Over the past decade, Lauryn Warnick has quietly built Villain Branding into a trusted partner for high-growth B2B companies navigating moments where brand decisions carry real weight, scale, complexity, leadership alignment, and pressure. In the past two years, she's doubled Villain's revenue, putting the firm in the rare 2% of women-owned businesses to cross the seven-figure threshold.

But that growth didn't come from doing more. It came from doing less, and from making a painful identity shift that most founders avoid talking about.

If you've ever wondered...

1. How do I know when it's time to stop being a practitioner and start being a CEO?
2. What does it actually look like to scale past a million without burning out?
3. How do I invest in my business when those investments hurt my personal income?
4. When is the right time to rebrand, and what problem should it actually solve?

...this one's for you.

This episode is brought to you by:

Copper is the CRM that helps agencies attract more clients, streamline communication, and deliver projects effortlessly. Exclusive to listeners of the podcast, Copper is offering 15% off any annual plan with promo code AGENCYDARLINGS at copper.com/agency

Chapters:

(00:00:00) Intro & Meet Lauryn Warnick

1. Villain Branding's journey to seven figures and the 2% of women-owned businesses
2. Why Melissa considers Lauryn one of her best collaborators
3. The importance of finding advisors who don't have anything to prove

(00:05:59) The Three Eras of Building an Agency

1. Freelancer era: saying yes to everything, everything feels urgent
2. Collective era: pulling in talented peers, still not quite the leader
3. Consultancy era: running an actual business with systems and accountability
4. Why "era-ing" your 10-year business isn't silly, it's necessary

(00:11:38) The Identity Shift from Strategist to CEO

1. Why your career identity might be holding your agency back
2. The difference between starting a business in your 20s versus your 30s and 40s
3. "I never want to be in the room where I'm the smartest person"
4. Building systems that make it impossible to slip back into day-to-day work

(00:21:50) From Scarcity to Right: The Mindset Shift

1. Moving from "more, more" to "right, right"
2. Being confident saying who you're NOT...

Leadership is hard. Leading while running a business, managing a team of freelancers, and trying not to burn yourself out in the process? Even harder.

In this episode, Melissa and Meredith sit down with Steve Guberman, founder of Agency Outsight, former agency owner who scaled to 12 people before selling, and now an agency coach who's helped hundreds of founders navigate the messy middle of growth.

They get into the real stuff: How do you delegate without feeling like you're losing control? What does it actually look like to shift from doer to CEO? And what happens when your ego leads you to chase a "dream client" that nearly breaks your business?

If you've ever wondered...

1. How do I hold my team accountable without micromanaging?
2. What's the difference between being a kind boss and being a pushover?
3. How do I know if I'm ready to step into the CEO role, or if I even want to?
4. What do I do when one client is taking over my entire business?

...this one's for you.

This episode is brought to you by:

Copilot Money is the personal finance app that helps you navigate your finances with confidence. Copilot Money was built for the Darlings. It's a beautifully designed app that lets you track every card, account, budget, investment, and net worth trend in one place. Use our code DARLINGS for a 2 month free trial and get yourself set up for your next level of personal growth today. Get two months free with promo code DARLINGS at copilot.money/darlings

Chapters:

(00:00:00) Intro & Meet Steve Guberman

1. From agency owner to coach helping hundreds of founders navigate the messy middle
2. The ego-driven belief that launches most agencies: "I can do it better"
3. Why designing and running a design business are two very different things

(00:05:11) Setting Expectations with Freelancers: The Lawful Way

1. The commitment-based approach to holding people accountable (without crossing legal lines)
2. Why clear expectations must come before accountability
3. The difference between empathy and being a doormat

(00:10:31) The Inner Conflict: Empathy vs. Running a Business

1. When "leading with empathy" turns into self-sabotage
2. Absorbing everyone else's failures because holding them accountable feels mean
3. The Brené Brown moment: "You can lead with empathy and still be a good boss"

(00:13:05) The Emotional Burden of Being Responsible for Others

1. "People are depending on me to eat. That's a heavy burden to carry."

We're seeing it everywhere: nearly every agency we work with is in the middle of a pivot right now or has pivoted in the past year. We're in a particular moment of needing to pivot, given what's happening in the world.

