346. The Modern Agency Content Playbook, with Roger Nairn
The Innovative Agency
On this episode of The Innovative Agency Podcast, Sharon Toerek welcomes Roger Nairn, co-founder of JAR Podcast Solutions, to reveal why long-form content has become one of the most powerful tools for building trust, authority, and meaningful engagement in a fragmented digital landscape. Roger challenges the notion that shorter is always better and makes a compelling case for depth, authenticity, and consistency as the true drivers of connection. He details what separates forgettable content from shows that genuinely move the needle, how agencies can transform underperforming podcasts into...
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345. Win the Post-Click Advantage, with Shamir Duverseau
The Innovative Agency
If your agency is still measuring success by clicks alone, you may be missing where the real opportunity begins. On this episode of The Innovative Agency Podcast, Sharon Toerek chats with Shamir Duverseau, Managing Director of Smart Panda Labs, to explore what happens after the click… when a prospect lands, evaluates, and decides whether to trust you or to leave. It’s a stage many agencies overlook, yet it’s where revenue is either won or quietly lost. Shamir challenges the traditional, linear view of the customer journey and makes a compelling case for why the “post-click...
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344. Where Creativity Meets ROI, with Greg Beauchamp
The Innovative Agency
On this episode of The Innovative Agency Podcast, Sharon Toerek sits down with Greg Beauchamp, Founder of Bindery, for a thoughtful exploration of what it really means to build a modern creative agency. Greg has crafted a unique model,one that intentionally blurs the lines between original filmmaking and branded content. He’s navigating how to honor creative ambition while still delivering consistent commercial results. Greg details the evolving role of creativity in today’s agency landscape, from building emotionally resonant work for clients to investing in original intellectual property...
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343. Designing Experiences That Stick, with Derek Gwaltney
The Innovative Agency
On this episode of The Innovative Agency Podcast Sharon Toerek welcomes Derek Gwaltney, CEO and Founder of Atlas Experiences, for a conversation about what it really takes to build lasting connections in a world dominated by digital noise. Derek shares his journey from the lottery industry into experiential marketing, and how that path shaped his perspective on engagement, loyalty, and trust. Derek shares why immersive experiences, when done right, go far beyond one-and-done excitement, and instead become powerful drivers of brand affinity and long-term relationships. He details how agencies...
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342. The New Playbook for Indie Agencies, with Doug Zanger
The Innovative Agency
This episode of The Innovative Agency Podcast welcomes Doug Zanger of Indie Agency News, to discuss what it really takes for an independent agency to stay competitive and relevant in a market that’s shifting faster than ever. With a background that spans radio, journalism, and a deep commitment to the indie agency community, Doug brings a unique lens to what’s happening across the industry. He explores forces reshaping the business, from economic pressure and changing client expectations to the accelerating impact of AI and emerging technologies. Doug reveals how successful indie agencies...
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341. What Innovations Means for Agencies Now, with Jeff Brecker
The Innovative Agency
What does it really mean to be an “innovative agency” in 2026? Are we chasing the right signals, or just the loudest ones? On this episode of The Innovative Agency Podcast, Sharon Toerek sits down with Jeff Brecker, Partner in Innovation and Growth at Siberia, for a conversation about what innovation actually requires today. As AI dominates headlines and agencies feel mounting pressure to keep pace, Jeff challenges the notion that innovation is about adopting the latest tools. Instead he reframes it as the ability to solve real client problems in more meaningful, strategic ways. Drawing on...
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340. Your Agency By the Numbers This Year, with Jody Grunden
The Innovative Agency
This episode of The Innovative Agency Podcast welcomes Jody Grunden, Partner at Anders Virtual CFO and one of the most trusted financial advisors in the agency world. As technology reshapes how agencies deliver value and AI accelerates the pace of change, many agency leaders are asking the same questions: Are our pricing models still sustainable? Are we truly profitable? And are we planning well enough for what’s coming next? In this conversation, Jody brings decades of experience guiding agencies how to rethink the fundamentals of their financial strategy, from moving beyond hourly billing...
