An Agency Story

Company: 118 Group Guests : Dylan Steven Year Started: 2017 Employees: 1-10 The Secret to a Smarter, Stronger Team? Build a Learning Culture What if the best agency investment isn’t more tech or tighter processes, but more learning? In this episode, Dylan Steven of 118Group shares how embedding education and autonomy into his team’s DNA has elevated their work and strengthened their connection. He...

Company: Bubbly Creative Guests : Cara Chatellier Year Started: 2020 Employees: 1-10 When your brand is an extension of who you are, the work becomes deeply personal and powerful. In this episode, Cara Chatellier, founder of Bubbly Creative, shares how she built a values-driven agency that puts relationships first and strives to deliver marketing that actually connects. If you're tired of gen...

Company: Perspektiiv Design Co Guests : Alison Gardner Year Started: 2014 Employees: 1-10 What if building your agency meant more boundaries, not more burnout ? In this episode, Alison Gardner, Founder of Perspektiiv Design Co, shares how she transformed her solo design practice into a collaborative agency without sacrificing her creativity, identity, or personal life. You'll hear how she bui...

Company: Mad Mind Studios Guests : Omid Mousaei Year Started: 2008 Employees: 11-25 What does it take to build a creative agency from nothing…without connections, experience, or a safety net? In this episode, Omid Mousaei of Mad Mind Studios shares how his journey from immigrant to agency founder shaped the values, mindset, and grit behind his business. If you've ever faced setbacks or felt a...

Company: Upswept Creative Guests : Sarah Giffrow Year Started: 2011 Employees: 1-10 What if staying un-niched was your more niche than you think? In this episode, Sarah Giffrow of Upswept Creative shares why she chose variety over specialization, and how it’s helped her build a values-driven agency that aligns with who she is. From helping mission-focused clients to overcoming the challenge of mar...

Company: 108 Degrees Digital Marketing Guests : MaryAnn Pfeiffer Year Started: 2001 Employees: 1-10 What happens when an agency owner stops doing it all and decides to go all in on what truly works? In this episode, Maryann Pfeiffer of 108 Degrees shares how becoming a recognized expert, through years of focused effort, transformed her agency’s positioning, visibility, and lead generation. You&apo...

Company: Market Mentors Guests : Michelle Abdow Year Started: 2003 Employees: 11-25 From Seatmate Stranger to Business Catalyst Launching a business while raising twins? That’s just the start of Michelle Abdow’s remarkable journey. In this episode, she shares how a chance encounter on a flight led to a game-changing client and why building a resilient, feedback-driven culture has helped her agency...

Company: Trio Solutions Guests : Jessica Munday Year Started: 2001 Employees: 11-25 How Employee Turnover is a Growth Strategy Letting go of great team members may feel like a setback, but what if it’s the key to long-term growth? In this episode, Jessica Munday, founder of Trio Solutions, shares how she’s built a thriving agency by empowering her team, embracing turnover, and creating opportuniti...

Company: Twelve Legs Marketing Guests : Ralitsa Carter Year Started: 2018 Employees: 11-25 What do ice cream, spreadsheets, and an Emmy have in common? In this episode, Ralitsa Carter, Co-Founder of Twelve Legs Marketing, shares how financial discipline, intentional growth, and creativity built her agency from the ground up. If you're an agency owner chasing sustainable success, this episode...

Company: Musimack Marketing Guests : Stacey McCormack Year Started: 2013 Employees: 1-10 The Ballad of the Reluctant Owner What if the path to entrepreneurship wasn’t planned, but pushed? In this episode, Stacey McCormack, founder of Musimack Marketing, shares how a layoff, a government grant, and a deep desire to help others led her from corporate life to agency ownership. If you’ve ever felt unc...

Company: aStash Web Design & Marketing Guests : Kateryna Quinn Year Started: 2018 Employees: 1-10 From Ukraine to Colorado: Building a Family-First Agency Against All Odds When rejection closes doors, grit builds new ones. In this episode, Kateryna Quinn, founder of aStash Web Design & Marketing, shares her inspiring journey from aspiring tennis pro in Ukraine to running a thriving digital...

Company: Faceted Media Guests : Kimberly Hogate Year Started: 2000 Employees: 25-50 What if losing everything was exactly what you needed to build something better? In this episode, Kimberly Hogate , founder of Faceted Media , shares the raw truth about starting over after being fired from the law firm she helped built from the ground up and how that moment became the catalyst for a 10+ year agenc...

Company: Moxie Sozo Guests : Derek Springston Year Started: 2000 Employees: 25-50 From Unpaid Intern to Owner: The Moxie Sozo Journey What happens when you bet on yourself, move across the country, and work for free. All just for a shot at doing meaningful work? In this episode, Derek Springston, Partner at Moxie Sozo, shares how that bet paid off, leading him from an unpaid intern to co-owner of...