According to the 2025 Agency Growth Benchmark report, over 60% of agencies between $500K and $3M in revenue undergo a positioning or offer reset every two to four years. And that's not surprising, because agencies at this stage need to level up every time they hit a new threshold. Pivoting doesn't need to be a sign of failure or that you did something wrong. It's a sign of outgrowing something. This worked for a while. It's not working anymore. Let's change it.

If you've ever wondered...

1. Why your agency feels stuck even though you're working harder than ever
2. How to reinvent your business without risking the revenue you've built
3. When a pivot is actually necessary versus just shiny object syndrome

...this one's for you.

This episode is brought to you by:

Copilot Money | Get two months free with code DARLINGS at copilot.money/darlings

Copper | Get 15% off any annual plan with code AGENCYDARLINGS at copper.com/agency

Chapters:

(00:00:00) Introduction & Year of the Fire Horse

(00:04:00) Why Every Agency Owner Is Pivoting Right Now

(00:10:00) Pivoting Isn't Failure, It's Outgrowing What Worked

(00:17:00) Signs You're Ready for a Pivot

(00:23:00) The Four Types of Agency Pivots

(00:33:00) How to Approach Change Without Burning It Down

(00:37:00) The "Rebuild From Day One" Exercise

(00:42:00) Testing Before You Commit

(00:45:00) Bringing Your Team Along for the Ride

Want To Dive Deeper On These Topics?

• Apply to join our exclusive Agency Darlings Slack Community: agencydarlings.com/community

• Join our agency advice column: agencydarlings.myflodesk.com/signup

Connect with Melissa & Meredith:

• Waverly Ave: waverlyave.com

• Instagram: instagram.com/waverlyave.co

• Le Chéile: lecheile.co/contact

• Instagram: instagram.com/lecheile.co

You think you know what clients want. You've read the case studies, perfected your pitch deck, and rehearsed your differentiators. But what if you've been optimizing for the wrong things entirely?

This week, we're pulling back the curtain with Rachel Huff, founder of Victoire & Co, an agency search consultancy that helps client-side leaders find the right agency partners. Rachel has spent her career on both sides of the table: years agency-side understanding the realities of pitching and delivery, and now working directly with brands to find their ideal agency fit. She sees the patterns agencies don't have visibility into, including the gaps between what's pitched and what's needed, and what separates agencies that become long-term partners from those that get ghosted after the first meeting.

If you've ever wondered...

1. Why you keep losing pitches to agencies that seem less qualified
2. What clients actually discuss after you leave the room
3. How to stop wasting time on RFPs you were never going to win

...this one's for you.

This episode is brought to you by:

Copilot | Get two months free with code DARLINGS at https://try.copilot.money/darlings

Chapters:

00:00:00) Welcome & Introduction

(00:03:18) Does Agency Size Actually Matter?

(00:07:12) Part Matchmaker, Part Therapist: Finding the Right Fit

(00:09:49) The Questions Every Agency Should Ask Before Pitching

(00:13:42) Stop Chasing Opportunities You Were Never Going to Win

(00:18:19) What Small Agencies Should Actually Lean Into

(00:21:38) Why Business Impact Beats Beautiful Slides Every Time

(00:25:23) The Biggest Shift in Client Expectations

(00:29:55) Who to Bring to the Pitch (And Why Titles Don't Matter)

(00:34:35) The Transparency Rule for Freelancer Teams

(00:39:02) Where Agency-Client Relationships Break Down

(00:47:29) RFPs as a Biz Dev Strategy: The Hard Truth

(00:55:12) Logos vs. Business Challenges: What Actually Wins

(00:58:46) Lightning Round: Pitch Mistakes That Cost You the Win

Want To Dive Deeper On These Topics?

