Erik J. Olson
@erikjolson.bsky.social
3️⃣ CEO of three marketing agencies
🧠 Business of Agency Mastermind
📗 Author of Million Dollar Journey
🚀 Creating a $100M integrated agency
iamerikjolson.com
🧠 Business of Agency Mastermind
📗 Author of Million Dollar Journey
🚀 Creating a $100M integrated agency
iamerikjolson.com
Systems let you scale without chaos.
October 27, 2025 at 8:19 PM
Systems let you scale without chaos.
Branding is the only differentiator these days.
October 10, 2025 at 9:01 PM
Branding is the only differentiator these days.
One great hire can fix what three mediocre ones break.
Aim for quality, not headcount.
Aim for quality, not headcount.
September 30, 2025 at 4:16 PM
One great hire can fix what three mediocre ones break.
Aim for quality, not headcount.
Aim for quality, not headcount.
Agency owners: never, ever link your income to a client’s profit margin.
Their costs, refunds, and bookkeeping are literally none of your business.
Stay out of it.
Do great work and get paid upfront.
Their costs, refunds, and bookkeeping are literally none of your business.
Stay out of it.
Do great work and get paid upfront.
September 28, 2025 at 2:31 PM
Agency owners: never, ever link your income to a client’s profit margin.
Their costs, refunds, and bookkeeping are literally none of your business.
Stay out of it.
Do great work and get paid upfront.
Their costs, refunds, and bookkeeping are literally none of your business.
Stay out of it.
Do great work and get paid upfront.
Like a rogue employee, the wrong consultant or coach doesn’t just waste money.
They infect your culture.
They confuse your team.
They drain your energy.
It’s a cancer.
If you see the red flags, cut them out before it spreads.
They infect your culture.
They confuse your team.
They drain your energy.
It’s a cancer.
If you see the red flags, cut them out before it spreads.
September 24, 2025 at 7:14 PM
Like a rogue employee, the wrong consultant or coach doesn’t just waste money.
They infect your culture.
They confuse your team.
They drain your energy.
It’s a cancer.
If you see the red flags, cut them out before it spreads.
They infect your culture.
They confuse your team.
They drain your energy.
It’s a cancer.
If you see the red flags, cut them out before it spreads.
Want predictable revenue?
Start with predictable lead flow.
Start with predictable lead flow.
September 23, 2025 at 5:37 PM
Want predictable revenue?
Start with predictable lead flow.
Start with predictable lead flow.
Stop chasing the silver bullet. The "secret" to business.
I've chased. I've spent literally hundreds of thousands of dollars on glitzy management consultants.
And guess what?
They don't have the secret.
They have a process. They have a list of shit to do, but not a secret.
I've chased. I've spent literally hundreds of thousands of dollars on glitzy management consultants.
And guess what?
They don't have the secret.
They have a process. They have a list of shit to do, but not a secret.
September 22, 2025 at 1:43 PM
Stop chasing the silver bullet. The "secret" to business.
I've chased. I've spent literally hundreds of thousands of dollars on glitzy management consultants.
And guess what?
They don't have the secret.
They have a process. They have a list of shit to do, but not a secret.
I've chased. I've spent literally hundreds of thousands of dollars on glitzy management consultants.
And guess what?
They don't have the secret.
They have a process. They have a list of shit to do, but not a secret.
Unpopular opinion: The phrase “AI Employee” is stupid AF.
AI isn’t an employee. Not even close. AI today can only augment and take menial tasks off employees’ plates. If your strategy is to “hire AI employees,” you’re already lost. Maybe one day, years from now. But not now.
AI isn’t an employee. Not even close. AI today can only augment and take menial tasks off employees’ plates. If your strategy is to “hire AI employees,” you’re already lost. Maybe one day, years from now. But not now.
September 22, 2025 at 1:42 PM
Unpopular opinion: The phrase “AI Employee” is stupid AF.
AI isn’t an employee. Not even close. AI today can only augment and take menial tasks off employees’ plates. If your strategy is to “hire AI employees,” you’re already lost. Maybe one day, years from now. But not now.
