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Hosted by gray mackenzie
Hosted by gray mackenzie
Hosted by gray mackenzie
2 episodes with gray mackenzie
2 episodes with gray mackenzie
2 episodes with gray mackenzie
CanadaPoli - Canadian Politics from a Canadian Point of View
https://streamable.com/x0slychttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vSaE1Vrk12Ihttps://search.brave.com/images?q=carney%20maxwellhttps://canadareport.co/https://x.com/alanfryermedia/status/1906518165624168800?s=19https://x.com/dubsndoo/status/1906458458213511662?s=19https://x.com/MBrant75/status/1906432740876025904https://x.com/GarnettGenuis/status/1906369827981468109?s=19https://x.com/scoopercooper/status/1906419471553532354https://x.com/bruce_mcgonigal/status/1906541594679095325?s=19https://x.com/CanadianOilExec/status/1906484921725833626?s=19https://x.com/BradWestPoCo/status/1906555727684194786?s=19https://x.com/therealmrbench/status/1906464654651728044?s=19https://x.com/GenXNewsOnX/status/1906370561342644688?s=19https://x.com/sunlorrie/status/1906316300277907611https://x.com/Gray_Mackenzie/status/1906455742393016560?s=19https://x.com/brianlilley/status/1906292716218028527https://x.com/joe_warmington/status/1906460984132153535?s=19https://x.com/TheRoyGreenShow/status/1906471757307121897?s=19https://x.com/FoodProfessor/status/1906038409313005778https://x.com/liberal_party/status/1906413961353842946https://x.com/PierrePoilievre/status/1906520498655420431?s=19https://x.com/PierrePoilievre/status/1906300708002959763https://x.com/BlairTurnerCan/status/1906480424219529480?s=19https://x.com/ryangerritsen/status/1906348991031169164https://x.com/MaximeBernier/status/1906376157194236019https://x.com/338Canada/status/1906399626229600308https://x.com/YoungStreete/status/1905872431975207033https://x.com/amuse/status/1906646367310602722?s=19https://x.com/Artemisfornow/status/1906642516721467744?s=19https://x.com/Inevitablewest/status/1906671551035896246?s=19https://x.com/pegobry_en/status/1906663475893670359?s=19https://x.com/MikeBenzCyber/status/1906676583068320107?s=19https://x.com/real_eire/status/1903650080478871870?s=19https://x.com/WallStreetApes/status/1906526419079082173?s=19https://x.com/FoodProfessor/status/1906318662052524287https://x.com/chrisdacey/status/1906438122809758130?s=19https://x.com/FoodProfessor/status/1906527764485730452?s=19https://x.com/junonewscom/status/1906648414567453181?s=19https://x.com/preta_6/status/1906023024761201077?s=19https://x.com/RickyDoggin/status/1906374716656591058?s=19https://x.com/DVATW/status/1906447405765054469https://x.com/CTVNews/status/1906466622853832778?s=19https://x.com/AnnRolle_/status/1906657155370864968https://x.com/Artemisfornow/status/1906649440644903317?s=19https://x.com/wideawake_media/status/1905915612297150473https://x.com/BrainStorm_Joe/status/1906548840330576322https://x.com/nationalpost/status/1906443889927442547
CanadaPoli - Canadian Politics from a Canadian Point of View
https://streamable.com/dr56ec https://canadareport.co/ https://x.com/globalnews/status/1882570477572645158?s=19 https://x.com/bruce_mcgonigal/status/1882519463402283019?s=19 https://x.com/TrueNorthCentre/status/1882898125620150418?s=19 https://x.com/govt_corrupt/status/1882837331750826164?s=19 https://x.com/TrueNorthCentre/status/1882855190048440502?s=19 https://x.com/sunlorrie/status/1882904444461068586?s=19 https://x.com/MarcScottEmery/status/1883094859025973545?s=19 https://x.com/17ThankQ/status/1882935989091598812?s=19 https://x.com/CollinRugg/status/1882919735278338400?s=19 https://x.com/TrumpVission/status/1883106551549853995?s=19 https://x.com/BezirganMocha/status/1882864265918599270?s=19 https://x.com/CTVNews/status/1882838070724096342?s=19 https://x.com/IanJaeger29/status/1882621139400479044?s=19 https://x.com/TrumpUpdateHQ/status/1882949004474122602?s=19 https://x.com/PatriciaC_PPC/status/1882795185568129152?s=19 https://x.com/JoeyMannarinoUS/status/1882964950014177642?s=19 https://x.com/megynkelly/status/1882973792273924295?s=19 https://x.com/PressSec/status/1882759560613527770?s=19 https://x.com/PressSec/status/1882979402176503888?s=19 https://x.com/globalnews/status/1882840142869905909?s=19 https://x.com/gddub/status/1882869533482041366?s=19 https://www.insauga.com/former-brampton-mp-ruby-dhalla-plans-to-run-in-liberal-leadership-race/ https://x.com/Gray_Mackenzie/status/1882629406205894792?s=19 https://x.com/AndrewJWHaynes/status/1882730002212671752?s=19 https://x.com/OdessaOrlewicz/status/1882939931892305989?s=19 https://x.com/MaximeBernier/status/1882839795401109616 https://x.com/peter_taras/status/1882906941866795435?s=19 https://x.com/sunlorrie/status/1882894534004314486?s=19 https://x.com/govt_corrupt/status/1882941371981680787?s=19 https://x.com/StateDeptSpox/status/1883001915165794439?s=19 https://x.com/BRICSinfo/status/1882807100717592718?s=19 https://x.com/RSBNetwork/status/1882977938749977030?s=19 https://x.com/rightblend/status/1882997052176482406?s=19 https://x.com/MAGAVoice/status/1882834178431143949?s=19 https://x.com/dockaurG/status/1882935077048574148?s=19 https://x.com/ryangerritsen/status/1882996411488407639?s=19 https://x.com/RedpillDrifter/status/1882905149494133091?s=19 https://chromewebstore.google.com/detail/copy-all-urls/djdmadneanknadilpjiknlnanaolmbfk
In this Kitchen Side episode of The Long Game Podcast, Alex, Allie, and David dive into the intricacies of agency operations with guest Gray MacKenzie, CEO of ZenPilot. The conversation explores how agencies can build scalable systems while balancing efficiency and innovation. Gray shares strategies for defining processes, the importance of integrating operations with delivery, and the cultural aspects of driving accountability. The discussion offers actionable insights for agencies looking to streamline workflows, improve profitability, and foster sustainable growth.Key TakeawaysOperations as the Foundation of Growth and Delivery: Operations should support marketing, sales, and client delivery through robust systems, but it requires collaboration between departments.Balancing Efficiency and Innovation: Agencies must find a middle ground between systematizing processes for scalability and allowing room for creativity and innovation.The Role of Culture in Process Adoption: The success of any system depends on creating a culture where employees understand its benefits and actively engage with it.Challenges in Scaling Operations: Gray highlights the pitfalls of pushing for rapid adoption of tools and processes without considering team capacity and readiness.Integrating Top-down and Bottom-up Resourcing: Combining long-term planning with day-to-day task management ensures efficient resource allocation and prevents burnout.The Inefficiency Principle: Innovation often comes at the cost of efficiency. Agencies must decide when to prioritize one over the other depending on their goals.Show LinksVisit the ZenPilot Resources page for our free guides and templatesVisit the ZenPilot for more informationConnect with Gray MacKenzie on LinkedInConnect with David Khim on LinkedIn and TwitterConnect with Alex Birkett on LinkedIn and TwitterConnect with Allie Decker on LinkedIn and TwitterConnect with Omniscient Digital on LinkedIn or TwitterWhat is Kitchen Side?One big benefit of running an agency or working at one is you get to see the “kitchen side” of many different businesses; their revenue, their operations, their automations, and their culture.You understand how things look from the inside and how that differs from the outside.You understand how the sausage is made. As an agency ourselves, we're working both on growing our clients' businesses as well as our own. This podcast is one project, but we also blog, make videos, do sales, and have quite a robust portfolio of automations and hacks to run our business.We want to take you behind the curtain, to the kitchen side of our business, to witness our brainstorms, discussions, and internal dialogues behind the public works that we ship.Past guests on The Long Game podcast include: Morgan Brown (Shopify), Ryan Law (Animalz), Dan Shure (Evolving SEO), Kaleigh Moore (freelancer), Eric Siu (Clickflow), Peep Laja (CXL), Chelsea Castle (Chili Piper), Tracey Wallace (Klaviyo), Tim Soulo (Ahrefs), Ryan McReady (Reforge), and many more.Some interviews you might enjoy and learn from:Actionable Tips and Secrets to SEO Strategy with Dan Shure (Evolving SEO)Building Competitive Marketing Content with Sam Chapman (Aprimo)How to Build the Right Data Workflow with Blake Burch (Shipyard)Data-Driven Thought Leadership with Alicia Johnston (Sprout Social)Purpose-Driven Leadership & Building a Content Team with Ty Magnin (UiPath)Also, check out our Kitchen Side series where we take you behind the scenes to see how the sausage is made at our agency:Blue Ocean vs Red Ocean SEOShould You Hire Writers or Subject Matter Experts?How Do Growth and Content Overlap?Connect with Omniscient Digital on social:Twitter: @beomniscientLinkedin: Be OmniscientListen to more episodes of The Long Game podcast here: https://beomniscient.com/podcast/
In this episode of the podcast, we welcome Gray Mackenzie, founder and CEO of Zenpilot, ClickUp's largest and highest rated solutions partner. Gray shares his journey of building Zenpilot and helping over 2,700 agencies streamline their operations. He discusses the importance of balancing profitability with healthy and productive team culture, particularly through the challenges presented by the COVID-19 pandemic. Gray dives into the strategies and core values that have shaped Zenpilot, including their unique points-based subscription model aimed at leveraging expertise while ensuring client success. Join us for an insightful conversation about creating sustainable, resilient businesses in the agency ecosystem.00:54 The Importance of Health and Profitability01:21 Navigating Post-COVID Challenges03:06 Building Intentional Company Culture04:07 The Evolution of Zenpilot05:15 Defining Core Values and Team Dynamics08:34 Leveraging Expertise in Business12:39 The Niche vs. Generalist Debate16:34 Subscription Models and Business Focus17:57 Optimizing Project Management19:11 Subscription Models and Value Creation21:07 Strategic Execution and Client Training25:08 Navigating Subscription Commitments28:31 Gamifying Subscription Services33:43 Challenges and Solutions in Pricing ModelsConnect with Gray: https://www.linkedin.com/in/graymackenziehttps://www.zenpilot.comConnect with Raul: https://dogoodwork.io/apply https://dogoodwork.io/free-growth-resources
“We have to optimize the business just like a hotel optimizes their business—because you can only sell your time once, and we're in the business of selling time."Tycho Luijten is the CEO and co-founder of Dapper, a B2B marketing agency focused on helping scale-ups set up marketing engines that deliver inbound leads. With offices in Rotterdam and Lisbon, Dapper has grown to a team of 30 experts and has ambitious plans to become a key global player in the next 8 years.In this episode of Agency Journey, Tycho shares invaluable insights on niching down, creating effective video content for LinkedIn, and the importance of proper time tracking for agency growth. He emphasizes the power of focusing on a specific market segment and consistently delivering value through content marketing.Whether you're looking to refine your agency's focus, improve your content strategy, or optimize your operations, this episode is packed with actionable advice from a rapidly growing agency.Episode Insights:
Andrew Biggs sits down with Gray MacKenzie of ZenPilot to explore the role of project management software in scaling businesses. Gray shares advice on how tools like ClickUp can streamline operations, increase team efficiency, and improve accountability. They discuss the importance of balancing clarity and flexibility in managing tasks and projects, and the challenges entrepreneurs face when implementing new systems. Whether you're a seasoned business owner or just starting out, this conversation offers strategies to optimize your workflow and drive growth. Chapters 00:00:00 - Introduction: The Importance of Accountability in Teams 00:00:29 - Welcome to the Better Than Rich Show 00:00:34 - Meet Gray McKenzie: Founder of ZenPilot 00:01:36 - Why ClickUp Stands Out 00:02:57 - Gray's Global Journey and ZenPilot's Success 00:04:22 - When to Consider Project Management Software 00:08:29 - How ClickUp Can Transform Your Workflow 00:12:45 - Real-World Examples: Using ClickUp for Podcast Production 00:18:34 - The 135 Formula for Project Management 00:25:47 - Introduction to the Four Habits 00:26:00 - Daily Spot Check and Weekly Roundup 00:27:34 - Monthly Review and Quarterly Analysis 00:28:24 - Manual Steps and Automation 00:29:05 - Implementing ClickUp in Your Team 00:35:50 - Advanced ClickUp Integrations 00:40:33 - Why Hire ZenPilot? 00:44:52 - Philosophy and Personal Insights 00:49:52 - Conclusion and Contact Information Connect with Gray here: Gray on LinkedIn ZenPilot Book Recommendations: The E-Myth Revisited by Michael E. Gerber Built to Sell by John Warrillow The Hard Thing About Hard Things by Ben Horowitz EOS Books - The Traction Library Connect with The Better Than Rich: Get Your Free Delegation Plan - Better Than Rich BTR Mini-Course Website Facebook Instagram Twitter TikTok
In our latest Schmidt List episode, we chatted with Gray MacKenzie, co-founder of Zen Pilot. If you're aiming to elevate your agency's operations, this is an episode you don't want to miss! Here are some highlights:Top Insights from Gray MacKenzie:1. Essential Resources:-
Matt sits down with Gray MacKenzie, co-founder of ZenPilot, to discuss his journey from high school baseball dreams to entrepreneurial success. Gray shares how he has personally and professionally evolved, detailing his identity shift from a high school athlete to a resilient business leader. Through discussions on overcoming identity crisis, leveraging faith, and learning from past challenges, Gray provides valuable insights into maintaining clarity, setting realistic expectations, and building a culture of accountability. Tune in to hear how adversity can shape and strengthen your path to success!Chapters:00:00:00 - Welcome to the Eternal Optimist Podcast with Gray MacKenzie00:00:57 - Meet Gray MacKenzie: Philosophy, Career, and Family Insights00:02:11 - Identity vs. Performance: Gray's High School Baseball Struggles00:04:00 - Emotional Impact of Injury: Gray's Senior Year Challenges00:09:47 - Finding Identity Beyond Sports: A New Path00:12:00 - Faith and Freedom: Letting Go of Performance Pressure00:16:47 - ZenPilot's Evolution: Shifts and Client Success Stories00:18:30 - Business Identity Crisis: Shifting from Software to Consulting00:22:28 - Athlete Toughness Showdown: Baseball vs. Lacrosse00:23:04 - Mental Fortitude in Sports: Key Comparisons00:25:23 - Learning to Say No: Building Effective Teams00:27:00 - Mastering Project Management: The Power of Clarity00:29:15 - Measuring Success: Client Health and NPS Scores00:33:06 - Trust and Expectations: Keys to Client Relationships00:38:54 - Final Thoughts: Leadership, Music, and Eternal OptimismLinks And Resources:Gray on LinkedInZenPilotRecommended Books:How to Be a Great Boss by Gino Wickman and René BoerThanks so much for joining us this week. Want to subscribe to Eternal Optimist? Have some feedback you'd like to share? Connect with us on iTunes and leave us a review!
