About this episode
Would you like access to our advanced agency training for FREE? https://www.agencymastery360.com/training When Melany Robinson lost 70% of her agency's revenue overnight during COVID, she didn't just "cut costs." She rebuilt her team around trust, ownership, and shared sacrifice and learned why keeping C players is one of the most expensive mistakes agency owners make. This episode is a masterclass in leadership, culture, and making hard decisions without losing your soul. Guest Overview Melany Robinson is the founder of SproutHouse, a 30-person integrated communications agency serving hospitality, real estate, and lifestyle brands. She's led her agency through rebrands, crises, and COVID, emerging stronger, leaner, and clearer on what real team culture actually means. What You'll Learn Why COVID exposed the hidden cracks in most agency team structures The real cost of keeping "C players" during uncertain times How to handle massive revenue loss without destroying trust The mindset shift from "managing people" to leading a team Why retreats, alignment, and shared experiences matter more than perks Key Takeaways You can't afford C players, especially during down cycles Shared sacrifice builds loyalty; secrecy destroys it Letting clients out of contracts can be a long-term growth play Culture isn't words on a wall. It's how people show up under pressure Great leaders give clarity, not control The best teams row in sync or the boat doesn't move Subscribe Apple | Spotify | iHeart Radio Sponsors and Resources This episode is brought to you by Wix Studio: If you're leveling up your team and your client experience, your site builder should keep up too. That's why successful agencies use Wix Studio — built to adapt the way your agency does: AI-powered site mapping, responsive design, flexible workflows, and scalable CMS tools so you spend less on plugins and more on growth. Ready to design faster and smarter? Go to wix.com/studio to get started. What Losing 70% of Revenue Taught One Agency Owner About Leadership Most agency owners agree that culture matters. But culture doesn't show up when revenue is up and clients are easy. It shows up when 70% of your revenue disappears overnight. That's exa