Creative Outcomes

Growing an agency shouldn't leave you exhausted. In this episode of Creative Outcomes, Craig Baldwin sits down with Shannon Gabor, Founder & CEO of Clever Creative, to talk about what it really takes to build an agency that lasts. After more than 20 years in business, Shannon shares why relationships, not transactions, have been the foundation of Clever's growth, how creativity is just another...

How do agency owners build sustainable growth without relying solely on referrals, luck, or an ever-expanding network? In this episode, Craig Baldwin sits down with Eric Brown, co-founder of Blood, Sweat & Tears (BST), to discuss what it really takes to create a predictable growth engine for an agency. Eric shares lessons from working with independent agencies, why most firms struggle with gro...

Many agency founders hit a growth ceiling because they're trapped in the day-to-day. In this episode, Craig Baldwin, Partner at Upsourced, sits down with agency operations consultant Michael Dupuis to discuss what it really takes to scale an agency - from founder delegation and organizational design to forecasting revenue and building operational systems that improve profitability. Michael shares...

Most agency owners assume bigger agencies should be more profitable, but the data says otherwise. In this episode of Creative Outcomes, Ryan Watson breaks down insights from Upsourced’s annual Creative Agency Benchmarking Report, built from financial data across 80 agencies across the U.S. The surprising takeaway? As agencies grow past ~25 employees and into the $3M-$5M range, profitability often...

Are you actually ready to grow, or just growing too fast? From operational strain to leadership bottlenecks, we explore what happens when agencies scale before they’re truly prepared and how to recognize the difference between healthy growth and avoidable chaos. If you're in a season of growth (or thinking about it), this conversation will help you pressure-test where you really stand. TIMESTAMPS:...

Most people think building an agency is about growth, but it’s about building something that actually works without you. In this episode, Craig Baldwin (Partner, Upsourced) and Albert Banks (Principal, Apertus) break down: - What it really takes to build a sellable agency - The biggest mistakes founders make when scaling - Why most agencies never reach a real exit - Lessons from building and selli...

Most agencies don’t have a growth problem… they have a consistency problem. In this episode of the Creative Outcomes Podcast, Craig Baldwin, Partner at Upsourced, sits down with Danielle Fauteaux (Getting Momentum) to break down what actually drives sustainable agency growth - and why most founders get it wrong. If you’ve ever felt like growth comes in waves, depends too much on you, or feels like...

In this episode, Ryan Watson (founding partner at Upsourced) breaks down the Margin Triangle, a framework used to help 7- and 8-figure agencies build predictable profitability. Most agency owners focus on revenue growth, but revenue alone doesn’t guarantee profit. The real driver of agency profitability is gross margin, and understanding the mechanics behind it can completely change how you run yo...

RFPs: necessary evil… or optional trap? In this episode of Creative Outcomes, Craig Baldwin breaks down how agencies should think about RFPs (Requests for Proposals) - why clients issue them, what red flags to watch for, and how to qualify opportunities before your team burns weeks of time chasing work you were never going to win. If your agency is relying on RFPs as your primary growth channel, t...

If you run a marketing or creative agency, you’re probably facing one of two problems: • You’re not making the profit you expected • Your team feels slammed… but you suspect there’s excess capacity And somewhere along the way, someone told you: “You need time tracking.” In this episode, Ryan Watson (Partner at Upsourced) gives the definitive overview of how agency owners should think about time tr...

“How much should I be paying myself?” If you’re an agency owner or partner, you’ve probably asked that question more than once. In this episode of Creative Outcomes, Upsourced partners Ryan Watson and Craig Baldwin break down what partner compensation should look like in a modern agency. We get into: - How to think about “the maximum you can pay yourself” without starving the business - Why cash r...

Most agencies say they want “value-based pricing.” Few actually do it—fewer do it well. In this episode, Craig Baldwin, Partner at Upsourced, breaks down the real-world pricing models agencies use (time & materials, fixed fee, retainers/subscriptions, outcome/value-based, hybrids) and how to choose what protects margin and manages risk. The goal isn’t a perfect model; it’s a consistent 50%+ pr...

