An Agency Story

Company: Bear Icebox Communications Owners : Bob Spoerl & DeAnna Spoerl Year Started: 2016 Employees: 1-10 What happens when a marriage, a failed franchise, and a bold leap into PR all collide? In this episode, Bob and DeAnna Spoerl of Bear Icebox Communications share their honest journey from bankruptcy to building an agency together. Hear how they navigated business, parenting, and partnersh...

Company: Engenius Owners : Chris Manley Year Started: 2008 Employees: 11-25  What happens when profit feels like a moral compromise? In this episode, Chris Manley, CEO of Engenius, shares how a nonprofit mindset shaped the early days of his agency and how a pivotal shift in 2014 changed everything. From co-founder exits to building a business that serves both clients and employees for the long hau...

Company: CMOco Owners : Lori Asbury Year Started: 2011 Employees: 11-25  When Lori Asbury lost her job as a senior media executive, she didn’t just find a new role, she built an entirely new life. In this episode, Lori shares how she launched CMOco, grew it into a successful agency, and prioritized being a present single mom along the way. If you’ve ever wondered what it really takes to build on y...

Company: Honey Creative Owners : Andi Dunn Year Started: 2015 Employees: 1-10  What do you do when a client relationship crashes and they follow it up with a four-page takedown? In this episode, Andi Dunn, founder of Honey Creative, shares how a painful experience redefined her boundaries, her hiring philosophy, and how she chooses who to work with. You’ll hear how clarity, collaboration, and stub...

Company: Monarch Social Media Owners : Holly Medwid Year Started: 2021 Employees: 1-10  What happens when a pandemic, a wild rice company, and burnout collide? In this episode, Holly Medwid, founder of Monarch Social Media, shares how she built a results-driven agency rooted in boundaries, mental health, and organic strategy. Hear how she transformed freelancing into a business that challenges ind...

Company: Boro Business Lab Owners : Dean Heasley Year Started: 2020 Employees: 11-25  Most marketing agencies rely on complexity to justify their value. Not Dean Heasley. In this episode, Dean shares how a quirky team, a 7-step service model, and a jar of avocado dip helped create an agency built on clarity, humor, and honesty. If you serve local businesses, or want to, this episode shows how simp...

Company: Upframe Creative Owners : Shay Vandendriessche , Carrie Kuhl , and Hannah Merritt Year Started: 2019 Employees: 1-10 What happens when three solo entrepreneurs, once direct competitors, join forces? In this episode, Carrie, Shay, and Hannah of Upframe Creative reveal how they merged talents to build a tight-knit, high-performing agency in rural South Dakota. You’ll hear real talk on defin...

Company: Wax Eloquent Owners : Weston Wax Year Started: 2017 Employees: 11-25  Weston Wax didn’t plan to run the family business, he planned to leave. But when duty called, he took over a struggling print company and transformed it into a modern digital marketing agency. In this episode, Weston shares the emotional journey, business pivots, and what it means to run a third-generation agency with i...

Company: Pinstripe Marketing Owners : Ginger Reichl Year Started: 1998 Employees: 1-10 What happens when a natural connector misreads the room? In this episode, Ginger Reichl, founder of Pinstripe Marketing, shares her journey from middle school ad enthusiast to trusted leader of a professional services-focused agency. You’ll hear how strong relationships, not traditional sales, built her business...

Company: Solinity Marketing Owners : Sara Mitchell Year Started: 2020 Employees: 11-25  She was chasing ESPN dreams and even ended up in a Burt Reynolds film but when the pandemic hit, Sarah Mitchell launched a full-service marketing agency in one of the least glamorous industries: senior living. In this episode, she shares how a storytelling background and a love for people helped her turn crisis...

Company: Knowmad Digital Marketing Owners : Diona Kidd Year Started: 2002 Employees: 11-25  What do a drum kit, a blizzard, and a pharmaceutical job have in common? For Diona Kidd, they were all steps on the path to launching Knowmad Digital Marketing. In this episode, Diona shares how she turned side gigs into a agency focused on industrial clients. Plus, the key decisions that helped her grow wi...

Company: Bright Marketing Owners : Jennifer Sutton Year Started: 2013 Employees: 11-25 When Jennifer Sutton hit a career ceiling in corporate America, she didn’t just quit, she built something better. In this episode, Jennifer shares the serendipitous birth of Bright Marketing, the highs and lows of leadership, and what it really takes to grow a team-driven, scalable agency.  Key Takeaways The #1...

