Podcast
The Handbook: The Operations Podcast
Hosted by Scoro · EN
Running a serviced based business, an agency or consultancy isn’t just about great client work. It’s about keeping everything behind the scenes running smoothly.
That’s where The Handbook comes in. Our goal? To help you take your business to the next level of business maturity.
This podcast is for operations and service-business leaders who are juggling it all – people, processes, finance, tech, and everything in between.
Every other week, we dive deep into a specific challenge that businesses face as they grow in headcount and complexity. You'll get practical insights and real-world advice from experts who’ve been there, solved the problems, and know what works.
If you’re looking for smarter ways to scale, streamline, and strengthen your business, you’re in the right place. Welcome to The Handbook community, your go-to guide for better business operations.
And don’t forget to sign up for The Handbook newsletter – we’ll send you the key takeaways from each episode straight to your inbox: scoro.com/podcast/#handbook
The Handbook: The Operations Podcast is brought to you by Scoro.
29episodes
Episodes
Newest firstAll episodes
From 11% to 43% Net Profit – Fixing the Fundamentals with Robert Patin
Feb 2400:42:44Tap to summarizeYour numbers might look healthy.Revenue’s up. Projects are flowing. The pipeline feels… fine.But underneath? Margins are eroding. Cash is tighter than you’d like. And no one’s totally confident in the data they’re using to make decisions.In this episode of The Handbook, Harv Nagra sat down with finance and business ops advisor Robert Patin to unpack what’s really going on beneath the surface of many professional service businesses right now – and why operational maturity is the difference between surviving and thriving.Here’s what we dive into:📉 The financial red flags leaders consistently overlook – especially around forecasting, cash flow, and margin erosion📊 Why revenue is a vanity metric if your gross profit assumptions are wrong🧐 How to turn project postmortems into a pricing engine that actually improves over time🔄 The link between operational maturity and financial performance – and why finance and ops can’t sit in silos🧩 How data fragmentation creates “business whack-a-mole” and makes AI harder, not easier🤖 Why AI will increase pricing pressure – and how to get ahead of it before the market catches upThis conversation is a practical look at how to level up your maturity across finance, systems, and decision-making – so you can scale with confidence instead of guesswork.Additional Resources:👉🏽 Follow Robert on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/creative-agency-success 🌐 Robert’s resources for The Handbook listeners: https://creativeagencysuccess.com/handbook 👨🏽 Follow Harv on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/harvnagra/ 📈 Measure your business maturity and find out how to get to the next level: https://bit.ly/assess-business-maturity 📬 Stay up to date with regular ops insights. Subscribe to The Handbook: The Operations Newsletter: https://www.scoro.com/podcast/#handbook ➡️ This podcast is brought to you by Scoro, where you can manage your projects, resources and finances in a single system. Sign up for a free trial or a demo at https://scoro.com/demo – and for the VIP treatment, tell them Harv sent you.
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5 AI Guardrails COOs Need to Put in Place Today with Sharon Toerek
Feb 300:39:05Tap to summarizeAI is moving fast in professional services firms. And while most conversations focus on efficiency gains and new tools, the harder questions are around risk – ownership, liability, and what happens when AI use goes wrong.In this episode of The Handbook, Harv Nagra is joined by Sharon Toerek, a leading expert on IP and legal risk in the creative and consulting space, to unpack what AI really changes for operations leaders – and what needs to be in place to protect your businessHere’s what they dive into:📄 What actually happens to IP when work is human-created, AI-assisted, or fully AI-generated🔐 The data privacy risks agencies and consultancies often underestimate🧭 Sharon’s five-step framework for building an AI-ready workplace📝 How contracts, policies, and client conversations need to evolve as AI becomes operationalIf you’re an ops leader trying to balance innovation with risk, this episode is a practical reminder that AI governance isn’t a legal edge case anymore – it’s part of running a mature, well-managed operation.Additional Resources:👉🏽 Follow Sharon on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sharontoerek/ 🌐 Check out Sharon’s website: https://legalandcreative.com/ 👨🏽 Follow Harv on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/harvnagra/ 📈 Measure your business maturity and find out how to get to the next level: https://bit.ly/assess-business-maturity 📬 Stay up to date with regular ops insights. Subscribe to The Handbook: The Operations Newsletter: https://www.scoro.com/podcast/#handbook ➡️ This podcast is brought to you by Scoro, where you can manage your projects, resources and finances in a single system. Sign up for a free trial or a demo at https://scoro.com/demo – and for the VIP treatment, tell them Harv sent you.