[This is a special feature of Gray's recent appearance on Perpetual Traffic—reposted on the Agency Journey feed so you don't miss this informative discussion!]Kasim chats with Gray MacKenzie, the co-founder of ZenPilot, a company that helps agencies master project management. Gray reveals why project management is more than just software, and how to create effective processes and habits. He also shares how to set up your scorecard, track your client health, and deliver an awesome experience for your team and clients. Plus, he gives you the three secrets to project management success and how to avoid the most common mistakes.Chapters:00:00:00 - Introduction and Welcome00:01:59 - How to Calculate the ROI of Project Management00:07:20 - How Zenpilot Evolved Over 10 Years00:19:08 - How to Measure and Improve Client Health00:24:42 - The Three Keys to Making Project Management Work Well00:26:19 - How to Use ClickUp and Teamwork for Project Management00:28:16 - How to Define Your Scorecard and Track Your Progress00:30:25 - How AI Can Enhance Project Management00:33:18 - How to Design Your Data Architecture for AI00:37:17 - How AI Can Automate Task Creation and Summary00:39:30 - How Gamification Can Motivate and Engage Your Team00:40:38 - How AI Can Optimize Capacity Management00:46:15 - How to Create Structure and Clarity for Your Team00:48:25 - How to Use Time Tracking for Capacity ManagementLINKS AND RESOURCES:ZenPilotGray MacKenzie on LinkedInClickUpEOS® V/TO™ Template - V/TO™ TemplateEOS - Entrepreneurial Operating SystemTraffic & Conversion SummitTier 11 JobsPerpetual Traffic on YouTubeTiereleven.comSolutions 8 Perpetual Traffic SurveyPerpetual Traffic WebsiteFollow Perpetual Traffic on TwitterConnect with Kasim on Twitter and Connect with Ralph on LinkedIn
Kasim chats with Gray McKenzie, the co-founder of Zenpilot, a company that helps agencies master project management. Gray reveals why project management is more than just software, and how to create effective processes and habits. He also shares how to set up your scorecard, track your client health, and deliver an awesome experience for your team and clients. Plus, he gives you the three secrets to project management success and how to avoid the most common mistakes.Chapters:00:00:00 - Introduction and Welcome00:01:59 - How to Calculate the ROI of Project Management00:07:20 - How Zenpilot Evolved Over 10 Years00:19:08 - How to Measure and Improve Client Health00:24:42 - The Three Keys to Making Project Management Work Well00:26:19 - How to Use ClickUp and Teamwork for Project Management00:28:16 - How to Define Your Scorecard and Track Your Progress00:30:25 - How AI Can Enhance Project Management00:33:18 - How to Design Your Data Architecture for AI00:37:17 - How AI Can Automate Task Creation and Summary00:39:30 - How Gamification Can Motivate and Engage Your Team00:40:38 - How AI Can Optimize Capacity Management00:46:15 - How to Create Structure and Clarity for Your Team00:48:25 - How to Use Time Tracking for Capacity ManagementLINKS AND RESOURCES:ZenPilot Gray MacKenzie on LinkedIn ClickUp EOS® V/TO™ Template - V/TO™ TemplateEOS - Entrepreneurial Operating SystemTraffic & Conversion SummitTier 11 JobsPerpetual Traffic on YouTubeTiereleven.comSolutions 8 Perpetual Traffic SurveyPerpetual Traffic WebsiteFollow Perpetual Traffic on TwitterConnect with Kasim on Twitter and Connect with Ralph on LinkedInThanks so much for joining us this week. Want to subscribe to Perpetual Traffic? Have some feedback you'd like to share? Connect with us on iTunes and leave us a review!Mentioned in this episode:Free AuditFree Audit
In this episode with Zenpilot Founder Gray Mackenzie, we explore three critical aspects of personal and professional success: compartmentalization, productivity, and the significance of building and maintaining meaningful relationships.Join us in this enlightening conversation as we explore how compartmentalization can help you achieve your long-term goals, the essence of true productivity, and the enduring value of meaningful relationships in both personal and professional life.TOPICS FROM THIS EPISODE:Importance of Having a Clear Vision: Gray emphasizes the significance of having a clear vision for personal and business goals. He discusses how many businesses lack a clear "North Star" or long-term vision, which can hinder their growth and decision-makingEntrepreneurial Challenges: The conversation touches on entrepreneurs' challenges, such as the temptation to pursue new ventures without fully developing existing ones. Gray shares his experiences and lessons learned from his entrepreneurial journeyAccountability and Mentorship: Casey and Gray discuss the importance of accountability in entrepreneurship. They highlight the value of having mentors or advisors who can provide guidance and hold entrepreneurs accountable for their decisionsBuilding Strong Relationships: Gray emphasizes the significance of building and nurturing strong relationships, not only in business but also in life. He believes that relationships matter the most and that investing in them can lead to long-term successBalancing Vision and Execution: Gray mentions the need to balance having a clear vision and executing practical steps to achieve it. He stresses that being clear about what you want and communicating it effectively to your team is crucialConnect with Gray: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/graymackenzieTwitter: https://twitter.com/sgraymackenzieBook a Meeting with ZenPilot: https://www.zenpilot.com/call/Join our Free Newsletter:Friday Focus Newsletter: Receive actional tips to remove yourself from the daily grind of your business.Free Guides:Gain Control of Your Business: The proven process to help you out of the daily grind, gain control of your business, and have time to focus on what matters the most.Creating a Culture of Ownership: As a business owner, employees are either your biggest asset or biggest frustration; learn how to build a team of A players that get the job done without you.www.CaseyCavell.com
Running a professional services agency? You need compelling case studies to close sales. But most video case studies end up dry, boring, and forgettable.So how do you create video case studies that captivate prospects and accelerate deals?In this episode of Agency Journey, host Gray MacKenzie interviews Ian Garlic, founder of Video Case Story. Ian shares his proven process for producing video case studies that get results. He also talks about writing a book, starting a partnership program, and much more.Episode Insights:
Running a marketing agency is hard. Running one remotely across several time zones? Even harder.So how do you keep a distributed team aligned, motivated, and growing together?In this episode of Agency Journey, host Gray MacKenzie interviews Janet Mesh, CEO and co-founder of Aimtal, a fully remote marketing agency. We dig into the keys that accelerated Aimtal's growth over the past 5 years.Janet shares how Aimtal has doubled its team and revenue each year through an intentional focus on talent, culture, and streamlined operations.Episode Insights: Implementing clear processes and documentation enabled Aimtal to effectively manage a distributed team across 7 time zones Hosting immersive annual retreats reconnects their remote team and aligns everyone on vision and goals How Aimtal structures retreats to maximize bonding and alignment Focusing on talent, values, and culture fit over geography gives Aimtal access to the best talent globally The importance of intention in building a thriving remote agency and team Relying on tools like Rippling to streamline operations and free up bandwidth as they scale Leading with transparency and vulnerability as keys to remote team success Resources Mentioned: Rippling - For HR/IT management Guru - Knowledge base software TravelPerk - Travel management platform Anthropic - AI assistant tool Whether you're building a remote agency or colocated team, Janet offers fantastic insights into leading with intention, investing in processes and culture, and scaling successfully.
