Welcome to the Agency Profit Podcast hosted by Marcel Petitpas, CEO and Co-Founder of Parakeeto. Finally, an agency podcast that isn't JUST about getting more clients. On the show, we bring in experts, agency owners and consultants to share their actionable tips for improving profitability and operational efficiency. Here, you'll learn what systems to implement in your business, what kind of KPI's to track, and benchmarks to aim for. How to manage things like capacity, utilization, billing r ...
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Marcel Petitpas Podcasts
Industry leaders get real on the business of running a thriving agency, design studio, sounds studio or production company. Hosted by RevThink. © 2015–2025. All Rights Reserved.
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Equipping Digital Agencies to build businesses on recurring revenue.
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The Digital Agency Show | Helping Agency Owners Transform Their Business Mindset to Increase Prices, Work Less, and Grow Profits
UGURUS Hosted by Brent Weaver
Helping digital agency owners transform their business mindset so they can increase prices, work less, and grow profits. A weekly podcast where host Brent Weaver chats with today's most successful entrepreneurs running digital agency businesses in the web design, web development, and digital marketing industry. Brent also chats with high-profile entrepreneurs and other smart people that can help listeners grow their digital agency. Each interview deep dives into the emotional details of goin ...
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Building Trust at Scale in the Age of AI, With Stephen Woessner
48:16
48:16
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48:16Points of Interest 00:00–01:02 – Introduction: Marcel welcomes Stephen, a veteran agency operator, author, and CEO of Predictive ROI focused on helping agencies sell more by adding value. 01:02–03:09 – Who Predictive ROI Serves: Stephen explains their exclusive focus on agencies and their expertise in business development through authority position…
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From Hollywood to Humanity with Bart Hendrikx
47:17
47:17
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47:17Bart Hendrikx's journey transitions media, entertainment, and global strategy. His expertise spans feature films (e.g., Mr. & Mrs. Smith) and brand activations (Sonos x Gorillaz). He advised major clients like 20th Century Fox and played a crucial role in launching director Ridley Scott’s European office in Amsterdam. Based in Amsterdam, he also ma…
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Parakeeto vs. Project Management Tools: What’s the Real Solution?, With Kristen Kelly
42:39
42:39
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42:39Points of Interest 00:00 – 01:30 – Introduction: Marcel welcomes Parakeeto’s Kristen Kelly back to discuss a recurring misconception in agency operations—the belief that a better project management or PSA tool can solve profit management challenges. 01:30 – 03:25 – The PM Tool “Silver Bullet” Myth: Kristen explains how leaders and PMs often adopt n…
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How to Increase Your Price, With Casey Brown
47:55
47:55
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47:55Points of Interest 00:00 – 01:15 – Introduction: Marcel introduces Casey Brown, author of Fearless Pricing and founder of Boost Pricing, highlighting her experience generating over $1B in client profit. 01:15 – 02:15 – Defining a Pricing Geek: Casey explains her passion for pricing as the intersection of psychology, process, and data, with a missio…
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Confab Groups are weekly masterminds emphasizing different specialties quarterly. - Choose from 6 groups each with a different focus - Weekly sessions occurring over 3 months - Build relationships with your fellow peers - Replays available if you miss a week Register here: https://www.revthink.com/confab…
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Accrual Accounting & Revenue Recognition for Agencies, With Carson Pierce
36:03
36:03
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36:03Points of Interest 0:50 – 2:07 – Introduction: Marcel and Carson set up the challenge of revenue recognition in agencies, where payments and work schedules rarely align, creating distorted profitability metrics. 2:19 – 3:22 – Cash Accounting Pitfalls: Carson shares a client example where tracking only bank deposits caused wild swings in monthly pro…
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What's Your Core Selling Identity? With Mark Drager
44:21
44:21
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44:21Points of Interest 00:08 – 01:42 – Introduction: Marcel introduces Mark Drager, founder of Sales Loop, and sets the stage for discussing his Core Selling Identity Framework. 01:42 – 04:06 – Early Career in Film and Television: Mark shares his beginnings in film school, early TV roles, and the realization that career progress in the industry was too…
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How to Build a More Profitable Retainer Model for Your Agency
40:34
40:34
