Nothing drains boutique agencies faster than the black hole of pitching and RFPs. In today’s episode, we’re pulling back the curtain on a topic that every agency owner privately obsesses over, but very few talk about honestly: why pitches rarely convert, why proposals don’t win business, and why most agencies are building their entire biz dev system on a process that statistically works against them. We’re ending the season with a powerful reframe. Because stepping into a new year with your old RFP mindset is just… not the vibe, darling.

If you’ve ever wondered…

• Why you're prioritizing RFPs when they’re actually draining your time, margins, and confidence

• Why your beautifully crafted proposals aren’t converting

• What influences (or limits) your win rates more than any pitch deck ever could

…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) Kicking Off the Season With Momentum & Fresh Energy

(00:06:19) The Hard Truth About Pitches, Proposals & Why They Rarely Convert

(00:22:08) Why RFPs Feel Like Momentum—but Rarely Move Your Business Forward

(00:28:21) How Many Pitches Should You Actually Say Yes To?

(00:38:42) Best-in-Class Pitching: How to Show Up Like the Obvious Choice

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

If you’ve ever hired someone you thought was “the one,” only to watch your team unravel behind the scenes, this episode will feel like a deep exhale. Today, we’re sitting down with Natasha Golinsky, the powerhouse founder behind On Purpose Projects, to talk about the part of agency ownership that most founders quietly struggle with: building a reliable team you can actually trust.

Natasha is known for her non-bullshit, radically practical approach to leadership — the kind that comes from a decade of running a full-stack development agency, managing a 100% contractor team across time zones, and surviving real life: divorce, single-income seasons, motherhood, and a breast cancer diagnosis that changed everything. She’s lived the founder reality that so many women-owned agencies face but rarely talk about out loud: the exhaustion, the pressure to hold everything together, and the fear of letting go of control when the business depends on you.

In this conversation, she walks us through the exact hiring and team-building method that has given her something almost unheard of in agency life: ten years with zero turnover — not one contractor has ever quit. It’s not luck. It’s not magic. It’s not “manifesting the right people.” It’s a system. A sharp one.

You can get Natasha’s complete hiring system and learn how to find, interview, hire (and fire) virtual contractors like a pro at

https://onpurposeprojects.gumroad.com/l/virtualcontractorsgameplan

If you’ve ever wondered…

• Whether the people you're hiring are the right fit or just the easiest to find

• If your contractor team needs a real system for accountability and expectations

• What it would take to finally delegate yourself without everything falling apart

…this one’s for you.

This episode is brought to you by:

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

Chapters:

(00:00:00) The Real Challenge of Building a High-Performance Team

(00:05:18) Natasha’s Hiring Method: From 100 Applicants to the Perfect Fit

(00:22:42) Filtering for the Right People and Setting Expectations That Actually Work

(00:31:40) How To Set Expectations When Your Processes Aren’t Perfect (Yet)

(00:37:12) The Two Non-Negotiables Every New Agency Owner Needs in Place

(00:41:20) Stepping Out of the Doer Role and What It Really Takes to Let Go

(00:50:56) Finding Your Number Two: Letting Them Lead and Loving the Result

Connect with Natasha:

• Website: https://onpurposeprojects.com

• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/natashagolinsky/?originalSubdomain=ca

• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/natashacgolinsky/

• YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@natashagolinsky-onpurposep2435

• Upwork: https://www.upwork.com/freelancers/~01a1f03fb7162975e1

Want To Dive Deeper On These Topics?

• Natasha’s Hiring Process Course:

You know that sinking feeling when your sales pipeline starts to dry up? When the big deal you were sure would close suddenly stalls, and your perfectly forecasted month starts to look like a desert? We’ve all been there, darling. In this week’s episode, we’re naming it, reframing it, and turning it into your next big growth moment.

We call it Pipeline Panic — that all-too-familiar moment when the phone stops ringing, the leads slow down, and your brain starts catastrophizing every possible worst-case scenario. But as we unpack in this conversation, those slow seasons aren’t proof you’re failing; they’re proof you’ve been in business long enough to see the natural rhythm of growth, rest, and renewal.

If you’ve ever wondered…

• What do I do when my pipeline slows down?

• How can I tell that my agency is actually evolving?

• When panic hits, how do I keep up momentum?

…this one’s for you.

This episode is brought to you by:

Metricool | Get 30 days free on any Premium plan with code DARLINGS at https://metricool.com/darlings/

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

Chapters:

(00:00:00) When the Pipeline Slows Down

(00:11:39) The Data Behind the Dip

(00:16:29) Reframing Struggle as a Sign of Staying Power

(00:20:39) Redefining Growth Beyond the Numbers

(00:31:13) Creating Momentum Without the Hard Sell

(00:44:30) From Panic to Power: Building Momentum Together

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

In this episode of Agency Darlings, hosts Melissa and Meredith provide an insider's guide to the ups and downs of the agency world, emphasizing the importance of vulnerability and empathy, especially during challenging times. They discuss the pressures of balancing work and personal struggles, particularly around the holidays, and share personal experiences of grief and loss to highlight the significance of being compassionate towards oneself and others. The episode encourages listeners to recognize the human side of business growth and to practice gratitude and understanding towards their teams and clients.

