Welcome to a timely episode of Build a Better Agency! This week, host Drew McLellan is joined by research partner Susan Baier from Audience Audit to unveil the results of the 2025 Agency Edge Research, fresh from its debut at the Build a Better Agency Summit. Together, they dig deep into how agency clients really feel about artificial intelligence—…

Welcome to another insightful episode of Build a Better Agency! This week, host Drew McLellan is joined by Matt Davies and Pieter-Paul von Weiler, the strategist duo behind the Better Briefs Project, to tackle one of the most persistent and frustrating challenges agencies face: the elusive art of creating a truly effective brief. If you’ve ever str…

Welcome to another inspiring episode of Build a Better Agency! In this episode, host Drew McLellan sits down with high-performance coach and leadership expert Christina Langdon to explore what it truly means to scale your agency—not just in terms of size or revenue, but in mindset, vision, and team culture. Drawing on decades of leadership experien…

Welcome to a compelling new episode of Build a Better Agency! This week, host Drew McLellan is joined by familiar faces Susan Baier from Audience Audit and Brian Gerstner from White Label IQ to discuss the findings of the 2025 Agency Core research study. Together, Susan and Brian have launched Agency Core, a nonprofit initiative dedicated to provid…

Welcome to a milestone episode of Build a Better Agency! This week, host Drew McLellan takes the mic solo to commemorate a remarkable achievement—the 500th episode of the podcast. With nearly a decade of weekly episodes under his belt, Drew reflects on the invaluable lessons that have emerged from ten years of conversations, challenges, and growth …

Welcome to another can’t-miss episode of Build a Better Agency! This week, host Drew McLellan invites negotiation expert Mike Lander to shed light on a critical, and often misunderstood, stage of growing your agency: the art of winning new business and, crucially, negotiating strong client contracts. If your agency is hustling for fresh opportuniti…

Welcome to another insightful episode of Build a Better Agency! In this session, host Drew McLellan is joined by PR expert Ryan Gerding, CEO of Inc. Public Relations, to explore the evolving landscape of public relations and its crucial role in modern communication strategies. Ryan brings over two decades of experience in the PR industry, offering …

Welcome to another enlightening episode of Build a Better Agency! In this episode, host Drew McLellan delves into the nuances of effective communication, a skill vital for thriving in today's tumultuous business landscape. Joined by guest Cynthia Kane, an expert in mindful communication, they explore how to navigate conversations with clarity and c…

Welcome to another insightful episode of Build a Better Agency! Today, host Drew McLellan returns with guest Lee McKnight from RSW to dive deep into the findings of the new 2025 Outlook report, exploring the evolving landscape of agency-client dynamics. As a key industry player, Lee brings a wealth of knowledge about the intersection of innovative …

Welcome to another episode of Build a Better Agency! In this solo cast, host Drew McLellan takes center stage to discuss a critical topic that every agency owner should consider—broadening the concept of growth beyond the traditional metrics like headcount and gross billings. As an agency leader, you’ll gain fresh perspectives on how to leverage di…

Welcome to the latest episode of Build a Better Agency! In this engaging discussion, host Drew McLellan is joined by veteran leader Jim Fielding to explore what it takes to be an authentic and effective leader in today’s ever-changing landscape. With a wealth of experience garnered from his impressive career in retail and media, including at Disney…

Welcome to the latest episode of Build a Better Agency! This time, host Drew McLellan is joined by leadership expert Suzanna de Baca for a thought-provoking discussion that will transform the way you think about your role within your agency. As the new year inspires fresh goals, Drew and Suzanna explore the critical element that determines an agenc…

Welcome to another insightful episode of Build a Better Agency! This week, host Drew McLellan welcomes Kevin Eikenberry to the show to explore the ever-evolving landscape of leadership. Kevin, a seasoned expert in leadership and learning with over three decades of experience, shares his expertise on how flexibility and adaptability are integral to …

Welcome to the latest episode of Build a Better Agency! Host Drew McLellan returns with an engaging conversation that every agency owner needs to hear. In this episode, Drew welcomes back returning guest Casey Brown, a pricing guru known for her unique and insightful perspective on pricing strategy and negotiation. If you’ve ever struggled with fin…

In this episode of Build a Better Agency, Drew McLellan emphasizes the game-changing impact of one-on-one meetings and why agency owners should make them a non-negotiable part of their leadership strategy. Drawing from real-world agency experiences, Drew shares why these meetings serve as an "early warning radar system," helping leaders stay connec…

In this episode of Build a Better Agency, Drew McLellan sits down with leadership and workplace culture expert Sarah Noll Wilson to unpack one of the biggest challenges agency owners face today—building real culture and connection in a rapidly changing workplace. Drew and Sarah explore how generational shifts, post-pandemic workplace dynamics, and …

Welcome to the latest episode of Build a Better Agency! In this episode, host Drew McLellan dives into a fascinating yet often overlooked topic that will have you rethinking how you present yourself professionally. Joined by expert guest Morgan Wider, Drew explores the powerful impact of wardrobe choices on your personal and professional brand. Mor…

In this episode of Build a Better Agency Drew McLellan talks with Tessa White, also known as the Job Doctor. Tessa has a rich background with 25 years in HR and a fascinating journey that saw her pivot from corporate life to empower individuals in the workforce, all during the turbulent times of late 2020. What started as a simple endeavor on TikTo…

Agency book writing and publishing can seem like a daunting mountain to climb. But with the right people to help you through the process, it can be one of the best things you can do to uplevel your thought leadership efforts. That’s why this week, I invited Shadley Grei, an agency book publishing expert and newer member of AMI, onto the show to sha…

I wanted to wait until after the holidays to talk about this topic because it’s a bit heavier than what we usually talk about on the show. But it’s something that Danyel and I have noticed weighing heavily on a lot of you since COVID, and that is agency owner grief. It’s true that many of you have experienced quite a lot of loss and change these pa…

Many agency owners feel like their clients are putting them in a box of specific skills they’re able to perform for them. And for many of us, that’s not a good feeling. We’re wired to think creatively and break free from that metaphorical box, but it can be hard to communicate that to our clients in a sea of competition. So, it’s time to break out …

Almost no agency owner got into the agency world for their passion for bookkeeping. And if you did — great! You’re several steps ahead of most of us. But the reality is, most of us are just happy to keep cash in the bank for payroll and probably aren’t looking at the finances as much as we should be. Sandy Catour joined me this week to share why we…

Agency growth and biz dev can feel like an uphill battle when we’re already so tired, overworked, and burnt out. But it doesn’t have to be hard or add anything extra on our already full to-do lists. In fact, it shouldn’t be difficult at all. Tori Boats joined me this week to help close out the year on a high note and show us that setting our agenci…

Agency ownership can leave us stressed, burnt out, and sometimes, thinking the grass is greener somewhere else. But when you really sit back and think about it, we have it pretty good — we just lose sight of it sometimes. So this week, I’m finishing off the year with another solo episode to really sit down and take stock of what it is about agency …

As we round the bend into the new year, I’m reflecting on the lessons learned from my time as an agency owner and the insights I've gained from working with hundreds of agencies. While there are too many to count, I’m going to try to boil down my experiences into a few points that I hope you can take into 2025 as you start to think about what you w…