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40:34Points of Interest 1:08 – 1:44 – Defining Retainers: Marcel and Carson introduce the topic of retainers, noting how different agencies define them in varied ways. 2:05 – 2:37 – Core Benefit of Retainers: Carson explains that retainers create recurring revenue and provide clients with consistent access to agency resources. 2:50 – 3:33 – Historical C…
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Always Relevant, Never Predictable | Curt Doty
34:30
34:30
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34:30Curt Doty propelled two entertainment marketing agencies to 8 figure growth and worked with over 50 Fortune 500 companies, Curt has a proven track record. A former NBC Universal creative executive, Curt is an award-winning brander and marketer. His sweet spot of innovation has been uniting the worlds of design, content and technology. His legacy li…
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Achieving More Freedom as a Creative, With Matt Essam
42:34
42:34
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42:34Points of Interest 00:00 – 01:09 – Introduction: Marcel introduces guest Matt, founder of The Creative Life and bestselling author, highlighting his mission to help creatives design businesses that align with their lifestyles. 01:14 – 02:24 – Coaching High-Level Creatives: Matt explains his role as a coach for award-winning creatives seeking fulfil…
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The Hidden Cost of Low Utilization, With Carson Pierce
36:04
36:04
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36:04Points of Interest 00:01 – 00:51 – Introduction: Marcel welcomes Carson Pierce back to the show and introduces the episode’s focus on utilization, specifically the hidden costs of low utilization in agencies. 01:18 – 01:50 – Why Utilization Matters Now: Marcel notes that many agencies are struggling with overstaffing and underutilization in a diffi…
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Operationalizing and De-Risking Positioning, with Mike Grinberg
35:47
35:47
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35:47Points of Interest 1:10 – 2:03 – Introduction: Marcel welcomes Mike Grinberg, founder of Proofpoint Marketing, who specializes in helping boutique firms strengthen positioning to compete against large incumbents. 2:15 – 3:54 – Competing with “IBM”: Mike explains his role as helping boutique firms reduce client risk perception so they can win agains…
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The Golden Age of Television with Lee Hunt
39:27
39:27
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39:27Lee Hunt is a strategist and industry thought leader for media companies across the globe. His success in launching and positioning entertainment brands, in addition to his groundbreaking work in audience management and competitive analysis, have set many of the standards for our industry. Lee began his career on the client side in the 1980s, launc…
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Insights from Europe on Global Competition, Talent, and AI, With Carson Pierce
40:16
40:16
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40:16Points of Interest 0:00 – 0:17 – Opening: Marcel reflects on building production-level software using low-code tools without prior coding experience, setting the stage for a discussion on rapid change in the agency landscape. 1:01 – 3:40 – Conference Context & Audience: Marcel shares his experience at Web Summer Camp in Opatija, Croatia, hosted by …
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The Untapped Lever: Maximizing Agency Value Through People & Leadership, with James Friel
40:15
40:15
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40:15Points of Interest 0:00 – 1:25 – Guest Introduction: Marcel welcomes James Friel, serial entrepreneur, investor, and leadership expert, to discuss building scalable, profitable businesses through effective operations and leadership. 1:26 – 3:08 – Journey from Corporate to Entrepreneurship: James shares his transition from aerospace and software eng…
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The Most Common Agency Pricing Mistakes, With Kristen Kelly
26:01
26:01
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26:01Points of Interest 0:00 – 0:13 – Introduction: Marcel Petitpas introduces the importance of pricing in agency profitability, emphasizing that even great delivery and project management can’t compensate for poor pricing strategy. 1:00 – 1:39 – The Problem with Pricing Guesswork: Kristen Kelly explains that most agencies lack a formal pricing framewo…
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From Flash to AI: The Next Revolution | with Wesley ter Haar at Monks
45:29
45:29
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45:29Wesley ter Haar is a co-founder and the Chief AI Officer at Monks. Now in year 25, he’s helped grow the company from a scrappy production shop from Amsterdam into a global leader in creative, tech and now AI. With 7000 people working across timezones in 33 countries, the Monks are regarded for high quality work and relentless innovation, and were r…
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Recurring Revenue, More Freedom: Navigating the "Let's Build a SaaS" Trap, With Stephen Neville
