In this episode of Retained Trust, host Karl Hughes reconnects with Kurt Schnakenberg, founder of adbm.agency, to reflect on the agency’s growth, challenges, and pivotal lessons from its first 1.4 years. Kurt discusses the reality behind setting ambitious goals, reaching 300% growth, and shifting from founder-led sales to building a structured sales team. They explore the evolving product strategy, team dynamics, and the delicate balance of expansion and focus. Kurt also shares why reducing churn became a top priority—and how the sales flywheel reshaped his thinking. Tune in for a candid look at what it takes to grow an early-stage agency without losing momentum.

Key Points From This Episode:

[00:00:04] Karl welcomes Kurt Schnakenberg back to the show.

[00:00:48] Kurt shares that adbm.agency is tracking toward 300% growth this year.

[00:01:15] They discuss the mindset behind ambitious goal setting and growth.

[00:02:13] adbm.agency's current placement numbers and where they stand against targets.

[00:02:46] Why Kurt still supports audacious goal setting despite falling short.

[00:04:24] Transitioning away from founder-led sales and the lessons learned.

[00:05:33] Kurt explains the importance of consistency and momentum in sales.

[00:08:26] How autonomy and team ownership are shaping adbm.agency’s sales structure.

[00:09:15] The reality of building teams with varying strengths and ambitions.

[00:09:58] Kurt discusses expanding beyond the building industry and offshore staff.

[00:12:22] Piloting domestic recruiting as a potential service line.

[00:13:38] Karl reflects on how new service lines complicate operations.

[00:14:51] What worked: pausing growth to reduce churn and invest in quality.

[00:16:03] Why businesses can’t fix everything at once—and shouldn’t try to.

[00:16:55] Kurt explains shifting toward higher ROI expectations for investments.

[00:19:00] How a simple income statement reframed internal decision-making.

[00:19:38] Kurt recommends reading on the sales flywheel from Harvard Business Review.

[00:51:13] Final thoughts on resilience, persistence, and taking action to grow your agency.

Links:

adbm.agency: https://adbm.agency/
Kurt Schnakenberg: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kurtschnakenberg/
Karl Hughes on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/karllhughes
Production and editing by The Podcast Consultant: https://thepodcastconsultant.com

Scaling Smart: Inside adbm.agency’s First 1.4 Years