Podcasts about agencies

It's Wednesday, March 18th, A.D. 2026. This is The Worldview in 5 Minutes heard on 140 radio stations and at www.TheWorldview.com.  I'm Adam McManus. (Adam@TheWorldview.com) By Jonathan Clark and Timothy Reed Swedish Christian family guilty of “religious extremism” for going to church The European Court of Human Rights refused to hear an appeal of a Swedish Christian family in a case involving parental rights and religious freedom. Back in 2022, officials in Sweden separated Daniel and Bianca Samson from their two eldest daughters. The state found no evidence of abuse but accused the family of “religious extremism” for simply attending church three times a week. Morales Sancho, Legal Counsel for Alliance Defending Freedom International, stated, “The element of religious discrimination is also unmistakable in this case. The state labeled the family as religious extremists solely because of their active practice of their Christian faith.” Psalm 14:4 asks, “Have all the workers of iniquity no knowledge, who eat up My people as they eat bread, and do not call on the LORD?” Swedish population embraces sexual perversion Sadly, people in Sweden are the most likely to view homosexuality as morally acceptable in a recent Pew Research survey. The study surveyed 30,000 people across 25 countries. People in European countries were also among the most likely to be morally accepting of homosexuality, abortion, and divorce.   Christianity's decline in England People in Britain are worried about the decline of Christianity in the nation. A study by Whitestone Insight found that 52% of Brits believe that drifting from their Christian roots is bad for future generations. Fifty-eight percent also said that Christianity plays a beneficial role in public life.  This comes as Christian identification has declined. Only 44% of adults in Britain identified as Christian last year, down from 54% in 2018. Carrie Prejean, who objected to Zionism, was fired by Trump's religious liberty commissionIn the United States, a member of the U.S. President's Religious Liberty Commission, Carrie Prejean Boller, was removed from her position after she registered opposition to Zionism last month.  A recent convert to Catholicism, Boller challenged the tenets of Zionism, claiming they were incompatible with her faith. She also sent a letter to President Donald Trump after her removal, explaining her misgivings. She appeared on the podcast of LifeSiteNews.com editor John-Henry Western. BOLLER: “I know there's three Catholics that are thinking about running for president in 2028 so I don't think now is the time to really dismiss Catholics, fire Catholics, remove Catholics, simply because I'm standing up for my Catholic faith. “So, I'm hopeful that he's going to make the right decision. Otherwise, this religious liberty commission should be completely shut down. If I don't have my religious freedom on a Religious Freedom Commission, it's not a religious freedom commission.” Christian workplaces thrive Employees in Christian-led workplaces report high levels of engagement in their work according to a new report.  The State of the Christian Workplace 2026 report released new data on 40,000 employees in over 400 Christian organizations in the U.S. Sixty-one percent of employees in Christian-led workplaces reported being engaged in their work. These engagement levels are nearly twice that of the U.S. workforce overall.  Jay Bransford, President & CEO of Best Christian Workplaces, noted, “Engaged employees bring energy, enthusiasm, commitment, and passion that directly fuel Kingdom impact.” Colossians 3:23-24 says, “Whatever you do, do it heartily, as to the Lord and not to men, knowing that from the Lord you will receive the reward of the inheritance; for you serve the Lord Christ.” U.S. federal workforce shrunk by 10.3% Pew Research reports that the U.S. federal workforce shrank by 10.3 percent in 2025.  Nearly 350,000 people quit, retired, were laid off, or otherwise left the federal government last year. That's an 80 percent increase compared to 2024. Agencies with the most job cuts included the U.S. Agency for International Development, the National Endowments for the Arts and the Humanities, and the Education Department. 18-year-old rescues brother from axe-wielding man And finally, an 18-year-old is thanking God after protecting his brother from an ax-wielding man in Florida over the weekend.  Fox News reports Leodan Pino and his 16-year-old brother were closing up a car wash in Ocala. That's when the suspect approached while yelling and threatening.  Pino told the man he had to leave. The man refused and pulled out an ax.  Thankfully, Pino is a military recruit and trained in mixed martial arts. He proceeded to execute a take down and subdued the suspect until police arrived.  Listen to his comments afterward.  PINO: “I'm very thankful that God gave me the opportunity and gave me the strength to be able to control that situation. Very thankful that I was the one closing with my brother and no one else was. Because I'm not too sure if any of my co-workers would have done the same thing as I would have.” Close And that's The Worldview on this Wednesday, March 18th, in the year of our Lord 2026. Follow us on X or subscribe for free by Spotify, Amazon Music, or by iTunes or email to our unique Christian newscast at www.TheWorldview.com.  Plus, you can get the Generations app through Google Play or The App Store. I'm Adam McManus (Adam@TheWorldview.com). Seize the day for Jesus Christ.

Would you like access to our advanced agency training for FREE? https://www.agencymastery360.com/training Most agency owners say they want to sell someday… but they're building something completely unsellable. The mistake? Not only a lack of a clear vision for the future of their agency, but also a lack of understanding of what they'll need to build a sellable agency. If you're an agency owner planning to sell one day, do you understand what buyers are usually looking for? Do you know which type of buyer you're hoping to attract? Today's featured guest understands that most agencies are acquired by private equity and built the private equity partner he felt was missing in the space. He'll talk about what actually drives valuation, what kills deals, and how to build an agency that buyers want to compete for. Ben Gaddis is the former founder of T3, a digital agency he sold to private equity in 2019. After going through multiple acquisitions himself, he now runs an operator-led private equity firm focused exclusively on tech-enabled service and agency businesses. As a former owner who's been on both sides of the table, he knows exactly what buyers are thinking. In this episode, we'll discuss: What are private equity companies looking for in agencies? Recurring revenue vs. retention What would actually increase your agency's valuation? If the goal is talent, should you consider an acquisition? Subscribe Apple | Spotify | iHeart Radio Sponsors and Resources E2M Solutions: Today's episode of the Smart Agency Masterclass is sponsored by E2M Solutions, a web design, and development agency that has provided white-label services for the past 10 years to agencies all over the world. Check out e2msolutions.com/smartagency and get 10% off for the first three months of service. Toggl: Most agencies are losing 15–30% of their profit every year: lack of time tracking, messy manual timesheets, scope creep, untracked revisions, and all those "quick" client requests that never get billed. Toggl has created a fast, interactive way to uncover exactly where your margins are leaking. Start your investigation now at toggl.com/smartagency and use the code SMARTAGENCY10 at checkout for a 10% off annual plans. What Private Equity Actually Looks For (It's Not What You Think) The reality is that most private equity companies are looking to buy a couple of agencies to slam them together and eventually sell them for more. Based on this, agency owners have an idea of what these buyers want and mostly focus on revenue or EBITDA. According to Ben, however, buyers are looking at a few core things first: Client concentration Recurring or predictable revenue Net revenue retention Founder dependency (aka key-person risk) Clear vision and differentiation Let's start with client concentration. A lot of owners panic if one client makes up 20% of revenue. Some PE firms get nervous at 10%. But Ben brings nuance here. If you've landed and retained a $2–3M client for years, that's proof you can serve at a high level. That's powerful. The issue isn't just one big client. It's when your top 3–5 clients make up 50–60% of revenue. That's where it gets risky. If you're in that position, you already feel it. One bad email. One procurement shift. One budget freeze. And your stomach drops. That's not a valuation problem. That's a freedom problem. Recurring Revenue vs. Retention (The Smarter Metric) Everyone argues about contracts. "Should I lock clients into 12 months?" "Should we go month-to-month?" Ben argues that the real metric is net revenue retention. If you're at 90–100%+ retention, buyers don't care as much about contract length. He shared a case where they bought a company with almost zero recurring revenue but 115% net revenue retention. Clients kept buying more. The business was healthy. The packaging just needed to change. This is huge for agencies stuck in custom project hell. Sometimes it's not your service. It's how you position and sell it. Are you framing projects as standalone deliverables or as phases in a longer journey? If you're stuck working in the business and scrambling for the next sale, this is where to look first. Integration > Financial Engineering There are two types of buyers: Financial engineers smashing agencies together to increase multiples Operator-led firms building real integrated offerings Ben sees a lot of "fake integration." Agencies get acquired, but nothing truly connects. No shared systems. No real cross-sell. No operational synergy. Sophisticated buyers see through that immediately. What actually increases valuation? Additive capability. Does one service naturally lead to another? Does it solve a deeper problem for the same buyer? Does it expand wallet share within the same account? If you're thinking about acquisitions, don't buy revenue. Buy strategic fit. Otherwise, you're just running two companies under one logo. Growing Through Acquisition (And When Not To) A lot of 7-figure agency owners hit a wall where they can't hire fast enough and start to feel overwhelmed. The team depends on them. Growth feels capped. So they think: "Maybe I should acquire" and figure they should start small, as it seems easier than going through a big acquisition. Buying a bigger company or doing a merger of equals is certainly complicated in terms of defining who's in charge and which brand should remain. So, it should be a very complementary offer with a clear leader for it to make sense. This would be much clearer when buying a smaller business. However, here's the thing: Small acquisitions are just as hard as big ones. The legal, the integration, the emotional complexity, it's all real. If you've never done one before, the odds of it going smoothly are low. If the goal is talent… why not build offshore first? With AI and real-time translation tools, the global talent pool is radically more accessible than it was even five years ago. A lot of agency owners avoid offshore because it failed before. But the game has changed. If your bottleneck is hiring, you might not need to buy an agency. You might need to rethink your talent strategy. How to Prepare for a Sale (Even If You're Not Selling) This is where most deals fall apart, and Ben believes it's important for owners to try to cover any gaps in knowledge. Try to learn as much as you can about the process and the buyer to better understand their expectations. And if you still have questions, then don't hesitate to ask! Some aspects that owners may not understand and that you should start learning about: Working capital expectations Accrual vs. cash accounting Quality of Earnings (QofE) reviews Data cleanliness Revenue tagging Furthermore, Ben recommends something most owners never do: Run your own QofE before going to market. Know your skeletons. Track secured revenue. At the start of each year, how much revenue is already locked in? If that number consistently grows year over year, that's powerful. Buyers will ask about revenue by capability, revenue by sales rep, revenue by region, and client concentration by top 3/5/10. If your data is messy, you lose leverage. And if you're thinking, "I'll figure that out when I'm ready to sell," you're already behind. Vision Is the Real Multiplier Right now, Ben is seeing a lack of vision + execution alignment. AI is reshaping agency models in real time. Entire categories of services didn't exist a few months ago. The agencies that win won't just be efficient. They'll have a tight, clear, communicated vision. Agencies won't scale just because of a tactic. They'll scale because the vision was clear enough that the team could make decisions without the owner. If your team can't make decisions without you, that's not a people problem. That's a vision problem. And that's also why you're still stuck in fulfillment. Do You Want to Transform Your Agency from a Liability to an Asset? Looking to dig deeper into your agency's potential? Check out our Agency Blueprint. Designed for agency owners like you, our Agency Blueprint helps you uncover growth opportunities, tackle obstacles, and craft a customized blueprint for your agency's success.

