Chats With Chip

Ronn Torossian has built one of the largest independent PR agencies in the U.S., and in this episode he shares some of the lessons he has learned along the way. A prolific content creator, Ronn frequently writes and speaks about issues facing the industry, and he is passionate about finding ways to improve modern public relations. Ronn’s agency, 5WPR, recently announced that they were looking for small agencies to acquire. He explains exactly what he’s looking for and why he wants to supplement his firm’s already strong organic growth.Continue Reading → The post CWC 45: Building a large independent PR agency (featuring Ronn Torossian) appeared first on FIR Podcast Network.

Agency businesses have some challenges unique to the individual owners and circumstances. But many of the growing pains are predictable and follow patterns established by other similar businesses. Leaders can take comfort in knowing that they are not likely the first to experience any particular challenge, nor are other agencies immune from the obstacles. Brad Farris has spent decades advising businesses and helping them overcome these growing pains so that they can continue to thrive. In this episode of Chats with Chip, Brad shares his observations on each of the key stages that agencies experience, along with advice on how to forge ahead at every step.Continue Reading → The post CWC 44: Predictable growth stages for agencies (featuring Brad Farris) appeared first on FIR Podcast Network.

Katie Robbert never planned to be an expert in AI and analytics, but she says she likes “numbers to add up” even though she considers herself bad at math. As a self-professed planner, Katie found herself telling stories with data, first for a pharmaceutical company and later for a PR agency. Today, Katie is the co-founder and CEO of Trust Insights, a consultancy dedicated to working with clients to uncover valuable nuggets in the data that often piles up unused in many businesses. Chip talks with Katie about how agencies can leverage data on their own behalf, as well as for their clients.Continue Reading → The post CWC 43: How agencies should think about AI and analytics (featuring Katie Robbert) appeared first on FIR Podcast Network.

Just about every agency leader worries about where the next new client will come from and how to land that new business. Many aren’t natural-born salespeople, so the process itself can be uncomfortable and even intimidating. Jody Sutter brings decades of experience in agency business development to help owners and executives put in place programs and processes that generate revenue. In this episode of the Chats with Chip podcast, Jody shares some of the most common mistakes she sees agencies make and offers practical solutions listeners can implement in their own businesses.Continue Reading → The post CWC 42: Business development mistakes agencies make and how to solve them (featuring Jody Sutter) appeared first on FIR Podcast Network.

When Sean Cassidy walked out of Tufts University in 1990, he graduated with a major in Cold War foreign policy — just as the Soviet Union was about to dissolve. He hadn’t aspired to a career in public relations, but it turned out he was a good writer and he caught the eye of a small agency owner. Three decades later, Sean leads DKC, a prominent independent PR agency headquartered in New York. They recently rolled out a new tagline: “maximizing return on news.” In this episode, he explains why he believes PR agencies should be news-driven organizations and what skills that requires.Continue Reading → The post CWC 41: The PR agency as a news-driven organization (featuring Sean Cassidy) appeared first on FIR Podcast Network.

The challenges and opportunities when integrating two businesses while also introducing a new name. Continue Reading → The post CWC 40: Rebranding after an agency merger (featuring Trevor Francis) appeared first on FIR Podcast Network.

In this episode, Rachel Jacobs explains why case studies are critical to the scale and growth of agencies. Rachel, founder of Ecommerce Partnerships, reminds agency owners that their number one client is their own agency. Step by step, you’ll learn how to integrate a case study opportunity before a client even signs the contract, who the audience should be, and the six key elements that make up a basic case study. Continue Reading → The post CWC 39: Effective case studies for your agency (featuring Rachel Jacobs) appeared first on FIR Podcast Network.

In this episode, we go Down Under for a deep dive into the business of WebSavvy, a Melbourne-based digital marketing agency founded by Mike Rhodes. He explains why he chose agency life over being a helicopter pilot, advice for fellow agency owners, effective team training, and much more.Continue Reading → The post CWC 38: Professional development for agency owners and employees (featuring Mike Rhodes) appeared first on FIR Podcast Network.

Steve Parker, Jr. brings extensive digital marketing and business experience as CEO and co-founder of Levelwing. He is an industry leader, trendsetter, and occasional provocateur. In this episode of Chats with Chip, Steve discusses his recent video Uncommon Transparency, and how internal and external transparency will benefit all agency relationships. He explores his own experiences and why he chose to produce a series of videos examining Levelwing’s values.Continue Reading → The post CWC 37: Transparency in the agency business (featuring Steve Parker, Jr.) appeared first on FIR Podcast Network.