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The 8 Systems Every COO Needs to Scale with Jason Swenk
Jan 1300:42:41Tap to summarizeMost service businesses don’t stall because of a lack of talent or ambition. They stall because the business quietly outgrows the systems it was built on.In this episode of The Handbook, Harv Nagra sits down with Jason Swenk – agency founder turned advisor who’s spent two decades helping agencies and consultancies scale with more confidence and less chaos. After building and selling his own eight-figure agency, Jason codified the patterns he kept seeing into an eight-system framework for predictable growth.We unpack why so many leadership teams feel stuck, what actually breaks as businesses scale, and how operators can help reset the foundations before things start to crack.Here’s what we get into:Why clarity, positioning, and offering are the foundations everything else depends onHow to move from reactive growth to a more deliberate, scalable operating modelThe difference between prospecting and sales – and why skipping steps causes pain laterHow delivery, ops, and leadership systems protect margins and give leaders time backWhat it really means to transition from founder mode to CEO modeWhether you’re an Ops Director, COO, or part of a leadership team trying to break through a growth ceiling, this conversation is a strong reminder that maturity isn’t about working harder – it’s about building the right systems at the right time.Additional Resources:👉🏽 Follow Jason on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasonswenk/ 💻 Jason’s website: https://jasonswenk.com/ 🎧 Jason's podcast: https://www.agencymastery360.com/podcast 👨🏽 Follow Harv on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/harvnagra/ 📈 Measure your business maturity and find out how to get to the next level: https://bit.ly/assess-business-maturity 📬 Stay up to date with regular ops insights. Subscribe to The Handbook: The Operations Newsletter: https://www.scoro.com/podcast/#handbook ➡️ This podcast is brought to you by Scoro, where you can manage your projects, resources and finances in a single system. Sign up for a free trial or a demo at https://scoro.com/demo – and for the VIP treatment, tell them Harv sent you.
Transcribe →One Question Before the Break – What Should We Tackle Next?
Dec 1700:02:02Tap to summarizeA short one to close out the year! 🎁No frameworks. No deep dives. Just a genuine thank you.Whether you found The Handbook last week or you’ve been listening since episode one, I wanted to reflect on the year and say how much I appreciate you making time for the show.This year I’ve had the chance to sit down with brilliant operators and leaders across agencies and consultancies, covering people, process, tools, data, and growth – all anchored by one belief: operational maturity is what lets professional service businesses scale without burning people out.I'd also love your input on what to tackle next!What should we go deeper on next year?What’s been most useful?What challenges are you dealing with right now?Please fill out the short survey below, and it genuinely shapes what comes next for the podcast.Survey: https://bit.ly/handbook25surveyHave a great holiday, and see you in 2026!
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Ops Quickie: Fixing the Sales-to-Delivery 'Black Hole'
Dec 900:02:52Tap to summarizeOps Quickies – snackable episodes on tech, tools, and systems. 🍿"Ballpark" is a dangerous word.Especially when Sales sells the dream, and Delivery is left living the nightmare.In this Quickie, Harv shares a real story from a consulting session with a 100+ person agency. They had the headcount and the revenue, but behind the scenes? It was pure chaos.We're talking manual spreadsheet reconciliation, "remembering" to log expenses, and invoicing based on memory rather than milestones.Harv breaks down why this "Chaotic Era" caps your growth and why moving to a PSA is the way to align what you sell with what you actually deliver.Stop running your business on memory. Start running it on data.
