Foundations of Agency Success: Simplifying Operations for Growth

By Jennifer Allan May 6, 2024 15 mins read 776 Views

Why do we read books like Traction, Scaling Up, and the E-Myth and still struggle with implementing systems, defining processes, and training people in our agency?

Those are incredibly comprehensive methodologies. And yet digital agencies still suffer from feast or famine months, inconsistent results and timelines on projects, quality control, revisions, and much more. It’s not because they aren’t excellent at what they do. I

t’s not because there isn’t value in their service. It’s often because they haven’t defined the three most important elements of delivery: the how, the when, and the why.

Complicating our operations early on can lead to a ton of failure in implementing them. Business owners overcomplicate their own processes, hesitate to write things down, and then there’s a ton of operational drag in the company.

Couple that with split attention and paper-thin resources and you have yourself an agency that spends most of its time putting out fires, reacting to problems with clients, and generally building a culture of “the Founder/Creative Director/Leader will fix it” mentality.

Before we chat through how truly simple this can all be, let’s first go back to the beginning.

When we start our companies, we’re told to hustle. And hustle hard. We’re coached that it takes a ton of effort to create momentum, close deals, hire people, and manage projects. And that is all true. There is a ton of work that goes into getting a business up and running.

The challenge is that we all adopt this habit of burning the candle at both ends and the middle all for the sake of growing the business. And we bring that habit into the next stage of growth when our business needs… you guessed it… exactly the opposite.

In Mike Michalowitz’s book, Profit First he opens by insisting the reader understand and accept a fundamental truth: our business is a cash-eating monster. The truth is, our business is also a time-eating monster. And it’s only when we realize that as long as we keep feeding it our time and our resources, it’ll gobble everything up leaving you with nothing in your pocket and a ton of confusion around why you can’t grow.

Truth is, financial problems are easy compared to operational problems. Money is everywhere. You can go get a loan or go create more revenue by providing value easily. What’s harder is taking that money and creating systems that produce profitably. Next level is taking that money, creating profit and time freedom.

In my bestselling book, The Sabbatical Method, I teach owners how to fundamentally peel back the time they spend in their company, doing everything, and how it can save owners a lot of money, time, and headaches by professionalizing their operations.

The tough part about being a digital agency owner is that you likely started your business because you were great at something. Building websites, creating Search Engine Optimization strategies, or running paid media campaigns. And then you ended up running a company. Those are two very different things.

How to Get Out of Your Own Way and Create Some Simple Structure for Your Agency…

Start Working Less

I know this sounds really brash and counterintuitive, but I’ve seen it work wonders for clients and colleagues alike. I often say you can’t see the label from inside the bottle and I’ve found no truer statement when it comes to things like planning, vision, direction, and operations creation.

Owners who stay in the weeds of their business while trying to build the structure are like hunters in the jungle hacking through the brush with a machete, getting nowhere with really sore arms. Instead, define your work day, create those boundaries of involvement, stop working weekends, nights and jumping over people’s heads to solve problems.

It’ll help you get another vantage point on your company and your team can build some autonomy in the meantime.

Master the Art of Knowledge Transfer

There are two ways to impart knowledge on others: apprenticeship and writing something down. Apprenticeship began as a lifelong relationship and often knowledge was only retained by ONE person who would carry on your method.

Writing things down used to be limited (before the printing press) to whoever held the pages.

We’re fortunate that today, we have many ways of imparting knowledge to our team. And creating this habit early on can save a business from being dependent on any one person who has a bunch of “how” and “when” up in their noggin.

While you’re taking some time to get out of the day-to-day, start writing things down and recording your screen (use a tool like loom.com) while you’re answering questions.

Deposit those teachings into a company knowledge base, a central location for company resources. Some of the most scaleable and sellable companies I’ve ever worked with had this habit down pat.

Define Your Processes

Lean in. No fancy tool or software is going to save your company. Every team I’ve ever worked with who came to me with a half-built project management tool suffered immensely from not first defining their process. This isn’t easy to do, but it can be simple.

The thing that hangs up most teams to dry is simply making decisions. If you can decide how you do something, when you do it and why it’s happening that way, you’ve already won. I know exactly what you’re thinking: our process changes all the time, per client, per engagement, etc. That’s fine.

Small businesses should be finding better, more efficient ways to do things all the time. Developing your processes and creating a maintenance effort to keep them accurate and updated is going to be a liferaft in choppy seas. You’ll be able to cling to it when the agency gets busy.

“I’m so busy, how can I possibly work less and make time for this?”

You can’t afford not to do this work. Burning the candle at both ends and the middle will catch up eventually and in some form or another. Whether it’s burnout, clients churning out of the company, a team member leaving, some huge, unexpected tax bill.

