A slightly different newsletter this week. One ask. We just crossed 50 responses on our AgencyHabits survey - thank you to everyone who's filled it out so far. But we need more. Our internal goal is 200 responses. That's the number where the data stops being anecdotal and starts being something we can actually act on. Your responses are already shaping what we do. They go straight into our Podcast Topics Bank. They're a big reason we launched on Instagram and TikTok. They help us figure out...
5 days agoĀ ā¢Ā 1 min read
This Week's Agency Insights Every week, we share content to help you run your agency business. What's Top of Mind Good doctors are patient-centric, not patient-pleasing. ā The same applies to agencies. Here's how to shift from inside-out to outside-in across five dimensions of your business. š You're shaping what we build next. We've read every response so far. Ivona and the team have already jotted down summer podcast topics based on what you've shared. And, we're also expanding into new...
9 days agoĀ ā¢Ā 1 min read
The profitability killer nobody talks about: engagement design. Unclear responsibilities. Overcomplicated planning. Meetings that could've been emails. All of it eats into margin before the real work even starts. This 8-min lesson covers how to structure projects that actually protect profitability. š§ Full episode here. (And wherever you get your podcast.) 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...
12 days agoĀ ā¢Ā 1 min read
This Week's Agency Insights Every week, we share content to help you run your agency business. What's Top of Mind Call it the antidote to AI fatigue. ā Everyone's asking what's changing because of AI. We asked what won't. Six things that will still matter in ten years, and why building strategy around them beats chasing a moving target. š 40+ founders in. 1:1 slots gone. Operator Pack still yours.We're planning the next year of AgencyHabits and want it grounded in your reality. Takes about 5...
16 days agoĀ ā¢Ā 1 min read
The riskiest agency isn't always the one making bold bets. Sometimes it's the one doing exactly what worked five years ago. Same positioning. Same services. Same team. Same playbook. Episode 39 is about what happens when an agency reaches equilibrium, and how founders can break through it with a new market thesis, strategy, and vision for the future. š§ Full episode here. (And wherever you get your podcast.) Who are we? Hi, we're Peter and Sei-Wook, co-founders of Barrel Holdings, a portfolio...
19 days agoĀ ā¢Ā 1 min read
This Week's Agency Insights Every week, we share content to help you run your agency business. What's Top of Mind Two things this week. One: we're planning the next year of AgencyHabits and want it grounded in your agency, not our assumptions. Two: there's a reward. Fill out a few specific questions (about 5 minutes) and the Operator Pack is yours - five of the templates we actually use to run our agencies. And here's the kicker: the first 20 people to complete it get a 20-minute 1:1 with...
23 days agoĀ ā¢Ā 1 min read
One of our agencies closed a deal with someone who'd ghosted us ten years earlier. She'd been lurking on LinkedIn. No likes, no comments - just watching. When the timing changed, she reached out. Episode 38 is about building that long game. The five pools hiding in your past, the direct touches, and the ambient presence that keeps you top of mind until they're ready. š§ Listen to the episode here. Who are we? Hi, we're Peter and Sei-Wook, co-founders of Barrel Holdings, a portfolio of agency...
26 days agoĀ ā¢Ā 1 min read
This Week's Agency Insights Every week, we share content to help you run your agency business. What's Top of Mind "In 3 months, 'AI-powered' as a headline will look lazy." ā Ethan Driskill on why everyone's advantage is also their competitor's. If AI isn't your real differentiator, dig deeper. So what should your positioning actually be? ā The four-part framework we use across Barrel Holdings: category, wedge, provable differentiators, and the real "why now" (hint: it's probably not AI). What...
30 days agoĀ ā¢Ā 1 min read
Six months after a great project, you're trying to cobble together a case study. You don't remember the details. The client contact has moved on. The metrics are buried somewhere. Sound familiar? Episode 37 covers the fix: three components of proof, when to capture them, and habits that make it easier - debriefs, QBRs, quarterly proof sprints, and who should own it. š Watch on YouTube here. š§ Or listen here. Who are we? Hi, we're Peter and Sei-Wook, co-founders of Barrel Holdings, a portfolio...
about 1 month agoĀ ā¢Ā 1 min read