Cesar is back on the podcast this week to break down the unsexy reality of acquiring clients for his agency through organic social media.

His current lead flow relies heavily on TikTok and high-intent searches from ChatGPT. Building this pipeline wasn't a quick win, as he spent around three years posting content before landing his first real lead. Instead of overproducing videos, he notes daily agency observations in Asana and films his thoughts directly on his phone.

We also talk about dealing with negative comments and why defending your operational decisions online actually builds credibility with prospective clients. His content strategy eventually generated so much demand that he raised his baseline pricing to $1,250 just to intentionally slow down the volume. It is a solid reminder for the club that the most effective marketing strategies simply require patience and consistent execution.

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MENTIONS IN THE EPISODE:

Follow Cesar:

Tiktok: @cesargil

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/itscesargil/

Symphony Advertising:

https://www.symphonyadvertising.com/

-----

RESOURCES:

Want the tools and resources we recommend for agencies? Check them out here:

https://www.agencygrowthpod.com/tools

-----

NEWSLETTER

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https://www.agencygrowthpod.com/newsletter

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COMMUNITY

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https://discord.gg/uvHRRRFVRD

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CONTACT

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[Cold open (People don't own fly swatters anymore) ends at 12:31.]

This week, AJ Doppke joins us to talk about the unsexy reality of scaling an agency and why growing too fast can break your operations.

AJ grew his gross profit by 70% in a single year. He openly admits it was a terrible experience. His operations struggled to keep pace with sales, forcing his small team to work uncomfortable overtime.

Now, his agency focuses on forecasting revenue and building capacity before chasing new business. We dig into his strategy for acquiring these right-fit clients using account-based marketing. Instead of blasting automated cold emails, AJ curates a strict list of 100 ideal targets.

He uses Gemini Pro to build the initial list. Then, he does the boring work of verifying contacts and building real relationships. This requires patience, but it builds a stable business for agency owners instead of a quick cash machine.

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AJ Doppke with Marketing Qubed

https://marketingqubed.com/

-----

RESOURCES:

Want the tools and resources we recommend for agencies? Check them out here:

https://www.agencygrowthpod.com/tools

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NEWSLETTER

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https://www.agencygrowthpod.com/newsletter

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COMMUNITY

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CONTACT

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Josh Kimmes is back on the podcast to talk about the boring, unsexy work of getting inbound leads without relying on an exhausting outbound sales machine.

We break down exactly how his agency gets a steady flow of qualified prospects through highly specific industry service pages. Josh also walks us through his automated referral engine that triggers physical gifts and account credits when clients sign on. It is not about magic tricks, but building out systems that actually reward your clients for a job well done.

Later in the episode, we get into the weeds on agency operations and the tech stack running behind the scenes. We discuss his onboarding flow that resets billing dates to buy time for delivery, and the reality of using AI and automation tools without falling for the hype.

Building a legitimate operation takes time and heavy documentation. There are no shortcuts here, just agency owners sharing what works in the trenches. Give it a listen and see how you can apply these systems to your own agency.

[Cold open (Jake's wife was gifted an at-home lobotomy kit) ends at 03:43.]

This week, we sat down with Sharon Toerek, a legal expert who actually understands the agency world because she's been in it for decades.

Sharon broke down the "three legs of the stool" for agency protection: intellectual property, solid contracts, and regulatory compliance. We dug into the messy reality of AI risk management, specifically how your team's casual prompts could be breaching client confidentiality or creating copyright nightmares. It's kind of the "boring" operational stuff that determines whether you actually keep the profit you make.

We also looked at why your "one-page contract" might be leaving you wide open to employee poaching or lawsuits over stock photo licenses. Sharon explained why ownership of ad accounts and assets is a major trust hurdle for clients and how to use your contract to lead those tough conversations. If you're tired of "hoping" nothing goes sideways, this episode is a reality check on professionalizing your operation.

