How to Build a Resilient Agency That Stands the Test of Time with Bill Swanston | Ep #842

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Most agencies don't make it 25 years but Bill Swanston's has. From surviving 9/11 to leading a 30-person team through COVID, Bill shares how Bosun (formerly Frederick Swanston) adapted, learned to love KPIs, empowered their team, and even pulled off a successful rebrand. His story proves you can survive the toughest agency seasons and come out stronger—if you track the right numbers, avoid "superclient" risk, and learn to truly let go.

What You'll Learn

• Why resilience (not just growth hacks) is the real agency survival skill
• How ignoring KPIs almost cost the agency big—and how to avoid that mistake
• Why letting go of control is the only way to grow past founder-dependence
• What a rebrand really signals about an agency's maturity and leadership shift
• The hidden dangers of relying on a "superclient"

Key Takeaways

• Keep overhead light in uncertain times—it gives you room to maneuver when crises hit.
• Track your KPIs like a client project: salaries as % of AGI, AGI per employee, revenue per client.
• Don't rely on a single client for survival—client concentration is a silent killer.
• Empower your team early—you can't scale if you're reviewing every deliverable yourself.
• Rebrands work when they reflect a cultural shift—not just a new logo.

What does it really take to keep an agency alive through market crashes, pandemics, and the endless grind without burning out or losing your edge? Today's featured guest will unpack his journey from starting in a basement with a couple of clients to leading a 30-person team through some of the toughest seasons an agency can face. From navigating financial blind spots to learning how to actually let go and trust his team, and the reason the agency's 25th anniversary actually marked a big shift with a new rebrand.

Bill Swanston is the president and founder of Bosun, an Atlanta-based agency that just celebrated its 25th anniversary. Formerly known as Frederick Swanston, the agency has weathered market crashes, client shakeups, and a pandemic while building a powerhouse team with deep creative and digital chops.

In this episode, we'll discuss:

• The challenges that really tested the agency's resilience.

• How learning to love KPIs saved the business.

• Why rebrand after 25 years?

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Sponsors and Resources

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Building Through Adversity and Surviving 9/11

After moving back to Atlanta from New York, Bill was freelancing at BBDO and thinking about switching to smaller agency. As he saw it, it was better to be a big fish in a smaller pond. Unfortunately, his gig at the smaller agency was short lived, since the agency shut down for good. Instead of packing it in, Bill and his partner Scott Frederick grabbed a few clients, set up shop in a basement, and got to work. Built-in revenue gave them a smoother start than most scrappy entreprene