Ask any agency owner and they'll tell you—growth doesn't happen by accident. It takes strategy, systems, and support.So how do you choose the right blueprint to guide your agency's growth? What if that blueprint could help you smash through plateaus and scale your team 10x?In this episode of Agency Journey, host Gray MacKenzie interviews Tyler Dolph, CEO of Rocket Clicks. We'll dig deep into how EOS(The Entrepreneurial Operating System) helped transform Rocket Clicks into the Agency that it is today.Episode Insights: How implementing EOS helped the agency establish clear roles, vision, and processes to enable growth Why focusing obsessively on client retention, not just sales, fueled sustainable growth The importance of Investing intentionally in culture like immersive onboarding and events strengthened their distributed team Strategies to analyzing top clients revealed their ideal target market to focus growth efforts AI offers opportunities to double down on human-centered strategies and relationships vs trying to compete Resources and People Mentioned: Rocket Clicks Website EOS Website EOS Tools Traction by Gino Wickman John LaFontsee's LinkedIn John Morriss LinkedIn Ramsay Innovations Website (Now known as EngineBI) Avoma
Gray MacKenzie is the Co-Founder of ZenPilot, a training and consulting business that leads digital agencies through project management implementation using ClickUp. Altogether, ZenPilot has helped over 2,700 agencies improve their operations. Previously, Gray founded GuavaBox, a marketing agency for B2B SaaS. This conversation covers how to avoid chaotic agency operations, best practices for project management, how to design effective systems in your business, how to create a "spin-off" business from your by-products, building an agency operator scorecard, Gray's entrepreneurial backstory, using AI to grow your business, alternatives to college, and much more. Check out ZenPilot:→ Website: zenpilot.com→ Twitter: twitter.com/zenpilothq→ LinkedIn: linkedin.com/company/zenpilot Connect with Gray:→ LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/graymackenzie→ Twitter: twitter.com/sgraymackenzie Resources Mentioned in The Episode:→ Agency Journey Podcast (Apple): podcasts.apple.com/za/podcast/agency-journey/id974213636→ Agency Journey Podcast (Spotify): open.spotify.com/show/4C7UEVPMZZlPzbMlIwmiaA→ Twitter: twitter.com/agencyjourney→ ZenPilot Website: zenpilot.com Help The Louis and Kyle Show:→ If you enjoyed this episode, please share it with a friend or leave a review!→ Leave a review: podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/1504333834→ Drop us an email: LouisandKyleShow@gmail.com→ Subscribe on YouTube: youtube.com/channel/UCb6qBiV1HAYcep87nKJmGhA Follow The Show on Social Media:→ Twitter: twitter.com/LouisKyleShow→ Instagram: instagram.com/louiskyleshow→ LinkedIn: linkedin.com/company/65567567 Connect with Louis and Kyle:→ Read Louis' Newsletter: louisshulman.substack.com→ Louis' Twitter: twitter.com/LouisShulman→ Kyle's Twitter: twitter.com/_kylebishop→ Louis LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/louisshulman→ Kyle's LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/kyle-bishop-7b790050
In the latest episode of "In Systems We Trust," hosted by Marquis Murray, we welcome Gray MacKenzie, the CEO of ZenPilot. Gray is an operations nerd dedicated to helping digital agencies build healthy, productive, and profitable teams. With over a decade of experience, he has successfully streamlined operations for over 2,700 agencies and transformed ZenPilot into ClickUp's largest and highest-rated solutions partner. During the interview, Gray will be discussing agency operations, sharing his expertise in improving quality of life for agency operators and bringing clarity to their workflows. His professional accomplishments range from driving rapid growth for GuavaBox within the HubSpot ecosystem to building their own SaaS platform, DoInbound, which now serves over 500 customers. Gray and his team at ZenPilot are known as the Seal Team 6 of agency operations, providing meticulous project management and process development services. They analyze agency workflows, design tailored systems, train teams, and offer accurate data and insights to drive better decision-making. Discover how ZenPilot takes the guesswork out of agency operations and helps teams achieve better results faster. Join Marquis Murray in this engaging conversation with Gray MacKenzie to learn more about streamlining agency operations, the unique approach of ZenPilot, and the core values that drive their success. Tune in to this episode of "In Systems We Trust" to gain valuable insights and practical strategies for optimizing agency operations and enhancing team productivity. Gray MacKenzie Links Website: zenpilot.com AI Process Builder: AI-Powered Process Builder Worksheet
Do you struggle to create work that truly resonates with your audience? The ability to craft stories and messages that forge meaningful connections is what separates good creators from great ones. In today's episode, host Gray MacKenzie sits down with storytelling expert Jay Acunzo.Jay Acunzo, The founder of the Creator Kitchen, a membership program helping you push yourself creatively. He's also an author, speaker, and host of the award-winning podcast Unthinkable, where creative people take us inside the unconventional choices they made to break from best practices.In this episode, you'll learn: How to resonate with your audience by crafting memorable stories Learn about posture and practice and what it means as an creative. The four ways to communicate with your audience. What stories should be focused on. How to practice crafting stories and work on developing your own narrative style. What does the Creator Kitchen community look like Jay's recommended people to follow The Unthinkable Podcast Process Presenting Sponsor: ZenPilotIf you're an agency owner or leader looking to level up your operations and maximize your team's potential, then we have the perfect solution for you.ZenPilot knows that you are tired of wasting time on trial and error — that's why we provide tried-and-true solutions that will help you grow and scale quickly and sustainably.So, what are you waiting for?Go to zenpilot.com to learn more.Resources mentioned in this episode: Unthinkable Podcast Creator Kitchen's Website Jay Acunzo's Website Jay Acunzo's LinkedIn Total ANNARCHY Newsletter Playing Favorites Newsletter Gray MacKenzie's LinkedIn
In this episode, Erika Zeigyte, CEO of a consulting & recruitment agency called Prosana. joins Gray Mackenzie to discuss the intricacies of hiring an A+ talent for your agency.Erika also shares her insights into what makes for great agency candidates, how to build an effective hiring process, the benefits of using a recruiting agency, interview techniques, and recommended tools for recruiting.In this episode, you'll learn: What makes someone a good fit for an agency? How to vet candidates for agency roles How to balance candidate experience with thoroughly vetting candidates The common positions recruited in an agency Hiring challenges with junior candidates The elements of a first-class hiring process Prosana's hiring process How to source and qualify candidates effectively Ways to do an effective outreach to candidate prospects Recruitment agency tech stack When to consider using an outside recruiting agency (pros and cons) Effective interview questions to ask a talent during interview Presenting Sponsor: ZenPilotIf you're an agency owner or leader looking to level up your operations and maximize your team's potential, then we have the perfect solution for you.ZenPilot knows that you are tired of wasting time on trial and error — that's why we provide tried-and-true solutions that will help you grow and scale quickly and sustainably.So, what are you waiting for?Go to zenpilot.com to learn more.Resources mentioned in this episode: Erika Zeigyte's Linkedin Prosana's Website ClickUp Asana Jeb Blount Gray MacKenzie's Linkedin
In this episode, Karl Sakas, Author, Speaker, Agency Consultant and Founder of Sakas & Company, joins Gray MacKenzie to discuss strategies & key metrics that agency owners should start tracking, and how it contributes to achieve sustainable growth and increased profits. Karl Sakas helps people at agencies make smarter decisions for smoother growth. Drawing on his background in agency operations, Karl has personally advised hundreds of agencies on every inhabited continent. He is the author of Made to Lead, The In-Demand Marketing Agency, and more than 400 articles on agency management. When he's not helping clients, Karl volunteers as a bartender on an antique train.In this episode, you'll learn: How to focus on aligning incentives between your agency and clients to build a true partnership. Why transparency and communication are key to maintaining client relationships. Why frameworks like the Entrepreneurial Operating System to your agency's unique culture and goals and what not to do. How content creation helps establish your agency as a thought leader. How to empower your team through the right tools and processes to help them work efficiently and collaboratively. Why Referrals and word-of-mouth are important to your agency's success. How to consistently reassess how you can build a more profitable and client-centric agency through your hiring, growth plan, and using the right tools. The important key metrics to track your agency's growth. Presenting Sponsor: ZenPilotCheck out ZenPilot, where we help agencies optimize their operations using our proven systems and processes.ZenPilot knows that you are tired of wasting time on trial and error — that's why we provide tried-and-true solutions that will help you grow and scale quickly and sustainably.So, what are you waiting for?Go to zenpilot.com to learn more.Resources mentioned in this episode: Karl Sakas LinkedIn Agency Articles - Sakas & Company Blog Work Less, Earn More Book Made to Lead Book The In-Demand Marketing Agency Book Sakas & Company Website Gray MacKenzie LinkedIn EOS
Individuals with soulful character approach leadership with tremendous fervor. They possess a deep understanding of their organization's structure and prioritize bottom-up motivation over top-down. They recognize the importance of all team members. These leaders also value open communication with all employees, recognizing that each person plays a crucial role in the organization and is equally valuable.In this episode, Kenny Lange, CEO of Kenny Lange Coaching, Kenny helps agency owners and their leadership teams find clarity and engineer their culture using proven frameworks. Kenny joins Gray MacKenzie to discuss the impact of being a purpose-driven, people-centric leader and how System & Soul differs from The EOS framework.In this episode, you'll learn: Why it is important to have the right framework for your agency What is S2 in The System & Soul Framework The differences and similarities between System & Soul and The EOS framework What System & Soul's S2 focuses on The importance of having consistent 1-on-1's with your employees How purpose-driven leadership impacts your agency's growth in productivity and effectivity Presenting Sponsor: ZenPilotCheck out ZenPilot, where we help agencies optimize their operations using our proven systems and processes.ZenPilot knows that you are tired of wasting time on trial and error — that's why we provide tried-and-true solutions that will help you grow and scale quickly and sustainably.So, what are you waiting for?Go to zenpilot.com to learn more.Resources mentioned in this episode: Kenny Lange Coaching Website System & Soul Website S2 Diagnostic - How Healthy Is Your Organization? EOS Website Kenny Lange's LinkedIn Gray MacKenzie's LinkedIn
Learn the importance of simplicity when using systems and processes As a business owner, you must know how to adapt to an ever-changing business. You also have to focus on using the right tools to help you and the rest of your team improve your business. It is important to note that many of the tools you use are free or limited in their features. You should only spend money on the right tool for the job. That's why it is essential to identify and see which software can help your business. In this episode of Beyond 7 Figures, I interview Gray Mackenzie, CEO of Zen Pilot. Zen Pilot is a company that helps agencies build more productive, profitable, and healthy teams by streamlining their operations in Click Up. Gray shows us how technology can improve product and business management. He will talk about the importance of simplicity when using systems and processes in our businesses to scale, Beyond 7 Figures. In this episode: Listen to Gray Mackenzie, CEO of Zen Pilot, and how using systems and processes helped his business. Learn about the use of templates in your product management. Hear why Gray chose ClickUp over other product management tools. Understand the importance of input and output consistency in product management. Learn why simplicity is essential for growing your business. Understand how technology can help, but it can also amplify the problem. Learn about ClickUp, the most popular product management tool. We talked about how Gray manages expectations in his business to get it to scale Beyond 7 Figures. Learn some really good educational guides on agency operations, including running ClickUp, by visiting https://www.zenpilot.com/ All this and more, on this week's episode of Beyond 7 Figures. Next week, we cover Small Fish Big Pond with Jeff Mains, an expert at turning good ideas into great enterprises. So, don't forget to subscribe to the show to get that episode as soon it gets released. Until then, be profitable.
Understanding the power of authentic leadership impacts and changes your ways of generating new ideas that would benefit you and your organization. Drawing attention can be difficult when you are in a competitive industry knowing many individuals are doing the same things as you. Due to the tight competition, some tend to mimic the styles and copy the custom of others, which leads to losing their unique inspiration. In this episode with Mason Bendewald, we talked about his journey as a fitness-content creator and CEO who paved the way and made a notable mark in the fitness industry. I interviewed Mason and understood the force he has that separates his work. We also talk about how he chose not to camouflage but rather elevate his performance in an industry full of basic ideas. Mason shared his uniqueness as an entertainer who establishes a strong presence in front of the camera while he executes creativity as the director behind lenses. In this episode, you will learn: From Mason Bendewald on how to break into the fitness industry and be guided by his distinct qualities that would be beneficial for any director and CEO To understand that your potential and skill set can help you achieve your life objectives To create an edge that separates you from others and one that stands out in a competitive industry How connection starts with being authentic About leadership, engagement, and genuine human connection Understand that emotional connection is a must to correlate with other individuals About the imperfections and vulnerabilities that most leaders struggle to acknowledge yet find ways to overcome How to maximize the connection and draw your community closer To think differently about what it means to be a purpose-driven leader How to exercise camaraderie towards your team About successful leadership and how it's built on failed attempts All this and more, on this week's episode of Beyond 7 Figures. Stay tuned next week when we will cover the importance of simplicity in using systems and processes with Gray MacKenzie. So, don't forget to subscribe to the show to get that episode as soon it gets released. Until then, be profitable.
