Playing it safe got you here. But thinking small won't get you there. While most agency owners are planning incremental 20% growth, darling, we're challenging you to think exponentially bigger. Because your biggest year isn't going to come from optimizing what you're already doing. It's going to come from completely reimagining what's possible.

In this solo episode, Melissa and Meredith break down four research-backed strategies that outperforming companies use to achieve breakthrough growth. Not the "work harder" advice you'll find everywhere else. Not the "double down on what's working" conventional wisdom. This is about expanding your identity, taking bigger bets, and building the confidence flywheel that makes massive growth feel inevitable instead of impossible. We're talking about the 10x thinking model, identity expansion, strategic big bets, and the confidence flywheel that compounds your wins.

If you've ever wondered...

• Why incremental thinking keeps you stuck in the same revenue range year after year

• How to break free from the "safe option" mentality that's actually holding your agency back

• What it actually takes to make this your biggest year without burning out

• Why the version of you who runs a multi-million dollar agency makes completely different decisions

• How to build momentum that makes bold moves feel natural instead of terrifying

...this one's for you.

This episode is brought to you by:

Copilot | Get two months free with code DARLINGS at https://try.copilot.money/darlings

Chapters:

(00:00:00) Welcome to Your Expansion Era

(00:05:12) The 10x Thinking Model: Why Bigger Goals Force Innovation

(00:09:45) Identity Expansion: Becoming the Person Who Runs That Business

(00:14:32) The Big Bet Principle: Fewer Moves, Bigger Impact

(00:19:28) The Confidence Flywheel: How Small Wins Build Momentum

(00:25:06) Taking Bold Risks and Creating an Expansion Culture

(00:31:42) Your 10x Goal Challenge and Accountability

Want To Dive Deeper On These Topics?

• Apply to join our exclusive Agency Darlings Slack Community: agencydarlings.com/community

• Join our agency advice column: agencydarlings.myflodesk.com/signup

Connect with Melissa & Meredith:

• Waverly Ave: waverlyave.com

• Instagram: instagram.com/waverlyave.co

• Le Chéile: lecheile.co/contact

• Instagram: instagram.com/lecheile.co

Nothing drains boutique agencies faster than the black hole of pitching and RFPs. In today’s episode, we’re pulling back the curtain on a topic that every agency owner privately obsesses over, but very few talk about honestly: why pitches rarely convert, why proposals don’t win business, and why most agencies are building their entire biz dev system on a process that statistically works against them. We’re ending the season with a powerful reframe. Because stepping into a new year with your old RFP mindset is just… not the vibe, darling.

If you’ve ever wondered…

• Why you're prioritizing RFPs when they’re actually draining your time, margins, and confidence

• Why your beautifully crafted proposals aren’t converting

• What influences (or limits) your win rates more than any pitch deck ever could

…this one’s for you.

This episode is brought to you by:

Copilot | Get two months free with code DARLINGS at https://try.copilot.money/darlings

Chapters:

(00:00:00) Kicking Off the Season With Momentum & Fresh Energy

(00:06:19) The Hard Truth About Pitches, Proposals & Why They Rarely Convert

(00:22:08) Why RFPs Feel Like Momentum—but Rarely Move Your Business Forward

(00:28:21) How Many Pitches Should You Actually Say Yes To?

(00:38:42) Best-in-Class Pitching: How to Show Up Like the Obvious Choice

Want To Dive Deeper On These Topics?

• Apply to join our exclusive Agency Darlings Slack Community: agencydarlings.com/community

• Join our agency advice column: agencydarlings.myflodesk.com/signup

Connect with Melissa & Meredith:

• Waverly Ave: waverlyave.com

• Instagram: instagram.com/waverlyave.co

• Le Chéile: lecheile.co/contact

• Instagram: instagram.com/lecheile.co

If you’ve ever hired someone you thought was “the one,” only to watch your team unravel behind the scenes, this episode will feel like a deep exhale. Today, we’re sitting down with Natasha Golinsky, the powerhouse founder behind On Purpose Projects, to talk about the part of agency ownership that most founders quietly struggle with: building a reliable team you can actually trust.

Natasha is known for her non-bullshit, radically practical approach to leadership — the kind that comes from a decade of running a full-stack development agency, managing a 100% contractor team across time zones, and surviving real life: divorce, single-income seasons, motherhood, and a breast cancer diagnosis that changed everything. She’s lived the founder reality that so many women-owned agencies face but rarely talk about out loud: the exhaustion, the pressure to hold everything together, and the fear of letting go of control when the business depends on you.

In this conversation, she walks us through the exact hiring and team-building method that has given her something almost unheard of in agency life: ten years with zero turnover — not one contractor has ever quit. It’s not luck. It’s not magic. It’s not “manifesting the right people.” It’s a system. A sharp one.

You can get Natasha’s complete hiring system and learn how to find, interview, hire (and fire) virtual contractors like a pro at

https://onpurposeprojects.gumroad.com/l/virtualcontractorsgameplan

If you’ve ever wondered…

• Whether the people you're hiring are the right fit or just the easiest to find

• If your contractor team needs a real system for accountability and expectations

• What it would take to finally delegate yourself without everything falling apart

…this one’s for you.

This episode is brought to you by:

Copper | Get 15% off any annual plan with code DARLINGS at https://copper.com/agency

Chapters:

(00:00:00) The Real Challenge of Building a High-Performance Team

(00:05:18) Natasha’s Hiring Method: From 100 Applicants to the Perfect Fit

(00:22:42) Filtering for the Right People and Setting Expectations That Actually Work

(00:31:40) How To Set Expectations When Your Processes Aren’t Perfect (Yet)

(00:37:12) The Two Non-Negotiables Every New Agency Owner Needs in Place

(00:41:20) Stepping Out of the Doer Role and What It Really Takes to Let Go

(00:50:56) Finding Your Number Two: Letting Them Lead and Loving the Result

Connect with Natasha:

• Website: https://onpurposeprojects.com

• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/natashagolinsky/?originalSubdomain=ca

• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/natashacgolinsky/

• YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@natashagolinsky-onpurposep2435

• Upwork: https://www.upwork.com/freelancers/~01a1f03fb7162975e1

Want To Dive Deeper On These Topics?

• Natasha’s Hiring Process Course: