Ya know, back in my day, printers made their money on changes made on press. Not the main job but the tweaks. The “quick ones.” One printer told me 60% of their profits came from change orders alone. That blew my mind. Because in our world, scope creep has the potential to play the same role.
If your contracts are flexible and your team’s trained to spot it early, scope creep isn’t a disruption. It’s a margin builder.
But when it catches you off guard? It’s a morale killer. So how do you turn it into a positive?
I remember a time when being an agency meant guarding your process, your people, and your pipeline like trade secrets. That mindset never made sense to me. And shops that know how to partner effectively consistently have healthier pipelines and margins.
So now that the work is evolving it's more important than ever to see opportunity over competition. Because of the increased complexity. The evolving tech. And the ever increasing pace.
But how do we stop playing musical chairs with the same few clients and expand our reach through relationships? I'm glad you asked!
Another month is in the books, and as summer gets into full swing things seem to be simultaneously slow and busy. We’ve got vacations and events, activities and the occasional afternoon nap. At the Bureau we’re in full event season, with lots of amazing activities coming up. I’m also sending out a free weekly newsletter with helpful information every week for shops of all sizes. I hope you’ll sign up for that newsletter here to get the full impact.
But if you’re running around too busy to read everything in your inbox, here’s a summary of what we’ve been discussing in May.
There’s a growing hum in the industry right now. A kind of buzz that says: if you’re not automating, you’re falling behind. Proposals are being written in minutes, strategies are being stitched together from past performance, and creative is getting “optimized” before it’s even been reviewed. And while I’m all for saving time, there’s a line. And we’re getting real close to crossing it.
Because here’s the thing: quick doesn’t mean quality. And your clients can feel it. So can your team.
If you’ve been feeling like business development has been stuck in a holding pattern all year, you’re not alone. For months, it’s been ghosted follow-ups and “not right now” replies. But lately? There’s been a subtle shift. Not a tidal wave, but enough ripples to make you look twice. Maybe it's a whale and maybe it's a mullet... but it seems like something is in the water.
If you haven't experienced this yet, I'd put good money down that you will soon. A client who calls that isn't just kicking tires and price shopping. They’re competent. They’ve done the research, played with the tools, maybe even started down the path.
But now they’re hitting that point where strategy, clarity, and experience are the differentiator. They’re not looking for someone to say “yes”, they’re looking for someone to help them know when to say no.
The day of the savvy client is upon us. What do we do? Find out below!
I shared a LinkedIn post this week that really seemed to resonate, so I wanted to dig a little deeper into it here.
Last week in NYC, I was with a group of agency founders, creatives, and old-school web peeps, all people who helped shape the early days of the web. As we swapped stories, one theme kept coming up: We used to be fearless.
No playbooks. No permission. No worries. Just instinct, invention, and the sheer belief that we could make things better. So this week, I want to talk about what it means to reclaim that energy as we head into a future that’s being rewritten in real-time.
Because if you’re feeling uncertain or stuck right now, this one’s for you.
Lately, I’ve been posting about the changes I see coming as we move deeper into the Intelligence Age. A time when AI isn’t just assisting us, it’s reshaping how we work, lead, and live.
A lot of what I see on LinkedIn right now feels like people trying to fix broken mindsets. Posts about holding onto outdated models or patching things that no longer serve us. And I get it. I've done it. That’s often the first step. But we need to aim a little further down the road.
So I’ve been asking: What do we need to get right in this moment if we’re going to survive what’s coming next?
Well, the proverbial April showers have passed, bringing those May flowers. And at the Bureau, we’ve been showering the members with gentle wisdom all month long through the weekly newsletter, with the hope that you’ll be enjoying the May flowers of business success.
If you aren’t on our mailing list for that, it’s not too late - just sign up here - but if you were hiding from the weather and your inbox, just read on to get the best of what we shared last month!
What to talk about today? I know. Something we've all witnessed: project managers being invited into sales calls, account managers into strategy sessions, and team leads balancing delivery and business development. It's a challenging juggle that requires our understanding and support.
