Ft. Danielle Russell, President at Builder Funnel

In this episode, Danielle Russell shares her perspective on learning to develop teams within your agency. She clarifies the debate between the benefits of onboarding new teammates and promoting from within. She also talks about what success looks like in a talent-hiring role as an agency grows.

We vouch for all the tips and recommendations that Danielle R. is giving here in this episode since it has been learned over many years. She has adapted and been a witness to different techniques that work out within the context of an agency. 

In this episode of RecalibrAgency, Danielle R. and I discuss:

• Maximizing talent density at your agency brings strong team leaders and clientele.
• What happens when the team culture is shaken by a new hire?
• The importance of being able to give meaningful feedback.

In this episode:

[00:40] Danielle Russell introduces herself.

[01:52] What were some of the key gaps that Danielle R. needed to fill while developing her team?

[04:48] What to look for in measuring success for a new role?

[06:43] Is hiring externally the better move or hiring from within?

[09:51] Do leaders within a team emerge on their own or must they be pulled out as a leader?

[13:00] Danielle R.’s growth mindset tips about hiring for an agency.

[15:46] What is talent density and when do clients notice results because of it?

[20:02] The changes in client retention that Danielle R. has seen during the last four to five years on talent density.

[31:05] How can you test if a hire is willing to give constructive and decisive feedback?

[34:04] Resources and recommendations for managers looking to grow more leaders on their team.

Key Takeaway

Danielle R.’s recommendations have given us very good points about maximizing the hiring process within an agency. 

The first is making sure that you are genuine in caring as a manager, especially when you’re giving feedback.

The second is working on being “kind instead of being nice”. The distinction is that when being a nice manager, you’re not helping your team in ways that they need to be to be successful in their role and at your agency. Kindness on the other hand involves giving firm feedback, being direct, and being approachable. This is to get your team to where they need to be as leaders.

Building a successful marketing agency takes grit, a focus on your value, and sometimes a *loving* kick in the pants.

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