Chats with Chip

In this episode, Chip is joined by Karen Swim and Michelle Kane of the That Solo Life Podcast for part one of a special crossover episode exploring the practical effects of AI on agencies, solos, and the communications industry. Karen and Michelle share their view that AI is no longer optional. Practitioners who resist it risk falling behind, while those who embrace it can dramatically expand thei...

In this episode, host Chip speaks with Emily Allard, the founder of 24 Sports Marketing. Emily shares her journey from being a professional softball player to starting her own sports marketing agency focused on women's athletics. She discusses the challenges and opportunities in promoting women's sports, emphasizing the importance of storytelling and education in digital marketing.   They also del...

In this episode, Chip speaks with Ken Jacobs, principal of Jacobs Consulting and Executive Coaching, about providing constructive feedback to team members.   They discuss the importance of leadership coaching in the PR and communication space and the challenges of becoming a good leader without formal training. Ken emphasizes the necessity of providing constructive feedback that builds trust and r...

In this episode, Chip speaks with agency advisor Tim Kilroy about the challenges and strategies for running a small agency. Tim shares his extensive experience in digital marketing and agency coaching, highlighting the importance of flexibility and adaptability in leadership. They discuss the notion of many agency owners being 'accidental' and the necessity of creative problem-solving and rigorous...

In this episode, Chip talks with Melissa Vela-Williamson of MVW Communications about her unique journey in public relations and the importance of content creation. Melissa shares her background, highlighting her non-traditional path into PR and her passion for using public relations for social good. They discuss her focus on helping nonprofits and education clients, her role as a content creator,...

In this episode, Chip talks with Rachel Sales from the PR agency Enunciate about managing client communications in a chaotic world.   Rachel discusses the importance of empathy and strategy in addressing news and its impact on clients. They explore whether brand leaders should comment on current affairs, emphasizing the need for authenticity and aligning with business goals. Rachel shares a proces...

In this episode, Chip discusses with Patrick Rogan of IgnitionHR the challenges small agency owners face in supporting stressed employees.   They delve into the impact of both work-related and external stressors on employee performance, noting the increased stress during and after COVID-19. Patrick shares strategies for addressing these issues, such as maintaining open communication, offering flex...

In this episode, Chip chats with Lee McKnight, Jr. from RSW/US about the findings from their latest survey on agency and marketer perspectives   They discuss key topics such as the discrepancies between agencies' efforts to productize services versus clients' preference for customized solutions, the increasing trend towards fixed-fee pricing over hourly billing, and the importance of staying ahead...

In this episode, Chip talks with Karen Swim of Solo PR Pro about the challenges faced by solos and small agency owners in the current chaotic environment. They discuss the impact of economic, political, and societal issues on public relations and communications, emphasizing the need for adaptability in business strategies.   They highlight the importance of diversifying communication tactics beyon...

In this episode, Chip talks with Steve Guberman of Agency Outsight about coaching agency owners through problems that they universally face. Steve shares insights into setting realistic expectations with clients, avoiding over-servicing, and adjusting scopes and pricing appropriately. Key topics include continuous communication, team involvement in the sales process, and the value of postmortems t...

In this episode, Chip talks with Jody Sutter of the Sutter Company, a frequent contributor. They discuss strategies for small agencies, emphasizing the importance of clear positioning and targeted messaging for effective business development. They highlight the necessity for agency owners to identify their strengths and leverage them, using methods like 12-week sprints to achieve incremental progr...

In this episode, Chip discusses agency business development with regular guest and seasoned expert Lee McKnight Jr., of RSW/US. The conversation covers the challenges agencies have been facing in 2024, such as prolonged sales cycles and client budget constraints. They discuss survey findings indicating optimism among agencies. The dialogue also explores the role of AI in business development, emph...

In this episode, Chip talks with David C. Baker, who has been dubbed "the expert's expert." He leads the advisory firm Punctuation , and has worked with more than 1,000 agencies to help them get better positioned for success.   The discussion focuses on improving agency management and scalability by emphasizing the importance of understanding business fundamentals and integrating them alongside th...

