Points of Interest

00:49 – 01:50 – Introduction to Ryan McNamara Marcel introduces Ryan McNamara, Head of Operations at Rise at Seven, and highlights his impressive journey from startup founder to agency leader.
01:51 – 03:00 – Building Rise at Seven Ryan discusses the rapid growth of Rise at Seven, their creative-first, search-driven approach, and their international presence in the UK and US.
04:21 – 05:40 – Defining Operational Leadership Ryan explains the challenges and responsibilities of operational leadership, emphasizing the importance of understanding finance, team dynamics, and business goals.
08:11 – 09:20 – The Rise of Operations in Agencies The growing emphasis on operations and finance as key to agency survival is discussed, with insights on how agencies are adapting to a more competitive and demanding market.
10:41 – 12:00 – Leveraging Personal Development Plans The importance of structured PDPs (Personal Development Plans) and appraisals to help team members see their growth trajectory and contribution to the business is explored.
12:01 – 13:20 – Process vs. Flexibility Ryan explains the balance between setting processes for consistency and allowing flexibility for creativity and innovation within teams.
13:21 – 14:50 – Managing Team Growth and Churn The challenge of managing team growth in alignment with business needs while mitigating churn and ensuring cultural fit is unpacked.
17:21 – 18:40 – Balancing Risk and Innovation The discussion explores how agencies can manage operational risks without stifling creativity, enabling teams to focus on outcomes while maintaining flexibility in their processes.
21:31 – 22:50 – Fostering Team Accountability Insights are shared on creating systems where every team member understands their role in driving the business forward and how their contributions impact overall performance.
24:01 – 25:30 – The Evolving Role of Operations The conversation shifts to how operations professionals are becoming pivotal thought leaders, connecting finance, delivery, and team dynamics in modern agencies.
25:31 – 26:50 – Challenges in Standardizing Processes Ryan discusses the difficulty of standardizing processes in a creative environment, where flexibility is often required to deliver exceptional outcomes.
29:41 – 31:00 – Advice for Aspiring Operators Ryan offers advice for those stepping into operational roles, encouraging them to focus on outcomes, embrace adaptability, and prioritize team empowerment.

Show Notes

Connect with Ryan
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- Rise at Seven

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Lessons From the Operations Trenches, with Ryan McNamara

The Agency Profit Podcast