The Agency U teaches how to scale agencies and increase their profitability. Austin Schneider and Gilberto Rosas grew their agencies to $200K/month and $160K/month. It shares tools, resources, support, roadmaps, 1:1 and group calls, modules, a community, and a private platform. It is for agency owners who want to transition from being an operator to an orchestrator.
Students shared successes, such as increased revenues, improved client retention, and more freedom. They attributed this to the program's 1:1 mentorship, done-for-you systems, and support. For example, Gabe Wegulo boosted his monthly revenue from $6,000 to $13,000. Following Austin's advice, Cameron Stewart doubled her revenue to nearly $1 million. Matt Saavedra grew his monthly revenue from $5K to $20K and scaled his team to eight members.
I worked in digital marketing for over a decade. It played a huge part in my success as an online entrepreneur. I tried social media, paid ads, content, SEO, and more. This Agency U review will discuss its pros and cons, pillars, and inclusions. We also share some success stories and student testimonials sourced from different platforms. Additionally, we feature a more passive and scalable business model.
Agency U Pros and Cons
Pros
The Agency U founders could scale their agencies to a 6-figure income monthly.
The Agency U offers a custom-built operating system tailored to your agency’s needs.
It includes 1:1 calls, group coaching, live training, and workshops.
It comes with a Slack community and 24/7 access to Austin and his team for support.
It has hundreds of SOP templates for sales, client management, onboarding, and hiring.
It also includes tools like automation, CRM setup, and SMS integration.
Cons
Success in the program requires at least 5 hours per week of active participation.
The program cost is not disclosed on the Agency U website.
There is no guarantee that the strategies shared by some students can work for your agency.
Beginners who may not invest time and money may struggle to keep up with the program.
It is focused more on scaling than on starting.
Price
The Agency U cost is not disclosed anywhere on its platform.
Training
The training involved one-on-one calls, video lessons, and group calls. It also includes live training, workshops, and a Slack channel.
Group
Agency U has a Skool group with 840 members and a Slack community with other agency owners.
Refund Policy
There is no refund policy stated on Agency U's platform.
Origin
The Agency U started in 2021.
Reputation
Austin has extensive experience in business development and real estate. He has built a strong reputation for helping agencies scale their operations. Austin is also praised for his expertise, mentorship, and support.
I appreciate the support and the presence of Austin in every phase of the program. Although I went on a different path, I still value everything I learned from him.
What are the 4 Pillars to Scale Your Agency?
Austin said that a well-defined offer should be:
Here are the steps to create the offer as advised by Austin Schneider:
Austin said the key components of a client acquisition or sales system are the following:
According to Austin, the core systems that every agency needs are the following:
To build a talent system, Austin recommends these steps:
What Do You Get With Agency U?
Who is Agency U For?
Are Students of Agency U Successful?
Yes, students of Agency U are successful from the testimonials on Agency U's landing pages. They shared success stories and reports on increasing their revenue. Austin's income in 2021 from his agency, Brandtegic, LLC, is $1,759,513.51 in 2021 and $779,416.25 in 2020.
Others said they achieved time freedom using the program's systems and strategies. Some students discuss improved client retention and scaling their team members. They appreciate the program’s 1:1 mentorship, done-for-you systems, and supportive community.
Gabe Wegulo operates a real estate media agency in Phoenix, Arizona. He specializes in social media content management and property tour videos. Agency U introduced Gabe to Notion and they use it to merge contacts, standardize operating procedures, and reduce client communication.
It improved his agency's efficiency and guided him in crafting service packages. Within three months, Gabe's retainer revenue increased from $6,000 to $13,000. He hired extra videographers and photographers so he could focus on other matters. He endorses Agency U and said they have been instrumental in his agency's growth.
Before joining Agency U, Cameron Stewart's agency had two full-time employees. They lacked structure, faced challenges, made under $500K , and lacked role clarity. Cameron's team expanded to 7 full-time employees and 16 contractors after the program. His revenue almost doubled, and he closed a $275,000 deal. Cameron learned to price for profit, delegate tasks, and focus on managing people. He stops doing everything himself and transition to a CEO mindset.
Matt Saavedra is the founder of Savvy Media in Southern California. He specializes in short-form video production, handling all aspects of his business. With Agency U, he refined his service offerings, pricing, marketing, and delivery. Matt expanded his team to eight members of videographers, editors, and account managers. His monthly revenue increased from $5,000–$8,000 to $20,000. He advises agency owners to invest in personal growth and avoid comparison.
