How to Scale an 8 Figure Agency 🚀

Jordan Ross

Welcome to How to Scale an 8-Figure Agency, the show where I break down the exact operational, financial, and AI-driven systems that today’s top marketing agencies use to scale past seven figures — without burning out or getting trapped in fulfillment. Every week, we go deep into: • AI consulting for marketing agencies • Operational infrastructure that actually scales • Building automations, workflows, and agent-based systems • Hiring and training world-class teams • Improving margins, capacity, and client LTV • Turning your agency into an 8-figure operation that runs without you If you’re a founder stuck in the weeds, capped by systems, or wondering how to integrate AI into your agency the right way… this podcast is your blueprint. I’m Jordan Ross — founder of 8 Figure Agency and the person behind hundreds of successful agency scale-ups — and this is where we turn chaos into clarity, and CEOs into true operators. Let’s get into it.

  1. 20h ago

    Open Source Semrush & Ahrefs Alternative: How to Do SEO With Claude Code (OpenSEO Founder Ben Senescu)

    Tired of paying for Ahrefs or Semrush? Jordan Ross sits down with Ben Senescu, founder of OpenSEO, the open-source, AI-agent-friendly SEO tool backed by Y Combinator. Ben explains how OpenSEO plugs SEO data straight into Claude Code, Codex, or ChatGPT, so your AI agent can run keyword research, site audits, and competitor analysis for you or for your clients. They cover how SEO agencies can become AI-forward without a technical team, why solo founders and non-SEO agencies are now doing their own SEO, and the business model behind a $10/month tool that wants 10 million customers. Ben also demos keyword research and a full AI-generated SEO audit, then walks through his workflow for writing content with AI that doesn’t read like AI. In this episode, you’ll learn: What OpenSEO is and how it compares to Ahrefs, Semrush, and building your own setup on DataForSEO How OpenSEO makes money: $10/month in usage credits plus a 28% fee on DataForSEO data How SEO agencies managing 10–50 clients use daily AI automations to deliver better results Why keyword research matters for positioning (e.g., “fractional CMO” vs. “marketing agency” search volume) How to run an SEO audit with AI agents in two minutes of setup Why your website needs an MCP connection (WordPress, Vercel, Cloudflare) so your agent can edit it Ben’s AI content workflow: voice dictation, back-and-forth drafting, and saved writing preferences Why “SEO on autopilot” tools fall short, and why Google Search Console is your source of truth Links: OpenSEO: openseo.so OpenSEO GitHub: github.com/every-app/open-seo DataForSEO: dataforseo.com Google Search Console: search.google.com/search-console

    Open Source Semrush & Ahrefs Alternative: How to Do SEO With Claude Code (OpenSEO Founder Ben Senescu)
  2. Oct 26

    How to Build a $14M/Year Home Service Marketing Agency (Bodhi Gallo)

    Most agencies never get to 8 figures. Bodhi Gallo, co-founder of Striker Digital, took his home service marketing agency from $200K in year one to a $14M run rate in five years. They do lead gen for roofers, HVAC, pest control, and bath remodelers. In this episode, Bodhi breaks down what he changed at each revenue stage. He covers why he stopped selling to small contractors, the account manager structure that cut churn, the 60-client capacity limit, and why their real constraint turned out to be retention, not sales. What you’ll learn: Why Striker only takes home service businesses doing $750K+ a year, and why smaller clients treat you like an employee The tiered account manager model (junior, mid, senior by client revenue), which they set up on Alex Hormozi’s advice How their AMs earn up to ~$200K: about $80K base, commission, and a $10K quarterly bonus for keeping churn under 6% The 60-client capacity limit: go a few clients over and churn jumps from about 8% to 16% The distractions that slowed them down at $1–3M (a SaaS tool and a bookkeeping firm) and why they went back to the core agency Moving from founder-led sales to a scripted process once Facebook ads brought in cold traffic Why hiring needs the same focus as your sales funnel How a 2% drop in churn is worth more than more sales, and the forecasting they now use to aim at $36M Follow Bodhi & Striker Digital: Bodhi on X: @irondumpsters Bodhi on Instagram: @bodegallo (the transcript audio is unclear, so confirm the spelling) Andy Walker: @AndyWalkerHQ (Instagram, YouTube, X) Striker Digital: https://stryker-digital.com/ 8figureagency: 8figureagency.co

