In this episode, Mike Kolev (CEO & co-owner of Carbon Box Media) breaks how they actually scale an agency without the founder being glued to delivery. Also how they rebuilt systems fast, hired people who can think, and used AI where it actually matters. If you run an agency and want learn how to use AI to create real leverage this is is definitely for you. We cover: AI Hiring high performance talent Leadership Team Speed of execution Mike Kolev: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mihajlokolev/ Romans Ivanovs: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rjivanovs/

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A lot of agency founders still believe they need to scale to $10M+, hire 80+ people, or chase a $1M EBITDA target before anyone will ever buy their business. Jonathan Smith — founder of Catch (acquired via a private-equity backed deal) and Managing Partner at Draft Partners says that’s complete nonsense. In this episode, we break down why the next 5 years belong to small, specialised, profitable agencies, not bloated teams chasing vanity scale. We go deep on: – The myth of “you need $1M EBITDA to exit” – Why buyers prefer lean, niche, high-margin shops – How founders trap themselves in the treadmill of delivery – How AI is making 10-person teams more powerful than 100-person teams – How to design an agency you can eventually step out of (and sell) If you’re an agency owner thinking about growth, scale, or a future exit — this conversation will save you years of pain. Powered by Big Growth Group. https://www.biggrowthgroup.com/ Connect with: Jonathan Smith: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jonathanrsmith/

Romans Ivanovs: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rjivanovs/

He's responsible for 200% growth YoY inside multiple agencies. Currently a Chief Commercial Office and Board Director at Embryo. James Guérin is on the Big Growth Show. This is THE FIRST time we’ve properly gone deep on the commercial side of agency leadership. And trust me, James delivers the blueprint. 🎙️We unpack:

- A must-do shift moving from founder-led to team-led sales

- Weekly non-negotiables for outbound & relationship building

- The 80/20 psychology rule of commercial success

- What it really takes to win large clients

- Red flags in pitch decks and sales process Connect with James Guérin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/james-guerin/ Romans Ivanovs: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rjivanovs/ Brought to you by Big Growth Group

https://www.biggrowthgroup.com