Building a Great Team and More Helpful Insights with Jason Swenk Host of The Smart Agency Master Class Podcast

Jason Swenk runs a unique consultancy helping marketing agency owners grow their agencies faster. He is the resource he wish he had when he started his agency. Jason currently hosts two podcasts: The Smart Agency Master Class Podcast sharing strategies and stories from real agency owners and SwenkToday which is a weekly show that documents how you can grow your digital agency. Early on Jason decided to quit his day job and launch a digital marketing agency that grew to a multi-million dollar operation, 100 staff, and they worked with brands from AT&T, Hitachi, and Lotus Cars. After 12 years of growth, he sold the agency in 2012.

Here’s a glimpse of what you’ll learn: 

• [2:55] Jeremy introduces his guest, Jason Swenk. 
• [4:50] Why did Jason start his podcast? 
• [7:20] The best foot-in-the-door offers from Jason’s career. 
• [15:30] Customer success stories. 
• [19:15] Helping clients shift their mindset when it comes to marketing costs. 
• [22:20] How setting prices too low can hurt you. 
• [26:00] Tools that Jason has found helpful. 
• [29:15] What Jason looks for when he hires team members. 
• [35:45] How Jason got involved in car racing. 
• [39:30] Jason explains how he keeps his staff motivated. 
• [41:15] Delegate outcomes rather than tasks. 
• [44:30] Success is what you make it. 
• [46:00] Jason talks about his onboarding process. 
• [48:00] Why your personal brand matters.
• [52:15] Horror stories from working with clients. 
• [54:15] Tips from Jason’s exit from his agency. 

In this episode…

What does it take to build a business that can stand the test of time and regularly deliver impressive results? Is there a magic formula that you need to learn before your business really starts to build some momentum? On this episode of Inspired Insider, you’ll hear from business leader and innovator, Jason Swenk. In his conversation with Jeremy, Jason opens up about his journey with podcasting, how he keeps his team motivated, the value of your personal brand, challenges he has faced along the way, and much more. Make sure you have pen and paper ready - you are going to need it! 

Have you ever been in a situation where you had to manage the expectations of your customers or clients? How do you ensure that both your team and your customers are on the same page? According to Jason Swenk, it all comes down that magic word - communication. You could have the best products or services in the world, but it doesn’t mean anything if you fail to communicate what you need from your clients and what they can expect from you and your business. Don’t fall for the same trap that many business leaders find themselves in; make sure to learn the best communication methods available. 

Did you know that setting the lowest price in your market could be hurting your business? It’s true! While you might think it is a good idea to become the “Walmart” of your industry - remember, there is always a price to pay. Sure, it’s great that Walmart keeps their prices low, but at what cost? When was the last time you purchased a high-quality product from Walmart? If you want to set your prices low - make sure you understand that some customers will pass you by to go with a more expensive option. What can you learn from Jason’s story? 

Don’t you hate it when you find yourself surrounded by a dysfunctional team environment? As a leader, what should you do? Is there a way to avoid toxic hires and keep your team healthy? Jason Swenk is such a strong believer in hiring the right people that he has developed a rigorous screening process that has served him well over the years. While some leaders will find Jason’s vetting process too involved and nuanced - the truth is, he’s had some impressive results. Consider learning from and implementing some of Jason’s standards into your hiring practices; what do you have to lose? 

What is your definition of success? Do you want to drive all the nicest cars, or is traveling to exotic destinations more your style? Maybe for you, success is about spending more time with your family. Whatever your view of success, it is going to be different for each leader - everyone has to determine the big “Why” that motivates their drive. Remember, leaders, aren’t the only ones who need to define what success looks like! Jason Swenk has some helpful insights regarding the topic of success. Make sure to check out the link to Jason’s website, where you can learn more about his mindset and the podcast he hosts! 

Resources Mentioned on this episode

• www.jasonswenk.com
• Trello
• PandaDoc
• Intro Music by Kidd Russell

Sponsor for this episode

Rise25’s mission is to connect you with your best referral partners and customers.

We connect you with strategic partnerships through our done for you podcast solution which is the best thing I have done for my business. 

1. Our Done for you Podcast service - We help your company completely run and launch your own podcast and make sure you get ROI from it.

 We distribute your show across more than 11 different channels (spotify, google play, itunes, and many more) including a dedicated blog post and social media. You simply show up and talk and we do everything else. Our team has been working with podcasters since 2009. I personally credit podcasting as the single best thing I have done for my business and my life. It has allowed me to connect with the founders/ceo’s of P90x, Atari, Einstein Bagels, Mattel, Rx Bars, and many more. Besides making best friends and finding my business partner, podcasting has led to relationships with countless customers and referral partners.

The most important piece that most are missing is the right strategy and we make sure our clients get ROI so it becomes one of the most valuable parts of your strategic partnerships.

Since this requires a lot of humans (we have operations, developers, writers, audio editors, video editors) to do the work we have limited bandwidth and only want to work with the right company. If using a podcast for strategic partnerships, content marketing, and increasing clients and referrals sounds interesting to you go to www.Rise25.com and contact us or email support (at) rise25.com.

If your company wants to attract and connect with your highest level customers and referral partners then you can learn more and contact us to find out if your company qualifies at Rise25.com.

Rise25 was cofounded by Dr. Jeremy Weisz and John Corcoran.

For larger conferences and software companies we have done an onsite podcast booth and created a years worth of content in just a few days. So if you are holding an event or your company will be having a booth at an event let us know. Check out Rise25.com and also some see some examples of our VIP Events below.

Our Done for you VIP Events - We do live in-person VIP Days and receptions. These are 100% outsourced VIP days for software companies and conference organizers so we can help you serve your highest level customers.  It may or may not involve Elvis costumes - See video 

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Rise25 has hosted VIP events in cities such as Austin, Chicago, Santa Barbara, San Diego, New York, Sonoma, and Las Vegas to name a few.