Scaling Together with Josh and Yesenia Nelson

Why Hitting $1M Is Not the Finish Line

Most agency owners think reaching seven figures means the hard part is over. But the bottlenecks between $1M and $10M are just as real, they just look different. In this episode of Scaling Together, we get into the churn problem that sneaks up on growing agencies, how decision making has to evolve at scale, what true leadership accountability looks like, and how to build a team that can actually carry you to eight figures. They also share what they are seeing with AI taking a real seat at the leadership table in the agencies that are ahead of the curve. Timestamps: * 0:00 – Intro: The churn problem that sneaks up on you * 0:37 – Welcome and episode overview * 1:04 – Why agencies plateau at one to three million * 2:03 – The churn math every agency owner needs to know * 3:01 – The levers to push through the plateau * 3:43 – Three revenue movers regardless of size * 5:16 – Top three moves to improve retention * 6:21 – Decision making at scale * 7:04 – Leadership accountability between seven and eight figures * 9:12 – When a leader is no longer the right fit * 10:28 – The promotion mistake agencies keep making * 13:35 – How metrics shift as you grow * 15:15 – What a strong team looks like at $5M plus * 16:38 – AI taking a seat at the leadership table * 18:30 – Closing thoughts

The Agency Plateau Nobody Warns You About, And How To Escape It

Most agency owners hit $30K to $50K/month and stop growing. Not because they're lazy, but because they're caught in the wrong patterns. In this episode, Josh and Yesenia break down the mindset traps, delayed decisions, and operational habits keeping digital marketing agencies stuck, and what the ones who break through actually do differently. From letting go of fulfillment to embracing AI at every level of your team, this one is packed with hard-won perspective from over 500 agencies. Books referenced: Secrets of the Millionaire Mind (T. Harv Eker) / The E-Myth Revisited (Michael E. Gerber) / The Goal (Eliyahu M. Goldratt and Jeff Cox) Timestamps: * 0:00 – Intro: The $30K to $100K plateau * 0:53 – Patterns that keep you busy but not growing * 1:30 – Doing vs. delegating * 2:30 – The missing focus on sales and business development * 3:00 – Mindset shifts that unlock the next level * 4:17 – Identity, trust, and why letting go is hard * 5:47 – Why the expensive leadership hire pays for itself * 6:23 – The "invisible thermometer" concept * 7:30 – Why getting in uncomfortable rooms changes everything * 7:47 – Decisions agency owners delay too long * 8:33 – How AI is making founders the bottleneck again * 9:37 – Training your whole team on AI * 10:32 – Getting the founder out of fulfillment * 11:22 – Becoming an AI growth partner * 12:37 – The fastest move to break a plateau today * 13:47 – The 3 revenue levers every agency owner must know * 15:00 – Closing thoughts

If We Had to Start Over Tomorrow, Here's What We'd Do First

If We Had to Start Over Tomorrow, Here's What We'd Do First | Scaling Together PodcastWhat would you do if you had to rebuild your agency from scratch today?No audience.No referrals.No momentum.Just your experience and a fresh start.In this episode of the Scaling Together Podcast, Josh and Yesenia Nelson break down the exact steps they would take if they had to start over in today’s market. From niching down and landing clients to leveraging AI and building systems that create real freedom, this episode is packed with practical lessons for agency owners who want to scale smarter.Whether you're trying to get to your first $10K/month or build a true seven-figure agency, this conversation will help you focus on what actually matters.⏱️ Timestamps00:00 – Intro01:42 – What we’d focus on first if we started over05:18 – The biggest mistakes agency owners make early on09:47 – Why niching down changes everything14:36 – The fastest way to start landing better clients19:12 – Building authority instead of chasing prospects24:05 – What AI changes for agencies in 202629:41 – Systems vs hustle34:27 – The key to long-term client retention39:18 – Building an agency that creates freedom44:02 – Final advice for agency owners rebuilding todaySubscribe for more episodes on scaling your agency, increasing retention, building systems, and creating real freedom through your business.🌐 Learn more about Seven Figure Agency:https://www.sevenfigureagency.com

How To Build a Team That Actually Scales Your Agency

In this episode of the Scaling Together Podcast, we dive deep into one of the most challenging aspects of growing an agency: hiring, firing, and team leadership. We share the exact moment we realized our business was real, the 5 crucial things most agencies miss during the interview process, and why keeping a "B-player" around too long is costing you more than you think. What You'll Learn: •The 5 things we look for in every interview (that most people miss). •How to spot red flags and trust your gut before making a bad hire. •Why hiring someone just like you might be a disaster for your agency. •How to handle culture misfits and why "firing fast" is real. •The difference between A, B, and C players, and how to handle the tricky "B players." •Two massive hiring truths we wish we knew 10 years ago. If you're an agency owner struggling to build a team, dealing with a bad hire, or trying to figure out how to hire future leaders, this episode is packed with actionable advice. Timestamps (00:00 ) - Introduction: Hiring, Team Leadership, & Growing the Organization (01:13) - The First Hire That Changed the Trajectory of Our Business (02:05) - 5 Things Most Agencies Miss When Interviewing Candidates (03:39) - Trusting Your Gut & Spotting Red Flags Early (04:56) - A Hire That Looked Perfect on Paper But Was a Disaster (06:56) - How to Handle a Team Member Who Isn't a Culture Fit (08:58) - Setting Expectations on Core Values Before Hiring (10:39) - How Long is Too Long to Keep a Bad Hire? (11:45) - Dealing with A, B, and C Players (The "B Player" Trap) (13:17) - Two Hiring Truths We Wish We Knew 10 Years Ago (15:00) - Final Thoughts & Wrap Up

Who You Have to Become to Scale

🚀 Who do you have to become to scale your business? Growth isn't just about strategy, it's about identity transformation. Here's what we learned: Key shifts required: • From doing it all → Building trusted leaders • From superhero syndrome → Empowering your team • From hoarding vision → Transparent communication • From reactive → Ruthless with your time The truth? The boring is what scales. 🎯 Consistency + strategic change = sustainable growth What we implemented: ✅ Quarterly addresses for full team buy-in ✅ All meetings on ONE day (hello, deep work!) ✅ Elevated our COO to focus on 10x activities The hardest part? Letting go of what made you successful to become who you need to be next. What version of yourself do you need to let go of to scale? Drop it below 👇 If you'd like to get more ideas & strategies for growing your digital marketing agency, I'd like to invite you to join my Facebook Group. Connect with me and 10,000+ other digital marketing agency owners. To Join The Facebook Group click here - https://www.sevenfigureagency.com/group. Chapters: 00:00 - The Need for Change to Scale 00:43 - Building Trust Through Transparency 01:01 - Who You Have to Become to Scale 01:56 - Shifting from Doing Everything to Empowering Leaders 02:31 - The Importance of Building Trust with Your Team 03:31 - Creating Buy-In Through Quarterly Addresses 04:29 - Transparency When Letting People Go 06:08 - Letting Go of the Superhero Mentality 07:01 - Developing Consistency as a Leader 08:00 - Internal Resistance During Growth 09:09 - Balancing Consistency with Innovation 09:40 - Focusing on Your Genius Zone 11:09 - Restructuring Time for Deep Work 12:00 - Elevating and Delegating Responsibilities 13:01 - Closing Thoughts and Call to Action #mindset #success #digitalmarketing