On this episode of Chats with Chip, Karen Swim breaks down how changes to the workforce and agency culture have allowed independents and micro agencies more freedom and flexibility than ever before. She also advises how having a financial plan and advances in technology can help smooth the path for solo agency owners.Continue Reading → The post CWC 36: The role and impact of solo PR agencies today (featuring Karen Swim) appeared first on FIR Podcast Network.

In this episode of Chats with Chip, Matt Rizzetta, founder and CEO of N6A, discusses a new model he calls Outcome Relations, designed to provide measurable accountability to clients. Matt explains the benefits of Outcome Relations, how the workforce has changed over his career, and how entrepreneurs need to make mistakes and innovate incrementally over time to be successful.Continue Reading → The post CWC 35: Is Outcome Relations the future of communications? (featuring Matt Rizzetta) appeared first on FIR Podcast Network.

Doug Simon is an expert in producing video for agencies and brands in both broadcast and social media. As CEO of the award-winning DS Simon Media, Doug has lengthy experience in getting clients’ spokespeople on television news. By arranging satellite media tours, providing behind the scenes video coverage, and servicing social media video production, Doug gets his clients’ positive stories out there. In this episode of Chats with Chip, he addresses what the trends in both broadcast and social media mean for the future, as well as changes he is seeing in how clients and agencies work with firms like his own.Continue Reading → The post CWC 34: Advice for agencies on better use of video for clients (featuring Doug Simon) appeared first on FIR Podcast Network.

Chuck Hester is a senior integrated marketing executive with deep experience in B2B and technology. He has worked in-house and on the agency side, so he brings a strong understanding and great perspective to this episode of Chats with Chip. As the author of Linking In to Pay It Forward, Chuck provides advice to communicators on... Continue Reading → The post CWC 33: How agencies can get the most out of LinkedIn (Chuck Hester) appeared first on FIR Podcast Network.

Mark McClennan hosts a weekly podcast where he explores ethical questions with public relations industry experts and agency leaders. He brings a wealth of his own experience to the mix, as a longtime senior agency executive and former National Chair of the Public Relations Society of America (PRSA). Mark joined Chip on this episode to talk about... Continue Reading → The post CWC 32: Leading an ethical agency (Mark McClennan) appeared first on FIR Podcast Network.

Many of us think of lawyers like we do doctors: someone to go to for a fix when something goes wrong. Just as seeing your doctor when you are healthy helps improve outcomes, so does building a relationship with the attorney you use for your agency business. In this episode, Chip speaks with Matt Benson of Cook Little Rosenblatt & Manson of Manchester, New Hampshire. Matt has decades of experience in working with business owners on challenges ranging from the formation of the business to its eventual sale. He discusses why — and how — you should leverage your lawyer for more than just legal advice.Continue Reading → The post CWC 31: Using your lawyer as a business advisor with Matt Benson appeared first on FIR Podcast Network.

Robert Udowitz and Steve Drake of RFP Associates partner with organizations seeking to retain PR and public affairs agencies. They take years of their own experience on the agency side to help clients navigate the process more effectively. On this episode of Chats with Chip, Robert and Steve offer helpful advice and useful tips for agencies as they respond to requests for proposals.Continue Reading → The post CWC 30: RFP advice for agencies from Robert Udowitz and Steve Drake appeared first on FIR Podcast Network.

In this episode of the Chats with Chip podcast, Rick Gould of Gould+Partners, an agency mergers and acquisitions advisory firm based in New York, provides useful insights for agency owners on the process of selling their agencies — including perspective on current trends in M&A.Continue Reading → The post CWC 29: Practical M&A advice for agency owners with Rick Gould of Gould+Partners appeared first on FIR Podcast Network.

Brent Lightner of Taoti Creative in Washington, DC joins the podcast to talk about how he became an accidental — but quite successful — agency owner. At the dawn of the Netscape era, Brent took on a web development challenge in search of scholarship funds. Two decades later, he leads an award-winning creative firm.Continue Reading → The post CWC 28: Brent Lightner of Taoti Creative appeared first on FIR Podcast Network.

James Papiano joins the podcast to talk about the importance of leadership and culture in an agency environment, including how to change a weakened culture to improve performance. Continue Reading → The post CWC 27: James Papiano on Leadership & Culture in Agencies appeared first on FIR Podcast Network.

Nick Petroski of Promethean Research joined to talk about the outlook for digital marketing agencies in 2019 and beyond.Continue Reading → The post CWC 26: Nick Petroski of Promethean Research appeared first on FIR Podcast Network.