The AgencyHabits Podcast

Is your agency a "jack-of-all-trades, master of none"? In this episode, hosts Peter Kang and Sei-Wook Kim dive deep into the transformative power of agency specialization. They break down the critical difference between internal specialization and external positioning, and reveal why narrowing your focus is the ultimate growth accelerator for agencies under $10M in revenue.

Peter and Sei-Wook share Barrel Holdings' own journey from a generalist agency serving investment banks and nail salons to a specialized leader in the Shopify CPG space. They provide a clear-eyed view of the trade-offs between generalist and specialist models, and offer...

Agency profitability isn't always what it seems. In this episode, Peter Kang and Sei-Wook Kim break down how to really evaluate your agency's profit. The hosts also talks about why two agencies reporting the same margins can mean totally different things.

They unpack the difference between EBITDA (Earnings Before Interest, Taxes, Depreciation, and Amortization) and SDE (Seller's Discretionary Earnings), showing how owner salaries, distributions, and "normalization" adjustments can completely change the story. Whether you're thinking about selling your agency or just want a clearer view of your true financial performance, this episode will help you see beyond...

In this episode, hosts Peter Kang and Sei-Wook Kim break down the complex landscape of agency acquirers. They map out the six primary types of buyers, from individual entrepreneurs to massive strategic networks, explaining the distinct motivations, financial structures, and long-term goals for each.

Peter and Sei-Wook provide a clear-eyed view of what it's like to sell to each buyer type, covering everything from highly leveraged individual purchases to the synergy-driven deals of strategic acquirers and the financial engineering of private equity platforms. They also delve into the nuances of management buyouts, employee ownership plans (ESOPs), and...

In this episode, hosts Peter Kang and Sei-Wook Kim pull back the curtain on one of their most significant career transitions: stepping away from the day-to-day leadership of their first agency, Barrel, without selling the business. They define this strategic move as a "role exit" which is a path less discussed but highly relevant for founder-led businesses.

Peter and Sei-Wook share the multi-year journey of identifying and grooming their successor, Lucas Ballasy, from designer to CEO. They detail the practical steps of mapping out their own responsibilities, filling skill gaps, and navigating the emotional challenges of letting...

In this episode, hosts Peter Kang and Sei-Wook Kim dive into the practicalities of building a partnerships program for resource-constrained agencies. They argue that you don't need a dedicated partnerships team to start seeing significant benefits from strategic alliances.

Peter and Sei-Wook outline a step-by-step, lightweight approach to identifying the right partners, from complementary agencies and tech platforms to fractional consultants. They explain how to build genuine relationships, properly vet potential partners to protect your reputation, and set up simple systems for tracking and incentives. The conversation also covers the critical mindset shift required, which is focusing...

In this episode, hosts Peter Kang and Sei-Wook Kim cut through the noise of data overload to share the essential metrics every agency should track. Moving beyond fancy dashboards, they break down the handful of key performance indicators (KPIs) that truly drive informed decision-making at their portfolio agencies under Barrel Holdings.

Peter and Sei-Wook explain the critical difference between lag measures (reporting on the past) and lead measures (predicting the future), providing a clear framework for both. They dive deep into core financial metrics like revenue mix, gross margin, and EBITDA, and operational essentials like utilization and...

In this episode, hosts Peter Kang and Sei-Wook Kim dive deep into one of the most painful but inevitable aspects of running an agency: client churn. Drawing from decades of experience building and scaling agencies, they break down the most common reasons clients leave—from poor onboarding and missed deadlines to unresponsive communication and misaligned expectations.

Peter and Sei-Wook share candid stories from their own agency, Barrel, including how they've lost clients due to everything from quality control issues and ego-driven interactions to market downturns and internal stakeholder changes. They also offer practical advice on how to st...

In this episode, hosts Peter Kang and Sei-Wook Kim pull back the curtain on one of the most critical yet often overlooked aspects of scaling an agency: organizational design. Starting from their own early days as a flat, "all-hands-on-deck" team, they trace the evolution of their org chart at Barrel as they grew, specialized roles, and built departments.

Peter and Sei-Wook discuss the telltale signs that it's time to add structure, from the need for career paths and mentorship to managing increasing project complexity. They share practical advice on how founders can be more deliberate about org...

