EP. 27 - Retained Trust | From Pipeline to Profit with Simon Severino
In this episode of Retained Trust, host Karl Hughes speaks with Simon Severino, founder of Strategy Sprints, about building scalable and sustainable agencies. Simon shares insights from his 22-year journey in go-to-market strategies, offering practical advice on pricing power, ideal client selection, and creating repeatable sales systems. They explore how agency owners can balance high-ticket services with scalable offerings, leverage AI for pipeline management, and design a business around their ideal lifestyle. The conversation also touches on resilience, gamification in business growth, and the importance of celebrating progress. Tune in for actionable strategies to transform your agency operations and sales approach.
Key Points From This Episode:
[00:00:14] Simon Severino’s introduction and passion for go-to-market strategies.
[00:02:30] Evolution of Strategy Sprints and real-time business coaching.
[00:04:54] Why cost-plus pricing fails and how to leverage pricing power.
[00:08:24] Importance of dynamic pricing and avoiding fixed rates on websites.
[00:11:04] Defining ideal clients and building a selective client base.
[00:13:24] Transitioning from manual agency work to scalable models.
[00:16:05] Building a product ladder: high-ticket services to low-ticket offers.
[00:22:45] Creating predictable pipelines beyond referrals.
[00:26:39] Simplifying lead generation and focusing on targeted outreach.
[00:29:04] Balancing enterprise clients with smaller, fast-closing deals.
[00:32:18] Making agency sales repeatable and ready for delegation.
[00:34:15] The eight-step structure for a consistent sales process.
[00:42:03] Building resilience as an entrepreneur through weekly cycles.
[00:47:37] Gamifying business growth to boost energy and prevent burnout.
[00:50:49] Book recommendations: Designing memorable client experiences and effective strategies.
[00:52:43] Where to find Simon Severino and Strategy Sprints resources.
Links:
- Simon Severino on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/simonseverino/
- Sprint Strategy: https://www.strategysprints.com/
- Pricing power guide: The CEO Guide to Higher Margins (https://www.strategysprints.com/pricingpower)
- SPRINT CLUB (Apple Store) https://apps.apple.com/at/app/strategy-sprints/id6739592512?l=en-GB
- Karl Hughes on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/karllhughes
- Production and editing by The Podcast Consultant: https://thepodcastconsultant.com
