you need to keep a record of for business travel expenses What are the two different types of tax-deductible business travel expenses How do you know if you can deduct business trips, even if you'll be on the trip for more than just business How travel deductions differ between US travel and international travel Travel Expense Rules Traveling for work can be a great way to experience more and grow your business. However, all travel is not the same. This week on the Progressive Agency Podcast, I discuss deducting your business travel expenses. I explain the differences in travel documentation rules if you're a corporation or a proprietorship. During this solocast. I also discuss how to properly keep a record of your expenses. Listen to the episode to learn more. Proving It If you plan to deduct your business travel, you must be prepared to prove your expenses to the IRS if needed. There are four elements that you should always keep a record of to prove your business travel. The first being the amount of each expenditure, the second is the dates of travel, departure and return. Third, you should keep a description of the location of your trip. Last, and most importantly, is the business purpose for your trip. During our conversation, I explain how to easily maintain this record. Business or Personal When you plan a business trip, it's possible that you may plan to extend your trip for longer. A common thought is, if you stay longer on a professional trip for personal reasons, can you still expense it? In this episode, I explain how this differs when traveling within the United States and internationally. Listen to the episode to learn how many days of your trip you're required to work in order for it to be covered as a business expense. Click here to learn more: Resources: The 12 Biggest Tax Mistakes That Cost Agency Owners Thousands:https://www.amazon.com/Biggest-Mistakes-Agency-Owners-Thousands/dp/B088B6DPG9/ref=sr_1_1?qid=1639661450&refinements=p_27%3ACraig+Cody&s=books&sr=1-1 Additional Resources: Website: www.craigcodyandcompany.com Twitter: @CraigC2742 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/craigcodycpa About Craig Cody: Craig Cody is a Certified Public Accountant, Certified Tax Coach™, business owner, and the host of The Progressive Dentist Podcast and The Progressive Agency Owner Podcast. Prior to his current work, Craig spent seventeen years with the NYPD, where he retired as a Lieutenant in September 2000. Craig is an expert in helping his clients legally reduce their tax liabilities and keep more of their money. Through his podcast, Craig helps dentists grow their practices through smart financial decisions and through financial education of the kind that isn't offered in dental school.

This week on the Progressive Agency podcast, I welcome Tim Kilroy to the show. He's founded three agencies and successfully sold two. Today, he helps digital agencies generate more revenue, more profit, and more happiness. Tim shares his forecasting and planning tips that help agency owners hire better and scale their business. Hear insights about: The three largest financial errors that agency owners make How to label clients to help forecast the fragility of your business Why choosing to work with contractors over employees can be more expensive Why agency owners should prioritize capacity planning and forecasting How tracking hours allows you to provide more accurate quotes and profits Why it's important to forecast and have a plan for all of your profit before receiving it What an agency CEO's role should encompass, and why it doesn't revolve around creating happy clients More Revenue and Profit Digital agencies can generate more revenue and more profit without working a million hours. Just ask Tim Kilroy, my guest this week on the Progressive Agency Podcast. Tim has founded three agencies, successfully selling two. Today, he helps digital agencies generate more revenue, more profit, and more happiness. Tim shares his forecasting and planning tips that help agency owners hire better and scale their business. Financial Errors Tim finds that there are three large financial errors that digital agency owners make in their businesses. The first is relying solely on contractors rather than hiring employees. The second is assuming that their clients will never fire them. The final major mistake that many agency owners make is not treating themselves as a reasonable business expense. During our conversation, Tim explains these financial errors in detail – and how to avoid them. Capacity Planning The ability to plan and forecast in your agency is critical for long-term success and scalability. Throughout our conversation, Tim discusses the importance of planning and forecasting in several ways. One of the most pertinent is through capacity-planning. He explains that capacity-planning gives you the ability to make informed hiring decisions, as well as provide more accurate quotes. He shares how tracking hours aids in capacity-planning, and why employees should not view it as a weapon. Listen to the episode to learn more: How to Connect with Tim Kilroy: Website: TimKilroy.com https://timkilroy.com/agency-growth-consulting/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/timkilroy LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/timkilroy/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/timkilroy About Tim Kilroy: “I help digital agencies (and digital agency owners) generate more revenue, more profit & more happiness without working a million hours, being ‘sales-y' or doing anything else gross,” Tim says of his business strategy. Tim has worked with over 100 agencies to help them solve problems ranging from “How do I get my 1st client?” to “How do we maximize our exit value?” Tim also focuses on driving dramatic growth by collaborating with agency owners and management teams. He has helped his clients do amazing things – like grow 8x in a year, or by 3x in 90 days. In addition, Tim has helped agencies create account management structures, and coached them through various situations, such as a founder moving to another opportunity.

This week on the Progressive Agency podcast, I welcome A.J. Wilcox to the show. He's managed over $150M in ad spend as the Founder of B2Linked.com, a LinkedIn Ads-specific ad agency. A.J. shares his productivity and business tips that have helped him start and scale his agency. Hear insights about: Why delegating is the most important thing to learn as a business owner How hiring an accounting firm allowed A.J. to be a better entrepreneur What is the tool AutoHotKey and how to use it to save time and become more productive Why data analysis is a crucial part of running LinkedIn ads What is the most complex part of running business finances How charging lower prices initially has helped him develop a successful business model Proving Your Business Model There are no other LinkedIn ad agencies managing as much spend as B2Linked. My guest this week on the Progressive Agency Podcast is A.J. Wilcox. He's managed over $150M in ad spend as the Founder of B2Linked.com, a LinkedIn Ads-specific ad agency. A.J. shares the unconventional way he started his agency, and how it helped him prove that his business model would be successful long-term. Listen to our conversation to hear his story and agency tips. Sharing Your Expertise Entrepreneurs are typically self-starters, who feel at ease handling tasks on their own. My guest, A.J. Wilcox explains that he felt most comfortable taking everything on and doing it all himself. Unfortunately, that method prevents businesses from growing beyond the owner. A.J. explains that all of the knowledge and expertise he had could not be shared without expanding his team. Listen as he explains the initial difficulties of hiring employees, and when he began to see the benefit. More than Marketing Most marketing agencies manage ads for their clients. Most of those agencies are filled with team members who studied marketing in college, or have been self-taught through the various sources found online today. During our conversation, A.J. explains that although he works as a marketer, he would have chosen not to study marketing in school if given the chance to go back. He shares the importance of data science as an ads manager, and why it's difficult to learn data science on your own. Listen to the episode to learn more: How to Connect with A.J. Wilcox: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/wilcoxaj/ Website: B2Linked.com/podcast About A.J. Wilcox: AJ Wilcox is a LinkedIn Ads pro who founded B2Linked.com, a LinkedIn Ads-specific ad agency, in 2014. He's managed over $150M in spend on the platform, they're official LinkedIn partners, he's the host of the LinkedIn Ads Show podcast, and has managed 5 of the world's top 10 LinkedIn Ads accounts. He's a ginger and triathlete. He lives in Utah, has 4 adorable kids, and his company car is a wicked-fast go-kart.

