Podcast
GYDA - Grow Your Digital Agency
Hosted by GYDA - Robert Craven and Janusz Stabik · EN
GYDA (Grow Your Digital Agency) is a business consultancy that helps digital agency leaders run the agencies they want to run, so they can live the life they want to lead. We do this by using the mastermind process to spearhead agency growth.
The GYDA Talks Podcast includes interviews and discussions between Robert Craven, Janusz Stabik and Digital Agency Experts. Each podcast is full of knowledge to help you Grow Your Digital Agency.
19episodes
Episodes
Newest firstAll episodes
Why I Walked Away From My Own Agency After 10 Years with Paddy Moogan of Founder Focus
3w ago00:45:11Tap to summarizeIn this GYDA Talks, Rob talks to Paddy Moogan. Paddy is an advisor, coach, mentor (and occasional unofficial therapist!) for digital agency founders via his consultancy, Founder Focus. He currently supports a range of agencies to help them run and grow their business, whilst focusing on the person behind the agency. Before this, he was the co-founder of his own agency, which he stepped back from after 10 years.Here’s what they discussed:Insights into Agency Growth from 10 to 50 PeopleThe Impact of External Changes on Agency StrategyAgency Value Moving Beyond Digital MarketingThe Decision to Leave the AgencyMental Health Crisis and Agency ExitImpact of the Pandemic on Leadership and CultureExternal Pressure and the "Best Life" ImageThe Importance of Individual PurposeResetting Goals as a LeaderIdentifying the Sweet Spot for Agency SizeTakeaway Message: Do Not Underestimate Compounding Effects. Averting Compounding Effects Through Communication and Focus
Transcribe →The Exit Playbook: Growth, Acquisition, and Leadership Evolution with Tom Telford of Clarity
3w ago00:37:56Tap to summarizeIn this GYDA Talks, Rob talks to Tom Telford. Tom is Clarity’s Chief Digital Officer. He has been leading digital marketing teams for over 20 years. He started out in ‘dot coms’, way before the technology was able to meet the ambition of this new era! This has given Tom a unique set of expertise which underpins his position leading Digital Marketing teams globally.Rob and Tom discuss Tom’s journey through agency growth to acquisition and the evolution of leadership.The Growth and Acquisition of Three White HatsCurrent Scale of ClarityThe Process of Being AcquiredTransition and Changes in Roles and LocationDifferences Between Running a Small vs. Large AgencyChallenges in the Transition of LeadershipLessons Learned Regarding Metrics and DisciplineLeading Through the Acquisition of Three White HatsPersonal Development and Perspective on Freedom
Transcribe →You Don't Have To Be Gordon Gekko To Run a Great Business with Ade Holder of 427 Marketing
3w ago00:40:34Tap to summarizeAde Holder is an SEO consultant/expert and speaker, business owner, surfer and advocate of all things positive. After years in print and digital sales as well as management, and then into agency account management, he felt it was time to start something on his own, and 427 Marketing was the result.427 Marketing is now in its 7th year and is still consistently delivering results and high-quality SEO for our wonderful clients.Over the years, Ade has become a business owner with less time to get his hands dirty, but still adores SEO strategy and content work, as it is so fundamental to the success of almost all businesses.—In this GYDA Talks, Rob and Ade discuss:Strategic Planning and FlexibilityApproach to Artificial Intelligence (AI)Client Perception and AI ImplementationClient-Centric Value and SEODemonstrating Commercial Return and AttributionClient Communication and ReportingDiverse Client Base and Agency PositioningRoutes to Market and Growth StrategyEthical Capitalism and Workplace CulturePersonal Definition of SuccessBrave Decisions in EntrepreneurshipEmbracing Delegation and Change2025 Success and 2026 FocusSources of Leadership SupportFinal thoughts from Ade: Authenticity and Organic Growth: Be authentic, as "not being myself is not sustainable," and approach clients and the team with openness and honesty. Ade also advised treating the business as a "living thing" that should be allowed to evolve organically, noting that change and new opportunities can come from unexpected directions.