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Scaling Effort, Not Results? This is your wake-up call – with Michael Wark
Dec 200:35:19Tap to summarizeWhen your business feels busy but the numbers don’t back it up, something’s off.Agencies and consultancies often confuse effort with progress – and today’s guest has the data to prove it.In this episode of The Handbook, Harv Nagra sits down with fractional CFO and Trimline founder Michael Wark to unpack why so many service businesses hit revenue ceilings, run on thin margins, and stay stuck in that exhausting cycle of over-servicing.If you’ve ever wondered why more clients and more staff don’t automatically create more profit, this one’s for you.Here’s what we get into:The hidden math behind low profitability – and why over-servicing is usually the real culpritWhy headcount growth can become an ego metric (and why hiring your way out of inefficiency rarely works)How to diagnose your true unit economics and reset your pricing based on reality, not optimismThe operational signals your business is running harder in place rather than growingWhat healthy, scalable service businesses measure – and the benchmarks Michael looks for in top-performing firmsWhether you’re firefighting day to day or thinking seriously about scaling, Michael brings a clear, practical lens to understanding your numbers and building a healthier business.Listen to the full episode to hear the data, the patterns, and the playbook that can help you break the cycle. 🎧Additional Resources:👉🏽 Follow Michael on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/michael-wark-18627628/ 💰 Check out Trimline: https://trimline.co/ 📺 Check out Michael’s Youtube channel: https://www.youtube.com/@MichaelWarkTrimlineCFO 👨🏽 Follow Harv on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/harvnagra/ 📈 Measure your business maturity and find out how to get to the next level: https://bit.ly/assess-business-maturity 📬 Stay up to date with regular ops insights. Subscribe to The Handbook: The Operations Newsletter: https://www.scoro.com/podcast/#handbook ➡️ This podcast is brought to you by Scoro, where you can manage your projects, resources and finances in a single system. Sign up for a free trial or a demo at https://scoro.com/demo – and for the VIP treatment, tell them Harv sent you.
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Ops Quickie: AI isn't the threat. Flying blind is.
Nov 1800:02:23Tap to summarizeOps Quickies – snackable episodes on tech, tools, and systems. 🍿Flat demand, tighter budgets, squeezed margins. And AI is adding uncertainty on top of it all. But the real risk? It’s flying blind. If you don’t know what’s profitable, where time’s going, or what’s around the corner, every decision is a gamble.In this Quickie, Harv lays out how visibility and control de-risk your business – and why data beats gut feel when markets wobble. When the foundations are tight, AI becomes an amplifier, not a threat. If you're wondering how to make your professional service business more resilient, this one's for you.
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How to Run Annual Planning Like a CFO (Even If You’re Not One) with Adam Cooper
Nov 1100:35:16Tap to summarizeMost teams treat annual planning like a spreadsheet exercise.Finance builds the numbers. Everyone else nods along. Then the plan gets filed away until next year.But real planning isn’t about producing a static budget – it’s about creating a rhythm that connects finance, operations, and delivery all year round.In this episode of The Handbook: The Ops Podcast, Harv sits down with Adam Cooper, founder of ACC Finance Solutions and host of The Fractional CFO Show, to unpack how finance can become your business’s operating rhythm – one that brings clarity, accountability, and foresight to every decision.Here’s what we cover:How to use finance as your sat nav, not your rear-view mirrorBuilding a monthly rhythm that links financials, KPIs, and team accountabilityCreating a planning cycle that goes beyond budgets – with scenarios, reforecasts, and 3 - 5 year goalsManaging cash flow and runway with discipline (and less stress)Why financial storytelling matters – and how it helps the whole business make smarter choicesIf your annual planning still feels like a finance ritual, this episode will help you reframe it as an operating plan for the year ahead – one that helps your team navigate, adapt, and grow with confidence.Additional Resources:👉🏽 Follow Adam on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/adamfcooper/ 💰 Check out ACC Finance Solutions: https://www.accfinancesolutions.com/ 🎧 Listen to The Fractional CFO Show: https://www.buzzsprout.com/2275917/episodes 👨🏽 Follow Harv on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/harvnagra/ 📈 Measure your business maturity and find out how to get to the next level: https://bit.ly/assess-business-maturity 📬 Stay up to date with regular ops insights. Subscribe to The Handbook: The Operations Newsletter: https://www.scoro.com/podcast/#handbook ➡️ This podcast is brought to you by Scoro, where you can manage your projects, resources and finances in a single system. Sign up for a free trial or a demo at https://scoro.com/demo – and for the VIP treatment, tell them Harv sent you.