This week on the Progressive Agency podcast, I welcome Lindsey Huettner to the show. After starting and selling multiple businesses, she decided to start the marketing agency that she needed as a young entrepreneur. Lindsey shares her pricing structure and operational methodology that helps her business grow and run with ease. Hear insights about: What limitations are found when hiring in-house employees for marketing What are fractional marketing agencies, and how they differ from traditional agencies How to set and implement a pricing structure when charging the same price for all services The “profit first” accounting method, and how does it help entrepreneurs begin making a profit How to save more time with the Entrepreneur Operating System (EOS) methodology What is the most confusing part of finances in relation to running an agency What number should you check weekly to ensure that you are being paid on time Why obtaining a line of credit can help you be more proactive financially Create What You Need After building, growing, and selling multiple businesses it becomes pretty clear what an entrepreneur really needs from a marketing agency. My guest this week on the Progressive Agency Podcast is Lindsey Huettner. Lindsey is a serial entrepreneur who decided to create the type of agency that she always needed. Lindsey shares the structure for her fractional marketing agency, and her operational tips and strategies. Developing New Options When it's time to prioritize your marketing efforts, most entrepreneurs find that they have two options — outsource to a traditional marketing agency or hire help to work in-house. Unfortunately, both solutions have their downsides. Traditional agencies offer help at varying prices, and if at any time your needs change, so does your price. On the other hand, in-house employees have their limitations. There will always be a capacity issue, and any time you have a project that is outside of your team's expertise, you'll find yourself outsourcing again. During our conversation, Lindsey explains how her fractional agency is an alternate solution aimed at solving the limitations within traditional agencies and in-house teams. Becoming Proactive Much of the stress that agency owners face is due to a lack of process, organization, and structure. During our conversation, Lindsey shares how she has implemented the Entrepreneur Operating System (EOS) to help build foundations within her business that increase efficiency and allow her to feel at ease. She also explains how following a “profit first” accounting method and securing a line of credit allow her to be proactive financially. Listen to the episode to learn more: How to Connect with Lindsey Huettner: Website: www.theitcrowd.com Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/theitcrowdmarketing LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lindsey-huettner-ba095b16/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/theitcrowdmktng?lang=en About Lindsey Huettner: Serial Entrepreneur, Lindsey Harrison is a seasoned veteran of starting and selling businesses. She seized her first opportunity to make it in the real world with a job in commercial real estate for a UK firm. Juggling key territories (Manhattan, Chicago, D.C.), Lindsey's initiation was a trial-by-fire sort she loved every moment of the fast-paced, jet-setting lifestyle! When she was presented with an opportunity to stay closer to the Big D, she jumped at the chance as an advertising exec with an impressive book of clientele. Lindsey learned a tremendous amount working in the corporate world but banker's hours weren't her thing. While climbing the corporate ladder, she was also finding her wings as an entrepreneur. Her pet sitting hobby turned into a 1,200-client empire, she bought a snow-cone stand and DVD-rental machines, and while those were fun and profitable, she felt the undeniable pull of the tech world. She sold the 25,000-subscriber online deal-a-day website she created to a national brand after just 2 years. That payday allowed her to purchase Krimson & Klover, which she transitioned from one small clothing store to two buzzworthy brick-and-mortar stores and a thriving e-commerce store. In 2014 it was time for the next chapter, Lindsey is putting her business acumen to work helping other businesses to achieve success with a fractional marketing agency, The it Crowd. The agency started small but has exploded as the word has gotten out on how different their approach is to marketing. Lindsey has been positioned as a national marketing expert and regularly gives speeches as well as radio and tv interviews based on marketing. She also gives seminars in coordination with microloan programs around the world to teach and promote business ownership to climb out of poverty. If you've always wanted to be part of the “it crowd”, consider yourself IN. Lindsey and her team are ready to jump right in and help you achieve your goals just say the word!    

