Agency Forward

Chris DuBois
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Agency Forward explores the future of agencies as tech and AI drive down the cost of tactical deliverables. Topics include building competent teams, developing strategic offers, systemizing your business, and more. New episodes delivered every Tuesday.

  1. 5 DAYS AGO

    094 The Builder Ecosystem: How to Find 50 People Who Already Have Your Clients

    Hey, everyone. Today, I've got a solocast coming your way.  Most agency owners trying to grow are doing one of two things: cold outreach or waiting for referrals. Both have the same problem. You're starting from zero every time. There's a third option that almost nobody talks about: finding the people who already have your future clients' attention, and getting in front of them. In this episode, I walk through a framework I call the "builder ecosystem." These are the people, communities, publications, and companies adjacent to your niche that share your target audience. They've already built the trust. They've already gathered the crowd. Your job is to show up where they are. In this episode, I cover: Why cold outreach and referral dependency both leave you starting from zeroThe four categories of builders: People, Communities, Publications, and CompaniesHow to research and map your builder ecosystem (with specific search strategies)Tiering your findings by accessibility so you know where to startYour first 5 moves you can execute this week If you do the exercise from this episode, send me a message. I'd love to hear what you found. ----------- Lead Gen is the hardest part of running an agency. For most, it's unpredictable, it's slow, and it's usually expensive. Gia flips that. It's the all-in-one growth platform that turns your existing relationships and client work into a steady pipeline. Gia automates lead gen follow-up and content, and it's all from the work you're already doing. You can check it out and get some free bonuses at getgia.ai/dynamicagency ----------- No one was asking for another community. But I've made one anyway. So what's different? The Dynamic Agency Community is designed around access rather than content. Access to peers who've done it before. Access to experts who've designed solutions. Access to resources that have been battle-tested. And right now, the price for founding members is only $97/year. Join today so your agency has immediate access to everything you need to grow. You can join at DynamicAgency.Community. ----------- Our friends at Parakeeto have a powerful resource that dives into everything you need to know about agency profitability. This is a must-have for agency owners and operators. Get the Agency Profit Toolkit for free now! ----------- Subscribe to the Agency Forward blog on Substack. We have weekly blog content with practical advice to help you advance your agency. ----------- And if you're ready for 1-on-1 help to create some mind-blowing offers for your agency, visit DynamicAgencyOS.com to schedule a free consultation. Running an agency is tough, but you don't need to go it alone.

    25 min

  2. 3 FEB

    093 Sean Lang: Breaking the Founder Hero Addiction That's Killing Your Growth

    Hey everyone, today I'm joined by Sean Lang. Sean is an agency operations expert who helps founders remove themselves as the bottleneck in their business. Before entering the agency world, Sean managed an airport refueling operation—a role that gave him a healthy respect for process, compliance, and what happens when things go wrong. He's since applied those lessons to help agency owners stop hoarding problems and start building teams that actually think. I wanted to have Sean on because the founder-as-hero mindset is killing agency growth, and most owners don't even realize they're doing it. He's got some great frameworks and strategies to address it. Also, his podcast, Agency Uplift, is a must-listen show. In this episode, we discuss: The first signs you're the bottleneckBreaking the hero addictionMaking time to slow down and speed upAnd more... You can learn more about Sean on LinkedIn. ----------- Lead Gen is the hardest part of running an agency. For most, it's unpredictable, it's slow, and it's usually expensive. Gia flips that. It's the all-in-one growth platform that turns your existing relationships and client work into a steady pipeline. Gia automates lead gen follow-up and content, and it's all from the work you're already doing. You can check it out and get some free bonuses at getgia.ai/dynamicagency ----------- No one was asking for another community. But I've made one anyway. So what's different? The Dynamic Agency Community is designed around access rather than content. Access to peers who've done it before. Access to experts who've designed solutions. Access to resources that have been battle-tested. And right now, the price for founding members is only $97/year. Join today so your agency has immediate access to everything you need to grow. You can join at DynamicAgency.Community. ----------- Our friends at Parakeeto have a powerful resource that dives into everything you need to know about agency profitability. This is a must-have for agency owners and operators. Get the Agency Profit Toolkit for free now! ----------- Subscribe to the Agency Forward blog on Substack. We have weekly blog content with practical advice to help you advance your agency. ----------- And if you're ready for 1-on-1 help to create some mind-blowing offers for your agency, visit DynamicAgencyOS.com to schedule a free consultation. Running an agency is tough, but you don't need to go it alone.

