The conversation explores why AI should be viewed as a "win more button," not a magic solution. Before AI can improve an agency, founders need repeatable systems, documented processes, clear methodologies, and a team that already knows how to produce winning outcomes. Only then can AI accelerate execution without sacrificing quality. Otherwise, it's simply automating bad habits.

Nick also explains why the agencies seeing the biggest gains from AI aren't the ones chasing every new tool—they're the ones quietly documenting their expertise, improving their operations, and using AI to multiply what already works. The future won't belong to agencies that rely entirely on AI. It will belong to agencies that combine strong people, proven systems, and AI as a force multiplier.

Get Nick's top downloads here: 

10M+ Agency Executive Dashboard: https://www.agencyacquisitions.io/agency-executive-dashboard-opt-in/  

$800K/month agency COO: https://www.agencyacquisitions.io/800k-per-month-agency-coo/ 

5 Killers of Profit: https://www.agencyacquisitions.io/agency-economics-scaling-method/

Follow Nick:

YouTube (watch the podcast): https://www.youtube.com/@AgencyAcquisitions 

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nickavaria/ 

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nick_avaria/ 

In this episode, Nick and Win unpack one of the most common scaling mistakes agency owners make: trying to hire a COO before they've made the transition from founder to CEO. Using a real agency case study, they explain why operational leaders don't fail because they're bad operators, they often fail because the founder hasn't yet built the systems, expectations, and business model that allow a COO to succeed.

Nick breaks down the fundamental difference between a founder and a CEO. Founders are excellent at creating momentum, winning clients, and moving quickly, but CEOs build scalable businesses through leadership systems, operational dashboards, people performance frameworks, client retention strategies, and structured onboarding. Without those foundations, hiring an experienced operator often turns into abdication instead of delegation, leaving the business more fragile than before.

Get Nick's top downloads here: 

10M+ Agency Executive Dashboard: https://www.agencyacquisitions.io/agency-executive-dashboard-opt-in/  

$800K/month agency COO: https://www.agencyacquisitions.io/800k-per-month-agency-coo/ 

5 Killers of Profit: https://www.agencyacquisitions.io/agency-economics-scaling-method/

Follow Nick:

YouTube (watch the podcast): https://www.youtube.com/@AgencyAcquisitions 

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nickavaria/ 

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nick_avaria/ 

In this episode, Nick sits down with Bo Royal, founder of Pareto Legal Marketing, to discuss the operational changes that helped his agency move beyond simply delivering great client results. After niching down to serve law firms, Bo realized that exceptional marketing alone wasn't enough to build the business he wanted. The conversation explores how implementing stronger operational systems, hiring a Head of Operations, and making data-driven decisions allowed Pareto to become more scalable while giving Bo the freedom to step out of the day-to-day.

Bo shares several of the biggest mindset shifts that transformed his agency, including learning to do less—but better, eliminating unnecessary work that didn't improve client outcomes, and building systems that could support growth without sacrificing quality. He also explains why profitability isn't about working harder or signing more clients—it's about understanding the operational levers that drive sustainable growth and creating an agency that can consistently retain clients for years.

The conversation serves as both a client success story and a practical roadmap for agency owners who feel stuck. Rather than relying on guesswork, Bo explains how dashboards, operational frameworks, and better leadership removed much of the stress from running his business. His biggest lesson is simple: you don't have to figure everything out on your own. Investing in operational expertise can help agency owners avoid years of costly mistakes and build a business that's designed to scale.

Get Nick's top downloads here: 

10M+ Agency Executive Dashboard: https://www.agencyacquisitions.io/agency-executive-dashboard-opt-in/  

$800K/month agency COO: https://www.agencyacquisitions.io/800k-per-month-agency-coo/ 

5 Killers of Profit: https://www.agencyacquisitions.io/agency-economics-scaling-method/

Follow Nick:

YouTube (watch the podcast): https://www.youtube.com/@AgencyAcquisitions 

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nickavaria/ 

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nick_avaria/ 

Rather than treating SOPs as documents that get handed down from leadership, Nick argues they should be built from the ground up by the people actually doing the work. By involving subject matter experts, gathering team feedback, and turning every SOP rollout into a training opportunity, agencies create buy-in instead of resistance. The result is documentation that people actually use because they helped build it.

The episode also introduces a framework that most agencies skip entirely: Permission Sets → RACI → SOPs. Before documenting a process, leaders first need to define who can make decisions, who owns each responsibility, and how accountability flows through the organization. Only then do SOPs become valuable training tools instead of forgotten documents. With AI becoming a larger part of agency operations, this documentation is no longer just about onboarding employees, it's the foundation for training AI systems as well.

