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298. Leading Agencies Through Transition, with Ellen Praytor Faulkner

The Innovative Agency

Release Date: 05/21/2025

310. AI That Works for Creative Agencies, with Hikari Senju show art 310. AI That Works for Creative Agencies, with Hikari Senju

The Innovative Agency

AI isn’t just a buzzword anymore. It’s reshaping how agencies build, deliver, and scale creative at lightning speed. But for every opportunity it unlocks, there are just as many questions: How do you keep your creative edge? What are the legal landmines? And how do you actually integrate AI in a way that drives results and protects your agency? On this episode of The Innovative Agency Podcast Sharon Toerek sits down with Hikari Senju,  Omneky Founder and CEO. Omneky is at the forefront of AI-powered advertising and Hikari shares what it really looks like to adopt AI inside a creative...

info_outline 309. Agency Rebranding Done Right, with Bill Swanston show art 309. Agency Rebranding Done Right, with Bill Swanston

The Innovative Agency

Today on The Innovative Agency Podcast, Sharon Toerek sits down with Bill Swanston, co-founder and President of Bosun, for a raw and revealing conversation about what it really takes to reinvent a legacy agency. Bill doesn’t just share the highlight reel. He takes us inside the emotional highs and lows of letting go of a longtime identity, including the one literally tied to the founders’ names.  From wrestling with fear and uncertainty to rallying his team around a bold new vision, Bill walks through the pivotal moments that turned a daunting rebrand into a launchpad for growth....

info_outline 308. Agency M&A – A Seller’s Journey, with Mike Harris show art 308. Agency M&A – A Seller’s Journey, with Mike Harris

The Innovative Agency

Today on The Innovative Agency Podcast Sharon Toerek is joined by President and Co-Founder of Uproar PR Mike Harris. Mike brings the kind of hard-earned wisdom you only get from selling an agency. Not once, but twice.  If you’ve ever wrestled with the idea of letting go of something you built from the ground up, this conversation is going to hit home. Mike takes us behind the scenes of the emotional rollercoaster and the operational grit required to transition out of agency ownership. He shares the real story behind why he and his co-founder wife made the leap toward strategic...

info_outline 307. Growing Your Agency by Stepping Away, with Louise Oliver show art 307. Growing Your Agency by Stepping Away, with Louise Oliver

The Innovative Agency

Today on The Innovative Agency Podcast Sharon Toerek welcomes Louise Oliver, Founder and CEO of Peritus PR, for a story that doesn't get told nearly enough, but every agency owner needs to hear it. Louise discusses the bold and deeply personal decision to hit pause and step away entirely from the business she built.  Not just a vacation. A real, extended break. And what happened next? Transformation for her agency, for her team, and for her as a leader.  In an industry that rarely slows down, the idea of walking away even temporarily feels both daunting and impossible, but Louise...

info_outline 306. How to Shorten + Improve the Agency Sales Cycle, with Taylor Frame show art 306. How to Shorten + Improve the Agency Sales Cycle, with Taylor Frame

The Innovative Agency

Today on The Innovative Agency Podcast, Sharon Toerek is joined by Taylor Frame, Chief Revenue Officer at Best Practice Media. Taylor knows what it really takes to grow agency revenue in a market that’s full of hesitation and slow-moving buyers. With economic uncertainty and client priorities shifting by the week, Taylor shares a refreshingly honest take on the sales challenges agencies are up against, and how to turn data into your secret weapon. From shortening decision cycles to keeping projects alive when clients get skittish, Taylor delivers practical strategies to stay confident, stay...

info_outline 305. Evolving PR in a Noisy World, with Jennifer Kaplan show art 305. Evolving PR in a Noisy World, with Jennifer Kaplan

The Innovative Agency

On this episode of The Innovative Agency Podcast, Sharon Toerek is joined by Jennifer Kaplan, Founder of Evolve PR and Marketing, an industry veteran who’s had a front-row seat to the seismic shifts reshaping how we communicate. In a marketing landscape defined by constant change, Jennifer breaks down what’s actually working today in PR, from the rising influence of podcasts and creators to the high-stakes game of personal branding. She shares how agency leaders can evolve their approach, strike the right balance between traditional media and emerging channels, and safeguard their...