    34 min

  3. 27 JAN

    092 David Hoos: Why Dev Founders Distrust Marketing and How to Fix It

    Hey everyone, today I'm joined by David Hoos. David is a marketing consultant who specializes in helping dev agencies build and execute marketing strategies that actually resonate with technical founders. With a background that bridges both worlds—his mother an English teacher, his father a software engineer—David cut his teeth at a conversion optimization agency before advising dev shops on positioning and growth. He's built a reputation for translating marketing speak into language that engineers actually trust. I wanted to have David on because most dev agency founders hate marketing—and for good reason. David understands why and knows how to fix it. I also appreciate his thoughts on LinkedIn, so you should give him a follow there.  In this episode, we discuss: Why dev founders distrust marketingPositioning beyond programming languagesMarketing that elevates rather than erodes reputationAnd more... You can learn more about David on LinkedIn. ----------- Lead Gen is the hardest part of running an agency. For most, it's unpredictable, it's slow, and it's usually expensive. Gia flips that. It's the all-in-one growth platform that turns your existing relationships and client work into a steady pipeline. Gia automates lead gen follow-up and content, and it's all from the work you're already doing. You can check it out and get some free bonuses at getgia.ai/dynamicagency ----------- No one was asking for another community. But I've made one anyway. So what's different? The Dynamic Agency Community is designed around access rather than content. Access to peers who've done it before. Access to experts who've designed solutions. Access to resources that have been battle-tested. And right now, the price for founding members is only $97/year. Join today so your agency has immediate access to everything you need to grow. You can join at DynamicAgency.Community. ----------- Our friends at Parakeeto have a powerful resource that dives into everything you need to know about agency profitability. This is a must-have for agency owners and operators. Get the Agency Profit Toolkit for free now! ----------- Subscribe to the Agency Forward blog on Substack. We have weekly blog content with practical advice to help you advance your agency. ----------- And if you're ready for 1-on-1 help to create some mind-blowing offers for your agency, visit DynamicAgencyOS.com to schedule a free consultation. Running an agency is tough, but you don't need to go it alone.

