In this conversation, Chris LaFay (Founder, Classic City Consulting) shares a decade of hard-won lessons on staying profitable, avoiding bloat, and building an agency that lasts. We dig into “one-glass focus,” why not niching can still be strategic, when to pass on work, partnerships without finders fees, pricing and retainers, and the KPI that quietly compounds new business: intentional outreach.
In this episode, you’ll learn
Why “one glass” focus beats scattered growth
Project variety vs. “niching down” (and how to niche by systems, not industry)
The comparison trap: learning from peers without copy-pasting their playbook
When referral partnerships work without commissions—and when they don’t
The 4 R’s growth engine: Retain → Reactivate → Referral → Recruit (new)
Don’t hire on a hope: catching operational bloat before it sinks marginsPricing, retainers, and the “help agencies look great” strategy
The single KPI Chris tracks in good seasons: weekly intentional check-ins
- How to handle sunk costs with a “fans-first” lens (Savannah Bananas inspo)Mentorship as a cheat code for clarity and decisive action
Chapters:
00:00 Intro
09:04 One-Glass Focus: creator energy, momentum, and why projects stay interesting
11:29 Project Variety > Burnout: why new client problems keep the work fresh
14:15 Do You Need a Niche? Niching by WordPress/Shopify & repeatable frameworks
15:32 Peer Comparison Without Copy-Paste: learning from others, keeping identity
18:44 Outreach > Everything: how early agencies stall without consistent relationship-building
25:24 Partnerships Sans Finder Fees: when passing leads is the value (and exceptions)
31:10 Adding Value to Your Agency Network: beyond referrals; community & support
32:17 Risk You’re Glad You Took: the hiring lesson that reshaped the business
37:51 Silencing the Inner Critic: external processing & mentor mirrors
41:22 Most Valuable KPI: weekly intentional reach-outs (and why they compound)
46:55 Action Taker You Admire: David Feldman & decisive leadership
51:49 Sunk Costs & When to Quit: “fans-first” filter + staying lean on OPEX
Connect with Chris:
Founder – Classic City Consulting
Website: https://classiccity.com
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/chris-lafay/
Podcast: https://open.spotify.com/show/7aHdpQXccPOE9YTcDJe4gZ
Connect with Brian:
Web: https://brianondrako.com
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/brianondrako/
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