Beyond the Build

Shawn Johnston
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Beyond the Build is a podcast about the systems behind digital work and the people living inside them. The show features honest conversations with agency owners, creative leaders, and operators about how modern digital teams actually function. Each episode explores the cultural, operational, and human dynamics that shape agency life: leadership, collaboration, evolving expectations, generational change, and the lessons learned the hard way while building teams in a fast-moving industry. Technology and strategy are part of the story, but the focus is on creating sustainable systems that support both great work and the people doing it.

  1. Aug 7

    Built Around Life

    In this episode of Beyond the Build, Shawn Johnston talks with Ashleigh Baron, founder and CEO of Freshly Pressed, about building an agency around your life instead of building your life around the agency. Ashleigh shares how Freshly Pressed started 17 years ago in her basement in Alberta, with an eight month old baby, a bartending job, and a willingness to figure things out before she felt fully ready. The conversation gets into how reputation, high quality work, and client care helped the agency grow almost entirely through referrals, and why the way a project ends is often what clients remember most. They also cover: Why building around your life requires systems, boundaries, and honest time managementHow self care, family, and business priorities can coexist when they are planned intentionallyHow leaders can support teams through difficult or uninspiring work without rescuing every problemWhat younger generations are teaching agency leaders about work, boundaries, and human needs

    Built Around Life

  2. Aug 7

    The Human Side of AI Adoption

    In this episode of Beyond the Build, Shawn Johnston talks with Tyler Frans, founder and CEO of Sense of Motion, about what it really takes for organizations to adopt AI beyond the hype, experimentation, and one-off tools. Tyler shares why AI adoption is less of a technology problem and more of an organizational and leadership challenge. The conversation explores what separates teams that are moving forward from those that remain frozen, and why trust, autonomy, curiosity, and the ability to learn quickly matter more than having a perfect implementation plan. They also cover: How a human-centered approach changes the way organizations think about AIWhat causes organizations to freeze when AI is changing faster than their systems and decision-making processesHow experienced people help guide AI beyond average output toward work that is useful, thoughtful, and relevantWhy leaders should start small, support the people already experimenting, and treat learning as the first step toward adoption

    The Human Side of AI Adoption

  3. Aug 7

    Words Create Worlds

    In this episode of Beyond the Build, Shawn Johnston talks with Amanda Lee Smith, co-founder and CEO of Monday Creative, about building a values-driven agency that can still hold a high performance standard. Amanda shares how Monday evolved from its early focus on outdoor and active brands into a brand insight, strategy, and creative agency working with clients across performance, wellness, education, and purpose-driven consumer spaces. The conversation gets into what it really means to build brands that enhance human potential, and how values show up in the clients you choose, the work you turn down, and the language your team uses every day. They also cover: How values shape client fit and why not every sale is a good saleWhy language can create culture, alignment, and a shared way of workingWhy performance and empathy can coexist inside an agencyHow agency owners can create more accountability without turning the workplace into surveillance

    Words Create Worlds

  4. Aug 7

    Built from Scratch. Kept on Purpose

    In this episode of Beyond the Build, Shawn Johnston talks with Sarah Jolly, co-founder and managing partner of Jolly Creative Agency, about building a WordPress agency from scratch, staying focused on what you do best, and delivering big projects on time without burning relationships to the ground. Sarah shares how the agency started from a self taught CSS book and a band website, then grew into a tight, long running team that partners out non core services on purpose. The conversation gets into what actually makes delivery work at scale, including why they moved away from wireframes, why content comes first, and how they set clients up to approve faster by doing the heavy lift early. They also cover: Why specializing beats trying to be full serviceHow content first prevents “almost launched” websitesHow to balance what is best for the business with client capacityHow remote work forced sharper systems and better hiringSarah’s take on AI, including what it can support and what it cannot replace

