Phew, October is over, and with it all my attempts to maintain willpower over my snacking for the year. November and December don't count, right? But the most delicious thing of all to me is the relationships we develop at the Bureau. With all the amazing discussions we have, there's a ton of great insights I collect, and each week I send out a newsletter that collects the best of that info. I hope you'll consider subscribing to that here. But if you're too busy, here's a recap of what I shared last month
Next week, we're bringing together some excellent products for your review, from improving accessibility in your products to improving agency operations with AI to collaborative storytelling that builds morale. Best of all, there's zero pressure because they're all group demos. Yay!
Don't miss out on this opportunity to explore what's available and coming next. Read on to see who's gonna participate or heck just register now!
Say what?
Let’s talk about a term that gets tossed around a lot—“paid discovery.” On the surface, it makes perfect sense. You’re getting paid for the time you invest in understanding a client’s problem before diving into the solution. But as you probably know: calling it “paid discovery” can actually create friction with clients because it implies it could be free. And "discovery" sounds kind of like pixie dust and magic.
OK then, Mr. Smarty Pants, what should we do instead? Read on and all shall be revealed!
It’s that time of year when we start thinking about all the exciting things we want to do in 2025, and I’m ready to share some updates with you. We've obviously hit some hiccups with in-person events this year, including having to cancel Owner Camp Whistler. Le sigh.
We get it. Times are tough, and what we want at the beginning of the year isn't always what we can do later. As we head into the new year, we’re taking steps to ensure events provide value and deeper connections without being too expensive or risky. Keep reading to learn more and find out how you can get involved!
I’ve been thinking a lot about the dangers of becoming overly reliant on a single technology—something I experienced firsthand at my shop nGen Works and it sucked. We leaned heavily on one CMS, only to realize later how risky it was once we met the founders.
Surprise, history repeats itself!
As Spooky Season officially hits, we can look back on another month of great progress and see how far we’ve come this year. It’s been a roller coaster, but I’m proud of where we are now and wouldn’t take back any of our experiences for the world. Interacting with all the Bureau members continues to be something I cherish, and I love sending out our weekly newsletter to members and other friends. If you’d like to see what those are like, consider signing up. It’s just once a week, and full of real insights you can use in your business. Here are the highlights of what we discussed in September.
Last week, we talked about leading less. One thing that does is open up opportunities for others to take initiative. Leadership is happening all around us, and often, it goes unnoticed. Whether you’re on the leadership team or in the trenches, the real question is: Are you seeing it? And are we giving it the space to grow and make things better?
Last week, we talked about leading less. One thing that does is open up opportunities for others to take initiative. Leadership is happening all around us, and often, it goes unnoticed. Whether you’re on the leadership team or in the trenches, the real question is: Are you seeing it? And are we giving it the space to grow and make things better?
A lot of my week is spent talking with nice folks like you. And lately, it feels like we're all getting a little too close to burnout regardless of how our businesses are doing. No matter the size of the team or the business's profitability, the pressure to be involved in everything is growing and it's too much. What's so silly about this is that the key to avoiding both burnout and being a more effective leader is doing less. So keep reading to learn how to step back, trust your team, and focus on the bigger picture.
Once again fall is here, and though it signals the end of another summer it also means cooler days, sweaters, and of course spooky season. And while I eventually tire of pumpkin spice and am ready for it to fade away until next year, one source of happiness that never fails me is the members of our very own Bureau community. Each week it’s my distinct pleasure to send out a newsletter touching on the latest topics affecting digital agencies today. It’s a great resource you can get for free by signing up here. But I also collect the best of those newsletters in recaps like this every month. Here’s what we covered last month!
I spend most of my time speaking with awesome folks like you about what's working and what's not in digital services. There's always a new trend or some client silliness, but one thing remains constant. Shops that specialize are doing better than generalists most of the time. Recent research shows that agencies specializing their service offerings and by industry have grown almost twice as fast as generalists. But what counts as "specialized," and how do you go about it? Read on, and your questions will be answered!
I've been in a funk this week. I haven't been able to get the important things done. Some of it is the gloomy weather, some of it is my focus (or lack of it) and some of it is just frustrations with myself.
Have you ever felt stuck in a rut? Like you're trudging through quicksand with the same routines, challenges, and fears weighing you down? And then you just beat yourself up about it?
I learned something at a Bureau event years ago that made it easier for me to get back on track. A simple shift in perspective can turn that rut into a groove and fear into excitement. Read on and join me as we turn this boat around!
Way back in 2012, I was at the first in-person get-together that formed the nucleus of the Bureau. A dozen years later, several of the foundations that made that event special are still intact. Most notably, the Bureau Oath, our informal NDA that sets the tone for safely sharing anything going on in your world.
But the more things change… in-person events were instrumental in the growth and value of the Bureau. And revenue from them allowed us to build a team dedicated to putting on better and better events. However, that’s not true today. In-person events are struggling to break even, and something has to give.
It’s been a wild, hot summer for much of the country, and let's not even talk about the nonstop craziness in the news. It makes me glad about one thing I can rely on to be steady, and that's the Bureau community. This group of committed business leaders is ready to make the world a better place, and each week I send out an email newsletter with helpful information cultivated from our conversations. I hope you'll sign up for it, but if you missed it here's a quick recap of what we discussed in July.
Earlier this week, I asked the community for their thoughts on discussing politics at work. I feel we need to be our true selves in life, but we also need to appreciate and be inclusive of others' opinions and beliefs, which can be challenging with certain topics. Keep reading to see what insights the community shared.
You're probably better than I am when it comes to running a business. Not being humble, I've always figured it out as I went along. So when I hear someone say "revenue operations" or "RevOps," I usually smile and nod. But it's time for us to get more thoughtful about what can make us more stable and enhance our shot at growth even in a weird market. So, let's sit back and open our minds to new things that could put some air under our wings.
Remember when our biggest challenge was creating brochureware sites? We've come a long way since then, evolving through web standards, mobile-first, responsive web design, and other waves of change. We're at another inflection point. Many agencies are working harder than ever yet feeling stuck. It's like we're using old maps to navigate new terrain. It's time to shake things up and rethink our approach.
It’s weird to think that 2024 is halfway over, but equally strange to think that there are six months left. I guess as I get older my relationship with time has been getting a little out of whack, but one thing I am consistent with is sending out a weekly email newsletter. I write these newsletters to share helpful tips gleaned from the Bureau community of marketing leaders. It’s a useful resource available to anyone by signing up here. If you missed the June emails, here’s a quick recap.
A lot of us are seeing dark clouds on the horizon again. The struggling economy, an election year, and the rise of AI have definitely created some uncertainty in our world. How do we keep our clients engaged and our teams busy with so many things in flux? It's a question that feels eerily familiar. Oh, right, we asked it in 2020 when the world shut down.
When we started our companies, we never expected the ups and downs we've experienced—and neither did our clients. But just like 2020, it's real conversations and transparency that will get us through this.
For many of us, there's too much to get done, but... we don't trust that we have enough cash to hire someone to help us full-time with the workload. So things slip, and we stay stuck in the muck.
Over the past few years, I'm sure you've noticed the uptick in fractional leaders. Heck, some of my best friends are now Fractional CMOs, CFOs and COOs.
But does it help or just cause distractions? Let's dive in and find out!
