An Agency Story

An Agency Story

First hand interviews of creative, digital, advertising, and marketing agency owners that have walked the talk of running an agency business. These are riveting stories of the thrill of starting up, hardships faced, and the keys to a successful business from agency owners around the world.

Episodes

What does it take to turn a disconnected, overwhelmed team into a unified, creative powerhouse? In this episode, Chelsea Flower, Founder of Scott Social, shares the pivotal mindset shifts, leadership breakthroughs, and culture changes that doubled her agency’s clients and transformed her team from stressed and siloed to connected and thriving.

Key Takeaways

  • Why investing time, not just money, into your team leads to exponential t...
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What happens when a laid-off marketer, a former music teacher, and a chance meeting lead to a design and web agency? In this episode, Jason and Lisa Cerezo share how Neon Moth was built through partnership, necessity, and a deep commitment to serving small businesses well. You’ll hear how they grew from $300 websites to a dependable agency built on clarity, communication, and care.

Key Takeaways

  • Their first client that helped the...
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Doing hard things isn’t optional in entrepreneurship, it’s the requirement. In this episode, Benjamin Behrooz, Founder of My1Brand, reveals why discomfort is the doorway to better leadership, stronger teams, and real creative excellence. You’ll hear how hardship shaped his career, how he builds empowered teams, and why great agencies must invest in doing things the right way instead of the easy way.

 Key Takeaways

  • Why embracing d...
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What happens when you pack a bag, buy a ticket, and bet everything on yourself?
 In this episode, Nico Pisani, founder of White Canvas and Loop3, shares how one bold month in New York transformed his mindset, business, and approach to risk. From humble beginnings in Argentina to building two successful agencies, Nico’s story is a testament to action over perfection and the lessons that only failure and courage can teach.

Key Tak...

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November 2, 2025 39 mins


Company: RicketyRoo

Guest: Blake Denman

Year Started: 2009

Employees: 11-25

Some stories start with ambition, this one starts with a crash. In this episode, Blake Denman, founder of RicketyRoo, shares how a near-fatal accident and a long recovery reshaped his perspective on business, leadership, and life. 

Key Takeaways

  • How trauma can transform the way you lead and make decisions
  • The “User Guide” system RicketyRoo uses to strengt...
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October 26, 2025 29 mins

Company: Nopio

Guest: Piotr Nowak

Year Started: 2010

Employees: 11-25

What happens when a lifelong developer decides to step out from behind the code and build something of his own? In this episode, Piotr Nowak, founder of Nopio, shares his journey from being fired from a comfortable job to creating an international digital agency based in Poland. He reveals how embracing simplicity, culture, and clear purpose helped him transform comp...

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Company: X Agency

Guest: Darwin Liu

Year Started: 2016

Employees: 1-10

Most people avoid embarrassment and failure, Darwin Liu trained for it. In this episode, he reveals how doing the uncomfortable on purpose helped him build a multimillion-dollar agency and stay sharp in an industry that's rapidly changing. You'll hear the mindset behind pushing limits, hiring struggles, and why boredom can be a sign of progress.

Inside...

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Company: Dapper Codes

Guest: Kelly Gordon

Year Started: 2007

Employees: 1-10

Most agency owners don’t realize how long they’ve been operating in survival mode, it becomes default. In this episode, Kelly Gordon of Dapper Codes shares what it really took to move from reacting to everything to leading with intention. You’ll hear the turning points, the mindset shifts, and the cost of staying in “hard mode” too long.

Key Takeaways

  • T...
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October 5, 2025 43 mins


Company: Norbella

Guest: Stephanie Noris

Year Started: 2009

Employees: 1-10

Running an agency means solving problems every day, but what if one lesson could make most of them easier? In this episode, Stephanie Norris of Norbella shares how mastering tough conversations, focusing on people, and tackling root challenges have shaped her 16-year journey in business.

Key Takeaways

  • Why learning to have difficult conversations solves m...
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Company: Visible Logic

Guest: Emily Brackett

Year Started: 2001

Employees: 1-10

Financial Clarity and the Creative Journey with Emily Brackett

 In this episode Emily Brackett, founder of Visible Logic and Branding Compass, shares how a pivotal moment reshaped the way she runs her business. From building a branding agency rooted in clarity to developing a software tool that helps businesses define their message, Emily’s story is a r...

