I'm sure this story has been written a million times, but I'm doing my best NBA prospect impersonation and hit a 1 and done. The client relationship dynamic is toxic. Everyone is underpaid. The fire drills are frequent. Too many people work there just so they can give orders on the client side down the road. They pay for awards and shove them in their newsletters. There's a mentality that "this is how it is." Before going into my first agency gig, I considered myself a driven and hard-working individual. I've held several jobs simultaneously, working 70+ hours with freelance work. But somehow, the hours working in an agency were so painstaking that it made me question what I was doing in my career. I dreaded my alarm every morning just because I knew I had to spend my day working this job. I spent thousands on training programs to move horizontally into different agency expertise. I made a portfolio reviewed by directors/VPs and was considered a beyond-qualified candidate. I joined clubs about this expertise and networked my ass off. I met with countless talent directors. Didn't matter. I was told by hundreds of people that I'd need to take a $15/hr internship first. I didn't go to one of the best advertising universities in the world to be asked to take an internship in my mid-20s. I thought this might be an isolated problem. From what I've researched and several others' stories, it's widespread. This isn't normal. In other industries, jobs that require this many hours and deal with these toxic work environments, you're compensated for it. At a much different level of expertise, think IB. Yeah, you're working 120 hours and are a cog to these giant banks, but you're paid fairly. At agencies, we're asked to work 65+ hour weeks, get on our knees for clients, and are supposed to accept a salary teachers make. Instead, I'm going to work for a company that actually cares about its people and respects their skills. I'm getting paid more than I would be making at the director level in an agency. I'm doing a creative and analytical role. I'm not being pigeonholed into the agency-to-client pipeline.

Does anyone here know what is the best place to find media buyers experienced in local lead gen campaigns?

How would you adjust the discovery section from this video. If you are doing a 2 call close. https://youtu.be/_A73qdY832g?si=CALFSquyexw9p0q- Also any tips on getting prospects excited to show up for the second call

Hey gang! I’m coming back online after a long move and some time with family for the holidays. Looking forward to seeing you on the Agency Sales call Thursday as we kick off 2026 strong!

Currently running a marketing agency for real estate agencies doing 6 figures a month and I'm looking to connect with some real estate guys in the mortgage agency side (DIALED FUFILLMENT) and potentially have a partnership on this end If you know anyone please hmu and just shoot me a text at +1 516 590 9335