In this episode of Hands-Off CEO, Mandi Ellefson interviews Liz Elting, author of “Dream Big and Win” and founder of TransPerfect, which she built into the world’s largest language solutions company. Starting from an NYU dorm room at age 26, Liz shares her journey of scaling a business while maintaining exceptional service quality. Liz discusses how she transformed her company…
As CEOs, we often fall into the trap of being the HERO: rushing in to save the day, solving every crisis, and being the go-to person for all decisions. It feels good, doesn’t it? Like Clark Kent ducking into a phone booth to emerge as Superman, we get an addictive rush from being the one who fixes everything. But here’s…
As we gather around our Thanksgiving tables this year, I’m filled with immense gratitude for our incredible tribe of agency owners who’ve trusted us with their growth journeys. Your successes become our inspiration, and your transformations fuel our mission! But here’s the real feast for thought… While others are still stuffing their agencies with “scale at any cost” strategies, our…
In this strategic conversation, Mandi interviews Ralph Burns and Ryan Hodges of Tier 11, a digital marketing agency managing over $105M in annual ad spend. They discuss their journey of transforming from a chaotic 70-person agency to a streamlined, more profitable operation with 40 team members. Key Topics Discussed: [00:00-03:45] Introduction Overview of Tier 11’s business model Introduction to Ralph…
Here’s how an agency secures $290,000 in new profits from their existing client base – WITHOUT adding a single new customer. Looking at hundreds of consulting agencies, we’ve discovered a pattern: While most agencies chase new clients, the real profit opportunity is hiding in plain sight – your existing client base. We helped one of our agency clients analyze their…
“AI will not replace agency owners, but agency owners who strategically use AI will outperform those who don’t.” Over the past few months, we’ve hired an absolutely amazing marketing manager who’s transformed how we approach content creation and marketing automation. She’s an absolute whiz at utilizing AI tools to accelerate how quickly we can put out good, authentic marketing. I…
In this illuminating conversation, Mandi, the founder of Hands-Off CEO and author of “The Hands-Off CEO” book, shares her journey from a struggling business owner to a helping consulting agencies scale. Through her personal story [03:51-07:42] and evolution of her business model [07:43-12:20], Mandi reveals crucial insights about scaling service-based businesses. Key Topics Discussed: [12:21-17:30] The core challenges of service…
The evolution of scaling business beyond 8 figures can feel daunting, but it’s an absolutely essential step if you want to unlock your agency’s full potential and hidden profits. By embracing these 5 key mindset shifts, you can blow up your business, transform your role, empower your team, and position your agency for exponential sustainable growth. Let Go of…
There’s nothing quite like that moment when an agency starts taking off. Landing bigger clients, seeing revenue climb, watching the team grow. But here’s the thing about success – it comes with a plot twist. Suddenly, that same founder who brilliantly built the business becomes its biggest bottleneck. Every decision, strategy, and client crisis runs through them. It’s like building…
Many consulting agency CEOs find themselves in what I call the ‘Entrapment Cycle.’ On paper, they’ve built a successful business. Their expertise and personal touch brought them great clients and a solid reputation. But now that same expertise has become a golden handcuff. They’re trapped by their own success, stuck in a model where growth equals more hours and stress.…
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