For many agency owners, growth feels like the answer to every challenge.
Need more profit? Grow.
Need more stability? Grow.
Need to hire? Grow.
But what if growth isn't actually the goal?
In a recent episode of our podcast, Creative Outcomes, Craig Baldwin sat down with Eric Brown, co-founder of Blood, Sweat & Tears, to discuss a different way of thinking about agency growth. Rather than focusing solely on generating more leads, Eric argues that agency owners should focus on building enterprise value, a perspective that changes nearly every decision leaders make.
Revenue Is Only Part of the Equation
When agency owners say they want to grow, they're often talking about revenue. More clients, more projects, more opportunities. The problem is that revenue alone doesn't create a healthier business.
As Eric explains, enterprise value is influenced by much more than top-line growth. Profitability, client retention, specialization, operational maturity, and predictable revenue all contribute to the long-term value of an agency.
That's why two agencies generating the same annual revenue can have dramatically different outcomes. One may be producing strong margins with a predictable pipeline. The other may be winning work constantly but operating on razor-thin margins while its leadership team is stretched beyond capacity. Both are growing, but only one is becoming more valuable.
Why So Many Agencies Hit a Plateau
Most independent agencies grow through relationships. A founder leaves a larger agency, brings over a few trusted clients, leans on their network, and builds a successful business over several years. It works, until it doesn't.
Eventually, those referral networks mature. Opportunities become less predictable. Margins shrink. And because growth has always happened organically, there isn't an intentional system for creating new business.
That's when owners start asking questions like:
- Why has growth slowed?
- Why does our pipeline feel inconsistent?
- Why are we constantly chasing revenue?
The issue usually isn't effort, it's the absence of a repeatable growth engine.
Growth Needs Strategy Before Tactics
One of the biggest mistakes Eric sees is agencies jumping straight into tactics. Launch a newsletter. Attend another conference. Post more on LinkedIn. Hire a salesperson. None of those activities are inherently bad, they're just difficult to evaluate without first answering a few strategic questions.
- Who is our ideal client?
- What problems do we solve better than anyone else?
- How many meaningful sales conversations do we actually need?
- Which activities will create those conversations?
Once those answers are clear, tactics become much easier to prioritize. Instead of trying everything, agencies can invest in the few activities that move the needle.
Pipeline Is an Operational Function
One of the most practical ideas from the episode is thinking about growth as an operational discipline, not just a sales function.
Eric refers to this as growth operations.
That includes:
- Building a repeatable pipeline
- Establishing clear KPIs
- Forecasting revenue
- Coordinating marketing and business development
- Creating accountability around execution
Too often, agency growth depends entirely on the founder. While that may work in the early years, it eventually becomes a bottleneck. A sustainable agency needs systems that continue creating opportunities even when leadership is focused elsewhere.
Relationships Still Win
Despite all the discussion around systems and operations, one message came through consistently.
Growth is still about people.
Eric describes business development as relationship activation, creating intentional processes around the relationships you already have while consistently building new ones. That mindset changes how agencies think about marketing.
Rather than broadcasting to everyone, successful firms focus on building trust with the right people, solving meaningful business problems, and becoming known for a specific expertise. Technology can support that process, it can't replace it.
Where AI Fits
Naturally, the conversation turned to AI. Eric's advice was refreshingly practical.
Don't try to automate your entire business overnight. Instead, start with one repetitive workflow. Maybe it's proposal generation. Meeting summaries. Content outlines. Resource planning.
The goal isn't to replace human judgment. It's to eliminate repetitive work, so your team can spend more time on high-value activities.
It's an approach that aligns closely with how we think about technology at Upsourced. The best systems don't remove people from the equation. They allow talented people to focus on the work that matters most.
Growth Is About Building a Better Business
One of the biggest takeaways from this conversation is that sustainable growth isn't simply about adding revenue, it's about creating a healthier business.
A business with stronger margins. A more predictable pipeline. Clear positioning. Operational discipline. And ultimately, greater enterprise value.
Those are the characteristics that create optionality, whether your long-term goal is scaling, succession planning, or simply building a business that's easier (and more enjoyable) to run.
Listen to the Full Conversation
Craig Baldwin's full conversation with Eric Brown explores growth strategy, agency operations, AI, relationship-driven business development, and practical frameworks agency owners can begin applying today.
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