In this episode, Charles "Charlie" Gaudet II, CEO of Predictable Profits. He is also the author of “The Predictable Profits Playbook" and host of The Beyond 7-Figures Podcast, joins Gray MacKenzie to explore the strategies and best practices for building successful and profitable agency partnerships.In this episode, you'll learn: Why it is important to understand the benefits of agency partnerships How to identify the right partners for your agency How to establish clear expectations and goals The best methods to maintain open communication and fostering trust Ways to measure the success of your agency partnerships and continuously improving the process. Presenting Sponsor: ZenPilotCheck out ZenPilot, where we help agencies optimize their operations using our proven systems and processes.ZenPilot knows that you are tired of wasting time on trial and error — that's why we provide tried-and-true solutions that will help you grow and scale quickly and sustainably.So, what are you waiting for?Go to zenpilot.com to learn more.Resources mentioned in this episode: Predictable Profits Website The Predictable Profits Playbook Beyond 7-figures Podcast Charles Gaudet's LinkedIn Gray MacKenzie's LinkedIn
In this episode, Anne Shenton, CEO of Ascend Strategy & Design, a HubSpot Diamond and Advanced CMS Implementation certified solutions partner, joins Gray MacKenzie to dig deeper into the impact of implementing EOS. Whether it's self-implementation or with a professional implementer, you will learn how an agency quantifies the impact of implementing EOS.Topics discussed in the episode: How Ascend balances using ninety.io and ClickUp and their approach on how to leverage using both tools Ascend's quick background story and how they first discovered EOS Anne's career journey, her passion for websites, and how she navigated her career growth How Ascend Pivoted from being just a department to being its own agency The Impact of EOS on culture development and the downside of self-implementation How Ascend's screening process involves its core values. One of the unusual metrics that Ascend has is "Employee NPS." Anne's own tech stack and tool recommendation Presenting Sponsor: ZenPilotCheck out ZenPilot, where we help agencies optimize their operations using our proven systems and processes.ZenPilot knows that you are tired of wasting time on trial and error — that's why we provide tried-and-true solutions that will help you grow and scale quickly and sustainably.So, what are you waiting for?Go to zenpilot.com to learn more.Resources mentioned in this episode: Ninety.io's website Ascend Strategy & Design Website Slickplan's Website ClickUp's Website HeyTaco's Website Anne Shenton's LinkedIn Gray MacKenzie's LinkedIn EOS Tools
Project management is essential to marketers because it enables them to manage their time and resources more efficiently. You'll be able to better manage projects by setting realistic deadlines, keeping track of all tasks and deliverables, and evaluating the results of your work so you can determine what went well and what needs improvement. On this week's episode of the Garlic Marketing Show, we're joined by Gray Mackenzie, Co-Founder of ZenPilot in discussing the importance of project management tools in the agency space.What You'll Learn:WHY IS PROJECT MANAGEMENT SO IMPORTANT?SHOULD YOU CHARGE MORE FOR YOUR SERVICES?HOW TO MEASURE ROI FOR AN AGENCYTHE HARD DECISIONS MADE BY MARKETING MANAGERSTHE ULTIMATE GOAL OF PROJECT MANAGEMENTConnect with Gray:LinkedInZenPilotResources:Connect with IanDiscover where to use your customer stories now!Download the Client JourneySupercharge your marketing and grow your business with video case stories today!Subscribe to the YouTube Channel Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Galen Low is joined by Gray Mackenzie, Co-Founder of ZenPilot, to talk about project management software, whether or not you really need it, and things to avoid when selecting the right tool for your team.
The temptation to get back into client work can be overwhelming for a CEO scaling their team - especially when it feels like your reputation is on the line. This means that too many CEOs are stuck overseeing project management that really should be delegated to other team members, leaving them with less time to actually run their business. In this episode of Hands-Off CEO, Mandi's guest Gray Mackenzie, co-founder of ZenPilot, shares what CEOs need to do to get out of day-to-day project management once and for all. Key Ideas: Entrepreneurs are always the people who get left for better, easier or more lucrative opportunities - they never get to leave and that can be disheartening. Don't get discouraged when key people leave your agency: you were part of their journey, and they were part of yours. For as long as they are a great fit and they stay with you, get as much value from them as you can. [9:20] If you want to attract the best clients, and make the highest profits, you need to minimize risk and increase quality as much as possible as you scale. Gray talks about the 5 key elements you need to understand and be using them in all areas of your business. A trap to avoid is too much customization - custom doesn't scale. [16:38] If you take anything away from this episode, it's this: To continuously make your service better and more profitable, you need to look at it like a scientist would. Solve the same problem again and again by constantly imagining: what would make this better? How do we turn our standard service into all-star service, and then how do we level up from that?. [23:31] When you know it's time to make a change, it's time to make a change, and the smartest move is often to hire experts to implement a new system, like ClickUp. It's often not worth eating up your team's bandwidth when there are experts who can get you exactly where you need to be. That's the foundation Graw has built his business on: breaking through “it's how we've always done it” and into systems that are truly gold standard. [30:15] When you're starting a new initiative, you need to think about the costs of implementation - and also the cost of NOT implementing. You need to know your vision, and how different projects are going to impact it. When you take on projects internally that you aren't equipped for, the opportunity costs can be extraordinary. Take the long view when considering your investments in your company. [34:30] Resources Gray MacKenzie on LinkedIn | Twitter ZenPilot Mandi Ellefson on LinkedIn | Twitter | Facebook Hands-Off CEO - Executive Briefing Clickup
Have systems and processes been put on the backburner in your agency? In this episode of the Innovative Agency podcast, we are joined by entrepreneur and self-proclaimed process nerd, Gray MacKenzie. In only nine years he's helped more than 2,400 digital agencies build more productive and profitable agency teams. During our conversation, Gray shares the most common operational issues, and how to begin implementing a more efficient project management framework. What you will learn in this episode: The most commonly encountered agency operational issues Why agencies need systems to accurately determine profitability What internal agency metrics do clients frequently ask for, and why a client would typically ask for agency metrics How agencies can improve their project management framework Why it's more efficient to build your processes within your project management tool How systems and processes can impact agency ROI and internal retention Where agencies should begin with selecting and implementing a project management tool Bio Gray MacKenzie from ZenPilot is a bona fide process nerd who has gone under the hood with 2400+ digital agencies over the past 9 years in search of the best way to build and lead healthier, more productive, and more profitable agency teams. Resources: Website: https://www.zenpilot.com/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ZenPilotHQ Twitter: https://twitter.com/sgraymackenzie LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/graymackenzie How to Choose the Best Project Management Tool for Your Agency
Topics discussed in the episode: Tips for Creating an Effective Agency Case Study The Benefits of a Great Agency Case Study What is an Ideal Agency Case Study Tips for Conversion Copywriting What Makes A Great Case Study Presenting Sponsor: ZenPilotZenPilot helps agencies build more productive, profitable, and healthy teams by streamlining their operations in ClickUp.As ClickUp's largest implementation partner, we've served over 2,300 agencies and would love to help you scale operations.Learn more about our agency solutions.Resources mentioned in this episode: Joel Klettke on LinkedIn Joel Klettke on Twitter Case Study Buddy Website Joanna Wiebe on LinkedIn Jonathan Dane's Agency Journey Episode Joel Klettke's Newsletter KlientBoost Website Gray MacKenzie on LinkedIn Andrew Dymski on LinkedIn ZenPilot
Amber Kemmis is the Chief Operating Officer of Revenue River, a sales and marketing agency.With over a decade of digital marketing and agency leadership experience, Amber can solve almost any problem thrown her way. She also has a passion for people, psychology, MarTech, and driving revenue growth.Topics discussed in the episode: The Difference Between a Traditional HubSpot Agency vs. HubSpot Agency Today. What does a Traditional HubSpot Agency Model look like? Amber's take on Client Retainers in Revenue River. Defining Retainers in an Agency Space The Core Responsibilities of a Chief Operating Officer in an Agency Different Types of Challenges in Measuring Profitability Different types of Client Engagements The Importance of Project Management on Operations Resources mentioned in this episode: Amber Kemmis on LinkedIn Revenue River Career Opportunities at Revenue River HubSpot Eric Pratt's Agency Journey Interview BugHerd - tool recommended by Amber Pastel - tool recommended by Gray 15Five - employee engagement tool recommended by Amber & Gray ZenPilot is a 15Five partner - contact ZenPilot if you're interested in additional 15Five resources and special 15Five pricing. SmartBug Gray MacKenzie on LinkedIn Andrew Dymski on LinkedIn ZenPilot
Dean Dutro is the CEO of Worth eCommerce, an email marketing agency. His team helps e-commerce companies increase revenue by up to 60% in six months with email marketing systems built in Klaviyo. Dean co-founded Worth eCommerce with the mission of boosting profits, engagement, and brand loyalty for clients.Dean is also the Founder of Emailgrowthtraining.com, where he teaches clients how to grow their e-commerce revenue by 30-40% using email marketing. He has previously founded two other agencies, Instant Email Copy and GobySavvy.In this episode…The path to success is never straight — it often comes with surprising curves, rough patches, and hills. So, how can you take the lessons from each trying experience and turn them into a victory?Dean Dutro's path to CEO of a successful agency certainly wasn't smooth. At the age of 24, he quit a comfortable job in aviation sales to co-found a startup — which sunk into debt. At the age of 26, he was living in his granpdarent's basement and starting up an email marketing agency. It slowly grew, but he was met with competition from his previous business partner. Rather than butt heads, they decided to join forces, and now their combined experience has created an email marketing empire: Worth eCommerce.In this episode of Agency Journey, Gray MacKenzie is joined by Dean Dutro, the CEO of Worth eCommerce, to discuss how he quickly scaled his agency. Dean talks about the inception of Worth eCommerce, what's changed during SmartBug Media's acquisition of the agency, and his goals for the future of the brand. Stay tuned.
Katie Street is the Founder and Managing Director of Street Agency, the “agency for agencies.” Street Agency helps clients develop marketing strategies to get noticed and attract more leads. Katie launched the company after realizing she could create an easier way for agencies to build engagement with brands and companies.Katie is also the Co-founder of Tanba, The Agency New Business Academy. Tanba empowers agencies to grow by sharing content and insights from the best in the business. Additionally, Katie hosts the Word on the Street podcast and is a New Business Peer Network Chair for BIMA (British Interactive Media Association).In this episode…Agencies help clients with marketing, strategic planning, building out processes, and so much more. But who helps agencies find those clients in the first place?Street Agency does — and that's why it's been dubbed as the “agency for agencies.” Street Agency's team knows how to build a personalized content plan that will attract more clients and increase sales for any agency. Agencies are lining up to work with the company — business boomed by 300% last year alone. So, how is Street Agency working its magic?In this episode of Agency Journey, Gray MacKenzie is joined by Katie Street, the Founder and Managing Director of Street Agency, to discuss how she develops marketing strategies to help agencies attract clients. Katie talks about the process of building up Street Agency, how she collaborates with clients to increase leads, and her tips for creating an engaging content strategy. She also gives the inside scoop on her new project, Tanba.