Get Nick's top downloads here: 

10M+ Agency Executive Dashboard: https://www.agencyacquisitions.io/agency-executive-dashboard-opt-in/  

$800K/month agency COO: https://www.agencyacquisitions.io/800k-per-month-agency-coo/ 

5 Killers of Profit: https://www.agencyacquisitions.io/agency-economics-scaling-method/

Follow Nick:

YouTube (watch the podcast): https://www.youtube.com/@AgencyAcquisitions 

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nickavaria/ 

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nick_avaria/ 

In this episode, Nick unpacks one of the most overlooked reasons agencies struggle to scale: leaders who inspire their teams but fail to create the structure, accountability, and alignment needed to execute. Drawing from real agency consulting sessions, they explain why executive teams often fall into finger-pointing, decision paralysis, and departmental silos, and how those problems almost always stem from unclear roles and poor management systems, not poor people.

The conversation introduces a powerful mindset shift around the idea of your "primary team." Many managers believe their job is to defend their department, but high-performing organizations operate differently. 

Nick also breaks down the critical difference between leadership and management. This episode explores why mastering both disciplines is essential if you want to build a business that scales beyond the founder.

Get Nick's top downloads here: 

10M+ Agency Executive Dashboard: https://www.agencyacquisitions.io/agency-executive-dashboard-opt-in/  

$800K/month agency COO: https://www.agencyacquisitions.io/800k-per-month-agency-coo/ 

5 Killers of Profit: https://www.agencyacquisitions.io/agency-economics-scaling-method/

Follow Nick:

YouTube (watch the podcast): https://www.youtube.com/@AgencyAcquisitions 

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nickavaria/ 

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nick_avaria/ 

The conversation also explores one of the biggest mindset shifts for agency owners: stop believing you're one hire away from solving your problems. Great people don't fix broken businesses—great businesses attract and develop great people. When founders invest in leadership, management, and operational excellence, they create an agency that can scale sustainably without relying on them to be the hero every day.

Get Nick's top downloads here: 

10M+ Agency Executive Dashboard: https://www.agencyacquisitions.io/agency-executive-dashboard-opt-in/  

$800K/month agency COO: https://www.agencyacquisitions.io/800k-per-month-agency-coo/ 

5 Killers of Profit: https://www.agencyacquisitions.io/agency-economics-scaling-method/

Follow Nick:

YouTube (watch the podcast): https://www.youtube.com/@AgencyAcquisitions 

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nickavaria/ 

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nick_avaria/ 

In this episode, Nick sits down with Silvio Perez, founder of AdConversion, to discuss how he transformed his agency from a founder-dependent business into a scalable operation, all while launching an education platform and a SaaS product. Rather than focusing on the latest marketing tactics, the conversation dives into the operational systems, leadership habits, and accountability frameworks that allowed the agency to nearly double in size while freeing Silvio from the day-to-day work.

Silvio shares how implementing clear scorecards, accountability, leadership development, and structured onboarding helped shift his role from constantly rescuing his team to coaching them. Instead of spending 40+ hours each week inside the agency, he now spends just 6–10 hours on high-leverage activities, allowing him to focus on growing the business rather than simply running it.

Get Nick's top downloads here: 

10M+ Agency Executive Dashboard: https://www.agencyacquisitions.io/agency-executive-dashboard-opt-in/  

$800K/month agency COO: https://www.agencyacquisitions.io/800k-per-month-agency-coo/ 

5 Killers of Profit: https://www.agencyacquisitions.io/agency-economics-scaling-method/

Follow Nick:

YouTube (watch the podcast): https://www.youtube.com/@AgencyAcquisitions 

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nickavaria/ 

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nick_avaria/ 

In this episode, Nick introduces the concept of the "Missing Middle"—the gap between strategy and execution that keeps agency owners trapped in the day-to-day. While many agencies have talented people, clear goals, and strong client relationships, they often lack the management systems, accountability, and feedback loops needed to turn those strengths into consistent profit and scalable growth.

Nick explains why agencies mistakenly believe they have a sales problem when they actually have an operations problem, how scaling broken systems only creates bigger problems, and why dashboards and behavioral feedback loops are the foundation of a high-performing agency.

• What the "Missing Middle" is and why it limits agency growth
• Why more sales won't solve operational problems
• How poor retention and inefficient systems quietly destroy profitability
• The importance of measuring client retention, productivity, and client results
• Why dashboards are only valuable when they're paired with accountability
• How behavioral feedback loops help teams continuously improve performance

If your agency is growing but profits aren't keeping pace—or if you feel like you're constantly putting out fires—this episode explains why the problem isn't your people or your sales. It's the missing operational layer that connects strategy to execution.

