How to

Grow a Strong Business

Why business fail

• So a project managers act as intermediates between the team and the client.

• Many agencies building a wall around what they're doing and leave the client on the other side - which makes them uneasy.

• There's a great demand for technical talent in today's market, which makes switching to a better job extremely easy.

• Also, when a developer/designer gets tired of working for someone else, being paid peanuts, and dealing with bad management - they start an agency of their own; and the cycle repeats.

High Turnover

• Agencies lose money on projects because they work more than they charge due to bad organization, last minute changes, scope creep, subpar processes, etc.

• A badly run agency can last for a surprisingly long time before it dissolves (or gets acquired by a bigger agency) and fthe ounders start another company (hoping they’ll get it right this time).

Unprofitability

• Technology is constantly changing and agencies who are initially agile don't stay that way for long.

• They don't innovate and get better. As a result, they get complacent and become happy with churning out the same work again and again until they become a shell of their former self.

• They slowly lose clients as they stop doing the things that got them hired in the past - which are great ideas and execution.

Deteriorating Quality

• A typical agency doesn't have the time to think and develop a long-term strategy because it’s consumed by everyday activities.

• The teams are constantly in crunch, catching up with deadlines and work.

• And the work is always given priority because reflection isn't a billable activity. So they keep taking new projects instead of taking a time-out, catching their breath, and checking if they're not heading over a cliff.

Project Myopia

• The more an agency grows, the more managers it hires. As a result, processes get sluggish and costs increase;

• Suddenly, there are several communication layers between clients and teams, meetings and interruptions abound, and nothing gets done.

• An agency that initially had 1 manager for 12 workers ends up with 100 people - and 1 manager for every 3 workers.

Too Many Layers

3 elements of strong businesses

• At the base of the pyramid is the philosophy that inspires everything you do. It's the foundation on which you base how you work and think. People and processes are built on top of the philosophy and they are its visible manifestation.

• Truly great companies are **constantly trying to improve** in all things, no matter how small they seem. When you reward someone because of a tiny improvement, you send a clear message that no improvement is too small, which in turn leads to bigger ones.

Improvement Philosophy

• The philosophy is the underlying foundation of your company but the people are its physical manifestation.

• Digital agencies are not like classic businesses where the talent is concentrated at the top; in agencies, the talent is concentrated in the middle to lower parts of the organization, as those people actually deliver the work.

• An organization is nothing without its people as they bring the system and values to life by working, communicating, resolving issues, and growing together.

• They should be the main engine behind improvements as they're the ones in the trenches every day and know the process better than the management.

Empowered People

• At the top of the pyramid are standardized processes you use.

• They are designed to help your people be more productive and get things done, while leaving room for continuous improvement.

Lean Processes

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