The Innovative Agency Sharon Toerek
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- Business
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The Innovative Agency is a podcast that exists to help marketing agency leaders answer the question: “What’s Next?”. How are agencies staying on the cutting edge of marketing trends? How are they adapting their businesses to meet new business challenges in the agency world? Hosted by marketing law and intellectual property lawyer Sharon Toerek, we’ll talk with agencies who are at the cutting edge of innovation and industry experts who have a front row seat to the practice of innovation in today’s marketing, communications and creative agencies. The goal is to help listeners learn to look around the corner to spot their next opportunity. Sharon will share her expertise along the way about how to legally protect your agency’s assets, and how to turn your agency’s innovation into cash.
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239. Strategizing Success for Marketing Agencies, with Nicole Mahoney
In today's episode of The Innovative Agency Podcast, we talked with the visionary Nicole Mahoney, the Founder of Break the Ice Media, a PR and digital marketing agency specializing in the travel, tourism, and hospitality industry, and also serves as the CEO of Travel Alliance Partners.
Nicole joined us to share the game-changing impact a dynamic vision has made on her agency's growth trajectory and spills the secrets of transforming podcast gold into a rich vein of thought leadership content. Tune in to hear how Nicole's strategies have not just grown her agency, but also created a community and a presence that stands out in the crowded world of travel and tourism.
What you will learn in this episode:
Why a clear vision is crucial for guiding agency growth and how it can be a compass during times of opportunity and uncertainty.
The transformative power of thought leadership and how investing in it can enhance your agency's profitability and industry authority.
Strategies for measuring the return on investment for thought leadership and navigating the challenges that come with these non-traditional marketing efforts.
The innovative approach to repurposing content effectively across different platforms, including blogs, white papers, books, and virtual events.
Insights on the practical impacts and growth potential when expanding an agency's reach beyond traditional geographic boundaries and client bases.
Tips on how to confidently increase agency rates in response to enhanced team abilities and market respect.
How integrating and aligning multiple brands within an agency model can create diverse revenue streams and insulate the business from industry fluctuations.
Bio
Nicole Mahoney is an entrepreneur, speaker, and podcast host with a passion for business. She’s the Founder of Break the Ice Media, a PR and digital marketing agency specializing in the travel, tourism, and hospitality industry, and also serves as the CEO of Travel Alliance Partners. In her weekly podcast, Destination on the Left, launched in 2016, she interviews tourism professionals from all over the globe on creativity and collaboration.
She commissioned a first-of-its-kind research study in 2020 to examine what makes partnerships successful and explore the role collaboration is playing in helping the industry recover from the Covid-19 pandemic. Those results, her recorded conversations with more than 300 podcast guests, and her personal experience formed the basis of her book, Stronger Together: Building World-Changing Business Collaborations. Nicole resides in Canandaigua, New York.
Resources:
Website: https://nicolemahoney.com/
Destination on the Left: https://breaktheicemedia.com/podcast/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nicolemahoney/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BreakTheIceMedia
Twitter: https://twitter.com/Break_TheIce
Tap Into Travel: https://www.tapintotravel.com/
Research: Collaboration in the Travel, Tourism, & Hospitality Industry: https://breaktheicemedia.com/collaboration/
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238. Effective Account Management Strategies, with Jenny Plant
Intro
Today's episode of The Innovative Agency dives into the importance of account management skills for agency owners and leaders. Our guest, Jenny Plant, discusses the common focus on new business rather than nurturing existing client relationships. By listening, you will discover why caring for current clients is crucial for agency success.
What you will learn in this episode:
A brief description of what account management means in agency environments.
How account managers can identify qualified talent.
How to grow specific accounts using account management techniques.
The best ways to leverage different skill sets in specific roles.
How to plan effective strategy sessions with your clients.
What it takes to grow accounts organically as an agency.
Bio
Jenny Plant left Publicis LifeBrands (a global healthcare communications agency) as General Manager in 2010 to start Account Management Skills Ltd, a training company dedicated to helping agency account management teams retain and grow existing client relationships.
Her client retention and growth for agency training has been running since 2016, promoted and endorsed by the Pharmaceutical Marketing Society.
Jenny’s career in account management spans 30 years and includes working in both network and independent agencies.
It also includes agency acquisition management, relationship audits for agencies and her current role as agency board advisor for strategic branding agency Made Brave. She has worked client-side in marketing for a pharmaceutical company in Barcelona, Uriach and Iberia Airlines in London.
Jenny spent three years as a student of Sandler sales training and has a CIM Diploma in Marketing and BTEC Diploma in Business & Finance. She is an authorized partner for Everything DiSC by Wiley.
Jenny hosts the “Creative Agency Account Manager” podcast dedicated to helping agency account managers improve their account management skills.
Resources:
Website: https://accountmanagementskills.com/
LinkedIn Personal: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jennyplant/
LinkedIn Business: https://www.linkedin.com/school/account-management-skills/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AccountManagementSkills/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/jennyplant
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237. The Impact of AI on Agency Business Models, with Steve Mudd
Intro
Today on the Innovative Agency Podcast we welcome Steve Mudd from Talentless AI. He shares his insights on how AI can be adopted by marketing agencies, setting the stage for a conversation about the risks and benefits of this evolving technology and how agency owners can navigate them. He also talks about the content creation tools offered by Talentless AI and their scalable and adaptable business model.
What you will learn in this episode:
The impact of synthetic media on the modern agency landscape.
How to set effective guardrails for synthetic media production.
The necessity of authenticity in the marketing space.
