AgencyHabits provides learnings, ideas, and templates for agency operators drawn from Barrel Holdings companies. Barrel Holdings incubates, acquires, and grows agency businesses.
Introducing The AgencyHabits Podcast
We dive into org charts, partnerships, cash flows, and the leadership shifts that separate a shop that burns out from one that scales sustainably. If you’ve ever thought “Am I the only one dealing with this?,” this podcast is your answer. P.S. If you found value here, leave a review or share it with a fellow agency leader. It’s fuel for this work. Who are we? Hi, we're Peter and Sei-Wook, co-founders of Barrel Holdings, a portfolio of agency businesses. We also run AgencyHabits, a resource for agency operators featuring lessons learned from our various agency businesses. Thanks for being a subscriber. If you or anyone you know is interested in selling their agency business, please check out what types of agencies we're looking for and email hi@barrel-holdings.com. Also: Peter posts a lot of agency content on LinkedIn, give him a follow!
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AgencyHabits
AgencyHabits provides learnings, ideas, and templates for agency operators drawn from Barrel Holdings companies. Barrel Holdings incubates, acquires, and grows agency businesses.
Most founders resist narrowing their focus. It feels like saying no to opportunity. But what actually happens when you specialize is the opposite, you create leverage. In this week’s AgencyHabits Podcast, we dig into why specialization is the quiet multiplier behind growth, profitability, and long-term value. Here’s what we cover: The difference between specialization and positioning, and why both matter. Why saying “no” to work outside your niche can actually increase retention and margin....
This Week's Agency Insights Every week, we share content to help you run your agency business. What's Top of Mind Most agencies overcomplicate partnerships. - Here’s the system we use across Barrel Holdings to keep it simple, consistent, and actually valuable. Pitch the team you actually have. - Pretending confuses people. Be real about your size, your people, and your strengths. What We're Organizing Agency life can feel like a silo. Let’s change that. On November 19, we’re hosting our...
We talk a lot about agency profitability. But when you strip the buzzwords and look at the spreadsheets, most founders are miscalculating their numbers, sometimes by 10–20%. This week’s episode of The AgencyHabits Podcast tackles that head-on. Peter and Sei-Wook break down how they actually assess agency health at Barrel Holdings: what 15% EBITDA really means, how they normalize owner salaries, and why SDE and EBITDA are two different conversations entirely. If you’re thinking about selling,...