This week on the Progressive Agency podcast, I welcome Cris Rodriguez to the show. After building a successful martial arts business, she accidentally fell into digital marketing. Now Cris shares her tips and strategies for running multiple growing businesses. Hear insights about: What caused Cris to look to paid digital ads as a brick and mortar business Why Cris chooses to have her entire team in person rather than remote What is the biggest financial lesson that Cris learned building a digital marketing agency Why martial arts champions often struggle to keep their business running What is the #1 strategy that Cris would recommend to new agency owners What three things can you implement to make the most of your time Why the #1 productivity hack is delegation How being mindful of your habits can help you manage cash flow Accidental Agency Owner Running multiple businesses presents unique challenges. Accidentally running multiple businesses takes skill. My guest this week on the Progressive Agency Podcast is Cris Rodriguez. After building a successful martial arts business, she accidentally fell into digital marketing and started an agency. Cris shares her greatest time-saving and productivity hacks for entrepreneurs running multiple businesses. Speed of Implementation In the past year, Cris has grown all of her businesses exponentially. She credits part of her success to taking advantage of her resources and finding knowledgeable mentors. She also acknowledges her rapid consumption of courses and lack of fear when it comes to simply Googling things to help hone her skills. Cris advises that the difference between a good entrepreneur and a great entrepreneur is their speed of implementation. Once you learn new skills and strategies, it's crucial that you take action and begin implementing them. Prioritizing Cash Flow Successfully running an agency is tough, but running multiple businesses successfully cannot be done without the ability to manage time. Cris makes every productive minute count so that she can still spend time with her family and enjoy her life. During our conversation, Cris shares how she is able to work regular 9 to 5 hours after implementing three steps to make the most of her time. She also shares her best productivity hacks for entrepreneurs. Listen to the episode to learn more: How to Connect with Cris Rodriguez: Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/CristinaLeeRodriguez/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/cris-rodriguez-803bb13b/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/midgettwister About Cris Rodriguez: Professor Cris Rodriguez has 27 years of Martial Arts experience and 20 years of teaching experience. She is a 1st Degree Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Black Belt, 3rd Degree TKD Black Belt, and Co-Owns Gracie PAC MMA, a BJJ & MMA School in Tampa, Florida, with her wife Stephanie. She has been obsessed with Internet Marketing for the past 10 years and is the Founder of Grow Pro Agency, a Digital Marketing Agency for Martial Arts Academies with over 240 clients. As a Partner in Marketing with Schools, their core focus is to help school owners gain the freedom they want in their business. She is also the Digital Marketing Consultant for the Martial Arts Industry Association and runs her own Mastermind Program called The A-Team and Business Event called 7 Figure CEO. She earned her Elementary Education Degree from the University of South Florida which has helped her to become an expert in Children's Jiu-Jitsu Training & Development. Cris lives in Tampa, Florida with Stephanie and their three sons Darion, Nate, & Cruz.

This week, I welcome Aalap Shah to the show. He is a CPA turned marketer and is now on his fourth successful business. Aalap shares his insights and tips on building an agency with predictable growth. Hear insights about: How Aalap transitioned from being a CPA to a marketer How a disciplined approach to goal setting aided Aalap in his fourth business The most common financial mistakes made in the marketing industry Why new agencies should operationalize their business processes and standards to build predictable business growth How setting expectations with clients and your team impacts success outcomes Why agency owners should prioritize maxing out their 401k Making it Happen Building a business that is successful enough to exit is difficult. My guest this week on the Progressive Agency Podcast has made it happen multiple times. Aalap Shah is an entrepreneur currently on his fourth business. As a CPA turned marketer, he shares his insights and tips on building an agency with predictable growth. Taking a Disciplined Approach Every agency owner's goal should be to build a business that is built to sell. To ensure that your agency is made to sell, even if you're not taking on more work, you need to be organizational. During our conversation, Aalap shares his disciplined approach to goal setting and developing systems and processes to set your business up for predictable growth. Prioritizing Cash Flow Aalap has learned a lot during his years as an entrepreneur. The most common financial mistake he's seen agencies make – cash flow. He explains that agencies are ultimately just a cash business. The higher your growth rate, the more pressure you'll have on cash. Aalap details the importance of getting a handle on cash flow forecasting and management. Listen to the episode to learn more. How to Connect with Aalap Shah: Website: https://1o8.agency/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/1o8Agency/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/shahaalap/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/aalapshah1 About Aalap Shah: Aalap Shah is a Chicago-born entrepreneur, public speaker, philanthropist, and the founder of 1o8, a fresh digital marketing start-up focused on deepening brand awareness and increasing sales for amazon + e-commerce companies nationwide. Aalap and his team at 1o8 have worked with companies like Gildan, Sweet Leaf Tea, Vetnique Labs, OHi Superfood Bars, and Tio Gazpacho—just to name a few. Aalap happily shares his personal entrepreneurial story and his passion for crafting digital strategy, creating content, navigating the ever-evolving digital marketplace, and captaining the entrepreneurs' life at events far and wide. As a registered CPA and the child of Indian immigrant entrepreneurs, business is a key part of Aalap's DNA and integral to his own personal American Dream. Aalap started his first business, a toy store, at the age of 23. Maneuvering the marketplace while building his business' brand awareness sparked a love of marketing and promotion. Aalap worked in digital marketing for years thereafter, and is now the strategic brain behind 1o8, an amazon and ecomm focused growth agency in Chicago. He has served as a keynote speaker, workshop moderator, and panelist at engagements with the National Business Education Association, Clickz, Social Media Week, Media Post, and Bloggers Week Summit and for companies such as Sears, Northwestern University, and DePaul University.