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339. Video That Converts, with Tim Bradley
The Innovative Agency
On this episode of The Innovative Agency Podcast, Sharon Toerek chats with Founder of Pennant Video Tim Bradley, about the strategic role of video in today’s agency landscape. Video is no longer just a top-of-funnel awareness play or a flashy add-on to a campaign. Done right, it’s a powerful mid-funnel engine that builds trust, nurtures prospects, and drives meaningful movement toward decision. Tim shares how his entrepreneurial journey led him to develop a distinctive mid-funnel video marketing framework designed specifically to create real impact for B2B brands. If your agency is looking...
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338. Turn Data into Loyalty, with Zino Rost van Tonningen
The Innovative Agency
On this episode of The Innovative Agency Podcast, Sharon Toerek is joined by Zino Rost van Tonningen, CEO and Founder of TyrAds, for a look at how reward-based marketing is redefining engagement in a mobile-first, data-driven world. As agencies wrestle with first-party data strategies, evolving privacy regulations, and the accelerating influence of AI, it feels increasingly complex to connect technology, marketing, and measurable growth. Zino helps us cut through that complexity. He shares how reward-based models, particularly within mobile apps and gaming environments, are unlocking powerful...
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337. Price for Outcomes, Not Hours, with Jonathan Stark
The Innovative Agency
This week on The Innovative Agency Podcast Sharon Toerek welcomes pricing strategist Jonathan Stark for a candid conversation about breaking free from the cycle of trading hours for dollars. If you’ve ever wrestled with pricing your work, defending your margins, or responding to clients who default to hourly expectations, this episode will challenge the way you think about value and your agency’s future. Jonathan shares his journey from tech management to becoming a leading advocate for value-based pricing, explaining why hourly billing often undermines both profitability and client...
info_outlineThis episode of The Innovative Agency Podcast features one of the world’s foremost authorities on trust-building in the sales process, Ari Galper. If you’ve been feeling the squeeze of longer sales cycles, increasing commoditization, or the growing “trust recession” impacting today’s marketplace, this conversation will hit home.
Founder of AriAI, Ari joins Sharon Toerek to unpack the very real challenges agency owners face as AI accelerates competition and prospects become more skeptical than ever. He digs into the shift from outdated, high-pressure selling to a trust-centric approach that elevates your value, shortens the path to yes, and helps you stand out without giving away free consulting or constantly chasing the next opportunity.
Ari’s frameworks are practical, transformative, and rooted in decades of experience helping service firms convert conversations into clients with greater confidence, efficiency, and authenticity.
What you will learn in this episode:
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Why traditional approaches to relationship and trust-building in agency sales might be holding you back
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How to implement a doctor-patient metaphor to reclaim control of your sales process
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The difference between trust-building and relationship-building, and why getting this wrong leaves you stuck in long sales cycles
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Practical language shifts and process tweaks that lead to faster, higher-value client conversions
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How to use authority-building assets before your first client conversation to stand apart from every other agency in the room
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Strategies for setting expectations, qualifying leads, and confidently charging for your discovery process
Bio
Ari Galper is the world’s number one authority on trust-based selling and the founder of AriAI, the world’s only trust-based proprietary ai sales growth advisor. He is also the author of seven best-selling books and the founder and CEO of Unlock The Sales Game.
He has been featured in CEO Magazine, Forbes, Inc, and Financial Advisor magazine, among many others.
For over two decades, Ari has led the field of Trust-Based Selling and Trust-Based Communication -- untangling the most complex relationship challenges, from complex sales funnels, personal relationships and influencing large business and personal decisions -- through his breakthrough Mindset Shift framework and Trust-Based Languaging.
Resources:
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Website: https://www.arigalper.com/
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LinkedIn Personal: https://www.linkedin.com/in/arigalper/
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LinkedIn Business: https://www.linkedin.com/company/ariai/
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Unlock the Sales Game: https://unlockthegame.com/