Austin also received good reviews from his clients. Frank Palino admired his dedication to his client's success. Ben C. praises his effort to create a better client experience. Matthew Trimner and Brandon Schneider said he is a reliable resource of information. Lacey Jayne also notes Austin’s dual expertise in business and coaching.
You can also find a lot of students' testimonials and screenshots from Agency U's videos. For example, a real estate photography company started with 0 clients and grew to 9 members. Now, it makes $14,000 monthly from short-form social media. Also, he commands bigger pay for per social media shoot from $700 to $1500.
Who is Austin Schneider?
Austin Schneider is an entrepreneur and co-owner of Agency U with Gilberto Rosas. He is also the founder of Brandtegic, LLC, a creative video agency. He scaled to $5M with over 20 team members and a studio in Seattle. They provide social media management, video production, branding, and photography services. He also runs a podcast called Agency U that has significant views.
At 16, he faced family challenges like eviction and his brother's addiction. By 19, he worked two jobs to pay for school while seeking a stable construction or law enforcement career. At 20, a mentor helped him earn his first 100% commission on a sales job. He earned six figures in his first year by age 21. At 24, he worked with Realogics Sotheby’s International Realty from 2016 to 2019. He left real estate to become a full-time agency owner. From 2011 to 2017, he held leadership roles at KING 5 Media Group and Allied Trade Group.
At 27, Austin redefined his agency's offer, sales systems, and fulfillment processes. By 29, his agency hit its first seven-figure income. This led him to create Agency U at 30 years old. Today, Agency U has served over 100 clients and worked with different brands.
Austin is passionate about endurance sports outside his professional life. He joined ultra-running, Ironman races, and cycling. He enjoys spending time with his wife and staying active in San Diego, California, US. Austin also spent almost a decade involved in various volunteer and leadership roles. He has been part of the Leadership Team at Community for Youth since 2015. He mentors young people and contributes to leadership programs.
He has been a part of Shoe Guy for Olive Crest since 2016, where he joined fundraisers to support at-risk children and programs preventing child abuse. He is also been a Board Member of the Boys & Girls Club of America since 2017. He helps empower children and teens through education and extracurricular activities. Additionally, Austin volunteers for Make A Difference Day. He supports the nationwide efforts to improve lives through community service.
Who is Gilberto Rosas?
Gilberto Rosas is from South Central, Los Angeles. He was $60 in debt when he launched his agency after quitting his $12-an-hour job with $2,000 in his bank account. He used to work 14-hour daily, sending many LinkedIn messages and making cold calls. Within 19 days, he landed his first client and secured two more the next week.
By the end of his first year, he earned $10K per month. He felt stuck in this income range and experienced moments of self-doubt . So, Gilberto spent $6K on a coaching program that helped him scale his business. He then hired an executive assistant so he could work more on client acquisition. This paid off because he was earning $50K per month after.
He also hired an operations manager and a closer so he could step back from the day-to-day operations. This hiring decision made his agency earn $161K per month. Outside his job, he values his wife and loves to travel around the world. He wants to immerse himself in different cultures.
What Is Austin and Gilberto's Claim?
Austin and Gilberto claimed their programs were the fastest way to scale to $50K monthly. Their strategies and system can be replicated by other agencies to help them succeed. One of their pages said they have scaled their agencies to $200K/month and $160K monthly.
With their systems and structures, agency owners become facilitators, freeing up their time. Also, they said that investing in mentorship and a proven system is the only way to scale to 5-6 figures per month. Austin and Gilberto also claimed that each revenue level requires a new system and new hires. They said that this will help you manage your agency further.
Debunking Austin and Gilberto's Claim
Austin and Gilberto's success is within the creative/video production agencies. Contrary to their claim, the same strategies may not apply to all agencies. Each agency has different overhead costs, so their revenue could vary. They have different business models, challenges, and offerings. Also, the success they have mentioned was way back in 2018-2020. The market conditions may not be the same in 2024.
The system alone cannot solve the demand challenges. Many courses, including Agency U, provide frameworks but can't guarantee success. It still comes down to a lot of factors, including execution, niche, and competition. Sometimes, an agency fails because it comes with a lack of demand for such products or services. Revenue growth is not the only way to test an agency's success. Other key metrics are:
- profitability
- client retention rate
- customer acquisition cost
- lifetime value of clients
- and employee satisfaction.
They also stress that hiring team members to manage day-to-day operations is necessary. Start-ups or small agencies may not need it if they have automation in place like Hubspot and Zapier. Some founders want to get involved with operations to maintain control over business. This includes decision-making, quality control, and some creative aspects of the business.