Tue, Mar 17 1:39 AM → 1:47 AM Siloam Springs Police initiate a traffic stop which led to a vehicle pursuit. Benton County Sheriffs Deputies assisted. Radio Systems: - AWIN - Benton County Simulcast

Ray Bercini and Sara Elander join Dr. Sandie Morgan to explore what's really at stake when a city like Los Angeles hosts the World Cup — and why the biggest trafficking risk might not be what you think.Chapters(00:00) - Introduction: What LA's Preparing for and Why It Matters (01:04) - Meet Ray and Sara: Roles at Saving Innocence and the LA Task Force (06:19) - Building a Legacy Committee: Planning for FIFA and Beyond (09:03) - Law Enforcement Readiness: Operations, Agencies, and Coordination (11:50) - Separating Myth from Reality: What the Data Actually Shows About Trafficking and Major Events (16:36) - Preparing for the Surge: Tips, Leads, and Victim Services Coordination (24:18) - Vetting Outside Organizations and Staying in Your Lane (32:37) - What Does Success Look Like After FIFA? Ray Bercini and Sara ElanderRay Bercini serves as Task Force Coordinator and Law Enforcement Liaison at Saving Innocence. With 31 years at the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department — including six years dedicated to human trafficking work — Ray brings deep cross-sector expertise to the intersection of law enforcement and victim services. He has been instrumental in building the LA Regional Human Trafficking Task Force into one of the largest co-located task forces in the nation, and has played a key role in preparing Los Angeles for major events including the Super Bowl, FIFA World Cup, and LA28 Olympics.Sara Elander is Director of Programs at Saving Innocence and Victim Service Coordinator for the LA Regional Human Trafficking Task Force. With over six years of experience in program management and trauma-informed care, Sara leads a team of crisis case managers and oversees survivor-centered services across LA County. She holds a Bachelor of Arts in Community Advocacy and Social Policy from Arizona State University and is committed to healing-centered approaches that empower survivors toward long-term recovery and stability.Key PointsThe widely repeated claim that major sporting events dramatically spike sex trafficking lacks supporting data — but the absence of proof isn't proof of absence, and LA is launching a research study around FIFA to finally generate real, local data.Labor trafficking is the more evidence-based concern around large-scale events, with exploitation rising sharply in the lead-up to events through construction, hospitality, and vendor supply chains.The LA Regional Human Trafficking Task Force launched a Sports and Major Events Committee with roughly 30 members and six subcommittees, designed as a legacy infrastructure that can serve future events beyond just FIFA.Coordinating tips during a major international event is a complex, unsolved challenge — multiple agencies including FBI, HSI, LAPD, and LASD will all have tip lines, and the team is working to centralize reporting without losing coverage.One of the most important lessons from the 2022 Super Bowl was that outside organizations parachuting in with good intentions — but without coordination — can undermine local trust and misdirect survivors away from local resources.Effective multi-agency collaboration requires every organization to clearly define what they uniquely bring to the table, stay in their lane, and go through a vetting process before engaging in high-stakes response work.Sara's definition of success after FIFA centers on community empowerment — if hospitality workers, transportation staff, and community members leave better equipped to identify and report trafficking indicators, that's a lasting win.Ray's measure of success is straightforward: survivors of all forms of trafficking — sex and labor — are identified, connected to resources, and treated with dignity, which no single agency can accomplish alone.ResourcesSaving InnocenceLA Regional Human Trafficking Task ForceNational Human Trafficking HotlineCompass ConnectionsBlue CampaignLA Regional Crime StoppersGlobal Center for Women and JusticeEnding Human Trafficking Podcast

Google Launches New Merchant Center | EP. 424This week on Marketing O'Clock: Google has launched its Merchant Center for agencies, which greatly improves workflow and allows you to focus more on client strategy over maintenance. Plus, PPC Survey's 2026 “The State of PPC Global Report” was released.Visit us at - https://marketingoclock.com/

FOLLOW UP WITH ANDREW X: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://x.com/andrewjfaris⁠⁠⁠⁠ Email: ⁠⁠⁠⁠podcast@ajfgrowth.com⁠⁠⁠⁠Work with Andrew: ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://ajfgrowth.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠MOVE SUPPLY CHAINReduce your OpEx and create more leverage in your company with financial forecasting, AI, and offshore talent by visiting ⁠⁠https://morestaffing.co/af⁠⁠.RICHPANELCut your support costs by 30% and reduce tickets by 30%—guaranteed—with Richpanel's AI-first Customer Service Platform that will reduce costs, improve agent productivity & delight customers at http://www.richpanel.com/partners/ajf?utm_source=spotify.

More local law enforcement agencies are signing agreements with federal immigration agencies, bringing in new revenue for the departments, at the potential risk of community relationships. The agreements mean that even minor infractions like driving tickets have the potential to result in deportation.

On Today's Show: To Subscribe And Support: https://thehotshotwakeup.substack.com/Wildfires in Nebraska have burned nearly 700,000 acres this week, with the Morrill Fire now the largest in the State's history. Full update.South Dakota got a wake-up call with the Qury Fire, now 7,200 acres. The fire's management has already expressed a shortage of aviation resources due to the ongoing fires in Nebraska. The Southwest is expecting a critical fire weather event pushing in early this week, with temperatures above 100 degrees. Fire managers and Incident Management Teams are prepping for a possible wildfire outbreak. Elected officials in Colorado sent a letter to Forest Service Chief Tom Schultz, asking for more prescribed burns and forest mitigation work due to concerns over record-low snowpacks. But asking Agencies and Firefighters to put more fire on the ground in these conditions is a big ask… and still no hazard pay for these increasingly hazardous operations. A full discussion on this. When do you declare an escaped burn a wildfire? A new report from the Klamath National Forest. Plus more. THE HOTSHOT WAKE UP — Thank you to all of our paid subscribers. Your support allows us to donate generously to firefighter charities and supports all of our content. You also receive all of our article archives, more podcast episodes, Monday morning workouts, and also entered into our giveaways, plus more.

This episode explores the capabilities and limitations of AI in marketing, focusing on its impact on marketing agencies and how businesses can leverage AI effectively. Hosts Kai and Spencer share insights on AI's current functions, strategic considerations, and the human element essential for success.

US Intel Agencies Set To Release Major Review Proving Communist China Stole 2020 Election! Iran Launches Largest Attacks Yet, Contradicting Trump's Claim War Is Over! Plus, Director Roger Avary Joins Alex Jones To Expose Elite Satanism

You're fully booked and the money is coming in, but you're more overwhelmed than ever. You haven't built a business... you've built a high-pressure job. In this episode, Sarah Noked (founder of OBM School) and I dig into what it actually means to scale yourself OUT of the day-to-day so your business doesn't collapse the moment you step away. We talk about why web designers are often the biggest bottleneck in their own growth, and exactly what to do about it.

In this episode, Jenny Bristow, CEO & Founder of Hedy & Hopp, unpacks the state of the healthcare marketing agency landscape, which has evolved a lot in the past few years! It's important to choose an agency that understands the nuance of your organization and the challenges healthcare marketers face. Jenny explores three different categories of healthcare marketing agencies and the types of offerings they provide. Episode Notes:Full-Service Agency: These agencies provide upstream strategy and branding, in addition to performance tactics. Their primary focus is on the who, what, and why. They thrive in market research, persona development, and messaging positioning. And, they have traditional capabilities, too.Performance Marketing Agency: These agencies focus exclusively on patient acquisition and retention, primarily utilizing digital tactics. Their goal is to drive appointments.Specialty Marketing Agency: These agencies are pros in content development, upstream research, direct mail, and website services. They are a great fit for organizations that want to focus in one area without a broader  need for full-service agency services.(Bonus—not an agency!) Tech Solutions: SAAS platforms provide extremely useful solutions, like CDP or analytics compliance, but don't provide service. Maintenance and ongoing work falls on an individual organization, or an organization can choose to partner with a full service or specialty agency for support.Finally, Jenny offers some advice to differentiate between the full-service agencies, which is to ask about an agency's roots. Many started as creative agencies that added digital capabilities later. Hedy & Hopp was built on a strong analytics, compliance, and performance foundation, and later added strategy and creative services.Connect with Jenny:Email: jenny@hedyandhopp.comLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jennybristow/If you enjoyed this episode, we'd love to hear your feedback! Please consider leaving us a review on your preferred listening platform and sharing it with others.

