Dan Gent
@dearagencyfounder.com
15 years as an agency founder. Grounded advice.
Newsletter 👉 https://hi.dearagencyfounder.com/bluesky
Newsletter 👉 https://hi.dearagencyfounder.com/bluesky
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Dan Gent
@dearagencyfounder.com
· Jan 21
FREE weekly email for agency founders
15 years as an agency founder. Inside my newsletter you'll find tactics to win the right work and grounded growth strategies.
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For agency founders only.
Every week I write an email.
I don't sell any courses, I don't do coaching, the email is all the value in itself.
🎖️ 15 years+ experience
🍏 Tactics to win the right work
🌳 Grounded growth strategies
It's worth a 👀, you can always unsub
Every week I write an email.
I don't sell any courses, I don't do coaching, the email is all the value in itself.
🎖️ 15 years+ experience
🍏 Tactics to win the right work
🌳 Grounded growth strategies
It's worth a 👀, you can always unsub
You take up a tiny part of your client's brain even when in a face to face meetings.
Have empathy with their world if you want to influence them.
Have empathy with their world if you want to influence them.
November 4, 2025 at 3:22 PM
You take up a tiny part of your client's brain even when in a face to face meetings.
Have empathy with their world if you want to influence them.
Have empathy with their world if you want to influence them.
Most client’s don’t have clarity around their problems (and they feel insecure about that).
They don’t have things in a shape to come to you with.
The person that provides clarity and safety gets the work.
They don’t have things in a shape to come to you with.
The person that provides clarity and safety gets the work.
November 4, 2025 at 8:45 AM
Most client’s don’t have clarity around their problems (and they feel insecure about that).
They don’t have things in a shape to come to you with.
The person that provides clarity and safety gets the work.
They don’t have things in a shape to come to you with.
The person that provides clarity and safety gets the work.
Tim Ferris… a man who famously works more than 4 hours a week… wrote "The 4-Hour Workweek," and we all saw a different way to run our businesses. ⤵️
August 6, 2025 at 7:45 AM
Tim Ferris… a man who famously works more than 4 hours a week… wrote "The 4-Hour Workweek," and we all saw a different way to run our businesses. ⤵️
Positioning isn’t optional.
If you don't create a position for yourself in people's minds, then they will assume one anyway.
They’ll ask you to do the things they assume you do and so their positioning for you is what you'll end up doing.
Fingers crossed you like what they choose.
If you don't create a position for yourself in people's minds, then they will assume one anyway.
They’ll ask you to do the things they assume you do and so their positioning for you is what you'll end up doing.
Fingers crossed you like what they choose.
June 30, 2025 at 7:45 AM
Positioning isn’t optional.
If you don't create a position for yourself in people's minds, then they will assume one anyway.
They’ll ask you to do the things they assume you do and so their positioning for you is what you'll end up doing.
Fingers crossed you like what they choose.
If you don't create a position for yourself in people's minds, then they will assume one anyway.
They’ll ask you to do the things they assume you do and so their positioning for you is what you'll end up doing.
Fingers crossed you like what they choose.
Partnerships are free access to another business's pipeline of leads.
June 23, 2025 at 7:45 AM
Partnerships are free access to another business's pipeline of leads.
Reputation and relationships are the most robust assets your business has.
The market can’t affect them and they passively generate opportunities. People buy from people they trust. The more they trust them the more the invest.
⤵️
The market can’t affect them and they passively generate opportunities. People buy from people they trust. The more they trust them the more the invest.
⤵️
June 18, 2025 at 7:45 AM
Reputation and relationships are the most robust assets your business has.
The market can’t affect them and they passively generate opportunities. People buy from people they trust. The more they trust them the more the invest.
⤵️
The market can’t affect them and they passively generate opportunities. People buy from people they trust. The more they trust them the more the invest.
⤵️
A lot of magic bullet talk about growth tactics.
Do they work?
It’s the wrong question, you have to find out if they work for you.
If the tactic exists it's because it works somewhere.
If it worked everywhere then no one would do anything else.
Do they work?
It’s the wrong question, you have to find out if they work for you.
If the tactic exists it's because it works somewhere.
If it worked everywhere then no one would do anything else.
June 16, 2025 at 7:45 AM
A lot of magic bullet talk about growth tactics.
Do they work?
It’s the wrong question, you have to find out if they work for you.
If the tactic exists it's because it works somewhere.
If it worked everywhere then no one would do anything else.
Do they work?
It’s the wrong question, you have to find out if they work for you.
If the tactic exists it's because it works somewhere.
If it worked everywhere then no one would do anything else.
When you are boss, every opinion is a decision, every preference is an order and every nod is a sign off.
When you wield power, even if it’s a tiny amount, apply an equal amount of empathy to anyone your decision affects.
When you wield power, even if it’s a tiny amount, apply an equal amount of empathy to anyone your decision affects.