Are you busy all day—but not moving the ball? Ryan Watson and Craig Baldwin (Partners at Upsourced) break down “playing business”: the activities that look productive but don’t create revenue, profit, or durability. Learn the red flags (overspending ahead of growth, shiny‑tool chasing, coach‑collecting, RFP lotteries, acquisition daydreams) and the habits of winning agencies (focus, thrift, deputi...

What happens when an established creative agency transitions into a worker-owned co-op? In this episode of Creative Outcomes, Craig Baldwin sits down with Farra Trompeter, Co-Director and Worker-Owner at Big Duck, to explore: - Why Big Duck made the leap to a cooperative model - The cultural and financial shifts that came with it - How co-op ownership changes business development and client relati...

Ben Ostrower, founder and CEO of Wide Eye, joins us to share the origin story of his agency — from freelancing out of his kitchen to building a nationally recognized creative studio for progressive causes. We talk about: - What it takes to build a values-driven agency - How Wide Eye chooses mission-aligned clients - Balancing creative integrity with business growth - The evolution from solo freela...

Should your agency hire an Account Manager or a Project Manager? Or both? In this episode of Creative Outcomes, we break down the crucial differences between AMs and PMs — and why getting this structure right can be a game-changer for your agency’s profitability, client satisfaction, and team sanity. We cover: ✅ Why creative agencies often blur the lines between AM and PM ✅ The financial implica...

The brutal truth about agency sales that nobody wants to hear 🎯 Most agency owners are making the same expensive mistake: thinking they can hire their way out of a sales problem. In this deep-dive episode, we break down the real numbers behind successful agencies and reveal why the $10 million rule could save you from a costly hiring mistake. What you'll discover: - Why 70% of your revenue should...

Join host Ryan Watson for an inspiring conversation with David Shultz, founder of Sans Serif, as he shares his remarkable entrepreneurial journey from near-bankruptcy to building a thriving design and marketing strategy firm. This episode dives deep into the realities of agency ownership, the psychology of entrepreneurial optimism, and the key decisions that transformed a struggling startup into a...

In this episode of Creative Outcomes, we tackle a challenge many businesses face: the dreaded mid-year sales lull. If your pipeline is looking empty and your revenue targets seem increasingly out of reach, this episode is for you. Our host, Craig Baldwin, Partner at Upsourced, shares practical, actionable strategies to jumpstart your sales pipeline, including: - Proven tactics to motivate your sal...

In this episode of Creative Outcomes, Craig Baldwin sits down with Prentice Howe, owner of Door No. 3, for a candid conversation about the realities of running a creative agency. Prentice shares a pivotal moment in his career - sneaking into his own office at midnight to steal his own financial records - that became a turning point in how he approached business leadership. From his transition from...

In this episode of the Creative Outcomes podcast, host Craig Baldwin speaks with Garrett, Spencer, and Tucker, the partners behind Alright Studio. They share their journey from freelancers to running a 10-person creative agency in Brooklyn, discussing the evolution of their business model, their approach to team building, financial challenges, and how they've learned to trust their intuition while...

🔍 M&A Secrets: 10 Surprising Truths from Two-Time Sellers From shocking valuation differences to the truth about strategic acquisitions, discover what really happens when selling your business. Key revelations: - Valuations aren't as scientific as you think - Even big companies are figuring it out as they go - Your negotiating power is stronger than you realize - How net working capital can s...

Learn the 5 financial metrics your agency should be tracking to unlock profitable growth. In this session with Upsourced's Ryan Watson and Agency Builders' Logan Lyles, you'll learn: - The 5 financial metrics successful agencies get right (from Upsourced’s analysis of dozens of agency clients) - The Hierarchy of Financial Needs to identify the right financial metric to prioritize at your agency's...

Join us in this episode of Creative Outcomes as Natalie from Fifth Third Bank's Provide division breaks down everything you need to know about SBA loans. In this must-watch podcast, discover: ✅ When to consider an SBA loan ✅ Key qualification requirements ✅ How to use SBA loans for business growth ✅ Acquisition financing strategies ✅ Avoiding common loan application mistakes Perfect for entre...

In this episode, Anthony Armendariz, co-founder of Funsize, shares: - The origin story of Funsize - Inside look at Method Week - their innovative quarterly program bringing teams together - How they've built a lasting design agency while balancing family business dynamics - Their evolution from a 4-day workweek to a thriving two-division studio - The power of reinvention and authentic company cult...