SummaryIn this episode, Azim Nagree, head of M&A at Herringbone Digital, shares insights on building a successful origination engine, the importance of early and honest communication in M&A, and how agencies can prepare for sale by focusing on retention, growth, and profitability.TakeawaysOpen and honest conversations early in the process streamline deals.Retention rate of 80% is a key indicator of business health.Growth of 15-20% and EBITDA of 20-25% are desirable benchmarks.AI should improve core business metrics to add value.Founders should focus on building a strong foundation before sale.Chapters00:00 Introduction and Milestone Celebration01:10 Azim Nagree's Background and Herringbone's Focus05:42 Herringbone's Acquisition Strategy and Ideal Targets07:49 Relationship with Private Equity and Deal Support09:21 Lessons from Deal Experience and Early Communication13:43 Deal Origination Process and Tech Stack15:00 Defining the Prospect Universe and Narrowing the Buy Box16:33 Balancing Organic and Broker Deal Sourcing18:43 Assessing Seller Readiness and Valuation Expectations20:01 Using the 'Magic Number' to Evaluate Sellers23:57 The Triangle of Value: Retention, Growth, Profitability25:21 Evaluating EBITDA and Adjusted EBITDA28:57 Retention and Growth Benchmarks for Agencies29:59 The Leaky Bucket Problem in Agencies30:05 Identifying Signs of Retention Issues30:36 Impact of AI on Agency Valuation and Performance34:09 Common Mistakes Before Selling an Agency35:36 Advice for Founders Considering Exit36:47 Managing Communications with Potential Buyers39:51 Closing Remarks and Key TakeawaysConnect with Christian and AyeletAyelet's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ayelet-shipley-b16330149/Christian's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/hassold/Web: https://www.inorganicpodcast.coIn/organic on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@InorganicPodcast/featuredConnect with Azim Nagree on LinkedInHerringbone Digital - https://herringbonedigital.com Azim Nagree on LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/azimnagree/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Would you like access to our advanced agency training for FREE? https://www.agencymastery360.com/training Are you winning exciting projects but still feeling exhausted at the end of every quarter? Does your agency look successful from the outside, yet feel fragile or chaotic behind the scenes? For most agency owners, the real struggle isn't creativity. It's sustainability. The real challenge begins after the win, when you have to deliver consistently, protect your margins, manage your team, and somehow still have the energy to lead. Michael Boychuk is the founder and creative director of DNA&Stone, a creative agency that deals in real emotion and embrace the hard truth, understanding that brands that connect emotionally see 50% higher revenue growth. He'll talk about scaling creatively led agencies, navigating mergers, embracing productive conflict, and integrating AI without sacrificing emotional storytelling. In this episode, we'll discuss: Why creative isn't enough The merger process Embracing tension & clear swim lanes in partnerships Set audacious goals or stay average Subscribe Apple | Spotify | iHeart Radio Sponsors and Resources E2M Solutions: Today's episode of the Smart Agency Masterclass is sponsored by E2M Solutions, a web design, and development agency that has provided white-label services for the past 10 years to agencies all over the world. Check out e2msolutions.com/smartagency and get 10% off for the first three months of service. Toggl: Most agencies are losing 15–30% of their profit every year: lack of time tracking, messy manual timesheets, scope creep, untracked revisions, and all those "quick" client requests that never get billed. Toggl has created a fast, interactive way to uncover exactly where your margins are leaking. Start your investigation now at toggl.com/smartagency and use the code SMARTAGENCY10 at checkout for a 10% off annual plans. Leaving Amazon to Start a Creative Agency Michael's career began in small, strategy-led creative shops before moving to Leo Burnett in Chicago. Eventually, he crossed to the client side as Global Executive Creative Director at Amazon, working closely on major brand initiatives. While many creatives were moving in-house at the time, Michael saw the gap in how external agencies worked with internal creative teams. Even the most respected agencies struggled to collaborate effectively with in-house counterparts. So he made the decision to leave Amazon to start his own agency. He co-founded Little Hands of Stone (later merging to become DNA&Stone), building a nimble, creatively driven agency with operational discipline at its core. The goal wasn't to be another agency in a crowded market. It was to build one that worked differently. The Project Roller Coaster: Why Great Creative Isn't Enough In the early years, Michael and his partner excelled at landing high-impact project work. The agency would scale up quickly, execute powerful campaigns, and then scale back down. The upside: Strong margins. The downside: Revenue volatility. Some months were record-breaking. Others were terrifying. This feast-or-famine model made it difficult to invest in long-term infrastructure, particularly account management and relationship-building functions that sustain retainer revenue. As Michael put it, scaling into projects and rapidly reducing afterward may be profitable, but it's not easily sustainable. That realization set the stage for a major shift. The Merger: Combining Creative Firepower with Account Stability After years of competing against DNA, Michael's firm began merger conversations. His six-year-old, creatively led shop was volatile but high-impact. DNA, a 26-year-old agency, had stable retainer revenue and strong account leadership. They were opposites and that made them perfect. The nine-month merger process was far more complex than expected. Michael describes it as "drawing up a marriage certificate." But strategically, it functioned like a time machine, instantly solving growth limitations both firms faced independently. However, merging on paper is easy. Operationalizing it while "building the plane during barrel rolls" is the real challenge. One year later, they're still refining the model and balancing creative ambition with financial discipline. Account Management vs. Creative Leadership One of the biggest lessons Michael learned post-merger is the value of strong account leadership. Creative leaders tend to chase the next exciting idea. Account leaders think in terms of long-term relationships, financial discipline, and sustainable growth. You need both. Rather than avoid tension, the four partners embrace it. Michael believes healthy conflict is essential. If there's no disagreement, you're probably not addressing the real issues. But the key is respectful conflict rooted in trust. They operate with: Clear swim lanes (each partner has decision authority in their domain) Open debate before decisions 100% alignment after decisions are made No back-channel dissent or lingering resentment. Only unified execution. Embrace the AI Wave But Protect the Emotion Michael doesn't sugarcoat his views on AI. If agencies aren't actively integrating AI into workflows and developing proprietary approaches, they risk irrelevance. But he also warns against overcorrection. Yes, AI improves efficiency and enhances pre-visualization and brainstorming. Yes, it can increase margins. But creative agencies aren't data-processing factories. They're emotional engines. In his view, the industry is currently drowning in data while starving for emotional resonance. AI can create competent output but it often carries a detectable "stink," a subtle lack of human nuance. He chooses to use AI to: enable better creative. improve efficiency. remove bottlenecks. However, it should not be used to replace emotional storytelling. Because humans still crave human connection and no algorithm can replicate lived experience. Set Audacious Goals or Stay Average The biggest lesson Michael took from his time at Amazon working directly with Jeff Bezos was to set ambitious goals. After campaigning to have an Amazon ad during the Super Bowl, he got Jeff's attention and set out to create a top-five Super Bowl ad. But during development, director Wayne McClammy challenged him: "Why aim for top five? Why not number one?" That shift in ambition changed everything. Every decision became filtered through one question: Is this the move that gets us to #1? The resulting product was the "Alexa Loses Her Voice" Super Bowl spot featuring Cardi B and Anthony Hopkins. And, yes, it was ranked the number one Super Bowl ad that year. The lesson for him was about standards. If your goals don't make you nervous, they're not big enough. Do You Want to Transform Your Agency from a Liability to an Asset? Looking to dig deeper into your agency's potential? Check out our Agency Blueprint. Designed for agency owners like you, our Agency Blueprint helps you uncover growth opportunities, tackle obstacles, and craft a customized blueprint for your agency's success.

You're fully booked and the money is coming in, but you're more overwhelmed than ever. You haven't built a business... you've built a high-pressure job. In this episode, Sarah Noked (founder of OBM School) and I dig into what it actually means to scale yourself OUT of the day-to-day so your business doesn't collapse the moment you step away. We talk about why web designers are often the biggest bottleneck in their own growth, and exactly what to do about it.

Is AI quietly making your agency more replaceable?Or is it revealing where your real value actually lives?Right now, content can be generated in seconds. Blog posts. Emails. Website copy. Entire strategies drafted with a prompt.Which raises an uncomfortable question for agency owners:If the machine can produce the words… what are clients really paying us for?In this episode of the Small But Mighty Agency Podcast, we pull back the curtain on what AI actually looks like inside a working content agency serving technical clients.My guest, Victoria Cowan, founder of Wordplay Creative, built her business on thoughtful, human-centered storytelling. When AI hit the marketing world she felt what many writers felt: fear.Not hype. Not instant adoption. Fear.Instead of ignoring it or blindly embracing it she integrated it intentionally.In this conversation, we unpack what's really happening behind the scenes:Where AI genuinely speeds up workflow and where it creates more workWhy most AI-generated content sounds the sameThe growing importance of editorial discernmentHow tone of voice is becoming a serious competitive advantageWhat agencies need to consider around transparency and IPWhy strategic thought partnership is becoming more valuable than executionAs more agencies use the same tools, sameness becomes the default. If you're navigating how to use AI without becoming commoditized, this episode will help you think more clearly about where your real leverage lives.Let's dive in.Show Notes:-Website: https://www.wordplaycreative.ca/-LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/victoriajunecowan/Hey thanks for hanging out with me at the Small But Mighty Podcast. If you enjoyed this episode it would mean the world to me if you hit the follow or subscribe button in your podcast app and share it with a friend. And I'll see you on the next one. Get the full show notes and more information here: https://audreyjoykwan.com/podcast/ep148Podcast Edits by Lindsay Curtis

Stop guessing. Get the blueprint to scale: https://www.tiereleven.com/audit Are your ads working, or are the dashboards just telling you what you want to hear? Too many marketers celebrate high ROAS inside Meta or Google while revenue in Shopify tells a very different story. If your agency is “reporting well” but the business isn't growing, something is broken.In this episode, we break down why in-app metrics are often misleading, how platforms double-count conversions, and why your CRM or store data must always be the source of truth. We also share the questions every VP of Marketing should ask their agency to force better thinking, stronger accountability, and a real growth strategy.You'll learn how to challenge reporting, uncover hidden attribution issues, and turn agency meetings into strategic conversations instead of dashboard reviews. If you manage paid media or manage the people managing it, this one will help you evaluate performance.In This Episode:- Vanity metrics vs real revenue- Why attribution models conflict- View-through vs click attribution- Addressing tracking setup mistakes- Three questions to ask your agency- Which answers should raise red flags?- Questions for monthly and quarterly reviews- Challenging agencies to think of your money as theirs- Agencies should perform, not report wellMentioned in the Episode:Stop guessing. Get the blueprint to scale: https://www.tiereleven.com/audit Is Your Agency Performing Or Just Reporting Well?: https://youtu.be/F6iGYu7Dv4sListen to This Episode on Your Favorite Podcast Channel:Follow and listen on Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/perpetual-traffic/id1022441491 Follow and listen on Spotify:https://open.spotify.com/show/59lhtIWHw1XXsRmT5HBAuK Subscribe and watch on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@perpetual_traffic?sub_confirmation=1We Appreciate Your Support!Visit our website: https://perpetualtraffic.com/ Follow us on X: https://x.com/perpetualtraf Connect with Ralph Burns: LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/ralphburns Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/ralphhburns/ Hire Tier11 - https://www.tiereleven.com/apply-now Connect with Lauren Petrullo:Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/laurenepetrullo/LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/laurenpetrullo Consult Mongoose Media - https://mongoosemedia.us/ Mentioned in this episode:https://www.tiereleven.com/audithttps://www.tiereleven.com/auditWe're opening up sponsorship spots for Q1 and Q2! Apply now by visiting www.perpetualtraffic.com https://www.tiereleven.com/audit

An attempted bombing in New York is raising questions about terrorism threats and security measures to prevent them. Two men from Pennsylvania are accused of bringing homemade explosives to an anti-Islamic demonstration and throwing one into the crowd. The device didn't detonate, and there were no injuries. Amna Nawaz discussed the challenge for security agencies with Juliette Kayyem. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy

Everyone loves the home run. The viral moment. The massive account win. The big splash that makes headlines. But great agencies aren't built on home runs. They're built on base hits.In this episode, Shane and Tonya are joined by University of Kansas senior softball player Emma Tatum talks about the surprising parallels between competitive athletics and building a successful independent insurance agency.They explore why consistency, grit, and doing the small things well often matter more than chasing the big win. If you're tired of chasing the "next big thing" and want to build something sustainable, this episode will change the way you think about growth.Learn more at IntegraPartnerNetwork.com.