June 13, 2025 at 7:45 AM
When you are boss, every opinion is a decision, every preference is an order and every nod is a sign off.
When you wield power, even if it’s a tiny amount, apply an equal amount of empathy to anyone your decision affects.
When you wield power, even if it’s a tiny amount, apply an equal amount of empathy to anyone your decision affects.
Want a steady stream of leads next year?
Start collecting proof now.
Everyone says metrics matter. Few actually track them.
You can be different.
🔍 Define what you’ll measure
📊 Track it
🧠 Learn, adjust, repeat
Make your results impossible to ignore.
Start collecting proof now.
Everyone says metrics matter. Few actually track them.
You can be different.
🔍 Define what you’ll measure
📊 Track it
🧠 Learn, adjust, repeat
Make your results impossible to ignore.
June 12, 2025 at 7:45 AM
Want a steady stream of leads next year?
Start collecting proof now.
Everyone says metrics matter. Few actually track them.
You can be different.
🔍 Define what you’ll measure
📊 Track it
🧠 Learn, adjust, repeat
Make your results impossible to ignore.
Start collecting proof now.
Everyone says metrics matter. Few actually track them.
You can be different.
🔍 Define what you’ll measure
📊 Track it
🧠 Learn, adjust, repeat
Make your results impossible to ignore.
What should you be doing now to guarantee a steady stream of leads next year?
Part 1 of 3: Case studies & testimonials
Every project should do two jobs:
💰 Make a profit
📈 Win you more work
That second one doesn’t happen by accident.
You need proof. Stories. Social proof.
Start collecting it now.
Part 1 of 3: Case studies & testimonials
Every project should do two jobs:
💰 Make a profit
📈 Win you more work
That second one doesn’t happen by accident.
You need proof. Stories. Social proof.
Start collecting it now.
June 9, 2025 at 7:45 AM
What should you be doing now to guarantee a steady stream of leads next year?
Part 1 of 3: Case studies & testimonials
Every project should do two jobs:
💰 Make a profit
📈 Win you more work
That second one doesn’t happen by accident.
You need proof. Stories. Social proof.
Start collecting it now.
Part 1 of 3: Case studies & testimonials
Every project should do two jobs:
💰 Make a profit
📈 Win you more work
That second one doesn’t happen by accident.
You need proof. Stories. Social proof.
Start collecting it now.
I found a lot of growth by acting like the agency we wanted to be in 3 years.
As a founder it snaps you out of all the small stuff.
Maybe I should stop worrying about how much RAM people's laptops need and think about how I'm getting a meeting with a client that spending 10x our current ones do.
As a founder it snaps you out of all the small stuff.
Maybe I should stop worrying about how much RAM people's laptops need and think about how I'm getting a meeting with a client that spending 10x our current ones do.
June 6, 2025 at 5:55 AM
I found a lot of growth by acting like the agency we wanted to be in 3 years.
As a founder it snaps you out of all the small stuff.
Maybe I should stop worrying about how much RAM people's laptops need and think about how I'm getting a meeting with a client that spending 10x our current ones do.
As a founder it snaps you out of all the small stuff.
Maybe I should stop worrying about how much RAM people's laptops need and think about how I'm getting a meeting with a client that spending 10x our current ones do.
Do you find yourself waiting until the client is *really* happy before mentioning a rate raise?
Do you second-guess what they’ll accept and then reduce what you ask for?
Those thoughts are costing you money.
Do you second-guess what they’ll accept and then reduce what you ask for?
Those thoughts are costing you money.
June 5, 2025 at 6:41 AM
Do you find yourself waiting until the client is *really* happy before mentioning a rate raise?
Do you second-guess what they’ll accept and then reduce what you ask for?
Those thoughts are costing you money.
Do you second-guess what they’ll accept and then reduce what you ask for?
Those thoughts are costing you money.
So much talk about starting with systems.
It's because it's tempting to think that a system can guarantee success.
Avoiding the hard experimentation phase.
Systems make you go faster.
But in the beginning you haven’t even worked out which direction you are supposed to be facing in.
It's because it's tempting to think that a system can guarantee success.
Avoiding the hard experimentation phase.
Systems make you go faster.
But in the beginning you haven’t even worked out which direction you are supposed to be facing in.
June 3, 2025 at 2:23 PM
So much talk about starting with systems.
It's because it's tempting to think that a system can guarantee success.
Avoiding the hard experimentation phase.
Systems make you go faster.
But in the beginning you haven’t even worked out which direction you are supposed to be facing in.
It's because it's tempting to think that a system can guarantee success.
Avoiding the hard experimentation phase.
Systems make you go faster.
But in the beginning you haven’t even worked out which direction you are supposed to be facing in.
Even if AI could do everything your agency could do, you'd still get hired.
