Micro-Agency Launchpad

Two weeks ago, one of our existing clients came to us with a problem. It wasn’t something we normally offer. At first, I referred them to a few other providers but none of those options worked out. So I asked myself a question: Could we solve this problem? After a bit of thinking, a bit of research, and a quick sniff test, I realized—yes. We could. So I pitched it. I told them we could help, shared a price, and they said yes. From there, it was a race to go from zero to a fully launched...

Let’s talk about that client. The one who constantly texts. Who emails you five times in a day. Who asks the same questions you’ve already answered (twice). Who sends “just checking in!” messages before you’ve even had a chance to breathe. We all have 'em. It's just part of the game that we chose to play. And it’s a terrible place to be. Because on one hand, you want to keep them happy. You want the relationship—and yes, the revenue—to stay intact. But on the other hand… You can’t live your...

One of the biggest mindset shifts I’ve had in business is this: “No” isn’t the end of the conversation. It’s the beginning of the next one. Most of us send a proposal, hear a no, and then we walk away second guessing ourselves. We wonder what would have happened if we zigged instead of zagged. But what if wasn't the end of the conversation? What if no didn't mean “never”— but actually meant: “not like this.” If you’re willing to get a little creative, a lot of those no’s can be turned into...

Last week, I gave my first-ever keynote at the Craft + Commerce conference hosted by Kit in Boise. It was an incredible experience. I was insanely nervous—public speaking isn’t exactly in my usual comfort zone. But once I got going, it flowed. And the feedback was great. But what really surprised me wasn’t the speaking part—it was the lead gen part. I walked away from this conference with: ...a bundle of new clients ...a handful of strategic partnerships (which will lead to more clients)...

So last week, I found myself at the Monaco Grand Prix. Now, I’m not a massive Formula One fan—but my partner Morgan is obsessed, and this trip has been on her bucket list for forever. So we made it happen (photos at the end). And thanks to a few generous friends, let’s just say… we found ourselves in a few unlikely scenarios. Like — on a yacht, for example. And when I say yacht, I’m not talking about the kind you rent for memorial day weekend in Miami. I'm talking about...

I recently went through an exercise that I think every business owner should try. It’s simple. It’s strategic. And it completely changed how I think about our customers at Paperboy. Here’s a little context: We’re about to start testing some paid funnels to drive leads for Paperboy. But before we touched a single ad… I knew we had to sharpen our customer segments. Because running cold traffic means one thing: You have to meet people exactly where they are. You have to speak directly to their...

We’re trying a new lead gen strategy at Paperboy right now, and I think more people should be experimenting with it. We’re creating short training modules—like, 10–15 minute videos—and embedding them directly inside other people’s courses. Think of it like a branch off the affiliate marketing tree, but more value-first. Here’s how it works: We find course creators who serve our ideal audience—people running or likely to run newsletters, creators building businesses around content, interested...