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MENTIONS IN THE EPISODE:

Check out Sharon's website:

https://legalandcreative.com/

Or find her on LinkedIn:

https://www.linkedin.com/in/sharontoerek/

Jake's MarTech article, Shannon gave feedback on agencies owning ad accounts:

https://martech.org/what-happens-when-ad-spend-goes-wrong/

-----

RESOURCES:

Want the tools and resources we recommend for agencies? Check them out here:

https://www.agencygrowthpod.com/tools

-----

NEWSLETTER

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COMMUNITY

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https://discord.gg/uvHRRRFVRD

-----

CONTACT

Got something to say? Send us a message:

https://www.agencygrowthpod.com/contact

[Cold open (Jake Puts the McDonald's CEO to Shame) ends at 08:17.]

Starting a marketing agency seems to be the cool thing to do these days. Everyone is doing it, and there is so much noise.

How do you cut through it and stand out?

We've noticed a trend of people trying to flex an inauthentic, crass personality as their tactic, but cutting through that noise and standing out is much easier, and you don't have to be a clown while you do it.

-----

RESOURCES:

Want the tools and resources we recommend for agencies? Check them out here:

https://www.agencygrowthpod.com/tools

-----

NEWSLETTER

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COMMUNITY

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CONTACT

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[Cold open (Jake spills coffee on his keyboard and debates the utility of tablets) ends at 07:49.]

Most agency advice treats every client relationship the same, but the reality is that a family-owned local shop and a VC-backed firm require entirely different "languages" to survive.

In this episode, we break down how to navigate the power struggles and decision-making hierarchies of different business models. We discuss why "authenticity" can sometimes be a trap, how to manage the friction of new marketing hires, and why your reporting style needs to shift from "raw revenue" to "performative polish" depending on who is signing the checks.

Listen in as we explore the nuances of private equity, franchises, and why working with the "big dogs" in publicly traded companies is a completely different game of "dance monkey".

-----

RESOURCES:

Want the tools and resources we recommend for agencies? Check them out here:

https://www.agencygrowthpod.com/tools

-----

NEWSLETTER

Want the show in your inbox? Sign up for the newsletter!

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COMMUNITY

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-----

CONTACT

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[Cold open ends at 07:13.]

There has been a lot of buzz lately with people mentioning and starting "AI Automation Agencies", yet they have no idea how to sell or position the service.

They're all operating under some expectation that businesses just inherently need or want these services, which is absolutely not the case.

But that doesn't mean you can't sell it and that there isn't value for it.

It all comes down to positioning.

-----

MENTIONS IN THE EPISODE:

r/agencynewbies threads:

[Is this offer worth 2k monthly retainer?]

https://www.reddit.com/r/agencynewbies/comments/1rkx1al/is_this_offer_worth_2k_monthly_retainer/

-----

RESOURCES:

Want the tools and resources we recommend for agencies? Check them out here:

https://www.agencygrowthpod.com/tools

-----

NEWSLETTER

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https://www.agencygrowthpod.com/newsletter

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COMMUNITY

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CONTACT

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In our pursuit of having an episode for every niche out there, we ran across Dante Montovano, who owns Seven Circle Media, a restaurant marketing agency.

We knew restaurant marketing was unique, but we didn't realize how much we didn't actually know about the industry and what actually makes fast food places, QSRs, and fast-casual restaurants the most amount of money.

Dante broke down exactly what it takes to be successful in the restaurant industry as a marketing agency and how knowing the industry is your secret weapon.

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MENTIONS IN THE EPISODE:

Dante Montovano

https://www.linkedin.com/in/dante-montovano-21a54370/

Seven Circle Media

https://www.sevencirclemedia.com/

-----

SPONSOR:

This week’s episode is sponsored by Wix Studio.

-----

RESOURCES:

Want the tools and resources we recommend for agencies? Check them out here:

https://www.agencygrowthpod.com/tools

-----

NEWSLETTER

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https://www.agencygrowthpod.com/newsletter

-----

COMMUNITY

Looking to join a community of agency owners? Join our Discord!

https://discord.gg/uvHRRRFVRD

-----

CONTACT

Got something to say? Send us a message:

https://www.agencygrowthpod.com/contact