You're likely doing $80-$150k a month.
You have some systems, processes, SOPs, project management tools.
It seems you’re doing everything right.
So why does it still experience uncertainty and maybe even chaos?
Here's what I've learned working with 50+ agencies at (most likely) your stage: the systems that got you here are now keeping you stuck.
Hence the next level requires unlearning what worked at the last level.
This weekend I was reflecting on exactly that idea which led me to realising 3 main lies or patterns (for the better word) keeping agency founders stuck between $80K–$150K and sometimes even $200K+ in monthly revenue.
Lie #1: "More Documentation/SOPs = Better Operations"
If your team keeps asking questions, the solution is more documentation. More SOPs. More Notion pages. More Loom videos.
Why it's wrong:
The problem isn't that it doesn't exist. The problem is:
- No one reads it (too long, too buried, out of date)
- It doesn't answer the real questions (the questions are contextual, not procedural)
- It creates dependency, not ownership (your team follows docs instead of thinking)
Documentation scales process but it doesn't do is scale judgment.
The 40-page playbook your team will never use
We once had a performance marketing agency founder reaching out to us. He explained that he spent 3 months building the "ultimate delivery playbook."
An extensively elaborated Notion documentation. Every scenario covered.
He rolled it out to the team.
A month later, his team was still Slacking him the same questions.
Why?
Because real-world client work doesn't follow a processed script. Clients change scope. Priorities shift. Nuance matters.
The playbook was comprehensive BUT it was useless in the moment.
So what does actually work in this scenario?
Empowering his team to make decisions.
Instead of "check the doc," he taught them:
- Here's the decision framework
- Here's what we optimise for
- Here's your authority level
- If it's outside that → escalate
The lesson is fairly simple → stop getting obsessed about SOPing every step. I’m not telling to completely abandon process documentation… what I’m saying is → start defining:
- What decisions can the team make autonomously?
- What's the framework for making those decisions?
- What actually needs documentation?
Want a full Decision Empowerment Framework process that we use across our $50M agency client portfolio? Reply “framework” to this email and I’ll send it over.
Lie #2: "Standardise Everything to Scale Delivery"
To scale past $1M-2M/year, you need a fully standardised offer. NO customisation. NO variance. One delivery model for every client.
Why it's wrong:
You're not dropshipping widgets. You're selling results (at some level even transformation).
And transformation is variable because:
- Clients start at different maturity levels
- Their tech stacks differ
- Their teams have different capabilities
- Their goals are different
If you force everyone into the exact same process, one of two things happens:
- You lose clients (they don't fit the mould)
- You deliver mediocre results (the process doesn't flex to reality)
So again, let’s not go into extreme side of things… and build a sterile and rigid system that keeps you trapped.
Core Methodology
You need:
- The 80% that's repeatable (core methodology, frameworks, onboarding)
- The 20% that flexes (execution intensity, timeline, deliverable format)
What to do instead:
Ask yourself:
1. What's the same across all clients?
Standardise this (e.g., audit process, strategic inputs, reporting structure).
2. What must flex based on client context?
Allow variance here (e.g., how much strategic depth, execution speed, deliverable format).
3. Can we create 2–3 clear variants instead of infinite customisation?
Define them. And potentially price them differently.
Don't aim for one rigid offer and instead aim for defined flexibility.
Lie #3: "You Need Senior Strategists To Solve Your Bottlnecks"
Less of a lie and more of “first-time founder” mistake to be honest.
When your team keeps escalating decisions to you and strategy feels shallow when they execute on it… The obvious solution is to hire a senior strategist.
Well… yes and no.
Why Yes (when it works):
Senior strategists can solve bottlenecks but only if the structure exists for them to operate in.
Here's when hiring senior strategists actually works:
1. You have a defined strategic methodology
Not "we do retention strategy." But: here's our framework, here's how we diagnose problems, here's our repeatable process.
If that exists, a senior hire can step in and execute it. They don't need to reinvent. They can add depth to something that already works.
2. You have clear decision rights
The senior strategist knows: I own client strategy from A to B. I escalate C to the founder. I collaborate with the team on D.
3. You have client ownership built into the structure
The strategist owns relationships. They're the strategic lead on their accounts. You're not still the face of every client call.
If these three things exist, hiring senior is a leverage play. They multiply what's already there.
Why No (when it doesn't work):
Senior hires don't solve bottlenecks when you don't have:
- A defined strategic methodology (it's all still in your head)
- Clear decision rights (they don't know what they can decide vs. what needs your approval)
- Client ownership structure (you're still the face of every client relationship)
- Delivery standards (no one knows what "good" or "done" looks like)
Here you go.
Final piece of advice - stop chasing "best practices." Instead, start building what actually works for your business, at your stage, with your team.
Want to figure out what's actually holding you back?
1/ Start here
Our diagnostic will show you exactly where founder-dependency is costing you growth.
2/ Book a 1-to-1 discovery call.
If you're serious about breaking through in 90 days, let's talk.
→ Book a Strategy Call
— Romans
.jpg)
