I’m not building a traditional company. The agency of the future probably doesn’t look much like the agency of yesterday. The days of heavy overhead, and putting everything under one roof may not be over, but it is certainly not the only option.
I can try to do one thing really well, and connect with others who try to do one thing really well, or I could try to offer my clients everything in-house.
I’ve found, in my experience, that everytime I try to offer something outside of my core competency, I get frustrated and the final product, though good, does not meet my expectations.
So here’s what I did instead: I built a marketplace with the best, and most talented individuals I’ve come across. I offer their services to my clients in exchange for a modest referral fee for any business I generate for them.
Everyone wins.
I can bring in more business to my amazing partners. They make more money. I make a little bit extra for building the platform, providing the visibility, and making the connection.
I want all of my partners to be wildly successful. Without my partners, I would be working for someone else by now.
If there’s anything you want to learn about being an entrepreneur it’s this: build a strong network and appreciate those people. Do everything you can to help them succeed, because if you choose right, they will do everything they can to help you when you need it.