Hiring an Agency? This Is Where You’ll Get Burned.
About this episode
Emma Rainville discusses the complexities of hiring and managing agencies with Mitch Barham, highlighting common pitfalls and essential questions for founders.
Most founders don’t lose money because they hired a bad agency. They lose money because they hired wrong, scaled wrong, or expected outcomes without understanding the mechanics behind them. In this episode of Special Ops Podcast, Emma Rainville sits down with Mitch Barham to unpack what agency ownership really looks like behind the curtain — and what founders must understand before blaming, firing, or replacing their team. We cover: → Why agencies gain experience faster than in-house teams → The real reason most agency relationships fail → How to tell in 60 seconds if you're talking to a junior team → What questions to ask BEFORE signing a contract → Why scaling fast creates bigger fires (merchant accounts, inventory, middleware, cash flow) → The importance of clear deliverables, outcomes, and accountability → What happens when founders override proven strategy Whether you’re hiring an agency, managing one, or thinking about firing one — this episode gives you the operator-level perspective most founders never hear. Timestamps: 0:00 Intro: Why founders start blaming their agency 1:07 What owning an agency actually teaches you 3:06 Choosing the right clients (and avoiding the…
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