This Day in Legal History: Blue Sky LawsOn March 10, 1911, Kansas enacted the first “blue sky law” in the United States, marking a significant development in the regulation of securities markets. The statute was designed to protect investors from fraudulent investment schemes that had become increasingly common in the early twentieth century. At the time, promoters frequently sold speculative securities with little oversight and few consequences if the ventures failed. Kansas lawmakers responded by creating a system that required securities offerings to be reviewed before they could be sold to the public. State officials were given authority to examine proposed investments and determine whether they were legitimate.The name “blue sky law” reflected the legislature's concern that many promoters were selling investments backed by nothing more than empty promises. Lawmakers wanted to prevent the sale of securities that had no real value or financial foundation. Kansas banking commissioner Joseph Norman Dolley played a central role in advocating for the law and persuading the legislature to adopt stronger investor protections. His efforts reflected growing public concern about financial fraud and the need for government oversight of securities markets.The Kansas statute quickly became a model for other states. Within a few years, many states adopted their own versions of blue sky laws, creating a patchwork system of state-level securities regulation. These laws helped establish the principle that governments could require disclosure and review before securities were sold to the public. The idea later influenced the development of federal securities regulation during the New Deal era. In particular, the framework helped shape the Securities Act of 1933, which created nationwide disclosure requirements for securities offerings.Live Nation Entertainment has reached a proposed settlement with the U.S. Department of Justice in a major antitrust case challenging the company's dominance in concert promotion and ticketing. The agreement was disclosed during a court hearing and could resolve part of a lawsuit brought by federal regulators and more than two dozen states. Live Nation is also negotiating separately with state attorneys general in an effort to reach a broader nationwide resolution of related claims.Under the proposed deal, the company would pay roughly $200 million in damages to participating states and accept structural reforms aimed at reducing its market power. Regulators had argued that Live Nation's control of venues, artist promotion, and ticketing—particularly through Ticketmaster—allowed the company to inflate prices and limit competition. The lawsuit was filed in 2024 and initially sought to break up the company by forcing a sale of Ticketmaster.The settlement instead focuses on changing how the ticketing market operates. Ticketmaster would be required to open parts of its technology platform to competing ticket sellers, allowing third-party companies to list tickets directly through its system. The deal would also limit the length of Live Nation's exclusive contracts with venues to four years and permit venues to allocate some ticket inventory to rival platforms.The case gained political attention after widespread complaints about long online queues and high prices during the 2022 Taylor Swift Eras Tour ticket sales. A federal judge had allowed the antitrust case to proceed to trial after rejecting Live Nation's attempt to dismiss it earlier this year. If finalized, the settlement would impose oversight and competition requirements on the company rather than break it up.Live Nation reaches settlement with DOJ in antitrust case | ReutersDemocratic U.S. senators plan to introduce legislation that would extend the time prosecutors have to bring foreign bribery cases from five years to ten. The proposal, called the FCPA Reinforcement Act, is led by Senators Elizabeth Warren and Dick Durbin along with several other Democratic lawmakers. It responds to recent Justice Department decisions to scale back enforcement of the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (FCPA), a 1977 law that prohibits companies operating in the United States from bribing foreign officials.Supporters of the bill argue that international corruption investigations are complex and often take years to uncover, making the current five-year statute of limitations too short. The proposed law would temporarily extend the deadline for bringing anti-bribery charges to ten years for an eight-year period. Lawmakers say the change is meant to ensure companies can still be held accountable for misconduct even if enforcement priorities shift.The proposal also signals to corporations that compliance obligations remain important despite the current enforcement slowdown. Some legal experts worry that reduced federal enforcement could lead companies to scale back anti-corruption compliance programs or stop voluntarily reporting violations. Although the bill may face difficulty passing in the current Congress, it indicates that some lawmakers want to preserve strong anti-bribery enforcement and may pursue stricter oversight in the future.US lawmakers plan bill allowing 10 years to bring bribery cases | ReutersA divided federal appeals court has refused to allow the Trump administration to end immigration protections for more than 350,000 Haitians living in the United States. In a 2–1 decision, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit declined to pause a lower court ruling that blocked the Department of Homeland Security from terminating Haiti's Temporary Protected Status (TPS). The ruling means the protections will remain in place while the administration continues its appeal.TPS is a humanitarian program that allows people from certain countries facing crises—such as armed conflict, natural disasters, or political instability—to remain in the United States temporarily and obtain work authorization. Haitians first received TPS after the devastating 2010 earthquake, and the designation has been repeatedly renewed because of ongoing instability in the country.The Trump administration sought to end Haiti's TPS designation as part of a broader effort to scale back the program, arguing that it was never intended to function as long-term legal status. But a federal district judge previously ruled that the government's attempt to terminate the protection likely violated both TPS procedures and constitutional equal-protection principles. The appeals court majority agreed that sending Haitian migrants back now could expose them to severe violence and humanitarian risks due to Haiti's deteriorating conditions.One judge dissented, arguing the case was legally similar to disputes where courts allowed the administration to end TPS protections for Venezuelans. The Department of Homeland Security said it plans to appeal the ruling to the U.S. Supreme Court. For now, the decision preserves legal status and work authorization for hundreds of thousands of Haitian immigrants while the litigation continues.Trump cannot end protections for 350,000 Haitians, US appeals court rules | ReutersMy column for Bloomberg this week examines the surprising milestone that renewable energy generated 26% of U.S. electricity in 2025—even as federal clean-energy incentives were being rolled back. At first glance, that record share might suggest the transition to renewables is unstoppable. In reality, much of the current growth reflects investment decisions made years earlier, when generous subsidies from the Inflation Reduction Act and related policies were still in place. Large wind and solar projects often take three to seven years to move from financing and permitting to full operation. That means many facilities coming online today were funded under a very different policy environment than the one developers face now.Recent changes to federal tax policy have scaled back or eliminated several incentives that previously supported renewable development and electric vehicle adoption. These changes do not immediately halt construction, but they alter the financial calculations for the next generation of projects. Renewable energy projects rely heavily on financing structures that incorporate tax credits, equity partnerships, and long-term debt. When incentives shrink or become uncertain, developers must either accept greater risk or secure more expensive capital. At the same time, unresolved federal rulemaking and regulatory uncertainty are adding another layer of caution for investors. Although wind and solar technology costs have declined and can remain competitive with fossil fuels, policy instability can still erode project margins.The key point is that energy statistics describe what is already built, while investment decisions determine what the energy system will look like years from now. Current renewable growth may therefore reflect past policy rather than present conditions. Financing data already shows signs of slowing investment in green energy. To maintain steady development, policymakers should avoid abrupt tax-credit expirations and instead adopt predictable, multi-year phaseouts that allow markets to adjust. Agencies could also reduce uncertainty by finalizing or withdrawing proposed energy regulations within clear timelines. Stable rules make it easier for investors to commit capital to projects designed to operate for decades. The next investment cycle will reveal whether today's policy environment supports continued energy expansion or discourages it. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.minimumcomp.com/subscribe

DTC and eCommerce brands are facing rising ad costs, climbing CAC, and tighter margins in 2026. If your growth strategy still depends on cheaper paid media, it is time to adjust.In this episode of Bottom Line, Cody sits down with Chris Hall, founder of Ecomm Cowboy and former Shopify operator, to break down the new DTC operating system for profitable growth.He shares three strategic shifts brands must make as paid media gets more expensive:• Generate more organic and low cost traffic• Increase LTV through smarter product development• Cut overhead and operate leanIf you run a Shopify brand or lead an eCommerce marketing team, this episode is a practical blueprint for navigating rising ad costs and building sustainable growth.Subscribe for more conversations on DTC strategy, eCommerce marketing, paid media, and LTV optimization.

Episode 209: Automate Your Lead Generation with our FREE online course: https://go.digitaltrailblazer.com/auto-leads-course-freeMost online business owners are creating content and wondering why it isn't converting — the problem isn't your offer, it's that your audience doesn't know you well enough to trust you yet. Inconsistent, low-volume content leaves money on the table and hands your potential clients over to competitors who show up more often.In this episode, Jake Isham teaches us how to build true omnipresence — the kind that turns cold strangers into ready-to-buy clients. He breaks down how to choose the right content formats, why views are a vanity metric that could be misleading you, and the compounding effect that makes your brand impossible to ignore over time.About Jake Isham: Jake Isham is a filmmaker-turned-brand strategist and creative director who helps founders and entrepreneurs turn their expertise into authority through powerful storytelling.Over the past decade, Jake has worked with more than 150 entrepreneurs and companies - including Grant Cardone, Callaway, 5.11 Tactical, and Travis Mathew—creating content that's generated over 1 billion views online.Jake focuses on blending his background in filmmaking with deep marketing strategy, with creating digital shows and social media content for CEOs and entrepreneurs to cut through the noise by crafting content that builds trust, drives visibility, and creates true omnipresence across platforms.Whether scaling a founder-led brand or launching a thought leadership show, Jake brings a unique creative lens and proven playbooks that turn storytelling into growth.Let Jake build out your digital show for free - https://digitalshow.creativemindsofficial.com/Connect with Jake: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jakeisham/ https://instagram.com/Jakecreativemarketing Want to SCALE your online business bigger and faster without the endless hustle of networking, referrals, and pumping out content that nobody sees?Grab our Ultimate Ad Script for Coaches, Agencies, and Course Creators.Learn the exact 5-step script we teach our clients that allows them to generate targeted, high-quality leads at ultra-low cost, so you can land paying customers and clients without breaking the bank on ad spend. Grab the Ultimate Ad Script right HERE - https://join.digitaltrailblazer.com/ultimate-ad-script✅ Connect With Us:Website - https://DigitalTrailblazer.comFacebook - https://www.facebook.com/digitaltrailblazerTikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@digitaltrailblazerX (Twitter): https://x.com/DgtlTrailblazerInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/DigitalTrailblazer

Beth Everhart is Managing Director at AntiSocial, where she leads growth across North America and strengthens the agency's social-first, talent & partnership and media offerings. She brings senior leadership experience and a deep client background, guiding cross-functional teams and complementing AntiSocial's existing strengths with strategic perspective as the agency expands its footprint in North America. Previously, Beth served as Chief Client Officer at Pearpop and held senior roles at leading agencies working with brands including Microsoft and Snap.

Days before the United States dropped its first bombs on Iran, FBI Director Kash Patel fired members of a team that monitored threats from the Islamic Republic. The reason? They had investigated President Donald Trump's handling of classified documents.That move came amid a year of layoffs, budget cuts, resignations, and shifting priorities across America's national security agencies — including the FBI, the CIA, and the Department of Homeland Security.Now, as U.S. officials warn that Iran could retaliate with cyber attacks or terror attacks on U.S. soil, some experts are asking if the United States still has the capacity to defend itself.That's the question we try to answer in this edition of “If You Can Keep It,” our series exploring the biggest stories of the day and what they mean for our democracy.Find more of our programs online. Listen to 1A sponsor-free by signing up for 1A+ at plus.npr.org/the1a.To manage podcast ad preferences, review the links below:See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorship and to manage your podcast sponsorship preferences.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

Artificial intelligence is reshaping the digital marketing industry faster than most agency owners expected. Many agencies are already experimenting with AI tools to speed up tasks like writing content, building landing pages, analyzing data, or automating reporting. These tools can certainly help teams move faster. But what's happening right now goes far beyond simply working [...] The post AI Is Changing Agencies in 2026 (And Most Owners Don't Even Realize It) appeared first on Seven Figure Agency.