info_outline 304. AI and Agency Leadership – In Real Life, with Lori Highby show art 304. AI and Agency Leadership – In Real Life, with Lori Highby

The Innovative Agency

This episode of The Innovative Agency Podcast welcomes Lori Highby, CEO and Founder of Keystone Click, for an honest and practical conversation about what it really looks like to run a digital agency in the age of AI.   Lori shares how her and her team are weaving AI into daily operations, not just the flashy stuff, but the messy, behind-the-scenes realities most agencies aren’t talking about. She tackles how AI is rewriting the customer journey, reshaping content strategy, and forcing agencies to rethink their competitive edge from the ground up.   If you’re feeling...

info_outline 303. Stop Churn for Long-Term Client Retention, with Chip Griffin show art 303. Stop Churn for Long-Term Client Retention, with Chip Griffin

The Innovative Agency

This episode of The Innovative Agency Podcast examines a challenge every agency leader has faced at one point or another: watching a promising new client relationship fall apart too soon. Today’s guest is Chip Griffin, Founder of the Small Agency Growth Alliance (SAGA), and he’s here to unpack how to set agency-client relationships up for success before the contract is even signed. Chip candidly discusses why client churn happens more often than it should, and why misaligned expectations are usually to blame. He brings sharp, practical advice on how to ask better questions, uncover what...

info_outline 302. How to Optimize Your Digital Marketing, with Saul Marquez show art 302. How to Optimize Your Digital Marketing, with Saul Marquez

The Innovative Agency

This episode of The Innovative Agency Podcast welcomes Saul Marquez, Founder and CEO of Outcomes Rocket, an expert in digital marketing for the healthcare sector. Saul dives into the core challenges agencies face in proving the effectiveness of digital campaigns and building lasting client trust, especially when expectations and reality don’t always match up.  Saul breaks down the critical framework of assessing client digital maturity, dominating a niche, and establishing measurable KPIs. Listen in for actionable strategies on how to have tough client conversations and position your...

info_outline 301. Agency Business Development – Hope is Not a Strategy, with Tom Martin show art 301. Agency Business Development – Hope is Not a Strategy, with Tom Martin

The Innovative Agency

Today’s episode of The Innovative Agency Podcast is a must-listen if you’ve ever found yourself staring down an empty pipeline, wondering where your next opportunity will come from. Sharon Toerek is joined by Tom Martin, Founder and CEO of Converse Digital.  Tom doesn’t pull punches when it comes to one of the most critical and overlooked agency challenges: consistent business development in an unpredictable market. Tom discusses why “hope is not a strategy” and delivers practical, proven frameworks that help agencies build resilient pipelines.  From earning trust by...

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In this episode of The Innovative Agency, Sharon Toerek is joined by Ellen Praytor Faulkner, CEO of Lewis Communications, a performance marketing powerhouse with deep roots and a forward-thinking edge. Ellen opens up about what it really takes to lead an agency through transition, stepping into the CEO role in the wake of COVID and steering through the ripple effects of economic headwinds and rapid tech shifts. 

She shares hard-earned insights on guiding both teams and clients with empathy, clarity, and a firm grip on strategy. Ellen shares why those traits aren’t just nice to have, but essential for agency growth and client success.

What you will learn in this episode: 

  • The real challenges and opportunities agency leaders face during periods of transition and change

  • How to set priorities and expectations when stepping into new leadership role at a legacy agency

  •  Why empathy, transparency, and hybrid upskilling have become core agency leadership tools

  • Creative approaches for agencies to add value as partners when clients’ in-house teams are also struggling to adapt

  • The hidden pitfalls of performance marketing and how agencies can structure compensation to protect themselves while delivering client results

  • How agencies can build lasting client relationships by embracing a “walk-alongside” mentality in today’s performance-driven market

  • The make-or-break importance of candid conversations around expectations, resources, and what true success looks like for both agency and client

Ellen Faulkner looks forward, never backward. She drives innovation and change at Lewis and never allows the agency to settle for last year’s solutions. She understands how marketing has evolved, is constantly innovating on the agency's offerings, and is a driving force in clients’ growth at pivotal moments in their history.

Ellen has led groundbreaking work for a vast range of clients during her 33+ years with the company, working across D2C and B2B brands in various industries including outdoor recreation, healthcare, education, lifestyle, and the financial sector.

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