What if the "finish line" you've been running toward as a founder doesn't feel as good as you thought it would? Shannon Litton, CEO of 3LS Professional Services and founder of the Nashville change agency 5by5, joins Mark Scrivner to unpack her path from accidental agency hire to building a Best-Place-to-Work culture and ultimately taking her team from 30% to 100% employee ownership. This conversation is packed with real talk for founders, marketers, and agency leaders on culture-building, communication, and the mechanics of employee ownership. Listeners will walk away understanding how respect-driven leadership, disciplined sales systems, and a clear long-term vision can build both a thriving agency and life-changing outcomes for a team. Topics covered include: agency culture, employee ownership (ESOP), leadership communication, sales systems, mission-driven business, and legacy planning.

Episode Highlights
01:33 – Introduction: Shannon Litton, CEO of 3LS Professional Services and founder of 5x5
04:30 – The accidental path into agency life and becoming an EVP at 23
07:01 – Starting over with 5 kids: building 5x5 smarter the second time
17:01 – The secret to Best Place to Work: respect, trust, and the Five Dysfunctions of a Team
21:16 – The lunch conversation that introduced Shannon to employee ownership
26:27 – Surprising the team with 30% ownership on a Disney World trip
29:27 – Going from 30% to 100% employee-owned through 3LS
39:05 – Shannon's mission: helping more business owners consider ESOPs

Learn More & Connect

Show Notes + Resources: https://creativeassembly.agency/ca-podcast/
Connect With Shannon Litton: https://www.linkedin.com/in/slitton/
Connect with Mark Scrivner: https://www.linkedin.com/in/markscrivner | https://snapshot.agency/health

Our Sponsor - Snapshot: https://snapshot.agency/health

Follow The Spark: https://creativeassembly.agency/ca-podcast/

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