I’ve heard all the stories and they all suck. It’s easier than ever to start a business and it’s harder than ever to keep one. This work might not be sexy, but it gives us the freedom we craved when we began our companies.

Start small and simple and watch your company become more predictable and your team more efficient.

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Frequently Asked Questions

What is your best motivation in life?

So you're curious about my best motivation in life? Let me tell ya. Helping people feel better about their lives is what motivates me the most. They will be amazed at how amazing they truly are. They are worthy of love because they are.

They are worthy of happiness.

It is important to feel great about yourself. Nothing. And I will do everything in my power to change the world.

Because when we feel good about ourselves, we become more open minded and compassionate towards those around us. We stop judging each other based on superficiality and instead start seeing the person inside, which is really cool.

The most powerful way to motivate someone is to show them that they already have everything they need within themselves.

While they might not realize it yet, this is why they have been struggling with something for so many years. They knew deep down that they could heal themselves.

They needed the right environment. The right support system. And the right mindset. However, they forgot to see that.

They lost sight of the problem. Because they were too busy trying figure out what the problem was. Trying desperately to fix it, without realizing that they actually had all the tools they needed to solve it.

But they forgot that the real reason they weren't able to solve it was because they didn't even know they had the answer.

You have the power to create a new reality. All you have do is tap into your inner genius.

And once you do that, everything will fall into place. You will be amazed at how simple it is to achieve your dreams.

I believe every human being is endowed with their own superpower.

It is up to us to master its use.

What are the motivations behind entrepreneurs?

There are three main types of motivation for entrepreneurs. Each type of motivation has its strengths and weaknesses.

External motivation is the most common. It's where someone wants to make more money. This motivation is often triggered by financial concerns.

External motivation is driven mostly by personal interest, ambition and desire. This type of motivation is very goal-oriented.

This is a rare form of motivation. Internal motivation is rare. They don't necessarily seek wealth, but instead pursue other goals like self-development and fulfillment or service to others.

People with internal motivation are frequently called "passionate" since they find satisfaction from their work.

Intuition is the most common type of motivation. Intrinsic motivation describes individuals who enjoy and are satisfied working towards a particular goal.

Motivation from within is stronger than external motivation.

It comes from the inside. It is based in the belief that each person has certain talents or abilities. These talents and abilities allow them to accomplish things that no one else could possibly do.

It is satisfying and fulfilling to realize our potential and talents. We feel like we're doing important work.

In short, intrinsic motivation makes us happy. Knowing that we can achieve anything we set our minds too is what makes us happy.

This feeling of accomplishment keeps us going, even when it is difficult.

If you don’t enjoy what it is, then why bother?

Click here to find out more about entrepreneurial motivation.

What motivates entrepreneurs?

We are motivated by passion. We also have a natural desire to make a difference and create something meaningful. To make a difference for our loved ones as well as ourselves.

To give back. To give back. To leave a lasting legacy.

But most importantly, we do this because we love doing it. Because we feel compelled to live life fully and experience success in ways that matter.

We are driven by a sense of purpose and mission that can never be fulfilled through money alone.

The key here is to find a way to combine business with pleasure. Entrepreneurship is more than a job. It is a way of life.

It is this passion that I have for helping entrepreneurs succeed. My goal is for them to be financially free and have a lasting impact in the world.

I'm living proof of the fact that creating value is the best. It's sharing your knowledge with the rest.

It's not enough to build a great product or service. Understanding your customers and their needs is key. They want what they need.

Doing so will help you to always improve your offering. You will provide more value.

Customers will be more satisfied if you offer more value. And if you gain more customers, you will sell more products and services. Plus, you'll generate more revenue if your products and services are more popular. If you can generate more revenue, your financial independence will be possible.

Money is not everything. It's the end in itself. Not the end in itself.

So, if you truly want to live a rich life, you cannot focus only on money. It is important to make a positive difference. Contributing. Leave a legacy. It is creating something of value. It's something that is unique. It adds meaning and purpose to your life, as well as those of others.

Entrepreneurship requires risk-taking. However, this does not mean you should have any rules. Flexibility is what it means. Adapting. Adjusting. Improving.

You won't fail if you are true to yourself, your values and your integrity.

Entrepreneurship is a calling. A vocation. The chance to give back. To create wealth. To make history.

You will be your best self when you embrace all these aspects.

You will not be stopped.

What are the top five motivators in an entrepreneur?

Motivation is the key ingredient to success. Without it, nothing would happen. Without it, we wouldn't even be here.

Motivational psychology studies how people behave when they are motivated. We do amazing things when we are motivated. It's clear, however, that motivation has limits.

