UNSCALE – The Counterintuitive Path To Agency Growth

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UNSCALE Your Agency

When most agency leaders say they want to “scale,” what they’re really asking for is simple: more revenue, more profit, and less client-focused work.

It’s the dream, right? But what if I told you the best way to achieve that dream isn’t by adding more clients, hiring more staff, or building out more systems? What if the key to “more” is actually… less?

Holy guacamole, welcome to the world of UNSCALE – a counterintuitive but transformative approach to agency growth.

The Myth of Scale

For as long as I’ve been in the agency world (30 years!), scale has been the holy grail of agency success.

The logic is straightforward: more clients equal more revenue, and more revenue equals more profit.

Except, it often doesn’t work that way.

Scale often leads to more complexity, thinner margins, and exhausted teams. Scale means agency leaders have to be skilled people managers & must create structures to support at team that usually grows in lock-step with revenue.

The grind of client acquisition, service delivery, and operational chaos can leave agencies chasing their tails while delivering diminishing returns. (Sound familiar?)

 

And now, thanks to AI and automation, the complexity just keeps piling on. Tools that were supposed to make life easier have instead leveled the playing field.

Your “proprietary process” isn’t worth a bunch if anyone with ChatGPT Plus & Google Sheets can test out a bunch of processes to find one that spits out decent results, how can  your agency stand out?

The old playbook – sell a proprietary process, implement it, and call it a day is officially toast.

So, WTF Is UNSCALE?

UNSCALE flips the script.

Instead of chasing more, it’s about focusing on BETTER.

Fewer clients, deeper relationships, and a strategic alignment that turns your agency into an indispensable partner—not just another service provider. It’s about:

  • Leveraging AI and technology to reduce soul-sucking, labor-intensive work.
  • Focusing on the clients you truly understand and (gasp) actually like.
  • Delivering work that’s not just effective, but transformative.
  • Leading clients to strategic outcomes, not just tactical wins.


In essence, UNSCALE is about tighter focus and deeper alignment which generates far better impact on your client’s business. It doesn’t mean fewer services, or fewer clients – it means better services and better clients.

Why UNSCALE Works

  1. AI Changes the Game: With AI tools, the barrier to entry for many marketing services has dropped faster than my attention span during a long webinar. What used to require a team of analysts and designers can now be done by one person with the right tools.
    Translation? Your value no longer lies just in execution but also what you do with the efficiency and deep insights these tools afford you. You need to flip your mind from the idea that AI is a productivity enhancer to AI is a capability enhancer.

 

  1. Strategic Differentiation: Forget selling your “proprietary process.” Nobody cares. (Harsh? Maybe. True? Absolutely.) The agencies that thrive today deeply understand their clients’ businesses and deliver meaningful, measurable impact. It’s strategy over SOPs, every time.

 

  1. Client Relationships Matter More: Clients want more than results – they want a partner who can guide them, challenge them, and grow with them. UNSCALE prioritizes partner type relationships over point solution vendors. UNSCALE is geared around creating trust and loyalty that no off-the-shelf system can replicate.

 

  1. Operational Focus: By working with higher-value, better-aligned clients, your team can focus on delivering exceptional results without running around like caffeinated squirrels. This creates a more sustainable and (dare I say) enjoyable work environment.

The UNSCALE Framework

To adopt an UNSCALE mindset, your agency needs to make 3 key shifts:

  1. Laser Focus on Strategic Impact
    Move beyond KPIs and platform metrics. Clients don’t really care about their CTR or ROAS in isolation. They care about the business impact…you know, fun stuff like revenue growth, profitability, market share, etc. Your job is to connect the dots between what you do and what they care about most. (Hint: It’s usually not your pretty charts.)

  2. Become a Better Leader
    UNSCALE isn’t just about your clients… it’s about your team, too. As the agency leader, you must:
    -> Create clarity around your vision and goals.
    -> Build a culture of accountability and autonomy. (Let your team own stuff!)
    -> Invest in your team’s expertise and authority.
    -> Step back from day-to-day execution and focus on running the business. (Yes, that means less “doing” and more “leading.”)

  3. Build Deeper Client Relationships
    Stop being an order-taker and start being a strategic partner. This means:
    -> Challenging your clients when needed (even if it’s awkward).

    -> Collaborating with their internal teams and other agencies.
    -> Becoming more patient and focused, prioritizing long-term value over quick wins. (Spoiler Alert: Patience pays off.)

The Core Values of UNSCALE

UNSCALE isn’t just a strategy — it’s a mindset. To truly embrace it, your agency has to internalize these principles:

  • Humility: Recognize that you don’t need to be everything to everyone. Focus on where you can create the most impact.
  • Empathy: Understand your clients’ (and your team’s) challenges deeply and build solutions that truly help.
  • Cooperation: Work seamlessly with other teams, agencies, and stakeholders. (No ego, just results.)
  • Clarity: Define your value, values, and mission clearly and communicate it effectively. (No buzzwords, please
  • Joy: Find satisfaction in doing great work with great people. (Because life’s too short to hate your clients or be frustrated with your team.)

Why Now Is The Time To UNSCALE

The agency landscape has changed. The rise of AI and automation has commoditized many services. But what can’t be commoditized is human insight, creativity, and connection. UNSCALE allows your agency to thrive in this new environment by prioritizing what matters most.

  • More Deep Thinking: Less time spent on execution means more time for strategic analysis and creative problem-solving.
  • More Creativity: By narrowing your focus to your client’s business needs & your team’s growth, you create the space for fresh ideas and innovative solutions.
  • Better Insights: With better-aligned clients that you truly understand, you can dive deeper into their data and uncover transformative opportunities.
  • Stronger Relationships & LTV: When you work with clients who truly align with your agency’s strengths, the results speak for themselves.

Are You Ready to UNSCALE?

UNSCALE isn’t for everyone. It’s only for agencies willing to trade chaos for value, speed for depth, and breadth for focus.

It’s for leaders ready to prioritize what they do best and let go of the rest.

If that sounds like you, then maybe it’s time to get off the scaling hamster wheel and start to UNSCALE.

Because sometimes, the fastest way to grow is to slow down.




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