In this episode of the Sleeping Barber Podcast, Marc and Vassilis discuss the evolving landscape of digital advertising, focusing on the shift from traditional targeting methods to understanding consumer intent. They explore the challenges faced by creative agencies in adapting to new market realities and the innovative advertising strategies being employed in the automotive sector. The conversation also touches on WPP's transition to performance-based compensation models and NPR's bold brand campaign that emphasizes curiosity and civic values.Enjoy the show!Key TakeawaysThe effectiveness of targeting is increasingly measured by engagement quality rather than volume.Creative agencies are struggling due to a shift towards automation and lower costs.Performance marketing may become fully AI-driven, challenging traditional agency roles.Innovative advertising strategies, like Ford's sequential ads, are redefining ad breaks.WPP is shifting towards performance-based compensation to align with client outcomes.NPR's campaign creatively reframes its brand identity around curiosity and civic engagement.The future of advertising may require agencies to integrate more deeply with client operations.The importance of measuring total business results rather than just digital outcomes is emphasized.The conversation highlights the need for marketers to adapt to changing consumer behaviours and technologies.Chapters00:00 - Introduction to the Podcast and Overview of Topics00:58 - The New Era of Targeting in Digital Advertising06:08 - Challenges Facing Creative Agencies12:00 - Innovative Advertising Strategies in Automotive Marketing17:47 - WPP's Shift Towards Performance-Based Compensation23:48 - NPR's Bold Brand Campaign: Asking the Right QuestionsIn the News Links:New Era of Targeting - https://www.marketingweek.com/new-era-of-targeting/Why are Agencies in such deep trouble? From Avinash Kaushik - https://www.linkedin.com/posts/akaushik_why-are-agencies-in-such-deep-trouble-reason-share-7433175849379454977-0XWC/How Ford is accelerating its global campaign amid return to Formula 1 - https://www.marketingdive.com/news/how-ford-is-accelerating-its-global-campaign-as-it-returns-to-formula-1/813790/WPP is betting its future on getting paid for outcomes By Seb Joseph -https://digiday.com/media-buying/wpp-is-betting-its-future-on-getting-paid-for-outcomes/

Would you like access to our advanced agency training for FREE? https://www.agencymastery360.com/training AI is either the end of agencies… or the biggest opportunity we've had since the internet. Most agree it's the second one. Agencies that are winning right now are combining SEO, GEO, AEO, and LLM optimization so they show up everywhere decisions are being made. They're using AI to increase leverage, not replace thinking. And they're restructuring their teams around strategy, insight, and proprietary data instead of repetitive task work. Today's featured guest will discuss why SEO isn't dead (it just grew up), the biggest mistake agencies are making with AI, how to 10x output without adding headcount, and why your unique data is the unfair advantage that separates you from every other agency prompting ChatGPT and hoping for magic. Terry Zelen is the founder of Zelen Communications, a 35-year-old agency that pivoted aggressively into AI over the last three years. He's helping clients win visibility across both search engines and large language models (LLMs) and even building AI tools internally to reduce hallucinations and improve accuracy. Terry has a degree in marine biology, so marketing wasn't the master plan. After college, he tried breaking into the creative world with zero portfolio and got laughed out of the room; until one person gave him a shot. He worked for free, proved himself, connected with a freelance rep, and slowly worked his way up through the agency ranks. He eventually transitioned from freelancer to agency owner by acquiring his own accounts and building relationships locally in Tampa. Fast forward three decades and now he's helping clients navigate AI, LLM visibility, and what modern SEO really looks like. In this episode, we'll discuss: Why SEO is more complicated now, but agencies willing to adapt can still win How LLM visibility will win you business AI: The greatest leverage small businesses have ever had Building an AI consensus engine Subscribe Apple | Spotify | iHeart Radio Sponsors and Resources This episode is brought to you by Wix Studio: If you're leveling up your team and your client experience, your site builder should keep up too. That's why successful agencies use Wix Studio — built to adapt the way your agency does: AI-powered site mapping, responsive design, flexible workflows, and scalable CMS tools so you spend less on plugins and more on growth. Ready to design faster and smarter? Go to wix.com/studio to get started. SEO Is Not Dead. It's Just Way More Complicated There's a lot of noise right now around "SEO is dead" or "zero-click internet." But that's an oversimplification. SEO isn't going away. It's evolving. Today, it's not just SEO. It's: GEO (Generative Engine Optimization) AEO (Answer Engine Optimization) Local SEO EEAT (Experience, Expertise, Authority, Trust) Search intent In other words, visibility is the game. Not just ranking in Google, but showing up in LLMs like ChatGPT, Gemini, and Perplexity. Terry points out that while snippets and AI-generated summaries are increasing, people still want to verify sources. They're not buying a couch because an LLM told them it's the best. They'll still visit sites, compare options, and validate credibility. Backlinks, structured content, schema, quality. It all still matters. What's different is that now you're playing the game with Google and the LLMs. How LLM Visibility Actually Wins Business This isn't theoretical. Terry shared a story of a client who builds modular classroom buildings. A school district searched for "best mobile building producer in Florida" and the client showed up in a snippet. That visibility led directly to a new contract. So you're no longer optimizing just for rankings. You're optimizing to be the referenced authority when AI generates an answer. That means you better have structured content, clear positioning, backlinks, authority signals, and presence on surfaces LLMs scrape (including platforms like Reddit, though that's evolving). The agencies that understand this shift can bolt on new services like AI SEO or GEO and, in some cases, significantly increase revenue. But there's a catch. This space is evolving fast. What works today might not work next quarter. That's why Terry avoids gray-hat tactics and focuses on fundamentals. AI Is the Greatest Leverage Small Agencies Have Ever Had Terry believes this might be the most exciting time ever for small agencies because AI has eliminated barriers that used to require massive budgets. When a small restaurant client wanted a red snapper on a black background for their website, stock photography didn't cut it and real shoot would've required a diver, photographer, cooperative fish and a significant budget. Instead, they used Midjourney to create the image. Then they animated it so the fins and gills subtly moved. The client was blown away. For a small restaurant, this level of visual production used to be impossible. Now it's affordable and scalable. That's the opportunity. Agencies can deliver higher-quality creative, faster, and at lower cost if they know how to use the tools. A Very Real Fear for Future Marketers Terry regularly speaks to marketing students who are worried AI will take their jobs. What he tells them is that AI won't take your job, but someone who knows how to use AI will. The key is not blind reliance. It's intelligent leverage. AI is excellent at: Research Proposal drafting Competitive analysis First drafts of content Summarizing data What used to take weeks can now take hours. That frees your team from repetitive, dreaded tasks and allows them to focus on strategy, creativity, and client impact. But there's a danger in over-reliance. Too many agencies are slapping "AI" on everything without adding original thinking or proprietary data. Your edge isn't that you use AI. Your edge is your data. Every agency has unique client data, performance metrics, positioning, and experience. When you combine that with AI, that's where real leverage happens. Building a Consensus Engine to Reduce AI Hallucinations One of the more advanced things Terry is experimenting with is what he calls a "consensus engine." The problem with LLMs is that they're probabilistic, not deterministic. Ask the same question twice and you'll get two slightly different answers. They also hallucinate. To combat this, Terry built a workflow using N8N (a Zapier-like automation tool) that runs content through multiple LLMs. One writes it. Another critiques it. The final output must pass both systems before it's considered valid. If they disagree, it's sent back through with adjusted parameters. He's also exploring how different LLMs perform best in different roles: Perplexity for real-time research ChatGPT for writing Claude for programming Instead of treating AI as one tool, he's assembling a stack of specialized tools. That mindset shift, thinking like a systems architect instead of a prompt typist, is what separates surface-level AI use from strategic advantage. Do You Want to Transform Your Agency from a Liability to an Asset? Looking to dig deeper into your agency's potential? Check out our Agency Blueprint. Designed for agency owners like you, our Agency Blueprint helps you uncover growth opportunities, tackle obstacles, and craft a customized blueprint for your agency's success.

In Episode 182 of the Polyhedron Collider Cast, the gang explores a wonderfully eclectic mix of board games and table top roleplayings, spanning icy expeditions, cosmic discovery, puzzly strategy, musical nostalgia, and cinematic roleplaying.  We venture into frozen lands in Ice & Idols, a pick up and deliver game of clever action use, and ancient treasures waiting to be uncovered an amazing looking board that constantly changes. Next up we revisit the search for extraterrestrial intelligence with the Space Agencies, the first expansion for SETI. Does it add new depth to one of our favourite games of 2024. Next we explore the light but beautiful Eternitium, a deck building and push your luck game about exploring other dimensions, and continue the light games with I Made You A Mixtape, a mixture of nostalgia and I mix you choose. Finally, we step into action-movie territory with Outgunned Adventures, the cinematic RPG built for daring stunts, explosive moments, and over-the-top storytelling.  And don't forget—you can join the discussion over on our [Discord server]!     Podcast Contents 00:00:00 Intro banter and international fashion designers: https://www.zazzle.com/store/colliderclobber 00:02:05 Airecon 2026 https://www.airecon.co.uk/ 00:06:48 Kingdom Death: Monster 00:11:20 Andy's become middle aged 00:13:30 Ice & Idols 00:21:20 I Made You a Mixtape 00:28:53 Eternitium 00:32:17 SETI: Space Agencies 00:37:35 Outgunned Adventure 00:55:42 Best RPG starter sets   ⭐Show Sponsor: Tabletop Dominion For a 10% discount at Tabletop Dominion (the amazing makers of the dice cubes), go to tabletopdominion.com/POLYHEDRONCOLLIDER or use the code POLYHEDRONCOLLIDER at checkout

Send a textIn this episode of the Near Memo podcast, Greg Sterling and Mike Blumenthal host a panel discussion with Eric Levine (Leadwise HQ, former Google LSA team), Claudia Tomina (Reputation Arm), Matt Casady (Sterling Sky), and Crystal Horton (Google Business Profile Platinum Product Expert).Together the panel explores how agencies are actually managing LSAs for clients today.Topics include:• The real ranking factors behind Local Service Ads• Whether LSAs are still a DIY product or require agency expertise• How agencies price and manage LSA services• Fraud, verification challenges, and fake listings• Lead quality and the removal of the lead dispute feature• What separates successful LSA campaigns from failed ones• How LSAs may evolve as AI search and brand discovery reshape local searchThe conversation also dives into the agency economics of LSAs — from consulting models to flat fee management and performance expectations in competitive markets like personal injury law.If you're an agency, consultant, or in-house marketer managing LSAs for clients, this panel discussion offers practical insights into how the product really works.Subscribe to our newsletters and other content at https://www.nearmedia.co/subscribe/

