Some agencies do solid work and still lose clients.

And in a market like this, I think that raises a more important question than most people are asking:

What actually makes a client want to stay?

Because client retention is not just about doing good work.
It is not just about being responsive, likable, or easy to work with either.

There is a deeper layer to strong client relationships. A kind of value that makes a client feel steadier with you in the room, more confident in your perspective, and more likely to see you as someone who helps them think, not just someone who helps them deliver.

This episode explores what that kind of relationship really requires now.

I get into why client relationships feel different in this market, why strategic advisory matters more than ever, and what actually helps agencies become harder to replace when budgets tighten, pressure rises, and trust carries more weight.

If you want to become harder to replace in the eyes of your clients, this episode will help you see where that value really comes from.

RSVP to the next Mixer: https://agencytogether.com/mixer-event

Hey thanks for hanging out with me at the Small But Mighty Podcast. If you enjoyed this episode it would mean the world to me if you hit the follow or subscribe button in your podcast app and share it with a friend. And I’ll see you on the next one.

Get the full show notes and more information here: https://audreyjoykwan.com/podcast/ep150

What does it actually take to market to diverse audiences with depth, respect, and relevance?

In this episode of the Small But Mighty Agency Podcast, I sit down with Marissa Nance, founder of Native Tongue Communications, to talk about what too many agencies still get wrong when trying to reach diverse audiences.

Marissa shares why broad multicultural marketing often falls short and why she prefers the term micro cultural marketing instead. We explore what it means to understand people beyond surface-level demographics and why empathy, research, and cultural nuance matter more than ever.

We also talk about the pressure agencies are facing right now as DEAI becomes more politicized, AI reshapes the marketing landscape, and brands risk losing the human insight that makes their work resonate.

In this conversation, we unpack:

• Why “micro cultural” is a more useful lens than “multicultural”
• Why culture goes deeper than race, ethnicity, or gender
• How empathy leads to stronger marketing
• Where AI can support the work and where human judgment still matters
• What agencies can do to market with more intention and integrity

If you want to create marketing that resonates more deeply and reflects a better understanding of the people you serve, this episode is worth a listen.

Show Notes:

-Website: nativetonguecommunications.com

-Instagram: marissa.nance

-LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/marissanance

Hey thanks for hanging out with me at the Small But Mighty Podcast. If you enjoyed this episode it would mean the world to me if you hit the follow or subscribe button in your podcast app and share it with a friend. And I’ll see you on the next one.

Get the full show notes and more information here: https://audreyjoykwan.com/podcast/ep149

Is AI quietly making your agency more replaceable?

Or is it revealing where your real value actually lives?

Right now, content can be generated in seconds. Blog posts. Emails. Website copy. Entire strategies drafted with a prompt.

Which raises an uncomfortable question for agency owners:

If the machine can produce the words… what are clients really paying us for?

In this episode of the Small But Mighty Agency Podcast, we pull back the curtain on what AI actually looks like inside a working content agency serving technical clients.

My guest, Victoria Cowan, founder of Wordplay Creative, built her business on thoughtful, human-centered storytelling. When AI hit the marketing world she felt what many writers felt: fear.

Not hype. Not instant adoption. Fear.

Instead of ignoring it or blindly embracing it she integrated it intentionally.

In this conversation, we unpack what’s really happening behind the scenes:

• Where AI genuinely speeds up workflow and where it creates more work
• Why most AI-generated content sounds the same
• The growing importance of editorial discernment
• How tone of voice is becoming a serious competitive advantage
• What agencies need to consider around transparency and IP
• Why strategic thought partnership is becoming more valuable than execution

As more agencies use the same tools, sameness becomes the default.

If you’re navigating how to use AI without becoming commoditized, this episode will help you think more clearly about where your real leverage lives.

Let’s dive in.

Show Notes:

-Website: https://www.wordplaycreative.ca/

-LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/victoriajunecowan/

Hey thanks for hanging out with me at the Small But Mighty Podcast. If you enjoyed this episode it would mean the world to me if you hit the follow or subscribe button in your podcast app and share it with a friend. And I’ll see you on the next one.

Get the full show notes and more information here: https://audreyjoykwan.com/podcast/ep148

Podcast Edits by Lindsay Curtis