How to leverage AI in creative industries.
The potential challenges and opportunities presented by leveraging AI.
Bio
Steve Mudd is the Founder and CEO of Talentless AI, a new Austin-based creative agency that uses real and artificial intelligence to deliver provocative content with synthetic media. He’s also currently the host of AIAF, a next-gen creative podcast featuring artificial conversations about real intelligence. Steve has a long history as an IT storyteller, he most recently ran strategic messaging and content marketing for NetApp and previously worked for Ogilvy on brands such as IBM, Lenovo, Level 3 Communications, and Iron Mountain. He was also the host of the popular Ogilvy Podcast.
Resources:
Website: http://www.talentless.ai/
LinkedIn Personal: https://www.linkedin.com/in/stevemudd/
LinkedIn Business: https://www.linkedin.com/company/talentless-ai/
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236. How Agencies Shape Commerce and Culture, with Jim Scott
Intro
Today we’re joined by Jim Scott, CEO and Co-Founder of Mono, an award-winning agency in Minneapolis. The conversation explores agency culture as well as Mono's accomplishments and the hard work that led to their recognition in the industry. Through this episode, expect to learn how to leverage business partnership, scale your agency’s culture, and truly have an impact.
What you will learn in this episode:
How agencies are uniquely positioned to move culture and commerce forward.
The importance of setting clear expectations with clients and employees.
The value of establishing boundaries within an agency.
How to develop impactful initiatives for BIPOC communities.
How to position your agency to have an impact within its community.
Bio
Jim Scott has established MONO as a nationally recognized agency known for punching above its weight while earning Small Agency of the Year recognitions from Ad Age and the 4As five times. Having seen the inside workings of some of the most admired brands in the world— Apple, Google, PepsiCo, Harley-Davidson, and Target—he leverages a breadth of industry experience to help the curated list of clients navigate the toughest business challenges. Along with growing and managing the agency, Jim is deeply involved in leading MONO’s clients through the reinvention of tired advertising models.
Jim is also passionate about giving back to the industry and was instrumental in creating MONO’s Brand-In-Residence Accelerator Program, designed to help diverse entrepreneurs in the Minneapolis/St.Paul area scale their businesses.
Resources:
Website: https://mono-1.com/
LinkedIn Personal: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jimscott3/
Linkedin Business: https://www.linkedin.com/company/mono/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MONOadagency/ -
235. Maximizing Profitability Through Effective Operations, with Jhana Li
Intro
In this episode, Jhana Li discusses the importance of efficient operations for marketing agencies. She highlights how effective operations can be a competitive advantage and shares insights from her experiences working with small to midsize agencies. Jhana emphasizes the fact that operations should not be seen as a burden or a hindrance, but rather as a way to enhance agility and scale. Tune in to learn how to optimize your agency's operations for greater profitability and success.
What you will learn in this episode:
How profitability is directly tied to operational workflow.
How to integrate artificial intelligence in agency operations.
The importance of leveraging artificial intelligence in agency leadership.
How to manage the shifting priorities of agency team members.
Which technologies are impacting agency operations in 2024.
Bio
Jhana Li first became COO for a 7-figure agency while making her way through North & South America. Later, as COO & Head Operations Coach at Agency Lab, she coached hundreds of companies scaling towards 7 & 8-figures. After seeing countless founders stall out & trap themselves without the proper Operations, Jhana decided to start her own company, Spyglass Ops.
Through Operations consulting, recruitment, and training, Spyglass Ops empowers founders to simultaneously scale their businesses while regaining their personal freedom.
Resources:
Website: https://spyglassops.com/
LinkedIn Personal: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jhana-li/
LinkedIn Business: https://www.linkedin.com/company/spyglass-ops/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/thejhanali
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234. Embracing Values to Shape Agency Culture and Operations, with Tory Gray
Intro
In this episode, Tory shares her perspective as a woman in the industry and how she felt disconnected from the traditional advice given to entrepreneurs. She challenges the notion that success is only achieved through sacrificing oneself and emphasizes the importance of finding fulfillment along the way.
What you will learn in this episode:
The dangers of burnout.
The role of effective communication and transparency in client relationships.
How to attract top talent by being flexible.
The core aspect of running a service-based bus.
The importance of hiring individuals with specific skill sets for remote work.
The value of hiring individuals who possess empathy, care, and passion for their work.
Bio
Tory Gray is a digital marketing consultant who helps businesses scale through user-generated content strategy. She leverages data to master strategic SEO and digital consumer intelligence for long-term success, effective market research, and growth. In a highly dynamic and sometimes ambiguous industry, Tory brings a refreshing combination of SEO knowledge and a growth-minded perspective rooted in kindness, compassion, and proven results. Before starting The Gray Dot Company, Tory has spent over 13 years engaged in SEO and growth strategy, serving product and marketing roles for both in-house startups and reputable agencies.
Resources:
Website: https://thegray.company/
Linkedin Personal: https://www.linkedin.com/in/torygray/
LinkedIn Business: https://www.linkedin.com/company/graydotco/
Customer Reviews
Insights for agency owners
This is a great podcast for agency owners looking for actionable insights to get to the next level. If this is you, I highly recommend listening!
One of the best! 👏
Excellent resource for all listeners! Sharon is a fantastic host, and her guests are some of the most informative in this space. It’s a must-listen podcast to hear these incredible conversations!
Wisdom for the real world
Sharon keeps the industry accountable and on its toes!
These episodes are a must for agencies to succeed with integrity and authenticity.