Agencies may soon make their layoff decisions based on performance, rather than tenure. A new proposal from the Trump administration seeks to reverse agencies' current order of operations when deciding who to remove, or retain, in a reduction-in-force. Here with the latest, Federal News Network's Drew Friedman.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Brian Wieser, founder of Madison and Wall, joins Ari Paparo and Eric Franchi to discuss why the digital ad market is stronger than expected and what recent earnings reveal about platforms and ad tech companies. The conversation covers retail media growth, DSP competition, and how companies like Amazon, OpenAI, and The Trade Desk are approaching the next phase of advertising, along with Brian's view on AI's impact on agencies, CTV, and the broader ad ecosystem. Takeaways The digital ad market is strong, growing about 15 percent despite economic uncertainty. Ad growth is driven more by competition and new categories than by GDP. Retail media is expanding as retailers increase competition between brands. Agencies may benefit from AI, as marketers still need human guidance. AI platforms are starting to explore new advertising models. Chapters 00:00 Intro and Marketecture Live preview 03:10 The state of the digital advertising market 07:00 What drives ad market growth today 10:30 DSP competition and The Trade Desk's market share 15:00 Retail media growth and Walmart's momentum 20:30 AI disruption, SaaS concerns, and agencies 27:00 Streaming consolidation and CTV economics 33:40 OpenAI partnerships and the future of AI advertising 39:30 Amazon expanding its advertising ecosystem 45:00 AI marketing tools and Jeff Green's $150M Trade Desk stock purchase Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

A range of AI use cases — from coding assistance to workflow automation — face alteration or retirement as federal agencies work to comply with a Trump administration directive to remove Anthropic tools from their systems within the next six months. The recent clash between the Claude maker and President Donald Trump comes after federal officials have spent years building up AI capabilities in government, including tools from Anthropic. Now, a growing list of agencies are immediately dropping use of those services, and in some cases, replacing it with other providers. In recent days, the Department of Treasury, the Office of Personnel Management, NASA, and the International Trade Administration all indicated to FedScoop they have stopped or plan to stop using Anthropic technologies in the wake of the ban announced via Truth Social. That adds to previous statements and internal communications at the Department of Health and Human Services, the State Department, and the General Services Administration. Trump's directive is the result of an escalated disagreement between Anthropic and the Department of Defense over how the technology should be used. While Trump accused Anthropic in his social media statement of attempting to “strong-arm” the DOD with its terms of service, CEO Dario Amodei said the company simply wanted to maintain safeguards to ensure that its technology would not be used in mass surveillance or fully autonomous weapons. The Secret Service is gearing up to launch what CIO and Chief AI Officer Chris Kraft is calling a new AI Program, which will act as a working group that comes in and helps IT teams. Kraft told FedScoop at Secret Service headquarters Wednesday in Washington, D.C., that the group will consist of 10 members initially and will also be tasked with identifying areas of opportunity to implement AI and other emerging technologies. Kraft said that “having that internal expertise, I believe, will be really transformational for us.” The Secret Service already uses AI technologies for license plate identification, facial recognition and other threat analysis. The AI group will focus on iterating existing use cases, as well as others like expanding counterfeit currency identification. The Daily Scoop Podcast is available every Monday-Friday afternoon. If you want to hear more of the latest from Washington, subscribe to The Daily Scoop Podcast  on Apple Podcasts, Soundcloud, Spotify and YouTube.

Your FYP is not just entertainment. It is a live beta test of the future of work. Lately it feels less like GRWM and more like “day in the life of a job that did not exist three years ago.” Creators are acting like strategists. Agency creatives are building personal brands alongside client work. Leadership is posting, responding, shaping narratives in real time. Sometimes the person explaining what a brand should do has more cultural authority than the brand itself. In this episode, we unpack how the creator economy is quietly reshaping titles, power, and leadership across agencies and brands. From McKinsey appointing its first-ever Creator Economy Senior Advisor to legacy entertainment leaders stepping into hybrid roles like Chief Entertainment Officer, the shift is structural. But the more interesting change is behavioral.Traditional advertising roles were built for control, polish, and one-way communication. The creator economy runs on remix, response, and co-creation. That tension is forcing new connective roles to emerge. Takeaways:Your FYP is a preview of future job descriptions. Pay attention to behavior, not titles.Authority is shifting from hierarchy to proximity. The person closest to culture often shapes the outcome.Agencies are evolving into more fluid, creator-connected systems.The most valuable leaders will move between the internet and the boardroom without losing fluency in either.If your job title makes sense on LinkedIn but not on TikTok, it may already be outdated.

Would you like access to our advanced agency training for FREE? https://www.agencymastery360.com/training Most agency owners don't fail because they're bad at delivery. They fail because they underprice, overcomplicate, and build businesses that trap them instead of freeing them. Today's featured guest unpacks the type of life he envisioned when he set out to start an agency, it took to scale from charging $2,500 a month to closing $45,000/month retainers, surviving a market collapse, and making the counterintuitive decision to split one agency into two. Eli Rubel is the founder of Matter Made, a B2B SaaS marketing agency, and No Boring Design, a premium design studio serving high-growth tech companies. He entered the agency world in 2019 after burning out on the venture-backed SaaS model, despite a previous exit. What drew him to agencies wasn't prestige or scale; it was a desire to take control over his time, lifestyle, income, and location. Agencies, when built correctly, offered the fastest path to freedom without sacrificing ambition. Over the next few years, Eli scaled MatterMade aggressively, navigated a brutal tech downturn, and rebuilt his business with sharper positioning, stronger pricing, and clearer operational boundaries. In this episode, we discussed: Why hiking prices was the right choice early one How and why he decided to create his second agency The reason that shared services failed fast Subscribe Apple | Spotify | iHeart Radio Sponsors and Resources E2M Solutions: Today's episode of the Smart Agency Masterclass is sponsored by E2M Solutions, a web design, and development agency that has provided white-label services for the past 10 years to agencies all over the world. Check out e2msolutions.com/smartagency and get 10% off for the first three months of service. Toggl: Agencies could be losing 15–30% of their profit every year without seeing it. The usual suspects are time tracking, messy manual timesheets, scope creep, untracked revisions, and all those "quick" client requests that never get billed. That's why Toggl created the Agency Profit Heist, a fast, interactive way to uncover exactly where your margins are leaking. Start your investigation now at toggl.com/smartagency and use the code SMARTAGENCY10 at checkout for a 10% off annual plans. Why Agencies Beat Venture-Backed SaaS (If You Want Freedom) After years in venture-backed SaaS, chasing growth at all costs, Eli was done with a model he realized was grinding him down. The pressure, the lack of control, and the delayed payoff didn't align with what he actually wanted: family, flexibility, and financial independence. Agencies offered speed to cash and autonomy, which SaaS didn't. Instead of swinging for a hypothetical future exit, Eli chose a business model that paid well now and let him design his life intentionally. It was a shift he made with eyes wide open and clear expectations. The "best" business model depends on what you want your life to look like. For Eli, agencies weren't a step down. They were a strategic upgrade. Hiking His Prices Relying on Capacity and Confidence Eli's agency launched at $2,500 a month, not because that was the "right" price, but because he backed into a simple income goal. Sixteen clients at $2,500 got him to $40,000 a month. On paper, it worked. In reality, it broke fast. As soon as clients started saying "yes" too quickly, Eli knew something was off. The work was heavy, margins were thin, and building a team at that price point wasn't sustainable. Instead of obsessing over competitive pricing, he leaned into price sensitivity testing. Every time the team hit capacity, prices went up. If prospects said no, it didn't matter, they couldn't take on more work anyway. If prospects said yes, it justified hiring and scaling. Over three years, pricing climbed from $2,500 to $45,000 per month. What he learned was that underpricing doesn't just hurt margins. It traps you in constant hiring, delivery stress, and low-leverage work. Raising prices isn't greedy, it's operational discipline. What Actually Changes When You Raise Prices Eli didn't wake up one day and charge $45,000 for the same work he was doing at $2,500. Early on, the offering was vague: "We'll help with demand gen." Strategy was loose, scope was unclear, and the team was tiny. As pricing increased, the delivery model matured into a defined pod structure with paid media, design, strategy, and leadership baked in. However, once his agency hit around $15,000 per month, the services didn't change much after that. What changed was credibility. Case studies stacked up. Results became undeniable. Sales conversations shifted from "this is a great deal" to "this is what it costs to remove risk." Eli was upfront with prospects: MatterMade would be $10,000–$15,000 more per month than competitors, and nothing about the deliverables would look different. The difference was the track record. For buyers who weren't cash-sensitive, that pitch landed hard. They weren't paying for tasks. They were paying for certainty. Why Splitting One Agency into Two Was the Right Move At its peak in 2021, MatterMade was flying high, with $4.2M in EBITDA, tech clients everywhere, and acquisition talks underway. Then the tech market collapsed. Almost overnight, VC-backed clients cut agencies, froze spending, and hunkered down. They went from crushing it to losing nearly $200,000 a month. Eli held on too long, assuming it was temporary, and paid dearly for it. During the restructuring, Eli noticed something interesting: design had become a bottleneck across tech companies. Designers were laid off, but the need for creative work didn't disappear. So he spun up No Boring Design as a separate entity, fast. New brand, new site, launched in a weekend. Within months, it was profitable. Separating the businesses allowed each to have crystal-clear positioning. MatterMade stayed focused on growth marketing. No Boring Design became a premium creative solution for companies stuck in hiring freezes. Trying to keep design tucked inside the marketing agency would have slowed everything down. Separation created speed, clarity, and growth. Why Shared Services Across Agencies Sound Smart and Fail Fast One of Eli's biggest mistakes came after the split. He tried to create a shared management company to handle leadership, recruiting, and operations across multiple agencies. On paper, it looked efficient. In practice, it was chaos. Each agency had subtle but important differences in how it worked. SOPs drifted. Leaders got stretched thin. The "squeaky wheel" agency got attention while others suffered. Eventually, Eli unwound the entire structure. The hard truth: unless your companies operate almost identically, shared services create more friction than savings. Clarity beats efficiency. Do You Want to Transform Your Agency from a Liability to an Asset? Looking to dig deeper into your agency's potential? Check out our Agency Blueprint. Designed for agency owners like you, our Agency Blueprint helps you uncover growth opportunities, tackle obstacles, and craft a customized blueprint for your agency's success.

