I think a lot of agency founders start with the wrong assumption.
You start an agency because you're good at the work.
Design.
Strategy.
Media buying.
Development.
Whatever your craft is.
Then one day, you look up…
And realize you're no longer running a business built around work.
You're running a business built around people.
Clients are people.
Your team is people.
And suddenly, the thing that got you here isn't necessarily the thing that will get you to the next level.
That’s what I found so interesting about my conversation with John Sampogna, Co-Founder and CEO of Wondersauce.
He helped grow the agency from two founders to roughly 100 people.
But the most interesting part wasn't the growth.
It was what had to change along the way.
We talked about:
→ How to spot the people who should become your next leaders
→ Why founders accidentally become the biggest bottleneck in their own agency
→ The surprisingly simple test John uses to identify future leaders
And one analogy about NFL quarterbacks that completely changed how I think about becoming a better operator.
Because apparently, growth isn't always about getting faster.
Sometimes, the real sign you're improving is when everything around you finally starts to slow down.
Catch the full episode on The Agency Uplift Podcast
- Sean
P.S. Whenever you're ready, here are 3 ways I can help: