Brigitte Lyons shares her founder journey from running a PR agency to creating a productized podcast booking service. She discusses the challenges of adapting her business model to achieve a location-independent lifestyle, the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on her client relationships, and the importance of marketing and capacity in sustaining growth.

Brigitte emphasizes the need to trust her own process and the significance of maintaining integrity in business practices. Brigitte shares her journey of building and eventually shutting down her PR agency, discussing the challenges of team dynamics, client management, and the importance of one-on-one meetings.

She reflects on the economic downturn's impact on her business, her decision to sell, and her new venture, Ops Whisperer, aimed at helping agency owners streamline their operations and delegate effectively.

Topics covered:

- Brigitte transitioned from a PR agency to a podcast booking service.
- She aimed to create a productized agency for scalability.
- Brigitte's journey includes closing and selling her agency.
- Writing comes in bursts, with a focus on quality over quantity.
- Trusting her own process has been a key lesson for Brigitte.
- Brigitte's approach to client onboarding evolved significantly.
- The pandemic forced her to reassess client contracts and relationships.
- She learned the importance of capacity and marketing in business growth.
- One-on-ones help build trust and open communication.
- Scaling requires delegating responsibilities effectively.
- Economic downturns can significantly impact service businesses.
- Transparency with the team during transitions is important.
- Selling a business can be a complex process.
- Creating systems should enable people to do their best work.
- Accountability is key in achieving business goals.
- It's essential to seek help and guidance when needed.

Find Brigitte at https://theopswhisperer.com/
Brigitte's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/brigittelyons/
Substack: https://brigittelyons.substack.com/ (I pledged, you should too!)

Find Alex at https://icoachfounders.com/
Alex's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alex-mcclafferty/

• (00:00:00) - Brigitte Lyons introduces her PR consulting background
• (00:01:07) - Brigitte shares closing and selling her agency
• (00:06:45) - Alex asks about Brigitte’s van life goal
• (00:10:58) - Brigitte recalls Alex’s scaling question
• (00:13:22) - Brigitte on reimagining client onboarding
• (00:16:57) - Brigitte admits doubting her new process
• (00:19:47) - Brigitte describes beta testing her service
• (00:22:49) - Alex reacts to Brigitte’s no-Slack policy
• (00:26:18) - Brigitte on launching just before the pandemic
• (00:28:15) - Alex recalls Brigitte’s COVID refund offer
• (00:32:05) - Alex commends Brigitte’s integrity in crisis
• (00:36:06) - Alex asks about Brigitte’s growth to 20 clients
• (00:39:54) - Brigitte admits to halting marketing efforts
• (00:43:44) - Brigitte explains her dislike for marketing tasks
• (00:47:13) - Alex relates to struggles with sales
• (00:52:13) - Alex questions targeting specific client groups
• (00:57:44) - Alex on translating values to the team
• (01:01:18) - Brigitte on scaling through early hires
• (01:05:43) - Brigitte shares her decision to close the agency
• (01:09:46) - Brigitte reflects on hating PR work
• (01:14:16) - Alex appreciates Brigitte’s candor
• (01:19:07) - Brigitte details the sale of her agency
• (01:26:54) - Brigitte introduces her new venture, Ops Whisperer

In this conversation, Sam Shepler discusses his journey from running a generalist video agency to founding Testimonial Hero, a productized service focused on customer storytelling through video testimonials and written case studies. He shares insights on navigating growth, adapting to challenges like COVID-19, and the importance of branding and talent retention. Sam also highlights the strategic acquisitions made to expand service offerings and the future direction of the company, emphasizing the need to embrace unpredictability and focus on cash flow management.

