How to Build an Agency You Love Running (and One That Holds Value)

How to Build an Agency You Love Running (and One That Holds Value)

Author: Dorien Morin-van Dam April 2, 2026 Duration: 31:32

If you can't take a two-week vacation without your agency falling apart, you don't own an agency. You ARE the agency.

This week's guest Steve Guberman built one, sold one, and now coaches others to stop making that mistake.

In this episode of Strategy Talks, we will be talking about

  • what actually builds value,
  • what silently kills it,
  • and how to build something worth buying, and worth running.

This episode is your wake-up call.

→ Join the NEW Strategy Talks community here

00:00 You Are the Agency

01:20 Welcome to Strategy Talks

02:55 Owner Dependency Warning Signs

06:34 Delegation That Enables Growth

09:05 CEO Role and Focus

10:13 Copycat Goals vs Real Success

12:01 Profitability and Niching

13:45 What Buyers Really Value

14:57 AI Adoption Stages for Agencies

25:05 Sellable and Enjoyable Agency

Steve Guberman is the founder of Agency Outsight, where he helps agency owners build the business of their dreams—with clarity, purpose, and profit. A former agency founder who successfully exited his own firm, Steve now guides creative, marketing, and digital leaders through growth, positioning, and the complex decisions that come with scaling or selling an agency.

Drawing on his experience as both a coach and M&A advisor, he helps owners understand what truly drives long-term value—financially and personally. As host of the Agency Bytes podcast, Steve shares real stories and lessons from top agency leaders to help others grow with intention.

'Strategy Talks: Content Strategy for Small Teams', Season 5, is where content marketing meets real business results. Hosted by hands-on content strategist Dorien Morin-van Dam, each episode delivers a focused conversation with a guest expert who shares a specific, repeatable play. You'll leave with a clear problem definition and a set of steps you can take this week.

The Agency Owner's Audit

No fluff. No theory. Just strategy you can use.

New episodes each week! We stream live on LinkedIn, YouTube and Facebook.


Dorien Morin-van Dam knows what it's like to build a content engine without a massive budget or staff. In Strategy Talks: Content Strategy for Small Teams, she brings that practical, hands-on perspective to every conversation. This isn't about abstract theory; it's a direct line to operators who are in the trenches, sharing the specific, repeatable plays they use to turn thoughtful content into genuine business pipeline. Designed for founders, small teams, agencies, and solo consultants, each half-hour episode is tightly focused. You'll find discussions rooted in one of three critical areas: the fundamentals of content strategy and planning, the nuts and bolts of distribution and SEO, or the practical application of AI for content operations. The goal is always clarity-first, by defining a common problem many face, and then by unpacking a tangible solution. Listening to this podcast feels like having a seasoned strategist in your corner, cutting through the noise to deliver actionable insights you can apply almost immediately. If you're responsible for content but short on resources, these conversations provide the structured thinking and tactical advice to make your efforts more effective and less chaotic.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 100

Strategy Talks: Content Strategy for Small Teams
Podcast Episodes
The 1-Hour Content Strategy Game Plan for Marketers with Paul Banks [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 33:07
Imagine turning just 30 minutes of video into hundreds of engaging digital assets that boost your brand authority and drive leads. In this episode of Strategy Talks, Dorien Morin-van Dam and Paul Banks, founder of Javeli…
How To Find Your Perfect Niche No Matter What You Sell [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 31:21
In business and in life, Finding your perfect niche is like finding the missing piece to a puzzle. It completes the picture, gives you direction, and makes everything click into place.Join Dorien and this week's guest fo…
The B2B Brand Building Strategies Used By Successful B2B Marketers [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 29:55
Marketers! As we close out 2024 and plan for 2025, you need to know what B2B brand-building strategies work, right? In this episode of Strategy Talks, you'll find out why 'Human Brands Win'! ★★★★★ Are you grappling with…
It's Time To Stop Chasing Marketing Hacks and Just Do The Work! [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 31:22
Are you tired of chasing the latest social media trends and following 'gurus' who do nothing on social media but repeat hacks and proclaim success? Join me for Strategy Talks as I sit down with Mallie Hart to debunk the…
The Importance of Taking Creative Risks to Scale your Business [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 32:04
Taking risks in marketing is inherently scary (and risky), and we don't always get buy-in from stakeholders to be creative. Then how do we move forward to scale if we are stuck in a box of what we are perceived to be doi…