The 2 Keys to Scaling (Based on a Successful Exit) w/ John Ghiorso

Agency Builders

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In this episode of the Agency Builders podcast, Logan Lyles interviews John Ghiorso, who shares his journey from founding and exiting Orca Pacific to launching five new agencies in two years.
John discusses the challenges and philosophies behind his ambitious plans, emphasizing the importance of operationalizing delivery and growth. He provides insights into creating systems that enhance client satisfaction while avoiding common pitfalls like scope creep and commoditization.
The conversation highlights the balance between maintaining operational efficiency and fostering strong client relationships, ultimately aiming for healthy delivery margins. In this conversation, John Giorso and Logan Lyles delve into the intricacies of agency-client relationships, addressing common challenges such as scope creep and the importance of setting boundaries. They explore innovative pricing strategies, particularly performance-based pricing, that can foster better client relationships.
The discussion shifts to operationalizing growth through effective marketing strategies, with a focus on leveraging LinkedIn and outbound marketing. They also touch on the transformative impact of AI on agency work and the necessity for agencies to adapt to these changes. The conversation concludes with rapid-fire insights on recommended tools and community engagement.

Takeaways

• Operationalizing delivery is essential for scaling.
• Quantifying client satisfaction helps prevent churn.
• Avoid over-optimizing processes to maintain creativity.
• Time tracking is crucial for understanding workload.
• Client feedback should be gathered regularly & live on calls.
• Documenting out-of-scope requests helps manage expectations. Most scope creep is not due to client malice.
• It's always the agency's responsibility to set boundaries.
• Performance-based pricing can incentivize agencies to do more.

Connect with the co-hosts of Agency Builders:

• Jay Owen
• Tyler Pigott
• Cassie Shea
• Logan Lyles

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