This week, I welcome Nick Hoard to the show. Nick is a passionate entrepreneur who has spent the last 14 years helping small businesses develop and grow their brand. Nick discusses the most common agency mistakes and how to avoid them. Hear insights about: How Nick's agency pivoted and found a new niche during the pandemic The most important financial lesson of running an agency Why it's important to invest in your business early on (and quickly) The biggest mistakes that agencies are making Two useful strategies for new agency owners to grow their business What questions should you ask to successfully filter your leads to save time How to overcome the most confusing parts of running an agency Why cash flow and savings is a crucial part of successful agencies Starting On the Right Foot Starting a new business usually requires that you leverage your network. However, starting a marketing agency puts you in a unique position to leverage your unique skill set — digital marketing. My guest this week on the Progressive Agency Podcast is Nick Hoard. Nick shares how he leveraged his knowledge of running ads early on in his business with the help of his initial clients. Nick is a passionate entrepreneur who has spent the last 14 years helping small businesses develop and grow their brand. As the Founder of Nick the Marketer and Urgent Care Marketing Pros, Nick is the chief visionary of Brands. He spends his time creating opportunities, identifying strategic business relationships, and developing leaders. Nick joins me to discuss how he pivoted during the pandemic, and shares advice for new agency owners. Avoiding Financial Mistakes The biggest mistake that new agencies make is filtering 100% of everything through their company on the client's behalf. This is a huge financial mistake. During our conversation, Nick shares how many agencies make the mistake of not disclosing how they disperse their services. Nick describes how early on in his business, he took on the risk with a couple of accounts where he was left with their Google Ads bill because they decided not to pay the agency. Nick stresses that although you may be new in business, and really need a client, you must take the time to have proper documents and agreements signed to avoid paying the “stupid tax.” Finding Qualified Leads Nick believes that running ads can be a huge driver for business. However, you need to have the systems and teammates in place to be able to handle the results of the ads. You have to capture those leads, and you must take the time to set up processes and people to effectively capture your leads. Don't forget that you're paying for it! You should also put a filtering process in place for your leads. Nick explains how his agency filters through a survey. He describes some of the important questions he asks to qualify leads. Additionally, Nick shares the thank you message that unqualified leads receive after completing the survey. This process saves time and money that could have been wasted on unnecessary phone calls. How to Connect with Nick Hoard: Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/marketmenick LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nick-hoard-6454838/ About Nick Hoard Nick is a passionate entrepreneur who has spent the last 14 years helping small businesses develop and grow their brand. Well versed in advertising, messaging, and marketing strategy, Nick has developed a winning formula of applying traditional marketing strategies to digital media platforms. As the Founder of Nick the Marketer and Urgent Care Marketing Pros, Nick is the chief visionary of Brands. He spends his time creating opportunities, identifying strategic business relationships, and developing leaders. This has led to multiple company recognition awards, as well as being recognized as one of the fastest-growing agencies in the Southeast. Nick and his wife, Heather, moved from Memphis, TN to Birmingham, AL in 2009. From there they grew their family and added 3 boys and a dog to the mix. Nick is currently in the passionate throes of Aviation as he pursues his pilot's license. When not building a business or flying, you can generally find them at the swimming pool, watching the latest Netflix show, huddled around the XBOX, or in an intense nerf gun crossfire.

This week, I welcome Nick Kremer to the show. Nick has been a serial entrepreneur since he was 23 and has spent the last 12 years investing all of his time and effort into Driven Leads and their clients. Nick discusses how to build a successful agency by prioritizing cash flow and avoiding business debt. Hear insights about: Why finding and staying in a niche is more efficient and financially beneficial for entrepreneurs The most common mistake that new agency owners make when starting out Why Nick has remained a W-2 employee and hasn't taken any dividends from his company How giving employees more independence can save business owners time When entrepreneurs should develop an exit strategy Why prioritizing cash flow and avoiding debt is crucial to a successful business Setting Your Business Up for Success It may be appealing to start your business as a jack-of-all-trades, thinking that you'll have the potential for more work. In actuality, the riches are in the niches — settling on a specific area of focus allows you to become a go-to expert in your industry. Choosing a niche sets your business up for success from the beginning. My guest this week on the Progressive Agency Podcast is Nick Kremer. He has been a serial entrepreneur since he was 23 and has spent the last 12 years investing all of his time and effort into Driven Leads and their clients. Nick joins me to discuss how he accidentally found his niche (GoogleAds), and what he did to build a successful agency around it. Focusing on Your Cash Flow What's the most common mistake that new entrepreneurs make when starting? Not focusing on cash flow. During our conversation, Nick shares an example of a good friend who recently started a business and almost immediately started making $30k a month. He explains why his friend should not pocket any of that money – instead, he should be investing it back into his business. Your company needs money to be able to flourish and grow, so you need to reinvest in your business. You have to look at taking that money that you're making now and predict where you're going to need it in 6-12 months. Most businesses don't fail because the person doesn't work hard, they fail because they made the wrong financial decisions. That is the reason why it's crucial to be educated on cash flow and business debt. Managing for Efficiency Entrepreneurs may also want to consider remaining a W-2 employee in their business, like my guest Nick Kremer. Nick explains that he does not take dividends from his company, but instead chooses to invest that money back into his employees. Nick values investing in his employees, but he quickly learned that he was spending too much time managing them and their tasks. He recalls, “I had my door open too often, which slows down the process of anybody that has the door open to answer questions.” Nick discusses how he changed his process to help his employees find solutions for their questions, eventually leading them to depend on his guidance less and less. Coaching your employees to be more confident and independent ultimately leads to more efficiency in the business. How to Connect with Nick Kremer: Website: https://drivenleads.com/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/DrivenLeads/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nickjkremer/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/nickjkremer About Nick Kremer: Nick has been a serial entrepreneur since he was 23 and has spent the last 12 years investing all of his time and effort into Driven Leads and their clients. Many people find themselves becoming an entrepreneur for several different reasons like freedom, money, and building on an idea. Nick came to the world of entrepreneurship because he was raised in a world where most of his family were business owners, farmers, and people that paved their own path. The greatest reward of running his own business is seeing his clients and employees have a better life as a result of working with him. Whenever he is asked about his exit strategy from his current business, his answer is a quick one-worded response – death. He genuinely enjoys being able to lead his team every single day.

Does the Great Resignation have you considering hiring out-of-state remote employees?  Hear insights about: What should you be aware of if you are considering hiring remote employees who are in a different state than your business Why recruiting new employees is currently taking at least three to six months What are your responsibilities as an employer to out-of-state employees What is apportionment, and how that can impact the amount of taxes you'll pay How the IRS can easily determine if you have out-of-state employees  Resources: The 12 Biggest Tax Mistakes That Cost Agency Owners Thousands Additional Resources: Website: www.craigcodyandcompany.com Twitter: @CraigC2742 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/craigcodycpa About Craig Cody: Craig Cody is a Certified Public Accountant, Certified Tax Coach™, business owner, and the host of The Progressive Dentist Podcast and The Progressive Agency Owner Podcast. Prior to his current work, Craig spent seventeen years with the NYPD, where he retired as a Lieutenant in September 2000. Craig is an expert in helping his clients legally reduce their tax liabilities and keep more of their money. Through his podcast, Craig helps dentists grow their practices through smart financial decisions and through financial education of the kind that isn't offered in dental school.