At first, it feels like collaboration. Cross-functional. Efficient. But more often? It's just messy. Let's focus on how a PMs role can grow unexpectedly before anyone else notices.
A Bureau member brought up a challenge this week that I can't stop thinking about:
“We’re seeing government contracts with provisions that go against everything we stand for. We need the work. But we’d be violating our values if we signed.”
That dilemma has been haunting me. Both because it’s a tough choice and because it’s something many of us are dealing with right now.
I think they should take the job. Why? Oh I'll tell you! Keep reading...
If the word "networking" makes you want to run and hide, you're not alone. It feels gross for many of us because it's not natural.
It’s this weird mix of awkward smiles, sizing-you-up energy, and questions like “Who helps you with XYZ?” when you’d rather talk about literally anything else.
But what if networking didn’t have to feel that way? What if it wasn’t "networking" at all?
From my vantage point, perched above a thousand conversations, I see some shops excelling with AI and others dipping their toes in the water cautiously.
What's the difference? Read on to find out what they’re doing and what you can start doing today!
Can you believe it’s almost tax day already? Where does the time go? Seriously, though, 2025 is flying by, and the Bureau has been crazy busy. Between preparing a sale of exceptional events for the year and engaging with our brilliant members, there’s just so much going on. I love talking with this remarkable collection of talent dedicated to helping each other achieve success. If you’re not part of the Bureau, we have a chat where people share their wisdom, and I like to dispense some of these pearls in our weekly email newsletter. It’s worth checking out, and you can sign up for it here.
Here’s a recap of what we covered in our March newsletters!
How are you on this fine day? You look amazing! Have you been working out? New hair cut? Oh, right, this is a blog post. Let's get to it!
Based on recent conversations in the community, a lot of agencies are seeing their internal roles and team structures shifting a little. Fewer people, tighter budgets, and changing needs have more project managers stepping into account management roles. But as lines blur, one key question keeps popping up: Who really owns the client relationship? Read on... if you dare!
Greetings Humans! If you're like me, keeping up is ridiculously hard. I mean, what the heck is an AI Agent? I just figured out the whole private GPT thing. (No, I didn't!)
Look, using AI is no longer a future concept. It is reshaping digital agencies, helping us work smarter, faster, and more efficiently. The rise of AI agents is one of the biggest shifts happening that's still confusing for a lot of us.
AI Agents go beyond simple automation. They analyze data, optimize campaigns in real-time, and take on complex tasks with minimal human input. If you choose not to use them, let's make sure it's an informed decision.
The agency landscape is shifting, and staying ahead means understanding the trends shaping the industry. The State of Digital Services 2025 breaks down what's working, what's not, and the steps agency leaders are taking to grow in a challenging market. Special thanks to our friends at Promethean Research and Parallax for making this research possible. As well as the 151 shops who participated, y'all rock! Now keep reading to find the key insights and how to get your copy.
Are ya tired of dealing with revenue leaks, scope creep, resource overload, and the constant pressure to keep your team happy and your clients satisfied? There’s one thing you can improve that will help you fix them all: fine tuning your operations.
Keep reading to find out more and get asked repeatedly to join us for Operations Summit!
Who’s ready for a beautiful spring? I love this time of year, with the newborn chicks, bunnies, eggs – okay, I’m just thinking about Easter candy. But everything really does seem fresh and new in the spring, and even if the winter derailed our goals a little bit we can recenter ourselves and push forward with renewed determination.
One thing that always picks me up is talking to our incredible Bureau members as they share their wisdom. I’m a better leader and better person for knowing this amazing group of people, and our Slack discussions are full of useful resources and inspiring experiences, and each week I collect select topics to share in our weekly newsletter. I hope you’ll sign up for the newsletter here. But if not, here’s what we talked about in February!
Recently, we’ve seen a quiet trend of companies scrubbing DEI language and other related content from their websites. Some are responding to political pressure. Some fear losing business. Some are just trying to avoid controversy.
It’s a sign of the times, but it raises an important question: Are you shaping your company’s identity based on external pressure, or on what you stand for?