AI isn’t an employee. Not even close. AI today can only augment and take menial tasks off employees’ plates. If your strategy is to “hire AI employees,” you’re already lost. Maybe one day, years from now. But not now.
Ask the hard questions in interviews. Tell candidates you will be calling their old boss. Watch how they react.
September 20, 2025 at 1:06 PM
Ask the hard questions in interviews. Tell candidates you will be calling their old boss. Watch how they react.
Referrals are amazing.
Everyone loves them. I love them.
Problems relying only on referrals…
• No control
• No predictability
• No scale
How to reduce the risk…
• Add referral requests to your process
• Assign roles that ask
• Reward staff who bring them in
Everyone loves them. I love them.
Problems relying only on referrals…
• No control
• No predictability
• No scale
How to reduce the risk…
• Add referral requests to your process
• Assign roles that ask
• Reward staff who bring them in
September 17, 2025 at 2:30 PM
Referrals are amazing.
Everyone loves them. I love them.
Problems relying only on referrals…
• No control
• No predictability
• No scale
How to reduce the risk…
• Add referral requests to your process
• Assign roles that ask
• Reward staff who bring them in
Everyone loves them. I love them.
Problems relying only on referrals…
• No control
• No predictability
• No scale
How to reduce the risk…
• Add referral requests to your process
• Assign roles that ask
• Reward staff who bring them in
Polluted waters affect every fish in the tank.
Source: unknown
Source: unknown
September 17, 2025 at 12:58 PM
Polluted waters affect every fish in the tank.
Source: unknown
Source: unknown
The real play is to stay deep in the business until there are almost no problems left to solve.
That’s how you earn the right to step back.
Step back any sooner and you’ll start your agency’s inevitable downward spiral.
That’s how you earn the right to step back.
Step back any sooner and you’ll start your agency’s inevitable downward spiral.
September 13, 2025 at 4:55 PM
The real play is to stay deep in the business until there are almost no problems left to solve.
That’s how you earn the right to step back.
Step back any sooner and you’ll start your agency’s inevitable downward spiral.
That’s how you earn the right to step back.
Step back any sooner and you’ll start your agency’s inevitable downward spiral.
I have a vision…
When we hit $100M, I’m hosting a dinner party in the dessert outside of Vegas.
It’s a vivid vision.
If I know there won’t be a seat for you at the dinner, then you won’t get to shape my business today.
That’s how I choose who’s in my inner circle.
When we hit $100M, I’m hosting a dinner party in the dessert outside of Vegas.
It’s a vivid vision.
If I know there won’t be a seat for you at the dinner, then you won’t get to shape my business today.
That’s how I choose who’s in my inner circle.
September 10, 2025 at 11:24 PM
I have a vision…
When we hit $100M, I’m hosting a dinner party in the dessert outside of Vegas.
It’s a vivid vision.
If I know there won’t be a seat for you at the dinner, then you won’t get to shape my business today.
That’s how I choose who’s in my inner circle.
When we hit $100M, I’m hosting a dinner party in the dessert outside of Vegas.
It’s a vivid vision.
If I know there won’t be a seat for you at the dinner, then you won’t get to shape my business today.
That’s how I choose who’s in my inner circle.
Tactics to getting clients to pay and pay faster.
1. Set payment expectations early, before an invoice is sent.
2. Offer payment by ACH for free.
3. Charge a fee to pay by check.
4. Charge a late fee when invoice is overdue.
5. Charge an annual percentage thereafter.
1. Set payment expectations early, before an invoice is sent.
2. Offer payment by ACH for free.
3. Charge a fee to pay by check.
4. Charge a late fee when invoice is overdue.
5. Charge an annual percentage thereafter.
September 7, 2025 at 6:28 PM
Tactics to getting clients to pay and pay faster.
