What does it take to build, scale, and sell a successful marketing agency?

Carrie Kerpen, founder of Likeable and one of the pioneers of the social media agency model, joins Jennifer Harrington on Eat In or Dine Out to share insights from building one of the world’s first social media agencies — and what she learned from selling it.

Carrie launched Likeable in 2006, long before social media agencies were common. After successfully scaling and selling the business, she shifted her focus to helping women entrepreneurs grow and sell their own companies through The Whisper Group.

In this episode, Carrie joins Jen for coffee and Dunkin’ munchkins to talk about:

• How independent marketing agencies can maintain creativity and heart while still scaling for large brand clients
• Why CMOs are increasingly comfortable with freelance talent—as long as agencies have a strong, trusted talent network
• What big brands look for when choosing smaller agencies
• Lessons from building and selling a social media agency
• And the surprising overlap between New York pride and Dunkin’ loyalty

If you're a CMO, agency founder, marketer, or entrepreneur, this episode explores what it really takes to build an agency that can grow, scale, and succeed with major brands.

Subscribe for more conversations about agency growth, marketing leadership, talent strategy, and entrepreneurship.

HATCH is a Boston based independent, women-owned agency that serves growth-hungry brands a customizable combo of creative capabilities and expertly sourced talent, all from one strategic partner.Follow HATCH:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/hatch-marketing/?viewAsMember=trueInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/hatch_the_agency/Go to https://hatchtheagency.com/ for more on all things HATCH.Executive Producer: Gregg Warfield Director / Executive Producer: Victoria Ashly Griggs Editor: Rayviation Motion Graphics: Michael (Alivixi) Guadarrama A Sweeter The Juice Film

#MarketingAgency #SocialMediaAgency #CMO #AgencyGrowth #Entrepreneurship #WomenInBusiness #MarketingLeadership#AgencyLife

Young creatives are changing the advertising industry, and we all need to keep up. On this episode of Eat In or Dine Out, COO of The One Club for Creativity Yash Egami joins CEO of HATCH Jen Harrington to make canolis while discussing a creative's decision to go in-house versus stay independent, how young creatives are paving a new way in work flow, and the importance of diversity in advertising. HATCH is a Boston based independent, women-owned agency that serves growth-hungry brands a customizable combo of creative capabilities and expertly sourced talent, all from one strategic partner.Follow HATCH:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/hatch-marketing/?viewAsMember=trueInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/hatch_the_agency/Go to https://hatchtheagency.com/ for more on all things HATCH.Executive Producer: Gregg Warfield Director / Executive Producer: Victoria Ashly Griggs Editor: Rayviation Motion Graphics: Michael (Alivixi) Guadarrama A Sweeter The Juice Film

Small agencies are on the rise. Don’t take our word for it — take Judann Pollack’s. On the newest episode of Eat In or Dine Out, the Executive Editor of Ad Age tells Jennifer Harrington what she sees happening in the industry today:🧁Small, independent agencies are holding their own against the industry’s biggest players by staying nimble and creative.🧁The “Hollywood model” — agencies assembling teams of specialized freelancers for each project — is growing exponentially.🧁The just-launched Ad Age Small Agency Network is giving like-minded small agencies across the country a new way to connect and learn.Watch the episode, then let us know: Do you see these trends continuing in 2026?HATCH is an independent, women-owned agency that serves growth-hungry brands a customizable combo of creative capabilities and expertly sourced talent, all from one strategic partner. Because as marketing leaders flex, adjust, and pivot to stretch fluctuating budgets, hit moving targets, and stay ahead of the competition, they need on-demand access to both fresh creative ideas and ready-to-roll talent. So, what’ll it be today?Follow HATCH:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/hatch-marketing/?viewAsMember=trueInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/hatch_the_agency/Go to https://hatchtheagency.com/ for more on all things HATCH.Executive Producer: Gregg Warfield https://www.instagram.com/capeg0d/Director / Executive Producer: Victoria Ashly Griggs https://www.instagram.com/vagriggah/Editor: Rayviation https://www.instagram.com/rayviation.rocks/Motion Graphics: Michael (Alivixi) Guadarrama @sandyrivercustomsA Sweeter The Juice Film https://www.sweeterthejuicefilms.com/about#advertising #smallagency #agency #podcast #interview

On this episode of Eat In or Dine Out Derek O'Brien CMO of Peabody Essex Museum joins Jen Harrington to enjoy Korean treats for take out while they discuss the benefits of creative agency partnership. Be sure to check out the Yu Kil-Chun Gallery of Korean Art and Culture at PEM! Like and follow for more insight from CMOs on how they staff for creative marketing and advertising projects!Executive Producer: Gregg Warfield https://www.instagram.com/capeg0d/Director / Executive Producer: Victoria Ashly Griggs https://www.instagram.com/vagriggah/Editor: Rayviation https://www.instagram.com/rayviation.rocks/Motion Graphics: Michael (Alivixi) Guadarrama @sandyrivercustomsA Sweeter The Juice Film https://www.instagram.com/sweeterthejuicef...Follow HATCH:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/hatch-mar...Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/hatch_the_agency/Go to https://hatchtheagency.com/ for more on all things HATCH.

Stephanie Browne is a talent and diversity leader who’s helped build marketing teams for organizations like Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts. She’s also a veteran wine industry entrepreneur and cookbook author. We’d call that a perfect pairing for an Eat In or Dine Out Guest. Watch Stephanie and Jennifer Harrington bake, sip, and talk marketing talent on the new episode! Then let us know your favorite family dessert recipe in the comments.Executive Producer: Gregg Warfield https://www.instagram.com/capeg0d/Director / Executive Producer: Victoria Ashly Griggs https://www.instagram.com/vagriggah/Editor: Rayviation https://www.instagram.com/rayviation.rocks/A Sweeter The Juice Film https://www.instagram.com/sweeterthejuicef...Follow HATCH:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/hatch-mar...Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/hatch_the_agency/Go to https://hatchtheagency.com/ for more on all things HATCH.

What do you get when you mix 20 years of friendship, a mountain goat named Mo, and a big scoop of brownie ice cream? An unforgettable episode of Eat In or Dine Out .In this episode, host Jen Harrington welcomes her longtime friend and marketing powerhouse Jill Motto from MountainOne Bank. They chat all things agency partnerships, brand culture, and why it's totally okay to be a little weird when it comes to bank branding. (Spoiler: whipped cream is not invited to this party.)

On the second episode of Eat In or Dine Out, Jen chats with Kerry Salerno, CMO of Babson College, about augmenting in-house creative teams while baking banana bread.

On the first episode of Eat In or Dine Out from HATCH, serial CMO Kathy Klingler steps into the kitchen to talk with Jennifer Harrington about assembling the perfect agency roster. Spoiler: It’s not quite as easy as ordering a pizza. Follow HATCH for future episodes.