Because what clients are really buying is accountability.
Because what clients are really buying is accountability.
June 3, 2025 at 7:45 AM
Even if AI could do everything your agency could do, you'd still get hired.
Because what clients are really buying is accountability.
Because what clients are really buying is accountability.
If you aren't paying attention to the quality of the work you produce then you're building on sand
June 2, 2025 at 7:45 AM
If you aren't paying attention to the quality of the work you produce then you're building on sand
Your excited potential client doesn’t know your imposter syndrome.
When you meet your doubt will take their expectations down to your level.
Or you can meet them where they are.
The good news... their vision of you is probably more accurate.
Can you see yourself as they do?
When you meet your doubt will take their expectations down to your level.
Or you can meet them where they are.
The good news... their vision of you is probably more accurate.
Can you see yourself as they do?
June 1, 2025 at 8:51 AM
Your excited potential client doesn’t know your imposter syndrome.
When you meet your doubt will take their expectations down to your level.
Or you can meet them where they are.
The good news... their vision of you is probably more accurate.
Can you see yourself as they do?
When you meet your doubt will take their expectations down to your level.
Or you can meet them where they are.
The good news... their vision of you is probably more accurate.
Can you see yourself as they do?
This week's Dear Agency Founder is in your inbox! 👀📥
May 31, 2025 at 9:43 AM
This week's Dear Agency Founder is in your inbox! 👀📥
There's no shortcut to trust.
Which means less people have it.
The perfect barrier to entry.
Which means less people have it.
The perfect barrier to entry.
May 29, 2025 at 5:52 AM
There's no shortcut to trust.
Which means less people have it.
The perfect barrier to entry.
Which means less people have it.
The perfect barrier to entry.
It's easier to find someone who already believes than to change someone's mind.
If your clients “won’t listen” then have you found the right clients?
If your clients “won’t listen” then have you found the right clients?
May 27, 2025 at 5:39 AM
It's easier to find someone who already believes than to change someone's mind.
If your clients “won’t listen” then have you found the right clients?
If your clients “won’t listen” then have you found the right clients?
6 figure projects aren’t much harder to do than 4 figure ones.
What’s hard is building the trust required to win them.
What’s hard is building the trust required to win them.
May 26, 2025 at 7:45 AM
6 figure projects aren’t much harder to do than 4 figure ones.
What’s hard is building the trust required to win them.
What’s hard is building the trust required to win them.
Do this today to increase your revenue.
Put a clause in your standard terms that says your rate goes up by a certain percentage each year.
Point out this clause to your clients.
They’ll understand it.
They increase their prices over time too.
Put a clause in your standard terms that says your rate goes up by a certain percentage each year.
Point out this clause to your clients.
They’ll understand it.
They increase their prices over time too.
May 22, 2025 at 7:45 AM
Do this today to increase your revenue.
Put a clause in your standard terms that says your rate goes up by a certain percentage each year.
Point out this clause to your clients.
They’ll understand it.
They increase their prices over time too.
Put a clause in your standard terms that says your rate goes up by a certain percentage each year.
Point out this clause to your clients.
They’ll understand it.
They increase their prices over time too.
It doesn't matter what time someone gets out of bed, whether or not they journal, or what time they exercise.
Focus on what they did to grow their business.
Taking the same vitamins as them won't make you any money.
Focus on what they did to grow their business.
Taking the same vitamins as them won't make you any money.
May 21, 2025 at 7:45 AM
It doesn't matter what time someone gets out of bed, whether or not they journal, or what time they exercise.
Focus on what they did to grow their business.
Taking the same vitamins as them won't make you any money.
Focus on what they did to grow their business.
Taking the same vitamins as them won't make you any money.
Don’t sit at your desk crafting your positioning or configuring a CRM.
Go and meet people.
Go and meet people.
May 20, 2025 at 7:10 PM
Don’t sit at your desk crafting your positioning or configuring a CRM.
Go and meet people.
Go and meet people.
You are biased about your value.
We're all passionate about our services and believe them to be key to success.
So why isn’t the client investing?
Don’t assume they don’t understand it.
They just believe in something else.
Is it the wrong client for you?
Or do you need to change that belief?
We're all passionate about our services and believe them to be key to success.
So why isn’t the client investing?
Don’t assume they don’t understand it.
They just believe in something else.
Is it the wrong client for you?
Or do you need to change that belief?
May 20, 2025 at 7:45 AM
You are biased about your value.
We're all passionate about our services and believe them to be key to success.
So why isn’t the client investing?
Don’t assume they don’t understand it.
They just believe in something else.
Is it the wrong client for you?
Or do you need to change that belief?
We're all passionate about our services and believe them to be key to success.
So why isn’t the client investing?
Don’t assume they don’t understand it.
They just believe in something else.
Is it the wrong client for you?
Or do you need to change that belief?