1. Set payment expectations early, before an invoice is sent.
2. Offer payment by ACH for free.
3. Charge a fee to pay by check.
4. Charge a late fee when invoice is overdue.
5. Charge an annual percentage thereafter.
1. Set payment expectations early, before an invoice is sent.
2. Offer payment by ACH for free.
3. Charge a fee to pay by check.
4. Charge a late fee when invoice is overdue.
5. Charge an annual percentage thereafter.
Leadership is a burden you chose.
The gift and the curse.
Carry it well.
The gift and the curse.
Carry it well.
September 2, 2025 at 12:01 PM
Leadership is a burden you chose.
The gift and the curse.
Carry it well.
The gift and the curse.
Carry it well.
Waiting on referrals?
As the Stones said, "You can't always get what you want....You get what you need."
Stop waiting.
Implement an active strategy to originate the referrals you need to grow your agency.
As the Stones said, "You can't always get what you want....You get what you need."
Stop waiting.
Implement an active strategy to originate the referrals you need to grow your agency.
September 1, 2025 at 5:03 PM
Waiting on referrals?
As the Stones said, "You can't always get what you want....You get what you need."
Stop waiting.
Implement an active strategy to originate the referrals you need to grow your agency.
As the Stones said, "You can't always get what you want....You get what you need."
Stop waiting.
Implement an active strategy to originate the referrals you need to grow your agency.
Every client lost is a lesson.
Lessons exist if you’re humble enough to be introspective.
To recognize what you did wrong.
Pay attention and your loss becomes your biggest gain.
Learn, institutionalize, then replace.
Lessons exist if you’re humble enough to be introspective.
To recognize what you did wrong.
Pay attention and your loss becomes your biggest gain.
Learn, institutionalize, then replace.
August 31, 2025 at 3:06 PM
Every client lost is a lesson.
Lessons exist if you’re humble enough to be introspective.
To recognize what you did wrong.
Pay attention and your loss becomes your biggest gain.
Learn, institutionalize, then replace.
Lessons exist if you’re humble enough to be introspective.
To recognize what you did wrong.
Pay attention and your loss becomes your biggest gain.
Learn, institutionalize, then replace.
If you’re looking for the next hack, you’ve already lost.
Running an agency isn’t about tricks.
It’s about consistent, focused effort that compounds over time.
Running an agency isn’t about tricks.
It’s about consistent, focused effort that compounds over time.
August 30, 2025 at 4:03 PM
If you’re looking for the next hack, you’ve already lost.
Running an agency isn’t about tricks.
It’s about consistent, focused effort that compounds over time.
Running an agency isn’t about tricks.
It’s about consistent, focused effort that compounds over time.
No one wants to commit big early.
Make it easy for clients to say yes.
Make it easy for clients to say yes.
August 29, 2025 at 5:31 PM
No one wants to commit big early.
Make it easy for clients to say yes.
Make it easy for clients to say yes.
You can't be friends and boss. Choose wisely.
August 16, 2025 at 5:59 PM
You can't be friends and boss. Choose wisely.
A messy checklist beats a perfect memory every time.
August 12, 2025 at 6:04 PM
A messy checklist beats a perfect memory every time.
You're not in the marketing business.
You're in the cash flow business.
You're in the cash flow business.
August 11, 2025 at 3:37 PM
You're not in the marketing business.
You're in the cash flow business.
You're in the cash flow business.
Most stalled agencies are stalled because the owner is afraid to ask.
Ask what?
For more money.
For the sale.
For help.
For change.
For accountability.
Ask what?
For more money.
For the sale.
For help.
For change.
For accountability.
August 4, 2025 at 7:51 PM
Most stalled agencies are stalled because the owner is afraid to ask.
Ask what?
For more money.
For the sale.
For help.
For change.
For accountability.
Ask what?
For more money.
For the sale.
For help.
For change.
For accountability.
You don’t need a booth at a conference. You need to be in the room, shaking hands and having real conversations. Presence > branding.
August 3, 2025 at 1:19 AM
You don’t need a booth at a conference. You need to be in the room, shaking hands and having real conversations. Presence > branding.
Real growth comes from systems, not hope.
August 1, 2025 at 5:59 PM
Real growth comes from systems, not hope.