Episode Summary
Jason Brewer is the co-founder of Brolik, a growth marketing agency that partners closely with owner-led and family-run businesses. Having started the agency in his early twenties, Jason has lived through nearly every version of agency life, from scrappy project work to recurring revenue, from fast hiring to painful layoffs, and from constant pressure to deliberate focus.
In this episode, Russel and Jason discuss what it really takes to build an agency that holds up over time, and why most owners underestimate the importance of foundations.
Episode Highlights
- Why investing in growth often hurts before it helps
- What it means to truly “be your own best client”
- The difference between momentum and durability
- How leadership empathy impacts retention and performance
Agency Info
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Company: Brolik
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Guest: Jason Brewer
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Year Started: 2004
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Employees: 11-25
Growth is something you need to invest in, and it’s not going to show on the bottom line right away.
Jason Brewer
Key Takeaways
Predictability Is Built, Not Found
Jason explains how moving away from reactive project work toward consistent delivery changed everything, from cash flow to decision-making. Stability didn’t come from better sales tactics alone, but from designing the business to support long-term client relationships.
Growth Requires Temporary Discomfort
One of the clearest insights from the episode: growth demands investment before it shows up on the bottom line. Agencies that expect immediate returns often abandon the very strategies that would have worked if given time.
You Will Always Deprioritize Yourself…Unless You Don’t Allow It
Jason shares a blunt truth many owners recognize immediately: the first client to get delayed is always your own business. Treating Brolik like a real client – with structure, reporting, and accountability – created consistency they couldn’t achieve otherwise.
Leadership Is About Safety, Not Control
Rather than focusing on authority or output alone, Jason emphasizes empathy, listening, and psychological safety. Teams that feel supported don’t just stay longer, they perform better and reduce downstream issues across the business.
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