Build a Better Agency Podcast

Welcome to another can't-miss episode of Build a Better Agency! Recorded live at MAICON 2026 in Cleveland, host Drew McLellan sits down with Rachel Woods, CEO and co-founder of AI Momentum Protocols (AMP), to tackle the question most agency owners can't answer: who actually owns AI in your shop? Woods started as an AI data scientist on Facebook's ads research team, built and sold a GPT startup, an...

Welcome to another inspiring episode of Build a Better Agency! This week, host Drew McLellan sits down with longtime agency owner Stacy Jones to discuss the hard-earned lessons and deep insights behind her new business parable, "Dragons and Doors." If you've ever felt the pressure of forging your own path, facing daunting challenges, or wondering how to truly move your agency forward, this convers...

Welcome to another insightful episode of Build a Better Agency! In this solo cast, Drew McLellan continues his deep dive into the complexities of agency partnerships, offering a practical framework for agency owners considering bringing on a business partner. Picking up from last month's episode—which focused on self-reflection, motivations, and evaluating if partnership is truly the right answer—...

Welcome to a thought-provoking episode of Build a Better Agency! This week, host Drew McLellan is joined by agency owner and author Barry LaBov for an in-depth conversation about the power—and business necessity—of true differentiation. Drawing from over four decades of agency experience and the insights in his latest book, Barry LaBov unpacks why standing out in a crowded, commoditized market is...

Welcome to another can't-miss episode of Build a Better Agency! Host Drew McLellan welcomes back Steve Farber, bestselling author of The Radical Leap and co-author (with legendary leadership researchers Jim Kouzes and Barry Posner) of the brand new book The Radical Promise: Mastering the Art of Doing What You Say You Will Do, for a conversation about leadership credibility and what it actually tak...

Welcome to a thought-provoking episode of Build a Better Agency! This week, host Drew McLellan confronts a topic that every agency leader needs to address: operational inefficiency and the hidden costs it creates. Joined by operational efficiency expert Michael Greenberg, Drew explores why so many agencies find themselves drowning in disconnected tech stacks, tribal knowledge, and manual processes...

Welcome to another insightful episode of Build a Better Agency! This week, host Drew McLellan sits down with Lucy Stratton, CEO and longtime team member of AgencyEA, to explore her remarkable journey from entry-level sales assistant to sitting at the helm. If you've ever considered succession planning, agency leadership, or simply wondered what it takes to thrive within one organization for decade...

Welcome to a solo episode of Build a Better Agency! In this candid and thought-provoking installment, Drew McLellan tackles a crucial aspect of agency life that many leaders eventually confront—whether or not to take on a business partner. If you've ever found yourself yearning for someone to share the load, or wondering if partnership could be the solution to your fatigue or succession worries, t...

Welcome to another insightful episode of Build a Better Agency! This week, host Drew McLellan is joined by industry veteran Laurence Metrick, founder of Trailer Works and author of the new book Your Audience Has a Heart, Not Just a Profile. Together, they tackle the timely and complex intersection of AI, agency life, and the enduring value of genuine human connection. Drawing on over three decades...

Welcome to another inspiring episode of Build a Better Agency! This week, host Drew McLellan welcomes creativity expert and acclaimed author Todd Henry for a deep dive into the world of creative leadership and navigating the pressures of producing excellent work on demand. Together, they unpack what it means to be a creative professional in agencies today—where creativity isn't just a job title, b...

Welcome to another insightful episode of Build a Better Agency! This week, host Drew McLellan welcomes Shawn Yeager, founder of Upshift, for a candid conversation about the seismic shifts AI is creating in the agency world. Together, they go beyond the hype and headlines, examining how agencies can genuinely commercialize AI—not just adopt new tools, but strategically redesign what they sell and h...

Welcome to another insightful episode of Build a Better Agency! This week, host Drew McLellan is joined by Anthony Reeves, Vice President of Global Brand and Creative at Kohler and former Amazon internal agency leader, to explore the vital—but often neglected—topic of embracing discomfort and making tough decisions as an agency leader. Drawing on lessons from his book, "Eat the Donkey: Why Great C...

