Agency Darlings is your insider's guide to the agency world - where we spill the tea on everything from profit margins to problem clients. Hosted by agency consultants Melissa Lohrer and Meredith Fennessy Witts, this podcast offers a fresh perspective on growth strategies tailored specifically for women-led agencies. Whether you're looking to refine your revenue model, increase profit margin or elevate your business to new heights, Agency Darlings provides the guidance and inspiration you ne ...
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Mini Episode | Sales Pep Talk: You're Better At Sales Than You Think
10:00
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10:00Episode description: In today’s episode, Melissa goes solo for a quick pep talk on the myth of "I'm bad at sales." She dives into how sales is a skill anyone can learn and how women, in particular, have natural strengths that make them amazing at sales. Melissa shares her own journey from hesitating to lead in business development to building a car…
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027: AI Curious: Your Creative Expertise Is Your AI Advantage
54:51
54:51
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54:51Episode Description: In today’s episode, Melissa and Meredith sit down with Patrice Poltzer, founder and creator of My Story Pro, to explore how AI can help humanize storytelling and streamline the sales process for high-ticket clients. They dive into Patrice’s unique approach to AI, discussing how it’s not about automation for the sake of efficien…
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026: A Step-by-Step Sales Process for Agencies
48:53
48:53
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48:53In today’s episode, Melissa and Meredith dive deep into the sales process for agencies, with a focus on attracting and closing high-ticket clients. They explore the key stages of building a structured, efficient sales process that helps you close deals faster and with more confidence. The episode covers everything from initial client engagement to …
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025: The Retention Strategy: More Revenue, Less Cold Pitching
29:01
29:01
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29:01In today’s episode, Meredith and Melissa dive deep into the power of organic growth for agencies, emphasizing the importance of nurturing long-term client relationships over constantly chasing new business. They share their strategies for turning one-time projects into long-term partnerships and how retention can drive more stable revenue and highe…
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024: Painkiller Positioning: How to Create Offers Clients Actually Need
34:30
34:30
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34:30In this episode, Meredith and Melissa dig into the difference between “nice to have” offers and services your clients can’t live without. They break down what it really means to create painkiller positioning—offers that speak directly to urgent problems and drive faster, higher-converting sales. They also unpack why most agencies need to ditch cust…
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Mini Episode | Why You Need to Take Time Off
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14:14
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14:14In this quick pep talk, Melissa shares insights on why taking time off is essential for both your mental health and business performance. She discusses her own experience with burnout, why women in leadership positions face more challenges with time off, and offers a simple formula for integrating regular breaks into your schedule. Whether you're a…
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023: Navigating the Client Breakup: When to Let Go and How to Move On
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38:45
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38:45Thanks to Our Sponsor, Metricool: Metricool is the tool we use for social media management and reporting. It helps you manage your social media, track performance, and create engaging content all in one place. For our listeners only, use code DARLINGS to get FREE access to 30 days of any Metricool Premium plan. In this episode, Meredith and Melissa…
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022: The Secret to a Strong Co-Founder Relationship: Trust, Communication, and Growth
38:16
38:16
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38:16In this episode, Meredith and Melissa dive deep into the core elements that make their co-founder relationship work. From how they balance each other’s strengths, keep everything transparent, and support each other in both good and tough times, they share what’s worked—and what hasn’t—on their journey. Building a business with a partner isn’t just …
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We’re Back for Season 3! 🎉 Welcome to Season 3 of Agency Darlings! This season, we’re diving deep into the growth phase of scaling your agency—without losing your sanity. We're covering everything from co-founder relationships to client breakups, and we’re here to bring you actionable strategies and real conversations that will help you lead with c…
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021: The Agency Owner's Compass: Vision, Leads, Profit
46:15
46:15
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46:15It's the Season 2 Finale of Agency Darlings! 🎉 We’re wrapping up this chapter with reflections on the season’s biggest themes and insights. We give you insight into our ‘Agency Owner’s Compass’ the three key pillars every agency founder needs to scale successfully: Vision, Lead Generation, and Profitability. Plus, our favorite moments from the seas…