Takeaways

- Testimonial Hero focuses on customer storytelling through video testimonials and written case studies.
- The transition from agency to productized services requires mindset shifts and a focus on efficiency.
- COVID-19 forced innovation, leading to the development of remote video testimonials.
- Branding plays a crucial role in establishing credibility and attracting clients.
- Acquisitions can accelerate growth and expand service offerings.
- Maintaining cash reserves is essential for navigating unpredictable revenue months.
- A multi-brand strategy can increase customer lifetime value and retention.
- Attracting and retaining top talent is vital for success in the service industry.
- Understanding cash vs. accrual accounting is crucial for financial health.
- Embracing unpredictability allows for better decision-making and strategic growth.

Chapters

00:00 Revisiting the Journey: From 2019 to Present

03:08 The Evolution of Testimonial Hero

06:03 Mindset Shifts: From Agency to Productized Service

09:11 Navigating Growth: Major Milestones and Challenges

12:03 Adapting to Change: The COVID Pivot

15:07 Innovating for Success: Remote Video Testimonials

18:09 Competition and Collaboration: Acquisitions in the Industry

20:47 Financial Insights: Cash vs. Accrual Accounting

23:53 The Rollercoaster of Rapid Growth

27:06 Lessons Learned: The Importance of Timing and Market Conditions

38:34 The Illusion of Recurring Revenue

51:24 Strategic Acquisitions for Growth

01:01:38 Balancing Ambition and Lifestyle

01:02:45 Future Vision and Multi-Brand Strategy

My old pal and long-time former client, Jake Jorgovan, joins me to explore his journey of entrepreneurship, self-promotion, and the evolution of his business ventures in this episode of Where Are They Now?

We discuss the importance of personal branding, understanding customer needs, and the challenges of leadership in a growing business. We examine the emotional aspects of layoffs, the importance of resilience, and the necessity of risk management in business strategy. Jake shares insights from his experiences, emphasising the value of hiring competently and building skills to effectively manage teams and navigate the complexities of entrepreneurship.

Chapters

00:00 Lessons Learned: The Importance of Documentation
00:45 The Journey of Self-Promotion
02:02 From Pseudo Therapy to Legitimate Coaching
02:57 The Evolution of a Serial Entrepreneur
04:27 Early Ventures and Lessons Learned
06:39 Building a Personal Brand and Audience
07:58 Navigating Market Validation and Customer Engagement
10:00 The Importance of Market Research

10:31 Bonus - RESCUE(C) framework

R - Is there a recurring need that this product solves? If your product is one off, the score will be 1. If it is all recurring, then 3.

E - Does the problem you’re solving elicit emotion? Will your customer be angry if it doesn’t get solved or love you if it does? 1 for no reaction, 2 for meh and 3 for anger or I love you.

S - Can you see your product scaling to generate enough revenue to help you achieve your personal income goals? 1 for no and 3 for yes.

C - Is there a meaningful/significant hard and/or soft cost of not solving the problem your product intends to solve? 1 for no tangible impact, 3 for holy shit this is going to cost me a ton.

U - Is there an urgency to solve the problem? Can the customer just do nothing? If yes, score 1. If it matters, score 3.

E - Does the idea of working on this product excite you? Can you see it exciting you for more than a few months? 1 for nah, 3 for OMG this looks like a ton of fun.

C - Do you have conviction that you can do this and want to do it? 1 for nope, 3 for heck yeah.

Add up your score for a few ideas and you'll get a feel for how exciting the opportunity is, for you.

11:33 Understanding Platform Risks in Business
14:48 Solving Expensive Problems
15:54 Positioning and Client Profiles
18:51 The Benefits and Challenges of Upmarket Sales
21:00 A Day in the Life of a Multi-Business Leader
22:57 Leadership Lessons from Personal Experience
26:54 Navigating Layoffs and Emotional Resilience
28:33 Building a Resilient Business Structure
30:27 The Impact of Team Bonding and Personal Connections
33:57 Creating Opportunities for Others through Creativity
35:42 The Journey of Personal Growth and Resilience
38:01 Understanding Risk Management in Business
45:11 The Importance of Competency Before Hiring
54:29 Closing Thoughts and Future Directions