Project management software for agencies? There are lots of options. Learn how to find the right platform for your agency with expert Gray MacKenzie. Hear insights about: How Gray grew up in a huge family as the fourth of twelve kids, and how ZenPilot came to be How Gray and his team scaled their agency and used their experiences to expand into consulting and helping other agencies Why the team decided to slowly transition out of software development and focus exclusively on their consulting work How the ClickUp project management software for agencies became ZenPilot's focus, and how it differs from competing platforms What agencies should specifically be looking for when considering ClickUp or other project management software What agencies who benefit most from ClickUp are looking for, and why ClickUp offers a superior user experience What kind of timeframe you should expect when implementing new project management software in your agency Why adapting new project management software for agencies is a process that requires employee buy-in, adequate training, and other considerations you should keep in mind Project Management Software for Agencies Great project management software can be a powerful tool for your agency, but there are lots of choices available. It can be time-consuming and costly to adopt new project management software for agencies, so how do you choose? This week's guest on the Progressive Agency podcast is Gray MacKenzie, CEO of ZenPilot. ZenPilot specializes in helping agencies take advantage of ClickUp, an all-in-one project management platform designed specifically for agencies. In this episode of the Progressive Agency podcast, Gray explains what agencies should be looking for when evaluating the various project management software platforms, he outlines what sets ClickUp apart from its competitors, and he offers insights into why choosing the right project management software for agencies can make such a dramatic difference for your agency's efficiency and ability to get more done. Choosing the Right Project Management Software for Agencies Gray explained that evaluating your options, understanding your goals, and matching your needs to the right project management software for agencies is crucial. The onboarding process typically takes around 10 weeks to complete, plus there are financial expenses to consider. That's why choosing the right platform is so important, because going back to square one can be costly in both time and money. It's important to consider the features of project management software and ensure that all your boxes are being checked. Don't buy into the marketing and do your due diligence before choosing which project management software for agencies will best meet your needs. Making a Smooth Transition Once you've selected a platform from the long list of project management software for agencies, it's then important to get employee buy-in and ensure that everyone is trained on the new project management tools. Partnering with an agency like ZenPilot can help you make a much smoother transition and hit the ground running, as well. To learn more about Gray MacKenzie and his team at ZenPilot, you can visit their website at www.ZenPilot.com or reach out to Geoff directly at Gray@ZenPilot.com. And, as always, please visit me at https://craigcodyandcompany.com/podcast/ for more informative, money-saving podcast episodes like this one. How to Connect with Gray MacKenzie: Criteria for Choosing the Right PM Tool for Your Agency: https://doc.clickup.com/p/h/1ngg-91407/4d3718c67324e85 Website: www.zenpilot.com Email: Gray@ZenPilot.com Schedule a Live Demo: https://meetings.hubspot.com/gray/schedule-demo ClickUp Guide for Agencies: https://www.zenpilot.com/clickup-for-agencies-guide/ LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/graymackenzie/ LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/company/zenpilot Facebook: www.facebook.com/zenpilothq Twitter: @sgraymackenzie Twitter: @ZenPilotHQ Additional Resources: Website: www.craigcodyandcompany.com Twitter: @CraigC2742 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/craigcodycpa About Gray MacKenzie: Gray MacKenzie from ZenPilot has gone under the hood of over 2100 digital agencies over the past 8 years in search of the best way to build and lead healthy teams and deliver better client services. Gray is a bona fide process nerd and today helps agencies streamline their operations inside a project management platform called ClickUp. You can learn more about Gray and read his definitive guide to ClickUp for agencies at ZenPilot.com.
Mike Allton is an award-winning blogger, speaker, author at The Social Media Hat, and the Head of Strategic Partnerships at Agorapulse, a social media management solution. As Head of Strategic Partnerships, Mike strengthens relationships with social media educators, influencers, and partner brands.Mike is also the co-author of The Ultimate Guide to Social Media Marketing alongside Jenn Herman, Stephanie Liu, Amanda Robinson, and Eric Butow. Additionally, he is the Co-founder of 360 Marketing Squad, a private membership group where business owners can receive live training on the latest marketing trends and techniques.In this episode…Are you juggling so many client social media accounts that you're afraid of dropping one? Or, are you looking for better ways to promote your virtual events and other content?Breathe easy with Agorapulse's simple social media solution. Whether you're managing content for a client or promoting your agency's livestream, Agorapulse has the tools for you. Combine your expert marketing knowledge with a user-friendly interface for a seamless promoting experience.In this episode of Agency Journey, Gray MacKenzie is joined by Mike Allton, the Head of Strategic Partnerships at Agorapulse, to discuss his strategies for social media and virtual event success. Mike talks about his favorite Agorapulse features, his tips for promoting your agency's events through social media, and Agorapulse's new podcast, Agency Accelerated.
Rikki Lear is the Director of Digital 22, an Elite HubSpot inbound marketing agency. Digital 22 has rolled out HubSpot and inbound marketing with 73 companies to date, helping them reach their goals sooner without the pitfalls. In his role, Rikki oversees the heads of service departments like finance, marketing, and HR.Previously, Rikki was on the Partner Advisory Council for HubSpot and worked in digital marketing for Workwear Express and Optimise Marketing. He holds several certifications from HubSpot, including HubSpot Trainer, Inbound Sales, Growth-Driven Design, and more.In this episode…Are you trying to optimize HubSpot's features for your agency, but keep getting stuck? Wouldn't it be nice if there was a team of experts ready to help?Digital 22 has the inbound marketing expertise you need. The agency's team members specialize in HubSpot features and understand all the best practices for implementing them into your business. With their help, one client had an additional 167 blog views, a 140% increase in offline revenue, and a 174% increase in online revenue. So, how did Digital 22 become the powerhouse agency they are today?In this episode of Agency Journey, Gray MacKenzie is joined by Rikki Lear, the Director of Digital 22, to discuss how he created the largest 100% HubSpot agency in the UK. Rikki talks about Digital 22's bold jump from SEO and PPC agency to HubSpot partner, the agency's decision to start accepting project-based clients, and how his team stays up-to-date with HubSpot features.
Adam Rundle is the Co-founder of CleverProfits, a firm that helps online businesses become more profitable. CleverProfit's team excels in accounting, tax, and growth strategies. Adam founded the company with Bryan Nguyen after realizing that many online entrepreneurs were failing because they didn't understand finances. Together, they created a solution that enabled business owners to plan, forecast, and predict their future financial performances and effectively scale their businesses.Adam is also the Owner of CFO Coach and an Assistant Rugby Coach for the United States Naval Academy. Before starting CleverProfits, Adam was a Financial Manager for C&A Friedlander Attorneys and a Varsity Cup U20 Rugby Coach for the University of Cape Town's rugby club.In this episode…No one wakes up in the morning and says, “I can't wait to pay my accountant today.” But most businesses can't survive without one, either. So, how can you find a happy and healthy partnership that will help you build a solid financial future?CleverProfits is a financial firm with an innovative solution. Rather than signing your life away at step one, you can join their six-week Profit Accelerator program. With this process, they help you strengthen your company's financial foundation, develop unique growth strategies, and create a personalized tax plan. If you find their services beneficial (and most participants do), you can partner with their team throughout your business journey to take advantage of their excellent financial intel and tax genius. In this episode of Agency Journey, Gray MacKenzie is joined by Adam Rundle, the Co-founder of CleverProfits, to discuss why a firm financial foundation is essential for your business. Adam talks about the services CleverProfits offers, how they develop unique solutions for each business they work with, and why simplicity is always the best option.
Chase Dimond is an email marketing expert who is currently a Partner at Structured and Boundless Labs and an Advisor for Triple Whale. He created the popular “$75M Ecommerce Email Marketer” course and offers an email marketing guide on his website, chasedimond.com. Chase is also an Angel Investor for several companies, including Gatsby, Miracle Brand, Gainful, and Newchip Accelerator.Chase's accomplishments include scaling a product he built, marketed, and managed to 500,000 visitors in 6 months, generating 1.5 million visitors for a dating site within the first two months of launch, and acquiring 500,000 subscribers in 10 months for a travel email newsletter he helped launch — all while spending either zero or very little traditional advertising dollars.In this episode…These days, businesses need help with social media advertising, email marketing, website design, and more. How can they meet all their needs without hiring 12 different agencies?The team at Structured has your back. They handle social media, email, SMS, and content — and they do it really well. Chase Dimond leads the email marketing sector with years of success under his belt. He drove over 350,000 unique clicks and responses through cold email campaigns in 2017, acquired 20,000 users in three weeks for a polling app, and generated $175,000 in new revenue in three months while working as an intern. So, what's Chase's secret?In this episode of Agency Journey, Gray MacKenzie is joined by e-commerce email marketing expert Chase Dimond to discuss how email can revolutionize your business. Chase talks about his email marketing course, how the services at Structured can benefit your company, and his favorite online e-commerce tools.
Melissa Rosenthal is the Chief Creative Officer at ClickUp, a fully customizable app that is helping to make the world more productive. Melissa joined ClickUp's team in October of 2020 and leads the agency's marketing and branding efforts.Previously, Melissa was the CRO and Executive Vice President of Marketing and Creative Strategy at Cheddar. She has been named one of Forbes' “30 Under 30,” Business Insider's “30 Most Creative People in Advertising Under 30,” and Digiday's "Changemakers." Melissa also led BuzzFeed's global creative team responsible for creating branded content for advertisers and was a key contributor to the advertising model's early success.In this episode…Every company has a logo, mission statement, and advertising strategy. So, amid the torrent of content that consumers face daily, how do you make your brand stand out?Marketing expert Melissa Rosenthal says you're not building a brand for the next three years — you're building a brand for the next 20. Because of this, there are many areas you need to focus on, including social media, billboards, videos, and more. But according to Melissa, one aspect is more important than everything else: making the brand feel human.In this episode of Agency Journey, Gray MacKenzie is joined by Melissa Rosenthal, the Chief Creative Officer at ClickUp, to discuss her strategies for building a strong brand. Melissa talks about her tried-and-true social media tactics, the culture of the creative department at ClickUp, and how she developed her marketing strategy. Stay tuned.
Andrew Dymski is the Co-founder of ZenPilot. ZenPilot has helped over 2,000 agencies streamline their operations and scale their businesses using proven systems and processes. ZenPilot's clients benefit from a comprehensive library of pre-built ClickUp templates, agency-specific training, and certification programs.Andrew has over a decade of experience helping businesses and agencies grow. In addition to his work at ZenPilot, Andrew is the Co-founder of GuavaBox, which helps B2B tech and SaaS companies build a better growth strategy. Previously, he worked as the Digital Media Strategist for Deeter Gallaher Group and the Director of Growth for ReturnLogic.In this episode…Are you trying to grow your agency but feel too disorganized, overwhelmed, or inconsistent to make any progress? Do you wish there was an easier way to streamline your processes?ZenPilot offers a better option. Everything they do is focused on clarifying your agency's processes so you can focus on growing your business. With their help, you can have a clearer picture of what's on your team's plate, how much work you're doing for each of your clients, and the various ways your team delivers those services — all through the user-friendly ClickUp platform. So, how does the process work?In this episode of Agency Journey, Gray MacKenzie is joined by Andrew Dymski, his business partner at ZenPilot, to discuss the agency's recent rebranding and valuable client services. Andrew and Gray talk about ZenPilot's blueprint and implementation processes, why they chose ClickUp as their preferred project management tool, and the current open positions on the agency's team.
Justin Christianson is the Co-founder and President of Conversion Fanatics, a customer-centric CRO agency. His team helps e-commerce and SaaS companies better understand their visitors' on-site behavior, likes, and dislikes to increase conversion results and get a better return on advertising. The agency's clients, including Burt's Bees, Renew Life, Paleovalley, and more, have increased conversions and marketing performance by 30% to 1850% due to their services.Justin is a digital marketing veteran with a strong emphasis on implementation and optimization. His book, Conversion Fanatic: How To Double Your Customers, Sales and Profits with A/B Testing, is a #1 best-seller on Amazon. Justin is also an Official Member of the Forbes Agency Council.In this episode…Many businesses are so focused on driving traffic to their website that they forget one key element: how to actually make the sale. Once someone is on your webpage, how do you get them to buy your product?That's Justin Christianson's sweet spot. His agency, Conversion Fanatics, focuses on improving conversion rates for businesses by understanding what makes consumers tick. Justin and his team recognize that changing even just one button can increase website leads by 15% or more. So, how does Conversion Fanatics' CRO magic work?In this episode of Agency Journey, Gray MacKenzie is joined by Justin Christianson, the Co-founder and President of Conversion Fanatics, to discuss how to improve your website's CRO. Justin explains the services that Conversion Fanatics offers, the process he uses to onboard new clients, and how his agency's website utilizes key CRO strategies.
Matthew Strunk is the Founder and CEO of BitMoto, Strunk Media Group, and AutoSigma. Matthew created BitMoto as a digital marketing agency for automotive companies and dealerships. After selling cars at a dealership and doing freelance digital marketing work on the side, Matthew realized he could combine his two passions, and BitMoto was born.In 2015, Matthew founded Strunk Media Group as a spinoff from BitMoto. While BitMoto focuses on the automotive industry, the award-winning team at Strunk Media Group designs marketing strategies for a diverse range of industries. Most recently, Matthew also launched AutoSigma, an automotive technology company that gives dealerships the tools to streamline their marketing efforts and maximize their ROI.In this episode…After pouring your heart and soul into a business and finally seeing the fruits of your efforts, you may be excited to keep growing — or be experiencing burnout. If a larger company gives a tempting acquisition offer, how do you know if you should accept?Matthew Strunk has founded three agencies — and almost sold them on two different occasions. Through strategic planning, a clear focus, and a strong client acquisition method, he effectively built up his agencies, and these qualities made his businesses very attractive to larger companies. So, how did Matthew decide whether or not to stay with his businesses? What factors played a role in his decision?In this episode of Agency Journey, Gray MacKenzie is joined by Matthew Strunk, the Founder and CEO of BitMoto, Strunk Media Group, and AutoSigma, to discuss the pros and cons of selling your agency. Matthew talks about the lessons he learned from almost selling his businesses twice, what he wished he knew before starting the process, and his strategies for preparing for an exit. Plus, Matthew shares his tried-and-true methods for client acquisition.