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020: Your Terms, Your Rules: A Better Agency-Client Partnership
43:58
43:58
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43:58In this episode, we’re diving into the topic of setting clear expectations and boundaries with clients right from the start. No more guessing games - this is about laying the foundation for long-term, successful partnerships by setting the terms upfront, shutting down scope creep before it starts, negotiating payment terms like a pro, and knowing e…
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019: Beyond Referrals: Creative Ways To Find Quality Clients
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46:54
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46:54Lead generation doesn’t have to feel like a never-ending hustle. If you’ve ever felt stuck waiting for referrals, unsure where to find quality leads, or overwhelmed by outdated, ineffective strategies, this episode is for you. We’re getting down to the real reasons agencies struggle with lead gen and sharing practical, creative ways to fill your pi…
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018: Hell Yes or Hard No: The Art of Saying No to Scale Your Agency
45:00
45:00
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45:00Saying yes feels good - until it doesn’t. Whether it’s taking on misaligned clients, projects that drag on, or saying yes out of fear, the wrong yes can cost your agency more than you think. In this episode, we’re breaking down why learning to say no is one of the most powerful growth moves you can make - and how it can actually lead to more revenu…
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017: 5 Decisions That Will Propel Your Agency's Growth
35:54
35:54
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35:54We’re breaking down five key decisions that will move the needle in your business - from niching down to hiring your #2. Because let’s be real: staying stuck in client work, pricing based on hours, and taking on low-value projects isn’t going to get you there. These shifts will. Scaling your agency isn’t about doing more - it’s about doing the righ…
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016: Designing A Life You Really Want: The Life Brief Method with Bonnie Wan
1:15:29
1:15:29
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1:15:29As an agency owner, you’re constantly making decisions - about clients, growth, strategy, and leadership. But what happens when your success starts feeling misaligned? In this episode, we’re diving deep into how to create a business and life that reflect your true ambitions, featuring special guest Bonnie Wan, Chief Strategy Officer of the Year (20…
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015: The Profit Problem: Why 67% of Agencies Are Struggling (And How to Fix It)
33:17
33:17
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33:17What if scaling your agency didn’t mean working more, but working smarter? Profitability is the foundation of a sustainable, thriving agency - but so many agency owners struggle to maintain healthy profit margins. In this episode, we're diving deep into the biggest profitability mistakes agencies make, why revenue alone isn’t a measure of success, …
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014: Manifest Like a CEO: Amanda Baudier on Aligning Vision and Action
44:24
44:24
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44:24What if success isn’t just about working harder, but aligning with what truly lights you up? In this episode, we're diving deep into manifestation, alignment, and embodiment - and how these principles can help you build a business (and life) that feels purposeful and fulfilling. Whether you're skeptical about manifestation or all-in on the woo, thi…
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013: Ghosts, Maybes, and Wins: Your Pipeline Playbook
36:43
36:43
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36:43We're diving into the real talk about pipeline building. Whether you're riding the revenue rollercoaster of a slow season or building momentum from scratch - we’ve got you. No more sitting around waiting for the next referral to land in your inbox – we're sharing our tried-and-true strategies for filling your pipeline with dream clients and creatin…
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012: Non-negotiable Boundaries That Accelerate Growth
51:48
51:48
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51:48In our season premiere, we're tackling a game-changing topic: Boundaries. Whether you're running an agency or scaling your creative business, this episode is your playbook for setting and maintaining professional boundaries that protect both your energy and your bottom line. What to Expect From This Episode: The 7 Essential Agency Boundaries You Ne…
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We’re Back for Season 2! 🎉 Welcome to a brand-new season of Agency Darlings! We’re thrilled to bring you more actionable strategies, inspiring conversations, and expert insights tailored for agency founders and creative business leaders scaling to seven and eight figures. This season, we’re tackling some of the biggest challenges agency owners face…
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011: Building Your Agency as an Asset: Carrie Kerpen's 8-Figure Exit
1:06:57
1:06:57