This week I welcome Bill Black to the show. Bill has been in the pension administration business for over 40 years and helps clients work toward their retirement objectives. Bill discusses how to maximize your tax deductions by utilizing retirement plans to invest in life insurance. This allows you to save more money and give your survivors income tax-free benefits. What are qualified retirement plans, and what factors help determine which is best for you How to create a custom retirement plan to save the amount of money you pay in taxes How the size of your deduction can vary based on your contribution Why would someone begin to look into defined contribution plans Why you would want to invest in a life insurance plan inside of your 401(k) How owning life insurance inside of a defined retirement plan can save money on taxes and leave your survivors with income tax free benefits What upcoming changes should you expect to see in 401(k) plans Why businesses should do a health check on their retirement plans What is the affiliated service group, and how do people often fall trap to it Keep More Money In Your Pocket We all want ways to maximize our tax deductions that are not outside of the box and will not get us into any trouble with the government. We can use the rules that are on the books to create a qualified plan to benefit us and keep more money in our pockets. We are constantly looking to learn different ways to legally reduce our taxes and save more of the money we make. My guest this week on the Progressive Agency Podcast, Bill Black, joins me to discuss how to create a custom retirement plan to maximize your tax deductions, and ultimately save the amount of money you pay out each year. Create A Custom Retirement Plan Did you know there is a limit to how much you can put into a 401(k) plan? A 401(k) is a defined contribution plan, meaning that the law defines the contribution and benefit. Bill has been in the pension administration business for over 40 years and helps clients work toward their retirement objectives. We discuss how Bill and his team help business owners create a custom-defined plan, to maximize their tax deductions. Were you aware that the maximum contribution amount can change year depending on inflation? For example, last year, the most that could go into a defined contribution plan for any participant was $58,000. This year, that's been raised to $61,000. Bill explains how the size of your deduction can vary if you're single versus if you are married. He and I discuss defined benefit plans or cash balance plans that are available to people who find that they aren't getting a big enough deduction. Investing In Life Insurance When people think about their 401(k) retirement plans they typically think about stocks, bonds, mutual funds, etc. But another investment that people don't think about, is life insurance, particularly in a defined benefit plan. During our conversation, Bill explains how the plan can provide a pre-retirement survivor's benefit funded by life insurance. Why would someone decide to invest in life insurance in their retirement account? It's more about the amount of money they could save than it is about life insurance. Bill shares his insights on how you could save thousands of dollars more than owning life insurance outside of your retirement plan. He also explains how your survivors' benefit is income tax free. How to Connect with Bill Black: Website: https://pensionspecialist.net/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/whblack/?locale=en_US https://www.linkedin.com/company/w.h.-black-&-company-inc./about/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/WHBlackCoLifeInsurance/ Phone: 1-888-412-4120 About Bill Black: Bill Black has been in the pension administration business for over 40 years and helps clients work toward their retirement objectives. He works with both individual and small business owners in the areas of benefits, retirement planning, and business planning. Bill and his team can offer a wide range of financial products and services including insurance, annuities, and investment products (tax-sheltered plans, mutual funds) to help his clients meet their retirement needs. Education Bachelor of Arts, Business Administration, and Economics Rollins College Professional Credentials: Chartered Financial Consultant (ChFC) Chartered Life Underwriter (CLU) Life and Qualifying member MDRT (Million Dollar Round Table) 15 Time Court of Table (MDRT) 20 Top of Table (MDRT). Licensed in 42 states, Bill truly has a national practice. He has marketed and administered plans in virtually every state in the union. Bill has spoken nationally and internationally on the topics of qualified plans and is a much sought-after speaker. He has been quoted in USA Today and has been a guest on financial radio shows. Bill is certified to teach continuing education to CPAs and insurance professionals. Additionally, he has had numerous articles published in national journals. Bill brings a professional and necessary combination to the marketing effort: comfortable with the explanation of complex ideas and able to put them into easily understood concepts, with the ability to sell.

Are you taking advantage of the qualified business income deduction? It's a great way to save money. Hear insights about: What is the qualified business income deduction Who is eligible and who may not be eligible for the qualified business income deduction How to take advantage of the qualified business income deduction Why do you need to make sure that your salary is high enough to qualify for this deduction if you have no employees Where can you look on your tax return to determine if you can take advantage of this deduction What to ask your CPA to ensure that you are not missing out on this opportunity Resources: The 12 Biggest Tax Mistakes That Cost Agency Owners Thousands: https://www.amazon.com/Biggest-Mistakes-Agency-Owners-Thousands/dp/B088B6DPG9/ref=sr_1_1?qid=1639661450&refinements=p_27%3ACraig+Cody&s=books&sr=1-1 Additional Resources: Website: www.craigcodyandcompany.com Twitter: @CraigC2742 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/craigcodycpa About Craig Cody: Craig Cody is a Certified Public Accountant, Certified Tax Coach™, business owner, and the host of The Progressive Dentist Podcast and The Progressive Agency Owner Podcast. Prior to his current work, Craig spent seventeen years with the NYPD, where he retired as a Lieutenant in September 2000. Craig is an expert in helping his clients legally reduce their tax liabilities and keep more of their money. Through his podcast, Craig helps dentists grow their practices through smart financial decisions and through financial education of the kind that isn't offered in dental school.

