Shows / Build a Better Agency Podcast
Build a Better Agency Podcast
Scale and grow your agency with better clients, invested employees, and a stronger bottom line, with Drew McLellan.
Episodes
- Build a Better Agency Podcast
Episode 508 Project Management That Drives Profit with Rachel Gertz
Welcome to another insightful episode of Build a Better Agency! This week, host Drew McLellan tackles a topic that agency owners and leaders wrestle with time…
- Build a Better Agency Podcast
Episode 507 Transformative Agency Strategies with Marcus Sheridan
Welcome to another insightful episode of Build a Better Agency! This week, host Drew McLellan welcomes renowned marketing thought leader Marcus Sheridan to…
- Build a Better Agency Podcast
Episode 506 How Prioritizing Fun Inspires Success with Mike Rucker
Welcome to another engaging episode of Build a Better Agency! This week, host Drew McLellan shines a spotlight on a topic that's both enjoyable and essential…
- Build a Better Agency Podcast
Episode 505 Navigating 2025 Agency Trends with Drew and Danyel Newcom McLellan
Welcome to a special solocast episode of Build a Better Agency! In this midyear trend report, hosts Drew McLellan and Danyel Newcom McLellan dig deep into the…
- Build a Better Agency Podcast
Episode 504 Explore the Findings of the 2025 Agency Edge Research with Susan Baier
Welcome to a timely episode of Build a Better Agency! This week, host Drew McLellan is joined by research partner Susan Baier from Audience Audit to unveil the…
- Build a Better Agency Podcast
Episode 503 Mastering the Creative Brief with Pieter-Paul von Weiler and Matt Davies
Welcome to another insightful episode of Build a Better Agency! This week, host Drew McLellan is joined by Matt Davies and Pieter-Paul von Weiler, the…
- Build a Better Agency Podcast
Episode 502 The Mindset of Inspired Leadership with Christina Langdon
Welcome to another inspiring episode of Build a Better Agency! In this episode, host Drew McLellan sits down with high-performance coach and leadership expert…
- Build a Better Agency Podcast
Episode 501 Research Insights from Agency Core with Susan Baier and Brian Gerstner
Welcome to a compelling new episode of Build a Better Agency! This week, host Drew McLellan is joined by familiar faces Susan Baier from Audience Audit and…
- Build a Better Agency Podcast
Episode 500 5 Agency Leadership Lessons from 500 Podcasts with Drew McLellan
Welcome to a milestone episode of Build a Better Agency! This week, host Drew McLellan takes the mic solo to commemorate a remarkable achievement—the 500th…
- Build a Better Agency Podcast
Episode 499 Effective Strategies for Winning New Business with Mike Lander
Welcome to another can't-miss episode of Build a Better Agency! This week, host Drew McLellan invites negotiation expert Mike Lander to shed light on a…
- Build a Better Agency Podcast
Episode 498 Adapting Public Relations for the Modern World with Ryan Gerding
Welcome to another insightful episode of Build a Better Agency! In this session, host Drew McLellan is joined by PR expert Ryan Gerding, CEO of Inc. Public…
- Build a Better Agency Podcast
Episode 497 Effective Communication Strategies with Cynthia Kane
Welcome to another enlightening episode of Build a Better Agency! In this episode, host Drew McLellan delves into the nuances of effective communication, a…
- Build a Better Agency Podcast
Episode 496 Navigating Agency Trends with Lee McKnight
Welcome to another insightful episode of Build a Better Agency! Today, host Drew McLellan returns with guest Lee McKnight from RSW to dive deep into the…
- Build a Better Agency Podcast
Episode 495 Strategies for Unlocking Agency Growth with Drew McLellan
Welcome to another episode of Build a Better Agency! In this solo cast, host Drew McLellan takes center stage to discuss a critical topic that every agency…
- Build a Better Agency Podcast
Episode 494 Leading with Pride in Turbulent Times with Jim Fielding
Welcome to the latest episode of Build a Better Agency! In this engaging discussion, host Drew McLellan is joined by veteran leader Jim Fielding to explore…
- Build a Better Agency Podcast
Episode 493 The Art of Transformative Leadership with Suzanna de Baca
Welcome to the latest episode of Build a Better Agency! This time, host Drew McLellan is joined by leadership expert Suzanna de Baca for a thought-provoking…
- Build a Better Agency Podcast
Ep 492: Mastering Flexible Leadership to Drive Agency Success with Kevin Eikenberry
Welcome to another insightful episode of Build a Better Agency! This week, host Drew McLellan welcomes Kevin Eikenberry to the show to explore the…
- Build a Better Agency Podcast
Ep 491: Empower Your Agency Through Better Pricing Strategies with Casey Brown
Welcome to the latest episode of Build a Better Agency! Host Drew McLellan returns with an engaging conversation that every agency owner needs to hear. In this…
- Build a Better Agency Podcast
Ep 490: Mastering Effective One-on-One Meetings with Drew McLellan
In this episode of Build a Better Agency, Drew McLellan emphasizes the game-changing impact of one-on-one meetings and why agency owners should make them a…
- Build a Better Agency Podcast
Ep 489: Improving the Culture in Modern Agencies with Sarah Noll Wilson
In this episode of Build a Better Agency, Drew McLellan sits down with leadership and workplace culture expert Sarah Noll Wilson to unpack one of the biggest…
- Build a Better Agency Podcast
Ep 488: Elevate Your Professional Image: Insights from Stylist Morgan Wider
