"One of the things that we do best across all of our product categories is talk to niche audiences.” – Josslynne Welch, President at Litzky Public Relations

Public relations is a fast-moving industry, yet today’s guest has successfully stayed ahead of the news cycle for close to three decades. Meet Josslynne Welch; Today, she sits at the helm of the communications agency Litzky Public Relations, a company she joined some 26 years ago.

The agency specializes in toy companies, publishing, and entertainment, and runs with a small 15-person team that comprises account, strategy, and creative services. And, according to Josslynne, it’s their nimbleness that allows LPR to execute fast to connect the dots between culture, trends, and their clients.

In essence, what sets LPR apart is their deep specialization in their industry, how they show up through initiatives like The Love Litzky Grant, and their policy of running a tight ship. They only work with the right fit, both vertically, and personality-wise.

Together, Corey and Josslynne cover topics like culture building and retention, keeping your teams motivated, hiring for specialty versus skills, the importance of peer perspectives in agency leadership, and more.

Here’s what we cover in this episode:

- Josslynne’s three decades running a PR agency.

- Verticalization and expansion of your existing niche.

- PR best practices from strategy to tactics.

- Leadership lessons from culture to team retention and giving back.

Here are some actionable key takeaways for agency founders:

- A niche focus doesn't mean dull; Seek variety within your area of specialization.

- Be opportunistic about trends in your niche to shape the news.

- Leadership can be lonely, make sure to tap into peer networks to connect with fellow agency leaders.

- You can’t fake caring. Show up for your industry in tangible ways.

The resources mentioned in this episode are:

- Connect with Josslynne on LinkedIn Here
- Check out Litzky PR Here

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Chapter Sixteen of Anyone, Not Everyone outlines the importance of the agency founder in leading the transition to vertical market specialization, emphasizing that early successes can be achieved with the existing team. It advises agency owners to deeply understand their chosen vertical market, embodying the values and knowledge that will inspire and guide the team.

The chapter also details functional skills required for each strategy phase, suggesting the use of internal resources first and contracting as a secondary option, with an 18-24 month expectation to build vertical market expertise. Hiring a vertical-specific salesperson is recommended for accelerating sales and achieving better results in the long term.

Reminder that this is a chapter in Corey Quinn’s book, Anyone, Not Everyone. Over the next few weeks, we'll be releasing a few chapters at a time so that you can escape founder-led sales.

If you want to read or listen to the entire book today, then visit www.AnyoneNotEveryone.com and pick up a copy.

While we’ve had troves of agency founders on this show, today’s guest brings a unique spin to the typical genesis story. Peter Kang, Co-Founder of Barrel Holdings, started out running a website agency some 20 years ago.

Today, the business has evolved into a sprawling portfolio of agencies, all homegrown under a single holding company umbrella.

How did all this come to be?

Looking back, Peter’s path to a holding company co-founder might make complete sense, yet he got there by chance.

Peter and his partner were at a crossroads, looking to sunset clients that did not fit their core ICP of Shopify clients, but there was a bump in the road; these were all revenue-generating clients. Luckily, one of their existing employees volunteered to spin these accounts out into a shop of its own, and run it, and so, Barrel Holdings was born.

Tune into the episode as Peter sits down with Corey to recount the story from early days as an agency founder to capitalizing on Shopify and Webflow momentum, all the way to spinning out a thriving holding company, and the leadership lessons Peter has picked up along the way.

"All our holding company agencies are homegrown.” – Peter Kang, Co-Founder of Barrel Holdings

Here’s what we cover in this episode:

- Peter’s journey from an agency founder to holding company builder.

- The role of partners like Shopify and Webflow in scaling an agency business.

- The holding company origin story, and what Peter’s holding company offers today.

- What he’s learned in 20+ years in the digital agency business.

Here are some actionable key takeaways for agency founders:

- Lean into fast growing partners in the ecosystem to drive lead flow.

- Having too diverse of a client pool can be a resource-suck, consider spinning independent divisions to reduce friction.

- Improve margins by developing reusable components to the products you’re selling.

- Make sure incentives are aligned with those who are going to be leading your business for overall success.

The resources mentioned in this episode are:

- Connect with Peter on LinkedIn Here
- Check out Barrel Holdings Here

👍If you liked this episode, please rate and review us on Apple Podcasts, and be sure to hit the subscribe button! 🔔

😡Frustrated with a lack of results from outbound? I'd like to give you my free 6-day email course that will transform your outbound program from broken to consistently driving new sales opportunities. Sign up here: GetOutboundROI.com.