In this episode, Corey Quinn sits down with Chris Madden, co-founder of Matchnode, to unpack the journey from being a generalist agency juggling sports teams, banks, and restaurants to becoming a specialized leader in digital health marketing. Chris shares how their team went from struggling with unpredictable referrals to scaling consistently in one of the fastest-growing industries. He opens up about the turning points, the doubts, and the breakthroughs that led to their best year e...
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In this episode, Corey Quinn sits down with Chris Madden, co-founder of Matchnode, to unpack the journey from being a generalist agency juggling sports teams, banks, and restaurants to becoming a specialized leader in digital health marketing. Chris shares how their team went from struggling with unpredictable referrals to scaling consistently in one of the fastest-growing industries. He opens up about the turning points, the doubts, and the breakthroughs that led to their best year e...
In this episode, Corey Quinn sits down with Chris Madden, co-founder of Matchnode, to unpack the journey from being a generalist agency juggling sports teams, banks, and restaurants to becoming a specialized leader in digital health marketing. Chris shares how their team went from struggling with unpredictable referrals to scaling consistently in one of the fastest-growing industries. He opens up about the turning points, the doubts, and the breakthroughs that led to their best year e...
What if one relationship could unlock a hundred new clients for your agency? In this episode, we dive into the Tastemaker Strategy, a proven sales approach that scaled Scorpion from $20M to $200M by leveraging the hidden power of industry influencers. You’ll learn why 90% of buyers choose from a preset shortlist (according to Harvard research), and how to ensure your agency gets on it. From identifying tastemakers to prioritizing them using two simple tools, this episode gives y...
In this episode, Corey Quinn delivers a simple truth that every agency owner needs to hear: being a generalist doesn’t keep you safe; it keeps you invisible. If you’ve been trying to serve everyone with everything, you’re actually holding your agency back. The path to authority, recognition, and true scalability lies in specialization. What You’ll Learn Why generalist agencies struggle to grow—and why you might be stuck there. How saying no is the key to building authority in your spa...
If you want your agency to scale, you can’t stay stuck doing all the sales yourself; you need a salesperson. But here’s the challenge: most agency owners freeze when it comes to structuring sales compensation. That’s why in this episode, we break down a five-part sales compensation playbook designed specifically for agencies. You’ll learn the exact framework to motivate sales reps, align incentives with long-term client retention, and keep your sales process scalable from on-tar...
What does it really take to grow an agency past seven figures? Spoiler: it’s not sipping mai tais on the beach while your team handles everything. In this episode of Coffee with Corey, Corey sits down with Peter, a 12-year agency owner who’s built an 18-person team, scaled past seven figures, and learned some hard but powerful lessons along the way. From the myths of “easy growth” to the reality of burnout and breakthroughs, this is a candid look at what agency life is actually like a...
Your agency isn’t growing as fast as it could not because of talent, but because you haven’t specialized deeply enough. In this episode, Corey Quinn breaks down his proven 3-step Focus Finder system for choosing the right vertical market. This is the exact framework that helped scale Scorpion from $20M to $200M and that Corey’s clients use to grow 93% faster than generalist agencies, win more referrals, and command premium prices. If you’ve ever hesitated to niche down because of “fea...
Most salespeople lose deals in the first five minutes, often without realizing it. Why? Because they fail to build trust fast enough. In this episode, Corey Quinn shares his Six-Slide Trust Multiplier, a proven framework that engineers trust early in the sales process, helping you double your close rate and dramatically shorten your sales cycle. With 30 years in high-ticket sales, 15,000+ clients served, and experience scaling Scorpion from $20M to $200M, Corey reveals how you can tra...
Most agencies struggle with sales because they fall into the generalist trap, saying “yes” to every client, creating inefficiencies, and burning out. In this episode, Corey Quinn reveals the deep specialization flywheel that flips the script helping you attract premium clients, scale with systems, and position yourself as the go-to authority in your niche. Drawing on his 20+ years in the agency space (including scaling Scorpion from $20M to $200M), Corey walks you step-by-step through...
After over 100 episodes, The Deep Specialization Podcast wraps its journey with a powerful finale, a curated highlight reel featuring some of the most impactful voices in the agency world. In this special episode, host Corey Quinn revisits key moments from six standout interviews to answer the central question that has driven the show since day one: “What is the benefit of taking a vertical approach to owning an agency?” This episode captures the lessons, mindset shifts, and strategie...
Want to know how ready your agency is to scale? Take the FREE Agency Growth Scalability Score assessment and find out where you stand across Positioning, Marketing, and Sales Systems. 🎯 It only takes 5 minutes, and you’ll get custom growth advice based on your results. https://geni.us/niN8d Join Corey Quinn and Austin Houser, Founder and CEO of Base Coat Marketing, to explore his inspiring journey from side hustle to specialized agency success. Austin opens up about how a life-t...