Your team is walking past life insurance sales every single day… they just don't know it.In this episode, I break down the 7 high-leverage moments that happen in every P&C agency where life insurance practically sells itself. These aren't cold pitches or forced conversations. These are the specific transactions and interactions where customers are already thinking about risk, their budget is already moving, and life insurance fits naturally into the conversation.In this episode, I'll cover why "bring it up on every call" is dangerous advice, the three things that make a moment high-leverage (natural risk awareness, budget movement, and contextual relevance), and the exact 7 moments your team should be building conversations around — from added vehicles to claims follow-ups to renewal decreases.If your agency has been struggling with life insurance production, it's probably not a skill problem. It's a design problem. And this episode will help you see it.Want to learn the exact scripts and frameworks? Cross Sell Academy enrollment is open now. Learn about Cross Sell Academy for your team: https://calendly.com/lifeinsurancetraining/demoJoin my free live training on how to handle the most common life insurance objections when cross selling life insurance: https://insurancesalespro.org/webinarregistration✅ Subscribe to Colter's FREE insurance sales trainings:Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC-35rEOirer-rBo62SAokawApple Podcasts:https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-life-insurance-training-show/id1675925320Spotify:⁠https://open.spotify.com/show/0EYYJYvouM22DfuAcYjhiK?si=m8gTTwvFReGfSIGQ7yZHcQ⁠Private Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/share/g/sSe3faCfV6KLVJh4/

S6:E23 Scaling a business doesn't reduce pressure. It refines it. Queue Up Episode This week on Small Business Stories, Dr. LL sits down with Borja Cuan, co-founder of 415 Digital, to explore what truly changes when companies move from startup to scale. If people don't trust you, they won't follow you. If your expectations drift faster than your clarity, growth fractures. Borja shares what eight years of agency growth has taught him about client pushback, AI disruption, mindset discipline, and the emotional endurance required to scale.

Episode 208: Automate Your Lead Generation with our FREE online course: https://go.digitaltrailblazer.com/auto-leads-course-freeWhen it comes to contracts, many coaches and course creators piece together their contracts by copying what someone else used — leaving their business exposed to refund disputes, payment problems, and legal gray areas that could cost them far more than they ever made. Without the right protections in place, a single difficult client can turn into a nightmare with no clear resolution.In this episode, Bobby Klinck teaches us how to build a coaching contract that actually protects your business — covering the key clauses most people overlook, what you should never say in your agreement, and the hidden legal risks lurking in even the most "standard" contracts – everything you want to know before your next client signs on the dotted line.About Bobby Klinck: Bobby is a Harvard Law Grad turned online entrepreneur—but he's NOT your typical lawyer. He doesn't do suits, he hates legalese more than you do, and he has a tendency to make bad pop-culture references and dad jokes.With his extensive expertise from a 20+ year legal career, Bobby is now focusing on making the legal stuff simple for online business owners. He and his team developed the Plainly Legal™ software to automate legal protection for coaches, course creators, consultants, service providers, and other online business owners.Get Your Free Legal Audit Here: www.plainlylegal.com/freeauditConnect with Bobby:https://www.plainlylegal.com/ https://www.facebook.com/bobbyklinckpage https://www.instagram.com/bobbyklinck https://www.linkedin.com/in/robertklinck/Want to SCALE your online business bigger and faster without the endless hustle of networking, referrals, and pumping out content that nobody sees?Grab our Ultimate Ad Script for Coaches, Agencies, and Course Creators.Learn the exact 5-step script we teach our clients that allows them to generate targeted, high-quality leads at ultra-low cost, so you can land paying customers and clients without breaking the bank on ad spend. Grab the Ultimate Ad Script right HERE - https://join.digitaltrailblazer.com/ultimate-ad-script✅ Connect With Us:Website - https://DigitalTrailblazer.comFacebook - https://www.facebook.com/digitaltrailblazerTikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@digitaltrailblazerX (Twitter): https://x.com/DgtlTrailblazerInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/DigitalTrailblazer

S6:E23 Scaling a business doesn't reduce pressure. It refines it. Queue Up Episode This week on Small Business Stories, Dr. LL sits down with Borja Cuan, co-founder of 415 Digital, to explore what truly changes when companies move from startup to scale. If people don't trust you, they won't follow you. If your expectations drift faster than your clarity, growth fractures. Borja shares what eight years of agency growth has taught him about client pushback, AI disruption, mindset discipline, and the emotional endurance required to scale.

Favour Obasi-ike, MBA, MS, pulls back the SEO truths curtain on the world of SEO agencies. Joined by a panel of experts, Favour reveals the questions you should be asking your SEO provider to ensure you're getting the most out of your investment. The discussion covers a wide range of topics, from the true cost of SEO to the importance of a long-term strategy. Favour emphasizes that SEO is not a one-time fix, but an ongoing process that requires continuous effort and adaptation. This episode also explains the four pillars of SEO success — search, find, click, and save — and how they can be used to create a powerful connection with your target audience. Whether you're a business owner looking to hire an SEO agency or a marketing professional seeking to deepen your understanding of the industry, this episode is packed with valuable insights and actionable advice. Tune in to learn how to take control of your SEO destiny and drive sustainable growth for your social business.Book SEO Services? Save These Quick Links for Later>> ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Book SEO Services with Favour Obasi-ike⁠>> Visit Work and PLAY Entertainment website to learn about our digital marketing services>> ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Join our exclusive SEO Marketing community⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠>> Read SEO Articles>> ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Subscribe to the We Don't PLAY Podcast⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠>> Purchase Flaev Beatz Beats Online>> Favour Obasi-ike Quick LinksKey Takeaways1. SEO is a long-term investment, not a quick fix. Sustainable results require a consistent and evolving strategy.2. The cost of SEO varies, but the focus should be on value and ROI, not just the price tag.3. Ask your SEO agency about their team, workflow, strategy, and reporting to ensure transparency and alignment.4. The four pillars of SEO are search, find, click, and save. The goal is to create valuable content that resonates with your audience.5. Don't be a passive client. Educate yourself, ask questions, and take an active role in your SEO strategy.6. Certifications and partnerships (like with SEMrush) can be an indicator of an agency's credibility and expertise.7. Competitive analysis is crucial. You need to understand who your competitors are and what they're doing to succeed in the search rankings.Memorable Quotes[08:20 - 08:34] "There's this illusion of SEO being a genie that just comes and wipes your problems away and then you rank all day. It's not like that."[08:51 - 08:57] "Yes, it's technical, but the fundamental value of SEO is to connect."[25:08 - 25:16] "These agencies will just sell you snake oil and tell you all these things about what to do, what not to do. And then they leave you stranded, high and dry, pay thousands of dollars and you've not received one click or one lead."[30:37 - 30:47] "SEO is about search, find, click, and save."FAQs1. How much should I budget for SEO services?The cost of SEO can range from $500 to $5,000+ per month. For serious results, a budget of at least $1,000 per month is recommended.2. How long does it take to see results from SEO?SEO is a long-term strategy. While some quick wins are possible, significant and sustainable results typically take 6-12 months to achieve.3. What are the most important questions to ask an SEO agency?Ask about their team, their process, their strategy, and how they measure success. It's also important to inquire about their experience in your industry.4. What is the difference between on-page and off-page SEO?On-page SEO refers to optimizations made to your website, such as content and technical aspects. Off-page SEO involves activities outside of your website, such as link building and social media.5. How can I learn more about SEO?There are many resources available online, including blogs, courses, and certifications. Following industry experts and listening to podcasts like We Don't PLAY! can also be beneficial.Timestamps[00:00] Introduction: What SEO agencies won't tell you.[05:55] How much does SEO cost?[07:33] The importance of a long-term SEO strategy.[08:10] SEO is not a one-time fix.[24:04] How to get into SEO.[25:30] The importance of certifications for SEO agencies.[26:51] The role of competitive analysis in SEO.[30:29] The four-wheel cycle of SEO: search, find, click, and save.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

What’s your plan for your business when you retire, or you’re unable to run it anymore? In this episode, hear from mother-and-daughter duo Stacey and Sami Ray of Sisterhood Travels as they discuss their personal paths on the vital, albeit often overlooked, process of succession planning within a successful travel agency. Next episode, tune in to hear from a travel industry attorney who’s an expert in succession planning. This episode was sponsored by AmaWaterways. Further resources Sisterhood Travels on the web and via email Stacey Ray’s podcast, Life. Reimagined. with Stacey Ray Stacey Ray on Humans of Travel Need advice? Call our hotline and leave a message: 201-902-2098 Email us: tradesecrets@travelweekly.com Theme song: Sock Hop by Kevin MacLeod Link: https://incompetech.filmmusic.io/song/4387-sock-hop License: https://filmmusic.io/standard-license See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Send a textWant to be the agency a SNF social worker calls first? Start by seeing the world through their eyes. We unpack the real pressures behind every discharge—insurance clocks, readmission metrics, complex families—and lay out a playbook that turns home care from a sales pitch into a safety net. Our focus: reduce risk, protect reputations, and make hard days lighter.We break down the non-negotiables that matter most on the floor: lightning-fast responses, true 24-hour start-of-care capability, and weekend coverage that actually shows up. Then we get specific about scope so no one's guessing—ADLs, transfers, dementia supervision, fall-risk protocols, live-in versus 24-hour care, and short-term transitional support. You'll hear how to structure first-day-of-service home visits that validate the plan in the real environment, prevent early failures, and keep families from bouncing back angry.Readmission prevention is where non-medical care changes the outcome. We map simple, repeatable habits—hydration and nutrition check-ins, medication reminders, appointment follow-through, mobility assistance, and change-of-condition reporting—that keep clients stable and facilities confident. We also tackle the two biggest trust breakers: staffing flakiness and fuzzy pricing. Learn how to present backup plans, field supervision, and retention stats, plus a clear pricing range rooted in assessment, not guesswork. And because March is National Social Work Month, we share practical, memorable ideas—coffee bars, hydration stations, gatekeeper treats, and social worker spotlights—that open doors and start real partnerships.If you're ready to stop selling and start safeguarding discharges, this conversation gives you the language, systems, and leave-behinds to become the reliable choice. Subscribe, share with your team, and leave a review to tell us which strategy you'll implement first.Continuum Mastery Circle IntroVisit our website at https://asnhomecaremarketing.comGet Your 11 Free Home Care Marketing Guides: https://bit.ly/homecarerev

Half a trillion dollars of taxpayer money allegedly gone in Minnesota alone. Illegal immigrant sex offenders flown into the U.S. with minimal oversight. And a shadowy web of surveillance inside federal agencies — are our institutions out of control? Today on AmperWave Daily, we break down the latest explosive claims on fraud, political spying, and border security.