    34 min

  4. 20 JAN

    091 Jody Grunden: From Reactive to Strategic: Financial Planning for Growing Agencies

    Hey everyone, today I'm joined by Jody Grunden. Jody is a virtual CFO and financial strategist for growing agencies. He’s the co-founder of Summit CPA Group (now part of Anders CPAs), where he’s helped scale hundreds of agencies with data-driven financial forecasting and CFO insights.  I wanted to have Jody on because too many agency owners fly blind with their finances and miss out on stable, scalable growth. Also, we were tablemates at a conference last year, and he's a delightful human being. And when good people are also experts in their craft, I feel this urge to share them with our audience.   In this episode, we discuss: Building a 10% cash reserve for long-term stabilityWhen to hire a controller or CFO as you scaleHow to set pricing to maintain profit marginsAnd more...You can learn more about Jody on LinkedIn or shoot him an email at jgrunden@anderscpa.com.  ----------- Lead Gen is the hardest part of running an agency. For most, it's unpredictable, it's slow, and it's usually expensive. Gia flips that. It's the all-in-one growth platform that turns your existing relationships and client work into a steady pipeline. Gia automates lead gen follow-up and content, and it's all from the work you're already doing. You can check it out and get some free bonuses at getgia.ai/dynamicagency ----------- No one was asking for another community. But I've made one anyway. So what's different? The Dynamic Agency Community is designed around access rather than content. Access to peers who've done it before. Access to experts who've designed solutions. Access to resources that have been battle-tested. And right now, the price for founding members is only $97/year. Join today so your agency has immediate access to everything you need to grow. You can join at DynamicAgency.Community.  ----------- Hiring in the agency world is rough. Most job posting sites get you lots of applicants, but with their “easy applying” options, most of those are unqualified. And worse, they don’t understand what it’s like working at an agency. This is why I created the Agency Job Hub. You can post your positions for free to find applicants looking specifically for agency work, and we already have a growing list of candidates who’ll be notified as soon as you post. You can list your open positions for free at AgencyJobHub.com. ----------- Our friends at Parakeeto have a powerful resource that dives into everything you need to know about agency profitability. This is a must-have for agency owners and operators. Get the Agency Profit Toolkit for free now! ----------- Subscribe to the Agency Forward blog on Substack. We have weekly blog content with practical advice to help you advance your agency.  ----------- Want to level up your agency? Get the Dynamic Offers Email Mini-Course Explore the 5 of the most common challenges agencies face in today's market. We're talking about the challenges that lead to no prospects, no recurring revenue, and nothing for people to buy from you. It's worth reading just for the ideas alone. 5 emails. 5 challenges. 5 strategies to fix them. Get it at DynamicAgencyCourse.com. ----------- And if you're ready for 1-on-1 help to create some mind-blowing offers for your agency, visit DynamicAgencyOS.com to schedule a free consultation. Running an agency is tough, but you don't need to go it alone.

    37 min

  5. 13 JAN

    090 Leah Leaves: How to Get Out of the Weeds Without Losing Control

    Hey everyone, today I'm joined by Leah Leaves. She’s the Founder and CEO of Alderaan Operations Solutions, where she partners with remote digital agencies to embed expert operations leadership that clarifies team roles, reduces burnout, and enables owners to focus on growth instead of daily firefighting. I wanted to have Leah on because too many agency owners are stuck in operations, stalling growth and burning out. And as we've all seen at some point, your goals are much harder to achieve when you can't escape the day-to-day. In this episode, we discuss: Getting your team to make confident decisionsBuilding a "CEO GPT" to scale founder judgmentMetrics that show if your ops are truly workingAnd more...You can learn more about Leah on LinkedIn. ----------- Lead Gen is the hardest part of running an agency. For most, it's unpredictable, it's slow, and it's usually expensive. Gia flips that. It's the all-in-one growth platform that turns your existing relationships and client work into a steady pipeline. Gia automates lead gen follow-up and content, and it's all from the work you're already doing. You can check it out and get some free bonuses at getgia.ai/dynamicagency ----------- No one was asking for another community. But I've made one anyway. So what's different? The Dynamic Agency Community is designed around access rather than content. Access to peers who've done it before. Access to experts who've designed solutions. Access to resources that have been battle-tested. And right now, the price for founding members is only $97/year. Join today so your agency has immediate access to everything you need to grow. You can join at DynamicAgency.Community.  ----------- Hiring in the agency world is rough. Most job posting sites get you lots of applicants, but with their “easy applying” options, most of those are unqualified. And worse, they don’t understand what it’s like working at an agency. This is why I created the Agency Job Hub. You can post your positions for free to find applicants looking specifically for agency work, and we already have a growing list of candidates who’ll be notified as soon as you post. You can list your open positions for free at AgencyJobHub.com. ----------- Our friends at Parakeeto have a powerful resource that dives into everything you need to know about agency profitability. This is a must-have for agency owners and operators. Get the Agency Profit Toolkit for free now! ----------- Subscribe to the Agency Forward blog on Substack. We have weekly blog content with practical advice to help you advance your agency.  ----------- Want to level up your agency? Get the Dynamic Offers Email Mini-Course Explore the 5 of the most common challenges agencies face in today's market. We're talking about the challenges that lead to no prospects, no recurring revenue, and nothing for people to buy from you. It's worth reading just for the ideas alone. 5 emails. 5 challenges. 5 strategies to fix them. Get it at DynamicAgencyCourse.com. ----------- And if you're ready for 1-on-1 help to create some mind-blowing offers for your agency, visit DynamicAgencyOS.com to schedule a free consultation. Running an agency is tough, but you don't need to go it alone.