Get Nick's top downloads here: 

10M+ Agency Executive Dashboard: https://www.agencyacquisitions.io/agency-executive-dashboard-opt-in/  

$800K/month agency COO: https://www.agencyacquisitions.io/800k-per-month-agency-coo/ 

5 Killers of Profit: https://www.agencyacquisitions.io/agency-economics-scaling-method/

Follow Nick:

YouTube (watch the podcast): https://www.youtube.com/@AgencyAcquisitions 

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nickavaria/ 

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nick_avaria/ 

In this episode, we break down why this overlooked KPI is one of the strongest indicators of profitability, operational efficiency, and scalability. You'll learn the benchmarks high-performing agencies aim for, why hiring more people isn't always the answer, and how poor capacity planning quietly eats away at your margins.

We also discuss why so many agencies fall into "opinion-based management," how scope creep is often a symptom rather than the real problem, and the systems top-performing agencies use to keep their teams aligned and productive.

If you're looking to build a more profitable agency without simply adding more clients or more staff, this episode will give you practical frameworks you can start using immediately.

Get Nick's top downloads here: 

10M+ Agency Executive Dashboard: https://www.agencyacquisitions.io/agency-executive-dashboard-opt-in/  

$800K/month agency COO: https://www.agencyacquisitions.io/800k-per-month-agency-coo/ 

5 Killers of Profit: https://www.agencyacquisitions.io/agency-economics-scaling-method/

Follow Nick:

YouTube (watch the podcast): https://www.youtube.com/@AgencyAcquisitions 

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nickavaria/ 

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nick_avaria/ 

Using a real client case study, they expose the management gap that's silently draining profitability and keeping founders trapped in the day-to-day. If you're a founder, CEO, or agency leader wondering why your initiatives aren't sticking, this one's for you.

Get Nick's top downloads here: 

10M+ Agency Executive Dashboard: https://www.agencyacquisitions.io/agency-executive-dashboard-opt-in/  

$800K/month agency COO: https://www.agencyacquisitions.io/800k-per-month-agency-coo/ 

5 Killers of Profit: https://www.agencyacquisitions.io/agency-economics-scaling-method/

Follow Nick:

YouTube (watch the podcast): https://www.youtube.com/@AgencyAcquisitions 

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nickavaria/ 

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nick_avaria/ 

In this episode, Nick Avaria sits down with Shane from Voyager Group, a retail and media agency helping consumer brands scale on Amazon, Target, and beyond, to unpack one of the most dramatic agency turnarounds you'll hear.

In just one year, Voyager went from 2.5% profit margins and a burned-out team to nearly 23% profitability in Q1 2026, a literal 10X,  while still growing revenue by 50%.

Shane shares the mindset shifts, operational systems, and hard-won lessons that made it possible: why heroics only get you so far, how decoupling operational data from financial data changed everything, and what it actually feels like to go from whack-a-mole management to running a business that practically runs itself.

Get Nick's top downloads here: 

10M+ Agency Executive Dashboard: https://www.agencyacquisitions.io/agency-executive-dashboard-opt-in/  

$800K/month agency COO: https://www.agencyacquisitions.io/800k-per-month-agency-coo/ 

5 Killers of Profit: https://www.agencyacquisitions.io/agency-economics-scaling-method/

Follow Nick:

YouTube (watch the podcast): https://www.youtube.com/@AgencyAcquisitions 

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nickavaria/ 

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nick_avaria/ 

Using a real client case study, they expose the management gap that's silently draining profitability and keeping founders trapped in the day-to-day. If you're a founder, CEO, or agency leader wondering why your initiatives aren't sticking, this one's for you.

Get Nick's top downloads here: 

10M+ Agency Executive Dashboard: https://www.agencyacquisitions.io/agency-executive-dashboard-opt-in/  

$800K/month agency COO: https://www.agencyacquisitions.io/800k-per-month-agency-coo/ 

5 Killers of Profit: https://www.agencyacquisitions.io/agency-economics-scaling-method/

Follow Nick:

YouTube (watch the podcast): https://www.youtube.com/@AgencyAcquisitions 

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nickavaria/ 

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nick_avaria/ 

In this episode, Nick breaks down one of the biggest scaling challenges agency owners face: the transition from managing employees to managing managers. He explains why promoting a top performer into a management role often fails, why hiring a manager won't magically solve operational problems, and why most agencies lack the systems needed to support effective middle management.

The conversation explores the frameworks required to create accountability, alignment, and autonomy throughout an organization. Nick shares practical approaches for defining clear objectives, metrics, and KPIs, as well as a management accountability system that helps owners determine whether performance issues stem from employees or from management itself.

Key takeaways:

• Why managing managers requires a completely different skill set
• The real reason most agency owners stay stuck in the day-to-day
• How to use Objectives, Metrics, and KPIs to create accountability
• Why dashboards and data are essential for building self-managing teams
• The three performance gaps every manager must address: knowledge, importance, and action
• How to determine whether underperformance is a management problem or an employee problem

If you're tired of being the bottleneck in your agency and want a team that can operate effectively without constant oversight, this episode provides a practical framework for building accountability and leadership at every level of your organization.