Welcome to the latest episode of Build a Better Agency! In this episode, host Drew McLellan dives into a fascinating yet often overlooked topic that will have…
- Build a Better Agency Podcast
Ep 487: Enhancing Employee Engagement with Tessa White
In this episode of Build a Better Agency Drew McLellan talks with Tessa White, also known as the Job Doctor. Tessa has a rich background with 25 years in HR…
- Build a Better Agency Podcast
EP 486: Inside the world and benefits of agency book writing and publishing with Shadley Grei
Agency book writing and publishing can seem like a daunting mountain to climb. But with the right people to help you through the process, it can be one of the…
- Build a Better Agency Podcast
EP 485: It's time to heal from post-COVID agency owner grief with Drew McLellan
I wanted to wait until after the holidays to talk about this topic because it's a bit heavier than what we usually talk about on the show. But it's something…
- Build a Better Agency Podcast
EP 484: Tapping into non-obvious thinking and thought leadership in 2025 with Rohit Bhargava
Many agency owners feel like their clients are putting them in a box of specific skills they're able to perform for them. And for many of us, that's not a good…
- Build a Better Agency Podcast
EP 483: How to get more involved in your agency finances in 2025 with Sandy Catour
Almost no agency owner got into the agency world for their passion for bookkeeping. And if you did — great! You're several steps ahead of most of us. But the…
- Build a Better Agency Podcast
EP 482: How extraordinary thinking leads to extraordinary agency growth with Tori Boats
Agency growth and biz dev can feel like an uphill battle when we're already so tired, overworked, and burnt out. But it doesn't have to be hard or add anything…
- Build a Better Agency Podcast
EP 481: Celebrating the joy that comes with agency ownership with Drew McLellan
Agency ownership can leave us stressed, burnt out, and sometimes, thinking the grass is greener somewhere else. But when you really sit back and think about…
- Build a Better Agency Podcast
EP 480: What I'd do differently as an agency owner if I started over in 2025 with Drew McLellan
As we round the bend into the new year, I'm reflecting on the lessons learned from my time as an agency owner and the insights I've gained from working with…
- Build a Better Agency Podcast
EP 479: Embracing agency entrepreneurship to work on the business, not in the business with Michael E. Gerber
To grow the agency, agency owners need to be working on the business, not working in it. That means we have to accept that it's time to get out of the…
- Build a Better Agency Podcast
EP 478: Everything agency owners need to know about their account executives with Lori Highby
Account executives are critical for agency profitability and success. Without them, we wouldn't have anybody responsible for building deeper trust with clients…
- Build a Better Agency Podcast
EP 477: Take the sabbatical — why agency owners need to unplug with Louise Oliver
This one is going to be hard for most agency owners to hear, but you need to take a sabbatical — or a vacation or any amount of time off where you completely…
- Build a Better Agency Podcast
EP 476: How fractional employees are shaping the future of agency culture with Sara Daw
The future of work is becoming more fractional. Instead of full-time, in-house teams doing all the work — how many of us grew up in the agency world —…
- Build a Better Agency Podcast
EP 475: Thinking holistically about agency employee compensation, benefits, and perks with Drew McLellan
Many agency owners reported in 2024 that one of the best things about their agencies are their employees. Despite continued biz dev struggles and slow sales…
- Build a Better Agency Podcast
EP 474: Laying cobblestones for effective agency thought leadership with Susan Baier
It's no secret that new business for agencies was brutal in 2023. And for some in 2024, it's been equally difficult. So, for 2025, we want to challenge you to…
- Build a Better Agency Podcast
EP 473: The benefits and challenges of hiring for a COO role with Carolyn Lodge
With more agency owners wanting to step out of the agency's day-to-day operations to focus more on being the company's visionary leader, there are many areas…
- Build a Better Agency Podcast
EP 472: Defining what agency growth means to you and setting the path to achieve it with Marquel Russell
This is a topic we've covered many times before, but it's an important one. When was the last time you checked in with yourself about what agency growth really…
- Build a Better Agency Podcast
EP 471: How agency owners can be more effective in creating transformational change with Tamsen Webster
As agency owners, we're perpetual change-makers, striving to affect real and sustained transformation not just in our clients' lives, but also in our own. But…
- Build a Better Agency Podcast
EP 470: The agency owner life plan for legacy-building and getting out of agency owner fatigue with Drew McLellan
Your business should serve your lifestyle — not the other way around. Many agency owners got into the industry because it affords them a lifestyle and freedom…
- Build a Better Agency Podcast
EP 469: What agency leaders want and need from agency owners with Del Esparza
Agency leaders have some of the most important roles in the agency. They're key team members supporting the agency owner in the agency's day-to-day operations…
