Are you the bottleneck in your business without even realizing it? Not because of a lack of trust or effort, but simply because you've been involved in everything for too long, and now every decision flows through you.

In this episode of The Agency Blueprint, I discuss the critical hats every agency owner wears—the technician, the manager, and the CEO—and when each hat should be worn or retired. I also explain why delegation is about moving from control to leadership and not just about removing yourself from the grind.

Don’t miss this episode to learn more about the 1-3-1 decision-making framework, which empowers teams to think strategically instead of defaulting to you for every decision.

Key Questions:

• [01:08] Are you still the only one thinking ahead in your business, and what needs to shift to change that?
• [04:39] Which hat are you wearing right now: technician, manager, or CEO? Is that the right one?
• [07:44] Are you delegating tasks or are you truly transferring decision-making and ownership?
• [09:02] Have you trained your team to assess risk the way you do as a founder?
• [13:11] Do you unconsciously enjoy being needed so much that it stops others from growing?
• [16:51] Are you the bottleneck in your agency without realizing it?

What You’ll Discover:

• [01:31] The three hats every agency owner wears—technician, manager, CEO—and how wearing the wrong one at the wrong time keeps you stuck.
• [03:38] How defaulting to the technician role in times of stress is natural, but damaging to your long-term goals.
• [04:39] How to track the time you spend in each role and learn when it’s time to retire the technician hat completely.
• [05:53] The five levels of delegation—from step-by-step instructions to total decision-making autonomy.
• [07:44] How to transfer decision-making power, not just task ownership, in a way that protects your business and develops your team.
• [09:02] The importance of teaching your team how to think about risk because their risk tolerance won’t naturally align with yours.
• [13:59] The power of uncovering hidden problems and why 99% of the solution lies in proper problem identification.
• [15:48] How implementing the 1-3-1 framework will give your team the autonomy to act strategically.
• [16:51] Why you’re the bottleneck and how to shift from being a dependency to creating frameworks.

Do you often find it hard to say no, even when you know you shouldn’t say yes? While it’s tempting to always say yes, especially when scaling an agency, pleasing clients, or chasing new opportunities, every yes carries a hidden cost.

In this episode of The Agency Blueprint, we discuss the transformative power of saying no and redefining success in your own terms. We explain why saying yes too freely can slowly erode the foundation of your business and well-being.

Listen in to learn how constantly operating outside of that zone can lead to burnout, subpar client results, and reduced profitability. You will also learn the importance of setting clear constraints and having frameworks that support intentional, sustainable growth.

Key Questions:

• [01:43] Are you operating outside your zone of genius, and at what cost to your energy and clients?
• [05:45] What invisible no are you agreeing to every time you say yes to something?
• [09:05] What constraints can you implement right now to create more clarity and direction in your life or business?
• [13:26] What emotions arise when you think about saying no to someone?
• [15:11] Does your current workload align with your long-term goals, or are you drifting away from your vision?
• [17:43] Have you ever taken time to define what success means for you, not just your clients, team, or peers?

What You’ll Discover:

• [01:43] The impact of working outside your zone of genius—how it drains your energy, hurts client results, and slows delivery.
• [03:47] A personal anecdote about how passion doesn’t equal expertise or efficiency.
• [05:45] Why accepting the wrong projects out of desperation can block the right ones later.
• [08:21] The concept of self-imposed constraints as essential tools for focus, boundaries, and defining success.
• [11:33] Understand how realistic forecasting of big goals helps you break them into manageable steps and maintain clarity.
• [13:26] How setting constraints ahead of time removes the emotional burden of having to say no in the moment.
• [15:30] How defining your “why” behind every no sharpens your focus and strengthens your dedication to your goals.
• [16:27] How to turn a rejection into a referral and preserve trust, even when you can't say yes.
• [17:43] Understand that this is your business and life, and the meaning of success should be based on your terms.

Is print marketing still relevant in today’s digital world? Believe it or not, there are real-world examples of how businesses are building credibility, driving engagement, and standing out from competitors using print advertising.

In this episode of The Agency Blueprint, I’m joined by Jesicca Embree to dissect the biggest misconceptions surrounding print media marketing. Jessica is the Creative Director at Tulip Media Group and co-author of the Amazon bestseller Double Sales/ Zero Sales People. She has over a decade of experience in both print and digital marketing.

Listen in to learn how print media helps professionals become thought leaders, deliver value-driven content, and leverage word-of-mouth marketing. You will also learn how to identify and target your ideal customer, aligning marketing efforts with the buyer's journey using print media.

Key Questions:

• [01:41] What are the biggest misconceptions about print marketing in today's digital-first business landscape?
• [03:40] How exactly can businesses or agencies leverage print media to drive both physical and digital engagement?
• [05:20] What makes printed magazines and newsletters effective tools for building authority and client trust?
• [07:25] Why does creating a magazine seem so daunting, and is it really that time-consuming or complex?
• [09:03] What considerations should someone make when thinking about launching a print program for the first time?
• [11:03] How can you avoid being too "salesy" in print marketing and instead guide readers through a natural decision-making journey?
• [16:27] When your campaigns fail, is it because your messaging talks too much about you and not about your customer?
• [19:53] What is the initial test volume you would need to be considering for a print campaign to be successful?

What You’ll Discover:

• [01:46] Jessica on why print continues to offer unique advantages like visibility in the digital age.
• [03:10] How physical books and mail trigger higher recall and user engagement than digital formats.
• [03:53] How businesses can use print media not only to provide value but to lead readers toward digital actions.
• [05:16] How magazines help businesses establish authority, share relevant checklists, and spotlight clients to build community trust.
• [06:42] The types of industries best suited for print such as associations and real estate professionals.
• [07:50] Jessica explains Tulip Media’s streamlined, all-inclusive publishing process.
• [09:21] Why anyone starting a print campaign should get clear on goals, audience pain points, and desired actions.
• [11:26] Why identifying where a customer is in the buyer’s journey can help determine your messaging.
• [13:59] Examples of trackable marketing metrics and how even niche businesses benefit from value-driven print content.
• [15:43] How digital and print can be integrated through things like downloadable reports and SEO blog repurposing.
• [16:51] Why focusing too much on your brand instead of your audience leads to a failed campaign.
• [20:13] A strategy for determining campaign frequency and why you should start a print campaign with your current client list.

Connect with Jessica:

• LinkedIn
• A free downloadable tool