Join Corey Quinn and Chris Martinez, CEO & Founder of Bloom, to hear how he transformed a turbulent past into a thriving agency career. Chris opens up about the power of financial literacy, why “Facts Not Feelings” drives every major decision, and what it really takes to build an agency that can grow (and sell). From pricing strategy to personal therapy, Chris shares bold insights every agency owner needs to hear. Episode Highlights:- From Trouble to Triumph — How Chris turned per...
Join Corey Quinn and Stewart Gandolf, CEO of Healthcare Success, to explore how AI is revolutionizing healthcare marketing. From advanced content creation tools to enhanced patient experience and streamlined operations, Stewart shares how agencies can thrive by embracing innovation. Learn the critical role of specialization, the merging of tech and healthcare, and how trust and adaptability will define the next generation of agency success. Episode Highlights:AI Meets Healthcare Marke...
Join Corey Quinn alongside Raj Ramanan, CEO of Herringbone Digital, and Jason Hennessey, Founder of Hennessey Digital, as they unpack the recent acquisition that marks a major shift in the agency world. They discuss how niche specialization, strategic alignment, and a client-first mindset fueled Hennessey Digital’s growth, plus what comes next under Herringbone Digital’s leadership. From the inside story of the acquisition to the evolving role of private equity in agency scaling...
Join Corey Quinn and Andrew Peluso—Founder & CEO of Pesty Marketing—as they dive into the game-changing power of deep specialization in the agency world. Andrew shares his journey from knocking doors as a pest control salesman to building a premium digital marketing agency exclusively for pest control companies doing $1M+ in revenue. Discover the turning points that led him to niche down, the lessons learned from failed partnerships, and how relentless client focus created a defen...
Want to know how ready your agency is to grow sustainably? Take the FREE Agency Growth Scalability Score assessment and find out where you stand—across Positioning, Marketing, and Sales Systems. 🎯 It only takes 5 minutes, and you’ll get custom growth advice based on your results. https://geni.us/niN8d Join Corey Quinn and Brian K. McRae—speaker, business coach, and Chief Encouragement Officer at Giftology—as they explore why relationships are the ultimate growth strategy in tod...
Join Corey Quinn and Arielle Cohen—Co-Founder & CMO of Marketing 411 & Business 411—to reveal how she carved out a fast-growing niche in the roofing industry. Drawing on her diverse background in music and marketing, Arielle shares lessons on building a high-impact brand, empowering a team, and turning education into a powerful sales tool. If you're an agency founder stuck in the day-to-day, this episode offers a roadmap for scaling smart! Episode Highlights: - The Roofing Ni...
Join Corey Quinn and Nate Freedman—Founder & CEO of Tech Pro Marketing—to learn how niching down helped him transform his generalist agency into a leader in MSPs (Managed Service Providers). Nate shares how embracing specialization reshaped his business strategy, helped him connect more deeply with clients, and opened the door to sustainable growth. From leveraging mentorship to making bold moves like acquiring another agency, Nate offers a candid look at the most valuable lessons...
Join Corey Quinn and Travis Weathers—Founder and CEO of Rotate Digital—as he shares how specializing in the moving industry became the catalyst for his agency’s explosive growth. From hiring the right sales team to designing a killer commission structure, Travis shares hard-earned lessons on what really drives agency growth, even during economic downturns. If you're an agency founder aiming to scale revenue, retain more clients, and simplify your sales process, this episode is packed ...
Join Corey Quinn and Simon Bowen—Founder and CEO of The Models Method—to learn how to use visual models to drive agency growth. Simon shares how The Genius Model helps agency founders simplify complex ideas, improve sales, and avoid internal dilution that can lead to commoditization. Simon believes that business is not just about selling products or services—it's about solving real problems with a noble purpose. If you’re an agency founder looking to refine your strategy and grow your...
Join Corey Quinn and Alex Melen—Co-Founder of SmartSites—one of America’s fastest-growing digital marketing agencies. Alex shares how SmartSites has maintained 35% year-over-year growth since 2011 by investing in employee satisfaction, reputation management, and long-term marketing strategy. They discuss what it really takes to scale a service business—how to grow without losing culture, when to specialize (or not), and why reputation is your most valuable asset. Alex also shares how ...
In this episode, Corey Quinn sits down with Chris Madden, co-founder of Matchnode, to unpack the journey from being a generalist agency juggling sports teams, banks, and restaurants to becoming a specialized leader in digital health marketing. Chris shares how their team went from struggling with unpredictable referrals to scaling consistently in one of the fastest-growing industries. He opens up about the turning points, the doubts, and the breakthroughs that led to their best year e...