• Apply to join our exclusive Agency Darlings Slack Community: agencydarlings.com/community

• Join our agency advice column: agencydarlings.myflodesk.com/signup

Connect with Rachel Huff:

• Victoire & Co: https://www.victoireco.com/

• Instagram: instagram.com/waverlyave.co

Connect with Melissa & Meredith:

• Waverly Ave: waverlyave.com

• Instagram: instagram.com/waverlyave.co

• Le Chéile: lecheile.co/contact

• Instagram:

A lot of agency owners think winning big clients is about fancy credential decks, bigger case studies, or the perfect pitch presentation. It's not. It's a psychology game, not a proposal game. And if you're stuck in the small budget, high-maintenance client cycle, it's rarely because your work isn't good enough—it's because of the energy you're bringing, the positioning you're claiming, and the decision patterns you're signaling (maybe unintentionally) that tell bigger clients you're built for smaller work.

In today's episode, we break down the psychology that separates boutique agencies who get overlooked from the ones who get chosen and trusted by enterprise companies. Big clients buy certainty. They're buying confidence. They're buying clarity. They're not buying deliverables.

If you've ever wondered...

1. Why you keep attracting small, executional, needy clients even though you're capable of bigger, strategic work
2. How to position yourself as a strategic partner instead of an execution arm
3. What signals you're sending that keep bigger clients from seeing you as their solution
4. How to shift your energy, pricing, and sales process to attract higher-quality relationships

...this one's for you.

This episode is brought to you by:

Copilot | Get two months free with code DARLINGS at https://try.copilot.money/darlings

Copper | Get 15% off any annual plan with code AGENCYDARLINGS at copper.com/agency

Chapters:

(00:00:00) Why Winning Big Clients Isn't About Better Decks or More Case Studies

(00:09:40) The Data: What Big Clients Actually Buy (Spoiler: Not Deliverables)

(00:14:33) Small Energy vs. Big Energy: How You're Signaling Your Size

(00:28:29) The Three Value Perception Levels (And Why You're Stuck in Level One)

(00:36:27) The Authority Transfer Effect: Reducing Cognitive Load in the First 10 Minutes

(00:39:09) The Paradox of Big Clients: The Less You Need Them, The More They Want You

Want To Dive Deeper On These Topics?

• Apply to join our exclusive Agency Darlings Slack Community: agencydarlings.com/community

• Join our agency advice column: agencydarlings.myflodesk.com/signup

Connect with Melissa & Meredith:

• Waverly Ave: waverlyave.com

• Instagram: instagram.com/waverlyave.co

• Le Chéile: lecheile.co/contact

• Instagram: instagram.com/lecheile.co

Most agency founders have been charging the same rates since 2021. You've given your team raises. Your costs have gone up. The economy has shifted. But your pricing? Still stuck at that number you picked three years ago based on vibes and what you saw other agencies charging.

Today, we're handing you the formula to stop pricing emotionally and start pricing strategically. We break down the 2x multiplier that creates your absolute floor, the 10x principle that unlocks your ceiling, and the three consecutive yeses that signal you're leaving money on the table.

If you've ever wondered...

1. How to price confidently without just guessing what the market will bear
2. When it's time to raise your rates (and by how much)
3. Why you keep saying yes to projects that drain you financially
4. What your pricing should actually be based on instead of competitor research

...this one's for you.

This episode is brought to you by:

Copilot | Get two months free with code DARLINGS at https://try.copilot.money/darlings

Chapters:

(00:00:00) Why Pricing Emotionally Is Costing You Money

(00:09:40) The Pricing Sweet Spot Formula: Your 2x Base Price

(00:26:13) How to Calculate Your Maximum Price (Outcomes Over Outputs)

(00:37:01) The Three Consecutive Yeses Rule

(00:45:25) When and How Often to Raise Your Rates

Want To Dive Deeper On These Topics?

• Apply to join our exclusive Agency Darlings Slack Community: agencydarlings.com/community

• Join our agency advice column: agencydarlings.myflodesk.com/signup

Connect with Melissa & Meredith:

• Waverly Ave: waverlyave.com

• Instagram: instagram.com/waverlyave.co

• Le Chéile: lecheile.co/contact

• Instagram: instagram.com/lecheile.co

How to actually enjoy the money your agency is making without guilt, chaos, or burnout. That's the conversation Melissa and Meredith are having today, darling—because too many successful founders are still living like freelancers.

