Productive

Our colleague Mia Maček on how to win clients and lose friendships

As we get ready to launch our latest release, you can tune in to our very own Stjepan Šandor at SaaStanak’s meetup to hear all about the behind-the-scenes magic. There are still a few seats available, so sign up here: https://lnkd.in/eJ-2m3qD

Do you know how much cash will be coming in six months' time? 45% of agencies can only plan their revenue 1-3 months ahead. Hiring decisions, resource allocation, the ability to absorb a delayed project — all of it gets harder when your horizon is that short. Agencies with instant access to reporting are twice as likely to forecast 6+ months ahead. But visibility can only show you what's in the pipeline — it doesn't change what's in the pipeline. Our State of the Agency Business report looks at what's driving short-term planning, and whether operational maturity can extend the horizon. You know where to find the link. 👇

Your team is not a free-for-all 👏 With Productive's brand new Resource Requests, staffing just became a lot more structured. To learn more, check out the link in the comments ⬇️

We spent half a day talking about how agencies operate and scale in the age of AI, and a lot of it comes down to systems. A lot of it also comes down to decision-making and having a clear view of what’s actually going on in the business. But here’s what the data says: Nearly 1 in 5 agency leaders can’t report their own profit margins. These are not junior roles, but founders, partners, and directors running the business. It’s not a matter of competence, but a plain visibility problem. When financial data is fragmented or delayed, even senior leaders are making decisions without a clear picture. And that shows up in performance too — in margins, in forecasting, in how confidently agencies can plan ahead. We saw this pattern across the board in our State of the Agency Business report. If you’re thinking about how your agency operates (with or without AI), this is one of the clearest dividing lines. Link to full report in the comments. 👇

Our team is just wrapping up an event in London on what it means to run an agency in the age of AI and we’re thrilled to be featuring amazing guests like Marcus Foley. Thanks Tommy for this early report directly from the stage 🙌

Growth is up across agencies, but profitability isn’t keeping pace. 59% of agencies grew revenue, while only 31% improved their margins. Why the gap? Because that is where systems start to strain and operational pressure shows up. And operational discipline is what separates sustainable growth from just staying busy at a larger scale. We surveyed 93 agency leaders on how they do their business and the results they’re seeing. The agencies that managed both growth and profitability tend to have a few things in common: real-time financial visibility, longer forecasting windows, and more structured resource allocation. The story is much more nuanced than that though, and it doesn’t fit into a LinkedIn post. If you want to see the bigger picture and find out how your agency compares, you’ll find the report here: https://lnkd.in/d8Z2hFUJ

Is your agency growing, or is it just getting busier? Our new report examines what separates the two. It’s based on data from 93 agency leaders across the globe. Three key findings inside this carousel 👇 Link to full report in the comments.

👀 How far ahead can you forecast your revenue?  Do you know your actual profit margin? Are you growing or just growing busier? We asked the questions, and now we bring you the answers. 93 agency leaders shared how their businesses operate — profitability, forecasting, resourcing, pricing. Everything we learned is inside the report: benchmark data + editorial insights. Swipe through for key findings. 👇 Full report link in the comments.

How far ahead can you forecast your revenue? Do you know your actual profit margin? Are you growing or just growing busier? We asked 93 agency leaders these (and many other uncomfortable questions) for our State of the Agency Business report. There’s data, there’s insights, there’s some operational truths that trouble agencies far beyond any single year. Want to know how you compare? 👀 Stay tuned. The report drops soon.