The Smartest Agency Businesses to Start in 2025 (w/ True Classic CEO)⏐Ep. #219

Key takeaways

Proving value upfront to clients can help secure long-term business relationships.
It's important to innovate in business models, particularly in inventory management and supply chain processes.
Service businesses like CRO and email marketing have high growth potential and demand.
Being scrappy and resourceful are crucial traits for entrepreneurs that drive success.
Future plans for businesses can include education and empowerment to help the next generation of entrepreneurs.

Summary

Proving Value to Gain Clients

Ryan Bartlett discusses the importance of proving your value upfront when starting an agency. Instead of charging potential clients significant fees immediately, he suggests doing some work for free initially. This approach helps in showcasing capability and building trust, ultimately leading to a more solid client relationship.

Innovation in Apparel Business Models

The conversation highlights the need for groundbreaking approaches in the apparel industry, particularly with inventory management. Ryan emphasizes the model of using companies like Portless, which allows businesses to minimize upfront investments by enabling small product runs directly from manufacturers to consumers, transforming speed to market and risk management.

Tactics for Launching Service Businesses

Ryan shares insights on the most promising service businesses for budding entrepreneurs, emphasizing conversion rate optimization (CRO) and email marketing as two areas with high demand and potential for impact. He encourages entrepreneurs to focus less on traditional advertising and instead leverage data-driven strategies that provide measurable results.

The Role of Scrappiness and Resourcefulness in Business

A recurring theme in the discussion revolves around the qualities of being scrappy and resourceful in entrepreneurship. Ryan explains how these traits are essential not just for individual success but also for fostering creativity and innovation within teams and organizations. This mindset helps businesses stay agile and respond to market needs more effectively.

The Future of True Classic and Entrepreneurial Aspirations

Towards the end of the conversation, Ryan reveals his vision for the future of True Classic, hinting at plans for a potential majority deal with investors, while expressing an interest in launching initiatives like an operator school to help empower young entrepreneurs. He reflects on his journey and how he hopes to facilitate growth in others.

Show notes

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I sat down with Ryan Bartlett again, and if you haven’t already, make sure to check out the previous episode, where we talked about his story and how he started True Classic. It’s a wild ride that shows exactly how he went from a small investment to building one of the fastest-growing apparel brands out there.

In this second part, we focused more on the agency side of things. Ryan shared what he thinks are the best service businesses to start right now, especially the ones that are still wide open and create real results for clients. We talked about smarter ways to test products, how to make your first clients say yes without needing a huge portfolio, and what separates people who actually make it in business from those who don’t. We also got into team building, identifying real impact, and why being scrappy and resourceful still wins.