    Built from Scratch. Kept on Purpose

  5. Aug 7

    Better Clients, Better Agencies

    In this episode of Beyond the Build, Shawn Johnston talks with Connor Goway, founder of Junction Consulting and president of eLearningU, about what changes when clients get clear on goals and expectations before execution starts, and why that upstream work makes delivery healthier for everyone involved. Connor shares how he moved from running a creative agency to deliberately stepping away, then spending the last decade helping clients get clear on what they actually need before they hire an agency. The conversation gets into why agency client relationships turn adversarial, what creates fear and micromanagement, and how a better process turns delivery into partnership instead of friction. They also cover: How eLearningU grew into a training platform that helps destinations level up local operatorsHow autonomy and psychological safety affect real AI leverage inside teamsThe two things Connor would prioritize if he were starting an agency todayHow to set expectations early so agencies can push back, guide, and protect the work when needed.

    Better Clients, Better Agencies

  6. Aug 7

    All In on AI, Without Losing the Humans

    In this episode of Beyond the Build, Shawn Johnston talks with Adam Bennett, founder and creative director of Cube Creative Design, about what it takes to run a small, focused agency, and how to use AI as real leverage without losing the humans doing the work. Adam shares how Cube evolved from print into web and content marketing, why he committed to two clear verticals, and how that specialization creates more stability and repeatability in delivery. They also cover: Why vertical focus makes delivery easierHow remote and flex time work on a small teamWhere scope creep shows up and how to set guardrailsHow Cube uses AI across sales and delivery with human reviewWhy protecting the team is the real priorityThis episode is a practical look at longevity, focus, and building a healthier agency operating system in a world that keeps moving faster.

    All In on AI, Without Losing the Humans

  7. Aug 7

    The Product Dream

    In this episode of Beyond the Build, Shawn Johnston talks with Ben LeDonni, CMO at BMP Media and longtime agency founder, about what changes when you go from owning everything to building inside a larger organization, and what it really takes to productize inside a services world. Ben shares lessons from scaling Creative MMS over two decades, navigating an acquisition, and helping BMP Media evolve its value in the market through vertical demand generation and a new platform called Ignite Demand. We also cover: What Ignite Demand solves, including lead scoring, faster delivery, and better follow throughWhy product is harder than services, especially time, money, and the long rampThe mindset shift from “build it because it’s cool” to “build it because it gets used”How to keep teams aligned through the “why,” collaboration, and tight MVP focusWhat agency owners miss about recurring revenue and where real value livesThis episode is a grounded look at product building inside services, and the leadership shifts that make innovation sustainable instead of chaotic.

    The Product Dream

  8. Aug 7

    Designing the Environment

    In this episode of Beyond the Build, Shawn Johnston sits down with Katerina Lyadova, founder and creative director of Oddbee, to talk about what it takes to protect craft while building a healthy, sustainable design agency. Kat shares how Oddbee grew from an ambitious “let’s make cool work” vision into a distributed boutique team with a strong craft bar, deep trust, and a culture that still stays human under pressure. We also cover: How to hold high standards without burning people outWhy “quality is not a lever,” and what to adjust insteadWhat it takes to lead across time zones, including hiring for self regulationHow to prevent remote work from turning into silent overworkCulture systems that actually work, including Odd Thursdays and team recognitionThis episode is a practical look at distributed leadership, psychological safety, and the systems that help creative teams deliver great work without losing the people inside the work.

    Designing the Environment
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About

Beyond the Build is a podcast about the systems behind digital work and the people living inside them. The show features honest conversations with agency owners, creative leaders, and operators about how modern digital teams actually function. Each episode explores the cultural, operational, and human dynamics that shape agency life: leadership, collaboration, evolving expectations, generational change, and the lessons learned the hard way while building teams in a fast-moving industry. Technology and strategy are part of the story, but the focus is on creating sustainable systems that support both great work and the people doing it.

Information

  • Creator
    Shawn Johnston
  • Years Active
    2026
  • Episodes
    14
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © Beyond the Build 2026
  • Show Website
    Beyond the Build