This week I welcome Adam Carroll to the show. Adam is a financial literacy expert, speaker, author, and the founder of the Shred Method, who has dedicated himself to helping people build a bigger life. Adam discusses how to pay off debt quickly using the Shred Method. This works to help leverage the cash flow through your personal economy to radically eliminate your debt in record time. Hear insights about: How Craig discovered velocity banking and evolved it into the Shred Method How the Shred Method helps the average person with a mortgage How Craig accelerates the process of paying down debts by leveraging short term debt against compound interest with a large balance What a HELOC is and how it can help you save money How Craig and his wife paid off their house twice over between 2012 and 2021 Why the key to financial security is understanding wealth acceleration Steps to leveraging the Shred Method Who the Shred Method works best for Why the method works equally as well for property investors Ways to cleverly squeeze the juice out of your finances Save Yourself Thousands of Dollars When you understand how to leverage a Home Equity Line of Credit (HELOC) as a debt repayment model, you can potentially save yourself tens if not hundreds of thousands of dollars in interest over the life of that loan. We all want to be as financially educated as possible to manage our finances cleverly. My guest this week on the Progressive Agency Podcast, Adam Carroll, joins me to explain just how we can save money and pay down a considerable amount of debt by using the equity in our homes to minimize the debt held against it. Completely Pay Off Debt in 5 Years And I mean completely — mortgage, car loan, tuition all paid off in full. Adam, who is a financial literacy expert, speaker, author, and the founder of the Shred Method, explains how the average person can make their money work for them in the most efficient way possible. We discuss how the Shred Method works and how Adam's previous role as a Mortgage advisor gave him the insight and impetus to research why owning a home can keep you in perpetual, long-term debt and how to get out of it. Did you realize that a homeowner will pay the bank back as much as 2½ times the amount of their original mortgage on average? People are often laboring under the misconception that their mortgage is the cheapest debt they'll ever have, but as Adam explains, there are ways to bring the interest they're paying off to under 1%; you just have to know the right steps to take. We discuss why keeping on top of your financial housekeeping is essential if you want to save money and why to check your financial statements to ensure that your payments are allocated to bringing the principal debt down. Squeeze the Juice Out of Your Cash Getting a little bit more juice squeezed out of your finances is something that everybody would love to do. When you get right down to it, though, it's as much a matter of mindset and financial education as clever money management. When you think about how your best life looks, you are probably factoring in time spent with the people you love as well as having enough money for a few of life's luxuries. Understanding that you can make your time more valuable by creating financial systems that you can rely on is key to getting the most out of your money. When you flip the narrative on saving money and understand how to see things differently, you start to notice the business systems you could create to generate recurring savings. One of the ways you can do that is to realize that when you outsource, you're actually making savings — in other words, don't spend time doing the $20 an hour activities 20 hours a week, Because there's no way that you're going to make six figures when you're doing activities that are beneath your paygrade. And when you don't leverage what you have to save significant sums of money it's exactly the same principle. When you optimize the time you spend on a task or the money you invest, you need to be as efficient as possible. How to Connect with Adam Carroll: Website: www.theshredmethod.com LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/adamcarrollspeaks/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AdamSpeaks/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/AdamCarroll

Building a successful business can throw up many challenges, financial and otherwise. Linda Welter joins me on the show to share her advice for business owners and gives her insight into successful business strategies that help agencies thrive in the long term. Hear insights about: What Linda sees as Caliber Group's main niches and how having a spread of specialisms has helped the agency reinvent itself and grow Linda's strategy for staying resilient and surviving over the long term How to go deep into your service line niches to be well known in a variety of industries and why it helps you pivot and survive The most important financial lesson Linda has learned over the 24 years of building Caliber Group The most significant financial mistake Linda ever made or saw other agencies make Strategies Linda would recommend to others who want to build an agency with longevity What Linda found most challenging to wrap her head around when it came to agency finances What systems Linda has put into place to deal with cash flow in the Caliber Group Strategies for Building a Successful Business Building a successful agency requires deploying several strategies simultaneously to be successful. One of the most important methods in our toolkit is building a successful brand reputation through positive client results and referrals. It's important to have a clearly defined vision, values, and brand positioning strategy. It is also essential to have a loyal, and committed team to support you in the work of growing your brand and winning quality clients. The key to running a successful business though is committing to understanding the details of how to run the business's finances so you can develop and grow in the long term. How to Run Your Business Financially My guest on the podcast, Linda Welter, shares some of the mistakes she made in the early days of owning a business, including operating her business on a cash basis for tax purposes. She describes why it took some time before she started to simultaneously run the business on an accrual basis, as well as a cash basis, and how she learned the process. Linda also shares why it made a difference in terms of decisions that she made for the organization throughout the year as opposed to making important decisions purely on a tax basis. Effective agencies should be run on an accrual basis, then can convert to the cash basis for taxes. Because thriving as a business depends not only on having a great product or service and marketing it well, it also depends on you getting paid — after all, if you're not getting paid in a timely fashion the business is going to fail. Understanding Cash Flow All businesses will struggle with cash flow at some point in time, the pandemic was truly a test for most companies and how they managed their cash flow. Linda and I discuss why it's essential to have two to six months of operating expenses and a line of credit in place before cash flow issues occur to protect the health of your agency. Linda acknowledges that it can be difficult to build up reserves in the early stages of building a company but goes on to share why hard choices must be made to develop this financial cushion over time. Without reserves and a line of credit, you run the risk of falling into the trap of using the funds from clients who pay promptly to pay off the expenses for clients that are slow to pay it is just too easy to get into trouble when you operate that way. When you are intentional about both the operational and financial sides of running your company you are much more likely to see long-term success. How to Connect with Linda Welter: Website: https://www.calibergroup.com LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lindawelter/ https://www.linkedin.com/in/CaliberGroup Facebook: http://facebook.com/CaliberGroup Twitter: http://twitter.com/welterwisdom Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/CaliberGroup About Linda Welter: As Principal and CEO of the Caliber Group, Linda is responsible for managing and growing Caliber's AGI through strategic planning, business development, sales and marketing, product and service innovations, and talent recruitment and development. Previously, Linda served as vice president of marketing and public relations for a financial institution and an account executive for a marketing agency. When Linda is not managing the agency and selling its services, she helps leadership teams build, reposition and protect company brands and reputations during challenging times. Her goal is to help the leaders of organizations solve complex problems, communicate effectively, manage change, and strengthen relationships with all impacted stakeholders critical to an organization's success when a major crisis or issue hits. She has helped numerous organizations successfully navigate reputation-defining situations, including business closures, foodborne illnesses, accusations of corporate wrong-doing, hostile mergers and acquisitions, union negotiations, ethics violations, and our current pandemic. Linda is Accredited in Public Relations and previously served as Chair of the Public Relations Society of America (PRSA) Board of Ethics and Professional Standards. During her tenure on this Board, Linda co-authored PRSA's Code of Ethics, which today serves as the guiding professional standards for the 20,000-member organization. She has received numerous awards for successful brand positioning, public relations, and reputation management campaigns, as well as awards for community leadership and entrepreneurial successes.

