The Agency Uplift Podcast

Sean Lang
  • 5.0 (5)
  • MARKETING

The Agency Uplift Podcast: Agency Scaling Strategies & Growth TipsUnlock proven frameworks, AI‑powered workflows, and client acquisition blueprints to scale your digital agency from freelance to Fortune. Each week, host Sean Lang, co‑founder of Social Commerce Club and agency growth coach, sits down with a wide array of agency leaders—sharing battle‑tested tactics on profitability, processes, and people management.Whether you’re aiming to double client retention, streamline operations, or boost ad ROI, you’ll walk away with actionable insights and playbooks you can implement today. New episodes every Monday and Wednesday, available on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and Amazon Music.▶️ NEVER Miss An Episode: https://sendfox.com/lp/3l4ky0▶️ Leave a review and help fellow agency owners find us.▶️ Interested in sharing your story? Apply to be a guest: https://forms.gle/XLZ7aTSMdXGVkoELA

  1. 2D AGO

    Ep 103: Why Your Agency Isn’t Broken, You’re Just Training It to Fail (And Don’t Know It)

    Summary: Your agency isn’t broken. It’s behaving exactly the way you trained it to behave. And that’s the hard truth most agency owners don’t want to hear. In this solo episode, I break down the uncomfortable lesson it took me nearly a decade to learn: no system, hire, or framework will fix your agency if you don’t fix how you show up as the founder first. I’ve coached dozens of agency owners through operational chaos, accountability issues, and stalled growth and the pattern is always the same. We focus on the symptom when the real constraint is staring back at us in the mirror. Takeaways: Why installing “better systems” fails if you don’t address the behavior that prevented them in the first place The bicycle analogy that explains why slowing down is the fastest way to scale The exact questions I use to trace chaos, churn, and founder burnout back to their root cause The hidden payoff founders get from staying stuck (control, safety, avoiding hard conversations) How to identify the one constraint you’re least willing to fix and why that’s the real bottleneck The standards most founders claim to have but refuse to enforce A 14 day behavior shift that proves real change (without burning your team out) Join the free agency uplift community: https://www.agencyuplift.co/group Get the 5 free custom GPTs that will help you stop being the bottleneck: https://www.agencyuplift.co/blueprint 👉 Get new episodes right to your inbox - click here 👈

    17 min

  2. 4D AGO

    Ep 102: We Had $347 Left in the Bank After Payroll, Here’s What Changed Everything | with James Kwon of Figmints

    Summary: Most agency owners don’t fail because they’re bad at delivery. They fail because they build a business that can’t survive success. In this episode, I sit down with James Kwon, founder of Figmints, to unpack what actually happens after you land clients and why hitting your first revenue goal can be more dangerous than missing it. James shares how his agency hit $250K in its first year then nearly collapsed under taxes, payroll, and bad assumptions, and how that moment led to a radically different way of thinking about growth, compensation, and profitability. Takeaways: The hidden reason most agencies get stuck between $200K–$400K Why sales, not talent, is the real bottleneck early on How James used Craigslist as a scrappy growth engine (and what that teaches us today) The dangerous myth of “doing everything well” in the early years How the Slices model turns compensation into a performance game Why hourly billing quietly kills agency profitability How to niche without blowing up your current revenue Check out James' agency here: Figmints Join the free agency uplift community: https://www.agencyuplift.co/group Get the 5 free custom GPTs that will help you stop being the bottleneck: https://www.agencyuplift.co/blueprint 👉 Get new episodes right to your inbox - click here 👈

    34 min

  3. JAN 30

    Ep 101: Why Saying “No” to Full Service Saved This Agency | Matt Dorman of Ndevr

    Summary: Most agencies think growth comes from doing more. More services. More platforms. More promises. In this episode, I talk with Matt Dorman, co-founder of Ndevr, about why his agency took the opposite approach and why it may be the smartest move in today’s market. We break down what happens when you intentionally avoid full service, focus on technical depth, and use consulting as a strategic entry point instead of chasing every opportunity. Takeaways: Why specialization beats full-service in volatile markets How consulting can unlock implementation without selling harder The real reason WordPress and web dev demand slowed Why AI didn’t replace developers but exposed weak processes How to structure roles early to avoid operational chaos The mistake agencies make when chasing “scale” too soon Check out Matt's agency here: Ndevr Join the free agency uplift community: https://www.agencyuplift.co/group Get the 5 free custom GPTs that will help you stop being the bottleneck: https://www.agencyuplift.co/blueprint 👉 Get new episodes right to your inbox - click here 👈

    30 min

  4. JAN 28

    Ep 100: How Real Agency Owners Scale Past Chaos (100 Episode Breakdown)

    Summary: Building an agency gets harder before it gets easier and no one warns you when the rules change. This is my 100th episode, and I pulled together the most important insights I’ve learned from founders who’ve scaled through chaos, complexity, and inflection points most agencies never survive. These are the lessons I wish I had earlier. Takeaways: The moment early momentum turns into operational friction Why premium pricing works only after a mindset shift How agencies quietly break at 10, 30, and 50 employees The truth about niching that most advice gets wrong Why focus beats hustle at every scale How founders recover after years of stalled growth Join the free agency uplift community: https://www.agencyuplift.co/group Get the 5 free custom GPTs that will help you stop being the bottleneck: https://www.agencyuplift.co/blueprint 👉 Get new episodes right to your inbox - click here 👈

