How to scale an agency
Agencies are dynamic, in constant flux, and inherently staff-intensive – so how can you find stability... and steady growth?
We get it. Agencies are different.
In a time of changing client expectations (and a changing business environment) growing your agency is challenging: building a healthy funnel, keeping clients happy, sourcing and training new staff, building management capability, and managing the financials. Yet for growth to occur, it can't just be the leaders that drive it - everyone has a part to play. Some questions:
• How might we build a marketing and bus dev capability throughout the firm, at every level?
• How might we inculcate a culture of personal responsibility for business growth, in all staff?
• How might we build more effective marketing and bus dev processes, and then use our tools (including CRM) most effectively?
• How might we transform strong individual contributors into capable and effective managers?
• How might we increase the number of billable hours captured (and collected)?
• How might we differentiate our agency as thought leaders? And as trusted advisors, not as "vendors"?
And some other, possibly less comfortable questions:
• Are you fully in charge of your time schedule, or do you find yourself stretched as the business has grown?
• Does every member of your team have strong critical thinking skills and business skills?
• Does every manager actually have good business acumen, and understand the "job" of managing?
• Are you completely satisfied with the "funnel" of new clients? With the flow of referrals?
• Are your proposals and pitches truly best-of-class? How do you know?
• Do your clients truly value the work that you do? Are you 100% sure?
We ask these questions (and more), based on decades of direct experience. Randall Craig, leader of the Braintrust Professional Institute, has advised agencies from start-ups to multinationals on building and scaling; he has also built (and sold) two agencies of his own. (Randall has also written 8 books, speaks on business growth across North America, and is a venture partner in a VC.)
Our Impact Programs are an integrated agency-wide approach to building capacity and drive growth:
• Business growth coaching (for agency leadership)
• CPD: Monthly training and workshops with weekly micro-learning reinforcements (across the firm, or by business unit.)
• Keynotes at client events, all-hands meetings, and management retreats
• Management training for new managers/directors/partners
• Self-paced leadership skills courses with micro-learning and practical exercises.
• 1100+ tools, templates, whitepapers, videos, and other resources
Impact Programs
A powerful way to build alignment, impact, and change throughout your agency.
Level Up Program
For agencies on a tighter budget looking to get a better ROI on their investment in their people.
• One in-person keynote or presentation (eg., for the whole team, a particular division, sales kick-off, etc.)
• Quarterly coaching for the CEO
• Quarterly CPD for all staff, including monthly tipsheets to reinforce learning
• Access to Braintrust Professional courses for leadership team or key employees
• Access to 1100+ tools, templates, articles, videos, and other resources
• Annual impact meeting
Accelerator Program
For agencies that are committed to build alignment and begin the process of differentiation
• Two in-person keynotes or presentations (eg., for the whole team, particular division, sales kick off, etc.)
• Monthly coaching for the CEO
• Monthly CPD for all staff, including weekly tipsheets to reinforce learning
• Access to Braintrust Professional Institute courses for leadership team or key employees
• Access to 1100+ tools, templates, articles, videos, and other resources
• Semi-annual impact meetings
• Facilitation of two high-stakes meetings or brainstorming sessions
Transformation Program
For agencies that are experiencing (or creating) major change: strategy, disruption, M&A, business transformation, etc.
• Four in-person keynotes or presentations (eg., for the whole team, particular division, sales kick off, etc.)
• Monthly coaching for all C-level leaders
• Monthly CPD for all staff, including weekly tipsheets to reinforce learning
• Unlimited access to Braintrust Professional courses for all employees
• Access to 1100+ tools, templates, articles, videos, and other resources
• Quarterly impact meetings, enhanced progress monitoring and feedback loop
• Facilitation of three high-stakes meetings or brainstorming sessions
• Attendance and facilitation at a management retreat
• Priority access to Randall Craig and Ronja Francoeur for advisory services.
Impact Programs
Build a high-performance organization that drives growth
C-Suite Business Growth Coaching
We work one-on-one, bringing tough questions to the table, and providing strategic and tactical insights on how issues might be resolved, and how business growth can be achieved.