    40 min

  6. 6 JAN

    089 Thomas Stirling: The Play That Won Billion-Dollar Brands

    Hey everyone, today I'm joined by Thomas Stirling. Thomas is the founder of Stirling Brandworks, a creative agency specializing in bold, experiential campaigns. His “Agency Breakup Kit” campaign earned industry awards and opened doors to billion-dollar brands using a mix of humor, direct mail, and high-production video content. I wanted to have Thomas on because agency owners constantly battle cold outreach fatigue—and he’s built a campaign that actually cuts through. In this episode, we discuss: Creating ABM campaigns that get rememberedUsing humor without losing credibilityScaling creative outreach beyond word of mouthAnd more...You can learn more about Thomas on LinkedIn. ----------- Lead Gen is the hardest part of running an agency. For most, it's unpredictable, it's slow, and it's usually expensive. Gia flips that. It's the all-in-one growth platform that turns your existing relationships and client work into a steady pipeline. Gia automates lead gen follow-up and content, and it's all from the work you're already doing. You can check it out and get some free bonuses at getgia.ai/dynamicagency ----------- No one was asking for another community. But I've made one anyway. So what's different? The Dynamic Agency Community is designed around access rather than content. Access to peers who've done it before. Access to experts who've designed solutions. Access to resources that have been battle-tested. And right now, the price for founding members is only $97/year. Join today so your agency has immediate access to everything you need to grow. You can join at DynamicAgency.Community.  ----------- Hiring in the agency world is rough. Most job posting sites get you lots of applicants, but with their “easy applying” options, most of those are unqualified. And worse, they don’t understand what it’s like working at an agency. This is why I created the Agency Job Hub. You can post your positions for free to find applicants looking specifically for agency work, and we already have a growing list of candidates who’ll be notified as soon as you post. You can list your open positions for free at AgencyJobHub.com. ----------- Our friends at Parakeeto have a powerful resource that dives into everything you need to know about agency profitability. This is a must-have for agency owners and operators. Get the Agency Profit Toolkit for free now! ----------- Subscribe to the Agency Forward blog on Substack. We have weekly blog content with practical advice to help you advance your agency.  ----------- Want to level up your agency? Get the Dynamic Offers Email Mini-Course Explore the 5 of the most common challenges agencies face in today's market. We're talking about the challenges that lead to no prospects, no recurring revenue, and nothing for people to buy from you. It's worth reading just for the ideas alone. 5 emails. 5 challenges. 5 strategies to fix them. Get it at DynamicAgencyCourse.com. ----------- And if you're ready for 1-on-1 help to create some mind-blowing offers for your agency, visit DynamicAgencyOS.com to schedule a free consultation. Running an agency is tough, but you don't need to go it alone.