    How to Build a $14M/Year Home Service Marketing Agency (Bodhi Gallo)
  3. Oct 19

    How to Raise Your Agency Prices to $10K+/Month

    Build a business that workds without you. Go here: 8figureagency.co Most agency owners pick a price early, usually whatever they saw someone else charge, and never move off it. Alex Hartsuff thinks that's a mistake. Alex founded Enterprise Clients after building his own agency to $5M a year and selling it in 2023. In this episode, he and Jordan Ross break down why agencies stay underpriced, and the three-part system Alex uses to help agencies go from $2–4K/month retainers to $8–10K and beyond: offer, lead generation, and sales. Alex also runs a live teardown of 8 Figure Agency's own pricing model on air. He makes the case for longer minimum contracts and pay-in-full discounts, then explains why the real reason most owners don't charge more isn't tactical at all. In this episode, you'll learn: Why most agencies get stuck at $2–4K/month, and the typical jump to $8–10K How Alex's first client paid $1,000 for a webinar that made them $400,000 Why a $35M agency charging $20K/month beats a $13M agency charging $3,500 How to find the larger version of your current ideal client Why clients buy outcomes rather than deliverables, and how to repackage tiered offers The three ways to reach bigger companies: ads, cold email, and targeted DMs Why small companies respond to survival outcomes while larger companies respond to P&L outcomes How consultative selling turns into free consulting, and why discovery and pitch should stay separate Why you should set contract length just past the point where clients usually drop off How a Dubai-based creative agency doubled its price to $10K/month and grew from under $1M to nearly $4M a year The mindset block that keeps 7- and 8-figure owners from taking pricing risks Resources mentioned: Alex on X: x.com/AlexHartsuff Alex on YouTube: search "Alex Hartsuff" Enterprise Clients 5-Day Workshop: workshop.enterpriseclients.com

    How to Raise Your Agency Prices to $10K+/Month
  4. Oct 1

    Selling Your Agency? Why Most Founders Get Burned on the Earnout (Lessons From a Billion-Dollar Exit)

    Need help getting out of your operation? Go here: 8figureagency.co Most agency founders who sell don't get their full exit, and some walk away with a fraction of the headline number. In this episode, Jordan Ross breaks down the biggest lessons from 8 Figure Exit Live. The event brought together about 100 agency owners, roughly a third of whom have already sold, plus speakers John Bond, who built and sold a billion-dollar ad agency, and M&A advisor John Augenblick. You'll learn why agency M&A is a "combat sport," how buyers structure earnouts, what you should really expect to take home after fees and taxes, and an alternative to selling: gradually selling equity to your team. Jordan also shares John Bond's talent strategies for keeping A-players for the long haul. In this episode: (00:00) Why almost every agency founder gets burned in an exit (01:54) What happens at $2M+ EBITDA: PE firms, holding companies, roll-ups, and professional M&A teams (02:30) How earnouts are structured against the seller, and the founder who sold for $4M but received $1M (03:45) Why suing after a bad earnout rarely makes sense (04:17) How to vet a buyer: call the agencies they've already acquired (04:40) Selling for $20M and keeping $10M: fees, taxes, and cash at close (05:10) The legacy alternative: selling 4% of your agency to your team every year at about half the multiple (07:15) John Bond's first rule: don't chase small opportunities (07:50) Recruiting talent from outside your city to build loyalty and culture (08:41) Small equity grants (1–3%) to retain your leadership team Key takeaways for agency owners: Treat the cash at close as your real exit number. The earnout is upside, not a guarantee. Before you sign, ask the buyer's past acquisitions what percentage of their earnout they actually received. Selling equity to your team gives up some of the multiple but keeps cash flow and your best people. Small equity stakes for non-COO executives can align incentives far better than salary alone. Mentioned in this episode: John Bond, John Augenblick, Matt Paulson, 8 Figure Exit Live Next event: 8 Figure Exit Live returns in March or April 2027. Email jordan@8figureagency.co to get on the list.

