You can only white knuckle an agency for so long.
At first, doing everything yourself feels noble. The late nights, the client rescues, the “I’ll just do it” reflex. but eventually you hit the ceiling Joe described: great income, zero scalability, and no real freedom.
Most founders think the problem is “more clients” or “better ops.”
The real issue: You’re still operating like a freelancer with teammates… not a CEO with systems.
Joe’s story hits three big truths:
3️⃣ Successful agencies outgrow founder heroics.
Joe realized he could deliver great work but he couldn’t scale without people smarter than him in defined lanes.
2️⃣ Hiring gets easier when you filter for curiosity, not credentials.
His best people aren’t the most decorated… They're the fastest learners. Curiosity beats pedigree.
1️⃣ SOPs aren’t just paperwork, they’re leverage.
Joe and his team used Loom + Notion + ChatGPT to build living SOPs that cut ramp time, prevent rework, and keep quality tight as they grow.
The Fix (this week):
• Record one Loom while doing a recurring task → turn it into an SOP draft.
• Identify one role where you're hiring “a warm body” instead of a learner , fix the bar.
• Audit one delivery process for gaps between how you think it’s done vs. how it’s actually done.
Catch the full episode on Apple | LISTEN HERE | Spotify | LISTEN HERE |
I launched a free 5 day email course for agency owners: The 5 mistakes keeping your agency stuck, and the 5 Custom GPTs that solve them. Get it free at:
THE AGENCY LEVERAGE BLUEPRINT
– Sean
P.S. Joe shares how becoming a dad forced him to cut 12-hour days and why it made him a better CEO.