Lindsey Huettner is the Founder and CEO of The it Crowd, a full-service marketing agency. The it Crowd team is made up of experienced graphic designers, advertisers, business developers, social media experts, account managers, and more. Lindsey is a national marketing expert and regularly gives speeches and radio and TV interviews about marketing. She also delivers seminars in coordination with microloan programs to teach business ownership and help people climb out of poverty.A serial entrepreneur, Lindsey has previously founded and owned multiple other businesses. She turned a pet-sitting hobby into a 1,200-client empire and sold her 25,000-subscriber online “deal-a-day” website after just two years. From there, Lindsey purchased Krimson Klover, which she grew to two buzzworthy brick-and-mortar stores and a thriving e-commerce site. In 2014, she put her business acumen to work and founded The it Crowd, where she currently empowers businesses to succeed.In this episode…Do you want to improve your marketing, but are too busy running your business to make a difference? Are you looking for someone who can leverage key strategies to meet your agency's goals?The team at The it Crowd is here to help. Lindsey Huettner designed the agency to be a complete marketing presence for any company. Whether you need a total marketing takeover or a booster for your internal marketing team, The it Crowd can fill the gaps.In this episode of Agency Journey, Gray MacKenzie is joined by Lindsey Huettner, the Founder and CEO of The it Crowd, to discuss her entrepreneurial journey and marketing expertise. Lindsey talks about the inspiration behind The it Crowd, the employee benefits that make her agency stand out, and why charitable work is the key to her team's success.
Troy Osinoff is a Co-founder of JUICE, an integrated digital marketing agency. JUICE specializes in results-driven growth strategy development, social advertising, search engine marketing, organic search ranking, and lead generation. Troy is also a Co-founder of Peachy, a company that designs, develops, and optimizes scalable e-commerce experiences, and a General Partner of MAGIC Fund, an early-stage venture capital fund built by founders for founders. Previously, he was the Head of Customer Acquisition for BuzzFeed, the Director of Digital Marketing for Watsco, and more.Michael Lisovetsky is a Co-founder of JUICE and Peachy. As a serial entrepreneur, he has also co-founded businesses including Skylight, BuilderBuzz, and more. Alongside his business partner Troy, Michael recently became a General Partner for MAGIC Fund. Before starting JUICE, Michael was an Advisor for Covet, a full-service shipping company, and the Director of Growth for Common, a leading residential and coliving brand.In this episode…With all the agencies out there vying for the attention of potential clients, it takes a lot of work to stand out. So, what is the key to growing and scaling a thriving agency?Michael Lisovetksy and Troy Osinoff, Co-founders of JUICE, are so good at growing their own companies, they made a business out of helping other agencies grow. Within their agency, they are ultra-focused on implementing growth-based strategies and hiring the best talent to deliver amazing outcomes to their clients. Now they're here to share the business procedures that have given them the best results.In this episode of Agency Journey, Gray MacKenzie is joined by Michael Lisovetsky and Troy Osinoff, Co-founders of JUICE, to discuss their strategies for agency growth. They talk about the lessons they learned from other startups that helped them succeed, why growth motivates every business decision, and their goals for the culture and team at JUICE. Stay tuned.
Kevin Dunn is the Manager of Education with HubSpot Academy. Kevin leads the professor groups responsible for partner and developer education. He also owns the Agency Partner Certification course and educates people about agency growth and success.In addition to this, Kevin is a public speaker who delivers presentations at HubSpot's INBOUND conference and agency events across the globe. Kevin also hosts the Agency Unfiltered podcast, where he discusses agency operations and growth with agency owners.In this episode…HubSpot has marketing, sales, and service software to help your business grow without compromise. But as an agency owner, there are multiple software companies vying for your attention. So, what sets HubSpot apart?Kevin Dunn, the Manager of Education with HubSpot Academy, would say it's the education component. The company's built-in training helps agency partners know how to build integrations, price and package new services, and so much more. In a world of people who claim to be experts — why not learn from the best?In this episode of Agency Journey, Gray MacKenzie is joined by Kevin Dunn, the Manager of Education with HubSpot Academy, to discuss the educational opportunities available through HubSpot. Kevin talks about where he sees agency owners succeeding and struggling in 2021, HubSpot's unique infrastructure for creators, and the new initiatives coming to HubSpot in the coming year. Stay tuned.
Gray MacKenzie is the CEO and founder of ZenPilot, which is an agency training business that gives digital agency teams the structure they need to grow quickly and sustainably. As they grew their agency (GuavaBox), they helped other agency owners accelerate their journey. Today, Gray MacKenzie and his company, ZenPilot, have helped over 1,800 agencies grow sustainably.Through testing 71 project management tools, they ended up finding ClickUp to be by far the best project management tool, which helps agencies centralize their applications and streamline their process, allowing everyone to work together seamlessly.In this episode, we are going to learn how Gray helps agencies streamline their operations by using ClickUp for project management, the reasons why larger and smaller agencies struggle when it comes to streamlining, systemizing business operations, and why value-based outcomes are more important than output when estimating business success.This Cast Covers:What Gray does in helping agencies streamline operations (01:20)Using ClickUp as the main project management tool to centralize agencies' apps (01:34)Growing GuavaBox agency is a challenge that helps them accelerate their journey (01:43)A quick recap of how Joey and Gray got connected (01:53)Gray's 11 years journey into the agency space and how ZenPilot was born (03:40)Gray's going through 71 different project management tools before arriving at Clickup (05:36) Naval Ravikant's "Get rich without getting lucky" - A breakdown of 4 types of luck (06:11)ClickUp's successful raising of 100 million dollars at a billion-dollar valuation in December (08:06)Asana vs ClickUp for agencies: Why these two tools are fairly comparable today in terms of features (08:30)What challenges do bigger and smaller agencies face when it comes to streamlining, systemizing business operations? (12:06)A bit more challenging with bigger teams: Gray's experience with a large agency of 120 employees (17:40)The most valuable assets that you can create in your sales process (20:39)The strategies and future of ZenPilot for assisting agencies in achieving sustainable growth (25:50)Addressing agency owners who trade a lot of time for money and the importance of value-based pricing than output-based pricing in business (29:14)Paying for Output vs. Outcomes: What's more important? (31:17)Additional Resources:The Sales Driven AgencyThe Best Damn Agency MastermindZenPilotGray on LinkedinNaval Ravikant's "Get Rich Without Getting Lucky"
Andrew Hong is the CEO and Co-founder of Tobe Agency. Tobe Agency helps brands produce creative content that enables them to attract and convert new audiences. The team at Tobe Agency creates videos, podcasts, blog posts, and downloadables that build awareness, build audiences, improve conversions, and produce more revenue. Andrew Hong has over a decade of experience in the marketing sphere. Before creating Tobe Agency, Andrew was the Chief Marketing Officer for American Interbanc Mortgage, Vice President of Seashine Capital Management, and the Brand and Marketing Manager for DJ Tech Pro the Americas.In this episode…It seems like there are a million different ways to reach out to your audience. Of course, some mediums are better than others. How can starting a podcast grow your audience and help your agency find its niche?Andrew Hong, Co-founder and CEO of Tobe Agency, has helped hundreds of agencies leverage podcasting to reach more clients. Podcasting can feel more personal than blog posts and puts the human element back into your communications. Whether you're trying to increase brand awareness, build a connection with current clients, or communicate within an agency, a podcast can help. In this episode of Agency Journey, Gray MacKenzie is joined by Andrew Hong, CEO and Co-founder of Tobe Agency, to discuss the benefits of starting a podcast for your agency. Andrew talks about how to clarify the purpose of your podcast, the various benefits of each podcast format, and how SEO plays a role.
Brandon Ward is an Agency Advisor for ZenPilot. ZenPilot helps agencies streamline operations and scale their businesses using proven systems and processes. As an Agency Advisor, Brandon helps agencies leverage ZenPilot's solutions for their specific needs.After studying marketing at Marshall University, Brandon held marketing roles at several start-up companies and was the CEO of a growing CBD business called Lifted Innovations. In 2019, he created his own agency, Advisory Cure, before joining the team at ZenPilot.In this episode…Owning a digital agency is no easy task. Some agencies are generating off-the-charts sales and need a path for scaling the company. Others are waiting to get organized before their business can take off. Either way, ZenPilot can help.ZenPilot is designed to help agencies streamline their processes so they can offer quality services to every client and boost sales. As a previous agency owner, Brandon Ward knows that it can be difficult to achieve success without a great system. That's why he implemented ClickUp from ZenPilot for his own agency — and eventually joined the ZenPilot team.In this episode of Agency Journey, Gray MacKenzie is joined by Brandon Ward, an Agency Advisor at ZenPilot, to discuss the importance of mapping out the systems within your company. Brandon talks about what he learned from his mistakes as a former agency owner, how he got connected with ZenPilot, and what excites him about the company's future. Stay tuned.
Josh Elkin is the Founder of Linkflow, a link building service backed by a holistic SEO strategy that gives clients high-quality links to drive and convert traffic into revenue. The agency uses keyword-rich anchor text to create editorial links that are relevant to its clients' businesses.Josh has five years of digital marketing and entrepreneurship experience. After earning his MBA from the Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern University, Josh founded his first company, Inbound River, in 2015. Two years later he founded Linkflow, which he originally named Bestcoast Marketing.In this episode…Are you having trouble consistently building backlinks for your website? Is your current strategy failing to drive traffic the way you planned?Linkflow has a team of SEO experts ready to help. After finding its niche as an agency, Linkflow now specializes in building quality editorial links that drive and convert traffic into revenue. With a holistic SEO strategy and an updated business model, the team helps clients across the B2B SaaS and e-commerce spaces build their businesses. In this episode of Agency Journey, Gray MacKenzie is joined by Josh Elkin, the Founder of Linkflow, to discuss his agency's business strategies. Together, they talk about how Josh found a niche for Linkflow, the types of clients he targets, and the five monumental lessons he learned during the agency's evolution. Stay tuned.
AJ Wilcox is the Founder of B2Linked, an agency specializing in LinkedIn Ads. B2Linked's mission is to give accounts of all sizes the highest performing LinkedIn Ads strategies and the best ROI on the platform. The agency's team is highly trained to help businesses get the most out of their LinkedIn Ads budgets through account management and consulting.Before creating B2Linked, AJ was the Online Marketing Manager for Domo, where he managed LinkedIn advertising and grew the channel's qualified leads by over 2400%. He was also the Marketing Manager for Big Fish Automation and the SEO Team Lead for OrangeSoda. In addition to this, AJ has been a member of Utah's Digital Marketing Collective for eight years.In this episode…If you're a B2B business, many of your ideal prospects and potential customers are probably using LinkedIn nearly every day. But, with LinkedIn being one of the most expensive platforms for advertisers, how do you know if the money you pour into LinkedIn Ads will give you the ROI you're looking for?AJ Wilcox created B2Linked to answer that question. His team specializes in creating high-performing LinkedIn ads for agencies of all sizes. They can help you figure out if your target audience is on LinkedIn, if your budget will give you the reach you need, and if you're creating the right content for your campaigns.In this episode of Agency Journey, Gray MacKenzie is joined by AJ Wilcox, the Founder of B2Linked, to discuss the benefits and challenges of LinkedIn Ads. They talk about the four key components of a high-converting campaign, why B2Linked is uniquely positioned to partner with other agencies, and what you can learn from AJ's podcast, the LinkedIn Ads Show. Stay tuned.