Small agencies can often face challenges when growing their business. Chip Griffin joins me today to give insights and tips for those small agency challenges and how he provides management, consulting, and coaching advice to help them scale. Hear insights about: The most important financial lesson that Chip has learned as an entrepreneur The main financial mistakes that Chip sees business owners making Why it's imperative to understand how to calculate your profit margins Why Chip is passionate about educating agency owners with his podcast The best way to figure out the right pricing model for your business Time-saving tips that Chip recommends to small agencies The importance of creating an open and honest company culture as the owner Know Your Numbers The most important thing as a business owner is to know your numbers. My guest this week, Chip Griffin of Small Agency Growth, joins me to discuss why far too many agency owners don't have a comprehensive profit and loss statement to use as a reliable source of information to manage their business better. Chip is a serial entrepreneur who has focused his business expertise on serving the PR and marketing community for over 30 years. He is passionate about educating other small business owners and sharing the insights he has gained (and the mistakes he has made) during his career. His company, the Small Agency Growth Alliance, supports agency leaders to take control of their own businesses to get the results that they want. Chip explains how he works with small agencies to help them grow their profitability by breaking financial information and tasks down into smaller chunks. He shares the importance of educating entrepreneurs about putting individual project budgets in place, regardless of how much money they see sitting in their bank account. We dive into the long-term perils of ‘checkbook accounting' and why small business owners get caught in that mindset instead of truly understanding that you need to know your numbers to make sound business decisions. Think About Your Profit Margins Once you have an overview of your numbers as a small agency owner, you have to dig down into the details to understand what your profit margins are. And how you calculate that profit margin is significant whether you're targeting 15% or 30%. Many agencies struggle to find an accurate number for their own compensation, which can then dramatically skew their profit numbers. Or they don't accurately account for the difference between the income and reimbursable income, primarily in the form of digital media. Chip shares why failing to count those two things correctly makes your percentages way off base, which has the knock-on effect of making it almost impossible to calculate your profit margins accurately. Growing the Business Agency owners can often be penny wise and pound foolish — particularly when it comes to talent and labor. Chip and I discuss some of the mistakes that small agencies make when trying to figure out how to be as profitable as possible. We talk about the dangers as an owner of either overworking their team to make the numbers look better or holding off on investing in additional team members. As an owner, you need to ensure that your time is freed up to focus on higher-value activities, but so many entrepreneurs get stuck doing tasks that don't allow them to make the best use of their time. If you fall into this trap, you will almost certainly hold back the growth of the business. Chip explores the necessity of a healthy company tracking finances accurately from the get-go to be on a strong growth trajectory. How to Connect with Chip Griffin: Website: https://www.smallagencygrowth.com LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/chipgriffin Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/chipgriffin Twitter: https://twitter.com/ChipGriffin About Chip Griffin: Chip Griffin is a serial entrepreneur with a track record of building businesses that serve the PR and marketing community. He founded the Small Agency Growth Alliance to help agency leaders take control of their own businesses to get the results that they want. He has worked in a wide range of communications-related roles, starting as a junior account executive at a boutique public affairs firm and most recently serving as Chief Operating Officer for a global media intelligence agency. As someone who has owned an agency himself, he understands the challenges and opportunities his clients see every day. Chip lives in Bow, New Hampshire, where he can often be found officiating or photographing youth sports in his free time.

Drew McLellan is the owner of McLellan Marketing Group and the owner and leader of the Agency Management Institute. In his fourth appearance on the Progressive Agency podcast, Drew discusses agency owners' succession and shares tips and strategies to begin business exit planning. Hear insights about: What hot topics for agency owners does Drew expect to see throughout 2022 How do agency owners find a balance between tax planning and building value and equity in the business Why business owners should wait until January to empty their bank accounts at the end of the year if they are planning to sell What should business owners do if they think they may want to sell eventually Why owner financing is often a good option if you are selling your business to an internal employee How long does it typically take to close a deal beginning from the initial conversation to consummation Business Exit Strategies for Agency Owners My encore guest for this week's episode of the Progressive Agency podcast is Drew McLellan from the Agency Management Institute. Drew is an expert at helping agencies plan their succession, and in this episode, he shares tips and strategies to begin business exit planning if you plan to sell within the next five to ten years. Business Exit Planning During our conversation, Drew explained that he and the Agency Management Institute team help agency owners with their succession. This includes actually helping an agency owner identify internal buyers, and then facilitating the entire process of mediating the deal and financing it. One of the problems Drew continuously sees during the succession process is that agency owners are often very good at tax planning – too good in fact. They focus on getting their bottom line and their profitability number down to as small as possible by the end of the year so that they don't pay tax on those dollars. The problem is, if they've been successful at that for many years, once they do the valuation, the agency looks far less valuable than it really is. Drew and I discuss the importance of finding a balance between reducing your taxable revenue while still building an equitable and valuable business, if you are planning to exit. The key to business exit planning is preparing well in advance for a potential sale. It is crucial to talk to your CPA early and keep them in the loop. You will also want to be sure that you are taking proper compensation as an owner. Drew and I discuss what income range is typically good for most owners planning to sell their company. Preparing for Valuation When looking at your profit and loss statement at the end of the year, you want to show that your business has the potential to make a lot of money. To achieve that you want to have items that you can easily move “below the line.” Adding items to the other income and expenses line on your profit and loss sheet can help you demonstrate that you could add those expenses back into the profit of your business. This will help buyers understand the business's true value during valuation. To learn more about Drew McLellan and the Agency Management Institute, please visit their website at https://agencymanagementinstitute.com/. And of course, please visit https://craigcodyandcompany.com/agency-podcast/ for more informative, money-saving podcast episodes like this one. Additional Resources Website: www.craigcodyandcompany.com Twitter: @CraigC2742 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/craigcodycpa How to Connect with Drew McLellan Email: drew@agencymanagementinstitute.com LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/drewmclellan Website: https://agencymanagementinstitute.com/ About Drew McLellan For 30+ years, Drew McLellan has been in the advertising industry. He started his career at Y&R, worked in boutique-sized agencies, and then started his own (which he still owns and runs) agency in 1995. Additionally, Drew owns and leads the Agency Management Institute, which advises hundreds of small to mid-sized agencies on how to grow their agency and its profitability through agency owner peer groups, consulting, coaching, workshops, and more.