Transcribe →The Power of Niche for Winning in Risk-Averse B2B Sectors with Pamela Miller from AB FiftyOne
3w ago00:45:54Tap to summarizePamela Miller runs AB Fiftyone, a digital agency specialising in traditional, technical B2B sectors. Helping energy, engineering and manufacturing companies boost visibility, build trust and stand out in crowded markets. She’s known for turning risk-averse businesses into confident, modern brands that communicate clearly and win more work.AB Fiftyone specialises in servicing the supply chain and operators within the energy sector, including renewables, oil, and gas. This niche is highly technical and risk-averse. Pamela explains how she ended up in this niche.In this GYDA Talks, Rob and Pamela talk about the benefits of niching down.They discuss:The services AB Fiftyone provides… which go beyond digital marketing to include marketing strategy, marketing audits, and even touch on data and business process engineering. For example, they help clients make lengthy tenders easier to consume and pull out important, non-technical information for decision-makers in cost and procurement.Why sectors like energy are risk-averse:High stakes are involved, such as potential oil spills and environmental disasters.Concerns about people on oil rigs using phones and potentially showing safety issues (like not having the right PPE on).The complexity of client relationships, where multiple companies (contractors, employees) may be involved on a site, and some don't want to be seen.Protecting innovation and unique processes from competitors.How decision-makers are getting younger and looking for different marketing approaches, warning against waiting too long, citing the Blockbuster and high street bank analogies.Why boardrooms and industry bodies need to be ino review their social media policies.Why any sector with a technical component, such as lawyers and accountants, can share similar risk-averse characteristics due to the difficulty of explaining complex acronyms and concepts in layman's terms.Pamela's final takeaway is that she was initially "anti-niche," but if an agency can confidently show up with sector experience, understand pain points, industry politics, and terminology, it is stronger than trying to generalise. She advises agencies to look at their existing client base and see if they have a strong percentage in one sector to investigate doubling down.
Transcribe →How to Attract Dream Clients with Matt Essam
Mar 1100:50:24Tap to summarizeIn this GYDA Talks, Robert talks to Matt Essam, a creative business coach, author, and speaker who helps creative studio founders and service-based business owners attract better clients and grow with confidence. He’s known for practical frameworks such as his Partnership Playbook™, that turn relationship-building into a consistent client-attraction strategy.With over a decade of experience, Matt combines mindset, strategy, and real-world outreach tactics to help creatives charge their worth and build sustainable, fulfilling businesses. He also shares insights through content, coaching, and his Creative Courage podcast, supporting founders to step into clear, confident leadership.Matt and Robert discuss the challenge agencies face in differentiating themselves and why creatives often struggle to attract the right clients despite being highly talented, a problem often stemming from prioritising delivery over marketing.Matt talks through his three-pillar model for attracting dream clients: defining the ideal client, creating a low-risk offer (like a scorecard) to provide a "taste" of value, and leveraging partnerships to bypass the lengthy process of building trust.And they wrap up with a discussion around the core mindset shift, which involves focusing communication on the client's current struggles rather than the agency's services, requiring agencies to articulate the client’s problems better than they can themselves.Topics covered:Client StrugglesMarketing Gaps in the Creative IndustryThe Dilemma for Small Agency OwnersThe Talent Limit and Marketing CompetenceThe First Mindset Shift: Focus on Client ProblemsAgency Engagement at the Decision-Making ProcessArticulating Client Problems for TrustThe Three Pillars for Attracting Dream ClientsWhoOfferPartnershipCase Study: The Sponsorship Assessment ScorecardThe Low-Risk Offer and Sales ApproachThe Partnership Pillar: Shortcut to TrustKey Takeaways and Golden Nuggets"Somebody somewhere today woke up with exactly what you need"Agencies must "be able to articulate your ideal client's problems better than they can" by focusing on the client's experience, not their productAccess Matt's Studio Leadflow System here:https://resources.mattessam.co.uk/studioleadflowsystem
Transcribe →Inside the Deal: Scaling, Rebranding, and Rebuilding an Agency to £4M+ with George Blandford, Ology Group
