Episode Summary
In this episode of An Agency Story, Russel Dubree sits down with Brad Post, co-founder of Create the Movement, a Tulsa-based digital marketing agency. Brad walks us through his winding career path, from working in finance and selling satellites, to leading in the nonprofit sector, and eventually launching his own agency with a focus on paid ads and lead generation.
Episode Highlights:
- How a calling to ministry sparked a 70% pay cut and ultimately a business launch
- From cold calls to code: Brad’s crash-course in SEO and entrepreneurship
- Navigating the pandemic with a million-dollar side hustle (that started with UV lights)
- Running a partnership despite never meeting in person
- The operational growing pains of shifting from “Brad and Adam show” to a team structure
Agency Info
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Company: Create the Movement
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Guest: Brad Post
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Year Started: 2013
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Employees: 11-25
SOPs are a curse word around here…but if we don’t build the machine now, we can’t scale tomorrow.
Brad Post
Key Takeaways
You Can Build Without a Blueprint
Brad didn’t enter the agency world with a marketing degree or years of experience. In fact, he jokes he “didn’t even know how to spell SEO” when he first started selling it to attorneys nationwide. But what he lacked in knowledge, he made up for in drive, staying up late to study, learn, and figure it out. Your background doesn’t have to match your business. Start with what you can do (like selling or connecting), and commit to learning the rest.
Purpose Can Fuel Persistence
Brad’s pivot into nonprofit work wasn’t just a career change, it was a values-driven decision. Even with a steep pay cut and financial uncertainty, he found that aligning his work with his sense of purpose gave him clarity and motivation. Aligning your work with your deeper “why” can be a stabilizing force, even when the numbers don’t make sense on paper.
Partnerships Require Patience (and Boundaries)
Brad’s journey included multiple failed partnerships before finding long-term success with his current business partner, Adam Colbert. The two have worked together for over six years, entirely remotely, and built a strong foundation on aligned values and consistent communication. A great partner doesn’t need to be your opposite; they need to share your standards and communicate well, even if you’ve never met in person.
Recession-Proofing Through Reinvention
When the pandemic hit and client budgets disappeared overnight, Brad didn’t panic, he pivoted. He and Adam launched a dropshipping business that generated over $1 million in sales in its first year, later evolving into affiliate marketing. Flexibility can be your biggest asset. Treat disruption as a cue to innovate, not shut down.
Growth Demands Systems, Not Just Hustle
Brad candidly shares that building standard operating procedures (SOPs) has been one of the most painful, but necessary, parts of scaling the agency. Shifting from founder-led delivery to team-driven processes has forced him to let go and lead differently. If you want to grow, you have to replace heroic effort with repeatable systems, even when it’s uncomfortable.
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