"There's no value to people when you do it for free. But if they pay, they show up, they respect it, and they win." In this explosive episode, I sat down with my guy Michael Stearns from Ascend Digital Agency—and we didn’t hold back! If you’re a contractor, a marketer, or just someone trying to scale your business the right way, this one’s going to hit home. I brought Mike in because the truth is, most digital agencies out there are garbage—and he’s one of the few that actually gets it. We talked about why giving away advice for free doesn't help anyone, how charging top dollar makes clients take it seriously, and what it really takes to grow a business in this space without the BS. You’ll hear how Mike left the safety of a big agency to build something better, why he charges $1,500 just for a consult, and why so many agencies fail once they hit scale. What’s Inside This Episode: Why most digital agencies are “stone cold garbage”—and how to spot a real one
Why charging a high price creates more value and commitment
The brutal truth about working in silos and why most agencies implode at scale
The CRM trap: Salesforce horror stories, Zoho chaos, and the hunt for real solutions
The ugly secret behind fake leads and padded reports—and how to inspect what you expect
Why Facebook leads are mostly tail-chasing junk (and what actually converts)
How Mike uses ServiceTitan, CompanyCam, and AI to give contractors an edge
Why your best ability is your availability—and how that applies to marketing, leadership, and life
Plus: The popcorn company story, the $100,000 mastermind that actually delivers, and the life lessons Mike learned from skimming his pool, coaching his kids, and quitting drinking. This one’s packed with gold for any contractor, agency owner, or business leader who’s tired of excuses and ready to grow.
Follow my guest at:
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/takeoffwithascend/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/michael.stearns.16 https://www.facebook.com/takeoffwithascend TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@ascenddigital
Follow me on all Social Media: @LanceBachmann
Exit Rich: Home Service Secrets with Lance Bachmann
**Watch the full video episode on Lance’s Youtube.
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