You're hitting revenue goals. You're paying contractors, employees, covering taxes and expenses. But you're not paying yourself what you're worth. You're taking tiny distributions when cash flow is good and feeling guilty about everything in between. And if we're being honest? You wouldn't accept the job you have on paper—with that salary—from anyone else.

In this episode, we break down the founder treat rule, the profit threshold bonus system, and percentage-based strategies that remove the guilt from paying yourself. Because your joy matters. Your wellbeing matters. And your lifestyle matters just as much as your agency's bottom line.

If you've ever wondered...

• Why you're hitting all your revenue goals but your personal lifestyle hasn't changed

• How to pay yourself consistently without feeling guilty or putting the business at risk

• What baseline salary you should actually be taking as an agency founder

• When it's financially safe to take bonuses without accidentally putting yourself in the red next month

• How to create guilt-free spending that fuels your leadership instead of depleting it

...this one's for you.

This episode is brought to you by:

Copilot | Get two months free with code DARLINGS at https://try.copilot.money/darlings

Chapters:

(00:00:00) Why Founders Struggle to Pay Themselves What They're Worth

(00:03:15) The Founder Treat Rule: Recurring Guilt-Free Joy

(00:08:12) Stats That Prove Founder Compensation Drives Business Success

(00:09:11) Creating a Base Salary + Bonus Structure That Works

(00:14:00) The Profit Threshold Rule for Guilt-Free Distributions

(00:18:00) Percentage-Based Systems That Normalize Founder Pay

(00:21:00) Creating Your "Fun Account" and Treating Yourself Intentionally

(00:24:20) Why Your Joy Matters for Business Expansion

Want To Dive Deeper On These Topics?

• Apply to join our exclusive Agency Darlings Slack Community: agencydarlings.com/community

• Join our agency advice column: agencydarlings.myflodesk.com/signup

Connect with Melissa & Meredith:

• Waverly Ave: waverlyave.com

• Instagram: instagram.com/waverlyave.co

• Le Chéile: lecheile.co/contact

• Instagram: instagram.com/lecheile.co

Playing it safe got you here. But thinking small won't get you there. While most agency owners are planning incremental 20% growth, darling, we're challenging you to think exponentially bigger. Because your biggest year isn't going to come from optimizing what you're already doing. It's going to come from completely reimagining what's possible.

In this solo episode, Melissa and Meredith break down four research-backed strategies that outperforming companies use to achieve breakthrough growth. Not the "work harder" advice you'll find everywhere else. Not the "double down on what's working" conventional wisdom. This is about expanding your identity, taking bigger bets, and building the confidence flywheel that makes massive growth feel inevitable instead of impossible. We're talking about the 10x thinking model, identity expansion, strategic big bets, and the confidence flywheel that compounds your wins.

If you've ever wondered...

• Why incremental thinking keeps you stuck in the same revenue range year after year

• How to break free from the "safe option" mentality that's actually holding your agency back

• What it actually takes to make this your biggest year without burning out

• Why the version of you who runs a multi-million dollar agency makes completely different decisions

• How to build momentum that makes bold moves feel natural instead of terrifying

...this one's for you.

This episode is brought to you by:

Copilot | Get two months free with code DARLINGS at https://try.copilot.money/darlings

Chapters:

(00:00:00) Welcome to Your Expansion Era

(00:05:12) The 10x Thinking Model: Why Bigger Goals Force Innovation

(00:09:45) Identity Expansion: Becoming the Person Who Runs That Business

(00:14:32) The Big Bet Principle: Fewer Moves, Bigger Impact

(00:19:28) The Confidence Flywheel: How Small Wins Build Momentum

(00:25:06) Taking Bold Risks and Creating an Expansion Culture

(00:31:42) Your 10x Goal Challenge and Accountability

Want To Dive Deeper On These Topics?

• Apply to join our exclusive Agency Darlings Slack Community: agencydarlings.com/community

• Join our agency advice column: agencydarlings.myflodesk.com/signup

Connect with Melissa & Meredith:

• Waverly Ave: waverlyave.com

• Instagram: instagram.com/waverlyave.co

• Le Chéile: lecheile.co/contact

• Instagram: instagram.com/lecheile.co