Transcribe →Mike Della Porta: How to elevate service delivery for scale
Jan 28, 2025Tap to summarizeWe’ve all had those moments, we land that huge new client – first comes the elation for winning the mandate that will transform our fortunes, and then the mild panic at how we’re going to deliver.There’s also times when what we do is simply just not that well understood across the organization – there might only be one internal expert, which creates a significant amount of risk for the business if they were to leave.That’s where assessing – and improving – your business capability maturity becomes critical.The good news? A business capability maturity model gives you a steer on how you can go from ‘figuring it out’, to something that’s a solid part of your agency’s remit and expertise, then to true innovation – through the prism of people, process, technology and information. In this episode, we’re chatting with Mike Della Porta – an award-winning tech and operations leader who’s been a COO, CTO, and CIO at one of the top independent marketing agencies in the US. Mike shares practical advice and lessons for agencies looking to scale sustainably.Here’s what we dive into:What each stage of business capability maturity looks like and what to consider at each Using tech and tools to scale smarterHow to get buy-in from your leadership team if they don’t understand the value of opsHow ops roles can become billable and provide value to clientsFollow Mike on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mike-della-porta/Follow Harv on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/harvnagra/Stay up to date with regular ops insights. Subscribe to The Handbook: The Operations Newsletter.This podcast is brought to you by Scoro, where you can manage your projects, resources and finances in a single system.
Transcribe →Building a systemized, codified, scalable sales engine with Ryan Hall
Dec 17, 202401:08:07Tap to summarizeIn a tight market, sales become a big concern. Relying on repeat business or referrals no longer cuts it, you have to put in more effort. Often in agencies, the know-how on how to get this done is missing; few people come from a formal sales background. So a haphazard approach is implemented and we hope for the best. Only that slapdash approach rarely gets the results we want. Is it time for the sales engine to be looked at as an ops challenge? We think so. In this episode of The Handbook: The Agency Operations Podcast, Harv Nagra speaks with Ryan Hall, founder of Friday Solved and a seasoned expert in building sales systems for agencies. With over 23 years of experience generating revenue and growing agencies—including two successful exits—Ryan shares practical insights on how to operationalize sales for consistent results.Here’s what Ryan shares in this episode:Why agencies struggle with sales: The pitfalls of relying too much on inbound leads and referrals.How to build a scalable sales engine: Breaking the funnel into actionable stages (top, middle, and bottom) and tailoring strategies for each.The importance of systemization: How the right processes, tools, and technology create predictable results.Sales as a blend of art and science: Why finding the balance between relationship-building and data-driven strategies is key.Ryan also explains how operational leaders can play a pivotal role in creating a culture of sales excellence and offers practical tips for getting started, including low-cost tools and strategies to build momentum.If you want to take control of your sales process and future-proof your agency’s pipeline, this episode is a must-listen.Follow Ryan on LinkedIn.Follow Harv on LinkedIn.Stay up to date with regular ops insights. Subscribe to The Handbook: The Operations Newsletter.This podcast is brought to you by Scoro, where you can manage your projects, resources and finances in a single system.
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