38:43
38:43
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38:43Points of Interest 0:00 – 1:05 – Introduction: Marcel introduces Stephen Neville, CEO of BugHerd, highlighting his background in agency work and his transition into running a SaaS company that helps agencies streamline QA and client feedback. 2:24 – 3:10 – The Dream of SaaS: Marcel and Stephen discuss the allure many agency owners feel toward build…
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Fractional COO vs. Operational Intelligence: What Agencies Actually Need , With Kristen Kelly
32:41
32:41
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32:41Points of Interest 0:00 – 1:20 – Guest Introduction: Marcel introduces Kristen Kelly and sets the stage for a deep dive into the roles of fractional COOs versus building operational intelligence within growing agencies. 1:21 – 2:25 – The $1M Growth Threshold: Kristen explains how agencies crossing the $1M mark often face operational strain and conf…
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Going from Solo Consultant to Firm Builder, With Michael Zipursky
39:03
39:03
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39:03Points of Interest 0:31 – 1:09 – Welcome & Guest Intro: Marcel introduces Michael Zipursky, founder of Consulting Success, highlighting his global impact helping consultants build six- and seven-figure businesses that align with their ideal lifestyles. 2:33 – 4:11 – Consulting Success Origins: Michael shares how his early ventures led to launching …
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How to Choose the Right Project Management Tool for Your Agency , With Carson Pierce
36:42
36:42
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36:42Points of Interest 0:00 – 1:14 – Introduction & Context Setting: Marcel introduces Carson Pierce, Parakeeto's Head Consultant, to discuss project management tools in the agency space and the fundamentals that remain relevant despite ever-changing software options. 1:14 – 4:01 – Common Tools Used by Agencies: Carson outlines the most frequently used…
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The 3 Key Financial Metrics for Agency Success, With Jon Morris
33:28
33:28
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33:28Points of Interest 0:00 – 1:00 – Opening: Marcel introduces the episode’s focus on financial visibility and growth, and welcomes returning guest Jon Morris, CEO of Fiscal Advocate and creator of EngineBI. 1:00 – 2:55 – Jon’s Background: Jon shares his journey from founding Rise Interactive to launching Fiscal Advocate, emphasizing the value of fina…
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The Role of Timesheets in Agency Profitability, With Kristen Kelly
33:37
33:37
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33:37Points of Interest 1:08 – 2:17 – Why Time Tracking Still Matters: Kristen and Marcel introduce the episode’s goal—to reframe time tracking from a frustrating chore into a strategic advantage for agencies. 2:28 – 4:59 – Debunking Common Misconceptions: Marcel breaks down the three common arguments against time tracking, particularly the mistaken bel…
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Proper Revenue Recognition for Agencies, With Rich Brett
38:37
38:37
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38:37Points of Interest 1:09 – 2:28 – Meet Rich Brett: Rich shares his background in agency finance and how he now serves 12–15 agencies monthly by bridging gaps between finance, operations, and strategy. 2:29 – 4:03 – The FinOps Mindset: Rich defines FinOps as the intersection of finance and operations—connecting financial data with the reality of agen…
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Top-Down vs Bottom-Up Forecasting, With Kristen Kelly
34:41
34:41
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34:41Points of Interest 0:00 – 1:00 – Introduction to Forecasting Challenges: Marcel and Kristen set the stage by identifying forecasting as a critical but often misunderstood aspect of agency operations, particularly in scaling businesses. 1:06 – 2:30 – Defining Forecasting’s Importance: They explain how forecasting provides the necessary visibility to…
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Taking Action on Profitability Improvements, With Mandi Ellefson
40:55
40:55
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40:55Points of Interest 0:00 – 1:18 – The Real Growth Blocker: Mandi kicks off by addressing how many agency owners avoid growth-driving actions not due to lack of knowledge, but due to fear and discomfort. Commitment to transformation must outweigh resistance. 2:22 – 3:53 – Mandi’s Mission at Hands-Off CEO: Mandi shares her focus on helping service-bas…
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Alex James has spent the last 12 years helping B2B service businesses across the globe become experts at conveying their expertise. He believes the go-to strategies of the 2010s, like niching down, solving problems and sharing ideas are no longer enough. Because in a post-AI world (where output is cheap & everyone's a specialist) you can't just sha…
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How Parakeeto Helps Agencies Improve Profitability, With Kristen Kelly