00:00 Welcome to Agency Darlings

00:22 Starting the Conversation: Vulnerability and Challenges

03:29 The Impact of Personal Struggles on Professional Life

06:04 Navigating Grief and Work

10:30 Finding Balance and Avoiding Burnout

24:07 The Importance of Gratitude and Reflection

26:00 Closing Thoughts and Community Impact

The agency world doesn’t reward those who cling to “how it’s always been done.” It rewards the ones brave enough to redesign their business around what actually works — and what actually matters. In this powerful conversation, we sit down with Amy Jackson, founder and CEO of TaleSplash, to talk about what it really looks like to evolve your agency in real time.

Over the past year, Amy has made bold shifts in her business, from niching into health, family, and safety brands to restructuring her team, rethinking her client criteria, and raising her rates with confidence. But what makes her story resonate so deeply isn’t just the transformation itself; it’s the honest, intentional way she approached every step.

If you’ve ever wondered…

• How do I identify a niche that actually energizes me?

• What would happen if I stopped chasing volume and focused on building relationships?

• Am I defining success based on what I want, or on vanity metrics?

…this one’s for you.

This episode is brought to you by:

Metricool | Get 30 days free on any Premium plan with code DARLINGS at https://metricool.com/darlings

Chapters:

(00:00:00) Niching Down Without Closing Doors

(00:10:03) Learning Before Locking In

(00:14:48) Defining the Right Fit

(00:21:34) Redefining Success on Your Own Terms

(00:30:35) Pricing with Conviction

(00:38:16) Standing Your Ground with Premium Clients

(00:46:48) Boundaries Build Better Businesses

(00:53:32) Evolving the Team, Reclaiming the Role

Connect with Amy:

• @TaleSplash on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/talesplash

• Amy on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/amyfjackson/

• TaleSplash on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/talesplash/

• Website: https://www.talesplash.com/

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

There’s a sneaky trap that almost every small agency falls into at some point: trying to be everything to everyone. And honestly? We’ve been there too. When you’re in the early stages, saying yes to every service, every client, every shiny opportunity can feel like the smart, safe thing to do. But the truth is, trying to do it all is the fastest way to burn out your team, confuse your clients, and hold your growth hostage.

We’re diving deep into why doing less actually helps you win more. This isn’t about limiting your potential. It’s about focusing your energy where it matters most, building authority, increasing profitability, and protecting your time, team, and sanity.

If you’ve ever wondered…

• Is my agency doing too much?

• What would it look like to confidently say “no”?

• How can we narrow our focus?

…this one’s for you.

Chapters:

(00:00:00) Why Doing Less Helps You Win More

(00:07:33) The Power of Saying No

(00:14:37) Generalists Compete on Price, Specialists Compete on Value

(00:20:43) The Hidden Costs of Doing It All

(00:26:03) Niche by Problem, Not Industry

(00:31:10) Protecting Your Positioning with Partner Coalitions

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

The agency world was never meant to be a one-character show. In a culture that glorifies doing it all at once — CEO, visionary, mom, partner, friend, athlete — we’re often left feeling like we’re failing at all of it. But what if the key to thriving wasn’t about finding “perfect balance”… but about owning intentional imbalance?

This week, we sit down with Amanda Goetz, 2x founder, 4x CMO, mom of three, newsletter creator to over 150,000 readers, and author of the book Toxic Grit: How To Have It All And (Actually) Love What You Have. Amanda unpacks what it really looks like to live and work at full capacity without losing yourself along the way.

If you’ve ever wondered…

• Why do I always feel like I’m doing everything at once?

• How can I stop reacting to everything immediately?

• How can I show up fully in each season of my agency’s growth?

…this one’s for you.

This episode is brought to you by:

Metricool | Get 30 days free on any Premium plan with code DARLINGS at https://metricool.com/darlings

Chapters:

(00:00:00) Focus and Finish: Master One Thing Before the Next

(00:09:27) Delegation Without Guilt: Building the Support You Deserve

(00:23:58) Character Theory: Choosing Who Leads Your Life

(00:36:55) The Urgency Trap, the Parking Lot, and Two Post-Its

(00:49:59) You’re the Director — No One’s Giving You Permission

Connect with Amanda:

• Order Toxic Grit: https://www.toxicgrit.com

• Girlboss Podcast (soon to be Ambition 2.0): https://girlboss.com

• Website: https://amandagoetz.com

• Instagram: https://instagram.com/theamandagoetz

• LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/amandagoetz

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

We’ve all been there: you have a great discovery call, you’re vibing with the lead, and then… silence. No follow-up, no next steps, not even a polite “we’ve gone in a different direction.” They’ve vanished into the business void.

Ghosting isn’t just for bad Tinder dates. In the agency world, it happens more often than anyone wants to admit. But here’s the thing: not every ghost is gone forever — and not every ghost is worth reviving. In this conversation, we’re breaking down exactly how to bring the right prospects back from the dead (and how to let the zombie leads stay buried).

If you’ve ever wondered…

• How to tell if a lead is truly dead

• How to revive the right leads

• How to show up as a trusted advisor instead of a desperate vendor

…this one’s for you.

This episode is brought to you by:

Metricool | Get 30 days free on any Premium plan with code DARLINGS at metricool.com/darlings

Chapters:

(00:00:00) When Ghosting Isn’t the End of the Story

(00:05:28) Zombies vs. Caspers: Who’s Worth Reviving?

(00:11:37) The Three Tests Every Ghost Must Pass

(00:16:01) How to Reach Out Without the “Just Checking In” Energy

(00:23:13) Turning a Catch-Up Call Into a Catalyst

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