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The AgencyHabits Podcast

The AgencyHabits Podcast

By: Peter Kang Sei-Wook Kim
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Go behind the scenes of real agency businesses. The AgencyHabits Podcast shares ideas, lessons, and experiments from across Barrel Holdings - home to a growing portfolio of specialized agencies and over two decades of insights. We share them all here, hoping you'll test, tweak, and find what works best for your agency.2026 Economics Management Management & Leadership Personal Finance
Episodes
  • Positioning: The Stake in the Ground | EP39
    May 19 2026

    Agency positioning is one of the most misunderstood parts of building a service business. Most agencies can describe what they do, but very few can clearly explain why a client should choose them over another agency.

    Today, we break down the four-part positioning framework we use to evaluate agencies:

    1. Category

    2. Wedge

    3. Provable differentiators

    4. Why now

    We explain why most positioning fails, why vague "full-service agency" messaging weakens sales conversations, and how strong positioning makes agencies dramatically easier to buy.

    We also unpack:

    📌 Why positioning should be future-looking, not backwards-looking

    📌 How to define a category buyers instantly understand

    📌 What makes a wedge actually effective in sales conversations

    📌 Why most agency differentiators are too vague to matter

    📌 How urgency ("why now") creates buying momentum

    📌 The danger of AI-washing your positioning

    📌 Common positioning mistakes agencies repeatedly make

    📌 How positioning connects to ICP, ecosystem, and service offerings

    If your agency struggles to stand out, win the right clients, or explain why you're different in a memorable way, positioning is one of the highest-leverage exercises you can invest in.

    ====================

    📺 Watch us on YouTube

    📩 Build a more scalable, profitable agency

    Get the Agency Habits newsletter – practical breakdowns on pricing, margins, and operations you can apply immediately inside your agency.

    Subscribe here 👉 https://www.agencyhabits.com/

    🔗 Follow the hosts on LinkedIn

    Peter Kang 👉 https://www.linkedin.com/in/peterkang34/

    Sei-Wook Kim 👉 https://www.linkedin.com/in/seiwookkim/

    Show More Show Less
    28 mins
  • Why Most Agency Marketing Doesn't Work [REPLAY]
    May 12 2026

    Agency marketing, lead generation, and brand building often feel inconsistent because they are approached reactively instead of as a long-term system.

    We're bringing back this episode because it breaks down how to think about agency marketing as a compounding investment, not a short-term tactic.

    In this episode, we cover:

    • Why reactive marketing leads to inconsistent pipeline

    • How to think about marketing as reputation and awareness building

    • The importance of consistency and long-term investment

    • Why most agencies stop too early before seeing results

    • Six real examples of agency marketing in practice

    • How to experiment and find what works for your agency

    This episode also walks through practical examples, including:

    • High-impact campaigns and events

    • Open-source and product-led marketing

    • Community building and meetups

    • Content, newsletters, and thought leadership

    • Physical marketing and brand experiences

    If your agency marketing feels unpredictable or ineffective, this episode will help you rethink your approach and build something more sustainable.

    ====================

    📺 Watch us on YouTube

    📩 Build a more scalable, profitable agency

    Get the Agency Habits newsletter – practical breakdowns on pricing, margins, and operations you can apply immediately inside your agency.

    Subscribe here 👉 https://www.agencyhabits.com/

    🔗 Follow the hosts on LinkedIn

    Peter Kang 👉 https://www.linkedin.com/in/peterkang34/

    Sei-Wook Kim 👉 https://www.linkedin.com/in/seiwookkim/

    Show More Show Less
    19 mins
  • How to Turn Client Work Into Long-Term Growth [REPLAY]
    May 5 2026

    Agency growth, client retention, and referrals all come down to how you think about your engagements.

    We're bringing back this episode because it introduces the concept of engagement yield, and how the best agencies turn every client into a compounding asset.

    In this episode, we break down:

    • Why revenue is only part of the value of a client

    • The four drivers of engagement yield: proof, leverage, relationships, and referrals

    • How the right engagements create long-term advantages

    • Why some projects actually create negative outcomes over time

    • How to evaluate opportunities beyond just budget

    If your agency is growing but not compounding, this framework will change how you think about every client you take on.

    ==================

    📺 Watch us on YouTube

    📩 Build a more scalable, profitable agency

    Get the Agency Habits newsletter – practical breakdowns on pricing, margins, and operations you can apply immediately inside your agency.

    Subscribe here 👉 https://www.agencyhabits.com/

    🔗 Follow the hosts on LinkedIn

    Peter Kang 👉 https://www.linkedin.com/in/peterkang34/

    Sei-Wook Kim 👉 https://www.linkedin.com/in/seiwookkim/

    Show More Show Less
    21 mins
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