Patrick Rogan of Ignition HR joins Chip to discuss the FTC's new ruling on non-compete agreements and expected adjustments to overtime pay regulations.   They discuss strategies for managing overtime and compensation issues in small agencies, highlighting the importance of compliance, proactive planning, and seeking HR assistance when necessary.

Meetings have evolved over the last few decades, so shouldn't the agency owner's role have changed?  In this episode, Chip and Brad Farris of Anchor Advisors discuss the importance of effective leadership and meetings in agencies, emphasizing the owner's unique role in providing vision and direction. They explore the need for well-structured meetings with agendas, purpose, and active participation...

Author of  Start with the Story: Brand-Building in a Narrative Economy , Kristian Alomá knows the value of brand storytelling for agencies and businesses. In this episode, Kristian shares insights about his agency, Threadline, and the art of crafting a narrative that is relevant, meaningful, and inspiring to the audience. He and Chip cover the evolution of brand stories over time and the need for...

In this episode, Chip talks with Nicholas Petroski, founder of Promethean Research. Chip and Nick discuss digital agency salaries and the findings of a recent research report on the topic. They delve into the importance of balancing billable hours, the impact of pricing on agency profitability, and the role of benefits and stipends in attracting and retaining talent. They also touch on the need fo...

Xaña Winans says that resiliency may be her superpower, and that's a characteristic many agency owners needed to tap into as the pandemic upset existing business structures.   Like many owners, Xaña has kept her team remote. She shares some of her experience about how she made that transition and manages a team that is no longer full-time in the office. She talks about some of the challenges, as w...

ode, Chip talks with Jason Swenk of Agency Mastery 360 about the intricate dynamics of agency growth, operations, and sales. The discussion touches upon multiple challenges that agency owners grapple with daily, offering a number of actionable insights. The Accidental Agency Owner: Jason himself began as an accidental agency owner at 22 when he designed a website poking fun at the pop band, NSYNC....

Few people in the agency world know more about the effective use of Wikipedia than Bill Beutler. As the founder of Beutler Ink, he and his team don't just advise people about this popular platform, they also help clients communicate more effectively with infographics and other formats.   In this episode, Chip talks with Bill about the evolution of Wikipedia in recent years and how agencies can hel...

If you dread difficult conversations, Allyns Melendez of HR Transformed has some great tips to make them easier — or perhaps to head them off altogether with better communications.   In this episode, Chip and Allyns talk about ways that you can solicit ongoing feedback from agency employees and build a management structure that encourages meaningful two-way conversations.   Of course, difficult co...

In this episode of Chats with Chip, Juliana Marulanda of ScaleTime explains why creating and documenting repeatable processes for your agency can make a big difference in outcomes for your business and your clients.   Juliana helps agency owners understand how to get started and what pitfalls to avoid as they begin to implement a process-driven approach.

Have you ever thought about writing a book to leverage as a tool for demonstrating your expertise and building the profile of yourself and your agency?   Kami Huyse, CEO of Zoetica Media, teamed up with a group of talented communicators as a co-author of The Most Amazing Marketing Book Ever . In this episode, she explains how it all got started, the process they followed, and what she has taken aw...

In this episode of Chats with Chip, Ryan Watson of Upsourced discusses the critical role that financial planning has in growing a successful agency.   Ryan explains that the fundamentals that you need to follow will help you in good times, as well as in any possible recession that may (or may not) be on the horizon. He notes that the impact in an economic downturn varies from one agency to the nex...

In this episode of Chats with Chip, Simon Erskine Locke of CommunicationsMatch joins for a discussion about agencies and RFPs.   Regular listeners know that Chip doesn't disguise how much he despises the RFP process that many agencies subject themselves to. He has argued that agency leaders should simply hit the delete key whenever an RFP shows up in their inbox.   Simon takes a more nuanced view...