Get Nick's top downloads here: 

10M+ Agency Executive Dashboard: https://www.agencyacquisitions.io/agency-executive-dashboard-opt-in/  

$800K/month agency COO: https://www.agencyacquisitions.io/800k-per-month-agency-coo/ 

5 Killers of Profit: https://www.agencyacquisitions.io/agency-economics-scaling-method/

Follow Nick:

YouTube (watch the podcast): https://www.youtube.com/@AgencyAcquisitions 

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nickavaria/ 

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nick_avaria/ 

In this episode, Nick breaks down why agencies often see profits jump from 10% to 30%+ after implementing new systems, only to watch those gains disappear a few months later. The problem isn't usually the systems themselves, it's what happens after the initial success.

The conversation explores the two phases of sustainable agency growth: implementing the right operational systems and training leaders and teams to understand, maintain, and improve them over time. Through a real-world case study, Nick explains how agencies fall back into old habits like over-hiring, losing focus on client retention, and abandoning the disciplines that created profitability in the first place.

Key takeaways:

• Why systems alone don't create lasting change
• The hidden connection between profitability, discipline, and communication
• How agency owners accidentally become the bottleneck
• Why SOPs and documentation aren't enough
• The importance of teaching people how to think, not just what to do

If you've ever improved performance only to see your agency slide backward months later, this episode explains why and what it takes to make growth stick.

Get Nick's top downloads here: 

10M+ Agency Executive Dashboard: https://www.agencyacquisitions.io/agency-executive-dashboard-opt-in/  

$800K/month agency COO: https://www.agencyacquisitions.io/800k-per-month-agency-coo/ 

5 Killers of Profit: https://www.agencyacquisitions.io/agency-economics-scaling-method/

Follow Nick:

YouTube (watch the podcast): https://www.youtube.com/@AgencyAcquisitions 

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nickavaria/ 

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nick_avaria/ 

There are three metrics and KPIs that every single agency who scales, tracks, and tracks well. 

In this episode we walk through a real life client example of how we helped them get to 35% profit and what they had to change. 

Here are the 3 things that I review for every single agency are:

#1 Client retention 

#2 Life time value vs. Client Acquisition Cost 

#3: Productivity (hours billed) for agencies with time tracking. 

Find out how we did it for this agency. 

How are agencies scaling faster in 2026? Take a listen to this week's episode now. 

Get Nick's top downloads here: 

10M+ Agency Executive Dashboard: https://www.agencyacquisitions.io/agency-executive-dashboard-opt-in/  

$800K/month agency COO: https://www.agencyacquisitions.io/800k-per-month-agency-coo/ 

5 Killers of Profit: https://www.agencyacquisitions.io/agency-economics-scaling-method/

Follow Nick:

YouTube (watch the podcast): https://www.youtube.com/@AgencyAcquisitions 

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nickavaria/ 

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nick_avaria/ 

Would it be possible?

Yes. 

But only if you do these 3 things. 

• Looking at the % of what you're spending and see what needs to be cut. 
• Drive better client experience so that you can generate more upsells. This is faster than closing new business. 
• Amend your business model, so that new clients can close at a higher LTV. 

Most agencies don't need tons of new clients. 

They need better clients, where you can charge more, and have those clients stay for longer. 

How are agencies scaling faster in 2026? Take a listen to this week's episode now. 

Follow Nick:

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@AgencyAcquisitions 

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nickavaria/ 

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nick_avaria/ 

Get Nick's top downloads here: 

10M+ Agency Executive Dashboard: https://www.agencyacquisitions.io/agency-executive-dashboard-opt-in/  

$800K/month agency COO: https://www.agencyacquisitions.io/800k-per-month-agency-coo/ 

5 Killers of Profit: https://www.agencyacquisitions.io/agency-economics-scaling-method/

Let's dive in, in this week's episode of Scaling with Profit.

Nick is a 3-time agency owner who has bought and scaled agencies to 7 & 8-figures. 

Today Nick helps other agencies make more money, and get their time back. 

How Nick helped this agency: 

• Build dashboards that showed where the agency was bleeding money
• Fixing the scoping problem they had with their clients
• Reviewing actual productivity with their team, and finding better ways to track it 

Listen to the full episode to get the full story. 

Get Nick's top downloads here: 

10M+ Agency Executive Dashboard: https://www.agencyacquisitions.io/agency-executive-dashboard-opt-in/  

$800K/month agency COO: https://www.agencyacquisitions.io/800k-per-month-agency-coo/ 

5 Killers of Profit: https://www.agencyacquisitions.io/agency-economics-scaling-method/