    32 min

  7. 30/12/2025

    088: Wrapping up 2025

    Just a short one this week.  Thank you for all the support in 2025. We're very excited for 2026! ----------- Lead Gen is the hardest part of running an agency. For most, it's unpredictable, it's slow, and it's usually expensive. Gia flips that. It's the all-in-one growth platform that turns your existing relationships and client work into a steady pipeline. Gia automates lead gen follow-up and content, and it's all from the work you're already doing. You can check it out and get some free bonuses at getgia.ai/dynamicagency ----------- No one was asking for another community. But I've made one anyway. So what's different? The Dynamic Agency Community is designed around access rather than content. Access to peers who've done it before. Access to experts who've designed solutions. Access to resources that have been battle-tested. And right now, the price for founding members is only $97/year. Join today so your agency has immediate access to everything you need to grow. You can join at DynamicAgency.Community.  ----------- Hiring in the agency world is rough. Most job posting sites get you lots of applicants, but with their “easy applying” options, most of those are unqualified. And worse, they don’t understand what it’s like working at an agency. This is why I created the Agency Job Hub. You can post your positions for free to find applicants looking specifically for agency work, and we already have a growing list of candidates who’ll be notified as soon as you post. You can list your open positions for free at AgencyJobHub.com. ----------- Our friends at Parakeeto have a powerful resource that dives into everything you need to know about agency profitability. This is a must-have for agency owners and operators. Get the Agency Profit Toolkit for free now! ----------- Subscribe to the Agency Forward blog on Substack. We have weekly blog content with practical advice to help you advance your agency.  ----------- Want to level up your agency? Get the Dynamic Offers Email Mini-Course Explore the 5 of the most common challenges agencies face in today's market. We're talking about the challenges that lead to no prospects, no recurring revenue, and nothing for people to buy from you. It's worth reading just for the ideas alone. 5 emails. 5 challenges. 5 strategies to fix them. Get it at DynamicAgencyCourse.com. ----------- And if you're ready for 1-on-1 help to create some mind-blowing offers for your agency, visit DynamicAgencyOS.com to schedule a free consultation. Running an agency is tough, but you don't need to go it alone.

    3 min

  8. 23/12/2025

    087: The Agency Offer Stack: What to Sell, When to Sell It, and Why It Matters

    Here's a solo cast for you around the types of offers you should have/consider for your agency. Check out SnapOfferSystem.com for a worksheet to help with the first offer. Connect with me on LinkedIn if you want to chat.  ----------- Lead Gen is the hardest part of running an agency. For most, it's unpredictable, it's slow, and it's usually expensive. Gia flips that. It's the all-in-one growth platform that turns your existing relationships and client work into a steady pipeline. Gia automates lead gen follow-up and content, and it's all from the work you're already doing. You can check it out and get some free bonuses at getgia.ai/dynamicagency ----------- No one was asking for another community. But I've made one anyway. So what's different? The Dynamic Agency Community is designed around access rather than content. Access to peers who've done it before. Access to experts who've designed solutions. Access to resources that have been battle-tested. And right now, the price for founding members is only $97/year. Join today so your agency has immediate access to everything you need to grow. You can join at DynamicAgency.Community.  ----------- Hiring in the agency world is rough. Most job posting sites get you lots of applicants, but with their “easy applying” options, most of those are unqualified. And worse, they don’t understand what it’s like working at an agency. This is why I created the Agency Job Hub. You can post your positions for free to find applicants looking specifically for agency work, and we already have a growing list of candidates who’ll be notified as soon as you post. You can list your open positions for free at AgencyJobHub.com. ----------- Our friends at Parakeeto have a powerful resource that dives into everything you need to know about agency profitability. This is a must-have for agency owners and operators. Get the Agency Profit Toolkit for free now! ----------- Subscribe to the Agency Forward blog on Substack. We have weekly blog content with practical advice to help you advance your agency.  ----------- Want to level up your agency? Get the Dynamic Offers Email Mini-Course Explore the 5 of the most common challenges agencies face in today's market. We're talking about the challenges that lead to no prospects, no recurring revenue, and nothing for people to buy from you. It's worth reading just for the ideas alone. 5 emails. 5 challenges. 5 strategies to fix them. Get it at DynamicAgencyCourse.com. ----------- And if you're ready for 1-on-1 help to create some mind-blowing offers for your agency, visit DynamicAgencyOS.com to schedule a free consultation. Running an agency is tough, but you don't need to go it alone.

    18 min
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Agency Forward explores the future of agencies as tech and AI drive down the cost of tactical deliverables. Topics include building competent teams, developing strategic offers, systemizing your business, and more. New episodes delivered every Tuesday.

Information

  • Creator
    Chris DuBois
  • Years Active
    2024 - 2026
  • Episodes
    96
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © 2026 Chris DuBois