35:41
35:41
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35:41Points of Interest 2:14 – 3:18 – Founding Insight: Parakeeto was created to help agencies easily answer crucial financial questions by replacing guesswork with structured systems. 3:23 – 4:39 – How Agencies Make Profit: Strong delivery margin is key. Parakeeto targets a 50%+ delivery margin and 20–30% net profit as benchmarks. 5:45 – 6:58 – Why Pro…
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Driving Agency Profitability Through Smarter Contracting, With Tiffany Kemp
30:05
30:05
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30:05Points of Interest 1:14 – 2:53 – Introduction: Marcel introduces Tiffany, who explains her firm’s mission to help agencies use contracts as strategic tools rather than just legal formalities. 3:06 – 4:08 – Why Contracts Get a Bad Rap: Many agencies view contracts purely as legal protection, missing their potential to strengthen client relationships…
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Pricing & Scoping for Agencies, With Marcel Petitpas
26:24
26:24
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26:24Points of Interest 0:00 – 0:14 – Introduction to Pricing Framework: Marcel introduces a universal pricing formula that applies across all billing models, setting the stage for simplifying agency profitability assessments. 0:54 – 1:38 – Solo Episode Overview: Marcel explains that the episode will draw from his All Agency Summit presentation, coverin…
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Profit First for Agencies, With Mike Michalowicz
38:08
38:08
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38:08Points of Interest 0:30 – 1:31 – Meet the Guest: Marcel introduces Mike as a prolific author and entrepreneur, best known for Profit First, and previews their deep dive into simplifying profitability for service businesses. 2:00 – 3:36 – From Struggle to Simplification: Mike shares how his own entrepreneurial failures led him to journal his learnin…
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The Three Immutable Laws of Profitability, With Marcel Petitpas
48:34
48:34
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48:34Points of Interest 1:02 – 1:38 – Intro: Marcel introduces the session as a condensed version of his All-in Agency Summit talk, aimed at equipping agencies with the key levers to diagnose and improve profitability. 3:05 – 3:18 – 80/20 Profitability Focus: The goal is to give agencies 20% of the knowledge that provides 80% of the insight needed to ta…
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Curiosity Drives Influence | Melissa Havel
39:23
39:23
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39:23Melissa Havel is a senior communications strategist, executive advisor, and team coach who blends big-idea thinking with a disciplined approach to problem-solving and delivering results. She has driven powerful storytelling and strategic communications campaigns across owned, earned, and paid channels for organizations of all sizes, drawing on her …
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How to Appeal to More Clients Without Diluting Your Niche, With John Meyer
33:25
33:25
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33:25Points of Interest 1:04 – 1:46 – Introduction of John Meyer: Marcel introduces John Meyer, highlighting his experience as a successful agency owner, seller, and current business coach. 2:10 – 2:30 – John's Current Focus with Leadmore: John explains his mission with Leadmore: coaching agency owners to avoid solopreneur traps and scale their business…
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How to Downsize Your Agency, With Carson Pierce
48:29
48:29
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48:29Points of Interest 0:00 – 0:23 – Small Cuts, Big Impact: Marcel explains how trimming small recurring expenses added up to $7K/month in potential savings. 1:32 – 2:44 – Market Uncertainty Hits Everyone: Carson highlights how client indecision is stalling agency pipelines across the industry. 3:04 – 3:23 – Opportunity in Unstable Times: Marcel frame…
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Financial Planning for Agency Owners, With Jason Peck
32:56
32:56
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32:56Points of Interest 01:01 – 01:46 – Meet Today’s Guest: Jason Peck: Jason, a certified financial planner at EverWise Wealth Management, joins the show to share how agency owners can build wealth, protect their families, and stop relying solely on their business for financial freedom. 05:00 – 06:10 – Unique Challenges for Agency Owners: Jason outline…
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Episode 376: The End of UGURUS – Last Episode with Brent Weaver and Jen Buzza
54:27
54:27
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54:27In this final episode of the Digital Agency Show, host Brent Weaver gets interviewed by UGURUS Lead Mentor, Jennifer Buzza. They talk about the shutdown of UGURUS after 12 great years, lessons learned from the business and recording 375+ episodes, and much more. Tune in for this Brent's final thoughts on a great run.…
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Building a Model for Your Agency, With Carson Pierce