    Selling Your Agency? Why Most Founders Get Burned on the Earnout (Lessons From a Billion-Dollar Exit)
  5. Aug 31

    High-Converting Landing Pages for Agencies: Tim Keen Rips Apart My Funnel Live

    My lead magnet giveaway went viral — 600 comments across LinkedIn and X. It booked zero calls. So I brought Tim Keen (agency founder with an exit, and one of the best funnel minds in the game) onto the show to rip my lead generation funnel apart live — and he showed up having already rebuilt it the night before. If you run a marketing, paid ads, or SEO agency and your landing pages get opt-ins but your calendar stays empty, this episode is the teardown you should be doing on your own funnel. You'll learn: - The "two beers" test: why confused visitors bounce, and how to walk eyes from headline to booked call with nothing blocking the maze - Why your lead magnet headline should lead with proof, not cleverness ("40+ prompts powering 300+ agencies" beats anything clever) - The thank-you page most agencies waste — and how Tim turns it into the page that actually books the call (video + personalized offer + survey, in that order) - Why asking for registration right after the email opt-in kills conversions, and what to ask for instead - Pre-filled calendars, qualifying forms, and the friction fixes that stop qualified leads from abandoning at the booking screen - Moving off GoHighLevel: what's worth replacing, what isn't, and the custom stack Tim built (spec-as-contract builds, Convex, ClickHouse, full attribution) - Build vs. buy, straight talk: why building your own software probably won't make you more money — and when it will 📅 Book a call: If you want systems and funnels like this built inside your agency — and a business that works without you — book a call: https://www.8figureagency.co/schedule (Booking from the podcast and running a 7-figure agency? You'll talk to me personally.) 🔗 Connect with Tim Keen: Tim builds custom funnels, marketing systems, and software for agencies and B2B businesses. He's launching everything soon — for now, find him on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tim-keen Chapters 00:00 — If you're not doubling booked calls every quarter, something's wrong 01:12 — Who is Tim Keen 06:21 — Don't let AI write your copy — write it once, build the skill from the delta 08:54 — The two-beers rule of funnel design 10:09 — Viral giveaway, zero booked calls: diagnosing why 11:44 — The registration form that makes brains bounce 13:43 — The thank-you page that actually books the call 16:47 — Qualifying forms, pre-filled calendars, removing booking friction 19:16 — Life after GoHighLevel 21:36 — Building won't make you money (and when it will) 22:00 — My agency went AI-native this week: 40 people to 2 24:01 — Tim's software factory: spec-as-contract, Convex, ClickHouse 28:22 — What Tim's offering and how to reach him 30:40 — Book a call — 7-figure agencies talk to Jordan directly

    High-Converting Landing Pages for Agencies: Tim Keen Rips Apart My Funnel Live
  6. Aug 26

    AI Updates for Agency Owners (Q3 2026): What to Build vs. What to Buy

    How My Agency Went From 40 Employees to 3 (AI Updates for Agency Owners, Q3 2026) AI won't do your strategy — but it will eat every hour of admin, reporting, and manual work in your agency if you let it. In this solo episode, Jordan Ross (founder of 8 Figure Agency, the first AI consulting and development firm built for agencies) shares what's actually working in marketing agency automation right now — including the inside story of quietly converting an agency in his own portfolio from 40+ employees across the world down to a 3-person AI-native team. You'll learn: - Why systems you build today compound forever — and why the SOP-and-training playbook that ran agencies from 2019–2024 is dead - The exact build process Jordan runs with his engineer: scoping documents, hyperscoped sprints, "golden cases," and the QA loop that turns AI output into a self-sustaining service - Vibe coders vs. 10x engineers — what non-technical founders get wrong about building with AI, and why product management is quietly becoming the highest-income skill an agency owner can develop - The AI SDR that made Jordan rethink his roadmap — and the build-vs-buy question every agency owner should be asking before writing another line of code - The real result: automating admin, reporting, split testing, and data insights saved one ad-agency client 40 hours a week in a single month Chapters 00:00 — There's never been a better time to own an agency 01:56 — The hidden portfolio agency: 40+ employees to 3 03:55 — Doing work vs. building systems (why most founders are stuck on low leverage) 06:04 — Golden cases: how to QA an AI system until it runs without you 08:16 — Why I'm exiting my portfolio (again) — stress, kids, and lifestyle maxing 10:18 — Vibe coders vs. 10x engineers, and the product-manager skill founders need 12:12 — The AI SDR that shattered my brain: build it or buy it? 14:26 — Automating agency admin: the 40-hours-a-week result Links & Resources 🔗 Work with us to systematize and AI-enable your agency: https://www.8figureagency.co 📅 Book a call with the 8F team: https://www.8figureagency.co/schedule

