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PODCAST

Agency Leadership Podcast

Chip Griffin and Gini Dietrich

The Agency Leadership Podcast provides insights for agency owners and executives. Co-hosts Chip Griffin and Gini Dietrich share practical advice and industry news relevant to PR and marketing agency leaders.

business management

All Episodes

21:04

Five words every agency owner needs to understand

Agency Leadership Podcast ·

2026/04/07

Most agency owners spend a lot of time thinking about growth, clients, and revenue. Far fewer think carefully about the words that define how they actually operate their businesses. In this episode, Chip and Gini dig into five of those words: leadership, management, accountability, responsibility, and authority. Leadership and management aren't the same thing. Leadership is about vision and getting people to follow you. Management is about making the work happen. Knowing which one you're stronger

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24:14

300 episodes in: what's changed, what hasn't, and...

Agency Leadership Podcast ·

2026/03/31

Eight years and 300 episodes later, Chip and Gini take stock of what the Agency Leadership Podcast has actually been about and where their thinking has shifted since they sat down for lunch outside Wrigley Field and decided to start a show. Chip shares an AI-generated analysis of the 10 most common themes across 300 episodes. Gini distills them into four she considers non-negotiable: communication fixes most problems, know your numbers, focus on particular wins, and the owner sets the temperature

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20:41

Hire people who understand how to solve problems

Agency Leadership Podcast ·

2026/03/24

Most hiring processes obsess over the wrong things. Do they know our project management software? Are they proficient in this specific tool? Meanwhile, the one capability that actually determines whether someone will make your life easier or harder—their ability to solve problems independently—gets a cursory "are you a good problem solver?" question that everyone answers with "yes." In this episode, Chip and Gini break down why problem-solving ability should be the primary hiring criterion,

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19:36

Build the business you want to own, not the one you...

Agency Leadership Podcast ·

2026/03/17

Most agency owners have read Built to Sell. But many have internalized the wrong lesson from it—fixating on that final chapter where the protagonist drives off into the sunset with a pile of cash, rather than the actual business-building advice throughout the book. The result is owners spending years building businesses optimized for a sale that may never happen, or that won't deliver the outcome they're imagining. In this episode, Chip and Gini discuss Chip's "Build to Own" philosophy as a

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15:21

Holding companies discover retainers, call them...

Agency Leadership Podcast ·

2026/03/10

S4 Capital has announced a revolutionary new pricing model that will transform how agencies charge for their services: instead of billable hours, they're moving to... subscriptions. Fixed monthly fees. Annual contracts that auto-renew. All costs absorbed into the price rather than passed through as variables. You know, retainers. The pricing model most independent agencies have used for decades. In this episode (somewhat abbreviated due to Gini's technical difficulties), Chip and Gini dissect the

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22:47

The PESO Model evolves for the AI era (and why your...

Agency Leadership Podcast ·

2026/02/17

The PESO Model has been guiding smart communications strategies for over a decade, but the tactical landscape underneath it keeps shifting. In the latest evolution, Gini and her team have completely revamped the PESO Model Certification to address how AI and large language models are fundamentally changing visibility in 2026. In this episode, Chip interviews Gini about the newly updated certification and what's changed in how organizations should think about paid, earned, shared, and owned media

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25:28

Building the ideal agency: wrestling with the tough...

Agency Leadership Podcast ·

2026/02/10

David C. Baker recently published a fascinating thought experiment about what he'd do if starting an agency from scratch today—and it's packed with provocative ideas worth serious consideration. His article offers a comprehensive blueprint covering everything from organizational structure to compensation philosophy, and much of it aligns with how Chip and Gini think about building sustainable agencies. But the most interesting conversations happen when smart people disagree, which is why this

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23:36

Wake up or get left behind: AI is forcing your hand

Agency Leadership Podcast ·

2026/02/03

No more excuses. No more waiting to see how things play out. AI has moved past the experimental phase, and if you're still treating it like a nice-to-have rather than a fundamental shift in how your agency operates, you're already falling behind. In this episode, Chip comes out swinging with a wake-up call for the agency community: the ground is shifting faster than most are willing to admit, and the window for meaningful adaptation is closing. Gini backs him up with examples of how AI has

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20:39

Stop letting your website embarrass you

Agency Leadership Podcast ·

2026/01/20

You built an agency you're proud of. So why does your website still feature that glowing tribute to someone you wouldn't recommend today, or explain services you stopped offering three years ago? In this episode, Chip and Gini tackle the unsexy but critical task of auditing your agency's website content. They share practical approaches for identifying what needs updating, what deserves deletion, and how to prioritize your efforts when you're staring down hundreds (or thousands) of outdated pages

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20:24

Rediscovering your agency's founding spark

Agency Leadership Podcast ·

2026/01/13

In this episode, Chip and Gini discuss the importance of agency owners reflecting on the reasons they started their businesses and how those motivations can inform current strategies. They share personal anecdotes about the challenges and growth experiences in their early days of agency ownership. They emphasize the value of going back to basics, understanding what initially led to success, and aligning business strategies with personal passions and strengths. The duo also highlights the