35:40
35:40
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35:40Points of Interest 00:51 – 01:14 – Meet Today’s Guest: Carson Pierce: Carson, a fan favorite at Parakeeto, joins the show to discuss a key challenge for agency owners—transitioning from expert to CEO while managing financial complexities. 02:01 – 03:10 – The Common Agency Struggle: Many agency owners are incredible at their craft but struggle with …
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Prove Your Value & Increase Retention, With Mari-Liis Vaher
41:04
41:04
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41:04Points of Interest 01:09 – 01:46 – Meet Today’s Guest: Mari-Liis Vaher: Marketing pro, entrepreneur, and author of The Greatest Marketer in the World, Mari-Liis is here to help agencies prove their value and keep clients happy. 03:04 – 03:40 – The Big Marketing Trust Issue: Ever had a client drop you out of nowhere, even though you were hitting all…
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Understanding Your Agency Model, With Carson Pierce
32:55
32:55
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32:55Points of Interest 00:55 – 01:14 – Meet Today’s Guest: Carson Pierce: Carson, a fan favorite at Parakeeto, joins the show to chat about a big shift in the agency world—why more agencies are ditching big teams in favor of lean, contractor-driven models. 01:34 – 02:29 – Agencies Are Shrinking Their Core Teams: Carson talks about a growing trend—agenc…
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Finding Success in Creative Careers with Mark J. Jones
47:00
47:00
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47:00Mark Jones is an accomplished educator, producer, and author, known for bridging the worlds of culture, technology, and education. As the Dean of the Faculty of Animation, Art, and Design at Sheridan College and former Director at Seneca Film Institute, Mark has dedicated over 25 years to empowering the next generation of creatives. His book, The S…
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Balancing Creativity and Profitability, With Tim Thompson
41:25
41:25
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41:25Points of Interest 0:00 – 0:32 – Show Introduction & Guest Introduction: Marcel introduces Tim Thompson, Owner and Chief Revolution Thinker at RevThink. He shares how they met at the MYOB conference, where they bonded over deep discussions on agency profitability and creative business management. 0:33 – 2:25 – Tim’s Background & The Journey to RevT…
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What Paradiso Feels Like with Héctor Ayuso
40:28
40:28
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40:28Héctor Ayuso has spent the last 30 years chasing ideas and making them real. Call him an artist, filmmaker, creative director, storyteller, or just a guy who can't sit still—labels don’t matter, doing does. From Spain to Mexico, Italy to the U.S., he’s built studios, taught, spoken on stages, and created projects that live outside the usual boxes. …
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The Process Behind Profit Management, With Kristen Kelly
40:17
40:17
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40:17Points of Interest 0:24 – 0:54 – Show Introduction & Guest Introduction: Marcel introduces Kristen Kelly, highlighting her expertise in operations and agency profitability management. 1:01 – 1:45 – The Three-Part Profitability Management System Overview: Kristen recaps the framework discussed in previous episodes: the right data, ensuring financial…
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Episode 375: From Solo to Scalable: The Power of White Labeling for Agencies with Michael Knorr
29:44
29:44
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29:44Michael Knorr is the CEO of That! Company, a white-label digital marketing agency that has helped over 700 agencies scale their businesses by providing SEO, PPC, and digital marketing services under their clients’ brands. With nearly two decades of experience, Michael has built a business model that allows agency owners to grow without getting bogg…
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From Metrics to Mastery with Marcel Petitpas
53:30
53:30
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53:30Marcel Petitpas is the CEO & Co-Founder of Parakeeto, a company dedicated to helping agencies measure and improve their profitability. In his work as a speaker, podcast host, and consultant, specializing in Agency Profitability Optimization, he's helped thousands of agencies, consultancies, and professional services firms worldwide measure the righ…
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Episode 374: Smarter PPC Strategies & The Future of Paid Ads with John Horn
25:08
25:08
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25:08John Horn is the CEO of StubGroup, a digital advertising agency specializing in expert PPC management for businesses of all sizes. Since joining the company as employee number one, John has helped StubGroup grow into a leading boutique agency, managing over 15,000 campaigns and generating more than 3 million leads and $400 million in revenue for cl…
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