[Cold open (Cody is back from Hawaii) ends at 05:37.]Most agencies you talk to, as well as the entire internet, will tell you that clients should own their own ad accounts, and you should work inside them.But what if we told you this is the wrong way to do it? What if we told you that you are opening yourself up to potentially huge insurance and legal issues doing it this way?Listen to this episode and find out the correct way to protect yourself and your relationships with your clients.-----RESOURCES:Want the tools and resources we recommend for agencies? Check them out here:https://www.agencygrowthpod.com/tools-----NEWSLETTERWant the show in your inbox? Sign up for the newsletter!https://www.agencygrowthpod.com/newsletter-----COMMUNITYLooking to join a community of agency owners? Join our Discord!https://discord.gg/uvHRRRFVRD-----CONTACTGot something to say? Send us a message:https://www.agencygrowthpod.com/contact

The Cybercrime Wire, hosted by Scott Schober, provides boardroom and C-suite executives, CIOs, CSOs, CISOs, IT executives and cybersecurity professionals with a breaking news story we're following. If there's a cyberattack, hack, or data breach you should know about, then we're on it. Listen to the podcast daily and hear it every hour on WCYB. The Cybercrime Wire is brought to you Cybercrime Magazine, Page ONE for Cybersecurity at https://cybercrimemagazine.com. • For more breaking news, visit https://cybercrimewire.com

On this episode of Agency Nation Radio, Jennifer Becker, Big “I” executive director of research and education, is joined by Claudia St. John, founder and CEO of The Workplace Advisors. During the episode, they explore how small independent insurance agencies can compete with large corporations for talent; whether artificial intelligence (AI) is helping agencies address staffing shortages or simply adding another layer of complexity; and what agency owners must do to attract the next generation of professionals. “Very few people have everything you're looking for,” St. John says. “Every agency has to figure out how to develop and grow talent.” “Everybody who has experience started somewhere—someone taught them,” she adds. Agency Nation Radio is where insurance professionals turn on the mic to share unscripted stories about leadership, technology, marketing, success, and failure—stories that helped shape their careers. From Main Street USA to the pages of Independent Agent magazine, these are the stories insurance professionals want to hear.

What happens when the federal career you expected no longer exists?Lindy Kyzer speaks with Love Rutledge, host of the FedUpward podcast and longtime advocate for federal employees, about navigating unexpected career transitions in government.Love shares her own experience retiring earlier than planned through deferred resignation — and the identity shift that comes with stepping away from lifelong civil service. Together, they unpack the emotional and financial realities of leaving federal employment, how to translate federal resumes for private-sector roles, and why outcomes matter more than duties in today's job market.They also highlight grassroots resources supporting transitioning federal employees, including community-led initiatives, networking strategies, and professional organizations that are helping fill gaps left by traditional support systems.Finally, they discuss an important countertrend: federal hiring isn't gone. Agencies are rehiring. Budget cycles still drive opportunity. And for some professionals, the next move may be a return to government service — this time with clearer strategy and broader perspective.If you're transitioning, underemployed, job searching, or simply reassessing your path in public service, this episode offers clarity, realism, and practical next steps. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode of the Power Producers Podcast, David Carothers welcomed Joe from Sembley to discuss a range of topics impacting agencies, from personal lines to AI-powered tools. David shared insights on the challenges of building a personal lines division from scratch, how tech investments have streamlined workflows, and the importance of agency owners evaluating their tech stack to maximize efficiency. They dove into the power of custom intake forms, e-signatures, and integrations with systems like Hawksoft. The conversation also emphasized the shift towards automation to save time and resources in an industry that's increasingly tech-driven. Key points: Personal Lines Challenges and Tech Adaptation David discussed how launching personal lines at Florida Risk has been a learning experience, especially in integrating new technology and adapting workflows. The move forced a deeper look into their tech stack and how it could support scalability and efficiency. Building Custom Intake Forms for Streamlined Workflows Joe explained how custom intake forms in Sembley can simplify data gathering, especially with conditional logic, and how it saves agents time by pre-populating accord forms, sub-apps, and client profiles. Tech-Driven Time Savings and Reducing Manual Work David emphasized that many agencies waste time on repetitive tasks like data entry and supplementals. He highlighted how tech can free up agents' time to focus on high-value work, including meaningful client interactions and prospecting. The Hawksoft Integration and Two-Way Data Flow Joe shared how Sembley now integrates with Hawksoft, allowing agents to push data directly into their system, significantly cutting down on manual entry and improving data accuracy. The Importance of Making Strategic Tech Investments David encouraged agency owners to evaluate their tech stacks with an “abundance mindset” to avoid being left behind. He stressed that technology is an investment in saving time, increasing accuracy, and building stronger client relationships. The Growing Role of AI and Automation in the Industry Joe and David discussed how AI and automation tools are revolutionizing the insurance industry, from data gathering to policy renewal, and how adopting these technologies can be a game-changer for agencies looking to stay competitive. Connect with: David Carothers LinkedIn Joe Ems LinkedIn Kyle Houck LinkedIn Visit Websites: Power Producer Base Camp Sembley Killing Commercial Crushing Content Power Producers Podcast Policytee The Dirty 130 The Extra 2 Minutes

Would you like access to our advanced agency training for FREE? https://www.agencymastery360.com/training AI didn't wipe out SEO; it just exposed who was phoning it in. While some agencies are panicking about AI "stealing their jobs" or racing to the bottom on price, the smart ones are quietly using it to get sharper, more profitable, and more strategic. Today's featured guest has been in the SEO trenches for 15+ years and runs an agency producing millions of words of content every month. He'll break down his perspective on what's actually happening right now, why generic AI content is worthless, how agencies should really be pricing in an AI world, and why this shift is an opportunity to move up-market instead of becoming a commodity. If you run an agency and don't want to be replaced by a robot (or undercut by one), this conversation is for you. David Arato is the founder of Lexicon Legal Content, producing millions of words of SEO content every month for law firms and law-firm marketing agencies across North America. He's been in the SEO game for 15+ years and lived through the AI disruption firsthand. AI is only killing agencies that refuse to adapt The real problem isn't AI Does the SEO vs AEO matter? Subscribe Apple | Spotify | iHeart Radio Sponsors and Resources This episode is brought to you by Wix Studio: If you're leveling up your team and your client experience, your site builder should keep up too. That's why successful agencies use Wix Studio — built to adapt the way your agency does: AI-powered site mapping, responsive design, flexible workflows, and scalable CMS tools so you spend less on plugins and more on growth. Ready to design faster and smarter? Go to wix.com/studio to get started. AI Didn't Kill SEO; It Killed Bad Agencies That Refused to Adapt Probably every agency owner has wondered, "If AI can write content in 30 seconds… why would clients pay us?" over the past couple of years. David had that exact thought in December 2022 when ChatGPT dropped. He literally told his wife he might need to go back to practicing law. Fast forward to now and AI has been nothing but good for business. And that's the part most agency owners are missing. The Real Problem Isn't AI, It's Commoditization According to David, AI removed the barrier to entry for creating generic content. And once everyone can do something, it has no value. That's why blog posts written "for SEO" are dying. Not because content doesn't work, but because copy-paste AI garbage doesn't. Google doesn't care how content is created. They care whether it's helpful, credible, and demonstrates real experience. Especially in "your money, your life" industries like legal, finance, and healthcare. In other words, if your agency's value prop was "we write blog posts," AI exposed how fragile that model was. Why Smart Agencies Are Actually Winning With AI Here's what changed for David's agency, and what should change for yours: Before AI: Writers spent hours on first drafts Margins were capped by human time Strategy was an afterthought After AI: AI handles the grunt work Humans focus on strategy, voice, expertise, and data Content is faster, cheaper to produce, and better That shift matters. Because clients aren't paying for words. They're paying for outcomes. "SEO vs AI Search" Is the Wrong Debate A lot of agencies are stuck arguing: SEO vs AEO SEO vs GEO SEO vs whatever acronym Twitter invents next week Here's the reality: Search is becoming hybrid. This means that, yes, AI overviews now dominate the top of Google. But organic results still matter. Paid is still there. It's all blending together. Which means agencies need to stop selling "SEO deliverables" and start selling search visibility strategy. Same skill set. Bigger mindset. The Pricing Wake-Up Call If you own an agency, you know that clients are asking for more content at lower costs. That's not a threat. It's a forcing function. The agencies that survive will: Increase volume without killing margins Productize strategy Stop selling fulfillment as their core offer The ones that won't? They'll stay stuck in fulfillment, stressed about margins, and quietly resentful of AI. The Real Differentiator Going Forward Everyone has access to the same AI tools. So could clients get the same results by themselves? Not likely What they don't have: Your data. Your experience. Your insights from years in the trenches That's the leverage. And it's why authenticity, real expertise, and human connection are becoming premium assets, whether in content, video, or sales. AI can't shake a hand, AI can't read the room, AI can't replace leadership. That's your unique value proposition. Do You Want to Transform Your Agency from a Liability to an Asset? Looking to dig deeper into your agency's potential? Check out our Agency Blueprint. Designed for agency owners like you, our Agency Blueprint helps you uncover growth opportunities, tackle obstacles, and craft a customized blueprint for your agency's success.

The Supreme Court's Threat to Independent Agencies. Analyzing upcoming Supreme Court cases, John Yoopredicts the potential overturning of the historic Humphrey's Executor precedent. Such a ruling would fundamentally dismantle the protections shielding independent agencies like the Federal Trade Commission from direct presidential control, sparking a massive structural revolution within the federal government's executive branch. #161930 ROYAL AGRICULTURAL WINTER FAIR

Did Barack Obama slip — and then walk it back? In a recent interview with political commentator Brian Tyler Cohen, Obama was asked point-blank: Are aliens real? His response: “They're real… but I haven't seen them.” He followed with laughter, referencing conspiracy theories about extraterrestrials being hidden at Area 51, suggesting such a secret would be impossible to conceal — even from a president. Later, he clarified that he framed part of his answer humorously. But was that clarification damage control? Tonight, Martin and UFO Jack go deeper. We revisit Obama's earlier appearance on Jimmy Kimmel Live!, where he was pressed on the same topic — and we review the exceptional breakdown by investigator Ben Hansen, who analyzed Obama's phrasing, timing, increased respiration, and body language frame by frame. Are we witnessing: Political humor? Strategic ambiguity? Or a carefully managed narrative? Two interviews. Two different contexts. One unanswered question. We'll compare tone, wording, micro-expressions, and consistency — and let you decide whether this was just a joke… or something more.During the show, and authentic post on social media was posted:Donald J. Trump@realDonaldTrump Based on the tremendous interest shown, I will be directing the Secretary of War, and other relevant Departments and Agencies, to begin the process of identifying and releasing Government files related to alien and extraterrestrial life, unidentified aerial phenomena (UAP), and unidentified flying objects (UFOs), and any and all other information connected to these highly complex, but extremely interesting and important, matters. GOD BLESS AMERICA!  LINK