In this episode, hosts Peter Kang and Sei-Wook Kim dive into one of the most challenging but necessary decisions agency leaders face: when and how to let go of clients. As agencies grow, not every client remains a good fit. Peter and Sei-Wook break down the key factors to consider when evaluating your client roster, from strategic alignment and profitability to relationship quality and payment behavior.

They share real-world examples from their own experiences at Barrel, including how shifting their focus to Shopify-led projects meant parting ways with clients on other platforms. They also tackle tough topics...

In this episode, hosts Peter Kang and Sei-Wook Kim dive into the core habits that have driven their agencies' success over the years. From structured team reviews and client communications to proactive outreach and financial discipline, they break down 10 essential routines (plus a few bonus ones) that help agencies improve continuously, stay aligned, and grow sustainably.

Peter and Sei-Wook share personal stories and practical advice on implementing habits like After Action Reviews, weekly biz dev meetings, monthly newsletters, and quarterly business reviews. They also explore how these habits compound over time, strengthen culture, prevent problems, and unlock...

In this episode, hosts Peter Kang and Sei-Wook Kim talk about the critical yet often overlooked topic of cashflow management for agencies. They share lessons on balancing profitability with liquidity, designing client contracts to align cash inflows with outflows, and determining the right amount of cash reserves to weather uncertainties.

From the pitfalls of 50/50 payment structures to the advantages of retainer-based models, Peter and Sei-Wook explore practical strategies to avoid cash crunches. They also discuss the emotional and financial challenges of using reserves to sustain operations during downturns, the role of insurance and credit lines as safety...

In this episode, hosts Peter Kang and Sei-Wook Kim take listeners on a journey back to their agency's origins, sharing hard-won insights about building a business from scratch with limited connections and resources. They explore the strategies that helped them jumpstart Barrel 19 years ago, from leveraging personal networks to building lasting client relationships that compound over time.

The conversation covers everything from their early days doing pro bono work for nonprofits to developing systematic approaches for staying top-of-mind with past clients and building referral networks. They also discuss the importance of treating every client engagement, regardless of...

In this episode, Peter Kang and Sei-Wook Kim dive deep into agency specialization and how narrowing focus has become a key driver of growth across their Barrel Holdings portfolio. From the evolution of Barrel's journey from generalist to CPG eCommerce specialists, to the strategic positioning of BX Studio as Webflow experts, they share practical insights on when and how to specialize.

They explore the trade-offs between being a full-service generalist versus developing deep expertise in specific verticals or capabilities. The conversation covers real-world examples of how specialization leads to stronger client relationships, higher margins, and better valuations...

In this episode, Peter Kang and Sei-Wook Kim tackle one of the most confusing aspects of agency financials: how to properly calculate profitability. They break down the critical difference between SDE (Seller's Discretionary Earnings) and EBITDA, explaining why these metrics can paint vastly different pictures of the same business.

Using concrete examples and spreadsheet walkthroughs, they demonstrate how owner salary calculations can dramatically impact reported profitability margins…sometimes swinging from 15% to 40% depending on how compensation is structured. This episode is essential for any agency owner who wants to understand their true financial performance and how acquirers evaluate bu...

In this episode of Agency Habits, Peter Kang interviews Sei-Wook Kim on the inner workings of agency acquisitions and valuations at Barrel Holdings. They break down the exact criteria they use when evaluating whether to acquire an agency and explain the logic behind their valuation framework: what increases the price, what brings it down, and how seller goals shape the final deal.

If you're building an agency with the intention to sell (now or years from now), this episode will help you understand how experienced buyers actually think: what they're measuring, what red flags they catch fast...

In this inaugural episode, Peter Kang and Sei-Wook Kim share the unfiltered origin story behind Barrel Holdings. From their humble beginnings building table-based websites in college to growing a multi-agency portfolio serving CPG brands, startups, and enterprise clients, this conversation charts nearly two decades of lessons in agency building, client service, and entrepreneurial evolution.

They walk us through key inflection points: like quitting Wall Street, bootstrapping through Craigslist hires, launching Barrel, and ultimately spinning off multiple high-performing specialized agencies. 

You'll also get a behind-the-scenes look at their first acquisition and why they've committed to a l...