What happens when the processes, systems and structures that helped build a successful agency are no longer the ones it needs to keep growing?

In this episode of The Viking Chats, Kristjan is joined by Sam Olliver, who has spent almost 25 years in agency, including nearly two decades with Michael Jones. Having experienced the business grow from a relatively small independent into a substantial regional operation, and subsequently become part of Lomond, Sam has seen first-hand how dramatically the needs of a business change as it evolves.

Now, through his own consultancy, Olliver, he's using that experience to help agencies take a fresh look at how their businesses actually operate.

Kristjan and Sam get into why buying good technology doesn't guarantee good results, why some businesses abandon perfectly capable software without ever really implementing it properly, and the often-overlooked gap between the decisions made at leadership level and what actually happens on the ground.

They also explore centralisation, accountability, handovers, KPIs, staff engagement and the danger of managing a business purely through spreadsheets. There's a particularly interesting discussion around why involving your team in change matters without allowing ”we've always done it this way” to become a veto on progress.

More broadly, this is a conversation about business evolution. The people, processes and technology that get an agency through its first stage of growth won't necessarily be right for the next one, and sometimes it takes an outside perspective to spot where the friction really sits.

A great listen for agency owners, directors, operations leaders and anyone wondering whether their business is genuinely set up for where it wants to go next.

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