    16 min

  5. JAN 21

    Ep 99: The Two Decisions That Quietly Destroy Agency Margins

    Summary: You don’t hate agency life, you hate the decisions you made to survive it. In this episode, I break down the two mistakes that quietly drain profit, destroy morale, and make agency ownership feel unbearable. I’ve spent over 8 years building and operating a 50+ person agency, and I’ve paid a massive “idiot tax” learning these lessons the hard way. If you’re exhausted, buried in client requests, or wondering if this is even worth it anymore, this episode is for you. Takeaways: Why “hopeful clients” outside your ICP quietly sabotage your profit and your team The hidden reason bad-fit clients always demand more and deliver less How fuzzy scopes train clients to expect unlimited work forever The exact moment when “being helpful” turns into scope creep and burnout Why combining bad-fit clients + no scope guarantees you’ll lose money The simple 3-month rule that protects your agency from bad bets The $0 change order that stops scope creep without awkward conversations Join the free agency uplift community: https://www.agencyuplift.co/group Get the 5 free custom GPTs that will help you stop being the bottleneck: https://www.agencyuplift.co/blueprint 👉 Get new episodes right to your inbox - click here 👈

    18 min

  6. JAN 19

    Ep 98: Why Adding More Services Is the Fastest Way to Kill Your Agency | with Tim Keen of Modern Agency Sales

    Summary: You don’t fail as an agency owner because you’re bad at marketing. You fail because you accidentally build something that can’t survive you. In this episode, I sit down with Tim Keen, who scaled a DTC growth agency to $2M+ ARR, churned every client and every employee, worked himself to the brink and still sold the business. This isn’t a highlight reel. It’s the messy middle no one warns you about. Takeaways: Why most agencies feel “busy” but are fundamentally unsellable The hidden cost of adding services too early (and why it feels so good) How Tim closed $70k/month retainers without being the best operator The brutal second-year phase where agencies either mature or implode Why “one service, one niche” beats passion, creativity, and variety The difference between a fun consulting job and a real business Check out Tim's agency here: Modern Agency Sales Join the free agency uplift community: https://www.agencyuplift.co/group Get the 5 free custom GPTs that will help you stop being the bottleneck: https://www.agencyuplift.co/blueprint 👉 Get new episodes right to your inbox - click here 👈

    31 min

  7. JAN 14

    Ep 97: How I Delivered 18+ ROAS for 6 Months and Still Got Fired

    Summary: I thought results were the glue. Then a wildly profitable client fired us after six straight months of 18+ ROAS. In this solo episode, I break down one of the most painful lessons of my agency career and why results alone are never enough to keep clients long-term. If you’ve ever lost a client you shouldn’t have lost, this episode will hit close to home. Take aways: Why results are just table stakes and what actually keeps clients loyal The onboarding mistake I made that quietly destroyed trust from day one How ambiguity in scope kills perceived value (even when performance is insane) Why clients often mistake expert strategy for “luck” The invisible work you must make visible if you want retention How weekly communication repositions you from operator to strategic partner Join the free agency uplift community: The Agency Uplift Community Get the 5 free custom GPTs that will help you stop being the bottleneck: The Agency Leverage Blueprint 👉 Get new episodes right to your inbox - click here 👈

    12 min

  8. JAN 12

    Ep 96: TikTok Shop Isn’t Saturated, Agencies Just Aren’t Ready | with Collin Cavanaugh of Commerce Social

    Summary: TikTok Shop isn’t slowing down. It’s maturing. In this episode, I break down with Collin Cavanaugh why TikTok Shop is entering its most important phase yet, and why agencies that adapt now will have an unfair advantage over the next few years. This isn’t about chasing trends. It’s about building an agency that’s positioned for where the market is going. Takeaways: Why enterprise brands are finally moving into TikTok Shop What separates scalable agencies from opportunistic ones How early TikTok Shop winners built durable systems, not hype Why creators became the most valuable asset on the platform The operational shifts I believe every agency must make How TikTok Shop rewards clarity over speed Check out Collin's agency here: Commerce Social Join the free agency uplift community: The Agency Uplift Community Get the 5 free custom GPTs that will help you stop being the bottleneck: The Agency Leverage Blueprint 👉 Get new episodes right to your inbox - click here 👈

    29 min
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5
out of 5
5 Ratings

About

The Agency Uplift Podcast: Agency Scaling Strategies & Growth TipsUnlock proven frameworks, AI‑powered workflows, and client acquisition blueprints to scale your digital agency from freelance to Fortune. Each week, host Sean Lang, co‑founder of Social Commerce Club and agency growth coach, sits down with a wide array of agency leaders—sharing battle‑tested tactics on profitability, processes, and people management.Whether you’re aiming to double client retention, streamline operations, or boost ad ROI, you’ll walk away with actionable insights and playbooks you can implement today. New episodes every Monday and Wednesday, available on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and Amazon Music.▶️ NEVER Miss An Episode: https://sendfox.com/lp/3l4ky0▶️ Leave a review and help fellow agency owners find us.▶️ Interested in sharing your story? Apply to be a guest: https://forms.gle/XLZ7aTSMdXGVkoELA

Information

  • Creator
    Sean Lang
  • Years Active
    2025 - 2026
  • Episodes
    103
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © 2026 The Agency Uplift Podcast
  • Show Website
    The Agency Uplift Podcast