Welcome to an especially impactful episode of Build a Better Agency! This week, host Drew McLellan takes you on a deep dive into the true nature of leadership inside agencies beyond the usual skills and techniques. Drawing from months of research and two decades of real-world experience, Drew outlines the essential leadership domains every agency owner and team member needs to master for a thrivin...

Welcome to another inspiring episode of Build a Better Agency! In this episode, Jeannie Walters breaks down the real distinction between customer experience and customer service, and why treating them as the same thing keeps agencies from measuring what actually drives retention and referrals. You'll learn how a concise CX mission statement becomes the judgment call every employee uses when things...

Welcome to another can't-miss episode of Build a Better Agency! Drew McLellan is joined by Rita Ainsworth, a media buyer turned nervous system coach who works with agency people and performance marketers to help them recognize and reverse the slide toward burnout prevention before it costs them their health or their team. In this episode, Ainsworth breaks down why performance doesn't actually drop...

Get ready for an eye-opening episode of Build a Better Agency! This week, Drew McLellan is joined by the always generous and sharp Joe Pulizzi, author of "Burn the Playbook" and a longtime leader in the content marketing world. Together, they dig into some big questions facing agencies today: Why does the old way of doing things feel stale? How do you keep showing up—and standing out—when everythi...

Welcome to another can't-miss episode of Build a Better Agency! Drew McLellan sits down with Laura Lopuch, client and partner acquisition expert and creator of the WARM cold email methodology, to challenge everything you think you know about cold email outreach. If cold email is something you have written off as spammy, pushy, or simply ineffective, Lopuch has a fundamentally different approach th...

Welcome to another can't-miss episode of Build a Better Agency! This week, host Drew McLellan ditches the guest chair and goes solo to unpack the agency trends his team has been tracking for months, the trust shifts, the AI shake ups, and the consolidation chaos that are about to reshape how small and mid sized agencies compete over the next twelve to eighteen months. In this episode, Drew digs in...

Welcome to another insightful episode of Build a Better Agency! This week, host Drew McLellan is joined by seasoned project management expert Danielle McCier to shine a spotlight on one of the most critical—and sometimes underestimated—roles in any agency: project management. Together, they unpack how powerful project management isn't just about checking boxes, but about leading with clarity, prot...

Welcome to another can't-miss episode of Build a Better Agency! Drew McLellan hosts Noel Andrews, founder and CEO of Job Rack, for a deep dive into how AI recruitment is revolutionizing the hiring landscape. Andrews shares eye-opening insights about the dramatic changes agencies face when building teams in today's AI-powered world. In this episode, you'll discover how Andrews and his team are adap...

Welcome to another episode of Build a Better Agency! This week, host Drew McLellan is joined by operations expert Trevor Foley for a deep dive into the nuts and bolts of agency operations—where profit is made or lost. With decades of experience across agency and client-side roles, Trevor Foley brings a practical, battle-tested perspective on how agencies can tighten processes, reduce chaos, and bu...

Welcome to another insightful episode of Build a Better Agency! This time, host Drew McLellan teams up once again with research partner Susan Baier from Audience Audit to unpack the findings from the highly anticipated 2026 Agency EDGE study. Together, they examine how AI is impacting agencies and, more importantly, the shifting expectations and priorities of agency clients in this rapidly changin...

Welcome to a pivotal solo episode of Build a Better Agency! This week, host Drew McLellan takes listeners on an honest and insightful journey through the real work of agency leadership, exploring the mental and emotional shifts required to move from talented employee or manager to confident agency owner. Drawing on more than 25 years of experience and candid stories from agency owners nationwide,...

Welcome to another insightful episode of Build a Better Agency! This week, host Drew McLellan sits down with executive business coach Trevor McGregor to tackle one of the most critical and persistent challenges agency owners face: scaling their business. Drawing from his expansive coaching experience and background working alongside leaders like Tony Robbins, Trevor McGregor unpacks the most commo...

Welcome to another insightful episode of Build a Better Agency! Host Drew McLellan is joined by agency owner and automation enthusiast Caitlin Studdy for a deep dive into the world of AI-driven automations—an essential, but often underutilized, tool for agencies looking to boost efficiency, profitability, and team satisfaction. In this episode, Caitlin Studdy recounts her journey from agency found...