Company: Local Image Guests : Holly Bruns and Amber McDonald Year Started: 2019 Employees: 11-25 When Hope Meets Strategy What happens when you leap before you’re ready and figure out the strategy later? In this episode, Holly Bruns and Amber McDonald, founders of Local Image, share how daring moves, deep faith, and smart planning fueled their agency’s successful trajectory. If you're weighin...

Company: Growth Marketing Werks Guest : Suzanne Coriell Year Started: 2011 Employees: 1-10 What happens when you build an agency around energy, intentionality, and a deep sense of why ? Suzanne Coriell, Founder of Growth Marketing Werks, shares her journey from Chicago’s ad scene to Colorado’s mountaintops where a single ski lift conversation sparked the creation of a mission-driven media agency....

Company: BubbleUp Guest : Lee Totten Year Started: 2004 Employees: 50-99 Working with rockstars sounds glamorous but behind the scenes is a high-stakes, high-pressure world where websites crash, fans demand instant support, and one missed detail can derail a global livestream. In this episode, Lee Totten, co-founder of BubbleUp, shares how his agency became the digital backbone for artists like Ji...

Company: Mountaintop Web Design Owners : Josiah Bussing Year Started: 2013 Employees: 1-10 Ever felt like you accidentally backed into entrepreneurship? That’s exactly how Josiah Bussing’s journey began. In this episode, he shares how helping his dad fix a website sparked a passion that became Mountaintop Web Design and how he plans to grow his agency while staying rooted in value, ethics, and con...

Company: Trace Brand Building Owners : Tracey Felicidade Jones Year Started: 2022 Employees: 1-10 What do a cross-country road trip in an old ambulance and global brand strategy have in common? Tracey Felicidade Jones, founder of Trace Brand Building, shares her wild entrepreneurial journey from escaping danger in South Africa to building a purpose-driven agency in the U.S. Inside this episode: Ho...

Company: LFG Media Group Owners : Jonathan Daniele Year Started: 2022 Employees: 1-10 What happens when you stop playing it safe and go all-in on performance? In this episode, Jonathan Daniele, founder of LFG Media Group, shares how he built a $2M+ agency in under two years by shifting from monthly retainers to a bold pay-per-call model. From call center grit to entrepreneurial growth, Jonathan op...

Company: The James Agency Owners : Veronique James Year Started: 2005 Employees: 50 – 99 What happens when life throws you a massive financial setback before your career even starts?  Veronique James didn’t just overcome adversity, she used it as fuel to build The James Agency , a powerhouse of creativity and strategy. In this episode, she shares her journey from early struggles to scaling a succe...

Company: Set Creative Studios Owner(s): Emily Teater Year Started: 2019 Employees: 1 – 10 What if running a business felt more like managing a family team? In this episode, Emily Teater, Owner and Founder of Set Creative Studios in Boulder, Colorado, shares how entrepreneurship and parenting intersect in powerful ways. From leading with intentionality to ensuring your business solves real problems...

Company: Tributary Design Studio Owner(s) : Marielle Balogh Year Started: 2017 Employees: 1 – 10 Branding isn’t just about looks, it’s about trust, credibility, and making your business stand out. In this episode, Marielle Balogh, Founder of Tributary Design Studio, discusses branding and the tough challenge to stand out to your best customers. Inside this episode: Why a broad range of experiences...

Company: Focus Lab Owner(s) : Erik Reagan , Bill Kenney , & Will Straughn Year Started: 2010 Employees: 26 – 50 In this episode of An Agency Story , Russel Dubree sits down with Erik Reagan, co-founder of Focus Lab, to discuss how intentional culture isn’t just a feel-good concept, it’s a key driver of business success. Erik shares how Focus Lab went from an unstructured team to a culture-firs...

Company: Crowd Digital Marketing Owners : Alex Schupp Year Started: 2017 Employees: 1 – 10 Most agency acquisitions are long, strategic, and carefully planned—but what if a growth opportunity landed in your inbox out of nowhere? That’s exactly what happened to Alex Schupp, founder of Crowd Digital Marketing. One day, an unexpected email led to an opportunity to acquire another agency’s clients. At...

Company: Prospect Future Owners : Matthew Regenie Year Started: 2019 Employees: 1 – 10 What happens when your biggest client vanishes overnight? Or when you realize—too late—that avoiding sales is holding your agency back? In this episode of An Agency Story , Matt Regenie of Prospect Future shares the raw truth about the challenges of scaling an agency, the mistakes that cost him years of growth,...