In this episode, Tom Griffiths is joined by Mark Blacklee, founder of Kuro – a performance-driven PPC agency with over 16 years of experience helping businesses grow through strategic digital marketing. Mark shares his journey from starting Kuro with a business partner in a university incubator, to scaling it into a specialized performance agency focused solely on paid media.

The conversation delves into the challenges of running and scaling an agency, including the early mistakes Mark and his team made around pricing, hiring, and cash flow management. He reflects on how common it is for agency owners to focus on revenue growth, while ignoring profitability, capacity, and the operational structure needed to sustain long-term success. From over-servicing clients to delayed invoicing and undercharging, Mark candidly discusses lessons learned the hard way.

The discussion also explores the importance of understanding your business metrics — like hourly rates, delivery capacity, and client contribution — in making informed hiring and scaling decisions. Mark emphasizes that growth doesn’t just mean more clients or revenue; it’s about building a sustainable, profitable business with the right team and systems in place.

Looking ahead, Mark introduces BC24, a new venture focused on acquiring or partnering with agency owners who are looking to exit in the next 3–5 years. His aim is to create a collaborative performance marketing group that helps agency founders solve common operational bottlenecks, improve valuation, and ultimately prepare for a successful and profitable exit.

If you’re an agency owner thinking about succession planning, or simply want to hear real insights on scaling a service-based business, this episode offers plenty of actionable takeaways.

To Contact Mark: https://www.linkedin.com/in/markblacklee/