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1:06:57As we wrap up this season of Agency Darlings, we’re closing with an inspiring conversation with Carrie Kerpen, the founder of a thriving social media agency. She takes us through her journey of building and scaling her business from the ground up, sharing the challenges, victories, and lessons learned along the way. Carrie dives deep into the impor…
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010: Sales Strategies For The Anti-Salesy
58:39
58:39
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58:39Selling doesn’t have to feel salesy - it just needs to feel like you. In this episode of Agency Darlings, we’re breaking down how to create a winning sales process that’s structured, authentic, and effective. From qualifying leads to confidently handling follow-ups, we’re sharing tips to help you close more deals while building trust and relationsh…
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009: Reframing Imposter Syndrome: It’s a Milestone, Not a Problem
43:09
43:09
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43:09Let’s talk about something every entrepreneur faces but doesn’t always admit: imposter syndrome. In this episode of Agency Darlings, we’re pulling back the curtain on those moments of self-doubt that make us question if we’re truly qualified for the opportunities in front of us. We’re diving into how imposter syndrome shows up for agency owners—esp…
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008: Know Your Numbers: Simple Ratios To Run Your Agency By
42:55
42:55
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42:55In this episode of Agency Darlings, we’re diving into one of the biggest challenges creative agency owners face: managing finances. We’re talking all things cash flow, setting realistic revenue goals, and, most importantly, making sure you’re paying yourself what you deserve. This Q&A-style episode dives deep into the numbers game that fuels your b…
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In this special episode, we’re sharing what’s been happening behind the scenes and how we’ve navigated some very unexpected mid season changes. We’d also love to take this opportunity to say thank you SO MUCH to every single one of you, whether you tune in every week or you’re just stopping by for one episode, we so deeply appreciate all of your su…
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006: Your Offer Suite Strategy: Tiers, Packages, Diversification
38:52
38:52
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38:52In this episode, we dive deep into a crucial topic for agency owners: strengthening and diversifying your offer suite to maximize revenue and thrive through economic ups and downs. We share insights into why building offers around outcomes, not just outputs, is key and explore how to structure your offer tiers effectively. From creating profitable …
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005: Lead Gen: Breaking the Agency Feast or Famine Cycle
1:10:51
1:10:51
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1:10:51In this episode, we dive deep into lead generation for creative agencies. We’re exploring common misconceptions about lead gen, and discussing the importance of playing the long game for SUSTAINABLE GROWTH. From our take on cold outreach (spoiler: it’s a hard no from us) to focusing on quality over quantity in business development, we share practic…
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004: Attract and Close Better Clients With These Tactics
56:57
56:57
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56:57In this episode of Agency Darlings, co-hosts Melissa Lohrer and Meredith Fennessy Witts dive into one of the most challenging topics for agency owners: money. Join them as they share strategies on how to confidently discuss rates with clients, set clear pricing, and remove the emotional barriers that often come with financial conversations. Melissa…
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003: Growth Strategies for Your Agency’s Off-Season
44:42
44:42
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44:42In this episode, hosts Melissa and Meredith dive into a topic every agency owner experiences: navigating a slow season of business. We know from personal experience, slow seasons can feel discouraging, but they don’t have to be. This episode shares actionable strategies to reframe these downtimes as opportunities for growth and transformation. Key …
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002: The Niching Advantage: Boost Your Agency's Growth and Profits
37:21
37:21
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37:21This episode is perfect for agency owners who are ready to break through their growth plateau, streamline their operations, and build a more profitable, referral-based business by embracing the power of niching. Are you ready to scale your agency through the power of niching? Listen to the full episode to discover the strategies that can take your …
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001: Strategic Relationships as a Growth Strategy
41:19
41:19
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41:19In our first episode, hosts Melissa and Meredith kick off the podcast with an in depth discussion about how strategic relationships play a crucial role in scaling a business. We’ll be providing you with a framework for key relationships - the 3 types of strategic relationships you need, where to find them, and how to actually drive QUALITY leads th…
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