Monthly Team Training (CPD/ CE)
Build priority skills in your team, to develop competitive advantage, clarity, and alignment. 12-month CPD program with monthly virtual presentations and weekly micro-learning reinforcements.
Self-Paced Leadership Skills Courses
Upskill key employees with specific and practical self-paced learning to sharpen core business and entrepreneurial skills.
Access to 1100+ Resources
Tools, templates, articles, videos, and other resources for virtually any business growth challenge and task.
Keynotes at Kick-offs/Conferences
Keynotes can motivate your team, launch an initiative, and deliver a strong message...all aligned with your priorities and supported by other Impact Program elements. Delivered live or virtually by Hall of Fame business speaker Randall Craig.
Impact Meetings
Regular touchpoints to align with your current business priorities, ensure progress is being made, and allow for any mid-course corrections.
Facilitation
From brainstorming sessions, focus groups, management retreats, to high-stakes meetings, we can navigate the personalities and the politics, working with the group to surface the knowledge and consensus required. Short learning curve: we bring our knowledge from working with you.
Priority Access for Advisory Services
When there are major issues that require dedicated time to address, you have direct access to Randall Craig and Ronja Francoeur – even if it’s just a quick phone call.
We work one-on-one, bringing tough questions to the table, and providing strategic and tactical insights on how issues might be resolved, and how business growth can be achieved.
From planning the agenda, delivering training and facilitation, we build alignment and a common vocabulary within your team. We are experienced in navigating the personalities and the politics, working with the group to surface the knowledge and consensus required to achieve your objectives.
Upskill key employees with specific and practical self-paced learning to sharpen core business and entrepreneurial skills.
Access to 1100+
Resources
Tools, templates, articles, videos, and other resources for virtually any business growth challenge and task.
Alignment.
Impact.
Growth.
Keynotes can motivate your team, launch an initiative, and deliver a strong message – all aligned with your priorities and supported by other Impact Program elements. Delivered live or virtually by Hall of Fame business speaker Randall Craig.
12-month CPD program with monthly virtual presentations and weekly micro-learning reinforcements. Build priority skills in your team, to develop competitive advantage, clarity, and alignment.
Regular touchpoints to align with your current business priorities, ensure progress is being made, and allow for any mid-course corrections.
When there are major issues that require dedicated time to address, you have direct access to Randall Craig and Ronja Francoeur – even if it’s just a quick phone call.
We work one-on-one, bringing tough questions to the table, and providing strategic and tactical insights on how issues might be resolved, and how business growth can be achieved.
From planning the agenda, delivering training and facilitation, we build alignment and a common vocabulary within your team. We are experienced in navigating the personalities and the politics, working with the group to surface the knowledge and consensus required to achieve your objectives.
Upskill key employees with specific and practical self-paced learning to sharpen core business and entrepreneurial skills.
Access to 1100+ Resources
Tools, templates, articles, videos, and other resources for virtually any business growth challenge and task.
Alignment.
Impact.
Growth.
Keynotes can motivate your team, launch an initiative, and deliver a strong message – all aligned with your priorities and supported by other Impact Program elements. Delivered live or virtually by Hall of Fame business speaker Randall Craig.
12-month CPD program with monthly virtual presentations and weekly micro-learning reinforcements.
Build priority skills in your team, to develop competitive advantage, clarity, and alignment.
Regular touchpoints to align with your current business priorities, ensure progress is being made, and allow for any mid-course corrections.
When there are major issues that require dedicated time to address, you have direct access to Randall Craig and Ronja Francoeur – even if it’s just a quick phone call.
Curious how we can help level up your organization?
Book a call to discuss possibilities, challenges and how he might help.
How "healthy" is your organization? And when is the right time to invest in external support?
Take the test.
(Diagnostic tool for download)
As you lead your organization through evolutions and transitions, there are always changing needs (and fires to put out). For all the time, effort, and stress that comes with leadership, you can't help but wonder: Can I do better? Am I missing something? And are there changes I need to make to take my organization to the next level?
Download 83 Opportunities for Business Growth and grade your performance on Strategy, Marketing, Sales, Client Experience, People, Technology, Risk, and more.
