[Agency Guide] How to build an Agency Sales Process that protects your time and increases enterprise value

by Karl Sakas | May 22, 2026 | Optimize Your Sales Process, Attract Great Clients, Strengthen Client Relationships

Want a better sales process at your agency? Stop thinking of it as a way to close every possible deal. Instead, build a process that helps you decide which opportunities deserve your team’s limited time, attention, and expertise. That distinction matters. A weak sales...

New research: 58% of agency owners want to “fire themselves” within 5 years

by Karl Sakas | May 8, 2026 | Benchmarking & Optimization, Prepare to Sell, Work Less Earn More

I just analyzed the new 2026 Agency Core research—before it’s released more broadly. My biggest takeaway: 58% of agency owners want to “fire themselves” within the next 5 years. For many owners, that means selling to an external or internal buyer. For...

19 predictions for agencies in 2030, from agency industry veteran Karl Sakas for 2026

by Karl Sakas | May 4, 2026 | Scale Your Agency, Benchmarking & Optimization, Personal Growth & Development, Work Less Earn More

What will be different at agencies in 2030? Over the next five years, the answers could make—or cost—you millions of dollars. First, there are no guarantees. But I’ve focused 100% on agencies since 2010. My long-time colleague Diane was in the industry for 40+...

Your out-of-office (OOO) message is a leadership decision

by Karl Sakas | Apr 17, 2026 | Personal Growth & Development, Strengthen Client Relationships, Work Less Earn More

Most out-of-office messages are treated as a courtesy. I see them differently. For agency owners, an OOO message is the smallest—and safest—tests of whether the business can actually run without them. Who has authority while you’re away? Where do decisions go? And...

Why agencies struggle to scale—or sell—without an independent #2

by Karl Sakas | Mar 25, 2026 | Scale Your Agency, Build a Stronger Team, Work Less Earn More

Most agency owners don’t think they have a leadership problem. They think they have a delegation problem. Too many decisions still come to them. Too many escalations. Too much context switching. Time away requires over-preparing—and even then, they’re still checking...