“In all aspects of your work and your business, you have systems. Why is networking, which is just as important as any one of those singular things, not managed with such ferocity?”
Kurt Schmidt is an agency founder, podcast host, author, and agency coach with 25 years of experience growing agencies from just a few people to over 500 employees and tens of millions in revenue. He started his career as a designer and developer before catching the entrepreneurial bug and becoming a "pirate" as he puts it.
In this value-packed episode of Agency Journey, Kurt shares his hard-earned wisdom on business development, networking, and delivering client results. He emphasizes the importance of taking a problems-first approach rather than just showcasing capabilities.
Kurt is also the author of “The Little Book of Networking”, and in this conversation he explains the system he uses to consistently provide value to his network and build community.
Whether you're looking to jumpstart your agency's growth or build a thriving professional network, this episode is a must-listen.
Episode Insights:
💡 Go back and audit your current and past clients to see which ones are in a growth stage and may have additional problems you can solve. Most clients have no idea about your full capabilities.
💡 Focus on the problems you solve and the outcomes you create rather than just showcasing the executional work in your portfolio. Clients care about how you can help them, not how pretty your designs are.
💡 When networking, clearly state what you do and what you're looking for. Be equally intentional about understanding and recording others' needs. Systematize your follow-ups and always look for ways to provide value and make connections.
💡 Study how other professional services firms like lawyers and accountants acquire clients and manage their businesses. Don't limit your learning to just agencies in your specific niche.
💡 Explore different billing models like productized services and outcome-based fees. Discuss what's working with agency peers to find the best fit for your clients and business.
Resources Mentioned:
🏢 Kurt's agency, Foundry:
https://www.foundrymakes.com/
📙 The 10-10-10 Blueprint by Kurt Schmidt - coming soon
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What is Agency Journey?
How do world-class agencies continue to grow profitably and hit their goals, even through the choppy waters and challenges of agency life?
How do leaders like Tiffany Sauder, Marcus Sheridan, Jay Acunzo, Shama Hyder, David C. Baker, Nikole Rose, and Zeb Evans think?
Join Agency Journey host Jakub Grajcar as he interviews agency operators and leaders to share insights, actionable tips, and hilarious stories from the builders who live in the agency trenches.
Each episode focuses on crucial aspects of growing an agency like building the right team, delegation, project management, client success and retention, and operating frameworks like EOS.
Brought to you by ZenPilot: we help lead your agency through the final project management implementation you’ll ever need. Book a call to learn more at ZenPilot.com/Call.
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