- Build a Better Agency Podcast
EP 468: What we get wrong about agency proposals and how to fix it with Emily Shapiro & Robin Boehler
Agency owners and leaders are no strangers to proposal writing. But despite our vast experience, there are things we still get wrong, and there is always…
- Build a Better Agency Podcast
EP 467: Using systems and processes to make better decisions for the agency with Misty Larkins
When I was an agency employee, I admittedly hated being told what to do or how to do it. So naturally, systems and processes really rubbed me the wrong way…
- Build a Better Agency Podcast
EP 466: Building relationships that attract right-fit clients to you with Matthew Kimberley
Finding right-fit clients is one of the never-ending juggling acts of agency ownership. We need to keep the pipeline full, but we don't want to rely only on…
- Build a Better Agency Podcast
EP 465: The five things agency owners do that block agency growth with Drew McLellan
Every agency should be able to run at 20% profitability on a consistent basis. But as agency owners, sometimes we get in our own way and become the bottleneck…
- Build a Better Agency Podcast
EP 464: Merging storytelling with sales for decreased sales cycles with Stephen Steers
For many agency owners, sales is a necessary evil. For others, it's your natural gift, and you look forward to doing it. Either way, you can always benefit…
- Build a Better Agency Podcast
EP 463: Successful podcasting from the audience's perspective with Tom Webster
We've spoken before about how podcasting is a great tool for building an audience that sees you as a thought leader. That's still true, but simply having a…
- Build a Better Agency Podcast
EP 462: Niching and thought leadership — the most critical components of biz dev with Susan Quinn
As agency owners, we're always looking for ways to improve our business development strategies and stand out in a crowded marketplace. This week, I'm flipping…
- Build a Better Agency Podcast
EP 461: Collaborating with clients in our systems and processes with Xenia Muntean
Systems and processes are a tough nut to crack for agency owners, and it's even more challenging once you get clients involved. Many of us are accidental…
- Build a Better Agency Podcast
EP 460: Four things we need to make sales easier as agency owners with Drew McLellan
As agency owners, one of the things we fundamentally get wrong in sales is how heavily trust plays a role in the process. We're selling intangible services and…
- Build a Better Agency Podcast
EP 459: Creating positive momentum and taking control over your work day with Jason Yarusi
Agency owners have it tough these days, but we have more control over how hard it is for us than we think. This week, we're going to talk in-depth about how we…
- Build a Better Agency Podcast
EP 458: Building a better pitch deck that gets you hired with Tom Martin
When you're stacked against other agencies with the same awards, credentials, and impressive case studies as you, it's tough to stand out above the rest. But…
- Build a Better Agency Podcast
EP 457: Building the ideal agency-CMO relationship with Liza Adams
CMOs have a lot on their plates, and similar to agency owners, their role can be lonely in the C-Suite. Because of this, CMOs rely heavily on agency…
- Build a Better Agency Podcast
EP 456: What agency owners get wrong about recruiting top talent with Michael Palma
The glamor of working for an agency has worn off somewhat since the 80s and 90s. Markets are more saturated, salaries have stagnated, and recruiting top talent…
- Build a Better Agency Podcast
EP 455: The trends that affect agency owners and employees in 2024 with Drew and Danyel McLellan
In the last solocast, we reviewed the agency trends that most affected agency AGI in 2023. This week, we're pulling back the curtain on the major trends…
- Build a Better Agency Podcast
EP 454: Improving client-agency trust and other takeaways from the 2024 Agency Edge Research study with Susan Baier
Every year, we go out into the field to understand the biggest pain points and priorities for both agencies and clients. This year, we took data from the 2024…
- Build a Better Agency Podcast
EP 453: Getting up to speed with the new FTC non-compete rule with Sharon Toerek
The FTC has recently passed regulations against non-compete clauses on a federal level in all work contracts. Starting in the fall of 2024, agencies will have…
- Build a Better Agency Podcast
EP 452: Expanding your agency talent pool with international employees with Kim Walker
Agency owners who want to scale their business often run into a chicken-and-egg situation. To scale and grow sustainably, you need to hire more people. But to…
- Build a Better Agency Podcast
EP 451: What it takes to become a fractional CMO with John Jantsch
If you want to future-proof your agency's success and stability, now is the time to become a fractional CMO. For those unfamiliar with the term, fractional…
- Build a Better Agency Podcast
EP 450: The trends that influenced agency AGI in 2024 with Drew and Danyel McLellan
In 2023, about 45% of agencies took an AGI hit — the biggest number we've seen for as long as we've been tracking agency trends. Last year was tough, but…
- Build a Better Agency Podcast
EP 449: How agency owners can get ahead of burnout with Eric Recker
Burnout can sneak up on us; before we know it, we're ready to sell the agency. But before we get to this critical point, there are usually signs and symptoms…