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Company: Comet Fuel

Guest: Jarod Spiewak

Year Started: 2018

Employees: 1-10

In this episode, Jarod Spiewak, founder of Comet Fuel, shares his unconventional journey, the pivotal shifts in his business model, and the hard-earned lessons behind building a system of value. 

Key Takeaways

  • Why saying “yes” strategically can unlock bigger client opportunities
  • Ensuring you have R&D happening in your business
  • The importance of tracking cus...
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Company: Inovāt

Guest: Doug Logan

Year Started: 2006

Employees: 1-10

What happens when a 14-year-old builds an agency and later finds himself running a burrito shop on the side? In this episode, Doug Logan of Inovat shares his journey from teenage entrepreneur to seasoned agency owner, offering candid lessons on leadership, letting go, and staying in love with the work.

Key Takeaways

  • Why imposter syndrome never fully disappears ...
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Company: Enleaf

Guest: Adam Chronister

Year Started: 2009

Employees: 1-10

Adam Chronister took his time on his path to entrepreneurship. Struggling in school and unsure of his future, he took the long road—gaining experience, building a side hustle, and creating financial runway before finally making the leap. In this episode, Adam shares how that deliberate approach shaped the ethos of Enleaf, where focusing on the business, not ...

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Company: Bytes.c

Guest: Jason Di Vece

Year Started: 2010

Employees: 26-50

What happens when you walk away from security and take the leap into the unknown? In this episode, Jason Di Vece, Co-Founder of Bytes.co, shares how selling everything to move abroad reshaped his mindset and set him on the path to building a 25-person agency serving hundreds of clients. 

Key Takeaways

  • The risky move that built lasting confidence and shaped Ja...
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Company: Scratch Media + Marketing

Guests: Ryan Ellis

Year Started: 2009

Employees: 26-50

What happens when an agency depends too much on its founder? In this episode, Lora Kratchounova, Founder of Scratch Marketing and Media, shares how she built a 40-person B2B tech agency by shifting from founder-dependence to team empowerment. From mastering positioning to embracing deep tech and climate tech, Lora’s story highlights an ever presen...

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Company: Red Egg Marketing

Guests: Ryan Ellis

Year Started: 2011

Employees: 11-25

Growing an agency doesn’t always come from chasing the newest trends, it often comes from mastering the basics. In this episode, Ryan Ellis, Founder of Red Egg Marketing, shares how focusing on client relationships, intentional growth, and sticking to fundamentals helped him build a business that lasts. 

 Key Takeaways

  • How low expenses gave Ryan the fre...
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Company: AOR

Guests: Alyssa Ash

Year Started: 2011

Employees: 25-50

What if your journey to owning an agency started without you even knowing it? In this episode, Alyssa Ash, Partner at AOR, shares how she went from junior designer to co-owner of a leading creative and digital agency. You’ll hear the behind-the-scenes story of a years-long leadership transition, the lessons learned along the way, and how she’s navigating an unpredictab...

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Company: Cro Metrics

Guests: Gwen Hammes

Year Started: 2011

Employees: 50-100

Gwen Hammes, Co-CEO of Cro Metrics, shares her journey of taking over leadership, not by replicating the past, but by evolving it. In this episode, Gwen shares what happens when you step into a founder’s shoes and choose to grow the team before the business.

Key Takeaways

  • The biggest risk in leadership transitions
  • Why growing your people first leads to bette...
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Company: 118 Group

Guests: Dylan Steven

Year Started: 2017

Employees: 1-10

The Secret to a Smarter, Stronger Team? Build a Learning Culture
What if the best agency investment isn’t more tech or tighter processes, but more learning? In this episode, Dylan Steven of 118Group shares how embedding education and autonomy into his team’s DNA has elevated their work and strengthened their connection. He unpacks how letting go of control ...

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Company: Bubbly Creative

Guests: Cara Chatellier

Year Started: 2020

Employees: 1-10

When your brand is an extension of who you are, the work becomes deeply personal and powerful. In this episode, Cara Chatellier, founder of Bubbly Creative, shares how she built a values-driven agency that puts relationships first and strives to deliver marketing that actually connects. If you're tired of generic content and ready to build somethin...

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