Remington Begg is the Founder and Chief Remarkable Officer at Impulse Creative. Remington started Impulse Creative 10 years ago to create and maintain internet marketing strategies for small and midsize businesses. Impulse Creative helps brands with website design, social media, search engine marketing, email marketing, and business blogging. Remington holds a number of internet marketing certifications, including HubSpot's COS Certification and Inbound Marketing Professional Certification. With a background in graphic design and advertising, he also specializes in logo design, branding and identity, ad design, and more.In this episode…Nothing in life is as constant as change. Businesses change and marketing strategies change, but the team at Impulse Creative is actively working to meet these new and evolving needs. Remington Begg, the Founder of Impulse Creative, says that over the past few years, his team has been hard at work to further develop the agency's product lines. They've created software and new websites to bring relief to their clients' pain points and improve their own processes. These include sites like Sprocket Talk, which helps agencies hire the talent they need, and HubLMS, a site where you can easily build your onboarding training programs. In this episode of Agency Journey, Gray MacKenzie talks with Remington Begg, Founder and Chief Remarkable Officer at Impulse Creative, about how his agency has evolved over the past few years. Together, they discuss the updated products and services Impulse Creative offers, the agency's team structure, and the new roles Remington is hiring for. Stay tuned.
Gray MacKenzie is the CEO and Founder of ZenPilot. ZenPilot helps agencies streamline operations and scale their businesses using proven systems and processes. Over 1,800 agencies have grown quickly and sustainably thanks to ZenPilot's services. Gray also founded GuavaBox, which helps B2B tech and SaaS companies build a better growth strategy. Additionally, he is the Entrepreneur in Residence for eCenter@LindenPointe, a startup business incubator.In this episode…Your company is ready to grow, but how do you keep it organized? What can you do to make sure your clients get the same great product on time, every time? Gray MacKenzie and his company, ZenPilot, have helped over 1,800 agencies grow sustainably. They've developed standardized systems and processes to help any team reach its full potential, increase profitability, and stay organized. They also offer training for implementing ClickUp, an all-in-one app for tasks, documents, chat, goals, and more. Now, Gray is here to share his expert insights and advice with you. In this episode of Agency Journey, Gray MacKenzie is joined by Dr. Jeremy Weisz from Rise25 to discuss ZenPilot's strategies for helping agencies grow sustainably. Gray talks about the importance of standardized processes, why boosting your agency's organization matters, and how partnering with ZenPilot can increase your efficiency, profitability, and peace of mind.
Whitney Mitchell is the CEO and Founder of Beacon Digital Marketing. She founded Beacon Digital Marketing to help B2B companies generate high-quality leads, raise awareness among target audiences, and boost their marketing efficiency. In the last five years, the agency has grown from a team of five to 35 employees and 50 clients. Whitney is a global marketing leader with over 15 years of experience in marketing strategy, brand development, digital advertising, and more. She is known for her ability to bring teams together in various sectors, from global corporations to tech startups.In this episode…The perfect job: do you find it or create it? Whitney Mitchell would say that you create it. As a global marketing leader with over 15 years of experience, Whitney founded Beacon Digital Marketing to be the agency partner she always wished she had. While her goal to be the go-to marketing team for B2B companies may seem lofty, the agency's last five years of growth show she's well on her way. So, what are Whitney's secrets for building a high-growth agency and talented team?Listen to this episode of Agency Journey as Gray MacKenzie talks with Whitney Mitchell, the Founder and CEO of Beacon Digital Marketing, about the vision behind her agency. Whitney explains how narrowing Beacon Digital Marketing's focus increased its efficiency and why intention matters when building your workplace culture. She also reveals her tips for creating the agency you'd like to hire.
Josh Harris is the Founder of Agency Growth Secrets, a company that helps other agencies grow using niche selection, lead generation, sales, and campaign fulfillment. Agency Growth Secrets leverages AI to optimize marketing campaigns and saves companies a fortune in customer acquisition costs.Throughout his career, Josh has been recognized by Forbes and Entrepreneur for his successful work. He is also part of The Oracles, a members-only group of prestigious entrepreneurs. After facing countless achievements and failures during his entrepreneurial journey, Josh is now passionate about sharing what he's learned so that others can enjoy the same success.In this episode…As a startup, how can you gain clients, stand out in the marketplace, and grow your agency? Josh Harris, who found big success after launching his small startup, is here to share his strategies with you. According to Josh, there are six ways to get customers: paid media, earned media, owned media, referrals, JV partners, and direct outreach. While all of these channels are beneficial to a business, Josh suggests starting out with direct outreach and referrals. As he says, these methods will give you the chance to work on your offer before you even have clients. In this episode of Agency Journey, Gray MacKenzie sits down with Josh Harris, the Founder of Agency Growth Secrets, to talk about building up your agency and standing out as a startup. Josh shares the steps that early-stage agencies should take to succeed, how to craft a great offer, and his strategies for avoiding vicious churn cycles. Stay tuned.
Iris Shoor is a serial entrepreneur who is passionate about people, simple products, creative marketing, great UX, and building a unique culture. She is the Founder and CEO of Oribi, an all-in-one marketing analytics tool designed to help businesses of all sizes make smarter, data-driven decisions. Before launching Oribi, Iris founded two other successful startups: VisualTao and Takipi (now OverOps).Outside of work, Iris runs two blogs about startup life and out-of-the-box thinking. Her work has appeared in many publications and media sites, including TechCrunch, Social Media Examiner, Heavybit, and The Next Web (TNW).In this episode…Do you struggle with the complex technology of Google Analytics? Are you looking for a tool that can help you save time and easily understand your audience — without the help of analysts and developers? If so, look no further than the all-in-one analytics tool, Oribi. Iris Shoor founded Oribi to help you make smarter, easier decisions for your agency. According to Iris, Google Analytics is a heavy tool that is mostly used to optimize Google ads — not company websites and other forms of content. However, with Oribi, you can automate reports, customize your design, and simplify your metrics on all of your sites and channels. This way, you're spending less time navigating multiple tools and more time focusing on the creative side of your agency. In this episode of Agency Journey, Gray MacKenzie is joined by Iris Shoor, the Founder and CEO of Oribi, to discuss the ins and outs of her all-in-one marketing analytics tool. Iris explains how Oribi works, the popular features that make the tool unique, and how she's constantly developing Oribi's program. Plus, Iris also shares how you can start your free trial of Oribi today! Stay tuned.
Todd Taskey has been an entrepreneur, business owner, investment banker, and business finance advisor for over 20 years. He is currently the M&A Advisor for Potomac Business Capital, where he helps CEOs and entrepreneurs maximize their company's value and develop a successful exit strategy. His specialties include M&A, strategic acquisition, divestitures, and more. In addition to his role at Potomac Business Capital, Todd is an Angel Investor at multiple companies, including Zoomph, StreetShares, and LiveSafe. He has also been a founding investor, board member, and part of the management team for several business ventures throughout his career. In this episode…Successfully exiting your business can be difficult as a small agency. How do you ensure that your organization is prepared for a profitable sale? And, what steps can you take to maximize your value and sell your company for a higher price?M&A advisor and exit planning strategist, Todd Taskey, is here to share everything you need to know about the exit process. For both buyers and sellers, there are key financial factors to keep in mind in order to get the most out of a transaction. These include gap accounting, taking time to improve your EBITDA and ROI, and developing a high retention rate among employees and clients. So, what is Todd's advice to agency owners looking to take the leap and make an exit? In this episode of Agency Journey, Gray MacKenzie sits down with Todd Taskey, M&A Advisor for Potomac Business Capital, to talk about developing a valuable exit strategy. Todd shares his tips for generating recurring revenue, calculating your profit margin, and growing your company for a future exit. Plus, Todd also shares how Potomac Business Capital can help your agency — even if you're not ready for the full exit process. Stay tuned for more.
Dean Breyley is an EOS Community Leader and a Certified EOS Implementer at Grow or Die, where he increases traction for businesses and teams. Through the Entrepreneurial Operating System (EOS), Dean helps business owners and entrepreneurs clarify, simplify, and achieve their visions. Before discovering EOS, Dean held a number of positions in the marketing industry. In 2014, he became a certified implementer, and he now offers coaching sessions, presentations, and workshops for leadership teams and business owners.In this episode…The Entrepreneurial Operating System, or EOS, is becoming increasingly popular in companies that want to clarify their vision, gain traction, and build a better team. But what exactly does the EOS process look like? And, how do you know if it’s a good fit for your agency?Dean Breyley has helped over 50 leadership teams grow their companies and achieve their visions through EOS. According to Dean, the process can transform your company’s team health, communication, and results. However, like all tools, EOS requires active participation from all members. Today, Dean shares the best ways to effectively implement the process into your agency and reach your goals faster than you ever thought possible. In this episode of Agency Journey, Gray MacKenzie sits down with Dean Breyley, EOS Community Leader and Certified EOS Implementer, to talk about how EOS is transforming companies all over the world. Dean explains the process of EOS implementation, how it helps companies achieve their visions, and his strategies for getting the best results from the EOS tools. Stay tuned.
Dr. Jeremy Weisz is the Co-founder of Rise25, a company that helps B2B businesses generate more ROI, referrals, and clients through done-for-you podcasts. Dr. Weisz is also the Founder and CEO of InspiredInsider, where he hosts interviews with top business leaders, including the Founders of P90X, Atari, Baby Einstein, and many more. After meeting his business partner and gaining countless clients and referral partners through his own podcast, Dr. Weisz is a firm believer in the power of podcasting. In addition to running Rise25, Dr. Weisz is also a chiropractor who owns and operates a chiropractic and massage facility in downtown Chicago.In this episode…Are you looking for a fun and engaging way to generate consistent ROI, referrals, and clients? Have you thought about launching your own podcast — or improving your existing podcast — but don’t know where to start? If so, Dr. Jeremy Weisz is here to share his expert tips for creating a successful B2B podcast.Dr. Weisz has been podcasting for over 10 years, and he knows the ins and outs of using a podcast to boost your business’ success. According to Dr. Weisz, your focus shouldn’t be on your number of downloads, but rather on the connections you make through each podcast episode. When you focus on the people part of podcasting, you can foster lifelong relationships, gain invaluable knowledge, and build a collaborative network within your industry. In this episode of Agency Journey, Gray MacKenzie is joined by Dr. Jeremy Weisz, the Co-founder of Rise25, to share his top podcasting strategies. Dr. Weisz discusses the unexpected benefits of B2B podcasting, why downloads aren’t your most important metric, and how to leverage a podcast to build your network and generate referrals. Stay tuned!
Gray MacKenzie is the CEO of ZenPilot, an agency training business that gives digital agency teams the structure they need to grow quickly and sustainably. They've helped over 1,600 agencies over the past 10 years. ZenPilot enables agency transformations from chaos to clarity through a combination of hands-on consulting, analysis, community, training, pre-built assets, templates, and processes. They serve to accelerate and de-risk your agency’s journey towards growth. Gray is also the Founder of GuavaBox, a company that helps B2B tech and SaaS companies build a better growth strategy by applying a proven process to the four pillars of growth: positioning, lead generation, sales, and pricing. In this episode… Your kickoff call can either create an efficient onboarding process or set off alarm bells in a client’s mind. One of the biggest onboarding mistakes your agency can make is mismanaging the kickoff call. How so? A common misstep is forgetting to restate expectations or misrepresenting them. You can misrepresent expectations when your sales promise does not align with the deliverables you state during your kickoff call. Such misalignment of expectations is one of the many onboarding roadblocks. What are the other onboarding frictions, and how do you smoothen them out? Listen to this episode of the Inspired Insider Podcast with Dr. Jeremy Weisz featuring Gray MacKenzie, Founder of ZenPilot. They talk about productivity tools for agencies, how to create a smooth onboarding process, and how ZenPilot is helping agencies grow. Stay tuned to catch all the insights.
HighLevel Co-Founder Shaun Clark joins Gray MacKenzie to discuss how agencies can increase client success, retention, and value by building a SaaS arm into their business model.
Welcome back to Agency Journey. In this episode, Gray MacKenzie welcomes guest Rochelle Moulton, an authority consultant who is working with Consultants and Big Thinkers to help people build their authority in the marketplace. Don’t miss this episode and begin to be transformed in building your authority whether in business or your personal life.
