On this first episode of The DATA SECRETS Podcast, we sit down with Chris LaFay, founder of Classic City Consulting, to uncover how he grew his web development agency from scrappy freelancer beginnings to a million-dollar business AND the data insights that saved him from running into an iceberg.
Chris shares:
- Why building a foundation to last 5–10 years is more valuable than chasing trends
- The two North Star metrics that keep his agency healthy: effective hourly rate and days to zero dollars
- How “friendly” scope creep was killing profitability AND the project management changes that fixed it
- A surprising operational shift that turned around client happiness and margins
- Why even the smallest email list is an untapped goldmine for agency growth
We also get into the nitty-gritty of agency pricing models, managing contractors vs. full-time staff, and how Chris’ fractional CFO (shoutout to Tony!) helped him see the hidden problems in his financials.
If you run a creative or service-based business, this conversation will help you think differently about your numbers... and maybe even sleep better at night.
Connect with Chris
🔗 LinkedIn
🌐 Classic City Consulting
Connect with Tony Wilson (tell him we sent you!)
📊 ACCQUIP: https://www.accquip.com/
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