    AI Updates for Agency Owners (Q3 2026): What to Build vs. What to Buy
  7. Aug 12

    AI SEO for Agencies: How to Rank in AI Search Without Getting De-Indexed

    Want an AI content engine that publishes at a pace your domain can actually carry? Go to https://www.8figureagency.co/get-aiagency-ops for a free AI consultation. Any agency can do SEO. Any agency can also torch its domain in six weeks doing it wrong. A few weeks back I had someone on this show who was publishing 20 AI-written blog posts a day. Cameron LiButti — founder of BidView Marketing, 13 people, ~70 clients, close to 200 locations across medical, legal, professional services, and large home services — told me exactly what would happen. Google de-indexed the site inside six weeks. So I brought Cam on to answer the question I actually have as a founder learning this myself: how do you use AI for SEO aggressively without setting off Google's alarm bells? We get concrete fast. Cam explains crawl budget — how much compute Google decides your site is worth, and why a site crawled every three to six weeks publishing 20 posts a day is a flare in the sky. He covers the audience question most agencies skip: his medical practices serving 65+ patients get under 5% of leads from AI search, while his tax attorney client gets 40–50%. Same firm, same tactics, completely different priority. Then the part you can build on this week. Google's non-commodity content standard, and the two-part article structure that satisfies it: the first half answers the questions traditional SEO and AI both want answered, the second half is a real client situation — the problem, what you did, the outcome. That's the point of view Google can't get from a commodity blog. Cam gives the exact ramp: start at three posts a week, submit each one in Search Console, and check whether it's still indexed two weeks later — not 48 hours later. Still indexed at week three? Go to four. Then five. You earn 14 a week; you don't switch it on. And if pages drop out of the index, that's your signal to stop and diagnose before you scale the problem. We close on off-site: niche directories like G2 and Clutch, local citations off a Google Business Profile, press releases as safe volume, newsjacking for the links that actually move, and the two sources AI models cite most — YouTube and Reddit. If you're an agency owner planning to point AI at your own SEO this quarter, listen before you publish anything. CHAPTERS 00:00 — He got de-indexed. Cam saw it coming. 00:57 — Engineer to SEO: BidView Marketing, 13 people, ~70 clients, ~200 locations 02:51 — The card catalog framework: Dewey decimal → PageRank → organizing data for AI 05:37 — Crawl budget explained, and why 20 posts a day on a low-authority site is a red flag 07:48 — Where are your clients? 5% of leads from AI vs. 40–50%, same tactics 08:24 — Site foundations that still matter, plus why brand became an SEO input 10:49 — Non-commodity content: Google's term, and what it demands from you 11:18 — The two-part article: the how-to, then the client case with a point of view 13:38 — How often can you publish? Jordan's real numbers pressure-tested 14:37 — The ramp: 3 a week, index checks in Search Console, the two-week rule, earning 14 17:15 — Off-site: directories, local citations, press releases, and newsjacking 19:40 — YouTube and Reddit: the citation sources AI models pull from 20:18 — Where to find Cameron LINKS Cameron LiButti — bidviewmarketing.com Cameron on LinkedIn — search "Cameron LiButti" Google Search Console — for the index checks discussed at 14:37 CTA Want an AI content engine that publishes at a pace your domain can actually carry? Go to 8figureagency.co for a free AI consultation.

    AI SEO for Agencies: How to Rank in AI Search Without Getting De-Indexed
5
out of 5
10 Ratings

About

Welcome to How to Scale an 8-Figure Agency, the show where I break down the exact operational, financial, and AI-driven systems that today’s top marketing agencies use to scale past seven figures — without burning out or getting trapped in fulfillment. Every week, we go deep into: • AI consulting for marketing agencies • Operational infrastructure that actually scales • Building automations, workflows, and agent-based systems • Hiring and training world-class teams • Improving margins, capacity, and client LTV • Turning your agency into an 8-figure operation that runs without you If you’re a founder stuck in the weeds, capped by systems, or wondering how to integrate AI into your agency the right way… this podcast is your blueprint. I’m Jordan Ross — founder of 8 Figure Agency and the person behind hundreds of successful agency scale-ups — and this is where we turn chaos into clarity, and CEOs into true operators. Let’s get into it.

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