Planning your 2021 taxes? It's a great way to save money. Hear insights about: What resources of Craig's can help you understand basic tax planning What steps should you take before the end of the year to help you save money on your 2021 taxes How to add additional money into your 401(k) if your payroll service automatically caps your contributions if you're over age 50 What is a back-door Roth IRA, why you should do it, and what could prevent you from doing it What is the pass-through entity tax, and how it can help you get around the $10,000 personal deductibility cap Resources: The 12 Biggest Tax Mistakes That Cost Agency Owners Thousands: https://www.amazon.com/Biggest-Mistakes-Agency-Owners-Thousands/dp/B088B6DPG9/ref=sr_1_1?qid=1639661450&refinements=p_27%3ACraig+Cody&s=books&sr=1-1 Additional Resources: Website: www.craigcodyandcompany.com Twitter: @CraigC2742 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/craigcodycpa About Craig Cody: Craig Cody is a Certified Public Accountant, Certified Tax Coach™, business owner, and the host of The Progressive Dentist Podcast and The Progressive Agency Owner Podcast. Prior to his current work, Craig spent seventeen years with the NYPD, where he retired as a Lieutenant in September 2000. Craig is an expert in helping his clients legally reduce their tax liabilities and keep more of their money. Through his podcast, Craig helps dentists grow their practices through smart financial decisions and through financial education of the kind that isn't offered in dental school.

Marketing for dental offices offers unique challenges, but expert Chris Pistorius has mastered the art. Hear insights about: How Chris dipped his toe in advertising by selling ads for his college newspaper, and why he struck out on his own and started his own agency marketing for dental offices Why Chris and his team chose to narrow their focus to specializing in helping dental offices and medical professionals with their marketing What common financial and tax-related mistakes Chris has seen agency owners make, and how to avoid those pitfalls Why it's crucial to set up your business with documentation, processes and systems, and how doing so can add tremendous value to your business How Chris and his team track and project their cash flow using robust data and spreadsheets to document everything Why developing his sales and leadership skills have been key pillars of the success Chris has been able to create for his business What process Chris followed to hire for his own weaknesses and develop his leadership experience How Chris developed his podcast, the Dental Marketing Podcast, and what interesting and actionable topics his show covers How to Connect with Chris Pistorius: Website: https://kickstartdental.com/ The Dental Marketing Podcast with Chris Pistorius on Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-dental-marketing-podcast/id1553267057 LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/pistorius/ LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/company/ifuse-internet-marketing-inc/ Facebook: www.facebook.com/kickstartdentalmarketing Twitter:  @KickStartDental Additional Resources: Website: https://craigcodyandcompany.com/ Twitter: @CraigC2742 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/craigcodycpa About Chris Pistorius: Chris Pistorius is the founder of KickStart Dental Marketing. While Chris specializes in dental marketing, other medical professionals, marketers, entrepreneurs, and businesses can learn from his digital marketing experience of over 15 years. Chris has worked with countless local business owners in all industries across multiple facets of marketing, consulting, and coaching. Chris has been able to build his local digital marketing agency into one of the top marketing agencies in the country, as listed on UpCity, SEO For Growth, DesignRush, Expertise & AgencyVista. He shares his expertise by giving marketing seminars across the country and hosting a weekly marketing podcast. Before starting his marketing agency in 2009, Chris worked for online marketing giants AOL, Time Warner, Dex & MapQuest. He holds several online marketing certifications and is trained by Google on how businesses can get the most out of their marketing efforts. He's also the author of The Ultimate Guide to Internet Marketing for Dentists. Chris resides in the Denver, CO area with his wife Michele and two kids, Kaitlyn & Brody.

Know your business numbers; they are the key to identifying problems, opportunities, and when to expand your team. Hear insights about: How Isaac founded his digital advertising business, AdVenture Media, while attaining his Master's Degree How Isaac's passion for learning Google Adwords helped drive his agency's spectacular growth, and how Isaac learned why it is so important to know your business numbers Why cutting corners in your marketing won't get you the results you want, and why it's crucial to invest in and follow through with your campaigns Why Isaac believes it is crucial to set expectations with his clients before money changes hands, and why patience and follow-through are vital Why the key to a fruitful partnership between AdVenture Media and its clients is for Isaac and his team to spend time learning the client's business and expectations Why Isaac describes himself as “risk-averse,” and why he struggled to decide to invest in hiring team members to help with the workload Why adding team members and delegating tasks is a powerful way to grow your business, freeing you to work on the things that will truly move the needle Why it is crucial to know your business numbers and how hiring team members affect those numbers, and why that level of clarity is the key to knowing when to hire Why ordinary people with a powerful work ethic are far more effective and productive than extremely talented people who do the bare minimum to get by How to Connect with Isaac Rudansky: Website: https://adventureppc.com/ LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/isaacrudansky/ LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/company/adventure-media-group-llc/ Facebook: www.facebook.com/AdventurePPC Twitter:  @isaacrudansky Twitter:  @AdVenturePPC Additional Resources: Website: www.craigcodyandcompany.com Twitter: @CraigC2742 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/craigcodycpa About Isaac Rudansky: Isaac Rudansky founded AdVenture Media in 2012 after earning his Masters's Degree in Industrial Psychology from Hofstra University. Under Isaac's leadership, AdVenture Media grew more than 100% year over year throughout its first four years in business. Isaac and the AdVenture team have worked with 500+ companies including multiple publicly traded companies and billion-dollar brands. Isaac's digital advertising training is the most popular paid search and social ads training on the internet, with over 200,000 students enrolled from around the globe.