These five motivational factors are essential:

Autonomy – The freedom of choice
Mastery is the ability or capability to master certain skills
Purpose: The feeling of purpose
Relatedness - the feeling of belonging
Reciprocity is the willingness to give back

These motivators may be able to be applied to your company. However, each one offers a slightly different perspective of why people act the way they do.

For example, an individual might seek autonomy because he wants to live his way. Or perhaps he seeks mastery because he wants to become more skilled at his job.

So on. These are just some examples of possible motivations. There are countless others. What are the most appropriate for your particular situation? You decide.

To find out, I recommend that you write down three words that describe your ideal workplace environment. Take those words and adapt them to your current workplace conditions.

If you're having difficulty coming up with ideas then ask yourself, "Why do I do this?" This will help you to identify your goals.

Once you've identified your goals, it is possible to begin to assess where you are at the moment. This knowledge will help you decide if you should make any changes.

If you don’t wish to change anything, then it’s time to consider your options.

If you want to make changes, you need to think of ways to motivate you.

Which of these motivators is most effective? It's hard to say. Instead of focusing solely on one factor instead, you should focus on all five.

This will enable you to reach your ultimate goal: being a successful entrepreneur.

These are the 6 most important questions to ask entrepreneurs.

Motivation is the most important ingredient for any business. You won't get out of bed each morning if you don't have motivation. You'll have trouble completing projects without motivation. Without motivation, you can't even reach your goals. How do we find motivation?

It is possible to ask yourself: "What motivates me?" It might surprise you to find out the answer. Perhaps you have been asking this question for years. If you haven't asked yourself this question, you're missing out on one of life's greatest rewards--the opportunity to discover your motivation.

Nothing is more motivating than knowing why you exist. It's then that you will finally understand what drives and motivates you. This is when your purpose becomes clearer, more meaningful. What is your purpose? Once you know why you care, it will make it easier to stay motivated.

To find your motivation, you must look within. These questions will help you find your motivation.

What am I passionate about?
What makes my heart beat more quickly?
What lights me up inside?
What gives me butterflies in the stomach?
What makes you feel alive to me?
What is it that makes you want to return to your project over and over again?

Once you know the answers to your questions, you will be able identify your true motivations.

Your motivation can help you get through tough times. It will give you strength when you need it. It will motivate you to work harder. It will help you achieve success.

And if your like me, then you'll never stop trying to find out what your motivations are.

Take some time to reflect on what motivates you. You just might be surprised at what you find.

What keeps you motivated to be an entrepreneur?

The freedom to achieve my goals is what motivates me the most. We live in a world that limits how much we can earn, save money, invest and buy, as well as our ability to borrow, rent, drive or fly. These limits do not apply to us. We are free and allowed to pursue our dreams.

We must not allow these limitations to dictate our lives. If we do, we lose sight of the fact that we are the masters of our destiny. We are the captains for our ships. We are the architects for our lives.

I am driven by the desire for wealth that is beyond my wildest dreams. To create businesses that are bigger than life itself. To create businesses that can change the way people live their lives forever.

To build more powerful businesses than any government and to be more influential than any religion.

That's why I'm here. I am determined to help entrepreneurs grow businesses faster than anyone else. Because when you succeed everyone wins.

Statistics

“Life is 10% what happens to you and 90% how you react to it.” (oberlo.com)
“If you look to lead, invest at least 40% of your time managing yourself – your ethics, character, principles, purpose, motivation, and conduct. (americanexpress.com)
I shifted my motivational point from something huge (and undefined) to improve by just 1% each day. (carolroth.com)
"Most of the time when people ask me about motivation, 80 percent of the time, I attribute it to gratitude. (entrepreneur.com)
Invest at least 30% managing those with authority over you and 15% managing your peers.” (americanexpress.com)

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How To

What are five motivational elements for entrepreneurs?

The main motivation for entrepreneurs is to achieve financial independence. Because they want control over their destiny, entrepreneurs are motivated to become financially independent. They want to make enough money to provide for their families as well as themselves.

They are also driven by the desire to assist others. Many people who become successful business owners don't do it just for personal gain but for altruistic reasons.

There are many other motivators, in addition to the above.

Passion - To succeed you must love what your do. If you don’t love what you do, then why would you want to work for someone else?
Vision – A vision represents a mental image of where you would like to be. We can imagine ourselves there when we dream. We are excited to dream because we know our dreams will come true.
Courage - Don't fear failure, face it head-on. While failure is inevitable, it doesn't mean you have to fail. You can achieve success by pushing yourself forward, even though it's not always possible.
Believe in yourself. Be positive and don't let doubt hold you back from reaching your goals. Fear is often the cause of doubt. Fear keeps us stuck in our comfort zone. Move out of your comfort zones and work towards your goals.
Persistence is key - Never give up, even when the odds seem against you. Everyone has a failure sometimes. If you persevere, you will reach your goal eventually.

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