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22:33

Embracing innovation to survive and thrive in 2026

Agency Leadership Podcast ·

2025/12/09

In this episode, Chip and Gini discuss the importance of strategic planning for 2026. As they near the end of 2025, they emphasize the need for agencies to set themselves apart and adapt to the evolving landscape, particularly through the effective use of AI. Despite ongoing economic challenges, they highlight the potential for AI to enhance both efficiency and strategic thinking. Chip and Gini also stress the importance of refining the ideal client profile and taking calculated risks. They share

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21:24

Balancing skills and personality when hiring a new...

Agency Leadership Podcast ·

2025/12/02

In this episode, Chip and Gini discuss the complexities of hiring in growing agencies. They highlight the challenges of finding skilled, reliable employees who align with agency values. Sharing personal experiences, Gini explains the pitfalls of hasty hiring and the benefits of thorough vetting and cultural fit. They stress the importance of a structured hiring process, including clear job roles, career paths, and appropriate compensation. They also underscore the value of meaningful interviews,

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15:40

Firing underperforming team members

Agency Leadership Podcast ·

2025/11/11

In this episode, Chip and Gini tackle the difficult subject of firing an underperforming and problematic employee. They discuss a real-life scenario where an employee with a bad attitude refuses to do their work, causing frustration among team members. They advise against prolonging the inevitable firing decision, suggesting that acting swiftly can alleviate overall team stress. Both hosts share insights on why Performance Improvement Plans (PIPs) are largely ineffective, stressing the need for

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21:13

AI myths agencies must avoid

Agency Leadership Podcast ·

2025/11/05

In this episode, Chip and Gini discuss the growing concerns surrounding AI in the agency world. They highlight the irrational fears and cyclical nature of technological disruptions, drawing comparisons to social media and content marketing trends of the past. The hosts argue against the notion that agencies should discount services due to AI efficiencies, emphasizing that AI should be seen as a tool to enhance productivity and strategic value rather than a cost-cutting measure. They stress that

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21:03

Do agency mission and values statements matter? And...

Agency Leadership Podcast ·

2025/10/28

In this episode, inspired by a newsletter from David C. Baker, Chip and Gini discuss the authentic motivations and realities behind agency mission statements and values. They emphasize that many agencies publish values that are either not reflective of their true operations or are overly broad and similar to others. The hosts stress the importance of being honest about the core purpose of a business and aligning public statements with actual behavior. They argue that values should stem from the

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21:38

Are you ghosting your own agency?

Agency Leadership Podcast ·

2025/10/21

In this episode, Chip and Gini discuss a Reddit post about an agency leader going MIA and the repercussions for the team. They elaborate on the importance of communication, perception, and flexibility for agency owners. The conversation includes personal anecdotes from both hosts, highlighting the need for frequent touchpoints, setting clear expectations, and maintaining a balance between taking personal time and being present for the team. They also stress the significance of transparency during

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19:50

Outbound sales & your agency

Agency Leadership Podcast ·

2025/10/07

In this episode, Chip and Gini address a listener's question about the opportunities for growing an agency through outbound sales. They discuss the challenges of outbound sales, particularly in a small agency environment, and highlight the importance of building relationships and a strong brand. Both suggest that agency owners focus on networking and proactive relationship-building rather than traditional cold calling. They emphasize a multi-faceted approach to business development that includes

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18:48

Avoiding your agency's own AI bubble

Agency Leadership Podcast ·

2025/09/30

In this episode, Chip and Gini discuss the impact of AI on small agencies, focusing on the high expectations and possible disappointments it poses. They reference a recent article from The Atlantic, which highlights a study showing that AI can sometimes decrease efficiency. They caution against overhauling business models based solely on AI's current capabilities, stressing that while AI can assist with tasks and improve efficiency, it cannot fully replace human judgment and creativity. The

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22:40

What to do when your client contact isn't the problem

Agency Leadership Podcast ·

2025/09/23

In this episode, Chip and Gini discuss how to handle situations when the problems affecting an agency's client relationship stem from external contacts like procurement, IT, or the sales team. They emphasize treating client contacts as allies and not enemies, and provide strategies to navigate bureaucratic hurdles and internal politics. The discussion covers creative problem-solving techniques such as using MSAs, having biweekly calls with VPs of Sales, and understanding cultural differences

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20:55

Stop providing solutions before understanding your...

Agency Leadership Podcast ·

2025/09/17

In this episode, Chip and Gini discuss the common practice of providing free proposals and baseline ideas to clients. They argue that professional service providers should charge for these services as doing so adds value and ensures a thorough diagnosis before providing solutions. They share personal experiences and compare the situation to doctors who would never prescribe treatment without proper tests. They emphasize the importance of understanding a client's business through a paid

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179 results

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