Austin and Gilberto claimed that mentorship is necessary when scaling an agency. This is true to avoid the trial-and-error phase, but it is a big decision. Much information is available online for free, such as on YouTube or in niche communities. Those starting out with no thousands to spare for a course or a mentor may start with them. Hiring more team members may need extra costs. This is something that not all founders are ready for.
What Top Services Do Digital Marketing Agencies Offer?
The top services digital marketing agencies offer are:
- Lead Generation Services. This is converting leads to paying customers using email, social media, SEO, and paid ads. Connect target audiences with products or services they are looking for.
- Search Engine Optimization (SEO) Services. This is enhancing website visibility through on-page, off-page, technical, and local SEO techniques. It also involves optimizing content, structure, and performance to drive organic traffic.
- Content Marketing Services. This involves producing engaging, high-quality content for businesses to reach the right audience. This includes blog posts, social media content, videos, infographics, and more. They boost brand visibility, attract customers, and drive engagement. Tools like Ippei's Content Writer use AI workflows to produce high-quality, SEO-optimized content.
- Social Media Marketing Services. This manages campaigns on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and LinkedIn to maximize online presence. It engages audiences, builds brand awareness, and drives sales and conversions. Services include content creation, paid ads, audience targeting, and performance tracking.
- Pay-Per-Click (PPC) Advertising Services. This manages paid ad campaigns on platforms like Google Ads. Businesses pay only when users click on their ads. It focuses on targeted audience reach, keyword bidding, ad optimization, and performance analysis. The major goals are to drive traffic, generate leads, and achieve measurable ROI.
- Search Engine Marketing (SEM) Services. It combines paid advertising with search SEO strategies. The aim is to increase a website’s visibility on search engine and social media results pages.
- Email Marketing Services. This aims to nurture leads, engage customers, and drive conversions. These services include crafting compelling content and automating email sequences.
- Video Marketing Services. It is about using engaging video content to communicate a brand’s message. It involves scriptwriting, production, editing, and distribution. Use YouTube, social media, and websites to boost engagement and drive conversions.
- Web Design Services. This involves creating responsive websites for businesses. Services include layout design, navigation structure, branding, and mobile optimization. It enhances user experience and support effective online presence.
- Web Development Services. These services include coding, database management, and site optimization. It integrates features like e-commerce, content management systems, and APIs. This ensures a secure, scalable, and high-performing online platform.
How to Package and Sell Digital Marketing Services?
To package and sell digital marketing services, you must:
- Identify core services. It can be SEO, content marketing, social media management, or PPC advertising.
- Choose a business niche. Tailor your services and establish expertise to attract customers more easily.
- Bundle relevant services. Create service packages combining complementary offerings to provide comprehensive solutions, addressing many needs.
- Set transparent pricing. Have a clear pricing structure to help clients understand the value of each option.
- Outline clear deliverables. Layout specific outcomes for each service package, explaining what clients will receive.
- Offer customization options. Let clients tailor packages to their unique needs for flexibility and personalized service.
- Develop a marketing strategy. Promote your packages through targeted marketing efforts, showing your expertise and its benefits. It attracts potential clients and converts them into paying customers.
- Engage and qualify leads. Reach out to potential clients and assess if they are fit for your services, ensuring productive client-agency relationship.
- Present tailored pitches. Deliver customized proposals that address each qualified lead's specific challenges and goals. Highlight how your services provide solutions.
- Address objections and close deals. Be prepared to handle client concerns and questions. Provide clear and confident responses to agreements and objections.
Earn Passive Income Without Constant Client Acquisition With Local Lead Generation
Earning a passive income without constant client acquisition with local lead generation is simple. It involves creating a system that generates leads for local businesses . To start, choose a profitable niche, like industries with high lead demand. Good examples are home services, legal services, medical services, and many more. Then, create a rank and rent website tailored to your local niches.
Next, use search engine optimization (SEO) to rank these websites on search engines. Include a professional design, compelling content, and clear calls to action (CTAs). Use lead capture tools like contact forms, call tracking numbers, chatbots, and CRM software to manage and track leads.
Then, charge businesses for every lead, a fixed monthly fee, or a flat fee and a commission per lead. Once you build relationships with businesses, they will pay monthly for consistent leads. To increase the value of your leads, you may offer your services to one niche and location. However, you may replicate your website in many locations and niches.
Once the site is ranked, it requires minimal upkeep and avoids the need for constant rework. You may perform periodic updates to maintain rankings, but that is it. Since leads are automatically delivered to clients, the need for frequent interaction is reduced. If you want a reliable and scalable source of passive income with no need for constant client acquisition, try local lead generation.