Gray MacKenzie, founder of ZenPilot, has helped countless agencies with their processes, greatly increasing their profitability in the process. In this interview you'll learn how your digital agency should create and store processes to become a much more efficient operation/ Resources mentioned in the episode ClickUp for agencies Connect with Gray Twitter LinkedIn About Gray […]
Gray MacKenzie, founder of ZenPilot, has helped countless agencies with their processes, greatly increasing their profitability in the process. In this interview you’ll learn how your digital agency should create and store processes to become a much more efficient operation/ Resources mentioned in the episode ClickUp for agencies Connect with Gray Twitter LinkedIn About Gray ... Read more
In this episode of the Process Breakdown Podcast we interview Gray MacKenzie, the founder of ZenPilot, an agency that helps digital agencies find the structure and the process needed for them to operate, scale, and grow effectively. Gray shares practical insights on how you can structure your digital agency to produce results consistently, and how […] The post How to Effectively Scale your Marketing Agency appeared first on SweetProcess.
ClickUp CEO Zeb Evans joins Gray MacKenzie to discuss ClickUp's vision, roadmap, pricing strategy, and agency use cases.
Sometimes, the most innovative thing an agency can do is really take a hard look at its business model. Even though taking a look at the business model is one of the most beneficial things an agency can do, it's also one of the most avoided. Agency owners agree that it would be a good idea, but in the hustle and bustle of serving clients, it gets brushed aside. But is there a way for agency owners to make room for looking at the business model? Well, according to Gray MacKenzie, Co-Founder of ZenPilot, there is. In addition to coaching agency owners on how to do this, Gray's also been in the trenches as an agency owner himself. He gets it. He came on the latest episode of The Innovative Agency to talk about the problem most agencies face in their business model, what a better model would look like, and how you can make room to address these issues.
Doug, Mike, guest Gray MacKenzie of DoInbound discusss the future of marketing agencies, their role in client success, and how to build for predictable success.
Join Priscilla McKinney, CEO and Momma Bird at Little Bird Marketing as she chats with Gray MacKenzie, co-founder of Guava Box and DoInbound. Over the last 7 years, Gray has helped businesses grow efficiently by increasing revenue and reducing overhead. They take their combined expertise and tackle the deeper topic of bringing sales and marketing together in a comprehensive revenue strategy. They talk shop as mutual agency owners and discuss inbound in general. His day to day at Guava Box was helping companies create efficient customer acquisition systems to expand. That work led him to create DoInbound, a project and process management tool built specifically for agencies, in 2013. DoInbound helps agencies grow profit, improve client results, and increase team happiness while leveraging proven processes to reduce the typical chaos and inefficiency of agency life. He shares some of his most applicable lessons about leveraging processes to scale marketing and growth efforts. They created a strategy for growing consistency in how inbound services are delivered, which provides more consistency in the results. Gray talks honestly about some of the early mistakes they made in inbound efforts which led them to creating proper sales and marketing standards. As both of their agencies are HubSpot agencies, they discuss their journeys to becoming a content and results driven organizations. They highlight the need for agencies to bring sales and marketing into a documented process for planned company growth. For more conversations within the content marketing industry, Gray also hosts Inbound Agency Journey, the DoInbound podcast. This weekly podcast shares the growth stories of agency owners, tips and tricks shared by actual agency owners. Have more questions? Catch Gray MacKenzie on Twitter. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
GuavaBox began like many agencies, with strong roots in web design. It didn't take long for Gray MacKenzie and his partner to realize they wanted to go all in with the inbound philosophy and begin partnering with Hubspot, which led to more leads and closing more deals.In this episode hear how GuavaBox developed their own internal process/project management software called DoInbound, which is now their biggest focus. DoInbound exists to help other agencies serve their clients.Jason and Gray discuss several topics, including:- The value of weekly batch days for content production- The choice to use contractors in their business model versus full time employees- Why delegating the sales process too soon didn't work out for GuavaBox- The importance of culture even in a virtual model with contractors- The process of learning who their ideal clients are- Why producing leads for clients isn't enough to help them succeed
Welcome to Episode #13 of the Agency Toolbox podcast hosted by Gray MacKenzie from DoInbound. In this episode, Gray shares a quick productivity tool for Mac users, especially those working on the iMac or a big screen. Magnet by CrowdCafé is my favorite windows manager for Mac because of it's simplicity, clean design, and speed. You can purchase Magnet in the Mac App Store: https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/magnet/id441258766?mt=12. To learn more or catch other episodes of Agency Toolbox, head over to https://www.doinbound.com/toolbox.
Andrew Dymski is a co-founder of DoInbound, a process and project management platform for inbound marketing agencies and GuavaBox, an inbound marketing agency. He is a lacrosse coach on the side and loves doing almost anything outside. He is also the co-host of Inbound Agency Journey, a weekly podcast for agency pros. What you’ll learn about in this episode: How Andrew and his business partner Gray MacKenzie started their agency while they were still in college and the transformation that GuavaBox has overwent since then How Michael Gerber’s “The E Myth” transformed how Andrew’s agency was ran Using blogging as a method for separating yourself Why clients will leave if communication is poor -- even when you’re doing great work DoInbound: a tool for creating templates that power the delivery of services just for inbound marketing agencies How creating DoInbound has helped the way Andrew works with his clients Why you need to figure out your vision and share that with your core team Listing and pruning your agency’s list of deliverables How to create processes with your employees and get them to actually follow the processes created How many processes are too many processes? Why you need multiple iterations of processes What meetings about processes with your employees should look like What you can do right now to put some of the ideas from this episode in place without freaking out your team Ways to Contact Andrew Dymski: Podcast: www.doinbound.com/podcast Twitter: @AndrewJDymski We’re proud to announce that Hubspot is now the presenting sponsor of the Build A Better Agency podcast! Many thanks to them for their support!
On this podcast, I talk to Gray MacKenzie of GuavaBox and DoInbound. Gray has expertise in one of the most important aspects of running a successful agency: developing processes. For most small agency owners, everything they do lives in their heads. This means that when you write a blog post, you do it one way, but... The post Podcast: Gray MacKenzie on How to Grow Your Agency Beyond Yourself appeared first on Hubstaff Blog.
Gray MacKenzie joins us to talk about HubSpot, running a remote agency (GuavaBox), and his SaaS company (DoInbound). Gray talks about how GuavaBox was founded in his dorm room, how […] The post 016 Running a Remote HubSpot Agency – Gray MacKenzie of GuavaBox appeared first on The Creative Agency Podcast.
In this episode of Inbound Agency Journey, DoInbound co-founders Gray MacKenzie and Andrew Dymski discuss upcoming product improvements, agencies making cool things, lessons learned, and a preview for Season 6 of Inbound Agency Journey. Enjoy!
Micky interviews two time entrepreneur Gray Mackenzie. They discuss entrepreneurial growing pains and the importance of building a game plan for your business. “I would recommend to start by defining who your target audience is. People often target the person writing the check but that is not the person that usually finds you.” This is an excellent interview for everyone who wants to know more about inbound marketing and the mindset of running two businesses at the same time. To find out more about Gray and what he is doing, look for him on twitter @sgraymackenzie or on his website http://www.guavabox.com/
Smart Agency Masterclass with Jason Swenk: Podcast for Digital Marketing Agencies
Are you growing your digital agency the best way or are you facing hurdles you need to overcome and don't know the best techniques to overcome them? In this episode we cover: The most common challenge a new digital agency faces, and what to do about it. 4 traits you might have that are standing in your own way of growing your digital agency. How to find the clarity you need to grow and scale your marketing agency. Today's guest, Gray MacKenzie, and his partner started their Inbound Agency out of their college dorm room five years ago. As Seniors on the Grove City College Lacrosse team, they created a website and social campaign for the team. Their marketing efforts off the field coincided with on-field success and they realized the skills they had used for on something “just for fun” had the potential for much more. And thus, GuavaBox was born. In their first year, Gray says they weren't really all in and had a shot gun approach to the business. One big challenge they ran into as young entrepreneurs, fresh out of college was their lack of experience. It seemed clients trusted them for their technical skills but not for consulting and business building strategy. They were doing a lot of tactical work but not much more... This was covered in last week's podcast about the 5 levels of agency service. Check it out here. They spent those first years doing a lot of hands-on work while trying to build a reputation and educating clients about strategy. Gray says it was this learning curve that made them realize that in order to build a sustaining business for themselves with positive cash flow, they needed 2 things: bigger clients and retainers. But those two things don't come without some obstacles along the way... "There are 4 BIG things causing the challenges most agencies face" Gray knows first hand the many challenges a startup Inbound Agency faces because he's faced them ALL. Over the years he's discovered there are 4 underlying reasons why most startup agency owners stand in their own way of growing and scaling. 4 Traits Standing in the Way of Growing Your Digital Agency: 1. Lack of Confidence - If you aren't convinced in the potential for your ideas to succeed, how can you sell them to your prospects and clients? Be your own best case study. Self-test before you roll out a strategy and document the success so you can use the data as evidence. 2. Lack of Focus - When you aren't clear about exactly what your agency's specialty is (and what it isn't) it's easy to lose focus. Many of us want to be everything to everyone (or most things to most people). But learning to say “no” to one thing opens you up to being able to say “yes” to something else. Choose to focus on one type of client, one industry, one core service and do really, really well at it. Know who you won't work with and what you won't do. Then, stick to it. 3. Lack of Balance - It's easy to think that working harder will make you more money, but it's not a long-term fix. Working tons of hours doesn't make you successful and it doesn't help you build a solid foundation for yourself or your team. Putting in tons of hours can't last forever - everyone needs a work/life balance. 4. Lack of Efficiency - We tend to gravitate towards tasks that are easy rather than those that are more challenging. Often times it's the difficult or time-consuming tasks that have the most impact on growing your business. Be aware of how you're spending your time and be honest with yourself as whether what you're doing is the most efficient and effective way to spend it. If you need some pointers to get you on the right track, check out my post about Productivity and download my Productivity Funnel. You'll be amazed at the clarity you discover when you identify and work through these weaknesses. In fact, it was a moment of clarity that brought the guys at GuavaBox to the decision to develop project management software for Inbound Agencies. Two years ago, they realized their agency was really struggling with a process for managing deliverables. After trying every sort of technology out there, they developed DoInbound, which is software for Inbound Agencies to track and manage inbound marketing campaigns. Growing Your Digital Agency Growing your digital agency is no easy process but I hope this helps and gives you the tips you need. However, if not I am here to help. I have more than likely experienced all if not most of the different struggles an agency owner experiences through my own experience and I can help you from what I learned. I have covered many topics from what to do with your sales processes to improve them, how you can increase your agency profit margins or how you can build authority for your agency. I have the best ways for your business to stop losing money on projects, how performance-based pricing models can be the best strategy for your agency and why including remote teams or freelancers in your team can be beneficial in the long run. Learn more about my career as well as tips, tricks and insights by checking out my blogs that cover a wide variety of topics. Find more from my Ask Swenk series and more of my videos on my YouTube channel. There you will find advice from myself and other agency experts.
Do you have a system in place at your agency? If not, this is the episode for you! In this episode on Inbound Sales Journey co-hosts Ryan Herman and Gray MacKenzie share the key areas you need to build to implement a sound agency sales system.
In this episode of Inbound Sales Journey, co-hosts Ryan Herman and Gray MacKenzie share their stories about how they found the inbound agency space and cast a vision for the future of the podcast.
Ever thought about creating products as an agency? If so then this is the episode for you! Gray and I chat about leading agencies creating great products and share our story so far creating DoInbound.
In this episode of Inbound Agency Journey, Gray MacKenzie interviews John Bonini, Marketing Director at IMPACT. Listen and learn how John delivered crazy results that grew leads at Impact by over 500% in 24 months!!
In Episode 000 of Inbound Agency Journey, Gray MacKenzie, co-founder of GuavaBox an inbound marketing and HubSpot COS web design agency in Pittsburgh, PA. Gray shares how GuavaBox grew as an agency and some tools he enjoys using on a daily basis.
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