How to Adjust Pay When Converting Contractors to Full-Time

Bringing a contractor on as a full-time employee sounds simple enough, right? Just convert their hourly rate into a salary and you're done. Not quite. In fact, that approach could cost you big time. Before you extend an offer, it's important to understand how market rates, in-house pay structures, and total compensation come into play. In this post, I'll break down the steps to make sure you don’t overpay and that your new hire fits into your team seamlessly—both financially and culturally.

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FinanceJeff Meade
Managing Disengaged Employees: When to Coach and When to Let Go

Managing disengaged employees is one of the toughest challenges agency owners face. Should you invest time in trying to re-engage them, or is it better to part ways? This article offers a practical framework to help you understand the root causes of disengagement, provide meaningful support, and make those tough decisions when necessary—all while keeping your team's morale intact.

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LeadershipJeff Meade
Let's Get Serious About Non-Billable Hours

Discover how to maximize your agency's growth by effectively managing non-billable hours. Learn strategies to reframe non-billable activities into investment opportunities that drive long-term success. This article covers practical steps to categorize your time, manage internal projects, and understand the benefits of prioritizing non-billable hours

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Unleash Your Agency's Growth with the Hotshot Rule

In this article, I share a simple exercise called the Hotshot Rule, which can help you gain a fresh perspective on your agency and identify blind spots that may be hindering your growth. By adopting the mindset of a hotshot taking over your job, you can uncover areas that need attention and make strategic changes to drive your agency forward.

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You Lost a Big Client - Now What?

Losing a big client is never fun, but it's an inevitable part of business—just as much as landing a dream account. It's important not to take the loss personally. Sometimes, you might get so focused on your work that you forget to separate what you do from who you are. Often, the decision to part ways is a business move by the client, unrelated to the quality of your work. So, recognize this separation as a business decision, not a referendum on you as a person.

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How to Manage Customer Concentration Risks in Your Agency

While it's tempting to take on any client that comes your way, not all clients are good clients. Some may be too big, demanding too much of your time and resources, while others may be too small, providing insufficient income to justify the effort. In this article, we explore the concept of customer concentration and how to find the right balance in your agency's client portfolio for long-term success and profitability.

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How to Write a Positioning Statement for Your Agency

Crafting a positioning statement is important for any agency looking to stand out in today's competitive landscape. This article offers a comprehensive guide on how to write a positioning statement that captures the essence of your agency, defines your target market, and highlights your unique selling points. Whether you're refining your existing statement or starting from scratch, these insights will help you create a powerful declaration that resonates with your ideal clients.

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PositioningGuest User
Selling Strategy in an Execution-Focused World

In a world that prioritizes immediate results, selling the concept of strategy over execution poses a unique challenge for agency leaders. Through expert analysis and practical advice, this article guides agency leaders on navigating these challenges, demonstrating the indispensable value of strategy in achieving long-term success.

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PositioningGuest User
Separating Your Agency from the Pack

This 7-part series on Agency Positioning starts by defining it as a holistic business strategy, emphasizing the importance of a clear positioning statement. The four pillars—what, who, how, and why—formulate a strong positioning strategy. Identifying and articulating the client problem is crucial. The series aims to equip agencies with tools to stand out in a competitive market.

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PositioningGuest User