Mar 1100:49:32Tap to summarizeIn this GYDA Talks, Rob talks to George Blandford, co-owner of the Ology Group. Specialising in different approaches to authority gain. 10+ years of experience in this sector. International speaker, trainer and oxygen consumer.Robert and George discuss scaling and rebranding agencies UK Linkology and Reachology to over £4 million in turnover.George talks through their strategy of leveraging business partnerships, securing equity deals and fractional CMO roles in other ventures, and implementing a "blue ocean" product positioning strategy to rebuild client trust in the digital industry.They highlight the importance of delegation for strategic thinking and the contrast between George’s business-person approach and that of a typical "technician" agency owner.Topics covered:Deal-Making and Entrepreneurial ApproachBenefits of Business PartnershipsGeorge's Diverse Business PortfolioClient Value Perspective from Business OwnershipLeveraging Fractional CMO and Equity DealsAddressing Risk and Confidence in Marketing AgenciesStructuring Equity PartnershipsProduct Positioning and Blue Ocean StrategyRebuilding Trust in the Digital IndustryUnderstanding Customer Acquisition Cost and Lifetime ValueThe Scaling and Rebranding Journey of LinkologyGrowth Challenges and Future StrategyThe Importance of Strategic Thinking and Delegation
Transcribe →Liberating The Profit Locked in Poor Lead Generation Process with Jon Payne of RevOps
Mar 1100:29:58Tap to summarizeIn this GYDA Talks, Rob talks to Jon Payne… a "Totally unemployable" RevOps Consultant and Fractional Commercial Director.‘It's called RevOps these days, but since 1998, I've been helping businesses grow through the creation and execution of digital strategies across marketing, sales and customer service, particularly around websites and, increasingly, HubSpot.’Rob and Jon discuss:Defining RevOpsRevOps and Agency GrowthSystematising the Sales ProcessImproving Lead Nurturing and QualificationForecasting and Deal PrioritisationKey Takeaways and Final AdviceProfit is often locked in an agency's sales pipeline due to poor conversations or letting leads slip away… a systematic approach and better conversations, focusing on the client's real motivators (like buying a house in Italy), are essential for unlocking this profit and gaining referrals.
Transcribe →Pricing, Positioning & Pitching - Blair Enns on How Agencies Must Evolve
Mar 1100:43:34Tap to summarizeBlair Enns is the founder of Win Without Pitching, the sales training organisation for expert advisors and practitioners.Author of three books, The Four Conversations: A New Model for Selling Expertise (2024), Pricing Creativity: A Guide to Profit Beyond the Billable Hour (2018) and The Win Without Pitching Manifesto (2010).Co-host, along with David C. Baker, of the podcast 2Bobs: Conversations on the Art of Creative Entrepreneurship.Advocate of integrity-based selling and value-based pricing, serving those who are experts first and salespeople second.In this GYDA Talks, Rob was joined by Blair to gain his insight into how agencies must evolve, with a focus on pricing, postioning and pitching.They discussed:Challenges in Agency Sales and MarketingProduction-Oriented vs. Market-Led MindsetImpact of AI on AgenciesPricing Models in the Age of AI"Win Without Pitching" Relevance"The Four Conversations" ModelChallenges in Adopting the New Sales ModelBlair Enns' Future PlansKey Advice: Specialisation and Pricing.
Transcribe →How To Write The Perfect Digital Marketing Plan with PR Smith
Feb 200:41:04Tap to summarizeIn this podcast, Robert talks to PR Smith, who elaborates on the SOSTAC® framework's components, its application in agencies, the importance of 90-day review cycles, and the role of AI in planning, emphasising careful strategic use.We also discussed overcoming resistance to SOSTAC®, its long-term impact since 1993, and the critical need for a customer-centric approach in all business endeavours, directing agencies to free resources on sostac.org and a weekly AI chat.SOSTAC® Framework Audience and BenefitsPaul Smith's Background and SOSTAC® originsSOSTAC® Framework ComponentsApplying SOSTAC in AgenciesSOSTAC® Planning and Review CyclesAI Integration in SOSTAC®Creative AI Prompting and Strategy WeaknessesEffective Controls and KPIs in SOSTAC®Overcoming Resistance to SOSTAC®Longevity and Impact of SOSTAC®Customer-Centric ApproachSOSTAC® Resources for Agencies
Transcribe →GYDA State of the Nation for Q1 2026 with Robert Craven
Jan 2600:34:43Tap to summarizeRobert Craven presents the "GYDA State of the Nation for Q1 2026," characterising the market as volatile. He emphasised that "trust is your superpower" for agencies facing AI, outdated business models, and low growth and goes on to detail winning strategies like niche specialisation and service expansion to possibly become "transformation partners." Robert concludes with an action plan for leaders to pivot from "traffic to trust" and drive decisive action.Topics covered:State of the Nation and Market VolatilityAI, Trust, and Market OutlookCurrent Reality and Benchmark ChallengesWinner Strategies and VUCA Version TwoResearch Insights and Strategic ShiftsLeadership and Trust as a SuperpowerAgile Leadership and AI Trust DilemmaProblem Identification and Action PlanFinal Thoughts on Leadership
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