Being an agency owner brings a unique perspective to both marketing and entrepreneurship.

Getting business, running the agency profitably, and keeping clients happy consume a great deal of the agency leader’s time and energy, and there’s still more. Among the host of things to deal with are employees, budgets, a board, and management issues, not to mention constantly working on innovative strategies for growth. The list seems endless.

The pressure can be overwhelming. If you’re not careful, destructive doubt begins to creep in. Once this evolves into fear it can cripple your decision making ability. Your team members and your clients will all sense the hesitation.

Some of us sense it even now; the tingling on the back of our neck when we think about the next challenge in the business, and the risks we need to take.

This is where bravery and courage come on – where do they fit in the agency owner’s tool-box?

Drew McLellan, owner of Agency Management Institute and podcast producer of Build A Better Agency, has seen and heard it all in thirty years as an agency owner. He was kind enough to talk with us on the newest episode of The Innovative Agency podcast about the role of bravery and confidence in the life of an agency owner.

Navigating The Crossroads

Some of us are the perfect combination of arrogance and ignorance. We have no idea what we’re getting into. Bravery doesn’t necessarily come up because our motivation is given birth through necessity.  

However fat and happy we may be, tough times and difficult decisions will come. These are the crossroads for agency owners, and there are some questions that must be asked:

• Do I actually have the courage to be an agency owner?

The first six months to year of an agency’s life can lull owners into a false sense of comfort. Perhaps you have some friends in the business or other business supporters.

Things are going well, and it feels easy for a little bit.

The difficult decisions will eventually come and are critical moments where courage and boldness manifest themselves. Each decision requires a measure of perseverance and commitment to cause in order for us to endure.

• Can I take those kind of risks?  

Whether it’s terminating an employee who is not the right fit, letting go of a client who’s not working well with the agency, or the realistic plight of many entrepreneurs where everybody is getting paid but you, an agency owner’s life in some ways is defined by the ability to be resilient through discomfort.  

It’s uncomfortable when the buck stops with you and your decisions often impact the life of the business and all those involved, but sometimes walking away or saying no is the best thing to do.

• Will I find a way to be unique?

For some, this is the time that they realize they might not be cut out for the agency life, and yet for others, this is the time that they realize that instead of giving up, they’re going to push through, dig deep, summon that bravery, and find some way to be unique.

Confidence and swagger comes from establishing yourself well in a space, and it affords you a great deal of credibility that allows you to express your opinion more emphatically.  

Innovative Ways To Develop Bravery

1. Understand your role as agency owner.

As an agency, it’s your job to disagree with your client at times because that’s what they’re paying you for. They’re asking you for your years of experience and marketing savvy, and you owe them that to speak what you know is true.

2.  Show clients your bravery.

This requires a lot of confidence, but your clients can sense your bravery (or lack thereof). It’s easy to have that swagger when things are going well – the agency is making a lot of money and your pipeline is full. Do you still have this confidence the pressure is on?

Believing in yourself, your team, and your recommendations in these moments is integral. It’s not easy to firmly stand your ground when your opinion differs from that of your client.  

3.  Be confident, not arrogant.

Arrogance is that belief that you always know better than the client.

Confidence is being able to disagree with a client in order to deliver for them.

When you have a full pipeline, loads of cash, and tons of clients, it’s easy to have swagger. It’s when things are slow or a client pushes back that your swagger and courage are tested.

Prideful ego, that our work is so much better, doesn’t necessarily translate to business success. What are the things – the strategy, the years of experience, the combination of knowledge of marketing and the vertical – that are actually worth $150 – $200 per hour?

4.  Be innovative in the industry.

There are no shortage of opinions, but clients greatly value the ability of agencies to speak to their industry. You must have the quality of expertise that allows them to count on your counsel with confidence.

There are simple things that can be fixed; stupid mistakes that can be avoided.  Learn from missteps. Clients don’t expect perfection; they expect flexibility and adaptation.  There is no shortage of research and tools available that will help you become smarter and more savvy.  

Every challenge is an opportunity to be smarter, more creative, and innovate in a space.

5.  Work with your ideal client.

Who can you knock it out of the park for over and over again because you understand their industry and can bring your marketing prowess to that?

Every dollar is not a good dollar.  Some dollars can cost staff and morale.  Instead of the dog looking for opportunistic table scraps, be the tiger stalking the next meal.

Being able to keep the best interests of your client at the forefront means valuing the client and taking extra special care of those people.  Are you babysitting accounts or giving them?

6. Invest in your team.

It’s easy to make this about money and be dismissive. It’s likely that any worker would welcome a raise, but there’s more to it than that!

It’s critical to recognize your superstars – the ones who are leaning in and are excited about opportunities to get better. The team notices the disparity when you’re spending time babysitting team members instead of investing in the top performers, and they’re waiting for you to take action.  

Piling work on the plate of overachievers while giving them less time and attention because they’re capable destroys their morale and motivation; it breaks their spirit. Don’t wait until it’s too late. Being proactive will help you develop and retain the best team members.

The ability to have difficult and candid conversations is required for the betterment of the business. It takes a lot of brave conversations to develop a capable team that can supplement the confidence of the agency owner.

Eliminate Barriers to Innovative Work

A lot of innovation comes from pushing and pulling on each other’s ideas. Dissecting and reconstructing over and over again until it’s right. Are you creating an environment where this way of thinking is welcome and encouraged?

We thrive or survive in the environment we create, and so we must create and put into action the things that catalyze that.

Being an agency owner requires you to have bravery and courage, but also know the sources of these attributes and how to create an environment where these values flourish.

This post is based on an interview with Drew McLellan from Agency Management Institute. To hear this episode, and many more like it, you can subscribe to The Innovative Agency Podcast.

If you don’t use iTunes, you can listen to every episode here.