Company: Morgan & Co. Owners : Eric Morgan Year Started: 1997 Employees: 11-25  What happens when saying "yes" to clients turns into a growth trap? In this episode, Eric Morgan of Morgan & Co shares what nearly broke his agency and the exact steps he took to rebuild it stronger than ever. From scaling culture to systematizing chaos, Eric gives a transparent look at what it really...

Company: Fortibus Marketing Owners : Michael Paul Year Started: 2005 Employees: 1-10  What happens when military discipline meets entrepreneurial chaos? In this episode, Michael Paul shares how an unexpected opportunity launched him and his wife into the agency world, testing their marriage, mindset, and resilience. From leading through a 93% revenue loss to redefining roles at work and home, this...

Company: Lawsome Digital Owners : Chris Majernik Year Started: 2013 Employees: 1-10  When Chris Majernik lost her dream job, she didn’t crumble, she started a marketing agency the same week. In this episode, Chris shares how a setback led to not one, but two thriving businesses, including her niche firm serving transactional law firms. If you’ve ever considered niching down or starting over, this...

Company: Citizen Advertising Owners : C.J. Ogle and Brent Matthews Year Started: 2008 Employees: 1-10  What happens when two lifelong friends and former musicians stumble into the world of marketing? In this episode, CJ Ogle and Brent Matthews of Citizen Advertising share how an in-house project turned into a full-service agency. Their story is packed with lessons on slow growth, intentional cultu...

Company: Monomoy Social Media Owners : Nicole Porter Year Started: 2017 Employees: 1-10  What do chocolate truffles and social media management have in common? For Nicole Porter, founder of Monomoy Social Media, they’re both chapters in her journey from hands-on hustle to building a fully remote agency designed for flexibility and impact. In this episode, Nicole shares how a simple act of helping...

Company: Meerkat Media Group Owners : Kristin Chambers Year Started: 2017 Employees: 1-10  What starts as a spontaneous road trip turns into a national spotlight moment on Shark Tank . In this episode, Kristin Chambers, founder of Meerkat Media Group, shares how unexpected exposure fueled her agency’s growth and the hard-won lessons she learned navigating burnout, grief, and business ownership.  K...

Company: Glo Creative Co . Owners : Kelly Ghom Year Started: 2022 Employees: 1 – 10 What happens when you realize your biggest client is draining your agency? In this episode, Kelly Gohm, co-founder of Glo Creative Co., shares how cutting misaligned clients and saying no helped her team scale intentionally, doubling revenue while staying true to their creative core. Packed with honest insights, un...

Company: PCF International Owners : Ginger Peterson Year Started: 1996 Employees: 11-25  What happens when an old-school agency leader outlasts the digital revolution? In this episode, Ginger Peterson shares her 28-year journey at the helm of PCF International, from fax machines and TV spots to interactive campaigns and international clients. You’ll hear how she navigated outdated partnerships, em...

Company: AgencyAgile Owner : Jack Skeels Year Started: 2012 Employees: 11-25 (Intermediate) Additional links and resources: Get more insights from Jack on Medium Purchase a discounted copy of “Unmanaged: :Master the Magic of Creating Empowered and Happy Organizations” Get additional insights and resources from the book website Welcome to An Agency Story podcast, I’m your host Russel. Dive into a c...

Company: MKC Agency Owners : Megan Killion Year Started: 2017 Employees: 11-25  What happens when raw ambition meets heart-centered leadership? In this episode, Megan Killion shares how she turned early adversity, including teen motherhood and a “rage quit” moment, into a thriving agency that prioritizes both sales results and social impact. Her story blends real-world grit with a powerful mission...

Company: Cobble Hill Owners : Austin Dandridge Year Started: 2012 Employees: 26-50  Building a creative agency is one thing, navigating partnerships, evolving your focus, and presenting your work to a celebrity is another. In this episode, Austin Dandridge of Cobble Hill shares how a band-playing, chef-trained creative became the founder of a boutique digital agency, and the surprising turning poi...

Company: SpotOn Digital Media Owners : Robyn Spoto Year Started: 2015 Employees: 11-25  What do you learn from building an app used by half a million parents? For Robyn Spoto, it shaped a people-first approach to running her agency, SpotOn Digital Media. In this episode, she shares how she scaled a 30-person team without ever posting a job while avoiding burnout and staying true to her values. Key...

Company: Bolt from the Blue Copywriting Owners : Rachel Allen Year Started: 2009 Employees: 1-10  What if the words you choose could reshape not just your brand but your entire reality? In this episode, Rachel Allen, founder of Bolt from the Blue Copywriting, shares her journey from a $3.25 writing gig to leading a global agency. Learn how she turned a side hustle into a sustainable business and w...